Robin was worried.
Her best friend was left behind and she didn't know what to do. She wanted to be there to help him but she knows that she's of no help in these circumstances.
She looked at the decorations Kaizo placed around the trees and even though today hasn't been the best for her, she can still feel the warmth and kindness of Kaizo through these decorations.
As her worry continued to increase she heard some rustling coming from the bushes. She grabbed her bag and picked up a stone and held to it as menacingly as she could.
From the bushes emerged the injured Kaizo, barely walking right.
Roving immediately dropped everything and rushed to Kaizo's aid.
"Kaizo!" She exclaimed with worry.
"Sup. Why're you crying?" Kaizo said nonchalantly.
The kid was laid on the ground gently by Robin as he clutched his arm. After being laid, Robin went towards the "emergency tree" that Kaizo uses to hide some medical provisions.
"How did you ended up like that?" Robin asked as she took a bottle of alcohol and disinfected Kaizo's cuts.
"You should've seen the bear. I bested him." Kaizo spoke proudly before wincing from the pain.
"Why did you do it?" Robin asked as her hair covered her eyes.
"So what, Fight the bear? Because escaping from a bear is harder than you think." Kaizo.
"No!" Robin yelled a bit angry.
Kaizo noticed the change of tone and got serious.
"Why did you protected me?" Robin asked as tears dropped from her eyes.
She was sad and angry that her friend suffered injuries, but she was angrier at herself for putting Kaizo in that situation.
"Sorry, I don't follow." Kaizo asked genuinely confused.
For him, helping a friend in need is something important, sure he wasn't one of many friends but even he cared a lot for those few people in his life that cared for him.
"I'm just some girl that was abandoned by her mother! No one cares if I ever disappear... why risk your life for someone like me?!" Robin yelled as tears fell from her eyes.
From being left by her mother to her horrible aunt, she didn't liked the idea of being a burden to her only friend.
Kaizo got silent and closed his eyes.
To be perfectly honest, he doesn't like most of the adults and kids on the island. The kids are spoiled brats and the adults other than the archeologists are dicks so, Robin is the only person he can actually relate to. In fact, he thought she was a transmigrator as well due to her mental age.
"Robin, is that how you see yourself?" Kaizo asked.
Robin widened her eyes.
"I'm gonna be honest. Adults are resentful, the kids are morons, you're the only one here my age that I can actually get along. At first, I just thought of you as "that girl" I spend my afternoons with, but eventually you grew on me, not as a bother, but as a friend." Kaizo.
"Sure, it might've been reckless but I don't regret it, besides, I got the chance to fight a bear." Kaizo smirked before twitching from the pain.
Robin didn't say a thing but only tightened Kaizo's bandages, making him squirm in pain.
"What was that for?!" Kaizo snapped a little.
"You looked kinda cute when you squirm~" Robin said as she left Kaizo on the ground and sat near a tree.
"Please don't make a habit out of that." Kaizo.
"No promises." Robin smiled as she took a deep breath and took a book that was leaning on the tree.
"Ah, happy birthday! I don't know if you'd like it but I wrote you a story." Kaizo.
She looked at the book and it was a book about a dark raven with a yellow beak and a small bear-like being with a headband.
"Krow and Fu?" Robin.
"The beautiful story about a crow and a bear having adventures, with some drawings included." Kaizo.
Robin looked at the book and without realizing it, a tear fell from her eyes and she smiled.
"Thank you Kaizo." Robin wiped her tear.
"Your welcome." Kaizo answered with a smile.
Although the party had failed, Kaizo and Robin had a great time talking and eating in the forest. Kaizo even read her the book he gift her and even sang to her throughout the day.
Robin, for the first time in a long time, felt special. And was happy that Kaizo was with her.
"Kaizo. What will you do once you grow up?" Robin asked him as the sun descends.
"Well, I'll leave the island, go fight some guys and become the strongest in the world." Kaizo answered as if it was something simple.
Robin holds her book tightly and lowers her gaze.
"What if you die?" Robin.
"Come again?" Kaizo.
"Well, there's many people in the sea that are strong, pirates, marines, bounty hunters, you could be at risk of dying just for fighting them, are you sure that that's what you want?" Kaizo.
Kaizo pondered a little and then looked at the imagination system pop-up that he saw long ago.
[If Monkey D Luffy dies or doesn't become Pirate King, you'll die.]
'Don't really have much of a choice there anyway. I'm bound to be pushed towards the troubles of the MC anyway.' Kaizo thought.
"Well, that is true. I COULD die fighting all these powerhouses the sea has to offer but, it's my dream." Kaizo.
Robin widened her eyes.
It wasn't just Wexof's stupid bitchy fuck mothering mission, Kaizo as a person likes to fight. The blood boiling, the feeling of being out of breath, the adrenaline that numbs the pain, and the mere fact that in this world 90% of the time is OK to punch anyone.
Point is: Kaizo loves fighting and he's planning to reach the pinnacle of that strength regardless of the mission.
"I mean, the world is dangerous. You do realize that even if you're just a farmer minding your own business, pirates could appear at any time and pillage your village? Life is uncertain and I'd rather spend it doing what I want instead of thinking about the pros and cons." Kaizo.
Robin then lowers her gaze and then looks at Kaizo again.
"What if my goal is dangerous. So dangerous that no one even tries to do it." Robin.
"Then ask you this question: Is it really worth it TO ME if I don't even try? I know is a bit cringy but the point is that you should do things you wont regret, even if they're dangerous." Kaizo.
Robin looked at the sky and took a breath before looking at Kaizo.
"To be honest, I do have a dream." Robin.
"Cool." Kaizo.
"I want to find out what the void century is." Robin.
Kaizo widened his eyes a little bit.
The Void Century. Something so forbidden that even the nerd archeologist researchers of this island don't mess with it.
Truth to be told, Kaizo was indeed curious about the Void Century, why would anyone cover 100 years-worth of history and more importantly, why make it illegal to research about it in the first place.
This whole situation made Kaizo quite sketchy about the World Government, but he also understood that implications of Robin's actions. The curiosity for the past that no one knows, it's like her own One Piece.
But a part of him was not very confident of her chances, Kaizo (and me, the author) is/are not a sexist person but we all have to agree that from a PHYSISCAL and BIOLOGICAL point of view Men are stronger than women.
Now, that may not be the case for this world but Kaizo has to admit that even then its gonna be difficult for little Robin to accomplish her dream. Kaizo got up and stood besides her with a grin.
"Go for it. If you really want to accomplish that, then do it." Kaizo answered with a smile.
He wasn't gonna be a hypocrite about this, whether Robin had the chance to uncover the mystery or not, it was her decision to make. However, he wasn't gonna let her face it unprepared.
"From here on, you'll train with me." Kaizo.
"What?" Robin asked.
"To uncover such mystery you'll need strength, given that the World Government will turn against you since this is illegal." Kaizo explained.
"I thought about that, but aren't you going to stop me? This could put the whole island in danger." Robin.
"Not really, so long as we keep our beaks shut about this everything will be alright. We'll study, we'll train, we'll do all those things while I help you." Kaizo started to think of ways to train with Robin.
'What ways can a person train a child without causing permanent damage to their physique? Gonna have to look on that.' Kaizo.
"Why would you-" Robin was cut off.
"Geez, again with that? That's the 3rd time you've said it. Look, friends help friends out, whether I'm just passing a glass of water to you or fighting a fricking bear. Friendship goes like that." Kaizo.
"Things are not going to be easy. It might cause you trouble." Robin.
"So what? I'm not afraid of troubles." Kaizo.
"Then, can you make a promise with me? Robin asked as she held her pinky finger.
"Sure. What's it?" Kaizo mimicked her actions.
"From here on out, we'll both work for our dreams. I want you to promise me to not die, at least not until we've both accomplish what we want." Robin.
Kaizo simply laughed as Robin started to blush.
"What are you laughing about?!" Robin said with a red tint in her face.
"I was wondering what you were gonna promise, being honest, I was not expecting this." Kaizo.
"Y-you don't have to if you don't want to!" Robin was about to retract her pinky.
Before she could, Kaizo interlocked his pinky finger, making the promise.
"I didn't say I wouldn't. from here on out I promise to not die until we achieve our dreams, and if I have some time to spare, I might help you." Kaizo.
"Really?!" Robin.
'Well, after Luffy becomes Pirate King I'll have my list clear so, why not? I've always wanted to cosplay Indiana Jones.' Kaizo.
"Yeah, why not? I'm also kinda curious about all that stuff that happened." Kaizo.
Robin's face lit up form Happiness.
"Then, it's a promise!" Robin.
The two kids' pinky fingers sealed the deal and they proceeded to play in the woods for the rest of the day.
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(Elsewhere)
Wexof is looking at the scene and sighs when Kaizo and Robin make the promise.
"This is making me feel like a prick, sorry Kaizo, but it's time for some good ol' character development. AKA: Pain." Wexof said as he fast-forwarded the scene to a few years.