I was reading a book, a book I've already memorised and could recite from heart while sitting underneath a tree on an island I'd made my home over 21 years ago. It's an island found deep within the calm belt filled with nothing but wild animals and peace. I don't mind it as I've always preferred it over everything but, sometime the silence is too loud.
I've spent years with Luffy and had gotten used to finding peace in his loudness but now, being back in actual peace breaks my heart because I know I'll never hear his voice or laugh again.
Our crews deaths broke us in ways that can't be out into words . We tried to stick together but, without our irresponsible captain and all those who'd fallen, there was no point. With all things considered, there's honestly a small part of me that's glad they passed after we all succeed in reaching our individual dreams though. We found the 'one piece' and it was an unexpected yet splendid discovery but, that's a story for another day.
Luffy met and fought Shanks before handing over the straw hat back only to take it back since we were, after all, the StrawHat pirates.
Zoro defeated Dracule Mihawk becoming the strongest swordsman in the world and is now Mikawk's drinking buddy.
Nami drew her world map and sold incomplete copies for billions each.
Ussop became the bravest warrior of the sea with 100 million fans instead of soldiers.
Sanji found the All Blue and wrote a book about it.
Chopper became the greatest doctor in the world creating new medicine in the form of rumble balls.
I found the real history on the 100 year void century on LaughTale.
Franky's dream to build a ship that would reach Laugh Tale came true.
Brook met Laboon, and Jinbe dream for peaceful coexistence between humans and fishmen finally happened, or is still happening but, now fishmen island rests on the surface in the New World.
But then what?
I still, to this day, 21 years later wonder if it was all worth it. We were supposed to be travelling the world again, starting from the west blue and restarting our journey without following the log pose or campus... yes, it was Luffy's idea.
We had only just reached the the island located right before we'd reach the location of where my home island use to be when we were ambushed by the marines. Sea stone bullets were fired at us and I couldn't be of any help to anyone when that happened.
Jinbe drove us out of there and by the time we were safe, Luffy had lost too much blood. He, like the rest of us, thought they were normal bullets so he didn't dodge until it was too late. It's like they knew exactly who to attack and how aiming for vital points to insure accuracy.
Zoro and Sanji weren't near Luffy at that time and even with all his haki, he still got shot. Chopper removed the bullet and stopped the bleeding yes but, he was also nervous on the rocky ship knowing Luffy will require surgery to seal his internal injuries. The rest couldn't help as they were still fighting off the marines that kept following us and by the time they we got away, I think it was inevitable.
Just after removing all the bullet, Vivi appeared on our ship, out of plain air, smiling sweetly at us but, something about her smile had Zoro and I on guard. We were right, Vivi attacked us at our weakest releasing such great power that I wondered why she didn't use it when Crocodile took over Arabasta.
Luffy fought her but, he was weaker and weakened just a few moments ago. I watched my captain being defeated by someone he'd once called a friend and couldn't do anything as he forbid any of us from interfering. He couldn't even use that white form of his before he collapsed making us think he'd just temporarily lost consciousness and would get back up like always.
Vivi went on to tell us the truth behind Luffy's devil fruit and I was shocked. I remember Vegapunk speaking of it and read about it on our journey but hearing the unfiltered truth behind its origins shocked me beyond words but, in the midst of this new discovery, we saw it.
The devil fruit in her hand, Luffy's devil fruit in her hand. If you know anything about devil fruits then you'd know there's only one way to extract it directly from someone's body, that person would have to be dead.
(a/n: I'm aware of how devil fruits appear somewhere else once the user is killed but, close you eyes and pretend this happened)
I blacked out after that.
I don't know who moved first, I don't even remember who was fighting, me or the devil inside me but, I attacked her, we all did. I saw her smile as we took turns attacking but, we were the only ones who kept getting injured. Not a single one of our attack landed, not a single scratch made it on her body, there was not a single flicker that showed she was fighting us at the same level she was fighting our captain.
We were defeated because we were far too weak and forgot that there are far greater forces than marine admirals. I saw it all happen, and every time I close my eyes I can still see it, hear it, smell it, feel it. I remember not being able to convey a single emotion on that day when everything happened.
I couldn't cry as Ussop was killed. I couldn't cry when Jinbe, Nami and Chopper were beheaded. I couldn't cry when Brooks soul was extinguished from his skeleton body. I couldn't cry as Franky was dismantled, crashed and destroyed into bloody rubble. I couldn't even cry when Zoro's left foot got cut off along with mine and he was knocked unconscious.
"Ara, the King Of Hell, Roronoa Zoro. I heard a rumour that the greatest shame to a swordsman are scars on their backs" Vivi said making me leap forward to cover Zoro's back with my body as he laid unmoving on the deck but, it turns out Sanji was thinking the same thing. He took the brunt of the attack while I got a minimal scar
"What a beautiful crew you are"
"W-Why are y-you doing this Vivi?" I asked her weakly
"Vivi? Ah yes, your crew knows this being as Princess Nefertari Vivi and they aren't wrong but, I'm far greater than that"
"Who are you?" I asked making this thing smirk at me and lift my head up by my chin
"I'll grant you along with those two mercy but, Demon Child Nico Robin, let's not meet again" it said walking away with my captains fruit
"Who are you?!"
"Mmh? You might die from all that noise you know but, I'll humor you, call me Nerona Imu, your worst nightmare"
…
I could help sighing as I recalled the past.
21 years, that's how long it's been since I've seen both Zoro and Sanji. After Imu let us live, I was the only one who could take care of us. I, painfully, had to stitch my leg up myself then use a make shift crutch to move around after being unconscious for a few days.
Getting their bodies to the doctor's bay was hard but I did it and got to working on them. I washed their bodies clean of blood before stitching their wounds as best as I could. I had to play the waiting game as Sanji's cut on his chest was rather large but it seemed to be healing on its own. I guess that Gema thing he went through did come in handy but, I'm unsure about his missing hand. I don't know how I only noticed it was missing when I was cleaning them up but, it's in the past I guess.
After patching them up, I began carefully wrapping up my frie-, my families bodies. I didn't know I was crying until I sniffled but I didn't stop. Their bodies were far too damaged to ever give back to their families so, I gathered up their belongings. Luffy's strawhat, Nami's baton, Ussop's slingshot, Choppers bag, Brooks cane, Jinbe's kimono and for Franky I wanted to remove the Thousand Sunny's figurehead.
I waited till my foot was somewhat healed and cleaned the ship for a month before Sanji finally gained consciousness. I didn't know what to say to him. I was never really good with human emotions and I believe he felt the same as he also said nothing. I informed him to wait for Zoro to wake up and that I'd be delivering our crew members belongings to their families. He protested saying he'd come with me but, I asked him who would protect Zoro while he's unconscious. Only when I asked him if he believed Zoro would prefer seeing me over him when he wakes up did he relent.
I took the submarine and decided to start with fish man island then work my way back to the east blue. Every tear stricken grievance and insult I got from each family may have hurt but, I knew it had to be done. I would rather they heard it from me than from the news. It took me two months to make my rounds and I returned back to where our ship was. I said nothing to either one of them, only telling them that Luffy's home town was the one place I don't think I can go to, yes, I went to the east blue and turned back to the west.
Zoro suggested we move the ship somewhere else and say goodbye. We knew what he meant, burn the ship with the bodies. We were sailing the ship toward the calm belt when Garp found us. He didn't say anything as he watched us. Zoro threw Luffy's hat to him and he caught it before looking at us all individually. I felt small and weak when his eyes landed on our missing limbs but he said nothing, just letting us pass.
We stayed together for four more months after saying farewell to the ship then they left using the mini merry. 21 years is a long time and I sometime wish I would have gone with them but, I didn't and I've accepted that fact.
"..."
"Who sent you?" I asked as I couldn't help the fear that took over my body as a random woman appeared out of nowhere and is somehow sitting next to me.
"You aren't an easy woman to find gorgeous"
"...how'd you find me?"
"Long story, took me a year to do so actually"
"Who are you?"
"Amatey D Sheikh, someone who's about to change your world"
"I don't need it"
"You didn't even hear me out"
"I'm just an old woman living out the rest of her life in peace, what part of my world would you be changing?"
"Say yes and I'll tell you"
*sighs and puts book down*
"What do you want?"
"You"
"For what purpose?"
"To join my harem"
"..."
"That sounded way cooler in my head"
"You do realise I'm old enough to be your mother, yes?"
"And?"
"Go back to where you came from"
"Why go there when you're here?"
"Listen-"
"I can make you young again"
"...what?"
•
•
•
𝕊𝕙𝕖𝕚𝕜𝕙
"I can make you young again. Make you ambitious, adventurous and curious. I'm not trying to be your captain, I'm not interested in being an all that great but, I am interested in you...and other people"
"Other people?" Robin asked
"Sanji and Zoro, along with two other idiots you might hate. Anyway, I want them in my harem too" I said seriously but she just stared at me before laughing
"I'm serious Robin" I said pouting as she continues to laugh
"I see, my apologies, uh good luck with that" she said smiling at me
"I know you know where they are but, I won't force you to give me that information so I instead, I'd like to make a deal with you" I said making her raise and eyebrow
"What kind of deal?"
"A deal where I fulfil something you desire most and you tell me where I can find the duo since you're not interested in coming with me" I said making her stare at me. Her sharp eyes had me swallowing hard as I looked away with red cheeks.
Even at this age Robin is still fucken beautiful.
"Do you know anyone named Nerona Imu?"
"Imu! That bitch is still alive?" I asked making her eyes widen
"You know them?" Robin asked
"Well, not necessarily, I know of them"
"H-How do you know this?"
"Oh, I'm from another world"