ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛᴇ - 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦

𝙫𝙞𝙞 - 𝙡𝙚𝙩'𝙨 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙖 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 !

Meela stood off to the side, still thinking about the shipwright she knocked out cold.

"I swear I didn't hit him that hard..." she muttered to herself.

Her thoughts were cut off by Nami's voice.

"Hey, Meela—how about you go find Luffy while we hold things down here?"

Meela looked up and grinned. "I was just thinking that." She turned to the group. "Alright! I'm gonna track down Lu—see you soon!"

Without waiting for a reply, she dashed up the stairs. Nami watched her go, smiling to herself. For all the chaos, she was starting to really like that redhead.

Meela weaved through the building, eyes sharp, senses flaring—then she felt it. Two familiar auras closing in on Iceburg's room. Without hesitation, she turned and sprinted back.

"Hey guys!" she shouted as she skidded into view. "I found Luffs!"

Perfect timing—Zoro had just finished off the last shipwright.

"Okay!" the crew responded in unison, taking off after her.

As they ran, Nami glanced over. "How'd you find him so fast?"

Meela flashed a grin. "I felt him."

Nami blinked. "You... what?"

Zoro raised an eyebrow. "You can feel Luffy?"

"Yeah. His energy's always loud—kind of like him." Meela smirked. "I know it when I sense it."

Zoro nodded like that made perfect sense. Nami still looked unconvinced.

They turned a corner—and stopped. Dead end.

Meela let out a sigh and turned to Zoro. "Sooo... we're breaking the wall down."

Everyone stared at her.

"What?" Zoro asked flatly.

She pointed. "There's a door, but it's surrounded. I figured you'd rather wanna just break the wall."

Zoro smirked and drew his sword. "You know me well."

Meela summoned her pointe shoe, spinning the ribbon around her hand. "No haki style: Ribbon's Line!"

Zoro slashed. Meela swung. Together, they crashed through the wall.

On the other side, Luffy stood in the rubble—having just torn through a different wall himself.

"Luffy!" Meela and Zoro shouted at the same time.

But there was no time to talk.

One of the "shipwrights" lunged at another—Luffy immediately rushed in.

"What're you doing, Strawhat?" the attacker snapped.

"You're gonna kill him! Weren't you on the same team?!"

"We were," the man said coldly. "Until just now."

Luffy's eyes narrowed. "So you're a traitor. Fine." He turned to the woman standing nearby. "Robin! What're you doing with them?! If you're leaving the crew, at least tell me why!!"

Robin's voice was calm. "I told the doctor and the cook goodbye. Didn't they tell you?"

"I did!" Chopper piped up. "But I don't get it either! Why, Robin?!"

"To reach my goal," she said. "One I can't achieve with you. To get it, I'll sacrifice anything."

Meela's stomach twisted. 'Sacrifice anything... I've heard that before.'

Zoro stepped forward, steady as ever. "So you're willing to frame your friends as assassins? What kind of goal is that?"

"I don't have to tell you," Robin answered coolly.

Meela watched her closely, fists clenched. 'She's lying. Or hiding something big.'

Suddenly, Iceburg shouted. "Don't try to understand her! Are you insane, Nico Robin?! Do you know what you're doing?!"

Meela's eyes narrowed. 'Wait... Iceburg knows?'

Robin silenced him with a hand over his mouth. "I won't let anyone interfere."

Meela tilted her head. 'Another Devil Fruit user. Great.'

"Robin!" Luffy shouted, his voice sharp with frustration. Nami and Chopper joined in.

"ROBIN—!"

But Meela stepped forward, placing a hand on Luffy's shoulder.

"Lu, don't waste your breath. She's made up her mind," she said softly.

Before the tension could thicken, the enemy spoke again. "We've got somewhere important to be. In two minutes, this mansion will go up in flames."

"Well that's just great..." Meela muttered.

Zoro looked at Luffy. "They're going to wipe us out. Robin wants to stay with them. You really okay with that?"

"HELL NO!" Luffy roared, eyes blazing.

Meela didn't speak. Her fists were tight at her sides.

'Robin... she reminds me of my father.'

He had left her, too... to protect her.

'