37.
"Where are we heading now?" Robin asked.
"Weatharia. One of your crew is there," Shun replied. "After that, I'm going to Impel Down to steal everything that isn't nailed down. Then, finally, Marineford. We have five days until the public execution, which is more than enough time."
"Weatharia? My crew?" Robin instantly understood his implication. "You're a beast…"
"Thanks for the compliment," Shun said with a humble shrug. "You can ask your questions now, you know. You've been doing it anyway."
"Is it true? Is Fleet Admiral Sengoku your grandfather?"
"Of course not," Shun said casually. "I don't have anyone I can call family in this world." It wasn't a lie; in this world, he was alone. Back home, he had a little mother.
His casual answer made Robin realize how little she truly knew about him. "How old are you?"
"Eighteen," Shun lied without hesitation.
"Your power is similar to the Warlord Kuma's. How?" This time, her expression was serious, recalling how his similar power had scattered her crew days before—though she now saw it might have been a saving grace.
"They're similar," Shun conceded, a confident smirk playing on his lips. "But I'm better at using this power. I don't make any mistakes. I'm stronger, I'm smarter. I am better!" He paused, then offered a simpler explanation. "In short, I awakened my Devil Fruit."
Robin's eyes widened in surprise.
"Once we arrive, I want to speak with her alone," Shun said, gently taking Robin's hand. "You can observe, but don't intervene."
Robin understood what was coming. In the next moment, the world around her warped. She was invisible, her own sense of distance and position utterly scrambled. "This?!" she gasped.
"Now you can observe freely. Whether my talk with her succeeds or not, we leave for Impel Down tomorrow."
Robin nodded, her voice a quiet hum of agreement.
——
Two hours later, guided by the eternal pose from Shakky, Shun arrived at Weatharia. The small sky island was a hub for climatology, its cloudy surface dotted with weather-manipulation equipment and a large central dome. It was here that Nami had honed her skills.
As they arrived in the midst of a terrible storm, Shun reinforced Robin's invisibility. "Keep quiet for a while," he whispered, earning a cold stare he pretended not to see.
Below, an orange-haired girl stood defiantly in the rain, a peculiar staff in her hand. "Cyclone Tempo!" she shouted, and with a single motion, the storm clouds vanished, revealing a clear, sunny sky.
"Hey, hey, hey! You've already mastered the Wind Knot! Impressive!" An old man in blue, Haredas, arrived to congratulate her.
As they chatted, a new voice cut through the air. "Manipulating the weather? That was impressive."
Both Nami and Haredas startled, turning to see a white-haired boy.
"You're the Cat Burglar Nami of the Straw Hat Pirates, aren't you?" he asked.
"W-Who are you?" Nami asked, instinctively stepping back.
"I'm Shun. Grandson of Sengoku, the Marine Fleet Admiral. So, I know all about dangerous pirates like your crew," he said, clearly enjoying the lie.
Nami's face paled. "Y-You're a marine? You're mistaken! I'm a local!" She nudged the old man frantically.
"She's right! She just arrived two days ago!" Haredas stammered, only to be punched hard on the head by Nami. "You idiot!"
"Relax," Shun interjected smoothly. "Just because my grandfather is a marine doesn't mean I am. Your captain is a pirate, even though his grandfather is the Marine Hero, isn't he?"
The logic visibly calmed her. "So what do you want?"
"I'm here with an offer. Think of it as a devil's whisper. I'll leave if you refuse." He paused, letting his words sink in. "I heard your captain went to great lengths to save his comrades. He saved you, and your village, Cocoyasi."
Nami gritted her teeth. "So what? Why do you care?"
"I was just curious. Is it fair to accept his help when you need it, but be absent when he's the one in trouble?"
"What are you talking about? Luffy's in trouble?" Nami surged forward, grabbing Shun's collar.
With a sigh, Shun produced a newspaper. "Read about who they're executing."
Nami's eyes scanned the page. "Fire Fist Ace… That's Luffy's brother! We met him in Alabasta…" The realization hit her like a physical blow.
"You see it now. With your captain's personality, he'll postpone the reunion and rush straight to Marineford. You know he will."
Nami didn't argue. It was exactly what Luffy would do.
"And you?" Shun pressed. "You're not going to help him?"
"I will! Just help me get to Marineford!" Nami pleaded, her usual cowardice replaced by fierce determination.
"And what will you do there? The world's strongest forces are converging for a war. Your captain will be a mere pawn on that stage." His words drained the color from her face. "I have an offer. An equal exchange. Become my woman, and I'll save your captain and his brother."
Robin, watching invisibly, shook her head. It was a familiar scene.
Seeing Nami's hesitation, Shun added, "Being my woman doesn't mean leaving your crew. You can continue your adventure. It would be selfish of me to stop you. After all I also have my own adventure." Nami's expression softened slightly at that.
"How can I trust you have the power to save them?" she challenged, her haggler's instincts kicking in.
"Hmm." Shun considered, then decided to release a fraction of his magic power. "Step back."
An overwhelming pressure erupted from him, shaking the very island. The air crackled with danger, forcing Nami and the invisible Robin to their knees, their legs trembling uncontrollably. As suddenly as it began, it stopped.
"Do you need a further demonstration?" Shun asked.
"N-No," Nami stuttered, thoroughly convinced of his power but not his word. "How do I know you'll keep your end of the deal?"
"I have nothing to prove that. You just have to trust me." He then delivered his final point. "By the way, before I came here, I made the same offer to Nico Robin. She agreed and is now my woman."
"What?! Robin? You're with her? Where is she?" The news shocked her, but knowing Robin was involved was also strangely comforting.
"You can't meet her yet. So, what is your answer? Will you save the man who saved you at your worst, or will you stand aside when you have the power to help him?"
Nami didn't answer with words. Instead, she tightened her grip on her Clima-Tact, dropped it, and strode forward, sealing the pact with a kiss.
——
Three hours later, in Haredas's borrowed home, Nami lay breathing slowly against Shun's chest. The old man had been discreetly—and generously—compensated to give them privacy.
"You said Robin agreed to your offer… where is she?" Nami murmured.
"Hmm? She's been here the whole time," Shun said with a smile, undoing the invisibility.
"Kyaah!" Nami shrieked, scrambling to cover herself with a blanket.
"It's a little late for that. I saw everything," Robin said, her tone characteristically calm.
Hearing her voice, Nami's embarrassment was replaced with relief. "It really is you, Robin!" She sprang up, forgetting her nakedness, and hugged her friend tightly. "I was so worried after Sabaody…"
"I was thrown into a prison country and nearly enslaved," Robin explained, returning the hug. "But Shun saved me." A genuine smile touched her lips, and seeing it, Nami felt a weight lift from her shoulders. Perhaps this man was trustworthy after all.
"Alright, ladies," Shun interjected, rising. "Time to continue our journey. The execution is in four days, and we have a prison to raid first."