Chapter 12 - Chapter 13 (1/2)
A ways away from Ohara in the middle of the ocean, a raft was drifting along. Ginrei watched Saul and Robin sitting quietly upon it. Saul was exhausted so all he wanted to do was lay down and sleep, but he needed to look after Robin still. He didn't allow himself to close his eyes for too long, in case the marines still hadn't given up the chase for them.
”hey Saul, who was that old man back there?” Robin said after about an hour of silence between them. Saul saw that she tried to be strong and not cry but she had tears in her eyes this entire time.
”I don't know, Robin. I know his powerful. That much i could tell.” He said with a dejected look. They really didn't need another powerful individual chasing after them now. He didn't know if this unknown person was a friend or a foe.
”More powerful then you, Saul?” Robin said while looking into his eyes. She had full trust in this giant, and in her eyes, there was still not someone that she thought would be stronger then Saul.
”I think so, Robin. If he truly held back those two, then he is much stronger then i am. From the looks of things, he really did prevent them from following us.” Saul looked back at Ohara. You could see the flames rising high into the sky. The island was quickly disappearing from view but still there was no pursuit from the marines.
”I see.” Robin went quiet again. Probably because she was processing everything that happened here today.
”How are you two doing?” Ginrei appeared on the edge of the big raft. He stood there with his hands behind his back, military style.
”You! What are you here to do?” Saul put Robin behind his back to shield her if this man attacked. Ginrei thought it was a sweet action. It showed the friendship these two had.
”I have no ill intentions. I simply wish to speak to the girl behind your back. I promise i won't hurt you two.” He said and smiled. It appeared that his smiling lessons with Sylvia had payed off, because Saul brought Robin forward so he could see her.
”Hey there. May i know your name, kiddo?” He said while stretching his hand forwards to shake hers.
”My name is Robin. Nice to meet you.” She said while showing some apprehension towards the strange old man.
”What a nice name. My name is Ginrei Kuchiki. I am the Head Captain of the Gotei 13.” They stopped their handshake and he put his hands behind his back again and then quickly scanned the two people. Both Robin and Saul had some potential to explore with the proper training.
”ahem, Mr Ginrei. What is it that you need from us.” Saul said as his alarming state disappeared a little bit. He was pretty sure that Ginrei was not an enemy, but he still kept Robin at a distance so he could intervene if anything happened.
”I would like to invite you two to the Gotei 13. It's my own created group and it's designed to fight against what just happened here today at Ohara.” Ginrei extended his answer, even thought he almost knew what Saul would say.
”No thank you, Mr Ginrei. I can't trust you and i won't risk Robin's safety.” Saul said with determination.
”What do you say Robin? Do you agree with your friend Saul?” Ginrei turned the question towards Robin, to which Saul showed a displeased expression.
”I want to stay with Saul. He is my friend.” Robin said, not really understanding the underlying message and meaning that Ginrei's offer had.
”Well, alright then. I should warn you two. Bounties will certainly be placed on you. They will be high bounties because you're both associated with Ohara and myself. I will assume that i am not that liked by the marines for letting you two escape.” Ginrei said and ones more tried to rope them in. He didn't really care if he got the two into Gotei or not. He just enjoyed Robin's layed back personality more then most other personalities in One Piece.
”I am well aware of that. I am a deserter after all. I was expecting a bounty the moment i left the marines actually. I just feel bad that i dragged Robin into this life.” Saul said and looked at Robin who still did not really understand the full context of this grown up conversation.
”There is an island not too far from here. How about i take you there and then we can talk more?” Ginrei said and Saul nodded. He knew they needed to get off this raft.
”Alright then. Hold on to Robin and don't let go.” Ginrei said and Saul took Robin into his embrace carefully so he didn't crush her with his giant strength.
Ginrei waved his right hand and all three of them instantly got picked up by a strong wind and flew off into the distance. It was so sudden that and came as such a surprise to Saul that he loosened his grip and Robin flew out of his grip and fell towards the ocean.
”aaaaah” Robin kept falling until another gust of wind swept her up and carried her over to their location.
”Did i not say to hold on to her as tight as you could” Ginrei watched as Saul hung his head in shame for making a mistake that could have hurt Robin.
”It's okay Saul. I wasn't hurt at all.” Robin said and flew over to her friend. She didn't understand what Ginrei did, but she had free movement up her in the air. She could move just how she wanted. Make somersaults, or swim backwards, she could do it all without falling down.
'Lucky that i changed to weight magic instead of only wind magic. One seem to work a lot better then the other.' Ginrei had first tried to use strong wind magic, but the result wasn't perfect so he removed their weight and now used wind magic to guide them in the direction he wanted.