Top Floor, Tower of Law
'I want to die,' Nico Robin thought while chained to the wall. 'Why can't they let me die?'
"Look up, Nico Robin." Franky said, looking at her. A terrifying look that only brought pain and suffering to Robin's life. Hope. "Your friends have already made it this far and it's super."
'I told them to leave me.' Robin continued to stare at the brick floor. 'Now, they are going to die and it's going to be my fault.'
The door next to them bursted open. The World Government agents panicked about the sudden turn of events as Enies Lobby was being attacked. How a mere seventy to eighty pirates invaded the island and were winning.
"You will see them again, Robin." Franky said as his rear began to expand. The iron chains rustled against the brick. His butt expanded larger and larger. "So, look up. I don't want them to see you in such depressed spirits."
One of the agents noticed Franky's peculiar situation. "Hey, Spandam! Franky is doing something strange!"
"What now? I don't have the time for this nonsense!" Spandam marched into the hallway where Nico Robin and Franky were being chained up. A hideous man with a face chained by a leather mask, an enlarged purple nose. His eyes almost jumped out the sockets from surprise. "Wha–"
"I had an epiphany, Spanda," Franky faced the hideous man. Resolve and vindication coated his grand declaration. "I've decided to explode, killing myself and take all of you bastards with me."
"Hey! Wait!" Spandam raised a defiant hand, looking around for someone to do something. His feet retreated as Franky's butt expanded five times the size filled with air. "You can't kill me! Men! Huddle around and protect me! As leader of CP9, my life is worth a hundred times more!"
"EHH!" They complained.
Franky laughed. "That's not gonna work! This whole building is getting blown off the map!"
'What is he planning? He can't be serious?'
Before Robin could come to a conclusion of Franky's insane plan, his hairy legs wrapped around her waist. "Here we go, Nico Robin. Coup De POO!"
An explosion from his rear shot them backwards through two brick walls and crashed into a steel fence. The dented fence stopped hovering over a large dark pit of nothing. The waterfall which separated the two lands.
The metal creaked, sinking downward.
"Noooo!" Franky screamed. "I was just kidding. I don't want to die!"
Now with the chains broken, he lifted himself and Robin safely onto the balcony.
"What do we do now?" Robin complained. Her hands were still bound behind her back with Sea Stone Cuffs.
Franky smacked his lips. "If only I had more cola, I could get us out of here."
"Oiiii! Robin!!!!"
'No, that voice. I don't want to see him.'
Regardless, Robin couldn't stop herself from turning to see the Straw Hat boy who wouldn't abandon her no matter how many times she begged. She whispered, "Luffy."
Luffy–with all of his teeth–smiled. "ROBIN! Thank goodness!"
Behind her, Franky fought the swarming agents.
"Franky is there and fighting." Luffy ran a few paces away and then turned around, stretching his hands to grab the battlements of the Courthouse. "All right! Wait right there!"
'No. Stop.'
"GOMU-GOMU–"
"Wait!" Robin shouted. She grinded her teeth. "How many times do I have to tell you? I am not coming back! Go home! I don't want to see your face anymore!"
She huffed, catching her breath.
'Luffy, please don't go.'
"Why did you come to save me? I never asked for your help!" She took a deep breath. "I JUST WANT TO DIE!"
'That's right, I don't deserve to live. My existence only brings ash and broken promises. I've seen good people do terrible things because of me.'
"You–" A hand slammed Franky's face into the balcony wall. Kaku and the rest of the CP9 arrived.
"WAH HA HA!" Spandam laughed his way behind Rob Lucci. "They fought their way all the way here to the Tower of Law for an undeserving stupid woman. Pointless! We must see how this ends! It's going to be so much fun!"
"Oi, seriously? Blueno was defeated," Jabra commented on the sleeping CP9 agent on the roof of the Courthouse.
"That's the consequence for becoming lazy," said Rob Lucci.
"Kroo Koo," said Hattori.
"You want to die, Robin!" Luffy screamed.
"Yes! That's right!" she replied.
Spandam grabbed at his stomach. "I can't. This is hilarious. I can't wait to see the horrified look on his face. He came all this way."
Kaku turned to the rest of them and Spandam. "Can't we just kill him now?"
"No! That would ruin all my fun," replied Spandam as his attention returned to Luffy.
Luffy picked his nose. "What the heck are you talking about?"
'Huh? I don't understand.'
"You know, Robin. We are all here!"
Behind him, a tornado blew the roof open and out flying was Nami and Chopper. Zoro climbed out from the hole he created.
"If you want to die! Then die after we come and save you!" Luffy demanded.
'Why would they go so far for me? We barely know each other and I'm just going to put them in even more danger. I've caused enough damage already to this crew.'
While Nico Robin drowned in her negative thoughts, the rest of the Straw Hat crew arrived at the top of the Courthouse. Each standing on top of a battlements, all of their eyes blazed with hope.
"If you wanna die so badly then say it to our faces!"
'Don't look at me.' A single tear escaped her shut eyes.
A howling roar came from the Courthouse as Galley-La and the Franky Family rallied to save her. They successfully managed to start drawing the bridge below the Straw Hats.
Spandam jumped. "Gya! So many pirates!"
"Look Robin, our comrades are here. We will not be forgotten."
Robin's gaze fell to the floor.
"WAH HA! You sure about that, Cutty Flam," Spandam said, reaching for something in his breast pocket. "Feast your eyes on this golden little jewel. This right here, is true power! The power to alter history!"
'No!' Robin's focused on the golden Den Den Mushi.
"At the push of a finger, I can summon a Buster Call. A marine with the title Admiral and four Vice-Admirals and their battleships will sail here to Enies Lobby to wipe out this puny little resistance!" Spandam jumped onto the balcony's ledge in front of Robin. "Yes! That's right, Nico Robin. I'm sure you fully understand the devastation. 20 years ago, your homeland was wiped out from a Buster Call!"
"Not that!"
Spandam hugged himself spastically. "Yes, I love that reaction. Maybe, I should give this a little press."
Robin's body flashed with heat. "Do you realize what would happen if you pressed that?!"
"Of course I do. I'm not a fool," Spandam said with a smug expression. "Does it bring back memories? Can you still smell your people burning to ashes? Can you still hear their screams as the cannons bombarded your homes? Did they fall to their knees begging for a more merciful end because they knew devils like themselves deserved to die?"
"Yes, I can see and hear the tragedies that were committed," Robin announced, stepping toward the man. "As long as I remember, Ohara's legacy and memory will carry on to the future!"
"Insolent wretch," muttered Spandam.
—Ohara, West Blue 20 Years Ago…
An eight year old Robin walked alone, a book tucked on the inside of her arm.
She moved across the cobblestone with pace, ignoring the playful children and their supportive parents. Her gaze counted the tiles of stone as she rushed to a brighter place. The Tree of Knowledge, Ohara Library.
Her hand squeezed the door knob and opened.
"Congratulations, Robin!" The Archaeologist of Ohara jumped with arms stretched pointing to the treetops of bookshelves housing the vast knowledge here at the world's greatest library. The head Archaeologist, Professor Clover revealed a star medal. "You have passed the doctoral exam and can now call yourself a full fledged archaeologist. A true young genius like your mother."
Robin's eyes sparkled holding the medal which was the size of her palms. A strange warmness surrounded her as her fellow archaeologist congratulated her.
"Listen up, Robin." Professor Clover spread his arms open. "Nothing is more important than knowledge, especially the knowledge of the past!"
"Does that mean I can finally study the Void Century?" Robin asked.
The room went silent. Their mouths gradually widened. "What!"
Professor Clover fell backward onto one foot, dropping into a pseudo fighting stance. "Where have you heard such a thing? Have you been sneaking downstairs?"
'I can't tell him how exactly I got through the locked door.'
Robin shut her mouth, squinting her eyes. Unfortunately, the little girl couldn't hide the fact she was keeping a secret.
"I will have a talk with him," replied Professor Clover.
"Please don't get mad at him," Robin shouted. "He is lonely down there."
Professor Clover rushed to grab the little girl's shoulders, giving her a small shake. "You have to stop, it is forbidden. It is against the law, Robin? Don't you understand?"
"I want to be like mommy. Learn the Poneglyphs and unravel the true mystery of the world."
"No! How do you know all of this? Is this, Minato's doing?"
"It's not his fault! You guys keep him locked down there," Robin stomped her foot
"Just like you, Minato ate a fruit that gave him troubling abilities and without proper regulations, he will cause another catastrophe."
"Doesn't mean he needs to be locked away in darkness, he is two years younger than me. It's sad!"
"I understand, Robin, but until he can control his power. This is the best solution," Professor Clover said with finality. "That doesn't mean you should sneak in because what you have learned is too dangerous."
"My mother left me to travel. I don't even remember her face and she left to go read the Poneglyphs. I want to be ready when she comes back so I can go out to sea with her!"
Professor Clover's grip tightened. "Robin, you're just a child. I know the amount of studying you endured to become an archaeologist but this is something you must never speak of again. Do you understand?"
Before she could disagree, Professor Clover spoke.
"We risk our lives everyday doing what we do, this is dangerous work!" Professor Clover released her and rose to his adult sized height. "Promise me you will not go down to the basement, swear it on the history books of Ohara. Or you will be banned from the Tree of Knowledge."
Crying and betrayed, Robin left and ran till her feet hit the sand, and there lying on the shore was a giant.
The giant was named Saul. A kind and gentle soul with a funny laugh.
"Dereshi shi shi," Saul laughed at his own ridiculous laugh. "Yes, I've been told before about my weird laugh."
"So, where did you come from, Saul?" Robin clutched onto her knees, sitting on an elevated pointed rock. She and Saul watched the beach as he recovered his strength so he could build a raft.
"Elbaf," he answered. "But, don't worry. I'm nothing like those savages so I left and then my ship got crushed by a wave. I can be clueless sometimes. Dereshi shi shi."
'Even though he is lost and alone, he laughs. Strange.'
"Why do you laugh so much?" Robin asked, curiously.
Saul gave the question some thought before answering. "I guess, laughing is always better than crying or staying sad. A life worth living is one filled with laughter. Dereshi shi shi!"
"But, what if I can't laugh? What if nothing is funny?"
Saul stormed to his feet causing the ground to shake. "That's when you give your most ridiculous laugh because as long as you can laugh, it will always get better. So laugh when you are hurting."
Robin side eyed the crazy giant. 'I don't think that's true.'
Saul ran off to build his raft.
—Moments Later…
Saul jogged back to Robin with an expression of dread. Fear gripped her heart.
"Robin, you must leave right now!" He waved his arms in warning. "A Navy battleship and the World Government are on their way here! You must go back to town! Your mom might be there!"
Without a second thought, she took off toward the town in search of her mother. There was chaos in the streets as people shouted and ran in all directions. She weaved past the masses of hysteria, making her way to the Ohara Library.
She bursted through the library wooden doors. "Where is mommy?"
All movement ceased as she arrived, especially because she called for her mother. The Archaeologist remained silent till Professor Clover was the first to speak up. "Child, your mother wouldn't be here. What's this outburst?"
"Are the rumours true? Danger is coming." Robin asked, feeling powerless and afraid.
Professor Clover dropped to his knees, looking her in the eyes. "Yes, I'm afraid so. Ohara's pursuit of the forbidden past may have finally caught up. We, archaeologists are in danger, that's why Robin you must never tell anyone that you are one. The World Government wouldn't suspect an eight year old girl to achieve such a title. Understood?"
Behind Robin, a group of men armed with rifles stormed inside the Tree of Knowledge. They aimed their weapons at the researchers in the room. "Stop moving! The vicinity is now under investigation for the crime of researching the Ponegylffs."
"We are doing no such thing. Where is your proof?" Professor Clover shouted back.
The man trained the rifle at Clover's head. "Proof? We never need proof to exercise our right to prosecute low life criminals."
'Criminals?' Robin thought.
The other members of the World Government began rummaging through the books and tearing paper from its binders. Precious knowledge ripped to shreds.
"Hey! Watch it," Professor Clover demanded. "These books are far more valuable than you realize!"
"Shut it, old man. I want everyone out of here, if you remove a single piece of evidence from this Tree. You will be executed on the spot!" The man ordered.
Collectively, the archaeologists and Robin were ushered out with rifles aimed at their backs. Outside, the town was in complete disarray, however, they all harmoniously repeated the same thing.
The researchers of Ohara were demons.
With hate and malice, their own people called Robin and her friends demons as they were held captive two hundred feet in front of the Tree of Knowledge. Then three more men in suits brought a white haired woman and tossed her onto the ground. She was injured with a cut to her head.
"Robin, you must leave for an evacuation boat," advised Professor Clover.
"I don't want to be alone," Robin stepped closer. "I will not leave you guys."
An explosion erupted from the Tree of Knowledge, a blazing inferno began devouring the flammable wood. The Archeologist cried to the agents to do something about the fire.
Professor Clover held Robin's hand. "Don't worry, Robin. Minato will be okay, he is a smart boy."
'He is probably so scared right now, alone in complete darkness with no clue what's happening around him.'
The aggressive man who brought the white haired lady shot his rifle into the air, silencing the commotion. "My name is Spandine, leader of CP9 and current head operative here. You all will sit tight till further notice."
"Sir?" A voice called from his suit pocket.
"Yes? You better not waste my time, this better be good news because I am ready to get off this cursed island," replied Spandine.
"We found a Poneglyph with pages of the Ancient Scripture and a strange bell curved rock." The voice said.
"A Poneglyph?" Spandine's face twisted into a devious smile. He adjusted the grip on his rifle to reach into his pants pocket, pulling out a golden transponder snail. "With the power granted to me by Admiral Sengoku, I sentence the devils of Ohara to death by Buster Call!"
"Run, Robin!" Professor Clover screamed.
Horrified, Robin watched as the man sealed their fate, pressing the golden button and heard it's terrifying scream.
"Are they really going to kill us all?" Robin said, her feet retreated backward.
Professor Clover marched toward Spandine. "Allow me to speak with the Five Elders. I can explain our studies and what we have learned to rescind the execution order."
"BWA HA HA! Be my guest," laughed Spandine, retrieving the Den Den Mushi in his pocket to dial the Five Elders.
The signal connected.
"Speak, Professor Clover, I presume." The Five Elder commanded.
"The past belongs for all of mankind to study and learn from. To access their knowledge and apply it to the present in hopes of a better future. We must learn the why–"
"Why, what?" The Five Elder interrupted.
"Why do these Poneglyff's exist," Professor Clover answered without missing a beat. "These massive indestructible slabs of stone were inscribed for a reason. A memento to future generations to prevent any rule to fabricate or destroy their passed down knowledge. These important pieces of artifacts are echoes of a lost ancient world, an immense kingdom that once united the world under one banner. Until something happened, a corrupted force wiped them out and erased their existence through the annals of time but they had a name. It's name…"
"Kill him."
"Was–"
A bullet shot out through Professor Clover's head. Blood and brain matter exploded, he collapsed in front of Robin's feet. She crumbled to the floor, her hands vibrated uncontrollably as she pushed Professor Clover as if she were trying to wake him up.
'What am I doing? The Professor is dead.'
"Kill them all. The Ohara knows far too much, not a single person leaves that island alive." The Five Elder's voice stole the air in Robin's lungs.
"Gladly," Spandine responded, then hung up the transmission. He turned to his men and grabbed the woman by her hair. "We have to get off this island! I must flee before I get myself killed."
Finally, Robin got a good look at the woman's face. One that resembled her own, blurry memories of her mother's face resurfaced her mind like a hot air bubble through mud. Desperately, her mind tried connecting the two. "Mommy?"
Spandine paused, looking down at the woman. "You got a child?"
The woman didn't reply.
"Is that you? Mommy, it's me, Robin!" Her voice scratched as she called out to the white haired woman. Tears fell from her face. "I know it's been a long time but I've grown some so you might not recognize me but I am your daughter!"
The white haired woman paused, without looking back. "No. You must have me mistaken for someone else."
'She has to be lying.' Robin clenched her fists.
"Please don't leave me!"
They ran away as the first cannon ball shook the ground. In the distance, roaring infernos and screams spread like an infectious disease. Then the ground rumbled to a familiar beat, Robin turned to face the muse. A frantic Saul waving his hands.
"Robin! We must leave the island, now!" Saul scooped up the little girl and turned back around, heading for the beach. Once Saul began marching toward the beach, a voice grabbed her attention.
"Robin!" The white haired woman called out, chains behind her back, rivulets of blood streamed down her face and body, yet she stood proud and infinite. "You must live, Robin!"
With an outstretched arm, she used her Devil Fruit to create an extensive chain of outstretched hands, two hundred meters away. "Mother!"
She nodded her head, with a hand clutched to her mouth. Robin's Flower Hands reached her mother and they held hands.
After waiting and researching for five years to be an archaeologist capable of reading the ancient texts so she could reunite with her mother and sail the seas while unraveling the Void Century. They finally reunited but now they must separate again. Forever.
And due to the limitations of her ability, she couldn't feel her. Robin cried. 'I can't feel her warmth.'
Her powers gave up as the hands dissipated into thousands of tiny flowers, Saul carried her to the sandy shores. Out in the horizon, a Navy Battleship carrying the escaping citizens of Ohara left the harbor.
"Oh no, Robin. We are too late."
Saul began running down the beach but he tripped and crashed into the sand. Robin slipped out of his large grasp and tumbled.
"I can't have a former Vice Admiral aid a criminal in escaping," a chilling voice approached from behind. As the reason for Saul falling became clear, his feet were frozen. A man in tiny round shades and puffy hair tied behind a Marine bandana, icy cold visible breath escaped his lips.
Saul immediately recognized the man, twisting to break the ice. "Kuzan! Is this justifiable? Is this what the Marines stand for?"
"Justice? Criminals ought to be punished, it is that simple," Kuzan replied, calmly watching Saul break free from the ice. "Were these people not aware of the laws they were breaking? Did they not understand the consequences of their actions? This is reality."
"But this–" An explosion caught him off. An intense flash of heat licked Robin's exposed skin.
A Battleship engulfed in flames reflected in Robin's teary eyes. The same ship the escapees were on fleeing from the Buster Call.
"Sakazuki, that fool!" The one named Kuzan said.
"Those were innocent people!" Saul shouted.
Cold air escaped Kuzan's mouth as he didn't reply. Saul twisted and lunged for Robin but he was too slow as a cold hand pressed against his leg.
"Ice Time: Capsule." Thick layers of ice slowly climbed up the giant's leg, immobilizing him.
"Saul!" Robin screamed.
"Run away, Robin." Breathing became difficult as Saul warned her. "Take the raft and run away as far as possible. Listen to your mother's last words. You must live, Robin."
"There is no one at sea for me, I will be all alone," cried Robin. The ice continued to spread up Saul's hips and covered his stomach, making its way to his chest.
"You may be alone right now or awhile but the sea is vast. One day, Robin, you will meet friends."
'Friends?'
The ice hardened around Saul's neck. "Someday, you will find friends that will protect you, believe me, Robin. No one is ever born in this world completely alone!"
"No! SAUL!"
"Dereshi shi," Saul laughed as the ice began freezing his face. "Somewhere out there on the seas, you have friends waiting for you. Go and find them, till then, you must laugh, Robin."
Robin left as fast as she could, leaving behind the completely frozen giant.
'Mother, Professor Clover, the friendly archaeologists, Minato, and now Saul. They all left me and now I'm completely alone,' she thought, crying. She weaved through the trees to a separate section of Ohara's coast 'They are all dead, even the Ohara people.'
She stopped in her tracks as Kuzan stood in her way.
"Sometimes the idea of justice can be flimsy and unidentified," he said, folding his arms. "It allows us to justify our terrible deeds, it gives us purpose for a greater world but at the end of the day. No one has the same definition of justice."
The man stepped aside, revealing the raft and a lane created by ice which stretched as far as Robin could see. "I'm no hero or savior but I am allowing you to live so I can witness the seed planted by Saul. Do not rely on my sense of justice in the future, I may not be so kind to you, so you will sail these seas with no allies. You are justified in hating me or desiring revenge. Keep sailing straight and you will find an island."
"I don't care about any of that! My mother is still on the island, help her."
"No one can be saved." He turned his back toward her. "You will be the sole survivor of the Ohara, it is up to you to decide what that means for your future. Live or die, I don't care."
Robin climbed onto the raft as the burning heat from the island became too overbearing. The raft floated down the crafted lane by ice as she watched the Tree of Knowledge burn to the ground. All of those books and historical artifacts are gone forever. The archeologists, her mother, Minato locked in his cage, and her hometown, will be reduced to ash.
She hugged her knees as the tears poured out.
In the back of her mind, Robin remembered Saul's advice. 'Laugh when you're hurting!'
"Dereshi," She choked due to the overwhelming emotions. "Dereshi shi shi."
Robin laughed, clutching tighter. "Dere shi shi."
She cried, floating alone to a future filled with pain and betrayal, leaving behind the burning ashe Ohara. Robin gave her most ridiculous laugh with a face full of tears. "Dereshi shi shi."
—Present Day…
"The Buster Call will kill everyone on this island," Robin announced, facing toward the Straw hats. "The same attack that destroyed my hometown will be aimed directly at my friends whom I finally found on the seas."
She took a deep breath. "The more I wish to be with you all, the greater risk I bring. No matter how far or fast I try to run, they will always find me and kill anyone who tries to involve themselves with me! We've already been attacked by Aokiji! I am a terrible curse to take along with you all! My enemies are this world and its desire to conceal its atrocities."
'I will always be a burden.'
"WAH HA HA! You're absolutely right, Nico Robin," Spandam pointed to the sky. He pointed at a white flag. A symbol of the World Government. "Look at that symbol, pirates! It represents the unity of one hundred and seventy nations allied across the four seas and Grand Line. It represents the whole world!"
Luffy's gaze fixated on the flag. "I understand."
Spandam nodded, folding his arms. "The World Government is fearsome and if you chose to run away now, I understand."
"Sogeking, shoot down that flag," ordered Luffy.
"Roger." Sogeking aimed his weapon. "SPECIAL ATTACK: FIREBIRD STAR!"
The flag which represented the strength of the whole world burned.
'No!' Robin exclaimed as the flag's cinders blew in the wind.
"These pirates have made a declaration of war on the world government! Are you crazy! Do you think you can defy and withstand the united power of the world?! You would go to war over this wretched woman who will eventually destroy this world! The whole world is your enemy now!!"
"BRING IT ON!!!" Luffy's face tensed with anger as his fists clenched ready to punch the world. "Robin!! We still haven't heard you say it! Say that you want to live!"
Luffy's words penetrated Robin's soul as she felt a sharp stab in her heart.
'Live? Am I allowed to live? Everywhere I went, they wished death upon me. They cursed my existence, praying for my death or selling my whereabouts to the world government for profit. I was hunted, betrayed, and alone for most of my life. I didn't think it was possible to wish for something like that. No one allowed me to believe I was worthy of life.'
Then Robin remembered Saul's parting words. "Across the vast sea, you will find friends Robin. Nobody is born in this world to be alone."
'Is it really okay for me to make this wish?' Robin questioned herself.
She remembered her mother's burning wish. To live.
"Take me with you!!" Robin screamed from the bottom of her heart. "I WANT TO LIVE!!"