"Oh my…"
Robin had to dispel an eye on the courtyard wall before the very powerful and infamous pirates noticed it, her negotiations with the famed "Pirate Hunter" was cut short.
Crocodile had given her a mission: trying to hire the so-called 'evil pirate hunter.'
Although if she had to be honest with herself, this was more of an early vacation than anything, and they both knew it. Crocodile himself wasn't oblivious to the "vacation" he had given her, but he didn't really seem to care. Her big part was coming up, and Crocodile was trying to ensure she was loyal to his cause. She wasn't necessary yet, so he didn't mind her goofing around somewhere else.
Regardless of his real reasons, she had her mission of recruiting Zoro. According to Crocodile, the reason was because the other Baroque Works agents that tried to recruit him failed spectacularly and got cut down; either because they pissed him off, or attacked him when he disagreed, or some other unimportant reason.
Since those useless ingrates couldn't handle such a simple operation, he chose to give it to one of his best agents instead. With her devil fruit, subduing Roronoa Zoro would be a piece of cake, in case he decides to attack her too.
Truthfully speaking... Robin was beyond exhausted. Tracking this man down was the hardest thing she's ever had to do in her twenty eight years of living, which is saying something considering how the world itself is after her for merely existing.
It would've been easier if she could track him down before he was tied up in a marine courtyard. But he had even evaded her efficiently, his movement patterns were impossible to track, much less guess. It was erratic, spontaneous and borderline stupid.
Robin kept bouncing from Island-to-island in the East Blue, trying to find the moss haired swordsman, but to no avail. Truthfully, Robin almost pulled out her hair in frustration because of how long she's been tracking him (trying to).
What kind of legendary navigation skills did this man even have ? If he were an enemy, he'd be a huge threat just based on unpredictability alone.
And sometimes, his bizarre movements just... Didn't make any sense at all. Sometimes she tracks him down and pinpoint his location to a single area and suddenly, he vanishes without trace. Next thing she knows, he's on a different island; which makes no sense since he seemingly didn't take any boat or try to leave the island.
Does he have some kind of transportation devil fruit ? Can he teleport ? Is that why she can't track him down at all ?
At this point, Robin was honestly willing to believe that more than whatever the real reason may be.
Currently, she's a little happy. Because she can finally negotiate with the pirate hunter, properly. Given his movement patterns, this might be the only chance she'll ever get and she's willing to use every single day to her advantage to try and get him on their side.
Until she noticed the terrifying pirate approaching, which immediately made her try to hide herself.
"So this is what Crocodile was talking about..." Robin whispered, her voice so small that it was weird to hear from the likes of her.
Before she set off on her mission, Crocodile informed her about something that made her skin crawl. What should have been a regular recruitment mission might turn out to be a lot more difficult than she imagined. After all, she had learnt on that day that a very powerful pirate was going to present himself in the East Blue.
Baroque Works had an extensive network of information, and through it, she was able to learn of the sudden arrival of an emperor's commander and the daughter of an emperor.
With whatever little intel they could gather, they realised that Straw Hat had left the Red-Hair Pirates. And he was not alone; Shanks' daughter, Uta, was also with him. Crocodile warned her that during her mission, she may end up crossing paths with them. In which case, naturally, she must prioritize survival over anything stupid.
After all, Crocodile needed her alive to ensure the success of his plan. Whatever happened to her after that, he cares not. But as of right now, he'd prefer it if Robin didn't go out of her way to kill herself.
'Straw Hat' Luffy
Wanted: 1,565,663,000 Berries
Compared to her measly eighty million berries, this man's bounty was colossal! Not a person she wanted to make an enemy of.
And Uta herself didn't have a low bounty either.
Uta had a bounty of 246,000,000 berries, which was not a small number in the least! Being the daughter of an Emperor of the Sea gave her a lot of infamy.
Unfortunately, that little stunt she and Luffy pulled in Totto Land got covered up by Luffy's victory over Katakuri and him attacking Big Mom. Due to this, her bounty never increased otherwise it might have rivaled someone like 'Fire Fist' Ace.
But still... Crocodiles next words loomed over her head.
— If possible, try to recruit them into Baroque Works. If they refuse, turn around and leave them alone.
Robin could not listen to their conversation from where she was standing. She could do it with her devil fruit, but she wouldn't dare take such a risk. She didn't want to provoke such a powerful figure, not even by accident.
She stayed in her hiding spot, observing the situation from afar as to not be noticed. She watched the straw-hatted man vault over the wall and talk to Zoro casually, smiling and teasing him. She couldn't hear him, but she could tell what his intentions were. He was clearly here to recruit Zoro.
Was he starting a crew of his own, she wondered ?
If that's true, then her mission will fail, without a shadow of a doubt. There's nothing she can offer to make Baroque Works sound like a better option.
She knew nothing at all about the man, but she could tell at a glance that he was a charismatic fellow. If he does come to Alabasta, then Zoro would come with him. But at the same time, she didn't think he'd accept any deal she offers him.
Why would he bother with her request ?
Regardless of his reasons for splitting from "Red Hair", he still pledged himself to an emperor at one point. He wouldn't lower himself to anything or anyone less. She didn't believe for a second that he'd join their cause.
— But... Crocodile would certainly be no match for him...
That thought lingered in her brain.
Straw Hat would destroy Crocodile in a fight; he'd be able to save Alabasta very easily. A man of his status would not struggle, not even against a fearsome warlord like Crocodile.
She's read about Luffy's unpredictably audacious and stupid behaviour.
Facing a navy admiral head-on...
Punching the emperor, Big Mom, in the face...
Defeating the undefeated son of Big Mom, Katakuri — her strongest subordinate...
...attacking and killing a Celestial Dragon!!!
That right there, is a man that is not afraid of the world. Fearless, audacious, and borderline stupid, but inspiring nonetheless.
Robin realised long ago that the world was cruel towards the weak and insignificant. And it was cruel to the weak and famous. Weaklings suffered in this world, and she knew how it felt first hand.
A lot of people were going to die in Alabasta. Deaths that Crocodile will indiscriminately cause. Deaths that she will contribute to.
It pains her to cause so much suffering, but for her goal, she's willing to do it... No matter how much she hates it.
She felt bad. She had to bury her compassionate side deep within herself.
She couldn't afford to be compassionate, not in a world like this. She'd learned that much in her long years as a fugitive. She didn't have the strength nor the courage to be compassionate.
Right now, she had to devise a way to get into the good graces of the man who promised to change the world and liberate everyone; by becoming the Free-est Man Alive!
Crocodile didn't care about her, nor did she for him. Their alliance was merely transactional. He helps her find the poneglyph, and she helps him in his evil scheme.
And right now, she was tempted to abandon the mission in Alabasta.
If she could just get him — Straw Hat Luffy — on her side... If she could get his protection... even if only temporarily.
This man killed a Celestial Dragon; he essentially declared war on the World Government.
He'll probably betray her after discovering her real identity... But at this point, Robin no longer cares. As long as she can uncover as much of the forgotten history of the world as possible, she doesn't care.
Because Robin didn't have any hopes for herself, or for the world.
This was a huge gamble...
But it's a risk she's willing to take!
— She didn't realise it then; but this was without a shred of doubt the best decision she'd ever made in her life.
•••
— Only 9 days left...
Zoro, tied to that cross, grumbled and frowned. He didn't enjoy any of what he did, but he was a man of his word; he would stay here tied up for as long as needed!
That annoying arm with a mouth on it suddenly disappeared, making him shake his head.
He must be hallucinating.
Was he really at his limit here ? Was he incapable of even overcoming this ?
For a few days now, a beautiful female voice has been talking to him, trying to persuade him into joining them, promising freedom in exchange. Zoro was already creeped out as it is, seeing a sentient hand pop out of the cross he was on and talking to him through a mouth.
Zoro wondered if the cross was haunted.
Of course, Zoro refused. He didn't want any help, and he didn't want to join anyone. And definitely not a disembodied hand with a mouth on it. Who knows what kind of crackheads are tailing him.
He's not making a deal with a devil.
So, he instead opted to believe everything he saw and heard was just a hallucination. His own mind playing tricks on him because of starvation and dehydration.
He noticed an audience looking at him from behind the wall, making him sigh.
"Hey you, did you see that too ?"
— The hallucination disappeared after they appeared. Was it because my mind became clearer ?
The man blinked and smiled in return. "See what ?"
Uta saw the hand, and she's certain Luffy saw it too. Hell, Luffy already knows exactly where Nico Robin is "hiding" from them. But Luffy's an idiot and doesn't know what Zoro is even talking about.
Zoro, not in the mood for any of this, grumbled and shook his head. "Whatever, get the hell outta here, kid. I'm not some exhibit!"
"Huh ? What did you say ?" Luffy asked childishly, cocking his head to the side.
"I said scram you brats! Get lost if you don't want to get hurt!" With the way he was speaking, anyone would assume he was threatening them.
"Then come over here and make me!" The boy started taunting him back before Koby started yelling at him and blabbering about how dangerous this whole thing is for them (for himself).
"Hahahahahahaha! You're real funny, you know that Koby!" Luffy didn't take a single thing seriously, making Zoro cock and eyebrow at him.
Did life get rid of one crackhead (the disembodied arm) and give him another in the form of a straw-hatted man.
— The answer was "Yes", but he didn't know that yet.
"Maaan." Luffy whined, "you sure, this doesn't match what you said Koby, he doesn't even have horns like you said he would."
"I don't remember ever saying that." Koby deadpanned.
"And those knots look weak as hell, I could break out of it without haki!"
"You think you're real funny, don'tcha?! Leave before you get shot!" Zoro yelled at him, this time his face morphed into an angry visage.
Uta blinked and looked back at the cross, which was the only thing in the courtyard.
"Are they starving him there...?" Uta wondered.
"He must have done something horrible to get hung up like that!" Koby stated, still confident that Zoro was a demon that killed without mercy.
"Nobody deserves a punishment like that, Koby. I don't care what he did." Uta added, before looking at Luffy for his opinion.
"Let's bust him out!" Luffy declared, standing on top of the wall and smiling at the man.
"Yeah, let's go!" Uta cheered, stars in her eyes as she followed her captain and vaulted over the wall keeping them out.
Koby was in the background screaming.
Zoro stared at the approaching duo and wondered if they'd gone mad.
"Wanna join my crew ?" Luffy enquired, making Zoro stare at him incredulously.
"Huh ? Your crew ?"
"Yeah, my pirate crew. I'm looking for people to join me on my journey." Luffy nonchalantly answered.
"Hell no! I don't plan on becoming a pirate "
"Whaaaat ? Why not?! Being a pirate is fun!" Luffy whined and pouted, making Zoro stare at his crackhead like he had some screws loose.
— That he did.
"What's so wrong with being a pirate ?"
"Huh ? Are you really asking me that ? Pirates are despicable! Do I really need to say anything else ?" Zoro answered the question rhetorically, as if it were an obvious thing.
''He's got a point'' Both of them thought — both being experienced pirates, are aware of how despicable pirates can be at times.
Luffy understood. He just didn't care.
"Oh, come on. You're already known as an evil bounty hunter. So why not just join us ?" Luffy argued, his smile never left his face.
"I don't care what they say. I've never done anything I've regretted. I'll overcome this by myself and achieve my goal. Just watch me!" He gave them a big smile, which only made the two pirates smile even more.
"Oh yeah ? And what is your dream ?"
"My dream ? Heh... I'm gonna to be, the world's strongest swordsman!"
"Oh ? Quite a challenging dream you have there. That means you'll have to defeat the current strongest swordsman — Dracule "Hawkeye" Mihawk. Do you think you can do that ?" Uta spoke, dropping Mihawks name, which elicited a reaction from Zoro.
"Hawkeye... Yeah, that's the one. That's the man I'm going to surpass!" He declared proudly, not a shred of doubt in his mind.
"That's a tall tree you're trying to climb. Are you sure you can do that ?"
"Doesn't matter what I think. I'll definitely become the world's strongest swordsman, or die trying." His conviction made Luffy grin even more than he already was, Uta also grinned widely.
He would fit in perfectly!
"I see... Well, it doesn't really matter. I've already decided to have you on my crew!" Luffy nonchalantly told him, making Zoro yell at him angrily.
"Don't go deciding that yourself!"
"The world's strongest swordsman should be a part of the pirate king's crew, right ?" Luffy enquired, totally sure about his decision.
"Huh ?" Zoro raised an eyebrow and looked at the man with amusement in his eyes. "King of the Pirates ?"
"Yeah. I'll be king, and become the free-est person alive."
"No idea what that last part means, but you really think you can be King of the Pirates ?"
"Yeah! I definitely will, and I'll have you with me!"
"I still haven't agreed to join you!" Zoro yelled at him again.
"Anywho, let's get you out of here. You look like you're starving." Uta said, approaching the cross to untie the knots.
But she never got to it, Zoro stopped her.
"Don't you dare! There's only nine days left! I'll stay right here and show my mettle to that crying prim bastard." Zoro stared at both of them, grinning eye to eye. At a glance, they could tell how much weaker he'd gotten after starving, but his willpower was inspiring.
"Woah! Wait, this was self-imposed?!" Uta questioned, looking at the grinning face of the swordsman. Seeing his face, she could already tell the answer. "That is so cool! And so mettle!"
"I cut a deal with the scum running this base; if I survive this last week without water or food, I get to go free." he explained, rolling his neck by the end, a satisfying crack echoing out as he popped a joint from where he was.
"You think they're going to hold their end?" Uta asked, and the man next to her nodded eagerly.
"If they are bastards like you said they were, why would you believe what they say they'll do ?" Luffy asked in a tone that made it sound obvious.
Zoro blinked.
"Well, they're marines. What are they gonna do ? Execute a bounty hunter for no reason ? Even if they are scum, I don't think they'll stoop that low."
"They might."
"Excuse me, are you two friends with Zoro ?" A voice called out to them, making both of them turn around and look down at the little girl that had just approached them.
"The hell are you doing here brat?! Get out of here if you don't wanna get hurt!" Zoro yelled at her the same way he yelled at Luffy and Uta earlier.
"Yeah! He's gonna join my crew!"
Luffy completely ignored Zoro and told Rika that he was a part of his pirate crew, which made Zoro's anger flare up even more.
"OI!"
"Why are you here, kid ? I don't think it's safe for you here." Uta suddenly spoke up, even kneeling down to her level while talking.
"I'm here to give him this!" She took out some onigiri's and smiled at Zoro. "I made them myself! I even added sugar to make them sweet for you!"
"What?! Don't make me laugh! I'm not eating that! Leave before I actually kick your ass, girl!"
"B-but..."
"Now, now Zoro. Don't be rude..." Uta lectures and patted the girl's head.
"What's your relationship with Zoro anyway ?"
"He's my saviour! Helmeppo let his wolves loose in mama's tavern, and it tried to eat me. He killed it to save me, but Helmeppo threatened him using us and now, he's been crucified for three weeks. He's not a bad guy!" Rika explained the situation, making the two pirates look back at Zoro. The moss haired swordsman in question clicked his tongue and looked away from them.
"Who's Helmeppo ?"
"He's the son of Captain Morgan!"
"Luffy! Uta!" Koby called out to them, running down the field.
Koby had been listening to their conversation, he could hear them from behind the wall. He had a gist of what was happening around him.
"The Marines are coming!" He warned them, before hiding near them to make himself seem small.
"What with all the commotion, Roronoa ?"
Zoro's expression gave way to a far more irritated one as the nasally smug voice of Helmeppo made himself known.
"And here I thought we had an agreement, or are you perhaps, are you throwing in the towel ?"
"As if." Zoro growled, glaring at the man. "Only a week left, idiot son of Morgan."
"Oh, yeah ? Then who are these two ?"
"I'm his captain." Luffy declared, making Zoro scream at him.
"NO YOU'RE NOT!"
"Captain ? You're gonna be an actual criminal now, Zoro ?"
"I TOLD YOU ALREADY, I'M NOT JOINING YOU!"
"Why not?!!"
"I already told you, I refuse to be the scum of the seas!"
"You really don't know what it means to be a pirate, do you ?" Luffy stated, before grinning eye to eye. "Don't worry, I'll teach you!"
"Break a leg." Zoro spat.
"Can't do that; physically can't."
"Well, ignoring their chatter... I don't know if you guys are aware, but anyone that tries to help a criminal will also be seen as an enemy of the navy. In other words, you'll be executed." Helmeppo said in a threatening way, clearly trying to scare them.
Didn't work out that well.
"Sure, you can try if you want "
"Just know that you're about to get jumped by both of us!" Uta declared, cracking a knuckle.
"Don't you dare lay your hand on me! I'll have all of you executed for this!" Even the kid!" That last part, naturally, prompted a reaction from both of them.
"But, of course; I wouldn't mind generously sparing you all of you, my fine lady, are willing to go out wit—"
SMACK!
Helmeppo got laid out.
Not by Uta, but by Luffy.
"She's taken."
Uta blinked, not really expecting Luffy to do that when she made it so clear that she wanted to punch him herself.
"Luffy!" Uta pouted, making him giggle in response.
"Sorry, 'bout that Uta. I couldn't help myself!" Luffy laughed while folding his arms above his head. "Let's go attack this marine base. You can go fight the captain, if you want."
"Wait, what ?"
"Are you guys crazy?!"