Timeframe: AU, direct sequel to what I did in chapter 17. If you're reading this first for some reason, it's not going to make sense
Spoilers: Dragon/Revolutionary stuff. Ace stuff. Impel Down/Shiki stuff. Fishman Island stuff. Oh, and Robin's past stuff. XD
Rating: T to be safe
AN: I fail at making these short. The original challenge said these were supposed to be drabbles. My bad.
Kuzan walked out of the thick jungle foliage onto the sandy beach of an unnamed Grand Line island. Nico Robin was just as he had left her, settled in a basic fighting stance and practicing forms. Shrugging a frozen boar, their supper for the night, higher on his shoulder he sauntered towards her.
It had taken a great deal of wheedling on Robin's part to convince Kuzan to begin training her in the first place, and by now she was probably regretting it. Kuzan preferred to think that he took a lax, nontraditional approach when it came to teaching. Robin simply thought he was lazy.
However, his exercises to build strength and endurance worked. And even though the sight of Kuzan barking orders from his chair made of ice infuriated Robin (he could tell by the adorable way she glared at him) she refused to complain. The girl put forth the same dedicated focus towards fighting that she did everything else, and Kuzan knew he couldn't pacify her with basic forms for long.
"Oh, my. Are you still at it? Overworking your muscles isn't good for them, you know. Why don't you take a break?" She half-turned, acknowledging his presence, valiantly ignoring the dead animal he carried.
For all she tried to hide it, Kuzan knew his power frightened her. He didn't really blame her; at least her own Flower-Flower Fruit had dozens practical, nonlethal uses. There weren't many wholesome applications of the Ice-Ice Fruit.
Robin took a deep breath. "I need to know how to fight."
"You don't think I can take care of you?" It was the beginning of an old argument, one that often ended with them sitting at opposite ends of camp giving each other the silent treatment.
"You can't be everywhere. Even your power isn't absolute."
Kuzan let the boar slide to the ground with a thunk. "Yeah, but if it was trouble I couldn't handle, I'd think you would be smart enough to run the hell away, rather than die in a pointless battle."
"You won't be around forever. We won't travel together forever. I need to learn, the sooner the better," Robin said stubbornly. Kuzan frowned, realizing he was finally getting to the root of her problem.
Scratching his head, he looked down at her. "Who says we're not going to stick together?"
Scowling, Robin looked out to the ocean. It was something she did when she got particularly pensive or moody. The one time Kuzan had asked her about it, Robin told him it reminded her of her mother. After that, he felt it was best to leave her alone with her thoughts.
"Why would you want to keep babysitting me?" she countered, her voice small.
Kuzan blinked and then laughed. "Arararara. Oh, kid. What else am I going to do? Join a pirate crew? It's not as if they let criminals collect bounties."
Robin sat down in the sand, absentmindedly rolling up the sleeves to her t-shirt. Kuzan noticed how her arms shook with the effort. The girl was definitely overworking herself. "That doesn't mean you'll want to watch over me. You only did in the first place because you felt you had to."
Joining her, Kuzan sprawled out on the beach. His proximity raised goose bumps on her arms, but it wasn't anything he could help. He was always cold. "Did it ever occur to you that I enjoy your presence, Little Nico? We've done a lot of shit together, and you've kept your head better than any traitor marine could hope for. Hell, remember the time that one hotel dude thought you were my daughter? You just rolled with it, cool as a cucumber."
"I didn't have a choice," Robin said, grimacing at the memory.
"We don't get a choice about most things. That's why we have to be extra sure about the once we do get to make."
The unexpected wisdom made her pause, and she looked up at him, uncertainty plaguing her face. Kuzan looked back at her in all seriousness. It was important that she understand what he was trying to say.
"Are you sure?" she asked quietly.
"Extra sure," Kuzan said with a chuckle. "What about you? Fighting, killing, it wears on a person. When someone gets hurt, that's not something you can take back no matter how much you wish you could. Trust me, I know."
"I need to learn," Robin insisted. "Bad things happen to me. Bad things happen to us. I need to be ready for that."
"Okay," Kuzan said simply, accepting her decision. "I'll figure something out. Wrestling moves might work best with your fruit, especially when you're small…" his voice trailed off, and he shrugged. Looking back down at her, he smiled. "But don't worry, you're stuck with me. Now, how about you get a fire started so I can cook up supper?"
"You're just too lazy to do it yourself," Robin accused.
"Nah," Kuzan said in good humor, "It's training."
Lips curling into a small smile of her own, Robin gave one last glance out to the ocean before getting to her feet, wincing as she stretched sore muscles. Kuzan watched her walk stiffly over to their fire pit for a moment, before deciding to get up and help.
Freedom.
The word burned through Shiki like an acid. He would have danced, had he not already cut off his own legs. Instead he settled for the indiscriminate slaughter of Impel Down guards and prisoners alike.
"Good bye, Level 6!" he howled. Blood ran down the swords he had tied to the stumps of his lower extremities. Using his Devil Fruit to hover (and wasn't it wonderful to be able to fly again?) Shiki made his way regally down the corridor.
"Good bye, Mr. Steering-wheel Head!" a voice called back.
White-hot fury laced through Shiki. Who dared insult him? And on his glorious day of ascension? Fuming, Shiki made his way to the voice.
What he saw surprised him. A young girl, who couldn't possibly be older than ten, stood with her face pressed up against the bars, her hands cuffed with sea stone. The girl's glassy brown eyes were unsettling, as was the large grin she gave him as he loomed over her.
"Hello. I like your legs."
Shiki looked down at his blood-stained swords, then back at the girl. "Oh?" he asked, his curiosity piqued. What could a child possible have done to be sent to the lowest level of Impel Down? "Thank you. I just put them on today. What's your name, little girl?"
She screwed her face into a bastardization of a thoughtful expression. "Isn't it rude to tell your name without sharing first?"
"My humblest apologies. I'm Shiki."
Her eyes widened as she recognized the name. "The Golden Lion, the Flying Pirate, Roger's Rival, captain of an armada of 51 divisions. That Shiki?"
Cocking an eyebrow, Shiki smirked. "The very same. I'm impressed you know so much."
"I read," the girl answered in a huff, "and I remember. I remember everything. Even when the mean man with the glowing hand tried to steal it all, I still remember."
"Man with the glowing hand…? You mean Vice Warden Lin? You have something Lin wants?"
"No," the girl said mulishly. "He thinks I do, so he took it all. Stole it. Went into my head, even when I told him to stop. But I still remember."
"Remember what?" Shiki asked. He really should be escaping now, but this girl…she was interesting. Lin's specific way of gathering intelligence had the nasty reputation of leaving behind slavering idiots who eventually starved to death because they couldn't remember how to eat. Somehow, it seemed, this girl had managed to keep her mental facilities intact. Although Shiki got the feeling some of her sanity had been left behind in the process.
"Everything. I remember Professor and Rint and Hocha and Mother and Saul and Spandine and Kuzan. I know the ancient letters and history and the books and the tree…"
It took a moment for her words to sink in. "Wait! Wait wait waitwaitwait! You know the ancient language? You can revive the weapons?" Shiki asked.
"No!" the girl cried. "Weren't you listening? I don't know about that! I never learned!"
"But you could?" Shiki pressed.
For the first time she looked uncertain. "…I guess. I don't know. Everyone else thinks I can."
"Child, what is your name?" Shiki breathed.
"Nico Robin."
"Nico Robin, I swear on my honor as a pirate I will help you escape. I'll help you learn new things. Would you like that?"
Nico Robin's big eyes looked up and she nodded enthusiastically. With a malicious grin of his own, Shiki searched the dead guards (smirking as he stepped over the dead body of the Vice Warden) until he found the one with the keys.
It only took moments, but the Golden Lion knew that with this girl-tenuous grasp of reality aside-he was going to take over the world.
"Nami! Get down from there!" Bellemere nearly had a heart attack when she saw her youngest daughter standing on top of the roof of the house, staring at the sky. Just how her just-turned-four year old child had managed it she had no idea, but her imagination was doing a fine job of supplying the frantic mother with images of what would happen if the girl didn't come down right this instant.
"But Bellemere," Nami whined from her spot, "I'm looking at the cum-u-lo-ous clouds."
"It's cumulonimbus, dummy!" Nojiko shouted from beside Bellemere.
"I don't care what kind of clouds they are, you are coming down now!"
Grumbling words that most four year olds didn't know, Nami reluctantly began shimming down the roof, carefully scooting to where the upstairs window swung open. Bellemere refused to take her eyes off of her daughter, even as the last member of her strange household came from the front yard to see what all the commotion was all about.
Gritting around her cigarette, Bellemere growled, "That girl is in so much trouble."
Beside her, Robin's eyes widened. "Nami, watch out!"
To Bellemere, it was horror in slow motion. One slip was all it took. Even as Bellemere rushed towards the house, she knew there was no way she could make it in time to ease her daughter's fall…
Except, for some reason, there was. There was a flash of motion, which quickly disappeared in a pink poof, and somehow Nami slid safely to the ground, giggling, eyes bright with glee. With frantic motions Bellemere checked everywhere for a break or a bruise, only to find none. Her daughter survived falling off the roof without injury.
"Don't you ever scare me like that again!" Bellemere shouted.
"Again, again! Make the arms grow again!"
Confounded by Nami's nonsensical statement, Bellemere began her checks anew. It was only when she heard a moan behind her that she turned around.
Robin was on her knees, clutching her right shoulder in obvious pain. Nojiko stood frozen between the two groups, at a complete loss as to what was going on.
"Robin?" Bellemere said tentatively. The girl jerked up, looking panicked. "Robin are you alright?"
With a choked sob, the girl got up and ran.
XxX
It was dusk when Bellemere found her. She had to give Robin credit; the girl knew how to give people a run for their money. But Cocoyashi was small, and with no ships leaving the harbor it was only a matter of time until she was caught.
The girl was hunkered down in a strip of timber that separated the small village from the rest of the island. Her breathing was heavy, and the way she guarded herself made Bellemere think that she was still hurt.
"Robin? Come out, please." Robin's breathing grew more ragged, but she didn't answer. "Robin, I thought we moved past this. I'm not going to hurt you. You can trust me."
"That was before," she said, her voice thick with pain.
"Before what?" Bellemere demanded. "Before you saved my daughter's life with your Devil Fruit? That's crap, and you know it."
Robin shook her head stubbornly. "Everyone hates fruit users. We're cursed. I'm cursed," she said, the last part in a whisper so quiet Bellemere almost didn't hear.
"The only curse on Devil Fruit users is they can't swim. I'll have you know that when I was in the marines I met several fruit users, and their fortunes had nothing to do with their ability whatsoever. Now come out and let me see what's wrong with you."
Reluctantly Robin shuffled out of her hiding place and allowed Bellemere to examine her. It was the oddest thing Bellemere had ever seen, and after taking a few moments to double check herself, she frowned.
"I'm no doctor, but I think you've dislocated your shoulder," Bellemere said.
"I…when I caught Nami…" Robin fumbled, struggling for the right words to explain her power, "It transfers," she finally said.
"What transfers?"
By way of explanation Robin closed her eyes, and Bellemere gasped as the girl grew and extra pair of arms out of her left elbow.
"The damage transfers from the copies back to me."
Bellemere tried to mask her amazement by lighting a cigarette. "Well, I guess that's one reason they call you the Demon Child."
Robin's reaction would have been humorous had the situation not been so serious. The look of horror that came over her features as the blood drained completely out of her face was unforgettable. Bellemere was forced to use one of her old marine take downs to keep the girl from running again.
Silently apologizing for any pain she was causing Robin, Bellemere kept her pinned. "Girl, I've known who you are for two months now."
Her squirming slowed. "You have?"
"You were a runaway who acted like you thought I was going to beat you every time I so much as sneezed. You bet your ass I did everything I could to figure out where you came from. It didn't take me as long as I thought, but I wasn't about to complain. Now I'm going to let you up, and you're not going to run away. Am I clear?" Robin nodded, and Bellemere slowly let her up, ready for the girl to bolt. She didn't, which Bellemere took as a sign of trust.
"You knew who I was and you didn't arrest me, even though you were a marine?"
"If you're a demon, then I'm the frikkin' Queen of the Pirates. And if I met any of those people that hurt you in the past I'd be sure to kick their ass, but since I couldn't I figured I'd do the next best thing. You're part of my family, and no amount of running's going to change that."
The speech left Robin flabbergasted. It was sad, really, in the months the girl had lived with her, Bellemere had been able to provide for her physical needs, but had failed in showing her what was most important.
"Let's go home, kid. Nami was beside herself, she thought it was her fault you ran away. Nojiko's upset, too."
"They were?" The hesitation in the girl's voice was like a knife to the gut.
Bellemere smiled sadly around her cigarette and brought Robin in close. "Sure. You're their sister. Now let's go get you fixed up, it's been a long day."
Otohime walked slowly along the path of the sea forest. Light filtered through the water around them into a rainbow of beautiful colors, serving only to enhance the beauty of the sea floor. With hands hidden in the sleeves of her kimono and eyes half closed, she was a picture of divine serenity.
Beside the queen's natural grace, the human ex-slave Nico Robin's awkwardness stood out more than usual. At Fisher Tiger's request, the girl made the dangerous trip down to Fishman Island only two weeks prior. The poor dear was still having trouble adjusting to her new life.
"Did the Minister of the Left give you a tour yet?" the queen asked.
"Yes, Your Highness. It was very kind of him to take time out of his day to show me around."
Otohime glanced sidelong at her. She made it sound as if it had been such a hassle. In reality, the Minister found Robin to be a charming, if sad, girl. The queen didn't even need to use her haki to know that Robin's self-esteem needed improved, and badly.
It was one of the many problems that the queen faced. She knew when she had agreed to take in the girl that there would be challenges. Otohime would be lying, however, if she said that things had gone as planned.
For example, how was she supposed to know that Robin, having been denied a bed for so long, would find blankets to be suffocating, mattresses to be unpleasant, and prefer to simply sleep on the ground? To say nothing of the difficulty of finding clothing that would cover up the sickening evidence of Robin's enslavement and comfortably fit her extremely tall, extremely thin, extremely human fame. Then there had been the matter of explaining to the children and the palace staff why exactly a random human would be living with them. That had been a long night.
Ever the optimist, Otohime refused to be detoured, and slowly but surely it seemed like her efforts were paying off.
"Is there anything in particular that caught your eye? Otohime felt Robin tense at the question.
"…The library, Your Highness," she answered carefully. "Fisher Tiger didn't really keep any books on his ship. I haven't read anything in…well, a long time."
Otohime smiled, delighted. She had no idea that the girl was learned. "That's wonderful. Have you found something you like yet? It's alright if you haven't," Otohime added, remembering Robin's tendency to take things the wrong way, "I could recommend a few that you might enjoy."
Robin looked out at the coral, her fingers fidgeting involuntarily. Otohime could feel the familiar race of nerves tingle up the girl's spine. "Er, that's okay, Your Highness. I think I found something that will keep me occupied for a while."
"Oh? What's the title?" Otohime asked. She didn't mean to press, especially when it was obvious that she was making Robin uneasy, but she was genuinely curious. The girl's schooling had been on her to-do list, and if Otohime could get a finger on what level she was at now, it would be easier to set up a plan for her education later.
"Ryuugu: A Historie," Robin mumbled. Otohime stopped short and turned in shock. The book was the gold standard when it came to the history of Fishman Island and its surrounding territories, but it was notoriously difficult to read. Otohime could remember driving her tutor to tears of frustration when she had been forced to study out of it as a child.
"How old did you say you are?" the queen asked, tapping her chin in thought.
"Fifteen, Your Highness."
"And how long were you…"
"Five years, Your Highness."
"Amazing, simply amazing. I knew you were intelligent, but obviously you've been well educated. I'm sure your teachers would be proud," Otohime said warmly.
A surge of unresolved grief tore through Robin, the force of it making the queen take a half-step backwards. Otohime's stomach rolled, and it was only through sheer force of will that she didn't retch.
Immediately the queen was by Robin's side, her first instinct to comfort the girl as she struggled to regain control of her emotions. About to envelop her in a hug, Otohime paused. Robin detested being touched, no matter the reason.
Instead, the queen settled for cupping her hand under the girl's chin, gently forcing Robin to look at her. Pale green eyes met dark brown, strengthening the connection Otohime felt. A faint tremble was all that betrayed Robin's internal turmoil, and seeing the girl keep such a neutral expression while she felt such pain made the queen's heart break.
"You've suffered so much," Otohime said softly. "For more reasons than I understand. Talk to me, child. I cannot help you if I don't know the problem."
Robin swallowed, and her intense grief was forced away as new feelings of conflict arose. As Otohime felt the girl sort through her thoughts, she realized that Robin would not tell her, could not, for some reason that the queen couldn't fathom.
Heart sinking, Otohime tucked a strand of hair behind Robin's ear before letting her hand drop to the girl's shoulder. "I understand. I cannot force you to trust me. That will come with time. Do know, however, that what happened to you is not your fault. No one deserves to go through what you have."
Robin shook her head and pulled away. "Your Highness—"
"No," Otohime interrupted firmly, desperate to make the girl hear her words, "No one. What could a ten year old child possibly do to deserve the scars you wear on your back?"
Otohime had meant the question to be rhetorical, something to get the girl to question the root of her beliefs, but Robin shrunk down and looked ashamed. Her emotions were clear: She did believe she deserved her torture.
It wasn't often that the Queen of Fishman Island was at a loss for words, but this human with her baffling and complex psyche did just that. It was as if something was missing, like some essential part of who she was had been swept away, lost within the deep reaches of her soul.
The very idea was disturbing. The queen resumed her walk, and Robin following her mutely. After several long minutes Robin's spirit settled back its normal state: slightly on edge, ever wary for potential danger. And watching, always watching. Otohime could feel the girl as she took in the sights and sounds of the sea forest, categorizing and rationalizing her observations away to reflect upon at a later time.
Inspired, Otohime pointed out to the waters beyond the barrier where a pod of fish swam lazily. "Those, my dear, are bottle-beaked sea kings. They don't grow to be nearly as large as their kin, but they replicate at a faster rate than most species and stay together in groups. They hunt whales and other large prey, but will stoop to merfolk if hungry…" the queen began, just like she would any of her lessons with the children.
Robin listened intently, her eyes sharp, as she soaked in the words. This is what she desired. Teaching, helping her understand life under the sea, was something the queen could use to reach out to the girl. With silent joy Otohime realized that as she continued describing the life-forms around them Robin relaxed. It wasn't much, but it was a beginning.
Otohime had no idea how long they walked aimlessly, Robin listening as she babbled about anything and everything, when suddenly the girl pulled to a stop. Her emotions felt like burning fire to the queen's senses, dropping to her knees, Otohime let out a soft moan forced herself to ride out whatever it was Robin was experiencing. The queen couldn't even identify what exactly it was the girl was going through; it was as if someone had stuck Otohime in a room with a hundred screaming people. There were no discerning individual feelings; it was just loud.
After several tense moments, the queen looked up at Robin. There the girl stood in front of the ancient stone, (they had come out that far?) her hand hovering just over the undecipherable characters. It was obvious how her eyes darted back and forth that she could read the writing.
Impossible.
Otohime struggled back up. Cautiously she went over to Robin. As she got closer, she could see the girl slowly mouthing the words as she interpreted the characters. She was actually touching the stone now with a delicate reverence, as if she could break it by pressing down to hard.
"Robin?" Otohime choked out, her voice rough. The girl tensed, snapped out of her reverie. She turned slowly, a look of horror plastered on her face.
"Your Highness! You're…you're crying?"
Wiping the tears that streamed down her face away agitatedly, Otohime looked pointedly at the girl. "Don't worry about me. What is this? You can read the poneglyph?"
The blood drained from Robin's face. She stood frozen, her back against the evidence that incriminated her.
"I'm not going to punish you, Robin," the queen said, her hand going to her stomach as she fought the urge to throw up as her enhanced senses were bombarded by the girl's sheer terror, "but I didn't think anyone could read those words. Not even the royal family, who has protected the stone for generations, knows for sure what it says."
"I didn't think there would be one here. I didn't think I'd see one ever again," Robin said numbly, her eyes still wide in shock.
The queen stared at Robin and tried to untangle the mass of emotions that had been projected onto her. Seeing the poneglyph had lit a fire in the girl, acting as a spark to reignite something that had burnt out long ago. A hole that had been present in Robin ever since the queen had laid eyes on her was now filled, and suddenly Otohime understood.
This was her dream.
Improbable, illogical, and unlikely as it was, this ancient stone somehow was more important to Robin than anything else in the world. The Celestial Dragons had nearly beaten it out of her, but she had somehow managed to hang on to a thread of her ambition.
"Child, I think we need to have a talk," Otohime said slowly. "I think it's time I learned a little more about you, and your past before you became a slave."
Uncertainly, Robin nodded. With halting sentences, Nico Robin confided in Queen Otohime about the tragedy of her childhood. By the end of it the queen was openly weeping, distraught over the unfairness and the injustice that Robin had suffered as a little girl.
This time Otohime did not hesitate to wrap her in a hug. Robin stiffened at the contact, but the queen only responded by pulling her in tighter. "Thank you for trusting me," she whispered fiercely, "I know things have been bad for you in the past, but I have hope in your future. I have hope in all our futures. I swear, I will not rest until the world is safe from such atrocities."
Robin didn't respond, but she didn't have to. Her heart spoke for her. She had remembered her dream and was in a place far from the evils that persecuted her. She was free, she was safe, and for now that was enough.
"Dragon, do you have a moment?"
Monkey D. Dragon, leader of the Revolution, looked up at Nico Robin and suppressed a sigh. He knew what was coming and wished he could have avoided it for a little longer.
"Of course, sit down." Gesturing to the chair opposite his, he looked up at her impassively and waited for her to speak her peace.
"It's about the matter we talked about last month," she began, choosing her words carefully. "Have you had time to think about it?"
Time to think about it? Of course he had. Dragon had been dreading this conversation since she joined the Revolution a year ago, when became clear what Robin's aspirations were.
"Hm," he grunted noncommittally, "I'm not sure you're ready."
A muscle twitched in her cheek, but she gave no other outward indication of her frustration. "How am I not ready? I've done everything you've asked of me. I've done more than you've asked of me. What else could you possibly want me to do to be prepared?" she asked politely.
This time, Dragon was unable to suppress his sigh. "Robin, it's not that I think you don't have the skills-"
Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "I should hope not. Don't forget, I have more experience with subterfuge and assassination than most of your agents."
"I know that, Robin, but I can't risk your possible capture, or worse, death on a mission. It's simply too dangerous," Dragon explained.
"I refuse to become a figurehead for your organization," Robin said, her voice holding a surprising amount of acid. "That's not why I joined you, and you know it."
Dragon didn't back down from her glare. "All right. I'll find a job with the decoders. It's an entry level position, we'll discuss other possibilities at a la-" Robin cut him off by pounding her fist against his desk.
"No! You're just pacifying me, hoping I'll accept whatever role you have already cut out. I won't do it, Dragon. I'll not be used by anyone, not even you." Her voice was pained, and Dragon could tell she was on the verge of tears.
Frowning, he leaned back in his seat. "If there's something on your mind, tell me. Contrary to rumor, I'm not a mind reader."
"Before you found me, had searched for ten years, by myself, for the poneglyphs. For the last year, you have put up excuse after excuse why I can't go out like everyone else. I've learned your codes. I know your policies. I know this organization better than anyone except for you, and yet I'm kept here like a child. I am sick of being useless!" Robin said, her voice growing more strained.
"Robin, you know why you can't go out on missions like everyone else. You alone hold the secret that can untangle the Lost History. I can't let you do those things, because quite frankly, you're too important," Dragon said gently. Robin shook her head, a bitter smile on her face.
"That's not true, Dragon. I could, if you would let me, teach you all the language of the poneglyphs. Then I would be no more important than anyone else. No, I'm your symbol," she spat the word in disgust, "Your rallying point. I see how your men look at me. I hear how they talk about me. It's…it's as if I'm not a person anymore."
Dragon blinked but didn't deny the accusation. Her history made it easy to sympathize with her, and he did use it as propaganda. This was war, and he was willing to use everything in his disposal to win. He didn't, however, realize how much it bothered her.
"I can't take it," Robin continued. "I'm grateful for everything you've done for me; I never thought I would be given a chance like this, but I just want to find the Lost History. This war you're fighting…let me be a part or let me leave. That's my ultimatum. I'm sorry."
Frown deepening, Dragon leaned forward and studied Robin. At nineteen, she was certainly old enough to make an informed decision on her own. However, what she said earlier was also correct: Her knowledge of the Revolution was vast. If he let her go and she got captured the consequences for him would be catastrophic.
He needed her to stay. She was too valuable a piece to be left alone, especially after all the effort he had gone through earning her trust.
"Did you have something specific in mind?" he asked, careful to keep his voice calm and even.
Robin's shoulders visibly relaxed. "Actually, I did. I understand why you don't want me doing field work, but there's no reason why I can't continue looking for the poneglyphs under Revolution supervision."
Dragon shook his head. "That would be a waste of resources. Those stones could be anywhere."
"I know the location of one." Robin swallowed. "I've known for ten years."
Dragon's eyebrows shot up. "Ohara…" he breathed, and Robin nodded in confirmation. Why had he not thought of it earlier? The poneglyphs were reputed to be indestructible, after all.
"I've never read it in full. When I taught myself the language, I mostly copied out of the notes that the other archeologists had. The angle wasn't good enough to see properly." Lifting her hand, she grew an eye on her palm as an explanation, "But on the day…on the day the government attacked, the professor said he knew the name of the ancient kingdom. Nothing I've found since then has even hinted at something like that."
It only took a moment for Dragon to decide his course of action. With a firm nod, he gave Robin a wolfish smile. "We'll go. Just give me a little time. I know someone that I think can help us."
XxX
Dragon stood on the deck of the little boat, facing east. They were docked on what was left of Ohara, and he felt that he needed to take the time to gather his thoughts before stepping on the island that had been so needlessly destroyed.
Behind him Kuma stood silently, having grown to Dragon's moods years ago. The Tyrant had been able to join them on short notice, and Dragon would never forget the look of shock on Robin's face when he had joined them en route. It served as a nice reminder that, while knowledgeable, there were still some things Dragon had been able to keep secret.
Robin opened the hatch from below deck, and climbed out to join them. Her face was ashen, and her hands trembled as she looked over the decimated landscape. Time had faded some of the evidence of the Buster Call, but even though a carpet of grass and weeds covered the island the dips and pockets of the bombardment remained.
"Ready?" Dragon asked quietly.
"Yes," Robin said, though she was clearly lying. At Dragon's pointed look, Kuma removed one of his gloves, and instantly they were pushed to where the great library had once stood.
Looking queasy, Robin shot Kuma a mistrustful glare, but it was short lived. The trio slowly made their way past the edge of a lake. A burnt out husk, all that remained from the Tree of Knowledge, stood before them. Robin stopped, hand up to her lips in a pained expression.
"Are you all right?"
"I don't know," Robin said, her voice shaky. "I thought..."
"No one could possibly be ready." Kuma said softly. That seemed to reassure her some, and once again the moved forward.
Even the power of the Buster Call was unable to completely destroy the giant library. With the utmost respect, they entered the sacred tree. Bones were scattered all around in various states of disarray, some bleached white where the sun had been able to reach them, others black with the soot of the fire.
Tears streaking silently down her face, Robin led the way, carefully picking her way around collapsed areas. It was slow going, but they didn't have far to walk. Before long Robin rose a hand to stop them.
There the poneglyph sat, streaked black but otherwise unharmed. Only a portion of it was visible, the rest hidden by fallen debris. Kuma moved to the front of the small group, calculating the best way to uncover the stone.
Job done, Robin rushed out of the tree. Confident that Kuma wouldn't need his assistance, Dragon followed. He found her sitting by the edge of the lake, head hidden between her knees.
Knowing there was nothing he could say to comfort her, Dragon simply sat beside Robin as she sobbed. He had never seen her like this before. Having the normally unflappable Nico Robin broken down before him, her shoulders shaking in unrestrained grief, was unsettling.
After several long minutes, the sobs subsided to ragged breathing. Dragon looked out over the once beautiful lake, his expression unfathomable.
"We could give them a proper burial," he offered somberly. The poor conditions of the bones would make it difficult, but if there was anyone on the planet that was qualified in handling the remains of the Oharan scholars it was Robin. Dragon was even sure she could, if the skeletons were intact enough, identify the bodies.
She thought about it before shaking her head. "No. They…they chose this place. Guarding the Tree of Knowledge is what they died doing. It's where they wanted to be when...when the end came."
Dragon nodded. "Very well. It's your decision. Their sacrifice won't be forgotten."
"They never should have had to make the sacrifice in the first place," Robin said, her mouth twisting into a humorless smile. "I think I'm ready to go back now."
"Are you sure? We have time."
"No. Your revolution will not wait, and I doubt the dead mind either way. I'm sure Kuma's finished uncovering the poneglyph. Let's go see what it says."
Rising fluidly, Robin reentered the burnt-out tree. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her complexion blotchy, but there was no mistaking the look of cold determination in her eyes. Dragon watched her silently, a flicker of concern crossing his face.
After a moment Dragon followed. This is what Robin wanted, and he wasn't about to stop her. To be honest, he wasn't sure if he could stop her.
The winds of change were upon them. It was time to go and reach for their destiny, lest they be swept away, lost in the ever-flowing tides of time.
"Going somewhere?"
Nico Robin smiled mysteriously while Ace scowled and mentally cursed her for interrupting his clever, well planned escape plan. In the light of the full moon it was easy for Ace to see her sitting nonchalantly in his Devil Fruit-powered boat.
"Actually, yeah, I was. Would you please get out? I've got places to go, crewmates to avenge, that sort of thing."
Her smile faded. "I wondered, though I thought you would have at least said goodbye."
"It's not as if I'm running away forever. I just need to find the bastard Teach and kill him. Then I'll be back, easy as pie," Ace said, fiddling with the straps to his backpack. If he wanted to make a smooth exit, he had to leave soon. Marco, one of the few who knew of his plans, was on watch, but there was only so much the Phoenix could do to keep attention away from Ace's departure.
"Is that what you honestly believe?" she asked sadly.
"What?" Ace snapped back at her.
"That it will be 'easy as pie'?" Damn infuriating woman. She even used finger quotes against him.
"Um, yes?"
"Fire Fist, you're not thinking clearly," Robin said gently. "Thatch was strong, strong enough that he never let his guard down completely even when on the Moby Dick. Teach was able to murder him and easily escape unnoticed."
Ace let out an exasperated sigh. "So? I'm not seeing your point here."
"How long has Teach been a member of Whitebeard's crew?"
"I dunno. Since forever, I think." Ace frowned, realizing for the first time how little he really knew about the man. "He's been here long enough to be considered an old timer, like Marco and Jozu."
"And surely this isn't the first time a Whitebeard crewmember has come upon a Devil Fruit?" Robin prompted, as if he were a slow schoolchild.
"Devil Fruit? What does that have to do with anything?" Running his hand through his hair in annoyance, Ace shook his head. "Robin, seriously. Get to a point or move. I don't have time to talk in circles with you. The only thing about Teach that matters is that he killed Thatch, a crewmate. And for that he deserves to die. End of story."
"And why would he kill Thatch, Fire Fist," Robin said, a hint of hardness in her voice, "If not for the Devil Fruit Thatch had found just a day earlier? What other explanation is there, if the two had traveled together for years as comrades, as you say they did?"
That made Ace pull up short. She had a point. He had been so focused on the crime itself that he had given very little thought as to the reason. "Okay, I'm listening."
"If the Devil Fruit that was indeed the motive for the crime, we must ask ourselves 'Why now?' Teach has been sailing with Whitebeard for years, and it's absurd to think that this is the first one he's come across. What was so special about this one?"
"He's getting older," Ace guessed. "He's a beast, always absorbing hits in battle. Maybe he was desperate for something that might make a pirate's life easier on a beat-up body."
"An entirely possible hypothesis," Robin agreed. "If it were the case, however, why did he not simply ask Thatch for the fruit? My theory is more sinister in nature. Do you happen to remember what it looked like? I wasn't present during the raid in which it was recovered."
"Um, it was purple and round-ish. There were some swirls…" Ace shrugged. With an amused chuckle, Robin pulled out a sheet of paper and a pencil from a pack she had hidden away. Extra hands handed them to Ace, and he frowned.
"Please draw it, to the best of your recollection," she said.
"Why?"
"There is an encyclopedia of known Devil Fruits, Fire Fist, and I've read it. If you show me what it looks like there's a chance I can tell you what Teach stole."
Without any further questions, Ace summoned some extra fire to help him see and sketched the fruit. He didn't really have a hand for drawing, but it was simple enough. When he finished he handed it back. When Robin saw it her eyebrows creased together in worry.
"And you said it was purple?" Ace nodded, and her frown deepened, "This…isn't good, Fire Fist. Marshall D. Teach has consumed the Dark-Dark Fruit. It's a logia," she added, seeing his confusion.
"Yeah? And so am I," Ace replied forcefully. "It doesn't change the fact I'm going to avenge Thatch."
"No, you don't understand," Robin said, her eyes closed as she tried to remember the details of her encyclopedia. "It's different. It's darkness…and gravity, unique among Devil Fruits."
"Thanks for the heads up, but I'm not going to back down. Not now, not ever." Walking forward, Ace contemplated how he could get her off his boat without causing undue harm or distress.
"Ace, listen to me! Teach's fruit gives him the ability to nullify your defense. You won't be able to use your flames."
Ace stopped, more out of the novelty of hearing Robin say his name than anything else. Then her words sunk in, and there was an unfamiliar surge of nerves. A Devil Fruit that could cancel out Devil Fruits? Was that even possible?
Of course it was. This was the Grand Line. The only rule on this sea was that the normal rules of the world didn't apply. Anything was fair game.
"Still," Ace said quietly, "crazy-ass fruit or not, Teach committed the sea's number one crime when he murdered Thatch. He disrespected Whitebeard's name. He ran away like a coward." Ace stopped and took a breath through gritted teeth. "And he did it on my watch. I'm the Second Division Commander. He's my responsibility."
Robin looked at him somberly, the moonlight casting deep shadows over her face. "In that case, let me come with you."
"What? No, absolutely not!" Ace reeled. "You said it yourself, Teach is way too dangerous!"
Lips curling into their normal, all-knowing smile, Robin said, "Fire Fist, you have many strengths, but subtly isn't one of them. Neither is deception. You prefer to face your problems head on."
"Robin…"
"You are going against an enemy who has managed to fool the likes of Whitebeard of his true nature for well over a decade. He will be tricky and cunning, and I can help you find him. I don't think I need to remind you where my specialties lie."
She didn't. Before becoming a Whitebeard Pirate, Robin had spent her years jumping from ship to ship doing the dirty work that no one else could. Fraud, theft, assassination…it didn't matter, Robin would do it all with the air of a professional businesswoman.
"My boat's only made for one," Ace said weakly.
Her eyes narrowed. "Your dithering, Fire Fist, and it doesn't suit you. You're not the only one who lost a brother the day Thatch died. Stop pretending that you have to do everything by yourself, and let me help you. I don't think you realize what will happen if you don't return safely."
Shocked, Ace couldn't help but gape at Robin. He had never, ever before heard her refer to the crew as family. She alone refused to call Whitebeard 'Pops'. She had repeatedly, vehemently been against getting Whitebeard's flag tattooed on her person. During parties she often times didn't feast or dance with the others, preferring to stay off to the side and read.
And now she was not only doing that, but also expressing concern for him in her normal, round-about kind of way.
"This is really important to you, isn't it?" Ace asked, putting his thumbs in his belt loops as he studied her.
"A smart man once told me that as a part of Whitebeard's crew I could find whatever I was looking for. He was right, and now that I've found it I will do everything in my power to keep it."
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Ace grinned. "You've come a long way in two years."
"I've found my family," Robin said simply. "You were the first one to help me see that."
Ace thought about it for a long moment and sighed. "Okay, fine. You can come. But only to help me find Teach! I need to be the one who fights him," he insisted.
"I can't promise that we'll find him on our terms," she warned, "But I'll do what I can to make sure we're not caught off-guard."
"It's a deal then?"
"Yes."
"Okay. We really should be leaving soon then, Marco's shift should be about over, and he's the one covering for me. Did you tell anyone about your plans?" Ace asked as afterthought, throwing his bags onto his boat.
"No, but I left a note," Robin replied as she used her power to untie several knots at once.
"Great. We go out, kill Teach, and be back in a week, tops. Sound like a plan?"
Even in the darkness, Ace could see the twinkle in her eye. "Whatever you say, Fire Fist."
Grinning again, Ace cast off. With Robin on board there wasn't much free room, but it was manageable. Making as little noise as possible he used his flames to power the engine. Finally, he was on his way to avenging Thatch.
"You know, you really can call me Ace."
AN: I laugh at the concept of drabbles. Ha, ha, ha ha!
Seriously though, this was fun to write. Once again, credit to Aoi24 for the challenge.
In other news, the Fishman Island part took forever. I think I've rewritten it 5 times. I like how it finally turned out. I recall watching a documentary interviewing WWII POWs and there was a guy who said he never could sleep on a mattress again, because it was too soft. I am kind of iffy on whether or not mermaids actually have knees. Oda's art makes it look like they have some sort of natural joint where a knee would be on a human, but I'm not sure if that counts.
Also, like before, the last bit with Ace came out as shippier than intended. I don't generally ship in One Piece because the romance is not a thing in the canon plot, but if forced I usually lean toward FrankyxRobin (and even that gets awkward post-time skip for me). In writing Robin-Ace interaction, I have come to see where the shippers come from, even if I really don't care one way or the other.
There will be a third and final part to this AU challenge. It's already written, so keep your eyes peeled. Barring a catastrophe I should have it posted in a couple of days.
If anyone has any comments or questions, feel free to review. I always enjoy reading feedback.