Reaction

(3rd Person POV)

The Ohara Incident was over. The world found out about the outcome of the island of the Ohara scholars who were seeking out forbidden knowledge to destroy the world. The clueless were happy about this but the more knowledgeable ones weren't buying it. What did Ohara know about that warranted getting wiped off the map? 

In Mary Geoise, the Five Elders were discussing the news they had gotten from the Cipher Pol who went to investigate the scene. 

"There is nothing left. Everything is covered in ice and destroyed. There are broken pieces of figures like Former Vice-Admiral, Jaguar D. Saul and also Professor Clover. It was all destroyed thoroughly in Vice-Admiral's outburst.", the man on the other line of the Den Den Mushi says. The Five Elders are listening to the news and still have questions. 

"Did you look whether there are tunnels of any kind, where the captives might have escaped?", one of them asked. 

"We couldn't. The ice is still too thick and cold. Not even Haki-coated weapons do much to it. We will have to continue working and wait until it melts a bit. So we can't say for now."

"Then find out as soon as possible."

"As you command."

*Click*

"What do you think?", one of them asked, "An attempt to try and trick us? Or real loyalty for Justice?"

"I don't think we have to ask ourselves that now. In a few days, we'll know anyway and can decide then."

"True, we can await the result of the Cipher Pol. But other than that, Vice-Admiral Kuzan should be ready to become an Admiral."

"I agree. His fame is spreading. We need to get a leash on him before he loses sight of the goal."

"Guarding some of the Celestial Dragons sounds like a good way to deal with him."

"But would he accept? Reports state that he is very similar to Vice-Admiral Garp. He could refuse our offer to become Admiral."

"I think he'll see it as an honour. He has been respectful towards his superiors since he started in the Academy."

"Indeed."

"I agree."

"We'll see."

.

There were doubts in the minds of the Five Elders about where Kuzan's true loyalties lay. It was indeed suspicious that he just froze everything and that at the same time, all the Marines fell unconscious. That begged the question, why did he get angry? What caused him to use his Haoshoku Haki? And why didn't he will them by hand but freeze them all? All of these questions were things that the Five Elders asked themselves, making them wait to announce the three Vice-Admirals' promotion to Admiral. 

Sengoku was also suspicious about the nature of Kuzan's move. He knew Kuzan to be a man similar to Garp. Both had strong senses of Justice and both had the heart of a Marine. The only difference is that Kuzan was respectful and listened to his superiors. But it was that exact similarity that worried Sengoku. He should have insisted on teaching Kuzan and not allowed Garp to become his teacher. 

Kong and he tried to keep the two apart as often as possible and it worked out somewhat. Sadly they did grow closer still and Garp with his free spirit, simply ignored his duty and sailed the sea. What's more, the two became very close and Garp tolerated Kuzan as an equal, telling him about his family and the like. 

Sengoku hoped that Kuzan wouldn't turn out the same as Garp and become an eternal Vice-Admiral who was a pain to deal with, constantly doing what he wanted and not doing any paperwork, and stealing his rice crackers ... he got a bit off topic there. Did Kuzan like rice crackers? No right? Right? ... Oh no, he was Garp's student, he had to like rice crackers! This was bad! He had to make some calls. 

.

Garp's reaction to all of this was much different. He was reading the newspaper and then smiled. He understood what was going on immediately. Garp knew his student and his heart well. He tried to tell him some of the darkness that lurked in the world and that said darkness wasn't as far away as everyone thought it was. 

Kuzan was a smart man and understood that he had to be wary. He had never understood though what a Buster Call was in detail. So Garp understood why everyone fell unconscious back then. It seemed that Kuzan made a decision for himself ... just like his son had done. It seems like Garp had a habit of teaching his enemies. Not really enemies, but there was a possibility that Kuzan would one day turn against the World Government and that would make him an enemy of the Marines. 

Garp knew that this wasn't a question of if, but of when it would happen. He hoped that when the time came, Kuzan would not come and ask him to join his crusade. He was getting older and thought that that fight belonged to the youngsters of this generation. 

.

A few hours after the Ohara Incident, Kuzan went back to Ohara to get something. He had made sure to arrange everything so that it seemed he had lost control and killed everyone. Most of the people had been killed by cannon fire anyway, so his freezing everyone, didn't change anything. He arrived at Ohara and went to look for the place where he had frozen both Saul and Robin. 

Saul had left the island as Kuzan told him to. That meant that there was only one person left alive from this ordeal. He went towards the sea and walked on the ice he created until he was quite a way away from the island of Ohara. Then he controlled something from the depths of the sea. After waiting for a while a structure made of ice came to the surface. Kuzan melted the ice slowly revealing a young black haired girl. 

Her eyes puffy and bloodshot, she looked at him with fear. Kuzan understood where her fear was coming from. She looked like she had lost everything in her life and died inside. And she did. 

Kuzan smiled at her warmly and took her into his arms. The poor child began to cry her heart out as soon as his arms wrapped around her and her arms wrapped around his neck. They stayed like this, with young Robing crying loudly and for a long time. Kuzan had prepared to save both his friend Saul and Robin back then and was prepared to 'freeze' her and everyone on the island. He killed Spandine and the rest of the Cipher Pol 9 to make sure, no one knows who Robin is when he takes her with him.

Kuzan planned to help the poor child who had lost everything she held dear. Her mother had died due to her blood loss and Professor Clover would be recognised no matter where he went. The other scholars either burnt or were killed by the cannon balls. Robin finally fell asleep due to the lack of energy she experienced. Kuzan created a pram, that was big enough to fit her inside. She might be too old for a pram, but it would be the best thing to hide her identity for now. 

After that, he went towards the island. He had made good work of it. The ice was melting very very slowly. It had gotten much cooler. When he appeared where the old lake used to be, he manipulated the ice to retract and melt so that he could see what lay underneath. There frozen in ice, were the thousands of books the Oharan scholars had thrown out of the Tree of Knowledge.

He collected all of the books and created a big addition out of ice that he could pull with his bike. This took quite a while so he was glad when he was finished. He loaded everything up, created a bicycle made of ice again and left Ohara. He had a goal in mind. He was on leave for a few weeks, signed by Kong himself. He put it off as needing a break after working nonstop these years. Kong was perfectly fine with that.

.

Kuzan made sure to stay under the radar for the time being. He wanted to take the time to create a plan and prepare himself for what was to come. But mostly, he wanted to ask Robin what she wanted to do now. He thought about letting her live on the Grand Line and giving her money but thought better of it since he thought it was too dangerous. 

To leave West Blue, Kuzan travelled north, towards the Calm Belt. But if he travelled above water, he would be seen sooner or later and everything would be for nought. So he did something he had thought about before but hadn't tried out yet. He created a tunnel made of ice, leading into the sea. He drove down into the tunnel and closed the tunnel on the other side. He made sure not to make the ice too cold, in order to have the ice freeze fast. 

Kuzan travelled further down into the depths of the sea and after reaching the far bottom, he could feel the enormous pressure of the billions of litres of water pressing against the ice. But he was Kuzan, the one who didn't have limits. He hadn't done something like this yet, but now he was here and he would adapt to it. He travelled this way, across the ocean floor through the deep blue, surrounded by the ocean wildlife and the giant Sea Kings. 

.

After travelling for a day, Robin stirred and began to wake up again. She had the same expression on her face and looked around. She shot up and then saw Kuzan.

"Hello there. How are you feeling?", Kuzan asked. 

"Wha- ... where am I? Where are we?", she asked and was about to panic. Kuzan calmed her down. 

"Calm down. I took you away from there and we are currently on our way to a safe location.", Kuzan then went ahead and told Robin everything that happened and what he had done to make sure she was safe. He told her that he wanted to take her with him to another of the Blues and hide here there for the time being. 

"What about ... my mom?", she asked with tears falling from her eyes. 

"I'm sorry. She didn't make it, I'm afraid.", he told her. After that, Robin cried silently and Kuzan stayed close to her, offering silent support of any kind she might need. She needed time to accept the situation and to heal. And that would take a long time for the child. 

"Listen Robin. You can decide what to do now. If you want to live on a particular island, I will bring you there. I will give you enough money to do what you want. Think about it. No matter what ... I'll gladly help you.", he said and offered her a small smile. 

*Grumble*

Robin's stomach grumbled and told both of them that she was hungry. Thankfully, Kuzan had prepared for such an eventuality and unwrapped the food which he gave her. After she ate her fill, the journey continued. 

.

Day after day Kuzan drove his bicycle across the ocean floor. After two days, Robin's curious nature began to show itself and she started to observe the water around them. She started to ask questions and Kuzan answered them all, as long as he could. He told her what he knew about the world, the different Blues, islands, the Red Line, the Grand Line, etc. 

She asked questions and he answered them. After a while, Kuzan changed the bicycle to a bobsled and started to create a roller coaster out of ice. Then they slid through the sea inside the ice tube on a roller coaster. They passed the Calm Belt and then the Grand Line. Kuzan wanted to get to East Blue and on his way there, he talked with Robin and told her all sorts of things as well as listened to her stories. 

They crossed the North Blue and he then carried her and all of the books on his backs up the Red Line and then back down until he reached the East Blue. 

_________________________________

6 chapters in one day. Show some love