A sudden gunshot rang out through the air. I was so caught up in Robin that I forgot the man had attacked the crew. Robin and I both looked over the crows nest, and saw Sanji defending himself until the old man passed out. “What happened?” Robin asked, confusion burning in her Aura as she glanced at me for answers. “Well the old guy isn’t dead, and nobody feels injured so I think he just passed out from some affliction. We should go down.” 

Robin nodded and started down first, cutting in front of me for some reason. With just her head visible from the nest, I felt her teasing nature rise as she grinned at me. “Don’t want you to get ‘lost in thought’ again…” She snickered as she left, leaving me to embarrassingly stew in her last comment. After she was done, I followed suit and landed on the deck beside her. “Hiding your embarrassment?” She asked while tugging on my scarf, covering my face.

I swatted her hand away as I walked over to the small shack, not wanting to admit she was right. She giggled while following closely behind, her feelings of happiness rose from reading me like a book. The rest of the crew had moved the man inside, walking in, my eyes immediately moved to Chopper. “Chopper, what’s wrong with the old guy?” “Oh, I’m fine too after getting shot at, thanks for asking!” Sanji yelled while leaning back in a chair. Robin chuckled while Chopper explained ‘the bends’ to us.

I already understood the general idea of the bends, and seeing the man in pain, reaffirmed that I wouldn’t want that to happen to me either. He groaned in pain even after he was passed out. After helping take care of the old man for a while, my mind began to wander. ‘You know, I might as well hurry this up while we have time.’ I thought, remembering we needed a certain bird that always knew where north was. I wasn’t great at directions, but anyone was better than Zoro. I silently left the shack while the rest of the crew took care of the old man.

I took to the jungle this place was built beside, and sat, cross legged to meditate again. I took a slow, deep breath as I focused on the Auras surrounding me. I drove out the sense of death that filled the air of this wild jungle. I understood for things to live, others must die, no better than inside a wild jungle. Creatures eating others to have the sustenance to survive another day. ‘I feel like I’m becoming more at peace with death… Not that it’s my time yet.’ I shook my head to remove my thoughts, and the image of Robin’s smile that popped in my mind.

Aura was a force that all beings had, but only a certain amount depending on their strength. An insect will have only a small inkling of Aura, same with grass, or other small plants and wildlife. Lions, Tigers, and Bears oh my, would have more than an average human without training. I used this sense of scale to locate a few contenders for this special bird. 

Releasing my breath, I opened my eyes. “Wanna come on a small excursion with me?” I asked, to the cowboy hat-wearing woman resting against a tree beside me. I felt Robin’s surprise at my sudden request, but she smirked as she pushed herself from the trunk she was leaning on. “Where to?” She asked while taking my paw. I blushed and avoided her cheerful expression and teasing nature as I led us further into the jungle. “If we’re going to such a weird place as sky-island, we’re gonna need a better compass that won't be affected by how it’s floating. Like the kind of birds they have around here.”

Robin hummed in understanding. “That does indeed make sense now that you mention it. I did read about a bird that only faces south.” Leading her further in, I felt out the closest Aura that seemed the right amount for a large bird. While walking amongst the foliage I felt Robin’s happiness bloom like the plentiful amounts of vibrant colored flowers surrounding us. It was a sudden change that gave me pause. When I looked at her, I saw her already looking at me with a warm smile. “It’s almost like a date.” She said to me, slight fear creeping into her emotions as she spoke those words.

A little confused about what she was frightened of, I felt around for anything suspicious while my mouth moved on its own. “That’s what I was hoping…” As soon as my mind caught up to my mouth I froze before quickly backtracking. “Ah! Um! What I mean is-” Before I could finish, Robin chuckled while an arm grew on my body, placing its index finger over my mouth to keep me silent. I could feel her fear vanish completely, and her excitement skyrocket as her face remained benign. “It is in these quiet moments, one should value the silence.” She teased while leading me along the jungle. I frowned in embarrassment from her almost chivalrous attitude, but followed her instruction of remaining silent to enjoy each other’s company more. 

After silently walking for a while we spotted what looked to be the toucan looking bird. Robin used her powers to sprout an arm on the branch keeping the bird in place, even as it flapped its wings in vain. It cried out, and I managed to understand him calling for every creature around the area. Just as he did, I felt the Aura’s of larger and larger creatures rushing to our location. “Robin, cover your ears.” I said while taking in a large breath of air into my lungs. Robin glanced at me, and quickly did as I told just in time for some of the closer creatures to reach us.

A strange, almost sabretooth looking tiger jumped at us from the front as the bird began laughing evilly at our demise. I packed my lungs with plenty of my Aura, then released it all in an ear shattering bark. Animals have an innate sense of hierarchy, so with the amount of Aura I just displayed in my voice sent all creatures running in opposite directions. The tiger that leapt towards us, prostrated while covering his ears in pain. I then took the liberty of using my death Aura to control my linen scarf, wrapping it around the dumb bird while bringing him over to us.

Robin smirked at me after I took the bird from her other hands. “And part of me hoped it might take longer.” Robin said while scratching just behind my ears. My face contorted to a smile despite me trying not to showcase a large grin. Robin then stopped to cover her mouth as she chuckled. “I don’t need anything to understand your emotions… You should never play poker.” I blushed while averting my gaze from her watchful eye, causing her teasing nature to flare even more. 

Robin began giving subtle and light scratches behind my ears again. Prompting my natural reaction of low happy growling, and pushing myself further into her fingertips. I quickly stopped myself from going too far and slapped her hand away in embarrassment. Robin chuckled some more as we exited the jungle, I was expecting the crew to have heard my roar, but there was nothing. I looked up at Robin in confusion, but she seemed to understand something I didn’t.

She looked at me with a smile and held her hand up to me. She then began counting down her fingers until she only had her fist remaining. It was at that point I felt the happy Aura’s inside the small house turn worrisome as everyone left the house with bug nets. Everyone paused as we all stared at one another, then the bird in my grasp. “I thought we might need this.” I said while using my linen scarf to hoist the bird closer for everyone to look at. “Hey! We’ve already got the bird! We can party again!” Luffy yelled while immediately heading back inside the home. “Take this seriously!” Nami screamed while running in after him.

“So while I was left wondering where such a beauty was, you spent the time dragging her into the forest on a bird hunt!?” Sanji yelled at me while taking the bird inside the cage. “Oh, there was dragging required, but only on my end.” Robin answered back with a benign smile, causing Sanji to drop dead. “Unfair…” He muttered while Zoro took the cage from him. I felt Robin’s amusement from everything that was happening, and had to agree with her emotions. When everyone in the crew was together, it was always a good time.

We all made our way back inside the home, Chopper and I dragging Sanji’s corpse, bumping his head on a few rocks ‘by accident’, however a boat suddenly appeared from behind the shore line, and I felt vile Aura’s emanating from it.