Log 001 [Drawn]

[toujoursfluer]

[she sits on a small chair made of hands interlocking fingers. The trees rise around her large and anonymous and the journal sits open in her lap. Though the small camera is covered with a thumb that she has blossomed from the page.]

[She has read it three, four, five times now but nothing changes. There is no new clue to unravel, it is as real as

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[voice]

[alabastajewel]

[The drawing catches Vivi's eye immediately as she's paging through her journal. There's no mistaking that mark. Still, she's unsure who's on the other end of the journal, so it's with a note of caution that she sends a reply.]

Hello? Are you looking for Luffy-san?

[voice]

[toujoursfluer]

She knows that voice if nothing else. Last time she heard it, it wasn't particularly friendly--but they were enemies then. What are they now? She was with the others and will probably be with the others now though Robin knows better than to think of her as nakama.]

[She thinks a long time before deciding on what to say.]

You could say that.

[voice]

[alabastajewel]

[There's a long moment of silence before the reply comes. Vivi recognizes this voice too, though there's a part of her clinging to the hope she might be mistaken about the woman's identity.]

[She'd always known that this was a possibility. That Miss All Sunday might surface here again--she'd been here before, according to Nami. And Vivi knows she's counted among nakama now. She knows that, and has for a while, ever since the events at Enies Lobby. She'd thought she'd already made her peace with it, but now faced with the possibility of seeing her here--this woman who helped drive her country to the brink of destruction--Vivi's pulse quickens a bit. Is it fear? Anger? She's not sure herself.]

[A part of her wants to simply shut the journal and delay the inevitable. But it is inevitable. If Miss All Sunday--no, Nico Robin--is a part of the crew too, it won't be long before Vivi has to face her in person. Maybe it's best, then, so start off like this.]

...he's here. Somewhere. So are most of the others.

[Video]

[toujoursfluer]

[She uncovers the video since there is no reason for Vivi not to see her. It is a bit more of a shock but there is no reason to dance around the truth.]

How tragic. All of us trapped together. [She smiles] I hadn't thought it would end this way. It's a little disappointing, don't you think?

[Even though she doesn't really believe it. can't really believe it. Luffy is stronger than that, right?]

[Video]

[alabastajewel]

[...and sure enough, the image revealed is the one Vivi was expecting.]

[She's unsure how to take Robin's words. Is she mocking her? Vivi's trying to give her the benefit of the doubt, but it's not easy. She keeps second-guessing her every impulse. Vivi closes her eyes softly. Luffy-san trusts her, she reminds herself. She's their nakama. It helps, a bit. She opens her eyes again, voice carefully neutral when she speaks.]

What do you mean by that? [Well. When in doubt, ask?]

[Video]

[toujoursfluer]

[Robin blinks, slightly taken aback. What does she mean what does she mean? What else is there to mean?]

It's not...where I thought...

[the loss of words makes her uncomfortable. She is not used to this feeling. She feels she as if she is giving something with everything she doesn't know.]

We had dreams on the sea. But I suppose yours remain in Alabasta? It must be a relief they won't miss you.

[since that is how time works, supposedly.]

[Video]

[alabastajewel]

[Vivi shakes her head, still stuck on Robin's earlier phrasing.] This--it isn't the end.

[She reflexively stiffens a bit at the almost casual way Robin mentions Alabasta. At the same time, there doesn't seem to be any malice in it, so she musters a weak reply.] ...ah. Yes, I suppose it is. I couldn't bear to abandon... [Vivi trails off, not even realizing she's done it. She's trying; really she is. This is just much harder than she thought it would be.]

[Video]

[toujoursfluer]

[She seems upset about it. Robin can almost understand.]

You didn't. There was no choice in what happened.

[She might sound a little hard here. She has had too long a time going without a choice and just when it seemed she had one... Just when it seemed everything would be...fine.]

[Video]

[alabastajewel]

[Well. What she's saying is true. Vivi sighs.] No. No, I suppose there wasn't.

[She's feeling completely out of sorts. Vivi shakes her head as if to clear it, trying to focus. As much as she'd rather delay seeing Miss All Sunday in person, this affects more than just the two of them.] ...you should probably try to make your way to the village. We have a house here, and...the others will want to see you. Do you know where you are now?

[Video]

[toujoursfluer]

Not particularly.

[she shrugs lightly at the princess's other suggestion. When it is time for her to come, she will.]

The others will find me or I'll find them.

[that's the way it always is. And anyway a house is not a ship and is not the Going Me Thousand Sunny.]

[And now that Vivi is here...]

. . .

[Video]

[alabastajewel]

[Vivi takes that to mean her help is not wanted. So be it. She tried.]

...I see. Then. I won't trouble you. [And she begins to close her journal.]

[Video]

[toujoursfluer]

[The view shifts and Robin feels guilty at the tone of Vivi's voice. It is-- They are--]

[But there are no words she can think to say and is not foolish enough to call her nakama. She makes no apologies for the past and yet it did happen and she, more than anyone, knows the past echoes into future days.]

[Robin closes her own journal for the time being and stares out at the silent forest.]