One Piece Fan Fiction ❯ Nest Egg ❯ Plea ( Chapter 12 )

     Nami and Chopper were hiding in a small batch of trees near the harbor, a safe distance from the fighting at the docks. Chopper and Sanji had brought Kohato here after their rescue. Sanji had gone back to join the fight, but Chopper remained to care for the child. Nami lent her aid to that task, as she wasn’t suited for battle. Instead, she helped keep the little girl comfortable, helping Chopper change into some dry clothing and using some using blankets and towels to create a comfortable place to sleep off her illness until she could be moved.

     From their little hideaway, the two had a good view of the front of the navy ship moored in the harbor. Nami couldn’t take her eyes away from the boat when she saw Robin and the man she could only assume was Owlshiki appear. Nami watched as the two talked, the man seemed to grow more and more agitated as Robin spoke. Finally, he started running at Robin, who didn’t notice until it was too late. Nami could only watch as Robin was pushed off of the boat and began falling into the sea below.

     “Robin!” Nami cried out, she turned to Chopper, “I gotta go, stay here with Kohato!”

     Without waiting for Chopper to reply, Nami pulled off her sandals and jumped into the water. She swam as fast as she could, hoping to get to Robin before she sank too deep into the water. Fortunately, Nami was a strong swimmer, and having three people with Devil Fruit powers only ensured Nami kept in practice as much as possible. Unfortunately, for all Nami’s speed, the ship Robin had fallen from was far enough away that Nami estimated she wouldn’t reach Robin for at least half a minute. Even if she covered the distance, the depth was another matter. Being nighttime, Nami couldn’t accurately judge the depth of the harbor. It might not be a problem, however if the water was so deep that Nami couldn’t swim far enough down, Robin was as good as dead.

     When Nami closed in on the boat, she dove down and began searching. To her relief, the harbor didn’t look deep enough that Nami would have trouble. Now the only problem that remained was actually locating Robin. No easy task considering her only light source was moonlight on the water. However, it was just enough, as Nami saw a glint out of the corner of her eye.

     She turned her head and saw, to her amazement, Robin hanging onto the support beam of a dock. Closer inspection left Nami even more amazed. Robin wasn’t hanging onto the beam, she was hanging from it. The bracelet on Robin’s wrist, the bracelet Nami had given her at Robin’s departure, had managed to catch on a loose nail in the beam. It was just enough to keep Robin from sinking into the depths of the ocean, just enough that Nami could finish the job of saving her friend and crewmate.

     Nami swam down to Robin and wrapped the woman’s free arm around her shoulders. She saw Robin, lift her head to look at Nami. Nami managed the best smile she could while holding her breath and, after removing Robin’s other arm from the beam, began swimming to the surface. She heard Robin take a deep breath upon their breaking the surface. Seeing they were close to the Navy ship, Nami swam close to it as possible, so that someone looking down would (hopefully) not see them.

     “Robin, we- what?!”

     Nami had been about to tell Robin that she’d help Robin to shore, but it seemed the woman had other plans. Above Nami’s head, from the bow of the ship, arms began to appear. Robin grabbed onto them and pulled herself up out of the water. Another hand appeared out of the ship’s frame and removed the bracelet on Robin’s wrist. That same hand next gave the bracelet to Nami.

     “Thank you Miss Navigator.” Robin told Nami, “It turned out quite useful.”

     “Robin?” Nami asked, looking up at her crewmate as she put her bracelet on.

     “I have something to attend to. Please watch Kohato for a few moments longer.”

     “Robin! Wait! What are you going to do?!”

     “End this.” Robin answered, ominously.

     A series of hands appeared above Robin in two columns. Robin climbed up, taking each hand with her own and setting her feet in others, almost like a human ladder. Nami could only watch as Robin climbed up, dripping wet, boarded the ship to finish with the Akumanominologist.

     Nami couldn’t help but pity the poor bastard.

     Owlshiki stood, frozen in place, staring at the place where Nico Robin had only moments ago been standing. His own actions surprised him considerably. He had never seriously thought he’d be able to stand up to Nico Robin, but here he was, alive because in a moment of raw fury he’d done just that. The woman had been sent off the boat and into the sea. A death sentence for one who’s eaten the Devil Fruit. He was about to turn around and leave the boat, to try and figure out something to do with the other Straw Hat pirates who had defeated the navy men aboard. But before he could even consider whether threats, bribery, or some other method were the way to go he heard a thumping noise behind him. What Owlshiki saw when he turned around shocked him so much he couldn’t even manage a scream.

     Nico Robin stood before him, soaking wet, and very much alive.

     “Seis Flor!” she called out. Suddenly he felt hands gripping at his ankles, wrists, and neck. Nico Robin herself held her hand in front of her, palm out.

     “Clutch!!” the woman cried as she pushed her open palm forward. Owlshiki yelled in pain as he was suddenly bent over backwards by the arms hanging onto his body. He was held tightly in place as Robin walked over to him. She stood so close to him that he could feel drops of water dripping onto him. He also saw drops of something yellow, looking up at the woman, he saw the hair dye she wore to make herself blonde had been partially washed out in the salt water. But what truly grabbed his attention were her eyes. Nico Robin was very angry.

     “Now, you will die, Professor.” she said. She didn’t yell or scream, she simply said it. Like it was nothing serious, just a simple fact. Held in his prone position, Owlshiki couldn’t do anything but watch as Robin picked up a sword lying on the deck. A weapon discarded by a Marine during the earlier fighting. Owlshiki’s eyes went wide as Nico Robin held the sword, point-down, directly over his stomach.

     “W-Wait!! I beg of you!!”

     “You had your chance.” Robin told him.

     “I can help you! I can help Kohato!”

     “Really?” Robin asked, a thin, humorless smile on her face, “Pray tell, how can you help us?”

     “I know some of the high up officials in the navy! If you agree to help me with my research… I can convince them to give you amnesty!”

     “Amnesty?̶ 1; Robin asked.

     “Yes! I’m sure I could do it! Your bounty would be revoked! You’d be a free woman! You could be with your child!”

     “If I agreed to aid your research… with Kohato, I assume?”

     “You’ll have full control over what happens with her, I promise.”

     Nico Robin only laughed.

     “I’m afraid, Professor, that I must refuse your offer.” she raised the sword.

     “What?! But-”

     “But nothing, Professor. I don’t believe you could really give what you’re offering. Even if you could, I would refuse! Because you could never guarantee her safety. I’ve made many enemies, Professor. Even if you guarded us all the time, all it would take is one slip by our protectors. One enemy crafty enough to get close. Or even one Navyman who decides he doesn’t wish to guard a once wanted criminal.

     “Even if you could keep her safe, what kind of life would she lead? Protected by armed troops all day, every day. Used as a subject in experiments. Living with a woman she met only days ago. Aware that there are people who would kill her for no other reason than her relation to me…”

     “Your offer is tempting, Professor. But it contains a serious flaw. My only concerns are my daughter’s happiness and safety. The only way to ensure both is keep her as far away from me as possible! Away from anyone and anything that can connect her to me! And that, Professor, means you!”

     Owlshiki began to close his eyes and scream as Nico Robin brought the sword down. When, in the next few seconds there was no sudden pain in his stomach, he tentatively opened his eyes. Robin had stopped the sword barely an inch from his navel. He looked at the woman’s face, surprise obvious on its features. Owlshiki soon saw what was surprising when he looked at the weapon in Nico Robin’s hands.

     From the hilt of the sword, two tiny hands had appeared and grabbed onto Nico Robin’s wrists, staying her hand.

     In the hiding place arranged, Chopper watched as Kohato held her tiny hand out towards the boat. She was shaking, her eyes glazed over. Chopper was about to put Kohato’s arm back into the blankets on top of her when he heard Kohato speak.

     “Mother…“ said Adoyoshi Kohato, “Stop…”