Late at night, Robin and Arbel once again found themselves the last ones not sleeping. Robin yawned.
"Let's go back to the tent," Arbel suggested. "You'll not be able to fall asleep here."
Thanks to Arbel's body heat, Robin was able to fall asleep for a bit. Arbel couldn't sleep. Although he drew comfort from Robin's body curled up beside him, many thoughts still plagued his mind. He hasn't yet seen his goals and future clearly. He lay with his eyes open, waiting for the morning. At least in the morning he has a clear task.
Early before dawn, Robin woke up. "Still can't fall asleep, Arbel?" She asked quietly.
Arbel shook his head.
Robin kissed his eyelids to close his eyes, gently caressed his hair and quietly recited his Red Line mantra. Eventually he fell asleep, and Robin took the newspaper in her hands, to pass the time until sunrise.
With the light of Arbel's flame, she read all the articles one by one, for about two hours, then reached the last page, and turned the paper onto the back cover, which was designed like another front page.
"What?!" She cried in terror.
Arbel jumped at once to a sitting position, opening his eyes.
"It can't be..." she said in a broken voice.
"What happened, Robin?" Arbel asked, "You're trembling." He put his warm arm on her shoulder, but the trembling didn't stop.
Robin showed him the paper:
Attempted Assassination of a Celestial Dragon
In an attempt to free one of the slaves belonging to the Celestial Dragon St. Rosward, the revolutionary army commanders, led by their Chief of Staff, Sabo, pounced on the Celestial Dragon and caused him severe burns all over his body. But fortunately, Admiral Ryokugyu, who patrolled the area, attacked and neutralized the revolutionaries, captured them and handed them handcuffed in sea stone to St. Rosward, who declared them all slaves and sentenced them to hard labor under the Travelators in Mary Geoise. In addition, the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army will be executed in about a month from now.
"I read that." said Arbel. "I am aware that admirals patrol the area there regularly."
"No..." replied Robin, "Sabo, he's caught!"
"You know him?" Arbel was amazed.
"Yes." Robin replied, "While my crew was separated, I spent two years with the Revolutionary Army. Sabo is a very good friend of mine. How can it be that he's caught? That he's being executed?" Robin's eyes filled with tears.
"Robin," said Arbel gently, "I intend to go to Mary Geoise anyway. I know the chances are slim, but, for your sake, I'm willing to try to rescue..."
"Oh, and Luffy!" Robin suddenly burst out, "Isn't it enough that he'd lost Ace two years ago, now Sabo too?! If he dies, Luffy wouldn't be able to take it!"
"Straw Hat?" Arbel raised an eyebrow, "What does he have to do with it?"
Robin stood up, shoving the newspaper under her arm.
"Sabo is Luffy's big brother, just like Ace." she said. "Come on, we must talk to Luffy." Robin came out of the tent with quick steps, with Arbel right behind her.
"Big brother?" Arbel wondered, "Aaaah, Dragon is the father of both of them, right?"
"Not exactly," replied Robin. "I'll explain to you later."
Robin arrived at the place where Luffy had fallen asleep, with a foot on Usopp's face and a hand on Chopper's horn.
"Luffy," Robin called, shaking him with a duplicated hand. "Luffy, get up, I have some really bad news."
"Ro~been~~~" Luffy complained with one eye open, "It's not even morning yet, let me sleep..."
Robin threw the newspaper at him. "Look, Sabo's been captured!"
"What?!" Luffy jumped at once, stepping on Usopp and Chopper, who were also rubbing their eyes.
"Sabo's been captured." Robin repeated, "He's being held as a slave in Mary Geoise, and in about three weeks they're going to execute him!"
Luffy grabbed the newspaper, trying to read but seeing blurry.
"I can't believe it's happening to him again!" said Jinbe, who awoke some distance away.
"Nami!" Luffy shouted, "How long does it take to get to Mary Geoise from here?"
Nami rubbed her eyes near Jinbe. "To Mary Geoise? Do you want to go back?"
"We must save Sabo! I have to get there before he is killed!"
"It's a two-week journey, more or less." Nami answered.
"Then come on!" Luffy shouted, "No time to waste! Let's go!"
"The Sunny is anchored behind a rock near where Onigashima used to be." Jinbe reminded them. "And she's not equipped for a two-week voyage."
"Excuse me, sir Straw Hat," Arbel turned to him, his heart pounding wildly in his chest, "if you'd allow me, I'd like to follow you to Mary Geoise and help you with your mission. My ship is anchored, equipped and ready to set sail, in the underground Mogura port. If you set out now, I'll set out after I finish my mission here in Wano, catch up with you and equip you from my own supplies on the go. My ship is very fast."
"No more than the Sunny!" Frankie replied.
"We can check it out on the way." said Arbel, accepting the challenge.
"If you want to come, come" Luffy shrugged, "I won't exchange sake cups with you!"
"I don't need any sake cups to be loyal to you, Joy Boy-sama." replied Arbel.
"Huh?" asked Luffy, "Who is Joy Boy?"
But Zoro interrupted him, "If you're going to follow us, you'll be under me. Get that, bastard?"
"I accept, King of Hell, sir." answered Arbel.
