Robin lay on the cold stone floor, her body wracked with pain. Blood trickled down from a wound on her forehead. She thought the pain was worth it, as long as they didn't reach her, her friends, her sisters, and her love were safe. That was all that mattered.
Franky, nearby, glanced over at Robin. He had a defiant grin, he expanded his body, his mechanical parts shifting as his butt inflated to an enormous size.
Spandam, noticing the bizarre transformation, stared in confusion. "What are you doing, you freak?" he demanded.
Franky looked at him, a dangerous glint in his eye. "If I burst, this entire place would go up in flames. We'll all be blown sky-high," he warned.
Spandam's face drained of color, his arrogance giving way to panic. "What?! Are you insane?" he shouted.
As Spandam's mind raced, the building began to tremble violently. From across the room, the elite members of CP9, Lucci, Kaku, Kalifa, Blueno, Jabra, Kumadori, Fukurou, and Nero felt the unsettling vibrations. Blueno walked up to the window. His usually stoic expression shifted to one of shock as he saw the impossible sight before him.
"They're here," Blueno announced.
Spandam kicked Robin cruelly in the stomach before walking over to the window himself. He squinted into the distance, his eyes widening. The Love Pirates had arrived. He looked in the background, a colossal robot towered over.
"What… what is that?!" Spandam stammered.
Franky, seizing the moment and grabbed Robin by the legs. "Coup de Boo!" he shouted, releasing a massive burst of gas from his propulsion system. With a powerful blast, he launched himself and Robin through the air, smashing through the window and landing on the balcony outside.
"Made it," Franky laughed as he looked pleased with himself.
Robin, dazed and disoriented, looked up to see the Love Pirates standing tall. Her heart skipped a beat. No, why are you here? she thought in desperation. She had made her choice—left them to protect them. Why had they come?
Franky stood up, brushing himself off. He squinted at the figures on the roof. "Who are they?" he murmured. He then recalled a newspaper he had seen not long ago. His eyes locked onto two familiar faces: Iron Mace Alvida and Demon King Ben.
"Chief, Franky tricked us," a Marine shouted.
"What are you waiting for, get them or you will be hanged," Spandam said.
Lucci got up from his seat. His hands in his pocket as he walked towards the hole.
Meanwhile, on the roof, Robin looked down and her breath caught in her throat. There they were her crewmates, her sisters, her Captain. "Robin is there!" Vivi exclaimed, as she pointed toward their friend.
"Yes, we're so close now," Saphir added.
Kaya could see bruises and blood on Robin's face. "Robin is hurt," she said.
Ben's expression darkened. "They'll pay for what they've done to her," he vowed.
Robin's heart sank as she processed what she was seeing. Her eyes widened in disbelief. No... why are they here? she thought frantically. She had sacrificed so much to keep them safe.
Gathering what little strength she had left, Robin forced herself to her feet. "I've told you all before Vivi, Mikita, Maya, Conis, all of you!" she shouted down at them, her voice breaking under the strain. "I've left the crew! I'm not coming back!" she added.
She pressed on, knowing she had to drive them away, no matter how much it hurt. "Go back! I don't want to see your faces again... especially you, Ben!" Robin's voice faltered as she uttered his name, the pain in her chest almost unbearable.
"I just... I just want to die," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"What are you doing?" Franky shouted. "We need to move," he added.
At that moment, Kaku kicked Franky, sending him back. "You are in the way," Kaku commented.
"Kaku, did you do that to vent your rage for eating that fruit," Jabra said.
"Shut up, I do like my power," Kaku said as he hopped on the ledge.
"So this is our enemy," Jabra said.
Kumadori jumped on top. "Yoyoi he has come this far," he said.
Blueno looked down. "Iron Mace Alvida and Demon King Ben, they have made it far," he said.
Spandam walked over. "Hey Chief, should we eliminate her and her crew," Jabra remarked.
"Wait a second, a Captain that comes for her crew is impressive, lets see how this plays out," Spandam laughed.
Kalfia looked at Ben. There was something different about him for sure.
"You wanna die? Robin?" Ben yelled. He smiled. "Remember what I said," he added.
Robin thought. She remembered, she remembered it all. Ben saying he will protect her, fight the world government, fight the celestial dragons, it made her happy for a few seconds. "I don't," Robin said.
"Robin, we have come this far, we have fought everyone till here and we will fight anyone after this," Ben stated.
Robin was taken back. They are almost all here. At that moment, Marianne came flying through the sky and landed perfectly. "Marianne, are you okay?" Honey asked.
"Yes, I am, Pau Ra Pa gave me a little boost," Marianne replied.
Ben smiled. Robin thought now they all were here. Kaya, Alvida, Mikita, Honey, Nojiko, Vivi, Marianne, Zala, Saphir, Conis, Raki, Maya and Ben were here.
"Robin, I love you. You can say what you want when you are on this side. Besides, you are too precious to me, I will cherish you," Ben stated
"Two lovers," Spandam laughed.
Robin saw all their determined faces. She started to cry. She thought back to Ohara, her mum Nico Olivia, her friends and family. She thought how she was playing one day reading when they attacked, the Navy launched a Buster Call, they destroyed and killed everyone, she saw her mum die, a kind man named Saul tried to save her, tried to protect her and he died, she lost everyone that day, she had to run, she kept running, she begged for food and people would say no, she joined a criminal organization at 16, she was called all the names in the book, devil, traitor, she ran each time.
Spandam laughed again, "We have all the forces in the world including this Buster Call," Spandam said.
"That Buster Call you have no idea what it will do, it will kill us all," Robin stated.
"Even us?" Spandam replied.
"Yes, even you, everyone, it is of a nature," Robin said.
Robin took a step forward. "I want to be with you all. The times together with you all have been the happiest in my life. But fate has other plans, it tries to take us away from each other. My enemies are strong. The incident with Aokiji, then here. I have dragged you twice with my problems," Robin explained. Her heart ached.
"I am a burden, you will find that out, you will eventually betray me and abandon me," Robin continued. She clenched her fist.
All the girls listened but they did not say anything. They could feel Robin was hurting. Vivi looked at Ben. Marianne wanted to hug her.
"That is why, I don't want you to come rescue me, I am afraid. If I am going to die, I want to die here," Robin said.
Mikita, Raki and Zala could feel the pain in her words. They looked at Ben.
Spandam laughed. "That argument makes so much sense. No one wants you as a burden. You should find another lover," Spandam added.
"Look at that symbol," Spandam pointed to the flag of the World Government. "That is the symbol which unites over 170 countries," he added. "Do you realise how powerless you are against it," he commented.
Vivi thought, this World Government almost allowed her country to be taken over. Ben saved it. Maya thought this World Government could be so evil. Conis thought the blue sea was different but the same.
Ben thought he knew what that meant. He took out the Den Den Mushi from his pocket. "HQ, destroy that flag," Ben ordered.
"Yes Master," HQ replied as she pressed the button. The explosive charge ignited, propelling the round. In an instant, the air fractured with a resounding boom as the projectile hurtled towards its destination, leaving behind a trail of smoke. The Miss Love Duck shook at the force. The shell travelled through the sky over the ocean and the island over the top of the Mech and hit the top of the Justice Building. There was a huge explosion which took out the top of the building completely.
"What the?" Spandam said.
Lucci and the other CP9 agents looked surprised. "What was that?" Jabra shouted.
"They may have some long range cannon," Blueno replied.
Lucci looked at Ben. "They declared war against the government," Kalifa remarked.
"Are you insane?" Spandam shouted. "Do you think you will survive?" he asked.
"I will fight anyone for Robin, for my crew, for loves," Ben stated.
Robin's mind raced back to the memory of Saul, his voice echoing in her heart. "The sea is vast, and you will find friends who will protect you, who will cherish you."
Robin's breath caught in her throat. Something deep within her stirred. She thought, maybe, just this once, it was okay to speak her wish aloud.
"I... I WANT TO LIVE!" she shouted.