Hancock glanced at me, then cupped her cheeks, going full swoon.
Uh-oh. Did the little romantic just imprint on me?
Gloriosa slipped between us like a bodyguard. "Time we were off. Karl, are you heading straight home?"
…Right. That's my cue.
"Yeah. I've been out too long. Oh—Hancock, these are for you." I handed her a small bundle. "Aili made them—salves that erase brands and scars."
"Thank you, Karl-nii! Thank you!" Hancock hugged the vials like treasures.
"Alright, I'm gone. Rayleigh—see you."
"Safe travels, kid."
I lifted off. As my silhouette shrank, Gloriosa eyed Hancock staring after me and sighed.
"Hahaha," Rayleigh said, "he's young, handsome, strong—girls are bound to—"
"Shut it, Rayleigh! Off the boat. Swim home." Gloriosa barked the order. He went over the side with a laugh and dog-paddled back toward Sabaody.
Next day, the world woke to wall-to-wall headlines:
Fisher Tiger scales the Red Line, frees a mass of Celestial Dragon slaves. Heinous criminal. Bounty: 230,000,000.
No mention of me or Rayleigh—cleanly erased. In the same breath, Tiger became both hero of Fishman Island and enemy of the World Government.
I skimmed a paper in a tavern on a small Grand Line island. Interesting pressure play, Government. My stomach growled. Priorities.
Predictably, a pipsqueak pirate crew decided the guy with the big appetite and bigger backpack must be loaded. Predictably, they all died. I left the captain's head as payment—five million in bounties covers a lot of stew.
"Sir, you killed my captain," a dark-skinned girl said, steady but wary. "I've nowhere to go. Take me with you?"
I looked up. "Nico Robin?"
"You're mistaken." She stiffened, turned to leave.
"I know where some Poneglyphs are."
Her steps stopped. Eyes locked on mine. Poor kid—if anyone in this world drew the short straw, it was Robin. Betrayal, hunting, no safe harbor since eight.
"Come with me," I said. "I won't hurt you."
We walked to the shore and sat. She stayed coiled, ready to bolt.
"I know your story, Robin. I'm not telling you locations today—though I do know them."
"Then why bring me here?"
"Because you're not ready. You're too weak to reach them and live."
"If no one helps me, I'll go anyway," she said, voice flat. "Even if it kills me."
I sighed. Everyone in this world is a stubborn dreamer. "You're fifteen, right? Train first. I can teach you real power—Haki, Rokushiki. Think it over."
She thought a long time. "What do I have to pay?"
"Nothing. Chalk it up to my soft heart. And no, I'm not a creep that preys on girls."
"Rude, I'm not a child," she muttered—and, well, she wasn't. "Fine. I'll go."
"Good. Clothes first, flight second. I'm Portgas D. Karl—just 'Karl' is fine."
We bought her a few sets, then headed to an empty stretch of beach.
"How are we leaving? There's no boat."
"Pardon the contact." I scooped her up and shot skyward on flame clouds. She squeaked, clinging tight.
"A warning would've been nice!" she scolded into my chest.
"Hahaha, details. Hold on—I'm accelerating."
Half a day later, we touched down atop Sacred Mountain on Tiger Roar Island. I showed her a room in the cliffside villa.
"This is home now. Come—I'll introduce your teacher."
We crossed to the lab. "Aili! I'm back!"
Clatter—then Aili sprinted out and crashed into me, eyes wet. "Karl-nii, finally! I thought you abandoned Aili. Five whole years!"
"I called with a den-den mushi…"
"Hmph—still five years! Let me hug!"
"An audience," I warned, laughing. "This is Nico Robin—yeah, that Robin. Robin, this is Aili, our doctor. A very good one."
"Nico Robin? The eight-year-old with a 79 million bounty you told me about?" Aili blinked.
"Same one. From today, she's family."
"Welcome home, Robin. No one will hurt you here," Aili said, taking her hand.
"Thank you… both." Tears slipped free.
"Anyone bullies you, tell Aili. She has poisons for every occasion."
"Hey! I have Haki now too, thank you very much!"
"Even better. Robin's yours—teach her Haki and Rokushiki."
"Leave it to me!"
"Then I'm in your care," Robin said with a small smile.
"Let's go say hi at the house. Where's your brother?" I asked.
"Helping Uncle Darron train the town guard in Haki. Not many users here, so he's busy."
"Got it. Home, then."
We reached the gate to the sound of wailing.
"I'm back! Why is An crying?"
"Waaah! Uncle! I missed you! Mommy hit me!" A tiny figure launched at me.
"Whoa there. You're safe. No more tears."
Rouge stalked in, fuming. "Don't shield her. She raided your room and ate a Devil Fruit. She's a baby, Karl—what if she couldn't control it?"
The kid scrunched tighter against me.
"Okay, okay—she's fine, sis. Which Fruit?"
"The one labeled Cool-Cool."
"Cool-Cool, huh? Not bad." I grinned. "It drops ambient temperature and flash-freezes the area. Master it and you can ice a sea. Funny—Ace is Fire, An is Cold. Those two are destined to bicker."
"Oh—and this is Nico Robin," I added. "She'll live with us."
"Poor child," Rouge said, taking Robin's hands. "From now on, we're your family."
"Thank you," Robin whispered, crying again.
"Alright, enough tears. Inside. Karl, cook," Rouge ordered.
Five years away and I'm still the chef. Figures.
"Coming. An, down you go—Uncle's making your favorite."
"Will Mommy hit me?"
"No. But no more random eating, especially Devil Fruits. A person can only eat one. Two and—boom."
"I don't want any more. It was disgusting," she shuddered.
"Hahaha. Good girl." I ruffled her hair and got to work.
That night, we feasted.
After showers, I shut my door and pulled out the Devil Fruit compendium, laying out the seven Fruits I'd lifted from Marie Geoise.
I flipped pages, matched swirls, and grinned.
Jackpot.
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