As the warship sailed away, Smoker asked Tokikake his own question.
"What do you think of that man, Ray?"
Tokikake was quiet for a moment while looking out at the sea.
"Don't let him become a lone wolf," he said finally.
And with that, the Marines were gone, taking Crocodile and the other captured (and still unconscious) agents with them.
The only one who got away was Mr. 2, Bon Clay, who Nami had... pretty much mentally broken.
…
Ray and the crew just handed the traumatized Bon Clay over to Cobra to deal with.
The next day, to thank the Straw Hats, Cobra and Vivi held a massive royal banquet.
Since Robin had been the key to the rescue op, she was invited too.
Everyone finally got to stuff their faces with amazing seafood and desert dishes, laughing and chatting.
After the feast, the king dismissed his guards.
That's when Ray, who'd been silent the whole time, finally spoke up.
"Robin," he said, "there must be something you want to do here, right?"
Hearing that, Robin's body trembled slightly.
She was quiet for a moment, then a genuine smile touched her lips.
"Yes, that's right." She turned to the king. "Your Majesty, may I take a look at Alabasta's Poneglyph?"
Only Ray and Cobra knew what that meant.
The others had never even heard the word.
Cobra's expression turned grave, but the wise king quickly smiled again.
"Just for saving 200,000 of my people, I agree to this," he said. "But you must promise not to reveal what you find here."
In Cobra's eyes, no secret was more important than his people.
Hearing this, Robin smiled, a truly beautiful smile.
She turned to Ray.
"Thank you."
"No problem."
…
After the banquet, Cobra led Robin, Vivi, and the Straw Hats to the royal secret chamber.
Robin read every word about the Ancient Weapon Pluton on the ancient stone.
Just as she was about to reaffirm her promise, Cobra suddenly knelt before all of them.
"I... am truly grateful," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Without you, Alabasta would have been destroyed. I am a failed king, but I am fortunate to have a daughter like Vivi... and even more fortunate that she met all of you."
He was completely sincere.
But he also had a deeper reason.
An old prophecy, passed down through the kings of alabasta that said.
[One day, the Will of D will bring his companions to change this corrupt world.]
Cobra had a strong feeling that these pirates were the ones foretold in the prophecy.
He knew changing the world meant fighting the World Government.
He was betting on them.
He was gambling that these pirates would make the world a better place, because if things stayed as they were, Alabasta was doomed anyway.
…
At midnight, on the palace rooftop...
Ray had called for an important meeting.
Luffy, Zoro, and the others were all there, including Robin, who had been spacing out on the roof by herself.
Ray told them flat-out that Robin was crucial for Luffy to become the Pirate King.
She was the only one who could read the Poneglyphs, which were the map to the One Piece.
(He made up a story about hearing it from some old white-haired man.)
Why did he do this? Maybe because he related to her.
Before he transmigrated, Ray had also been a lost orphan, driven only by revenge.
After he got his revenge, he felt... empty.
He'd lost his purpose.
Robin was the same.
She had an obsession (the Poneglyphs) but no way to achieve it.
Now that Baroque Works was gone, she was just... lost.
Ray wanted to help.
He offered her a short-term goal: We need your skills. In return, we'll give you the power to find the Poneglyphs.
After some discussion, Zoro, Nami, and Usopp agreed.
Sanji, of course, agreed instantly.
As for Luffy? He'd already nodded before the discussion even started.
"Robin," Ray asked, leaving the choice to her, "what's your decision?"
Robin trembled slightly, hesitating for a long, long time.
"...Can I decide tomorrow?"
"Sure."
…
The next morning...
The crew (minus Ray) was gathered on the Going Merry, looking worried.
Not about Robin, but about Vivi.
They'd all come to see her as a true comrade.
But as a princess, her duty was to her country.
From the coast, they could hear Vivi's voice, amplified by speakers, giving a nationwide address, encouraging her people.
…
One hour later...
The Merry was anchored at the designated meeting spot.
If Vivi wanted to come, she'd be here by now.
The deadline passed. Still no sign of her.
Luffy, Usopp, and Sanji looked crushed.
Nami paced the deck anxiously.
Only Ray and Zoro looked indifferent.
They respected her decision.
Just as they accepted it and were about to leave, Vivi appeared on the shoreline, riding Karoo.
"Luffy! Ray! Nami! Everyone!" she yelled, her voice broadcasted over the speakers, tears streaming down her face.
"I'm so happy I could share this journey with you! I'm sorry... but I can't go with you! Alabasta needs me! I've realized how much I truly love this country!"
She paused, then cried out, "If... if we ever meet again... would you still be willing to call me your comrade?!"
The Straw Hats understood.
Luffy immediately wanted to yell back, but Nami and Ray stopped him.
"She's giving a national speech!" Nami hissed. "If you yell back, the Marines will know we're friends and come after her!"
To be safe, Ray had Chouchou respond instead.
The giant dog opened his mouth and roared in a perfect, gravelly pirate voice.
"You're just our captive! A princess for ransom! We only kept you around for the money and to find Crocodile! Don't get any foolish ideas! We never considered you a comrade from the very beginning!"
Hearing those words, Vivi cried even harder... but the corners of her mouth curved into a huge smile.
Because she could clearly see the crew on the ship ahead, all of them raising their left arms, showing the black X on their bandages – the mark of their bond.
Including Ray... though his arm looked suspiciously like it was being "helped" up by Chouchou, who had leaped onto his shoulder.
As they sailed away, Chouchou asked Ray, "Master, why did you use your Demonic Power to hold me up under your elbow? Was it so Vivi could see my little paws clearly?"
Duang!
Chouchou fell to the ground with a new bump on his head.
"Too much nonsense."