Robin returned to the camp.
"Chopper, Sanji, I've found out information about the Road Poneglyph. I'm going out to the Udon Desert to look for it. Don't worry, I'll be back before the banquet ends here."
"Robin-chan," Sanji danced around her with heart eyes, "I'd like to accompany you, but I'm needed here now."
"Me too." said Chopper.
"That's okay," Robin said, "I spoke with King, he wants to accompany me."
"That's not okay by any means, Robin!" Sanji replied, "That enemy almost punched a hole in my stomach! Who knows what he's planning for you. He could kidnap you, you know!"
"Oh!" Chopper suddenly exclaimed, "I forgot to check his wing! I'll be right back." Chopper ran towards King and left Robin arguing with Sanji.
"His captain is dead, Sanji." Robin replied, "All his plans have gone awry. Think about it, such a strong enemy, now is the time to bring him to our side before he joins someone else."
"He can extort all the information from you to try to become the pirate king. He can even kill you!" said Sanji.
"So far, I'm the one who extracted vital information from him, and he could have killed me earlier if he wanted to. He's badly wounded, and he's not even aspiring to become the pirate king himself. He's trying to find himself right now. I will help him find so that he would not pose a threat to us."
"You know I trust you, Robin-chan," Sanji said, "but you have to be careful. Don't forget that he wanted to kill Momo in cold blood."
"I don't." Robin replied, "He is a man who will do anything for his goal, if he has one. He is currently considering whether his goal would be to follow Luffy."
"What?!" Sanji was surprised.
"Understand now?" Robin asked.
"Well, take care of yourself." Sanji replied, "Wait, I'll make you some food for the trip."
As Sanji packed some lunch boxes and filled a barrel of water for Robin, a sudden roar of pain sounded from King's direction. Robin hurried to him, and found Chopper palpating King's injured wing.
"Sorry I hurt you," Chopper said, "but it's actually a good sign."
"All doctors like to torture their patients." said King in a low, threatening voice. "Let go of my wing."
"I'm not like that," Chopper said, "if I could examine it without hurting you I would, but I needed to check if the severed nerve edges had connected. If it did not hurt you right now, it would mean that you have finally lost all sensation in the wing, but because it did hurt you, I know chances are you would be able to use the wing for flying again. I will not hurt you anymore, but do not use your devil fruit right now, it changes the shape of your wing and it may tear again. And try not to move the wing at all in the next two days. Afterwards we'll talk about how to get your wing moving again."
"Are you really... trying to heal me?" King asked in disbelief.
"Of course," Chopper replied, "that's any doctor's commitment."
"I've never met a doctor like you." King said, "If I fly again, I'll owe you."
"You owe me nothing, you bastard," Chopper danced, "I like to heal people."
"Robin," King called as he saw her approaching, with Sanji on her heels, "I found us a ride." He pointed to a croco-shark with a bump on its head. "The reindeer doctor said that's how they went to Udon with Big Mom."
"You called me a reindeer, bastard," Chopper danced again, "it doesn't make me happy..."
"Of course." King replied, "You made it quite clear to everyone back there on the live floor."
"Hey, bird-bastard!" Sanji called to him, coming running after Robin. "I don't know why Robin trusts you, but if she doesn't return here safe and sound by tomorrow, you'll have business with me, understand?!"
"My only goal at the moment, is to help Robin find what she's looking for and bring her back here safe and sound." King answered him calmly, folding his arms.
"The food and water I packed here are only for Robin," Sanji continued. "I heard you have no problem getting by in hostile environments, you're on your own."
"No problem." King replied, "Yesterday before the banquet I ate and drank enough for a week. I'll take care of Robin, at least as much as she took care of me yesterday and today."
"Before the banquet?" Robin asked.
King gave her a warm look, "I knew that at the banquet itself I'd be busy arranging all sorts of things." King replied to her, "Even if you did not come, I wouldn't have the time to just sit and eat or drink. Besides, I don't remove my mask in public. I prefer to eat privately only with Kaido, or alone."
"Next week, will you eat with me?" Robin asked.
King just nodded.
"Then come on, I want to set off." said Robin, moving to sit on the croco-shark's back. King sat down behind her and folded his long legs in front of her so that Robin was sitting in the triangle formed between them.
"Let's go!" King landed another punch on the croco-shark's head, and they set off.
