Hey everyone! Thanks so much to each of you for your reviews each chapter! I really enjoyed reading all your reactions to the reveal, and hope you enjoy the impact it will have on the rest of the fic!
Ok so… this is an important I said, it's a flashback about Robin's past with Victorigen (Itzal before he became a cyborg ans his exterior totally changed). It's very long, simply because I wanted to have it all in the one installment. Robin shouldn't be too far ooc, bearing in mind that this takes place years before her proper introduction in the series, and she was not yet quite the person she was when she joined Baroque Works. However, it would have been events like this that shaped her into who she was. In the past she would have learned lessons, many of them from her own mistakes and experience. I'm exploring a scenario of which something similar could easily have happened during her 20 years between Ohara and the Straw Hats. Of course, this chapter is also vital to the depth of this story as a whole, and will give you a greater understanding of the ongoings etc. Here it is!
Chapter Six: From the Past
- Eleven years before current events. -
It had been eleven years. Eleven years since the fall of Ohara. Eleven years since the World Government had deemed her a threat and placed such a high bounty on her head, since she'd become a fugitive on the run from the most powerful force in the world. Nico Robin had been running for more than half her life now, and she'd be running all that time again and again until she inevitably dropped dead.
It was a miserable existence, but she'd been forced to adapt, living and getting by on her own for the most part. Occasionally she'd tag along with a crew of pirates or other criminals, but it never lasted. She'd use them, they'd use her, until inevitably one would openly betray the other, not that trust was ever granted in the first place. Robin didn't even know what I felt like to trust anymore. It was just the way things worked; she'd long since resigned to the fact that each new sunrise didn't guarantee the next sunset, and vice versa. But she would live, for as long as she could. A life like this offered very little room for error, and there were times when she'd come so close to getting caught, she could almost see an imamate end to it all should she not carefully plan her steps along a dangerous and narrow path.
Right now was one of those times.
"Yes boss, we have 'em," the voice of one of the ship's chief bounty hunters reported boastfully, "Both of 'em. Including Nico Robin!"
Robin shifted where she sat, encased in a small seastone cell. West Blue was a vast ocean, but not big enough to drown out the knowledge of her name after all these years.
It had only been a small mishap of carelessness that had gotten her here in the first place. It was almost demeaning given all the confrontations she'd masterfully avoided in the past, to think she'd been tripped up by something so simple. But that didn't matter anymore. She was here now and would have to deal with it.
In the cell opposite sat another prisoner. Male, mid-to-late-teens at a quick guess. So far, he had sat in silence, taking fleeting glances at her from time to time. Robin briefly wondered what he was wanted for, but brushed it off as none of her concern. The bounty hunters had him now, and they had her too. No amount of wondering about the other would help either of them out in this predicament.
Once the bounty hunter had finished bragging to his boss, he hung up the den-den mushi and turned to the two captives. "We'll be arriving at the headquarters before sunrise," he said, "Once we hand you over, you'll never see the sun again! Hahaha!"
The voice of another of the bounty hunters came from upstairs, interrupting his comrade's gloating and inviting him for a few drinks.
"I could do with a victory drink right now," the bounty hunter supposed, "I've earned it after such a good haul… don't get too comfortable, you two." He left the room, shouting eagerly up at his friend.
Robin sighed and leaned back—not that she could lean back far in a cell of this sort. Her eyes suddenly caught on something shining, about a foot away from the floor of her cell. She straightened up and edged closer, taking in the objects shape and texture.
Was that the key? The bounty hunter must have dropped it during all his bragging and gloating. The louder they boast, the further they fall… Robin thought, reaching out from a gap in her cell and grabbing the key.
She fit it into the lock, her mind going through all the escape routes she knew of in the ship, and the means one would go about to reach them. With a light click, her cell door swung open and she was free.
Her left leg twinged painfully as she stood on it. The bullet-graze that had led to her capture the day before had grown more painful over the past few hours, and standing on it only made it protest all the more. All that had been done to treat it was bandage it with an old (dirty) cloth to stop the bleeding. It was likely becoming infected, but Robin resolved to deal with it later. Right now she'd been given the opportunity to escape, and she wouldn't waste it over a sore leg.
She exited the cell, heading immediately for one of the escape routes she'd figured.
She'd almost reached the door when the boy from the cell opposite spoke up. "Sis!"
Robin stopped. Of course she wasn't going to simply escape on her own without him having anything to say about it. Despite the ease of which she could have disregarded his plea and continued on ahead, Robin turned to look at him as he spoke.
"Help me out, would you?" the boy asked, "Please…"
Robin locked eye contact with him for a moment. He was young. Just a few years younger than she was, with messy red hair framing his face. He was a stranger and his future was in her hands, entirely at her mercy. Giving in to her instinctive judgement, she stepped back and quickly slipped the key into the lock, allowing him to escape.
"Thanks!" he breathed, stepping out of the small space.
"Stay close," Robin whispered, "And stay quiet."
The boy nodded in response and they tiptoed out of the holding room together.
Immediately before them was the staircase, up which their captors were currently celebrating. That wouldn't do. To their left, a hallway extended. Robin silently gestured for the boy to follow, and together they crept along. There had to be some means of escape along here, Robin knew the staircase into the dining area wasn't the only one.
Soon they reached another staircase, which led up into the outer deck. This would be their best bet. They quietly made their ascent, wary of their possible surroundings. Robin bloomed a set of eyes at the top to ensure the coast was clear. It was.
The air was cold and the deck was slippery with icy ocean spray. Conveniently, a set of lifeboats were positioned few meters from the staircase's opening.
"We need to be quick," Robin said gesturing to the set of lifeboats, "Help me untie one."
A shout suddenly sounded from below deck.
The boy swore. "They found out!"
"They were bound to at some point. We need to be extra quick," Robin said, giving one of the boats a stronger shove as an irritating alarm began beeping.
The cold ocean churned dangerously beneath them and the boy glanced down at the icy water nervously. "I can't swim, I'm a fruit user!" he said.
"That makes the two of us…" Robin said, "Come on, we need to go while we have the chance!"
It was only a small wooden boat, but it was better than nothing. The motor within it would allow them to escape at a steady pace whilst the hunters searched about the ship for them. It was a potentially bad idea, but a bad idea was better than no idea at all in this situation.
"There they are!" a voice shouted from the upper deck, and Robin felt her heart sink. Too late.
Gunfire rained upon them, and Robin pulled the boy down behind the boat with her to shelter them. She waited for a pause in the bombardment, before swiftly standing from the shelter and incapacitated their attacker with nothing but a slight wave of her arms. More hunters took his place. There were far too many of them for her, or the boy, to take down on their own, so she squat behind their temporary shelter trying to think of some way, any way they could escape.
Sudden canon fire sounded from the distance behind them. Robin turned to see another ship had appeared on the ocean. The sails were a dark teal colour, and the flag displayed a vague jolly roger.
"It's them!" the boy said, his face lighting up in relief, "My Nakama!"
Robin studied the ship harder, vaguely noticing a few human figures aboard it. "They came for you…"
"Of course they did! Now if we could just get over to them…"
"You said you were a fruit user," Robin said, "Obviously you can't swim across, you'll need to either wait for them to get here or sail in one of those boats."
The pair dodged another shower of bullets, quickly repositioning themselves in their spot behind the boat.
"I can fly," the boy said, "I have the fruit of the snow owl."
"Then fly over to them," Robin said, "I'll hold them off for you."
"But-"
"You have Nakama, I don't! Think of how they'd feel the worst were to happen to you. Go, join them! Don't worry about me, I'll cover you."
The boy gave her one last look, before he ran for the ship's edge and transformed into a pure white owl, flying hastily toward the ship of his Nakama.
Four of the hunters aimed their guns at the bird, but Robin quickly located them, crippling them with her abilities instantly.
A pair of the hunters jumped down at her from above, armed with knives. She dodged their trajectories with relative ease, proceeding to disarm her attackers and send them flying into the freezing water below. She did not notice the third hunter who'd jumped down from above until he was upon her. Her leg stung painfully with the added force of his weight, his much larger form trying its best to cripple her with brute force. She barely managed to take him down, disabling him with a simple crack of the back, causing him to sprawl across the deck in agony.
In the struggle she slipped backwards, landing hard on the icy deck and the wind was knocked out of her. Her head pounded with the impact and a cloud of stars infiltrated her vision, making her mind fuzzy.
"Get her!" came the furious cry of one of the remaining hunters.
Robin quickly climbed back to her feet before they could reach her and continued to fight, knowing she could not hold out on her own for much longer. And she didn't need to; from the corner of her eye, she vaguely noticed other people were now aboard, people she didn't recognise as any of the hunters. In fact, they were fighting them off at her side, and avoiding any conflict with her. With fewer opponents facing her directly, Robin was able to catch her breath for a short moment.
"Ya shouldn't let yer guard down, little miss," the hunter from earlier, who'd been boasting to his boss said in a scolding manner.
Robin straightened up. "You're one to talk," she bit back, "It was thanks to your carelessness with the key we were able to escape to begin with. What's your boss going to think of that?"
"Doesn't matter," the man grinned as be began advancing on her, "In the end it will be the same outcome anyway." His large form was unacknowledged by the new arrivals, each too involved in their own battles to engage with him. He proceeded to pull a thick axe from his belt. "I won't let you escape," he grunted, brandishing it as he came for her.
Robin stepped backwards, trying to figure out a way to counter his impending attack.
"I'll cleanse this world of your sinful existence, Nico Robin," he threatened.
Robin took another step back; unaware she had approached the ship's edge until it was too late and her feet met no firm footing. She slipped and fell…
The water was cold and unforgiving. She'd never fallen in before, but she knew she couldn't swim. As such, she'd tended to avoid contact with the water on the past; should she fall in, there were no Nakama to pull her out, and she'd sink and die, as she was doing right now. Would this be how it all ended? The sole survivor of Ohara, drowned. There was nothing she could do about it. No one would be coming to save her. She'd never meet the true Nakama Saul had said she'd one day have…
As her lungs relinquished the last of their air, Robin noticed a dark figure swimming towards her, before a strong pair of arms enveloped her body…
The return of air to her lungs was a pleasant and somewhat relieving surprise. Another moment later and she was out of the chilling water altogether, laying on her side on a solid surface and heaving. Suddenly, there was movement. The ship, or whatever vessel it was she was on seemed to be sailing at a high speed across the water. Was there a motor installed somewhere in it? Before she could focus on anything else however, she needed to recover.
She coughed, the salty seawater still caught in her throat, making her nauseous. A gentle pressure was placed over her shoulders, which she guessed to be a towel or blanket, but it couldn't stop the shivering, which seemed to block everything else out.
Who'd saved her from the ocean? It couldn't have been the boy; he was another fruit user and would sink as well.
"Give her some space!" a crisp, male voice sounded from somewhere above.
The voice of the boy then echoed in her ears from nearby. "I couldn't have escaped without her! She helped me get out of the cell, and to get over to you guys! I don't know if you could have gotten me back if it weren't for her!"
"It's alright, Min," a female voice soothed, "We'll look after her, no need to worry."
Robin tried to move, but it was no use; her entire body felt like a lead slate. For the time being, she had to resign to the fact that there was nothing she could to. Just as the boy's future had been in her hands not much earlier, hers was now in the hands of these strangers.
She'd been captured. That was her first thought, as it was the most obvious scenario.
Robin shifted on the soft, warm surface, trying to rouse herself, to get moving. But it seemed her body was fed up of listening to the instructions of her mind. It just wanted to sleep.
Not today… she told herself.
With an almighty mental shove, she rolled herself off the bed, waking her body with the force of the impact on the timber floor below.
Hoping that the thump hadn't been too loud, Robin peeled her eyes open and gazed out at her surroundings. She was in an infirmary of some sort. Strange. She pushed herself into a sitting position and ignored the dull, throbbing ache at the back of her skull. She had other things to worry about at the moment. It seemed like she always did. Detangling herself from the covers, she swivelled and stood up from the floor, taking a moment to steady herself before proceeding across the room. She winced at the jolt of pain that would pump up her left leg with each limping step, subtly noting that it had been disinfected and bandaged.
Eventually, she reached the door and took another moment to rest against the wall and catch her breath. Muffled voices sounded from outside, but the more she focused, she could tell they were not right outside the door. Perhaps luck would be somewhat on her side.
She quietly opened the door and slipped out into the vacant hall, glancing up and down for an exit. Light flooded from an opening to the right, so she deemed it her best route for escape. She hobbled up along the hallway, occasionally clinging to the wall for further support and pondering her next moves. She'd nearly reached the opening when her path was blocked by a tall man.
His light brown hair was swept back into a short ponytail, and his grey eyes regarded her in a cautious manner, but not one that suggested ill intent. "Where are you headed in such a hurry?" he asked, "Surely there's nowhere you need to be right now."
"Well, no…" Robin spoke, "But I'd rather be on my own again."
The man sighed. "Are you sure?"
Robin felt her body tense slightly as he bent down and lifted her off the ground, carrying her back towards the infirmary. She recognised these arms. These were the arms that had pulled her out of the ocean earlier. These were the arms that had saved her. As they entered the infirmary, she felt herself relax.
Footsteps sounded from up the opposite end of the hallway, and a moment later the boy from earlier appeared, along with a dark-haired woman who looked to be in her late twenties.
"You're awake!" the boy said as Robin was set back down on the bed, "Thanks for your help back there. You saved me."
"Don't mention it," Robin muttered as the man lifted the tangled bed sheets from the floor and gently set them back over her, "Just let me go when you can, and consider that debt repaid."
"You don't want to stick around?" the boy asked, "Why not?"
"'Cause she's a little escape artist," the man laughed, seating himself at the end of the bed, "She needs to stay for a few days at least, we're in the middle of the ocean. Why don't we do the friendly thing and introduce ourselves?"
"Right! I'll go first," the boy spoke, clearing his throat, "My full name is so long and ridiculous that even I forget it. Most people just call me Min because that's easier. Nice to meet you!"
Next, the young woman spoke up. Robin recognised her voice as the one that had spoken to Min upon her initial arrival on the ship. "I'm Avara," she said, "I'm sorry you had the misfortune of running into those bounty hunters earlier. They were part of the Calypso Division. They're the most prolific hunters on this ocean."
"I know," Robin said.
"And they don't like losing to anybody. It's not going to be so easy to escape if they get you again."
"I see…"
"Anyway, I think I already heard you name when we were on the hunter's ship," Min said, "But if you don't mind, could you introduce yourself?"
Robin wasn't sure if she should respond. She'd only just met these people, and therefore certainly didn't trust them. Although they had just saved her…
"You do have a name, don't you?" the man asked.
"I'm Robin," she answered. "Nico Robin…"
"Robin, hey?" the man asked with a smile, "Lovely name. But don't let us give you cause to worry, Robin. You're not the only one on this ship with a hefty price on their head. People like us need to stick together, you know."
Robin gazed at him for a moment.
"Oh, I'm Victorigen by the way," he introduced himself, "I take the captain's role on this ship, the Velia Stratus. There are two other crewmembers as well; Sylo and Liyla, but you'll meet them later. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me."
"Excuse us, Robin," Avara spoke, nodding respectfully, "Min and I have duties above deck we need to tend to. Rest well, okay?"
"See you later," Min bade as he skipped out the door behind Avara.
Robin sat in silence, listening to their footsteps as they slowly disappeared back up the hallway. Now it was just her and Victorigen.
"How old are you anyway, Robin?" Victorigen questioned after a moment.
"I'm nineteen," she said simply.
"That young?" he asked, "And yet you've already been on the run for so long. It must have been hard."
"Yeah…" Robin replied.
"If it helps…" he began, "All of us came from similar situations. If you don't trust us or don't want to stay, I completely understand. But if you didn't want to be alone…"
Robin looked at him.
"Well it's not every day you meet someone who'd risk setting a stranger free alongside them, much less risk their own lives for the sake of that strangers'. You're a good person, Robin."
Robin glanced down at the floor, her hands gripping at the bed sheets. "…Do you… do you really mean that?"
"Of course I do," Victorigen replied, "You've proved it right in front of my eyes. Anyone who's said otherwise is wrong."
Robin tried to let his words sink in. She'd been called many things over the past eleven years, but a 'good person' hadn't been one of them.
"I'm not sure what people have told you in the past," Victorigen said, "But I hope that if you end up staying with us, you begin to see what I see in you. And even if you don't, I want you to know that you aren't a bad person at all."
"…Alright," Robin said, unsure of how to respond to such a comment.
"I should also let you know that Avara was right about the Calypso Division. They don't like to lose. So if you do go off on your own again, be extra careful alright? They don't tend to forget these things. Of course you won't need to watch your back as much if you stick with us, we'll watch it for you, and you can help watch ours and… Ah who am I kidding? The choice is yours Robin, and you don't need to decide right away. Just know that if you stay with us, we'll protect you. At least stay until you recover, alright? No wandering off. Not that you'd get far, we're surrounded by ocean and all…"
Robin didn't know what it was, but she found herself laughing at his antics.
Her amusement seemed to satisfy Victorigen, and he grinned as he stood from the bed. "I should leave you to rest," he said, "We'll see how you feel about it once you've recovered, but please consider what I've said."
Robin nodded. "I will."
Robin remained wary over the next few days. She'd been deemed fine to get up and move about after just a day of bed rest, and had chosen to quietly explore the ship and get to know the crew. By now, she'd met them all.
First up was Min. Aside from being the youngest in the crew, he also happened to be in charge of navigation. He was a funny kid, but Robin had decided she liked him. The fact she'd been saved as a result of saving him aside, she was glad she'd done it. Now that she was getting to know him better, she realised she wouldn't want him to fall into the hands of the World Government anyway.
Then there was Liyla, a blonde-haired wiry girl a couple of years older than Robin. Robin had nearly had a heart attack when the girl had all but jumped upon her, taking her into a crushing embrace upon first properly meeting her. "Finally, a third girl in the crew!" she'd cried triumphantly. Victorigen had told her off afterwards for her behaviour, making it clear that Robin had not decided whether to take them up on her offer yet. Nonetheless, the girl had a likeable personality, and had a knack for conversation. What her position in the crew was, Robin wasn't entirely sure, though supposed she specialised in some form of fighting and otherwise partook in odd jobs around the ship.
Avara was the crew's doctor, a more sensible woman than Liyla, though no less friendly once engaged in conversation. Talking to her put Robin at ease, and she knew who to thank for the aid to her wounded leg earlier on. She was also very welcoming, and Robin couldn't help but like her.
Sylo was a quiet individual who would sit by during conversation and add to in on occasion. From what she could tell, his contributions were few but always very interesting. He was a listener, and was large and muscular in stature. He was also the crew's cook, and the food he made was the best Robin had tasted in a long time.
Lastly, there was Victorigen. He was roughly eight years older than she was, though she didn't tend to notice. He was like no one she'd met before, and Robin couldn't quite pinpoint what it was she liked about him. She would find herself absentmindedly staring at him, trying to decipher just what it was.
She was staring at him right now, in fact. As she leant against the rails of the ship's upper deck, chin in hand, she surveyed his actions, although all he was doing down below was filling out the ship's log and drawing up some sort of object whilst sipping on a glass of cider. Robin felt as though she could watch him for an eternity.
"Robin!" Avara's voice called her name from over at the dinner table, snapping her out of her thoughts, "Come and get some food, honey!"
She took a seat beside Liyla as Sylo set out dinner. Min hurried over from where he'd been studying a map in the corner and sat by her other side. Victorigen arrived at the table soon afterwards, and took a seat opposite her.
Once everyone was settled and had started on their meals, Robin decided to raise a question. "So have you encountered them before?" she asked, "The Calypso Division, I mean."
Liyla spoke up first. "Just the other day was our first time coming into direct contact with them, though we'd heard plenty about them and seen them around beforehand," she said, "They managed to capture Min, but we were able to get him back thanks to you. We need to be more wary of them, especially seeing how they've gained a lot more of a presence these days."
"The ship from the other day was only a satellite," Sylo said, "Their entire fleet is pretty enormous. That satellite would have been part of a larger ship, likely the one their squad leader was at. There might be another rank or so above that squad leader, but at the very centre of the Calypso division is Commander Calypso himself."
"No one knows what he looks like or what his real name is," Min added, "He's a man of mystery. A lot of people are scared of him, just for that fact alone."
"Who knows…," Avara said, "For all we know, he mightn't even be human… he could be some sort of chicken."
"Like me?" Min questioned, quickly morphing halfway into his owl form.
Robin nearly spluttered on her glass of water, having to cover her mouth with her hand to hold it in. The crew had similar reactions, though most couldn't hold them in, blatantly laughing at their friend's action.
"I said a chicken, you brat!" Avara protested, playfully whacking Min and causing him to morph back to his human form with a laugh.
The night continued on with similar pacing. They stayed around the table long after dinner had been finished and the dishes were cleared.
Robin laughed along with them as they talked into the night. She'd been doing that a lot lately. She had genuinely laughed more times over the past few days then she had over the past eleven years combined. As they laughed over some dumb joke, she made eye contact with Victorigen, who smiled at her. She smiled and looked down, focussing on a discolouration in the wooden table.
Just sitting and chatting made her feel so normal.
That night while laying in bed, an odd feeling came upon her and it took a few days more to realise exactly what it was. A tingling sensation that started from her core and flooded her entire body. She was smiling without realising it. She was laughing and it was natural. She was sleeping whole nights through and in comfortable peace. She was happy. And it was an amazing experience. For the first time in eleven years, Robin felt truly at ease.
Early one morning, she got out of bed and headed out onto deck. As expected, Victorigen was already up. It was no surprise; he'd had the night's last watch after all. Robin smiled as he went about an exercise routine, before heading down the steps and joining him on the lower deck.
"Good morning," he said as he finished the light training.
Robin returned the greeting, before beginning on what she'd originally come down to say. "Victorigen?"
"Yes Robin?" he asked.
"I want to stay."
A sincere joy shone in Victorigen's eyes, and he immediately came forward and embraced her, lifting her up off the ground with the momentum of his movement.
This manner of physical contact still seemed foreign to Robin, and she was unsure of what to do in return.
Noticing this, Victorigen carefully set her back down on her feet. "Sorry," he said, "I've been wanting to hear you say that for days now."
"Don't apologise," Robin dismissed, before smiling, "Hope it was worth the wait."
"More than you know," Victorigen said, proceeding to call for the rest of the crew.
The sun had only barely risen and aside from Robin, Avara and Sylo were the only ones who'd risen with it. The other two emerged from their quarters looking as though they'd just rolled out of bed, bound to the commands of their captain.
"Robin's made her decision!" Victorigen announced, "She's decided she'll stay with us!"
At once, Liyla and Min's demeanours completely transformed. Next moment, Robin nearly had the life squeezed out of her by the pair of them, as they chattered an array of blissfully excited words of welcoming. Back on the upper deck, Avara and Sylo smiled at the exchange, congratulating her on her decision.
"Sylo, cook up a feast!" Victorigen ordered, "Even though she's been with us two weeks already, it's now official! Let's welcome our new Nakama, Robin!"
The crew cheered.
Victorigen draped an arm over her and pulled her close. "Welcome aboard!" he whispered in her ear.
The weeks that followed were like a dream. Robin had to keep reminding herself that it wasn't; this was now her reality. These were the Nakama she'd waited and searched over half her life for, and they'd ended up finding her. She couldn't even imagine going back to a life on her own.
She cherished each interaction, from the large to the small and seemingly insignificant.
Min often morphed into his owl form and flew around the ship, keeping a lookout for potentially dangerous encounters, and on one particular night, he'd deemed the conditions ideal for a sleep-out. The crew had exchanged stories late into the night, some true, others false but infused with imagination. That night, Robin had fallen asleep to the sound of her friends' voices and the night's breeze, her back warm against Victorigen's.
On another night, conditions were very different. The storm raged so loudly on the sea, Robin feared the ship would capsize. But one look at the determination of her Nakama, and she knew it would be alright, even after Sylo had ushered her and Min indoors to avoid them being thrown overboard. At some point around this time, the crew also gifted her with a nicely crafted knife and holster, to defend herself with should her abilities not be enough. Robin hoped she'd never have to use it, but was appreciative nonetheless.
She often read to the crew. From old time classics she occasionally found throughout the ship (Min particularly liked these), to basic instruction manuals for Victorigen. He'd told her that over the past year he'd gained an interest in building, and had a range of inventive ideas he wanted to try, hence the designs Robin had seen in his log. Most of them were kept below deck and were covered by several sheets, though a few stayed out. Most were not yet up to perfection and would occasionally explode, but it was never anything too severe.
One day a few weeks later, they'd encountered a smaller satellite ship of the Calypso Division.
"Just hand over Nico Robin," the voice from the ship had requested, "We know you have her. Hand her over and we'll leave you alone. No one gets hurt."
After the encounter, Robin couldn't think of any words to say. Only tears came, the memories of other crews betraying her in such circumstances in the past were seemingly swept away by the smiling faces of her Nakama, the Nakama who would rather fight and die than turn her in.
"Don't cry, Robin!" Liyla had joyously bantered, swinging her into a side hug afterwards, "I hate to see you sad."
"I'm not sad," Robin had protested, laughing through the tears, "I have no idea what I'm feeling!" After all, what kind of emotion caused one to cry when they weren't sad?
Well certainly not a bad one Robin had figured, as Victorigen held her tight, the rumbling of his chest loud against her ear as he laughed and rubbed circles into her back.
A while later, Robin sat out on the deck, basking in the sun's warmth. She smiled as Victorigen came out of the main cabin and sat with her. Before she'd joined this crew, how long had it been since she'd simply sat and enjoyed someone's company like this? How long had it been since she'd spent time with anyone without them inevitably trying to capture her and hand her to the World Government? But those experiences only meant Robin could now appreciate this simple unity all the more. This basic human contact she'd craved for so long.
Victorigen had drawn close to her now. If she wanted, she could lean back into him… but should she? What if he were to resent this type of movement? But she wanted it and he was right there… the worst that could happen was for him to decline her advances, though Robin didn't much like the sound of that. This would take some courage.
Slowly, she eased back toward him, soon coming into contact with the warm surface of his chest. Her heart was hammering as she anxiously anticipated his next movements. He shifted his arm linking it around her and encircling her waist, pulling her even closer.
Was this for real?
She felt herself relax. There was something about this form of physical contact. So simple and yet so intimate. It was warm, but a type of warmth neither a blanket, nor the heat of the sun could supply. It was the warmth of not being alone. She had never been close to someone before. Not like this. She leant further back, moulding herself into his embrace. His arms secured around her front were so gentle and reassuring. And for this single moment, nothing else mattered. All else dissolved until it was just the two of them remaining. She turned and looked up at him, their eyes connecting. Their communication was silent, yet had meaning more than thousands of words. He leant in and she did not hesitate in what came next.
After a moment, they broke apart. Robin caught her breath, her eyes trailing back to Victorigen's.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked her, "You know, once you open yourself up to someone, you can't hide from them."
"Why would I hide from you?" she asked.
He smiled and leaned back in. "I can't begin to imagine."
Days and weeks bled into one another.
Robin's relationship with Victorigen blossomed in a way she never thought would ever be possible for her. The more time she spent with him, the more she felt she could talk about anything, and she found she was telling him things she had never spoken of to anyone before.
It was no secret from the rest of the crew either. They very much approved of the perceived blooming romance between their two Nakama, giving them plenty of time alone whenever they docked at a new island.
On occasion, she'd stay with him in his quarters for the night. Sometimes they would get quite intimate and one thing would lead to the next. Robin always made sure to be careful however; an unplanned pregnancy out on the ocean was not something she figured she'd ever be ready for. Nonetheless, when she was around Victorigen, all of her few concerns and worries would be completely stripped away.
It was the day before her six-month anniversary with her Nakama. Coincidentally, it was also the day before her birthday. This fact of course, was not overlooked by anyone in the crew.
They'd docked at a large island, one of the largest in West Blue. They'd been here the past few days, and would probably stay a few days more. Robin was relaxing on deck, enjoying the summer's heat when she heard Avara calling for her.
"Robin, dear," came her voice, "Would you come over here for a moment?"
Robin got to her feet and walked over to where Avara stood by the stairs to the upper deck. "Yes?" she asked.
"I need you to go into town and get a few supplies," Avara informed as she handed her a shopping list and a small wad of cash, "I would send Sylo in to get it, but he had a few drinks last night, and you know what he's like. Huge man, but can't hold his liquor!"
Robin chuckled. "Does he have any medicine for it, or should I get some?"
Avara shook her head. "He can handle it."
"Alright, see you later," Robin bade with a smile.
"Oh, by the way, Robin… I hear Victorigen will have a surprise for you when he returns," Avara said with a wink.
Robin smiled. "I look forward to seeing what it is," she said.
"You'll have to wait!" Avara grinned.
Robin disembarked the ship and waved goodbye, before heading into the bustling town.
It was such a beautiful day. The town's markets were alive with steady crowds and colourful attractions. The air was abuzz with the sound of pleasant talk and the aroma of numerous savoury scents. Tomorrow she'd be twenty. Perhaps whatever surprise Victorigen had in stall had something to do with that. Twenty… the number seemed so mature and far off. It seemed these last eleven and a half years had been filled with so much self-preservation, she had no time to worry about what age she was turning when. She hadn't had time to count the years as they'd passed. And now she was an adult, and she'd finally started to live. She had her Nakama to thank for that.
Eyes scanning the list of groceries, she rounded a natural bend in the construction of the market, which took her all the way to the other side of the port. She was on her way to one of the stalls where she knew she'd be able to purchase about half the items on the list, when she came to a complete stop. A certain ship docked on this side of the port wore a certain symbol on its sails, and it changed her mood completely. It was a ship from the Calypso Division, and it looked a lot like the one from six months prior.
Immediately, Robin forgot about the shopping list and turned on her heel, making a hasty exit, though was sure not to attract any attention. Once she was sure she was out of sight of anyone in the port, she ran for the Velia Stratus. What if some of the bounty hunters had caught her Nakama unaware? Robin wouldn't have it. She needed to warn them, and they needed to get out of here.
"Ah Robin, you're back already!" Avara said upon her arrival, "Quick trip? Or did you forget something?"
"I'm sorry Avara, I didn't get your groceries, but…" Robin panted, "We're in danger," she reported hurriedly, "They're back!"
Avara looked on in slight confusion, "Who?"
"The Calypso Division! I saw one of their ships in the other harbour.
Avara's eyes widened a small bit and she immediately went to rouse Sylo.
"Sylo!" she hissed urgently into his quarters, "Sylo, it's happened!"
Sylo emerged from the room looking a tad groggy, but awake enough to tend to an emergency, "It's happened?" he questioned, "Do the others know?"
"I'm calling them now," Avara said, den-den mushi in hand as she dialled.
Min picked up. "'Sup," he greeted.
"Min, are the other two there?" Avara enquired.
"Yes we're all here. What is it?"
"Robin says she saw a ship from the Calypso Division in port."
"What… really?"
"Yes! They're here. Make sure the others know."
"Yes, I will. You know what to do."
Avara nodded and spoke an affirmation, before placing the den-den mushi back down and turned back to the other two. "Prepare to set sail," she instructed.
"What about the others?" Robin asked as Sylo busily got to work.
"We'll meet up with them at another part of the island," Avara replied, "We need to get this ship out of the harbour."
Robin nodded and went about preparing the ship, and within a few minutes they'd left port and were sailing along the island's coastline. Her eyes scanned the forest's edge for her Nakama, wanting nothing more than for all of them to be aboard and safe.
"We're here," Sylo announced after a while as they anchored at a deserted natural harbour, some way away from the shoreline.
"We're meeting with them here?" Robin asked, peering out over the seemingly vacant coast.
"That's right," Avara supplied.
Robin continued staring out to the sandy coast, waiting for something to happen. And something did. In fact, a number of things happened all in quick succession.
The sound of a bird flapping nearby and quickly entered her ears, but before she could turn or avoid it, both her arms were pulled down and restrained behind her and her energy suddenly sapped. Robin looked down behind her to see that a set of handcuffs, no doubt made from seastone, had been administered.
"Wh…what?!"
Above her, a white owl—wearing some sort of covering for its talons that had come in contact with the cuffs had been carrying—looped into a circle, and settled at a place up on the mast, before morphing back into his human form. It was something he'd always done, though admittedly not with the seastone cuffs. And now Min was looking down at her, his grin part sly, part smug. It was certainly him, but something in his eyes was unfamiliar.
Robin turned to the others, seeking explanation. Liyla was now aboard the ship as well. Their faces betrayed nothing more that informed her, but similar expressions to what Min was currently wearing.
"Out of your hiding places, everyone," Min instructed from his place upon the mast.
Robin frowned; the statement was strange and unfitting. It made no sense to her, but the other seemed to understand what he was saying.
Liyla exhaled, her cheerful exterior visually relaxing. "Finally," she sighed, elated, "I was wondering for how much longer I'd have to behave like some airheaded idiot."
"You could have picked a personality closer to your actual one," Sylo suggested.
"I'll keep that in mind next time."
"Perhaps I will as well," Avara commented, "Though you were quite convincing, I've got to credit you. I think it was effective."
"Same goes for you," Liyla commented.
Additional footsteps sounded from the back of the ship, where Liyla must have come from. A moment later, a set of vaguely familiar forms came into view, and Robin recoiled. They were the hunters from that day six months ago.
The particular boastful hunter who'd had her and Min imprisoned came forth, pure mirth in his eyes. "What an honour!" he remarked, "We were there for the start, 'nd now we get t' witness the finish!"
Robin took a step backwards, regarding everyone and unable to process it all through her expression of blank shock. Too many thoughts were rushing through her mind and it was impossible to focus on one alone. She tried to stand steadily, but found herself trembling. "Huh…?" she heard herself say, "What's happening?"
The weather was closing in. The sky, once blue and unblemished, was now dark and surging.
"Aren't…" she stuttered, eyes frantically scanning the people she'd come to know and love over the past months, "Aren't we Nakama?" These were the Nakama she'd always been searching for… weren't they? Surely they wouldn't turn her in.
"What's happening right now is the climax of a six-month-long procedure, " Sylo informed her, his speech animate and nothing like she'd ever heard from him, "The ultimate test, occasionally placed by the higher ups of the Calypso Division. Prisoners of your calibre are caught and given the opportunity to escape. They are also given the opportunity to set Min free. If they ignore him and just try to save themselves, we find them dull and hand them over right away. You'd be surprised how often that happens, actually. However… should they deem Min worthy of rescuing, they effectively roll the starting dice of our commander's favourite game. From there, they are taken aboard the main ship and directly under his wing."
"Main ship?" Robin questioned.
"You've been on it six months now, Robin dear," Avara said, her voice filled with mockery. "You never escaped those bounty hunters. You've been with the Calypso Division this whole time."
A door from the upper deck opened, and Victorigen appeared, seemingly to inspect the ruckus.
"Victorigen!" Robin said, "What's all this? Some sort of joke? This isn't like any of you! What's going on?"
"But Robin," he sneered, his voice smug as he descended the staircase, "You don't really know any of us… But wow, isn't it amazing how much more successful keeping prisoners can be when you don't lock them in physical bonds."
Robin found herself stepping backwards as he crossed the deck, towards her.
"Also, I think it should be pretty obvious as to what's going on," he said, "You've been had, Nico Robin. Well done everyone, you've put on a good show," he commended his crew.
"You're… Commander Calypso…" she breathed, remembering the conversation from months earlier.
Victorigen turned to the crew. "Finally, she sees!"
They responded with mock cheering.
"You were a specially fun target," he said, turning back to her and approaching, "So desperate for affection, for Nakama, it was ridiculously easy and most enjoyable. Unfortunately for you, that has to come to an end. Six months is more than long enough."
Robin couldn't understand. Was this a nightmare…? It had to be… the very worst sort. And yet it felt just as real as anything that had ever happened to her. "What happened to being Nakama?" she voiced again, this time to Victorigen.
"Nakama? Please…" he said, "That was just a cover so you wouldn't go running away on us. All of it was. These past six months have been tough for me, you know? I haven't been able to relax. We had to keep up this stupid 'Nakama' act just to keep you from running away, amusing as it was. How was my acting?"
Robin found her back pressed against the rails of the ship, with nowhere to move as Victorigen came closer still.
"Don't you get it?" he asked, his hands reaching out and running through her hair. His touch wasn't gentle like it had been in the past. It was harsh. He pulled down, tilting her head upwards so to look him in the eye. "There's no way anyone would put up with you forever. Not when there's such a generous bounty to be claimed on your head."
The turn in events was so sudden to Robin, she couldn't even react. No tears formed in her eyes, not even upon Victorigen's remarks. The all-consuming rush of shock and helplessness was taking her from the inside, and she couldn't form any words.
Victorigen pulled her from the ship's edge, standing behind her and holding her close to him as he'd done in several displays of affection in the past.
Only this time it made her feel sick.
"I was your first time, wasn't I?" his breath whispered against her neck, "You were a decent fuck, I'll give you that. But you'll never be anything more than that demon child who managed to escape Ohara. Your existence is a stain on this earth and it's about time we removed it and reaped the harvest of your bounty."
Before Robin could properly react, a white hot pain exploded in her back.
Victorigen wrenched the knife free, and Robin fell to the floor of the deck trembling. It wasn't as deep as he might have intended, but the scalding sting of her skin opening and blood simmering out
With the shock still fresh but fading, her emotions were finally beginning to surface. "You should have just let me drown back there!"
"Maybe," he responded with a shrug, "But where would the fun be in that? Nico Robin."
She flinched at the way he said her name. Not long ago, it had been calming and reassuring. Now however, she detected nothing but foul intent.
"It's time to put an end to you!" Victorigen announced, raising his knife up high and ready to strike a fatal blow.
Robin braced herself. It couldn't end like this, though dying didn't sound so terrible right now.
An explosion suddenly sounded from below deck, and for a moment, Victorigen looked away and regarded it with the confusion Robin had expressed earlier.
A hunter quickly emerged from below deck, "It's one of your inventions, commander!" he panicked, "The one you were going to use to lure and capture your targets! It's going out of control!"
"What?" Victorigen demanded, "At a time like this?" he turned back to Robin, "Better get this done quickly…"
Another, much larger explosion rocketed through the air before Victorigen could make his move, and Robin felt herself flung against the side of the ship from the force. The sound partially deafened her and she felt her lungs hacking and coughing against the dust, smoke and debris. When the dust began to settle, she saw that half the Velia Stratus had been blown to pieces. At least half the ship's occupants had been blown away along with it, including Liyla and Sylo, as well as a number of the other bounty hunters. Robin's breath unevened as she ignored the casualties and frantically searched for a means of escape; the ship was sinking, and spot fires were beginning to start up all over the place.
The key to her cuffs lay close by, and she was willing to bet that this time its dropping hadn't been staged. Nearby, Min's body lay unmoving, having been knocked down from the mast with the explosion. Whether he was still alive or not, Robin couldn't tell, but the way his body was bent over at an odd angle didn't seem healthy.
Her hands were shaking and her heart was hammering, but somehow she managed to fit the key in the slot of the handcuffs, clicking them free. They clattered to the ground, just as an iron grip fastened around her ankle.
"No one escapes me," Victorigen's voice rasped.
Despite being heavily injured—it looked as though his shoulder had been impaled by a pipe—his grip was almost too strong to fight off.
Another explosion erupted, closer and hotter this time, causing Victorigen's grip to slacken and Robin to go flying up through the air. The radiant heat almost suffocated her as she fell, down toward the water that would be her grave.
"Cien Fleur Wing!" she managed to say with a fold of her arms before she reached the water's surface.
One hundred arms extended from her back, catching her in the air. The wind generated by the explosion helped her wings to carry her over to the safe, dry land. It was a technique she'd only recently began practicing, but she never would have thought she'd be putting it to use so soon. And never, ever like this. Her arms strained painfully, but she had to take herself further. Only a moment later, the arms disappeared and she fell to the dry turf below. It was a soft landing, but it hurt. She couldn't remember it hurting this much. Not since the last time she escaped somewhere that was burning with explosions. The fresh cut along her back felt dull in comparison, and although it seemed not to have hit any vitals, Robin bloomed a hand over it to block and ease the flow of blood.
She glanced back over to the Velia Stratus, now fully ablaze with flames and sky-high explosions. Whatever invention of Victorigen's had caused that had chosen quite the time to malfunction. No one would have survived that. Even if they had, it made no difference; they were dead to her. All of them.
The holster at Robin's hip weighed heavily, the knife the crew had given her to defend herself with beckoning to be used. Trembling, Robin removed it and surveyed it in her hand. It would be easy. So very easy. All the pain could end right here and now.
A voice from close to twelve years ago resounded to her from the past. "Live, Robin!"
She dropped the blade, turned, and fled, leaving the explosions behind. She would persevere. She ran and ran for what felt like an age, until an upturned root sent her toppling to the ground. She landed in a heap, too overcome to feel the brunt of the fall. As another explosion rung out in the far distance, Robin felt the tears come. She hadn't cried like this in so long. But there was no one who would hear her out here, no one who would care, no one would even know. It was evident that something like 'Nakama' would never exist. Not for her. Finding anyone in this world who would actually love her in any way was beyond the scope of possibility. She was alive, but she had trusted for the last time.
And she was alone.
So… there you have it.
The story's climax will be beginning around the end of next chapter. I can't wait to share the rest of the fic! Though I still need to write most of it. Thankyou for bearing through this hella long chapter, and if you could leave a short review, that would be appreciated (: