Finding Myself (One Piece Fanfic)

Chapter 121: A Choice of My Own (Part 1)

I do not own One Piece

3rd POV
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As soon as Luffy and Sato entered the ring, Robin began broadcasting. However, it wasn't until the two had stopped walking did she realize who the two people were.

Robin didn't need to be told anything to figure out this was not going to end well. When Katsu entered shortly after, she felt her own stomach twist at the sight of their artist. When the King began to speak, she could see Katsu flinch and Robin felt the strong urge to make the man kneel.

It had been a month since Robin last saw Katsu. However, she didn't forget the girl. Even while she was struggling with her mental health because of the doctor on board, she hadn't looked anywhere near this bad. She had been on an incline, after the effort from the crew. Katsu had always kept her red hair tied up in a braid or ponytail to keep out of her face while she trained with Zoro or drew on the deck. She had been healthy.

The girl that stood below in the ring looked beaten down. She resembled something closer towards Brook, a skeleton. Her skin was sheet white with dark circles under her eyes, Robin wondered when was the last time Katsu saw sunlight. Robin's focus went to Katsu's eyes. It reminded her of something worse than when they found her at Punk Hazard. They had beaten her when she was just beginning to recover, and Robin was scared to see how that would scar the artist.

The royal family had tried to take away from her physical appearance by her attire. She was given a gold breastplate, lined with purple fabric. A red skirt, lined with gold, and even a purple silk sash draped around her shoulder across her torso and attached at her waist.

Three things nearly pulled Robin over the edge. The golden shoes that were strapped to her feet and shins. She knew that shoes gave Katsu anxiety attacks, that alone would have been torture enough to the artist. Then the bandage over the tattoo. The same tattoo that Katsu went on about for hours with Robin. One that she wanted to show the world proudly. Then, the sea stone cuff around her neck. Robin almost went down to fight herself.

However, she knew she wasn't alone. They all had their parts to play, and she would play her part as needed.

Robin wasn't alone in her anger. Zoro and Sanji were feeling the same. The only thing that stopped Sanji from jumping in was a glance from Robin, who had managed to keep her cool. Zoro had only waited for a signal to be shown, whether it was from Robin or his Captain, that was the only thing holding him back. However, all of them were prepared to fight.

Usopp, while terrified, felt horror and disbelief. The storyteller couldn't believe the girl standing there was Katsu. The girl that looked too small simply couldn't be Katsu. Usopp knew their artist wasn't small, nor weak. Her presence was loud, sometimes challenging Luffy's boldness, but never small. Anger was beginning to build as he realized what she must have suffered through.

The roars of the nobles was deafening to the three standing in front of each other. Thankfully, the three managed to still hear one another over the roaring.

Sato couldn't find any strength to speak for a moment. A frown pulled at his lips as he not only looked over his sister, but over their situation. He wasn't sure when he had last seen Mitsu, but he hadn't been able to believe she looked worse than then. She looked even skinnier, and there were more bruises covering her body. The dark circles under her eyes had gotten darker, which made him wonder the actual cause for them. For a moment, he wondered how bad he must look, if they were willing to get the potential future heir become that bad.

Their situation wasn't any better.

She was in the middle of her coming of age ceremony. He and Luffy were her targets. Her Captain or her brother. Sato was sure there was some threat if she didn't choose. He wouldn't put it past the family to kill both him and Luffy to punish Mitsu if she failed.