Robin was still in shock from what had happened the previous day. Her uncle, worried, had taken her to the doctor to make sure there was nothing serious. Fortunately, there was nothing major, aside from severe chest pain caused by lung irritation.
She hadn't called Stella to tell her about the incident, preferring not to worry her while she was caring for a baby only a few months old. However, she knew she couldn't let fear take over. Stella had told her that, to uncover the Void Century, she would need to become an outlaw, which meant facing dangers even if she hadn't thought it would be so soon.
Summoning her courage, Robin threw herself back into her studies, leaving the library only to return home. She used her new powers to reach books that were too high on the shelves, being careful not to be seen by the librarian, uncertain how people might react to the sight of an arm moving on its own. She had tried to create extra eyes to read multiple books simultaneously, but the double vision gave her horrible headaches. It would take a bit more time before she could master that skill.
The two weeks passed quickly, and before she knew it, Robin found herself facing a page of complex questions that required in-depth arguments about various historical eras. Around her, other candidates, all adults and much older, were also deeply engrossed in their own work. But she didn't let herself get discouraged; she had worked for years to get to this point and had no intention of giving up.
Four hours later, she handed in her paper after reviewing it one last time. She felt she had done well, incorporating various past periods and elements that shed light on the interactions between historical events.
Taking a deep breath, she handed her paper to Clover, who gave her an encouraging smile, and then left the room. Without delay, she stepped outside to breathe in the spring air, which was slowly giving way to summer.
It would be a few days before the papers were graded, followed by a small graduation ceremony. Archaeology wasn't the only degree being awarded; there were also degrees in science, biology, art, medicine, law, psychology, and many others.
However, a small worry lingered in her mind. What if she failed? What if she was the only one not to graduate? Her anxiety grew at the thought of not being able to tell her mother that she had succeeded, of being left behind once again.
At this thought, a sadness tightened in her throat. It had been months since she had last seen her mother. As usual, her mother hadn't been there for her birthday, but she had still sent a gift: a small statuette she had found in an ancient tomb, with no further information, like a true treasure to decipher.
This gift had sent her into a research frenzy in the library, determined to find out its era and civilization of origin. She was truly happy that the gift served a dual purpose, as it showed that her mother supported and encouraged her to follow the same path.
She couldn't wait to see her again.
Robin is overjoyed! She's finally holding her diploma in her hands and is ready to leave with her mother upon her return to the island!
In a frenzy of happiness, she decides to head to one of the beaches to admire the horizon and imagine the mysterious world beyond this island, full of secrets she can't wait to discover and solve. She brushes aside tree branches along her path until she reaches the beach, but a surprise awaits her.
A giant! A real giant lies unconscious on the shore in front of her. He looks injured, and his clothes are in tatters. She's at a loss. What should she do? Tell someone? Who? Clover? Her uncle?
Her thoughts are interrupted by a groan of pain from the giant. He moves weakly, lifting his head out of the sand to look around in confusion. His eyes settle on the little girl staring at him with wonder.
"Hello, little one. Where am I?" He asks as gently as possible, though his voice remains quite loud. He notices the child's eyes sparkle even more.
"You're on Ohara Island. Are you a real giant? I've never seen one before!" The giant feels a heavy weight drop in his stomach at the name of the island. He has to leave quickly before the Navy arrives. "My name is Nico Robin, and yours?" The man's eyes widen at her name.
This was the little girl he was supposed to track down and eliminate with her mother. But after seeing what the World Government's justice truly meant, he decided to desert the Navy after freeing Nico Olvia, whom he had captured. However, he ended up drifting here, losing sight of Olvia.
"Uh... I..." Should he tell her she's in danger and needs to flee quickly? And where? How? "My name is Jaguar D. Saul, little Robin." He introduces himself anyway to establish trust. He hopes he has enough time to build a raft and leave, maybe even with the girl.
"Nice to meet you! Where are you from? Why are you here? What happened to your boat?" The little girl asks with curiosity.
"Nice to meet you too, little one. I traveled a long way across the seas, but unfortunately, my boat sank in a storm. I don't plan on staying here for long. Just long enough to make a raft," he says, inventing the storm story to avoid revealing that he's a Navy deserter.
The child looks disappointed to learn he has to leave so soon. She has so many questions to ask, but she'll have to wait until she meets another giant.
"All right." Then her gaze falls on a bloodstain near his waist. "You're hurt! Wait here; I'll get the doctor!" She starts to leave.
"No, wait!" He looks at her with worry. "Please, don't tell anyone I'm here. I beg you!" Though she doesn't understand why he wants to stay hidden, his concerned tone convinces her not to call an adult right away.
"Why?" She asks.
"I... I don't want to bother anyone. It's not very serious; I'm quite sturdy!" He smiles broadly despite his injuries, his teeth as large as Robin herself. This might frighten anyone else, but Robin senses that the man in front of her is not evil. Not like the pirate who once attacked her.
She returns his smile.
"All right, but I can't just leave you like this. I'll go find something to help you." Without waiting, she heads toward her mother's house. Going to her uncle would mean questions, and there's no way she'd go to the queen.
After nearly two hours of searching, she finally finds bandages and disinfectant. She puts them in a backpack and heads to the beach as quickly as possible.
The sun is already low, but it's still warm.
Upon arriving at the beach, she finds the giant lying on his back, his head shaded by the trees to avoid the sun. His breathing is almost steady, though interrupted by gasps of pain.
"Mister? Are you awake?" The giant groans before struggling to sit up and looking at the little girl with surprise. He thought she'd return with someone, but she kept her promise. This makes him even sadder to know that the World Government wants her dead.
"Welcome back, little Robin." He says softly, controlling his pain.
The child pulls out everything she could find. While it would be more than enough to bandage a human three times over, for a giant, it's almost insufficient. But he says nothing that might upset the little girl, who has clearly done her best to help.
Without complaining, he begins to disinfect his wounds, with Robin helping him reach spots he can't access, like his back. He's surprised to see so many little hands appear to help him bandage the wounds.
Having seen Devil Fruit users before, he's not particularly startled by this. He is, however, surprised that such a fruit ended up here.
With a bit of effort and strategy, he manages to treat his most serious injuries. Now, the problem remains of building a raft. With the Navy nearby, he must hurry.
"Thank you so much for your help, little Robin. I don't know what I would have done without you." The child smiles widely, happy to have helped. But it's getting late; the sun is beginning to set, and she knows her uncle will start looking for her.
"You're welcome; it was a pleasure! Will we see each other tomorrow?" She asks with bright eyes.
The giant would like to tell her to run and not worry about him. But how could he do that without scaring her and alerting the people of his presence? Unfortunately, he sees no immediate solution. In the worst-case scenario, he could take her with him, but where? He's a fugitive, and she's a wanted person. Does he really want to expose such a young child to an unstable life?
But what is he saying? It would be a thousand times better than death; at least she could continue living and follow in her mother's footsteps. For he has no illusions: the chances of Olvia's survival are almost nil.
He looks at the child, who's watching him, awaiting a response. He gives her a reassuring smile, as it's all he can do for now.
"Of course, we'll see each other tomorrow. I'm counting on you to help me build my raft." He says with a big smile. The little girl's face lights up. She says goodbye and goodnight, and he remains there, unable to sleep, focusing on gathering wood and logs for his raft. He has no time to sleep if he hopes to save her.
The next day, Robin is back. Jaguar welcomes her warmly, hiding his fatigue. All day, they make ropes for the raft with palm leaves and vines. The young archaeologist even takes the time to craft him a woven hat to protect him from the sun. This child is far too kind and pure to die.
The day passes quickly, and Robin returns home for the night, leaving Jaguar to continue working by moonlight. The next two days are devoted to assembling the logs that will support his weight. By dawn on the fourth day, the raft is complete, and he can sit on it without it sinking immediately.
Everything is ready for his departure. Thanks to Robin, he has not only finished his raft but also has a small food supply to last a few days. Now, he must tell the child that she's in danger and needs to flee with him.
"Little Robin, I have something to tell you." The child looks at him in confusion at the serious tone he's taken. "The World Government knows you're researching the Void Century, as is your mother. They'll soon be here, so you must flee with me, or you'll die." He speaks calmly, though confusion and fear begin to cloud Robin's face.
"Wh-What?!" She steps back to put distance between herself and Jaguar. "H-How?" The man swallows, trying to keep his voice as steady as possible as the child retreats from him.
"I've been hiding something from you. I'm a former Vice Admiral who was assigned to capture your mother." Robin goes pale and looks at him with horror. "But I didn't agree with what the World Government wanted to do with her. I betrayed the Navy by setting her free. But they knew she had a child on Ohara who was researching the same things." He watches as the child stands there, frozen. "If you don't leave now, you'll die like everyone else on this island who studies the Void Century."
Robin shakes like a leaf, and the only thought that crosses her mind is that Clover and everyone else is also in danger. Without hesitation, she dashes into the forest toward the library to warn them.
"No, Robin! Come back!"
Her breathing is ragged as she pushes the branches away. She doesn't care about the scratches on her arms and legs. There's only one thing that matters now: warning everyone before it's too late.
She runs through the streets, looking at the Tree of Knowledge, which seems so far away. Her panic rises when she spots men in black in the streets and Navy ships in the harbor.
No, no, no!
She weaves through the streets to avoid being seen and races toward the tree.
That's when she sees someone rush out of the library. The white hair makes her heart pound. She speeds up toward the woman with the worried face. When their bright blue eyes meet, even without the shimmering flames, Robin knows who's standing in front of her.
"MOM!" The woman bends down and pulls her into a tight embrace.
"Robin, my darling! I'm so happy to see you again, but you mustn't stay here. You have to run as fast and as far as possible." She says urgently, looking into her daughter's eyes, panic in her own. Robin doesn't fully understand until she remembers what Jaguar had said.
"You have to leave too, Mom! I won't leave you here. I'm going with you!" Olvia tenderly kisses her on the forehead while stroking her hair.
"I can't, my dear. I have things to do, and there's no way I'm letting you come with me. I'll try to negotiate with the Navy to spare the island. But I'm not sure I'll succeed. I'll feel much better if I know you're far away."
"No! I'm staying with you! Please, don't leave me! Don't leave me!"
Olvia is completely overwhelmed. She doesn't want to panic and scream at her daughter, likely leaving her with this last painful memory of her.
"Please, I don't want you to be in danger. They're evacuating the island, so go to the boat and leave with the others." She explains, filled with anxiety.
Robin shakes her head, sobbing uncontrollably. She's just reunited with her mother, and there's no way she's leaving her behind to escape alone. She clings to her, vowing to stay until the end.
"No, no, no, please! Don't leave me, don't leave me ever again!" She holds her mother as tightly as possible, never wanting to let go. Her mother holds her for a few moments before trying to gently pull away, but Robin won't let go.
"Please, Robin, you have to let me go." The child shakes her head, refusing to step away.
Olvia is utterly at a loss. She looks around for a way to save her daughter, but there's no one there. In the distance, she hears Marines gathering at the harbor, getting ready to head toward the tree. She's completely torn between her daughter, who won't let her go, and her fear of watching the soldiers destroy the island in their pursuit. If there are casualties, she'll never forgive herself.
"Robin, I beg you. Obey me one last time and join the others in safety." But the child shakes her head, tightening her embrace even more.
No solution seems possible. The muffled sound of approaching footsteps grows louder, almost making the ground tremble beneath their feet. The Navy will soon come to arrest her and her daughter.
"Ms. Nico?" The woman looks up at the familiar voice. She never expected to see the former Vice Admiral who allowed her to escape.
"Jaguar?"
"You must leave now! The Navy is already here, and they might destroy this place as retaliation!"
The woman looks at the giant with a horrified expression. The consequences could be much graver than she thought. She looks at her precious daughter, her only child, of whom she's so proud. She can't let her die.
"Jaguar, take my daughter and join the evacuation ship. I know they won't stop until I'm in their hands. I hope to convince them to spare the island, and at worst... I'll buy time for the ship to get away." The giant looks at her with wide eyes, understanding what she's implying. Nodding, he reaches out to take Robin, who refuses to let go.
"NO! I don't want to! Mom, please! I want to stay with you!" Olvia gently pushes her daughter out of her arms.
"I'm sorry, my love. But I made mistakes, and I must make amends. Keep living and discover what I couldn't. I love you, my darling." She whispers as tears roll down her cheeks, and Robin is finally separated from her.
Without wasting a moment, Jaguar races toward the landing beach he'd spotted earlier on his way here.
"MOM!"
"LIVE, ROBIN! Never stop living!"
The young archaeologist cries and screams, begging the giant to turn back as her mother's figure fades into the distance, facing the advancing Marines.
"I'm sorry, little Robin. I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" Jaguar sobs, apologizing for having once been part of the Marines who are now about to execute her mother.
Thanks to his long strides, he quickly reaches the evacuation ship. He stops in the shadows of the trees, unable to go any further, as the Marines would recognize him and attack.
"Little Robin, this is where our paths diverge. I can't go any further. Once you're on the ship, you'll be safe." The child stares at him in shock, fear bubbling up in her stomach as she realizes she'll have to approach the very marines who mean to harm her mother.
"I..."
"Don't be afraid. They won't do anything to you. You're just a scared child. Nothing more." She bites her lip before nodding, giving him one last hug, which the man returns, before she timidly walks toward the group of marines loading the island's residents onto the already crowded ship.
One of the soldiers notices her approach and smiles kindly.
"Hello, little one. Have you lost your parents? Come, I'll help you find them." He says gently, extending his hand to her.
Feeling uneasy, Robin keeps her hands to herself, just in case she needs to run. The soldier doesn't lose his smile and simply places his hand on her lower back to nudge her forward.
"What are your parents' names?" She knows she can't say anything about her mother. Only one family member could possibly be here.
"Oran…"
"Oran? Wait here, I'll check the records." The soldier steps away to leaf through a large book. Robin keeps her gaze on the ground, not wanting to attract too much attention, especially from an imposing man with half his face obscured by a cap and the hood of his coat, who's watching her a bit too closely.
The soldier returns to her.
"I found him; he's on the ship with his wife and daughter. You're his niece, aren't you? He mentioned you might be somewhere on the island. He'll be happy you're here." He reassures her and shows her the way to the ship's boarding ramp.
She follows him timidly, keeping her head down. She begins to relax a little as she reaches the deck, knowing she just has to keep to herself and wait for the ship to depart.
"Excuse me. Is Mr. Oran here? We found his niece!" There's a stir until her uncle arrives, his wife following close behind.
"Robin!" He steps forward, pulling the little girl into his arms, relieved that she's here and no longer on the island. "I was so worried about you! You gave me quite a scare." Robin bites her lip to keep from crying and clings to his shirt to make sure he's real. But her relief is short-lived.
"Let her go this instant!" Shouts Roji. Her husband looks at her, confused.
"Honey? What's gotten into you?"
"She's the daughter of that criminal responsible for all our suffering! She has no right to be here; she's putting us all in danger! She must pay for her mother's sins, just as her mother will!" Oran looks at her in horror.
"Are you serious? She's just a child. What sin has she committed to deserve this?"
"Her mother is an outlaw! Who's to say she hasn't done the same? Huh?! She must go! I refuse to let her stay and endanger my family!" The man is utterly shocked and speechless at his wife's outburst. Worse still, more and more townspeople join her, demanding that the 8-year-old girl leave the ship, recognizing her as Olvia's daughter.
The commotion draws the attention of other Marines, including the hooded man and another with a headband and small round glasses.
"What is this racket?" The hooded man asks sternly.
"Vice Admiral Sakazuki. The civilians appear to want this young girl off the ship." The Vice Admiral frowns, staring at the face of the child trying to hide in her uncle's arms.
"For what reason?"
"Well…"
"This child is Nico Robin, the daughter of Nico Olvia!" Roji announces proudly.
Robin feels all the eyes in the vicinity turn toward her. The intimidating man's face hardens.
"Well, well. We were just wondering where a pest like you was hiding." A cold shiver runs through the child at the man's harsh, contemptuous tone. "Don't fight it. Surrender and be arrested like the criminal you are." Robin looks at the large hand reaching out to grab her.
No… No! She can't let them capture her!
She wriggles free from her uncle's arms and starts to run, desperate to get off the ship.
"Where do you think you're going?" The man catches up with her easily. Panicking, she uses her powers to make a hand appear on the floor and grab the man's ankle, stopping him momentarily. He looks away from her, glancing at the small hand desperately trying to hold him back. "A Devil Fruit?" The townspeople, unaccustomed to such a phenomenon, scream in horror at the sight of the hand. Roji is the loudest of them all.
"Filthy monster! Devil's spawn! Get away from us, you hideous creature!"
Robin doesn't understand the cruel, horrible words raining down on her. She's never done anything wrong, so why does everyone hate her? Why do they want to hurt her?
Panicked, she tries to escape, but feels a sharp pain in her hand. Just a few meters away, Sakazuki is crushing the small hand holding him with his boot.
"Oh? It transmits pain. You should be more careful where you leave your 'belongings.'" He presses down further, causing the hand to shatter into small pink petals. "I wonder if you'll turn into a flower petal when I crush you myself." Some of the soldiers are taken aback by the vice admiral's words; after all, she's just a frightened little girl.
The man with the bandana and glasses frowns, a thin layer of frost covering his fingers in case he has to stop Sakazuki. The child may be an outlaw, but she doesn't seem dangerous.
Robin is grabbed by the back of her shirt and struggles desperately.
"Let me go!"
"Sorry, but you're under arrest." He reaches for a pair of Seastone cuffs, preparing to put them on the child's wrists. But loud, heavy footsteps catch the man's attention. He barely has time to react before he's struck by the powerful fist of a giant. He's sent flying and lands unconscious on the sand below.
Robin stares, wide-eyed, at Jaguar, who has come to rescue her.
"Jaguar!"
"Little Robin! Are you alright?" The young archaeologist nods, wiping her tears before climbing onto the giant's outstretched hand. "Come on, let's get out of here!"
"You're not going anywhere!" All the soldiers point their weapons at them, ready to fire.
Gritting his teeth, Jaguar begins to fight the soldiers, sending them flying with each blow while protecting Robin.
The man with the bandana gestures, and frost appears around the giant's feet, immobilizing him.
"What is this? Aokiji! Release me!"
"I'm sorry, Jaguar, but you're a deserter, and I have to arrest you." He turns to the soldiers. "Get the evacuation ship out of here. All those who remain have chosen to resist. They will be arrested. And escort Vice Admiral Sakazuki to one of the warships."
"Yes, Vice Admiral Aokiji!"
"You fool! They're going to kill her! She's just an innocent little girl who wants to explore the world. Are you telling me that's a crime?" Shouts the giant, trying to break the ice that holds his feet with his free hand, but it's no use, and now his fist is also trapped. "Aokiji, I beg you. At least let her go! She's committed no crime!"
The ice man's face remains impassive as the frost continues its path. Desperate, Jaguar gently sets Robin down before the ice can reach her.
"Robin, run, run as far as you can. Take my raft and get out of here!" The child, distraught, watches her friend slowly being consumed by ice. Tears begin to blur her vision.
The sound of a Den Den Mushi ringing catches everyone's attention, followed by the blare of a siren. Frowning, Aokiji picks up his Den Den.
"What's happening? What's that alarm?" A soldier's voice comes through the receiver.
"Sir, you need to leave immediately! The Buster Call has been activated! You have less than five minutes to evacuate before we start bombarding the area!" Both the vice-admiral and Jaguar widen their eyes in horror.
"WHAT?! Are you serious? Spandine! What are you thinking?!"
The voice on the Den Den changes.
"This is necessary. We've discovered that Nico Olvia and her daughter aren't the only ones researching the Void Century. They pose a threat. None of them can be allowed to survive. For the good of all, this island must be erased from the map. Return to your ship or you'll also be bombarded. Latecomers will not be rescued. You have two minutes!" The Den Den goes silent.
The soldiers begin to panic, scrambling to get back to the warship as the evacuation vessel starts to pull away.
"A… A Buster Call?! He can't be serious!" Jaguar yells in horror. Aokiji bites his lip, but there's nothing he can do.
The sound of a massive explosion draws the group's attention. In the distance, the evacuation ship has been bombed by one of the warships. The ship bursts into flames, burning everyone on board.
The ice-man quickly turns toward the ship that fired and spots Vice Admiral Sakazuki. He grabs his Den Den in haste to get an explanation.
"SAKAZUKI! Why did you do that?!" The voice that responds is cold and unyielding.
"A researcher could have snuck aboard that ship. If that happened, our mission would be a failure. Absolute justice requires sacrifices." Aokiji grits his teeth.
"You fool! Their survival was our only bargaining chip to placate Stella Star! You've just sentenced us to death!" Sakazuki scoffs with disdain.
"I don't understand why you're so afraid. Let her come; I'll be waiting." Aokiji mutters under his breath that it's utterly foolish to think he could succeed in defeating her.
Behind him, Robin watches in horror as the ship burns and sinks into the distance. Her mind races as she realizes her uncle is dead, and her mother is likely imprisoned. She refuses to believe her mother is dead, killed by soldiers, like all her professors. She doesn't understand why the Navy, who is supposed to protect people, would want them dead. Why?
A giant hand shields her view of the sinking ship.
"Robin, you must escape. You must live, live to tell the world what happened here." She looks at him with a confused, vacant stare.
"W-What?…"
"Listen to me, the Navy will do everything they can to cover this up and make sure Ohara vanishes from history." Her eyes widen in horror. "That's why you must live, live so that no one forgets. So that no one forgets what really happened and why. You may find yourself alone; you'll have to hide, and you'll grow up in fear. But one day, you'll find people you can trust, who will become your friends and your new family. It may not happen right away, but someday, you'll find people who will take care of you. So never lose hope. Now go, and live! Dereshishishi!" Jaguar begins to laugh with a wide smile, offering one last bit of encouragement to the little girl as she sets off. Robin starts running toward the raft. Behind her, she hears Jaguar laughing as the ice finally consumes him completely.
She cries, her tears wetting her cheeks, but forces herself to smile and laugh like Jaguar, so she doesn't collapse in despair and risk being caught. The sound of explosions begins to echo around her. Houses hit by the blasts burst apart and catch fire. The giant tree also starts to burn, turning the once-peaceful island into a living hell.
She watches the city in the distance being destroyed, until her gaze falls upon Stella's house, perched atop its little hill. The Den Dens! She starts running toward the house to rescue the snails, but the sight of a magma fist crashing down on the roof freezes her in horror. Her heart stops—Stella's Den Dens, the ones she had asked Robin to care for, are gone… She hasn't saved anyone… With a heavy heart and driven by the last words of Jaguar and her mother, she resumes running toward the beach.
Her legs ache as she finally reaches the sandy shore, but her heart sinks at the sight of the ice man, calmly seated on the raft, encased in ice. Exhausted and broken inside, she falls to her knees on the sand. There's no hope left for escape; it's all over.
The man lifts his head to look at her before slowly standing up.
"I don't know exactly what Jaguar saw in you. But if he chose to give his life for you and your mother, then he must have seen something worthwhile." He points to a small lifeboat nearby. "Take that to get out of here; it'll be far better than this raft, which might sink with just one wave."
The sound of explosions grows louder.
"Go on." The child doesn't fully understand what's happening, but she quickly heads toward the lifeboat, pushes it into the sea, checking to make sure it doesn't leak, and climbs aboard.
With another wave of his hand, Aokiji creates a path bordered by two walls of ice.
"Follow this path; it will take you to a peaceful island." Without another word, he turns away to rejoin one of the warships. The rest is out of his hands. He has a more pressing issue to deal with.
The boat follows the icy path, drifting farther and farther from the island. Robin now sees the full horror of her island's destruction. The giant tree is ablaze, like an enormous sun shining over the island.
She recalls the view she had of the tree from the sky on Christmas Eve, with all its shimmering, brilliant colors. Now, she'll never see it again; everything is destroyed. She'll never again lose herself in the library's shelves. She'll never again hear her teachers' voices, nor the librarian calling her before closing time.
Nothing will ever be the same again.
She drifts toward an unknown destination, toward unknown people, toward an unknown life. She finally falls asleep from exhaustion, with one last thought of her mother, who must be locked away somewhere.