The Recompense of Deeds Done
The next few days on the island of Ohara were a complete whirlwind of events.
After the near fiasco Spadine came close to setting off, the first thing Garp wanted to do was have chat with the slimy government official's superiors; The Five Elder Stars.
The Stars were the heads of the world government and the navy. What ever act they saw fit to be as true justice, they deemed righteous to issue. Apparently, that also went for the total annihilation of an entire island.
Garp not only wanted to speak to them about this, but also wished to have fleet admiral Sengoku present. The vice admiral wanted to have a word about him for turning a deaf ear to this insanity.
Since they couldn't have this meeting with everyone in person, vice admiral Garp and commander Spadine contacted the six higher ups using transponder snails, having they're meeting on Garp's vessel, keeping it private from the outside world.
Even though Spadine was highly against having this meeting, he wasn't about to go against the hero of the navy's wishes, not after his last punishment at his hands.
Professor Clover also wanted to have a say in the matters and was aloud to join in on the exchange.
The resulting conference was loud and biased, with parties struggling to keep their cool and those losing it.
The Five Holy Star's we're flabbergasted of Garp coming out of nowhere and meddling into their private affairs! They cursed Spadine under their breaths for his negligence and incompetence. They blamed Clover for him and his colleagues even going near one of the ponoglyphs in the first place. They were even more outraged when they were informed of two children, having the gall to intercept the chief of CP9 and make off with the device that could activate a buster call!
Needless to say, the Stars we're upset.
Spadine ranted and raved to be allowed to investigate the Tree of Knowledge for evidence that the scholars were indeed translating the ponoglyphs and demanded the right to Buster Call the island if any evidence were found. He was not taking his humiliation quietly.
However, Clover's confession to hiding a ponoglyph under the tree took the wind out of the commander's sails. All that glory…gone without even being able to reach for it!
Clover confessed to his and his colleagues attempts to decipher the stone slab, saying that they were unable to get further than a few sentences. The professor looked over to Garp, sharing a quick look that said that there was more to his story than he was letting on. Wanting to avoid a massacre of an entire island, Garp kept the secret exchange between them.
Garp then spoke up, offering the fact that destroying an entire island would be the worst example of 'justice' the five stars could allow to happen, and proposed an alternative. The fact that his grandson was nearly killed by Spadine himself gave the vice admiral a lot of leverage in the argument…
The island of Ohara would be spared, leaving the massacre of scholars out at sea being the prime example of punishment for anyone else wishing to translate the ponoglyphs. Unfortunately, any evidence and progress the scholars of the Tree of Knowledge had on the stone slab would have to be erased, even going so far as to offer the ponoglyph to be confiscated by Spadine and taken back to Navy H.Q. Where it could never be seen by the outside world again, in return for their silence and their lives.
Clover was against this, but comparing the alternative to this, he reluctantly agreed.
There had been enough bloodshed… It had to end…
The Five Holy Stars wished to discuss the terms amongst themselves and switched off their transponder snail. They conversed on weather or not to just have the island eradicated anyway, not wishing to let any chance of the ponoglyphs deciphered secrets get out to the rest of the world.
They were indeed hiding something…
They even discussed weather or not to have Monkey D. Garp stricken from the navy and executed for treason, but how would that play out?
'The hero of the navy, cut out of the marines and executed right out of the blue!' The world would be in an uproar. Garp has helped many islands across the globe, saved thousands of lives and brought in many a pirate in his heyday. Doing this would ruin their portrayal of justice in the public's eye.
They turned down the idea, switched their snail back on, and agreed to the terms.
The meeting went on for another two days…
Even though the Buster Call was halted, the issue had not been completely resolved, putting the whole island of Ohara in a standstill.
As the meeting of officials went on, Saul, along with the Tree of Knowledge, were surrounded by a mix of marine soldiers and government agents, armed and keeping guard of the area, making sure that the giant or any of the scholars didn't try to escape. To make things a little more comfortable for the current suspects, tents were set up around the tree to give them all a place to rest after the threat of near disaster loomed over them for so long.
The marines and agents had been giving each other dirty glances, each side waiting for the other to try something. Garp and a reluctant Spadine ordered their men to stand guard of the library, with the agents barred from carrying out any investigating of the library.
The tension between the two forces was thick and tense, but neither side tried anything. There had been enough conflict already.
The reunited mother and daughter, Nico Olivia and Nico Robin, had made a home out of one of the tents, spending most of their time with Olivia cradling her long lost daughter in her arms, while Robin snuggled deep into her near forgotten mother's warm embrace. Each of them just enjoyed the contact of one another, never wanting to be separated again.
Luffy usually walked around the tents, meeting all the other scholars of the library, who thanked him for protecting Robin every time they saw him, to which he only smiled and said it was nothing. The straw hat boy even ended up talking with Saul, both of them having fun getting to know one another and Luffy mimicking Saul's strange signature laugh when he did. He even had a proper greeting with Robin's mother, where they got to know each other a bit more, even learning of where he lived in the East Blue.
Another activity the boy occasionally indulged in to pass the time was eating… a lot. A mess tent was set up for anyone hungry and Luffy was chief among the visiting masses. The boy was like a vacuum cleaner, no body knew where he put it all. Seeing the outstretched stomach he ended up walking out with answered everyone's question.
With the marines and agents keeping a guarded circle around the tree and Saul, the civilians had trouble getting close to see the commotion going on inside. Even though the threat of their island being destroyed was gone for now, the hostile feelings for being in such a predicament in the first place was certainly there. Most of the feelings they had we're pointed at the scholars, Olivia and Robin.
The whole island remained in this state of abnormality for as long as the meeting went on.
On the third day of the standstill, Garp, Clover and Spadine emerged from Garp's ship, tired and worn out from the arguing and hostile words.
Once Garp shared the information to everyone present at the tree, the scholars were up in arms, believing that destroying their progress was a spit in the eye on their lost comrade's needless sacrifice. Clover chimed in and agreed to Garp's terms, making the rest of the scholars reluctantly agree as well.
Then another subject that had been discussed with the Stars came up, one that every one of the scholars hoped would have been forgotten in all their commotion; Nico Olivia's fate.
"Nico Olivia!" The hero of the navy faced the woman and her daughter.
"For crimes of abolishing the laws dictated by the World Government, for attempting to decipher the ancient ponoglyphs, you are found guilty!"
Olivia cringed at the words and Robin looked like she was about to burst into tears.
The scholars were fuming at the very notion. "Are you just going to stand there and let this happen, Clover?!" Screamed an archeologist at the library director. Clover meanwhile, remained silent, not wanting to interrupt the man announcing Olivia's demise.
Saul looked down at Garp, both physically and figuratively. He had so much faith in the vice admiral, but he was starting to act like all the other heartless officers in the navy.
Spadine just stood to the side, facing away from the spectacle taking place. Strange how a person how enjoyed the suffering of others wouldn't want to get a good look at what was taking place.
"GRANDPA, HOW COULD YOU?!" Luffy roared as he ran up to the old man, before two marines managed to catch him by the arms, only for the boy's arms to stretch and snap him back to them like a rubber band.
"Let me go!" The straw hatted boy struggled in the marines grasp, wanting to stop what was happening.
"You are to be placed under arrest…!" Garp continued.
Olivia was quickly planning on grabbing Robin and making a run for her rowboat on the East side of the island.
"…Under my authority!" Garp finished, stopping everyone's train of thought.
"Your sentence is be taken back to foosha Village in the East blue, where you will be placed under house arrest! You will not be allowed to leave once you set foot on the island, and have a twenty-four hour visiting permit for anyone wanting to meet with you!" All the while that Garp was talking, Olivia's face was turning brighter and brighter at the words that Garp wasn't saying.
"Do you plan to evade capture any longer, Nico Olivia?" Garp questioned.
Motion came back to the woman, who absorbed all of Garp's words and smiled with tears her eyes.
"No, vice admiral Garp," Olivia picked up her teary eyed daughter. "I will happily come quietly!"
"MOMMA! NO!" Robin pleaded despairingly, not catching on to the unspoken agreement.
"No, Robin, it's not what you think!" Olivia quickly calmed her child. "I will be going to Foosha Village in the East Blue to live…" She began to tear up again. "With you!"
Robin gained a confused look before she realized what her mother was saying. She looked back Garp, who had a knowing smile on his face. Robin began to tear up herself and began to cry for the unknown number of times.
"Momma!" The little dark haired girl clung to her mother and cried into her shoulder.
"Robin!" Olivia happily returned the embrace, shedding her own happy tears.
The marines let go of Luffy, who had finally calmed down and had a puzzled look on his face. "Wait, I'm confused! What's going on?!"
"I'm coming home with you, Luffy!" Robin turned to smile at her new friend. "I'm going to live in the East blue with you and my mom!"
Luffy gained a look of ecstatic joy. "Really?! AWESOME!"
All the scholars that had been listening laughed and cheered for the mother and daughter, happy with the outcome that had transpired for the two.
Looking back, Garp spotted Spadine walking away in a hunched over manner. "Not going to stick around, Spadine?"
"I have a ponoglyph to confiscate!" The chief of CP9 spat back, bitter about the outcome of his attempts.
"Well, I'll see you back at H.Q!" Garp laughed heartily, showing with his face that meant no hard feelings, but the laugh said otherwise.
"Stuff it, you meddling old fart…!" The government official growled under his breath.
All of his efforts…All of his hard earned plotting and scheming…ruined! Ruined by a pair of little brats!
Spadine looked back to the smiling faces of the two that foiled his plans.
Monkey D. Luffy and Nico Robin…
Somehow, someday…he would make them both…pay…
"U-uh…Garp?" Saul, who had been among the crowd looked down at the vice admiral, concern all over his face. "What about me?"
Robin looked up again, fear coming to her again for her giant friend.
"Since you had a hand in saving Ohara, the Five Star's agreed to let you evade arrest…for now!" Garp informed.
"So…I'm not allowed back in the navy?" Saul said aloud.
"Even if you did come back, everyone there would deem you a traitor anyhow!" Garp pointed out.
"I guess…" Saul sadly agreed. "But, you know…Its for the best!"
Saul stood up and looked out to the horizon.
"Now that I'm on the run, it can give me a chance to do some good, some real good! I can sail the seas, helping folks that the government and navy can't!" Saul let out a hearty tear jerking laugh.
"So…you won't be coming with us?" The small voice took Saul out of his laugh and made him look down into the sad eyes of Nico Robin.
"My time here is done, Robin! Ohara is safe and you have your mother back!" Saul tried to reason, but it just made more tears leek out of the little girl's eyes.
"Robin, I'd be too big to live where you're going! It's not that I don't want to, it'll just be impossible!" What Saul was saying was true, but that didn't make it easier for Robin to hear.
The giant then leaned down a little closer, wanting to speak with Robin up close.
"Listen, Robin. Where ever I am, on the sea, in the Grand Line, on a far away island, it won't matter the distance! No matter where I go or who else I meet…you will always be my friend!"
"R-really?" Robin sniffed as she weeped.
"You bet!" Saul took a glance at Luffy quickly. "Besides, you're going home with another friend, aren't you?"
Robin looked to Luffy, who showed a wide smile. Robin blushed at this, but didn't try to hide it.
"Yeah…" Robin wiped her eyes and then hugged the tip of Saul's nose.
"I'm gonna miss you, Saul…"
Saul then began to cry, but this time, not because he was laughing.
"I-i'll m-miss y-you t-too, R-Robin!" Saul blubbered as Robin broke down crying again.
It was a mixture between happiness and sadness that afternoon for all present, and the tossing and turning of emotions wasn't over yet…
The captains of the battleships surrounding the island had been informed of the circumstances, waiting patiently for whatever the outcome the meeting between the officials would come to.
When they got word that the attack was canceled, the ships changed course and headed back for H.Q.
On two of the battleships of the canceled Buster Call, two leaders of the vessel's we're taking the news in different ways.
"We're sorry again for the inconvenience, Admiral Kuzan!" A marine saluted as he bellowed his apology.
"That's fine and all, but if you could please…" The admiral slammed his newspaper down in full blown anger. "STOP WAKING ME UP, ALREADY?!"
"Y-yessir! Sorry, sir!" The marine quickly marched away, not wanting to tick the admiral off anymore.
Kazan then looked out at the spared island while aboard the ship he was lounging on. "All of Ohara…saved by two kids, hmm?"
He placed the newspaper he had in his hand over his face, letting sleep come to him again.
"I'm gonna have to meet those two one day…"
On another battleship, held up in a dark room, a man wearing a dark red suit that resembled the color of blood, sat at his desk while being informed of the change in plans.
"T-the news came f-from the f-five s-stars themselves…A-admirl S-sakazuki, sir!" The poor quivering marine spoke.
Instead of agreeing to the terms, Sukazuki chose to clutch his fist in suppressed rage, his bawled fist beginning to erect steam.
"S-sir?" The marine asked fearfully.
"Leave me." Was all the marine needed to hear to let him get out of there as fast as he could.
As the steam coming from the admiral's fist grew thicker and thicker, the desk it was placed upon began to boil and bubble. When Sukazuki began to breath through his nose in a slow, unsettling pace, the desk was beginning to melt.
"Senile old fools…" Sukasuki whispered as he continued to brood alone in the dark, the only sources of light being the ember of the lit cigar clenched in his teeth and his glowing red fist, melting part of his desk into a hot unrepairable sludge.
As night came over the island of Ohara, the feelings of the day turned to those of mourning.
That night, the scholars of the Tree of Knowledge gathered their research and findings to do with the ponoglyph, made a large bonfire in front of the library and burned their findings from the world. It was a sad experience, but they knew that if Ohara had any chance of seeing another day, they had to do this. Compared to the punishment that the marines gave they're comrades at sea, this was practically a slap on the wrist.
The government agents had successfully found the ponoglyph in the basement of the library. With the marines watching over them the whole time, the agents managed to bring the slab of stone out, without harming any of the libraries furniture or literature.
Had the agents had there way and investigated the area, the whole tree would have been ransacked and books discarded without care. Even with the ponoglyph gone, the library still stood and the Tree of knowledge would live on for many more eons…
Robin and Olivia were among the gathering, shedding small tears at the loss of so much hard work being burned. But the sacrifice of knowledge would not all be in vain. Olivia had ben reunited with her daughter and didn't plan to leave her again.
As the smoke of the fire flowed into the sky, Garp walked up behind Olivia, sharing the event of seeing their work go up in flames.
"Just so you know, you won't be allowed to do any more research on any other cultures from her on out." The vice admiral brought up.
It was the truth. Among the many things discussed with the Five Stars and Sengoku, Garp had managed to bring the white haired scholar's punishment down a few degrees. The scholars would not suffer any other punishment and Ohara would be spared, as long as they stayed away from the mystery of the ponoglpyhs for good. Nico Olivia however, was banned from ever studying any other cultures again.
"I imagined something like that would happen." Olivia breathed, accepting that fact. "but I was planning on retiring from archeology anyway."
Robin looked up at her mother when she said this.
"Besides," Olivia picked up her daughter and held her close. "I have more important matters to attend to." She spoke proudly as she snuggled her daughter, who couldn't help but smile a little.
Garp looked at the happy mother and daughter, then back at the bonfire. "We'll be leaving for the East Blue tomorrow afternoon." He informed.
"That's fine," Olivia put her daughter back down, not wanting her to see the stern face that appeared on her face.
"There's a matter of business that I need to attend to…"
Auntie Roji was furious.
When she had found some food missing from the kitchen some days ago, Roji deduced that Robin had 'stolen' it. Instead of going out to look for her, she had made the choice, for her and her family, to wait for her to come back, but secretly, she hoped she'd never have to see that girl again.
Goji always thought of Robin as a waste of food, money, clothes, time and space. Olivia should have just taken her brat with her and never come back. When she married the white haired woman's brother to have a family with, it was a dream come true! But then that wretched sister-in-law of hers had to go gallivanting off to hunt down some stupid rocks, and leave her with the tedious act of looking after Robin.
And looked after her she did! Goji made her do all the housework, barely fed her, gave he tattered old clothes that her own daughter grew out of, and how did that brat thank her? By crying all the time for not having a mother! She even had the nerve to eat a blasted Devil Fruit! Not only was she a brat, she was a freak!
Sure, Roji beat Robin when she didn't do what she was told? So what if Roji handed her old tatted clothes that her daughter grew out of? Who cares if Roji purposely pushed Robin to the side to keep out of the way of birthday's, christmas's and Father's and Mother's day's? Not like she's got either for herself!
And where did Oran, her own husband, get off defending the little freak! Every time she made a move to put that girl in her place, that fool-hearty man of her's would come running and try to stop her. Try, being the chief word. Roji always managed to have her way. This was her house and she wore the pants!
At least her daughter, Mizuria, had the good sense,that being having none, to stay away from Robin and focus on being the well behaved girl she expected her to be.
When it started to rain three days ago, Roji didn't even want to bother with going out to look for Robin, forcing Oran and Mizuria to stay with her, no matter how much her husband protested. When that little freak got back, she was going to get the punishment of a lifetime!
Since Olivia wasn't coming back anytime soon, Robin was free to use as Roji saw fit. That's what family is for after all; use each other until they've outlived their usefulness!
And it seemed Robin was starting to reach the end of hers…
A knock at the front door brought the bitter old woman out of her stewing and began to make her way to the front door, putting on a fake, kind smile. Even though she treated robin like garbage, she liked to maintain a friendly, cheerful demeanor to the rest of the island's inhabitance. Keeping up appearances is what's most important in life, after all.
The old woman opened the door, a sunny facade replacing her inner frustration.
"Why, hello there~! How can I hel-!" Roji's cheerful demeanor was shattered at the sight of Nico Olivia and Her daughter hiding behind her leg, standing at her front door.
"O…O…Oliv…" Roji's hot red fury turned to an ice cold fear as she stared back at the hard, piercing gaze of the white haired scholar.
After Robin had told Olivia about all the abuse she suffered, by the hands of someone she believed she could trust to care for her daughter in her absence… Upset would be the understatement of the century compared to what Olivia was feeling.
Roji just stood there stunned, unable to process that Nico Olivia was back. The white haired woman turned back to her daughter and patted her on the head.
"Wait out here with Mr. Garp, would you, sweetheart?" Olivia politely asked the little dark haired girl. "I'll be right out in no time, I promise!"
Robin was worried at first, but then nodded in affirmation.
Roji looked behind the two quick to see in broad daylight Monkey D. Garp, the hero of the navy, standing far from the house, with his arms crossed and a stern look in his eye. She also managed to spot a little straw hat wearing boy, pulling his cheeks apart and sticking his tongue out at her.
Robin then remembered something. She looked back at Luffy, who looked back at her and smiled. That was all the support she needed.
"Auntie Roji…?" Robin turned back to the large woman who stared at her with the worst hidden scowl she could hide.
The little dark haired girl took a deep breath and then shouted at the top of her voice.
"YOU'RE A BIG ULGY TROLL AND I HATE LIVING HERE!"
That outburst was enough to blow away Olivia, Garp and Roji altogether. Luffy on the other hand was laughing his head off, not even trying to be subtle.
"Why you little…!" Roji made an attempt to move near to the girl who bravely insulted her, only to be blocked by the girl's mother.
"That's enough, Robin!" She said in a lecturing manner, only to look back at her daughter proudly. "I can take it from here."
She gave her little girl a smile, one which Robin returned, then turned back to the old woman at the door and began to walk slowly toward her, making Roji begin to back up in nervousness.
"Aunt Roji," Olivia bit the words out hatefully. "May I come in? We have so much to catch up on…"
The front door closed with an ominous click.
For the next half hour, the sound of muffled shouting and arguing came from Roji's quaint little home. Robin, Luffy and Garp stood far from the house, not wanting to be caught up in what was going on in there.
Soon enough, a single hoarse voice sounded out louder than the other that was shouting back. Silence. Then, with an audible snap and the hoarse voice howling in what must have been pain, Nico Olivia came bursting out of the house, marched over to Robin and scooped her up in her arms.
"Momma?" robin questioned.
"Don't worry, Robin!" Olivia said sternly. "You'll never have to see that horrible woman ever again!"
Garp and Luffy were having trouble keeping up with the white haired scholar, her brisk walk easily outrunning them.
"Olivia! What happened in there?!" Garp yelled out, starting to get out of breath quick.
"Let's just say that I broke myself off from the family!" Olivia declared, leaving the discussion at that.
Once Spadine and the government agents had the ponoglyph packed up and made there way back to Navy H.Q, it was soon time for Garp and the marines to make their leave as well, along with their 'prisoner'.
"It was so good to see you again, Olivia! Even though it was under such insane circumstances…" Clover hugged Olivia tightly, as if saying goodbye to his own child.
"I'm glad I was able to see you too, Clover! All of you!" Olivia looked to all the faces of her former colleagues, all of them close to tears of perhaps never seeing Olivia again.
"I'm so happy you and Robin have each other…" Clover managed to speak out as a lump appeared in his throat.
"No one is more happy than me for that!" Olivia announced proudly, as she looked over to her daughter saying goodbye to her cousin, Mizuria.
After Olivia had given Roji a piece of her mind, along with a large hospital bill to pay, her brother and Roji's husband, Oran, decided that his wife's violent behavior had run its course and decided to leave her, taking Mizuria with him. Roji pretended to be happy to be rid of them both, but Oran could see the pain in her eyes. Her stubborn streak had finally made her alone, and she had no one to blame but herself.
"Are you sure you don't want to come with us to the East Blue? I'm sure there's plenty of room on the boat for the two of you." Olivia turned to her brother, the only one to treat Robin with any sort of kindness apart from the scholars.
"No, but thanks, Olivia! I'm planning on sailing to the South Blue, Mizuria was always fond of the snow. Besides, seeing the two of us might just remind Robin of her life here anyway…" Oran regretfully pointed out. He felt his sister put her hand on his shoulder.
"The fact that you tried to stop her means a lot, Oran…" Olivia happily told him, letting him no there was no hard feelings between the two of them.
The two siblings shared an embrace, and began to walk over to the children.
"I'm sorry for not paying much attention to you, Robin…" Mizuria sadly apologized.
"That's okay, Mizuria! You probably couldn't have done much anyway…" Robin tried to play off.
"But still…I'm sorry…" Mizuria made clear, wanting robin to know that she regretted having ben so passive when they lived together.
Robin looked at her cousin with surprise, but then smiled and held out her hand to Mizuria. "Thanks, Mizuria."
Mizuria looked at the hand, then decided to give Robin a hug, wanting to be formal with her sibling, even if it was the first and last time.
Mizuria and Robin came out of their hug and the two looked over at Luffy, who was smiling at the two girls.
"Take good care of my cousin, will you?" Mizuria asked.
"You got it!" Luffy gave a thumbs up and gave his toothy grin.
The two girls laughed at the boy, when Oran and Olivia came up to them.
"I think its time for us to get on the ship…" Olivia sadly stated.
Robin and Mizuria shared one more hug before Olivia took her daughter's hand and guided her up the bridge to the ship, with Oran taking her now weeping daughter's hand as well.
As all this was going on, Saul was beginning to pack up and ready his raft. The scholars even made him a small pirate flag to go with it. A large giant sized white skull with a bushy orange beard, a brown cowboy hat and two crossbones sticking out from behind. Saul was against it at first, but then figured if he was going to live as an outlaw, he might as well go all out.
Luffy walked up the bridge of the ship behind Olivia and Robin. Once the three were onboard, the anchor was weighted and the vessel was off, while Saul pushed his feet off the coast of the island and made his own way out to sea at the same time. Robin, Luffy and Olivia looked over the side of the ship to see everyone off.
All the scholars of the Tree of Knowledge waved their hands and said their teary goodbyes to the reunited mother and daughter, along with the boy who came and helped save their home. Half the island's civilians were their saying goodbye as well, the one half being the one grateful and sorry to Robin, while the rest stayed stubborn and didn't even show their faces.
Surprisingly, another group of faces that wanted to show their thanks were the same kids that were picking on Robin the few days before. They ran along the coastline, waving and shouting to the little dark haired girl.
"HEY, HANDY GIRL!" 'Bad-afro' called.
"THANKS FOR SAVING OUR ISLAND!" 'Egg-head' yelled.
"WERE SORRY FOR PICKING ON YOU!" 'Pig-nosed' shouted.
"GOOD LUCK BECOMING PIRATE KING, STRAW HAT KID!" 'Carrot-head' cheered.
Luffy and Robin were surprised that those kids were now being friendly, but they weren't ones to be so bitter.
"THANK YOU!" Robin returned the wave.
"SEE YA!" Luffy called back.
"ROBIN!" The call came from the other side of the ship. Luffy and Robin ran to the port side of the ship, catching the sight of Jaguar D. Saul waving his massive arms their way.
"BE SAFE, ROBIN! BE HAPPY! REMEMBER! ALWAYS LAUGH WHEN YOUR'E HAPPY, OR SAD!"
Saul then broke out into his trademark laugh, echoing out across the waves. Robin and Luffy thought it best to mimic his laugh for him, one more time before he disappeared.
"Dereshishishishishi! GOODBYE, SAUL!" Robin waved with tears in her eyes.
"Dereshishishishishi! SEE YA, GIANT BEARDED GIANT!" Luffy waved both his arms over his head.
As the marine vessel sailed off, Saul and the island of Ohara began to fade out of sight, all the while Luffy and Robin watched it go, smiles on each of their faces.
After some time had past, Luffy and Robin were still looking over the railing out to sea.
"I wonder…" Robin brought up. "How my life would have turned out, if I never met you?"
Luffy looked back at Robin, a puzzling look on his face, pondering her question.
"Probably a whole lot sadder…Ohara might have been blown up!" Luffy extended his arms to impersonate a large explosion.
"And I might have lost what friends I had…The scholars…Clover…Saul…" Robin began to look glum at the idea. Some part of her said that she had been able to avoid unimaginable heartache and suffering and it was all because of the straw hatted boy standing next to her. She looked over to him and her chest began to feel warmer than usual.
"Well, if we didn't meet here, then we probably would have met sooner or later!" Luffy stated.
Robin wondered about this for a while, before smiling and looking back out at sea. "Yeah..I think you might be right…"
The sound of walking came up behind them, making the two turn their heads to see Garp standing there looking proud of his grandson.
"Luffy, I am so proud of you!" Garp proclaimed, beaming at his young sibling.
"Really?" Luffy smiled at his grandpa.
"Absolutely! You will defiantly make an excellent marine one day!" The old man bellowed heartily.
Luffy's smile dropped to a low frown. "Grandpa, I'm going to keep telling you, as many times as I have to, I'm gonna be a pirate!"
Garp did a double take at this, then exploded, taking Robin by surprise. "I THOUGHT THAT BY EVERYTHING YOU'VE BEEN THOUGH ON OHARA, YOU'D WANT TO BE A MARINE MORE THAN ANYTHING!"
"WELL, I DON'T!" Luffy yelled back. "BESIDES, IF GUYS LIKE THAT UGLY GREEN COATED JERK ARE GONNA BE IN THE NAVY, THEN I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT BE A MARINE EVEN MORE!"
"T-THERE'S JUST AS BAD OF PIRATES OUT THERE THAT ARE LIKE HIM!" Garp attempted to reason.
"YEAH?! WELL, I HAVEN'T MET THEM YET, SO THERE!" Luffy stuck out his tongue and in doing so, struck Garp's last nerve.
The vice admiral then looked at Luffy with fire in his eyes, stomping up to the now cringing boy. "Darnit, Luffy! how many times do I have to beat it that idea out of you until you-"
"STOP!" Nico Robin then decided to stand between Garp and Luffy, with her hands extended outward, shielding the boy behind him. "YOUR'E NOT GOING TO HURT LUFFY!"
Garp stopped in his tracks, along with all the marines watching onboard. No one has ever had the courage to stop Garp on a rampage, and yet this little girl goes and does it. Garp is rendered speechless for a moment before coming back to his senses.
"I have to teach my empty headed grandson not to have these ridiculous ideas in his head!" He shouted for all to here.
"By hitting him over the head?! That's going to do nothing but make him resent you!" Robin yelled out.
Garp was officially speechless. Robin came from an abusive home, so she knew what she was talking about. Garp took a look at his grandson, his small, quivering grandson, and then began to think.
Suddenly, Nico Olivia decided to make her appearance and turn the whole scenario around.
"All right, I think that's enough." She chided in. "Garp, these children have been through a lot, and we have a long trip ahead of us. Perhaps this can all wait for another time?"
A silence past between the gathered children and adults, the vice admiral staring down the dark haired little girl. Robin only stared back just as sternly as she continued to stand guard of Luffy, who was blown away at what she was doing, for him no less!
"Fine…" The vice admiral's shoulders sagged as he gave up on the ongoing argument and trudged away in defeat.
All the marines were beyond shocked at what they just witnessed. Garp had lost; to an eight year old girl! The rest of the troops back home were not gonna believe this!
One murderous glare from the hero of the navy shut that idea down in every one of the men's minds, all of them not wanting to test the vice admiral's patience and wanting to see the next day.
Back with the mother and children, Luffy was frozen in place at what robin had done. The girl looked back at the boy and reached her hand out.
"Are you okay, Luffy?" She inquired kindly.
"Robin…" Luffy took Robin's hand and was pulled to his feet, all the while looking at Robin with great awe. Robin began to wonder if she did something wrong, like hurt his pride for standing up for him.
"You're amazing!" Luffy exclaimed as he yelled his statement out loud. Robin was surprised by this and blushed crimson.
"Not even Ace and Sabo have the guts to stand up to grandpa like that!" Luffy beamed brightly at the girl, who grew redder and redder.
"That settles it!" Luffy put his fists on his hips, as if he was about to make a statement.
"What?" Robin asked as she got over her embarrassment.
Luffy pointed his finger at the girl, wearing his large toothy grin. "Robin, when I become a pirate, you're joining my crew!"
Robin's blush was back with a vengeance, Olivia's eyes widened at the notion and Garp, who had also overheard his grandson, was just as bewildered as the mother.
Robin then began to imagine the two of them sailing on the high seas as pirates.
A jolly roger flying in the breeze, ocean waves crashing against their vessel, as Luffy stands on the head of their ship pointing out to the horizon, with his arm wrapped around Robin as she clung to the boy in awe and excitement for whatever adventure lay ahead for them.
As she imagined this, the smile on her face grew bigger and bigger.
Before she could give Luffy any sort of answer back, Olivia decided to step in, take her daughter by her hand and lead her away from the straw hatted boy.
"Alright! I think that's enough for one day!" Olivia stated quickly.
"Momma!" Robin complained as she was taken away from Luffy.
"Robin, I know you like that boy, but I think it's a little early to become a pirate for him!" The white haired scholar proclaimed, taking her daughter by surprise.
"W-what are you talking about?" The dark haired girl tried to fake ignorance.
"Oh, Come now, sweetheart!" Olivia led the girl behind a wall of the ship's galley, facing her with a kind and knowing smile. "I know that you like Luffy!"
Robin blanched at this. "O-of course I like him! H-he's my friend!"
"Robin," The mother then put a hand to her daughter's cheek. "I know you like him more than that."
Robin's blush came back a third time as she looked down to hide her red face. "You knew?"
"Me, Clover, Saul and I'm sure a few of the scholars back home had an idea of how you feel." Olivia smiled at her daughter's surprise as Robin grew redder in the face with every word.
The ex-archeologist was just so smitten with how cute her daughter was right now.
"You know what…" Olivia had a thought as she scooped her daughter up in her arms and led her to the galley for dinner. "This gives me a good opportunity to start being a proper mother to you, starting with a very important subject I want to talk to you about."
"What's that?" Robin tilted her head in curiosity.
"Boys…" Olivia stated.
As the mother and daughter began to talk, Garp went back to Luffy to have a chat about something important they needed to dicuss.
"Luffy…" The straw hatted boy turned an d looked up at the large vice admiral, immediately putting his arms up in fear of being stuck without Robin to save him.
"Relax, boy, I'm not gonna hit you." Luffy came out of his defensive position to look back at Garp, who was giving him a serious expression.
The vice admiral then got down on one knee, made himself at eye level to his grandson and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Don't try to make Robin a pirate."
"HUH?!" Luffy was immediately up in arms about this. "WHY NOT?!"
"Robin finally has her mother back after so many years of being mistreatment and loneliness," Garp pointed out to the boy. "Don't you think she'd want to be with her and find something else to do with her life?"
Luffy thought about this, about Robin and her mom, then finally came to a decision.
"Yeah, I guess you're right!" Garp was shocked by this.
"Just like that?!" He bellowed. His stubborn grandson would never let go of something that he wanted, no matter how much you tried to reason with him, or in the man's case, knock the sense into him.
"Yeah! I mean…" Luffy looked away from his grandpa to hide a small blush on his face. "I don't want to force Robin to do something she doesn't want to…"
Garp's mind was completely blown. Did Luffy, Monkey D. Luffy, his own knuckle headed grandson…Have a crush?!
The sound of a grumbling stomach caught both their attention, Luffy looking down to his belly.
"I'm starting to get hungry~!" Luffy whined until he took off into a sprint for the galley. Garp stood in place, still spaced out by what he just heard from his grandson. Then, reality hit him as he remembered how Luffy ate breakfast on the morning they arrived at Ohara. He immediately took of after the straw hatted boy, yelling in total panic.
"W-wait, Luffy! Save some for the men this time!"
That night, robin was treated to an experience she'd only imagined before now; being tucked into bed and sung to by her mother. Luffy was already fast asleep in the bed next to hers, and soon enough she would be joining him in slumber.
Olivia hummed a tune softly as she sat on the bed that Robin lay in, as the little girl began to drift off gently to the cheerful lullaby, when Olivia started into the final lyrics of the song.
Gather up all of the crew,
It's time to ship out Bink's brew,
Wave good-bye,
But don't you cry,
Our memories remain.
Our days are but a passing dream,
Everlasting though they seem,
Beneath the moon,
We'll meet again,
The wind's our lullaby.
Gather up all of the crew,
It's time to ship out Bink's brew,
Sing a song,
And play along,
For all the ocean's wide.
After all is said and done,
You'll end up a skeleton,
So spread your tale,
From dawn till dusk,
Upon these foamy seas.
When Olivia hummed the last of the shanty, Robin's blue eyes finally closed for the night. Olivia gently leaned in to place a kiss on her daughter's forehead, then silently made her way out the cabin and closed the door behind her, leaving both Robin and Luffy to rest.
The white haired scholar made her way over to the side of the marine vessel and landed over the railing, looking out to the dark waters of the ocean.
"You seem to be falling into the role of a parent quite easily…" Garp inquired as he made his presence known.
"I don't really feel at all deserving to be called such." The archeologist sighed. "Robin may have forgiven me, but I don't think I ever will, or ever should…"
The white haired scholars eyes shown with remorse. "All I can do now is make up for lost time, and the pain she went through…"
Garp sadly smiled. "Well, I'd hurry up on those plans…" The ex-archeologist looked back to the vice admiral.
"You never now when my grandson will wise up and sweep that girl off her feet!" Garp laughed heartily as Olivia put a hand to her forehead.
"Don't even start…" She couldn't help but chuckle a little.
"That girl of yours has got it bad for my boy, eh?" Garp chided as he leaned over the side of the ship.
"Of all the times to come back to her, it had to be when she was beginning to notice boys!" Olivia then came out with a laugh of her own.
The two adults let their laughter loose for a moment, then it died down as they returned to looking out to the sea, the clouds of the night sky taking the place of the bright blue.
"It's amazing…so much disaster avoided under such strange circumstances…All because of two children becoming friends!" Olivia was having great trouble fathoming the idea.
"Indeed…Those two might have not only saved an entire island, but changed the very course of history!" Garp factored.
"Imagine what more those two could change if they stick together…" Olivia mused.
"It's enough to scare you a little…" Garp dared to wonder.
"But I can tell you this!" Garp then riled up in determination, shocking Olivia a little. "Luffy will be a marine when he makes those changes!"
Olivia gave a small laugh at the man's will to not give up on his grandson, then she began to wonder about Robin…
Would she still want to be an archeologist, even after they reunited?
…Would she want to find the ponoglyphs like she did?
These thoughts and worries remained on the white haired scholar's mind the whole trip, all the way to when the ship arrived at Dawn Island and made dock at Foosha Village; Luffy's hometown.
