Rendering Life: The Story of Nico Robin
****
Part Two
Black Lace
****
"Nico Robin, you're under arrest."
The first thing Robin thought of was the word 'run.' She had to get out of that
station and fast. She had known she would have gotten in trouble for taking the fruit, but
to be arrested for it? Then she thought of all the men she had killed or injured; that must
have been it, but she was protecting herself. She harmed them in self-defense, but for
such a small child to take down so many men. It was inhuman.
Just then she knew why she was going to be arrested. The Lieutenant didn't see
her as human anymore. This was the fruit's curse, to be changed in such a way you aren't
seen as human anymore. What an awful curse to bestow on such a young child.
Robin stood up and ran for the door, but was stopped by the guards, which
covered the door. Soon two arms came out of each of their backs and held their limbs in
place so as to let Robin run pass them. The Lieutenant's voice called for all post to go
after the child and to use extreme caution when dealing with her.
Robin ran through the twisting hallways trying to find her way out yet coming out
with futile attempts. When guards would come at her with weapons, they would turn back
on their owners and threaten to dispose of them. Soon she came to another dead end on
the second floor. The guards would quickly figure out where she was it was only a matter
of time, so she took the only road she could thing of. She jumped out of the window.
She didn't land on the moist street, but in the hands of her own power. Lifting her
body off of the hands she looked back and forth quickly and made a dash for the docks,
determined to leave on a boat for fear of her safety. There were small ships and large
ships that lined the docks. She grabbed a few crates with her extra appendages and made
her way to a small lifeboat that lined its self next to a large ship. She had the arms place
the crates in the boat and she climbed in after.
It would be only a matter of time before the Marines caught wind that she had
taken off in a boat, so she left as fast as she could, arms rowing the boat for her as she
saw her home fading from her view.
The sun's bright rays shone on the young girl's face; interrupting her slumber. It
had been three days since she left home and she had only a limited amount of food and
water. She looked on all sides of her boat too see if there was any land coming into view,
but had no luck in finding anything. She lay back on the ship's bottom and looked up at
the clouds as limbs came back out of the boat and began to row again. The clouds helped
her stay calm and hopeful for the end of the day that a large piece of civilization would
come into view and she would be able to start a new life; one that wouldn't discriminate
her for her curse.
It was when she heard a church bell in the distance that she knew she would be
saved. The island was big, but not huge; it was a nice place to start a new life. Robin had
the arms go faster and the boat sped towards the shore. Robin smiling all the way.
When she arrived, she tied her ship to a small dock and decided to walk around
town to see where she would be living the rest of her life. The own was on the small side,
but had a homey feel to it. People looked at her as she walked down the streets wondering
where this child had come from. Robin, though not liking all the extra attention, decided
that she would go and find a small labor job that would pay and have a room she could
stay in.
Robin walked to the large cork bulletin board that held sheets of paper offering
jobs and demanding those on the wanted posts. She looked and took a couple ads off of
the board when something familiar caught her eye. It was her picture on a wanted poster.
Robin couldn't tell if she should have run or ripped the post from the board. It
was humiliating and demeaning at the same time. She wanted to start over; she wanted
another chance as someone who was respectable and proper, not that of someone who is
being hunted down day and night for money for a crime she didn't truly commit.
Her small hand went up to her picture and grabbed the post. It came of the board
nicely and she smiled at her accomplishment. She would be free no matter what
happened.
"So, whatcha got there, missy?"
Robin turned to see an old man standing behind her with a flask in his right hand.
She gave him a nervous smile and showed him the ads from the board.
"I'm looking for a job, sir. I'm new here and want a job."
The man looked through the ads threw them behind his shoulder. Robin watched
as the paper fluttered to the ground.
"Now, listen here, missy. I have a great job you can fill. Full pay, room and board.
How's that sound to, ya?"
It had to be too good to be true. To have a home and a paying job being offered
not even and hour into arriving; it just had to be too good to be true.
"I would love to do it."
The man seemed satisfied with her answer and led her to her new employer. It
ended up that the man's niece was starting a hotel business and need help with cleaning
the rooms. Robin couldn't have been happier to comply. No one really had any clue that
the marines would want such a young girl. It would be a perfect cover up if she would be
able to pull it off.
They arrived at the home and Robin took to the new setting kindly. It was really a
nice home furnished as a hotel, but to be allowed to stay and work in a place like this was
Robin's only ticket to a better life. The inside was clean and primped for fashion;
something Robin definitely wasn't used to. Soon a woman came through a small archway
walk welcomed the old man with a sigh.
"Mr. Jones, I thought I told you not to bring anymore girls in here. This hotel is
not a place for such debauchery!"
The man called Jones looked flustered for a bit then replied, "Anna, she's not here
for THAT purpose. She's lookin' for work an I said that you'd be looking for someone to
help you out around here. She's a workin' girl."
The woman named Anna looked down to Robin and squinted her eyes as to see if
it would make the child look any more appealing. After a moment she smiled and placed
a hand on Robin's shoulder.
"Thank you, Mr. Jones. I think this will end up nicely. Do you want a room
tonight?"
"No, no, Anna. I have to go out today. Maybe soon I'll get one, but not today."
"Good day!"
With a wave the man left Robin alone with Anna, the innkeeper.
"Now, dear. What's you're name? Do you have any experience? What's a small
child like you doing here?"
Robin listened as the questions rolled off the other lady's tongue faster than the
pace that they were walking.
"My name is Nico Robin. I haven't had any real experience at inns. I can clean
and cook." Robin wanted to avoid the question of why she was at the town as much as
possible. Being wanted was not something that many people were proud of and when the
person being accused was so young; sometimes things were better just left alone.
"Well, all right. I'll see how you hold up for a few days. If I don't like your
progress, you'll be looking for another job. Got it?"
Robin nodded in agreement. Anna then showed the girl to her new room where
she would spend her free time reading and sleeping. Today, though, was a day for
shopping. Robin said that she had to go buy some descent clothing to work in and Anna
allowed her to go to town.
Robin returned to her room with armfuls of bags, which held clothing and other
items. She had exchanged most of her gold and silver for bellies at the bank and placed
most of the money in an account so that she had a safe place to hold her money. It was
only a matter of second when she heard a sharp knocking on her door.
Anna, looking more than at wits end, pulled Robin out of her room and brought
her to the front counter where a scraggly man stood. He stood no taller that six feet and
has black cornrolls upon his head. The man looked as if he needed rest, but couldn't
anytime soon. His clothing looked weather beaten and dirtied; a fair warning that Robin
would most likely have to do laundry that night.
The man had asked Anna in a gruff voice if he could have a room for a week and
as disgusted as she looked she was more than happy to offer him the room; as long as
he paid half of the amount first. The man complied with her wished and dropped a bag
full of bellies on top of the counter that stood between the businesswoman and her
customer. Anna's stutter called Robin to attention. This man had to be on the run.
"Robin, could you please show this man to their room?"
Robin said a small 'yes' and walked towards the room; the man following her.
She could feel the man's odd eyes staring at her as she hopes for a good-natured reason.
When they arrived at the door the man still couldn't keep his eyes off the girl. What
worried her more was when be bent to look at the face she had tried to not look at the
man's eyes, but found it hard to do.
"Do I know you from somewhere?"
The man's gruff voice startled her, causing her to look up in alarm. She knew
he'd probably had seen her on the wanted posters, but decided to deny the sighting.
"I don't think so. Here is your room."
The man gave one last look at her and walked into the room. Robin didn't feel
relieved until the door shut in front of her face. She walked to he room with shaky legs
and sat on her bed letting out a big sigh of relief. She almost was recognized and it was
only the first day on the job. It was unnerving, but if more customers came in like this,
from the sea, she would sooner or later be caught.
The next couple days weren't easy on her either. Whenever she had to give the
man his food or change the towels or make the bed he would always be staring at her as if
he just couldn't place her face. He knew, she had no doubt in that, but he wasn't sure if it
was her or not. Not many people had her eyes or facial features, but similarities should
not be hasty when turning in someone for money.
It was on the fourth night he stayed that Robin could take no more of his leering.
She would say anything to compromise her job, but she would confront the man if it
would get him to stop staring at her. At times like this she didn't need a much older man
to spy on her. She needed to feel comfortable every time she walked into the room.
After the meal for dinner ended she walked to collect the dishes and mugs from
the man. Robin knocked against the door that led to the man's room. The voice on the
other side of the door told her to come in. She walked in and greeted the man with a
smile. She quickly changed the towels and right before she started to take the plates and
mugs she turned to the man and stared right back at him.
The man gave a slight look of surprise, but threw a grin right back at her. Robin
knew that she could let herself be phased by the stare of the man. The man's black rolls
framed his face to make his image seem more intimidating; Robin tried to keep her
composure.
"Why do you keep looking at me?"
The man didn't seem to expect her to talk to him but grinned all the same.
"You're that kid aren't you?"
Robin almost flinched. HE KNEW and that was one of the scariest things she
could face.
"I...I don't know what you're talking about."
"Kid, if you're gonna try an cover it up, you'd betta not stutter. They'd catch that
in a second."
"I still have no idea..."
"Nico Robin. You have a bounty of 20 million. Which is definitely not to bad for
a brat like you."
"I'm not Nico Robin and I am not a brat!"
"And if you two were so different why do you look exactly tha same. Here's tha
post."
Robin gulped and looked at the post for the second time in her life. Her face still
looked the same, as if she wanted to hurt those people that were after her. She hated that
picture.
"Its you righ?"
Robin nodded slowly and the smile on the man's face seemed to grow wider.
"You mind if I ask ya somethin'?"
Robin nodded again looking up at the man's face. He seemed quite happy for a
man who had just met a convicted killer. Something wasn't right and she had no clue
what it was.
"How'd you do it? For such a scrawny thin, it's hard to believe."
Robin decided that she didn't have much of a choice so she tapped into her power
and showed the man. Arms grew out of the walls and even the bed and chair he was
sitting in. The man's eyes grew wide and almost bugged out, but he didn't jump from the
chair, only spun his head around to look at Robin and slapped his knee so hard she
thought he must have cracked. The he began to laugh a hearty guffaw. That was
something Robin definitely didn't expect.
"I want ya ta do a job for me missy."
Robin threw the man a questioning look, but the mirth in his eyes didn't waver.
She couldn't take this guy seriously; not for a second but then again she didn't know
what the job was. It was an odd situation for the eight-year old to encounter.
"What do you want me to do?"
"I need ya to dispose of something for me."
"Dispose?"
"Yeah, I pay you three thousand for your work, too."
"Three thousand?"
It was a lot of money for such a young child, but to go killing people? That was
morally and just flat out wrong. Then again, three thousand was a lot of bellies...
"Who?"
The man's grin split even wider. If she could go through with the job she'd be in
her boat and to the next island as soon as possible. It was never wise for a killer to stay in
one place. There went her hopes for starting over.
"C'mere. Here's tha guy's picture. He's posted, but not at a high amount, that's
why no ones after tha guy. Leavin him to feel like he's fancy-free," The man in the
picture looked almost menacing, but he was under a low amount for capture. Only five
hundred thousand bellies, no wonder many went after the higher amounts. It was a more
promising reward if you were able to catch the culprit and less demeaning if you got
killed. "He's on this island as a matter of fact. Tha's why I'm here. Been keepin' tabs on
his since he arrived. So you'll do it?"
Robin looked at the picture and then back up to the man in front of him. His eyes
had at sometime lost their mirth and giddiness. He was quite solemn and it somewhat
worried Robin to work with a man that could change so quickly.
"Yes."
****
Part Two
Black Lace
****
"Nico Robin, you're under arrest."
The first thing Robin thought of was the word 'run.' She had to get out of that
station and fast. She had known she would have gotten in trouble for taking the fruit, but
to be arrested for it? Then she thought of all the men she had killed or injured; that must
have been it, but she was protecting herself. She harmed them in self-defense, but for
such a small child to take down so many men. It was inhuman.
Just then she knew why she was going to be arrested. The Lieutenant didn't see
her as human anymore. This was the fruit's curse, to be changed in such a way you aren't
seen as human anymore. What an awful curse to bestow on such a young child.
Robin stood up and ran for the door, but was stopped by the guards, which
covered the door. Soon two arms came out of each of their backs and held their limbs in
place so as to let Robin run pass them. The Lieutenant's voice called for all post to go
after the child and to use extreme caution when dealing with her.
Robin ran through the twisting hallways trying to find her way out yet coming out
with futile attempts. When guards would come at her with weapons, they would turn back
on their owners and threaten to dispose of them. Soon she came to another dead end on
the second floor. The guards would quickly figure out where she was it was only a matter
of time, so she took the only road she could thing of. She jumped out of the window.
She didn't land on the moist street, but in the hands of her own power. Lifting her
body off of the hands she looked back and forth quickly and made a dash for the docks,
determined to leave on a boat for fear of her safety. There were small ships and large
ships that lined the docks. She grabbed a few crates with her extra appendages and made
her way to a small lifeboat that lined its self next to a large ship. She had the arms place
the crates in the boat and she climbed in after.
It would be only a matter of time before the Marines caught wind that she had
taken off in a boat, so she left as fast as she could, arms rowing the boat for her as she
saw her home fading from her view.
The sun's bright rays shone on the young girl's face; interrupting her slumber. It
had been three days since she left home and she had only a limited amount of food and
water. She looked on all sides of her boat too see if there was any land coming into view,
but had no luck in finding anything. She lay back on the ship's bottom and looked up at
the clouds as limbs came back out of the boat and began to row again. The clouds helped
her stay calm and hopeful for the end of the day that a large piece of civilization would
come into view and she would be able to start a new life; one that wouldn't discriminate
her for her curse.
It was when she heard a church bell in the distance that she knew she would be
saved. The island was big, but not huge; it was a nice place to start a new life. Robin had
the arms go faster and the boat sped towards the shore. Robin smiling all the way.
When she arrived, she tied her ship to a small dock and decided to walk around
town to see where she would be living the rest of her life. The own was on the small side,
but had a homey feel to it. People looked at her as she walked down the streets wondering
where this child had come from. Robin, though not liking all the extra attention, decided
that she would go and find a small labor job that would pay and have a room she could
stay in.
Robin walked to the large cork bulletin board that held sheets of paper offering
jobs and demanding those on the wanted posts. She looked and took a couple ads off of
the board when something familiar caught her eye. It was her picture on a wanted poster.
Robin couldn't tell if she should have run or ripped the post from the board. It
was humiliating and demeaning at the same time. She wanted to start over; she wanted
another chance as someone who was respectable and proper, not that of someone who is
being hunted down day and night for money for a crime she didn't truly commit.
Her small hand went up to her picture and grabbed the post. It came of the board
nicely and she smiled at her accomplishment. She would be free no matter what
happened.
"So, whatcha got there, missy?"
Robin turned to see an old man standing behind her with a flask in his right hand.
She gave him a nervous smile and showed him the ads from the board.
"I'm looking for a job, sir. I'm new here and want a job."
The man looked through the ads threw them behind his shoulder. Robin watched
as the paper fluttered to the ground.
"Now, listen here, missy. I have a great job you can fill. Full pay, room and board.
How's that sound to, ya?"
It had to be too good to be true. To have a home and a paying job being offered
not even and hour into arriving; it just had to be too good to be true.
"I would love to do it."
The man seemed satisfied with her answer and led her to her new employer. It
ended up that the man's niece was starting a hotel business and need help with cleaning
the rooms. Robin couldn't have been happier to comply. No one really had any clue that
the marines would want such a young girl. It would be a perfect cover up if she would be
able to pull it off.
They arrived at the home and Robin took to the new setting kindly. It was really a
nice home furnished as a hotel, but to be allowed to stay and work in a place like this was
Robin's only ticket to a better life. The inside was clean and primped for fashion;
something Robin definitely wasn't used to. Soon a woman came through a small archway
walk welcomed the old man with a sigh.
"Mr. Jones, I thought I told you not to bring anymore girls in here. This hotel is
not a place for such debauchery!"
The man called Jones looked flustered for a bit then replied, "Anna, she's not here
for THAT purpose. She's lookin' for work an I said that you'd be looking for someone to
help you out around here. She's a workin' girl."
The woman named Anna looked down to Robin and squinted her eyes as to see if
it would make the child look any more appealing. After a moment she smiled and placed
a hand on Robin's shoulder.
"Thank you, Mr. Jones. I think this will end up nicely. Do you want a room
tonight?"
"No, no, Anna. I have to go out today. Maybe soon I'll get one, but not today."
"Good day!"
With a wave the man left Robin alone with Anna, the innkeeper.
"Now, dear. What's you're name? Do you have any experience? What's a small
child like you doing here?"
Robin listened as the questions rolled off the other lady's tongue faster than the
pace that they were walking.
"My name is Nico Robin. I haven't had any real experience at inns. I can clean
and cook." Robin wanted to avoid the question of why she was at the town as much as
possible. Being wanted was not something that many people were proud of and when the
person being accused was so young; sometimes things were better just left alone.
"Well, all right. I'll see how you hold up for a few days. If I don't like your
progress, you'll be looking for another job. Got it?"
Robin nodded in agreement. Anna then showed the girl to her new room where
she would spend her free time reading and sleeping. Today, though, was a day for
shopping. Robin said that she had to go buy some descent clothing to work in and Anna
allowed her to go to town.
Robin returned to her room with armfuls of bags, which held clothing and other
items. She had exchanged most of her gold and silver for bellies at the bank and placed
most of the money in an account so that she had a safe place to hold her money. It was
only a matter of second when she heard a sharp knocking on her door.
Anna, looking more than at wits end, pulled Robin out of her room and brought
her to the front counter where a scraggly man stood. He stood no taller that six feet and
has black cornrolls upon his head. The man looked as if he needed rest, but couldn't
anytime soon. His clothing looked weather beaten and dirtied; a fair warning that Robin
would most likely have to do laundry that night.
The man had asked Anna in a gruff voice if he could have a room for a week and
as disgusted as she looked she was more than happy to offer him the room; as long as
he paid half of the amount first. The man complied with her wished and dropped a bag
full of bellies on top of the counter that stood between the businesswoman and her
customer. Anna's stutter called Robin to attention. This man had to be on the run.
"Robin, could you please show this man to their room?"
Robin said a small 'yes' and walked towards the room; the man following her.
She could feel the man's odd eyes staring at her as she hopes for a good-natured reason.
When they arrived at the door the man still couldn't keep his eyes off the girl. What
worried her more was when be bent to look at the face she had tried to not look at the
man's eyes, but found it hard to do.
"Do I know you from somewhere?"
The man's gruff voice startled her, causing her to look up in alarm. She knew
he'd probably had seen her on the wanted posters, but decided to deny the sighting.
"I don't think so. Here is your room."
The man gave one last look at her and walked into the room. Robin didn't feel
relieved until the door shut in front of her face. She walked to he room with shaky legs
and sat on her bed letting out a big sigh of relief. She almost was recognized and it was
only the first day on the job. It was unnerving, but if more customers came in like this,
from the sea, she would sooner or later be caught.
The next couple days weren't easy on her either. Whenever she had to give the
man his food or change the towels or make the bed he would always be staring at her as if
he just couldn't place her face. He knew, she had no doubt in that, but he wasn't sure if it
was her or not. Not many people had her eyes or facial features, but similarities should
not be hasty when turning in someone for money.
It was on the fourth night he stayed that Robin could take no more of his leering.
She would say anything to compromise her job, but she would confront the man if it
would get him to stop staring at her. At times like this she didn't need a much older man
to spy on her. She needed to feel comfortable every time she walked into the room.
After the meal for dinner ended she walked to collect the dishes and mugs from
the man. Robin knocked against the door that led to the man's room. The voice on the
other side of the door told her to come in. She walked in and greeted the man with a
smile. She quickly changed the towels and right before she started to take the plates and
mugs she turned to the man and stared right back at him.
The man gave a slight look of surprise, but threw a grin right back at her. Robin
knew that she could let herself be phased by the stare of the man. The man's black rolls
framed his face to make his image seem more intimidating; Robin tried to keep her
composure.
"Why do you keep looking at me?"
The man didn't seem to expect her to talk to him but grinned all the same.
"You're that kid aren't you?"
Robin almost flinched. HE KNEW and that was one of the scariest things she
could face.
"I...I don't know what you're talking about."
"Kid, if you're gonna try an cover it up, you'd betta not stutter. They'd catch that
in a second."
"I still have no idea..."
"Nico Robin. You have a bounty of 20 million. Which is definitely not to bad for
a brat like you."
"I'm not Nico Robin and I am not a brat!"
"And if you two were so different why do you look exactly tha same. Here's tha
post."
Robin gulped and looked at the post for the second time in her life. Her face still
looked the same, as if she wanted to hurt those people that were after her. She hated that
picture.
"Its you righ?"
Robin nodded slowly and the smile on the man's face seemed to grow wider.
"You mind if I ask ya somethin'?"
Robin nodded again looking up at the man's face. He seemed quite happy for a
man who had just met a convicted killer. Something wasn't right and she had no clue
what it was.
"How'd you do it? For such a scrawny thin, it's hard to believe."
Robin decided that she didn't have much of a choice so she tapped into her power
and showed the man. Arms grew out of the walls and even the bed and chair he was
sitting in. The man's eyes grew wide and almost bugged out, but he didn't jump from the
chair, only spun his head around to look at Robin and slapped his knee so hard she
thought he must have cracked. The he began to laugh a hearty guffaw. That was
something Robin definitely didn't expect.
"I want ya ta do a job for me missy."
Robin threw the man a questioning look, but the mirth in his eyes didn't waver.
She couldn't take this guy seriously; not for a second but then again she didn't know
what the job was. It was an odd situation for the eight-year old to encounter.
"What do you want me to do?"
"I need ya to dispose of something for me."
"Dispose?"
"Yeah, I pay you three thousand for your work, too."
"Three thousand?"
It was a lot of money for such a young child, but to go killing people? That was
morally and just flat out wrong. Then again, three thousand was a lot of bellies...
"Who?"
The man's grin split even wider. If she could go through with the job she'd be in
her boat and to the next island as soon as possible. It was never wise for a killer to stay in
one place. There went her hopes for starting over.
"C'mere. Here's tha guy's picture. He's posted, but not at a high amount, that's
why no ones after tha guy. Leavin him to feel like he's fancy-free," The man in the
picture looked almost menacing, but he was under a low amount for capture. Only five
hundred thousand bellies, no wonder many went after the higher amounts. It was a more
promising reward if you were able to catch the culprit and less demeaning if you got
killed. "He's on this island as a matter of fact. Tha's why I'm here. Been keepin' tabs on
his since he arrived. So you'll do it?"
Robin looked at the picture and then back up to the man in front of him. His eyes
had at sometime lost their mirth and giddiness. He was quite solemn and it somewhat
worried Robin to work with a man that could change so quickly.
"Yes."