Rating: T
Spoilers: Major ones for Robin's past
Time Frame: Robin's eight in this one
When Robin dreamed of going to sea, she had envisioned herself next to her mother learning the secret of the lost history. Sitting alone in a tiny boat with only ice to guide her had never been a part of the plan.
Neither had the destruction of Ohara, a horrible picture that was forever burned into her mind.
No one could survive.
Alone. Nico Robin was all alone.
LIVE!
Be proud! Today was the day that Ohara fought the world!
Eliminate him! Ohara has learned too much.
If you want to die of bitterness, well, that's your choice, too.
Robin sat in the little boat, exhausted, having cried all the tears she had to cry.
A sudden stop woke Robin up with a jolt. It was night. After a moment of confusion, she realized she had reached land. The ice-man had told the truth and led her to the next island. Robin licked her lips, tasting the salt on them. She needed water and food, but most of all she needed to get away.
Robin didn't know what to do. She couldn't think of any safe place to go, or any people to run to. The government, the people that were supposed to protect, had pummeled Ohara so much that they set it on fire. The library was gone. Her family was gone. Her teachers were gone. Her home was gone.
The thought almost made Robin throw up.
The most important thing is my life!
I'm so proud of you.
I've wanted to do this for a long time.
The name of that country was—
The island Robin had landed on was home to a large town. In the square there was a fountain, and she stopped to take a drink. That taken care of, she searched for a place to hide. Robin knew she needed a plan. She needed to think.
Right now thinking was hard. She kept on remembering the men in black suits and the townspeople screaming and the whistle of the cannons and the sound of explosions. Robin felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest, leaving a gaping hole in its place. Her whole body ached from being thrown around like a rag doll, and her ears still rang with cannon fire.
Robin forced all of that down, along with the bile rising in her throat. She had to think. She was the last one. She had to live, to learn, and decipher. If she didn't Ohara would be forgotten, a fate worse than death.
Get to the refugee ship!
Put out the fire!
I'm Robin! Even though I'm bigger…You really don't remember me?
Give the signal for attack!
Robin stumbled into an alleyway, barely managing to make it before her stomach finally rebelled. The water she had just drunk sloshed on the ground and she broke out into a cold sweat. Robin sat on the ground and put her head between her knees, forcing herself to take deep breaths. She could smell the smoke that had engrained itself into her dress, almost making her gag again.
A plan. She needed a plan. Think. Be smart. Get away. Run, run, run, run, run.
It's the monster, don't let her on board!
Ice time.
When you have a hardship, remember to smile.
I don't want to be alone anymore!
Dereshishishi!
But no matter how hard Robin tried, Saul's smile wouldn't come.
That night in the alley was the most miserable of Robin's life.
But the sun eventually rose, and with it a chance to get away. Robin knew her idea wasn't very good, but nothing better came to mind. News of the Buster Call would spread soon, and she wanted to be far away when it did. Her panic had faded as her fatigue increased, with a cold fear creeping in to take its place.
Robin went to the docks, and watched. The fishermen came out first, paying no attention to her as they went about their business. Slowly the rest of the town woke up and more and more people appeared.
By Robin's estimate it was eight o'clock when she saw her chance. Civilians were boarding a passenger ship, set to sail in half an hour, headed for an island three days northeast. Doing her best to blend with the crowd she slipped on the ship, using her size to stay unnoticed. Once on board, everyone would think she was someone else's child, and if she stayed quiet no one would question that assumption.
Professor had once told her that most people were terribly unobservant. Robin hoped he was right, and that no one would notice her dirty clothes or the smoke smell that wouldn't go away.
Can you be proud of this attack?
Absolute Justice has been known to drive men insane…
Try to live as ordinary life as possible.
Know this; I am not your friend. I am the enemy that will be the first to catch you.
The entire trip Robin felt like she was being watched.
Nico Robin held her newly minted bounty poster close to her chest as she hid from the mob that had gathered to kill her.
She had tried to do what the ice man said and be unassuming, at least until she was old enough to travel by herself safely. After all, it wasn't practical for an eight year old to go out on a solo campaign against the entire World Government.
Now that was impossible. Now she was wanted. The newspapers said she had destroyed six marine warships and that the Ohara scholars had conspired revive a dangerous weapon. The government had deemed her head worthy of 79,000,000 berries.
Fear constantly ate at her, sleep eluded her, and people hunted her.
Devil child!
Monster!
You never should have been born!
Your very existence is a sin!
DIE!
Nico Robin, the last of the Oherans, was well and truly alone.