Desire

three

The female assailant stood over Iceberg, not speaking a word as we experienced the commotion outside from the false security of Iceberg's room. I was swimming in my thoughts, trying to get out of this alive. I don't want to use my devil fruit, but if I must, I will. The emotions in this room didn't help my erratic thinking. Iceberg was scared, I was scared. The woman felt scared as well. It's as if she doesn't want to be here just as much as us. I can't tell if that's comforting or discouraging.

"Well, what a surprise," Iceberg broke the silence as the commotion outside dulled. "After all this time, I never thought we'd be meeting here, Nico Robin."

Nico Robin. I've seen that name. Shit, I think I saw it in this room. Right next to Iceberg's wall was a wanted poster of a little girl. The name, 'Nico Robin'. Why does Iceberg have a fascination with this girl? Why does she have a wanted poster from when she was a child? This is all becoming way too much.

"Am I supposed to know you?" She asks.

"No, last night was the first time we met. But for a long time, I've wanted to see you. I even put your wanted poster up in my room so I'd never forget."

"Shall I give you an autograph, then?"

Iceberg chuckles, "If you sign it in blood!"

He whips out a gun, aiming it at Nick Robin. She ups him severely, pulling out four guns. She had four arms. What the fuck? Iceberg glances at me, eyeing a cabinet behind me. Nico Robin didn't notice this smooth action, but I did. As they talked, I slowly made my way to the cabinet.

"You wanted to kill me?" She asks.

Step.

"That's right. Before you destroy the world. Tell me, why are you looking for the Poneglyphs?"

Step. Poneglyphs? Is she searching for them? Doesn't she know that's illegal? That might explain her wanted poster, but she was just a child in that photo. Who is this woman?

Iceberg continues as I take another step. "You must know the risk. For as long as anyone can remember, the World Government has made it a serious crime to research them. Why is that knowledge so important?"

"If they're so bad, then why do you know about them?" She replies.

I get to the cabinet in one more quiet step, opening it slowly. Thank god Iceberg has money and gets nice furniture that doesn't creak. Inside the cabinet was another gun along with a small dagger. I slowly grabbed both while the two continued talking, hiding them in my waistband.

"Knowing that the Poneglyphs exist is hardly a crime. But deciphering them is another matter and you're the only person in the world who's capable of that. That's why the World Government put such a large bounty on your head. Even though you were only 8 years old at the time. They fear what you're capable of. Because you alone have the power to revive the ancient weapons."

No way. No, no, no. Iceberg, what the fuck did you get us into? Franky has the blueprint, a blueprint she could read. These people want to build Pluton. They would have the power to destroy the world in a snap if they felt like it. We can't let that happen. Franky, wherever you are, don't let them find you. Don't let them get those blueprints. For once, don't be reckless, don't slip up. And most importantly, stay alive.

"So, you already know," Nico Robin says calmly.

"Yes, but I never would've thought that CP9 was actually real. And if that's the case, that means you've already left the Straw Hats, and you're helping the World Government now. A strange choice for a woman who's been on their most wanted list for 20 years, but, well, I suppose that is not my concern. If you decipher the Poneglyhs and rebuild one of the weapons it doesn't matter if the person who uses it's 'good' or 'evil.' It's all the same in the end," Iceberg speaks, his hand shaking as he moves his finger onto the trigger, slowly pulling it back towards him. He continues, "A weapon can never be used to bring peace to this world. All it can bring is destruction. We've buried the evils of the past, now let them lie."