Act silly sometimes*

Nico Robin POV:

It was late at night and the weather was a little chilly as the autumn was coming to an end. The days are getting shorter and the nights are starting to become colder to welcome winter. Currently, she was sitting near the fireplace in Victor's room and gazing at the sunset that had dyed the sky in beautiful shades. She couldn't help but think about her past and childhood. Among all the seasons she hated Winters the most, it brought with it bad memories of her suffering and losing her loved ones. On the nightmarish burning island of Ohara, her mother Olvia, Saul, Professor Clover, and all its residents were brutally murdered by the marines. She lost her home, her family, and her only friend on the same night as she watched from a small boat in the stinging cold seas. Suddenly she became a scared little girl with a bounty of 79 million bellies on her head completely alone against the world.

"Zala, are you also leaving with the reinforcements tomorrow?" She asked suddenly as she looked at her curly-haired trainer and bodyguard.

"Well, Mrs Moriarty! The thick paycheck your husband promised after this war was too tempting to refuse." She replied while preparing two cups of coffee like a barista. "At the same time, I get to slice some heads and get some training with my devil fruits too, it's not every day that I can go all out in a full-fledged war." 

"Zala, Why did you leave the family to become a bounty hunter? You're Uncle Hugh's daughter, money should be the last thing you lack." Robin asked curiously.

"Ummmm now that I think about it, it's probably because I wanted more attention."

Robin put down the book she was holding and looked confusedly at Zala.

"Well, Robin growing up in a mafia family wasn't the best childhood as one would imagine. Making friends was very difficult because everyone would look at me with fear after their parents would warn them to stay away from me. After my mother was murdered by a rival gang, my dad became a different man to avenge her death and his godfather was none other than Adolf Moriarty, Victor's grandfather. The Moriarty family went on a bloody warpath that shook the underground world when they butchered the rival gang members one by one. Father could finally avenge my mother's death when he defeated the rival gang's second-in-command with his own hands. His reputation soared in the city and with that, my hopes and dream of making a friend and normal childhood shattered. Instead of Zala, my name became 'Mr. Hugh's daughter' and I hate this label with all my heart. So, I promised myself that I would prove to everyone that I am stronger and more cruel than that old bones." She said with an evil smile and burst out laughing.

"I am glad you don't have a bounty on your head yet." Robin said playfully.

"You are cold Missy, sprinkling salt on my wounds like that. I have decided on my new goal, one day I will have more bounty than you and Father combined." Zala said with a pout.

"Zala, I have decided that I'll be going with the reinforcements and you will help me get onboard," Robin said as she started to cook a plan.

"Why, are you missing your husband so much?" She said with a giggle. "Sorry, I am not getting paid enough to make my father angry."

"I want to help him as well Zala. After all this training are you not confident in your training skill? You know that I can hold my own ground right?" Robin said as she tried to push Zala's buttons.

"Fu*k it, let's get in trouble. The reinforcements will be an elite strike team of 20 members which will sail at midnight. The island is in curfew and you are being guarded like a queen so reaching the dock will require some planning. Hehe, My father will be really pissed this time." Zala said enthusiastically as she started to draw the layout and Robin also gave her suggestions. Her devil fruit ability was exceptional for spying and infiltration.

"Ohh!! What about Victor? Are you sure you can handle him?" Zala asked worriedly, she still needed the paycheck.

"I make my own decisions Zala, I don't want to run away anymore. I'll explain it to Victor so he won't blame you. This winter will be different." Robin said firmly, he won't be losing someone yet again. 

That night the ship sailed away from the harbour, but unbeknownst to others instead of 20 passengers it carried 21. Robin's devil fruit was phenomenal in scouting and gathering information and Zala made the plans. After skilfully evading the guarded mansion and docks in the darkness of the night, Zala used a cargo crate to sneak her onboard. The next day, when the maid Ruby arrived to wake her up, she found only stacked pillows under the blanket causing her to shriek in fear. Mrs Moriarty has gone missing???

***

"Father! Daz Bones has already arrived at the location and the ship is ready to set sail." Vito, Bege's long-time advisor and right-hand man spoke with his unique laugh in the meeting room.

He is a tall man with a long snake-like curling tongue that sticks out of his grinning mouth. His hands are disproportionately large for his body and have a tattoo on the back of them that matches the one on his forehead. He has black hair that is slicked back and sticks up in a curl on the back of his head. Everyone in the meeting room looked towards Capone 'Gang' Bege to declare his order.

"Men, with this war our conquest of West Blue Underworld will be over. Sanchez brat thinks I'll not know about her little secret meeting with the prodigal Moriarty brat. In this war, we will go guns blazing and show them what the Capone family is made of. Vito and Gotti will be my commanders and ensure everyone follows the plan. I will kill Sanchez and Moriarty brat in one fell swoop to become the undeniable ruler of the West Blue Underworld." Cheers followed the speech with the clinking of wine glasses and sophisticated dining.

***

Rosemary Islands, West Blue

The headquarters of the Sanchez family was located in the Rosemary Islands, the architecture resembles a classical European city with stone buildings and roads. There was a palpable tension brewing among the populous, the streets had less traffic, and armed men men in bars talked in hushed tones. There were security checkpoints every 10 minutes and armed men on horseback guarding the streets. Bege Capone is coming towards their home at full speed with his 5000 men, according to credible intel they will arrive within two days.

By the time everyone discovered Robin was missing chaos ensued in the Moriarty Mansion. Mr. Hugh was furious when he learned Zala sneaked Robin into the reinforcement ship. Currently, Victor sighed as he looked at his 'wife' Nico Robin who was carefully observing the maps, art pieces, and antiques in his office onboard the Uriel.

"Robin, look at ME!!" He said with a serious expression.

"I...I'll go and eat!! The food here is great." Zala excused herself hurriedly and fled towards the kitchen when she noticed the matter was getting serious between the couple. Victor swished her away without moving his gaze from Robin who stared back at him silently.

"Robin! I want an explanation, what are you doing here?" Victor said as he tapped his fingers on the table.

"Aren't we supposed to be in a team?" She questioned.

"You could have just informed me instead of sneaking around like that. Everyone was so worried when they found you were missing." The maids and the guards of the Moriarty Mansion were more worried compared to Victor fearing the wrath of Mr Hugh for their failure. He only calmed down after Victor ordered him not to take action, it wasn't their fault anyway. 

"Victor!! I know you would have surely refused my request! Since we are a team let me do my part too. I can test my training too in real battle." She said as she crossed her arms around her bust with a little angry expression.

"You know nothing, Nico Robin! It looks like you can also be cutely silly despite being such an intelligent woman. I would not have stopped you." Victor would only sigh when he heard her silly response.

Robin stared at him with a blank expression, 'This bastard! I'll show you who's silly on the battlefield'.

"Really?"

"Hmmm"

"Okay, I'll ask the next time. I hope the Zala and guards won't get punished, everything was my plan." She looked back at Victor earnestly.

"As you wish Robin," Victor stood up and poured himself a glass of wine from his collection in his office.

"How was your training?" She suddenly asked as she noticed that Victor looked more manly and his muscles were well defined from the last time she had seen him at home. His body was still bandaged in a few places though visible from over his black tuxedo. Honestly, the glow up was real from the first day she met him in that bar, she felt like the room was becoming a little hot but she didn't know why. Isn't it already evening??