Burned
Only one week had passed as the reunited mother and daughter were just beginning to make themselves at home in Foosha Village.
Through the past number of days, Robin had made her way up the mountain to see if Luffy and his brothers were around the bandit shack. Some days she would be lucky to find them, some days not so much. The days she was lucky, they would spend the time they had playing games and getting to know one another.
As Foosha Vilage was waking up to another beautiful morning, Robin and Olivia had sat at the table in the kitchen to enjoy breakfast together.
"I hope my cooking is up to par!" Olivia spoke as she set down a plate of eggs and bacon in front of Robin, who was drooling at the sight of the steaming dish. She immediately dove into eating, humming in delight of the warm food.
"It's delicious!" Robin announced as she went back to shoveling food into her mouth. Olivia smiled before digging in to her own breakfast. A moment of peaceful quiet set upon the mother and daughter, as birds tweeted outside the cottage and voices of the neighboring populace greeted each other with a good morning.
Robin was so into her food, she nearly forgot what she wanted to talk about with her mother. Now seemed like as good a time as any.
"Momma?" The white haired scholar looked to her daughter with a forkful of bacon in her mouth. "Are Professor Clover and the others going to be okay?"
Olivia looked up from her plate back to the worried gaze of her daughter. The white haired scholar was just as worried for her old colleagues.
It had been two weeks already since the mother and daughter had made themselves at home in Foosha Village and one week in that time since Ohara became a little aggressive on itself.
Once the marines and government had set off from the island, the citizens scorned with the threat of a Buster Call over their heads for so long, began to take their frustrations out on the Tree of Knowledge and it's scholars, blaming them for nearly bringing death and destruction onto their home.
Some citizens even went as far to start assaulting the Tree itself, vandalizing it from the outside and attempting to break in. the scholars have been putting up a tough front, but are still taking the backlash of the populaces wrath.
Garp decided to make another visit to Ohara, wanting to calm the citizens temperaments and make sure that the Tree, along with the scholars, would no longer be bothered.
Olivia came out of her thoughts to see her daughter looking back, worry still stricken across her face. The white haired scholar gave Robin a quick, reassuring smile. "I'm sure they'll be all right…"
Robin gave a nod in approval, but still felt concerned for her old friends back home.
As the morning went on and the townsfolk began their day, Robin and Olivia came out of their little cottage and began their journey up to Mt. Colubo, so that Robin could be with her new friends.
It felt so good for Olivia to see Robin smiling and happy, among people that treated her like a human being, instead of how the people of Ohara did, besides the scholars of the tree.
Once the mother and daughter reached the old bandit shack, Robin ran forward in excitement, not being able to wait any longer to see her new friends.
The dark haired girl brought her hands to her mouth to make her call louder. "LUFFY!"
No sound was returned.
"ACE! SABO!"
"What's with all the ruckus?!" A loud bellow came from the barely standing homestead. The voice it belonged to could be easily recognized by the two women outside.
Dadan came stomping out of the shack, wearing her pink nighty, two bags under her eyes and an irritated scowl on her face.
"Must you shout like that, every time you come here?!" Dadan fumed.
Ever since Robin and Luffy came back, the little dark haired girl had come up to the bandit's living place and called out to the jungle for the straw hatted boy.
Dadan would usually complain about being woken up so early in the morning, early being around eleven, but the bandits enjoying the sight of the gorgeous white haired scholar and her darling daughter made her argument invalid.
"Good morning, Robin!" The bandits cheered together in a gushing manner.
"Morning!" The little dark haired girl waved happily.
"Good morning, Olivia!" the bandits unified in a smitten chorus.
"H-hello…" Olivia returned not so enthusiastically. She may have been a criminal herself, but she didn't like the idea of Robin being around the likes of them, or being eyed in such a fashion herself.
"Have you seen Luffy anywhere?" Robin asked.
"Why don't you go into that jungle and find him yourself?" Dadan grumbled as she hiked her thumb in the thick green wild's direction.
Robin looked back at the jungle and gulped. She had no idea how Luffy and his bothers could actually live out there. Seeing the size of those giant boars they had for dinner her first day here showed just what kind of over sized wildlife there was in there. Going in with Luffy guiding the way was fine, but braving that jungle alone was too much for Robin. Anything could happen to her…
Anything could happen to Luffy…
A rustle in the distance brought her attention to a brush of moving bushes. Pushing the thick leaves aside, Luffy, Ace and Sabo came out of the jungle and into the open.
Placing his eyes on Robin, Luffy's face broke out into a smile and then sprinted up to the girl, forcing the other two behind him to catch up.
"Hey, Robin!" Luffy called as he ran up to the dark haired girl.
"Luffy!" Robin happily chimed as the two met up close.
Luffy wore his large toothy grin, while Robin smiled and bowed her head to hide a deep blush.
"Hey, Robin!" The young boy and girl turned their heads to face Ace, who was flexing his exposed arm. "Check it out! I think I grew some muscle today!"
Robin pretended to be impressed, wanting to be polite, while Luffy gave a loud huff in annoyance.
"Hey, Robin!" Now it was Sabo's turn to try and get the girl's attention. "I think my missing tooth is starting to grow back! Wanna see?"
"N-no thanks!" Robin brought her arms up to cover her face, not wanting to see such a gross display.
"Cut it out, Sabo!" Luffy yelled as he stepped in front of Robin to shield her from the sight of Sabo's gums.
"Geez, Luffy! No need to be so defensive!" Sabo reasoned as he stopped pulling at his mouth.
"What would you expect, Sabo! Robin's his girlfriend after all!" Ace chided in with a mocking smirk.
"She's not my girlfriend!" Luffy yelled with boring red cheeks, while Robin clapped her reddening cheeks with her palms to cover them.
"Then why are you protecting her like that?" Ace carried on.
"No one wants to see the inside of someone's mouth!" Luffy spoke up.
"Then how come you show us yours all the time when you scarf down food?!" Ace then tackled Luffy to the ground. The two then began to tussle in the dirt, striking up a cloud of dust to cover up they're flailing arms and legs in their fight.
"Guys! Cut it out!" Sabo attempted to break up the fight, only to be sucked into the cloud and join the small fray.
Robin watched the spectacle before her and couldn't help but laugh. Olivia saw her daughter's joy and smiled at her and the amusing skirmish.
"Hi, everyone!" The call of a feminine voice stopped the boys mid-brawl and everyone watching turn to the new visitor.
Makino was making her way up the dirt path to the bandit shack, carrying a large wicker basket under her arm.
"Makino's here too! What luck! Seeing two beautiful ladies at the beginning of the day!" The bandits were delighted by the sight of the kind hearted bar-tender, as Makino made her way over to Olivia to greet her good morning.
"How's the new home?" The green haired woman inquired.
"It's wonderful. Robin and I are so happy living there." Olivia returned with a smile of gratitude.
"And speaking of which…" Makino turned to the four young ones and placed the basket on the ground. "How are all of you doing?"
"Were good." Luffy smiled as he, Ace and Sabo got up from their fight and dusted themselves off.
Makino turned to the little dark haired girl next. "And how are you, Robin?"
"I'm fine…thank you." Robin looked down and blushed. The bar-tender's kindness had that effect on her, she was just so nice!
"That's good to hear!" Making beamed. "Because I have a surprise for all of you!"
"Is it food?" The ever hungry Luffy asked excitedly.
"You just had breakfast!" Ace barked at the seven year old.
"And ours too!" Sabo complained, which only made the straw hatted boy laugh.
"No," Makino pulled the cloth covering the basket off. "It's some new clothes I've made for you all!"
Luffy, Ace and Sabo replied with an unenthusiastic "Yay…" while Robin looked down at the tattered brown dress she wore, silently wishing she had new clothes too.
Olivia frowned at this. Since she didn't have a paying job yet in town, she hadn't been able to get any new furniture or clothes for her or Robin. The food they've been having daily were just hand-outs from the friendly neighbors they lived by. As kind as it was of them to do, the mother still wanted to provide for her daughter.
Makino beamed, even if the three brothers weren't as happy as she was. "Now line up and let me give them to you!"
As the three boys got behind one another to get their new garments, Robin couldn't help but try to peek at what new clothes the boys got.
"Hold on, boys!" The dark haired girl stopped trying to snoop from afar when Makino spoke up, stopping the three in their tracks. "Have you no manners? Ladies first!"
The three brothers stopped and gaped, wondering what the green haired woman was talking about.
"Robin!" Makino motioned her hand towards the girl. "Come over here! I've made you some new clothes too!"
Robin was stunned. "R-really?" Olivia was just as surprised as her daughter was.
"Of course, silly! Why wouldn't I?" Makino smiled. She beckoned to Robin with her hand.
Robin remained frozen in place, only to have a smile brighten on her face as she practically ran over to Makino and her basket.
"Oh, Robin!" Makino slightly squealed. "I'm so happy your'e here! I've always wanted to make girl's clothes for someone, and I know your going to look so adorable in them too!"
Robin just stood in front of the sweet green haired woman, anxious at the generosity she was being shown.
"Let's go behind some of those trees and get you out of that worn out old dress of yours!" Makino took Robin's hand and lead her over to a small gathering of large trees, taking the basket with her. "Where did you get that thing anyway?"
"My Aunt Roji…" Robin sadly muttered, just as the two went behind the trees.
Upon hearing this, Olivia contemplated going back to Ohara quickly and snapping her ex in-law's other arm.
Sabo leaned over to Luffy to whisper something. "Robin's aunt wasn't nice to her that much?"
"Yeah…" Luffy nodded. "She says that she used to hit her a lot too…"
Sabo flinched at this, looking back at the tree where the two girls were behind.
"But it' okay!" Sabo looked back at his younger bother.
"Robin got to call her an ugly troll before we left, so she got her payback in the end!" Luffy snickered at the memory.
Sabo smiled slightly at this but returned to having a glum look on his face.
"Oh, Robin!" The sudden call alerted everyone present, bringing Sabo out of his thoughts in an instant.
"You look so cute! I knew purple was a good color for you! Oh, I wish I had a cute little sister like you! Would you be my little sister? Please, Robin?"
"Makino…you're…crushing…me!" Robin gasped out from the girls hiding place.
"Oh! Sorry, sweetheart!" Makino giggled. "Now, let's go show off your new clothes, shall we?"
"I-I don't…" Robin nervously sounded out.
"Oh, come on, you look wonderful! Everyone will love how you look!" Makino pleaded.
"I bet Luffy will too…" The bar-tender slyly remarked.
Luffy's face burst into the color red as he suddenly began to wonder what Robin looked like.
"…R-really?" Robin voiced her curiosity.
"Of course he will! There would have to be something wrong with him if he didn't!" Makino reasoned, not wanting to push the poor girl, but also wanting to see everyone else's reaction to Robin's new look, especially Luffy's.
"…Okay…" Robin agreed, still nervous.
As Makino stepped out from behind the wide trunk of the tree, Robin timidly followed behind.
Luffy, Ace and Sabo's faces lit up in crimson.
Robin was now wearing a dress that went down and covered her knees like her old brown one, only this one was a light purple color, with a white collar going around the girl's neck, light brown buttons going down the front and pockets on either side of the dress. Covering her once bare feet were now a pair of brown ankle strap sandal shoes. Robin was paying more attention to her shuffling feet, blushing at the sets of eyes on her.
"Well, boys?" Makino inquired. "What do you think?"
The brothers came out of their stupor and shook their heads to rid themselves of they're blushing cheeks. Sabo and Ace were eager to voice their opinion and rushed forward first.
"Y-you look great, Robin!" Sabo intensely stated, unable to talk to the dark haired girl with a sense of calm.
"Yeah! That dress looks super cute on you!" Ace complimented, wanting to get Robin's attention.
"T-Thank you…" Robin stuttered out, feeling flattered at the praise.
Luffy was still standing away from the small gathering, clutching his fists and clenching his teeth. He really didn't like the way Ace and Sabo were acting towards his friend…
"Well, Luffy?" The call of his name brought him out of his fuming as he looked toward the awaiting Makino and a slightly curious looking Robin. "What do you think?"
Luffy was frozen in place. He just stood there, taking in her new look. Robin began to blush a little more than when the two older siblings complimented her.
"Luffy?" Robin hesitantly asked, afraid that he didn't like what she looked like.
"U-uh!" Luffy gaped, then suddenly shook his head to get over the shock as the words came out of his mouth in a sputter.
"Thatpurpledressmakesyoureyessparkle!"
If the blush on Robin's face was bright before at Ace and Sabo's words, then it was straight up glowing at Luffy's.
Makino was using all of her willpower not to go into a squealing frenzy, Ace and Sabo were beside themselves with what just came out of their little brother's mouth, and Olivia had to wonder how this little boy could be so against having feelings for her daughter and be so smitten with her at the same time.
"T-Thank you…Luffy…" Robin made the decision in her head to try and wear purple from now on.
"Thank you so much for this, Makino." The white haired scholar whispered to the bar-tender. "You really didn't have to do this, though."
"But I wanted to, Olivia." Makino smiled back. "And it was my pleasure!"
The ex-archeologist felt a pang of guilt go through her as she watched her daughter show off her new dress. "I just wish I could provide for her somehow…"
Makino's heart went out to the struggling mother, then had an idea. "I know! Why don't you come work for me in the bar?"
"Your'e giving me a job?" Olivia was greatly surprised by this.
"Why not? It would be great to have you! Besides…" The bar-tender then had a sly grin spread across her face. "Having such a lovely looking bar maid like you would really rake in the customers!"
Olivia blushed at the compliment and was to bashful to say anything in protest.
With a clap from Makino, all the kids turned their attention back to her.
"Alright! That's enough! I've still got to give the rest of you your new clothes!" Luffy, Ace and Sabo groaned at this but lined up anyway, wanting to get this over with.
"How do I look, Momma?" This call from the dark haired girl to the waited haired scholar got the attention of Ace, as he looked over at the mother and dauhgter.
"You look absolute wonderful, Robin!" Olivia beamed happily. The two then came together in a warm embrace.
Seeing this made Ace feel a uncomfortable pang in his chest…
Once the trying on of clothes was done, the boys had their day back.
"So, what do you guys want to play today?" Robin questioned excitedly, ready fro another day of being around her new firends.
"Sorry, Robin," Ace spoke in a strangely stern manner. "Since somebody ate our whole food supply last night…!" Luffy merely chuckled at this while Sabo put his hand to his forehead in exasperation. "Were gonna have to go out hunting if were gonna have anything for dinner tonight!"
"Hunting?" Robin wondered out loud.
"Yeah!" Luffy replied excitedly. "We go into the jungle and find any wild animals that look good enough to eat!"
Robin grew concerned for her friend, imagining what other kind of gigantic beasts lay in waiting in the thick wild apart from those boars she first saw that could attack the boys… or Luffy…
Luffy, unaware of the girl's concern, then had an idea. "I know, Robin! Why don't you come with us?!"
Robin was brought out of her musing to look at Luffy with shock. "You mean…go…in there?" Robin took in the sight of the dark forbidding forest, uneasiness filling her stomach.
"What are you guys talking about?" Makino and Olivia came over to check on the children.
"Luffy asked Robin if she wanted to go hunting in the jungle with us." Sabo hiked his thumb over at his younger sibling.
Olivia's mothering instincts kicked in and before she could utter a word of defiance, the freckled boy of the three bothers spoke up.
"Forget it, Luffy, Robin wouldn't last one-second out their, even if she was with us!"
Everyone turned their heads toward Ace, seeing him looking off in a random direction.
"Aww…" Luffy pouted. "Why not?"
"Robin doesn't know the jungle like we do, and she defiantly can't defend herself against any wild animals we'll find in there!" Ace pointed out.
"Wild…animals?!" The girl began to quiver at the notion, partly for her sake but mostly for Luffy's.
"See? She's getting scared right now!" Ace went on rudely.
"Take it easy, Ace!" Sabo interjected and turned back to his little brother. "He does have a point though, Luffy."
"Then I'll protect her!" Luffy declared, making the dark haired girl blush at his boldness.
Renewed courage filled her heart as Robin turned to her mother. "Can I go with them, Momma? Please!"
Seeing the pleading bright eyes of her little girl, Olivia was hesitant on replying. "I…don't think it would be safe, Robin."
"Oh…" Robin dropped her head at hearing this. Unbeknownst to everyone, Ace felt a slither of satisfaction run through him, only for it do disappear entirely when Luffy spoke up once again.
"Don't worry, Robin! I'll stay here with you!" The straw hatted boy beamed.
"Really?" Robin looked up again, happiness shining off of her. Luffy replied with a nod and a smile.
"Those two are inseparable…" Sabo chuckled.
Once Ace had heard this statement from the top hatted boy, something inside him just snapped.
"WHAT THE HECK MAKES YOU SO SPECIAL?!"
All eyes turned to the freckled boy, even Dadan and the bandits watching from afar, being able to hear the loud outburst.
"Ace, what the-?" Was as far as Sabo could go as the seething ten year old marched up to the young girl.
"It must be so great being you! Having devil fruit powers, having Luffy all to yourself, having a mom!" Ace continued to roar, making Robin shake like a leaf with every shout he made.
"Ace!" Makino placed her hands on Robin's shoulders protectively. Ace didn't stop his advancing until Olivia stepped before the boy, towering over him with a stern gaze in her eyes.
"Get away from my daughter!" The mother growled.
Ace looked at her, then back the girl she was standing in front of, his anger growing more and more.
"Ace! Stop it!" Luffy bellowed, running up to defend Robin.
"Darn it, Luffy!" Ace turned on his younger bother, letting his rage take control of him. "Why do you want to stick around with a little crybaby like her?!"
Robin took offense to this, until Luffy started to speak up again. "Robin's not a crybaby! She's my friend! And she's a lot tougher then you think she is!"
"As if!" Ace spat. "If she couldn't fight off a bunch of stupid kids and her aunt, then there's no way she's as tough as you say she is!"
The sound of a slap echoed across the wide opening. Nobody moved or said another word as everyone took in the sight of what had just happened.
Olivia had just struck Ace across the cheek.
Ace was so in shock of the contact, he was a barely able to turn back to the white haired scholar as she looked down on him with a fiery stare.
"You don't know anything!" She whispered coldly.
Before anyone could do anything else, Olivia turned on her heel and scooped up her daughter in her arms and made her way back down the dirt path to Foosha Village.
"Momma?" Robin questioned shakily.
"We're going home Robin!" Olivia ordered, not leaving any room for an argument.
Robin looked back at Makino and the three boys, seeing Luffy's sad pout, Sabo's regretful eyes looking down, and Ace staring into space with anger and regret.
Once the mother and daughter's presence disappeared down the path, Luffy's temper came back as he stomped up to Ace.
"What the heck was that for, Ace?!" the straw hatted boy erupted. "Robin didn't deserve any of that, and you know it!"
Ace was stunned with seeing this part of Luffy, never before seeing him so furious. He never even thought Luffy could get this angry.
"Robin's my friend, weather you like it or not! And if you keep treating her like that, then I don't wanna be your brother anymore!"
That statement rocked Ace to the core.
As the straw hatted boy stomped his way back toward the forest, Sabo walked past the freckled boy, his face contorted in shame.
"Not cool, Ace…" The top hatted boy shook his head. "Not cool…"
Sabo then walked ahead to catch up to Luffy, leaving Ace standing in the middle of the open area. He looked back at Makino, who only gave him a stern look, showing she was not proud of him. Dadan and the rest of the bandits weren't all that pleased with his little stunt either.
Ace looked down and continued to brood on the spot, not even daring to move a muscle.
"How could he say such awful…?!" Olivia gave a huff of annoyance as she went about the kitchen, making the two of them some lunch. Robin was sat in one of the dining tables chairs, depression rolling off of her in waves.
"Momma?" The dark haired girl spoke up quietly, gaining her mother's attention. "Is it bad that I'm not as tough as Ace is?"
The white haired scholar was over to Robin in a heartbeat. "It's not a bad thing at all, Robin! Ace is a horrible little boy who likes to pick fights for fun!"
"But," Robin retorted. "Ace is Luffy's bother, so he can't be all bad…"
Olivia stopped in her fuming to notice the gentleness in her daughters words. A smile broke out on her face as she placed her hand on top of the dark haired girl's head, making her look up.
"What you just said…that kindness…that is what is important…more important than ever being tough." She spoke proudly to her little girl.
"But…" Robin didn't seem so persuaded. "What if Ace was right? If I was a little tougher, I could have made those kids leave me alone, and maybe stood up to Aunt Roji too!"
Olivia placed her forehead to Robin's, making the dark haired girl go quiet all of a sudden.
"Fighting back isn't the only way to be tough, Robin…" The ex-archeologist explained. "You may not have been able to fight back, but you still took it all on. You faced the pain day in and day out and didn't let it change you from being the sweet, kind, wonderful little girl you are."
Robin's eyes widened at this realization. The mother pulled her head back to look her daughter in the eyes. "You are so strong, Robin. Stronger than you even know you are."
Robin let the words repeat in her mind, before breaking out into a smile and wrapping her arms around her mother.
It was nighttime when Ace made his way back to the treehouse. After taking some more time by himself to brood in solitude, he made is way back and was now climbing up the rope ladder the lead to the brothers home.
As soon as he finished making his way to the top, he spotted the disgruntled looks of his two siblings, each of them giving him a glare each. Sao was standing up with his arms crossed over his chest, while Luffy was sitting and leaning on a wall under one of the houses windows, his legs curled up to his chest.
"Something you wanna explain?" Sao inquired, getting straight to the point.
"Not really…" Ace grumbled, walking over to a rad blanket and a pillow in the corner.
"You shouldn't have said that stuff to Robin!" Luffy muttered, not really wanting to fight but not letting the problem go at the same time.
"So what if I did?!"Ace threw his pillow and blanket to the ground in frustration, not wanting to have this heat on him any longer. "She needs to stop being such a crybaby and learn how to take a hit!"
"Robin's taken enough hits, don't you think?!" Sabo remained vigilant. "You heard what she went through back on her home island! She told you herself! Why would you turn around and treat her like that again?!"
"None of your business…" Ace went back to closing himself off as he set his pillow on the floor and pulled his blanket over his head to block out the outside world.
"There's nothing wrong with Robin being nice!" Luffy spoke up again.
"Being nice gets lets other people walk all over you…" Ace muttered from where he lay.
And being tough just chases people away from you!" Sabo voiced out.
When Ace didn't say anything else, Sabo's temper slightly got the best of him.
"I thought that after everything you've been through," Sabo mentioned. "You'd understand how someone like Robin feels."
Ace immediately brought his head up and glared at the top hatted boy. "Don't you dare…"
"Robin was closed off and mistreated by nearly everyone around her, and you were treated the same way!" Sabo didn't relent.
"Stop it right now, Sabo…" Ace stood up and clenched his fist.
"I bet you can imagine how she felt whenever she was picked on or hurt!" Sabo showed no sign of backing down.
"One more word, Sabo, and I'll-!"
"What's so bad about Robin having her mom?!" Luffy suddenly brought up, making the fuming elder bother turn to the boy in utter rage.
"BECAUSE SHE GETS TO HAVE ONE, AND I DON'T!"
A tense silence filled the boy's home.
Now it all made sense.
Ace realized what had left his mouth and proceeded to turn away to one of the make-shift home's windows and looked out of it. No other words needed to be said about the subject. This was a conversation that didn't need to go any further.
Luffy and Sabo watched the boy with quiet understanding. After some time past, Sabo took the chance to speak again.
"You know you have to apologize to her, right?" He advised.
"I know, I know…" Ace relented, wanting to stop blaming himself as soon as possible.
Luffy looked up into the night sky from where he sat. "I hope Robin comes back tomorrow…"
There was a knock at the door as Makino waited outside of Robin and Olivia's new home. After a short time, the ex-archeologist answers the door and was delighted to see the green haired woman.
"May I come in?" The bar-tender politely asked. The white haired scholar was more than happy to do so.
"Robin just went to bed some time ago, so we have to keep it down." The mother advised.
The two women sat at the kitchen table as Olivia put on a pot of tea. A gentle silence filled the space as Olivia poured two cups and set one in front of Makino and took a seat at the opposite end of the table.
"I can't believe that boy would say such awful things…" Olivia whispered, wishing to keep her frustration down low so as not to wake Robin.
Yes," Makino agreed. "It was certainly uncalled for."
"After everything that Luffy said about his brothers on the ship the way here, I thought he would be an older version of him." Olivia sipped at her tea to calm her nerves.
"I'm afraid there's not of chance there!" The green haired woman chuckled, then took on a solemn look in her eyes. "…There not even of the same blood."
The white haired scholar looked up at this, eyes widening at the new information. Unbeknownst to the both of them, robin was wide awake and currently peeking through her bedroom door to listen in on the conversation.
"Luffy met Ace when his grandfather brought him up to Dadan's for the first time, wanting him to grow up in a dangerous environment to help him grow up to be a strong marine one day." The bar-tender explained.
"At first, Ace wanted nothing to do with him, going as far as to let Luffy follow him into the jungle and try to leave him there, not caring what might happen to him." Olivia was shocked at htis, but not as much as Robin.
"Then somehow, for some reason I still don't know, Ace and Luffy became inseparable." Making smiled her own words. "They started to explore the jungle together, along with Sabo."
Olivia looked down at the word she was hearing,suddenly feeling sympathy for the freckled child.
"That still doesn't give him the right to talk to my daughter like that!" She retorted, not letting the new found pity for the boy overlap the love for her little girl.
"No, it doesn't," The green haired woman went on. "But he has a slight reason for it."
Olivia looked on at the bar-tender, whilst Robin leaned in slightly to get a better earshot.
"Ace's mother died giving birth to him." Makino mournfully stated.
Olivia dropped her jaw slightly, as Robin almost gasped out loud.
"Ever since, he's been living with Dadan since he was a baby, with Garp coming and going to see him." Makino stroked her tea cup with her thumb, numbing the pain of the words slightly for herself. "And as he's grown up, he's been getting into fights with people bigger, older and stronger than him since I can remember being told."
The ex-archeologist looked into the hot liquid in her cup, imagining something like that happening to Robin if she never came back to Ohara. Robin herself was pouting at the sad story of Luffy's older bother, understanding all too well what being outcasted was like.
"If I might make a suggestion," The green haired woman broke through Olivia's sorrowful mind track. "Take Robin back up to the shack to see Luffy and his brothers again."
Olivia looked against this, until Makino explained further. "Ace is undoubtedly rough around the edges, but whenever he makes a mistake, he has the good sense to make it right."
The bar-tender then gave a soft smile. "He's just a tough nut with a soft center, that's all."
Olivia leaned back in her seat, absorbing the information she had just been entailed with. Her mind wondered to Robin, thinking about the connection she's built up with Luffy over the time they've spent together. She still didn't like the idea of her being around that little Ace boy, but depriving her of Luffy, her first ever friend, was something she was not about to commit.
The white haired scholar looked back to the green haired woman who had enlightened her. "Thank you for telling me this, Makino."
"Not a problem!" The bar-tender waved off kindly. "Anything to help keep Robin and Luffy together!"
"Oh, good grief…" The ex-archeologist put her hand to her face, chuckling slightly as the mood of the room turned more light-hearted.
As the two woman talked into the night, Robin made her way back to bed, her thoughts turning to Luffy, Ace, and the pain the two of them shared.
The sun was beginning to rise as the three boys waited outside of Dadan's run-down home.
Ace was pacing back and forth, eagerly awaiting the chance to make amends with Robin. Sabo stood beside Luffy, leaning against the shack's wall and kicking a few stones in his foot's reach. The straw hatted boy sat quietly next to Sabo, his straw hat over shadowing the look in his eyes.
After a few more moments of waiting, the sight of Makino and Olivia made themselves present, coming up the dirt path on the hill. Luffy brought his head up as he caught sight of Robin, walking in front of the two adult women and immediately leaped to his feet and ran down to meet her.
"Robin!" The straw hatted boy called out.
"Luffy!" The dark haired girl eagerly called back as she ran ahead to meet up with the boy coming her way.
Once meeting each other half way on the path, Robin noticed that Luffy was starting to shed large tears and his nose was running uncontrollably.
"I thought you weren't coming back!" The straw hatted boy blubbered. The dark haired girl was taken back by the gross sight slightly, but was still flattered that someone would care so much about her.
"Of course not, Luffy! I'd never want to leave you!" She claimed joyfully.
Once the words left her mouth, both children blushed bight red and looked down to hide they're flaring cheeks.
"Thanks…Robin…" Luffy muttered sheepishly.
"Yeah…no problem…" Robin returned just as bashfully.
The two women watching from afar smiled at the cute sight, before Olivia noticed the freckled boy of the trio making his way over.
Before she could make a step forward to defend her daughter, Makino stopped her with hand to her shoulder. The bar-tender shook her head, sending the message that it was going to be all right, but the white haired scholar was still skeptical.
"Robin?" Ace made his presence known, bringing the girl back to reality, only to hesitate at the sight of the older brother and take a few steps back. Even Luffy stood in front of the girl, glaring at Ace as he protected Robin. Ace grimaced at this but stayed strong, wanting to make things right between him and Robin.
The freckled boy cleared his throat and looked at Robin in the eye. "I'm sorry."
Robin's eyes widened at this, and even more when the boy bowed his head low with his arms at his sides, showing a great form of humility.
"I'm really sorry for what I said yesterday! You didn't deserve any of it and I wrong to say such things!" He continued.
As Sabo made his way over to the small gathering, he became as stunned as everyone else present. Luffy stopped being on the defensive and was staring at Ace in awe. Robin stood in place surprised, unused to being apologized to before.
Makino smiled at the freckled boy's righteous behavior, glad to see him doing the right thing. Olivia was taken back by how this boy was now acting, even going as far as to bow in front of her daughter. Makino was right after all.
After some time past as everyone stood in silence, Robin was the first to start moving again and look down at the bowing boy. She then gave a warm smile as she walked up closer to him.
"I forgive you, Ace." The boy looked back up in astonishment at the girl, who kept her warm smile in place. "Thank you for apologizing."
At the vision of the dark haired girl smiling so sweetly at him, Ace felt his cheeks begin to glow bright red as he stood back up and cleared his throat again.
"Yeah, uh…no problem…" He managed to speak.
"I heard Makino talk about you last night when she came to see my mom." She admitted as Olivia looked at her daughter, surprised by her sneakiness.
"I'm so sorry you had to grow up like that, Ace." She looked at the boy sympathetically. "It must have been awful."
Ace remembered all the times he was laughed at by drunks and thugs when he was eight years old, and all the times he beat the snot out of them for doing so, getting his fair share of cuts and bruises and complete losses at their hands himself.
"Yeah…" He painfully nodded. "It was…"
The freckled boy gelt a hand clasp his own, and he looked over to see the dark haired girl giving him a warm, caring smile. Ace couldn't help himself but start blushing again and look away to hide his face.
Makino smiled at the sight, glad to know that all was right once again. Olivia felt relieved that things had managed to be sorted out and that the boy hd done the right thing. Sabo was happy to see Ace being more open and gentle with other people, while Luffy was silently fuming with how Robin was holding hands with Ace.
"One thing I can't understand?" Robin let go of the freckled boy's hand, gaining a quizzical look. "Why did you get into so many fights in the first place?"
Ace stopped breathing for a while, uncomfortable with having to answer such a question. Sao blanched at the girl's words, trying to think of a way to change the subject before something bad happened.
"Oh! That's because people laughed at him for being Gold Roger's son!"
Everything and everyone stopped.
All eyes were on Luffy, wide and aghast.
Sabo pulled his top hat down over his face, blown away with how big his little brother's mouth was. Makino looked back at the freckled boy, unable to find any words on the newly presented matter. Olivia was as still as a statue, her educated mind denying such an unnatural theory. Robin only stared at the boy in front of her, her mouth hanging open at the statement she just heard. Dada and the bandits watching from the cabin were sweating bullets; if Garp ever got word of one of his grandson's biggest secrets being outed, he would have their heads. And it was all Luffy's fault!
"Luffy…!" Ace ground out through his furiously clenched teeth.
The straw hatted boy looked at each of the flabbergasted faces on everyone present and could only utter one, simple, clueless question.
"…What?"
