Chapter 13: Solitude 1

Here, O my heart, let us burn the dear dreams that are dead,
Here in this wood let us fashion a funeral pyre
Of fallen white petals and leaves that are mellow and red,
Here let us burn them in noon's flaming torches of fire.

********

Robin awoke in a tangle of limbs.

That was, surprisingly, a rare occurrence. Her Devil Fruit abilities only existed when she concentrated on them, so any time she fell asleep or unconscious, the limbs would fade.

Last night she had been so drunk she couldn't have used her fruit anyway.

It was already later than she usually rose, the clock on the wall pointing to well past 11. Her companions, Yoruichi and Tsunade, were still insensate. Hence, it was a bit of a challenge to disentangle herself from their grips. Though Robin did take a moment to admire their naked forms while she dressed for the day. Yoruichi had curled up facing Tsunade, suckling at her teet.

Despite a few bawdy jokes or wandering hands, nothing sexual had occurred last night. Nobody had been in the mood after Robin had broken the news about their home worlds. While the pirate couldn't speak of any of the other women, the three of them had been too caught up in reminiscence to be in any mood for sex.

Judging by the sounds from the other hall, Scathach had comforted Glynda in a much more physical manner. However, Robin was sure the revelation about the world's end hadn't surprised the huntress.

There had been laughter and tears. They had traded stories of all the good times, the people they would miss, the love they had lost, and dreams they never achieved. The night had lasted well into the early hours before everybody stumbled to bed.

As Robin stepped from the room quietly, she took stock of her emotions.

She felt lighter, less overcome when she thought of the Strawhats. There was still a sadness there, grief that would never really go away, but it was a lighter thing. Unlike in the past, when she had fled Ohara, she was not alone with her grief. She had friends and a family who mourned with her.

"Dereshishishishi," Robin chuckled to herself as she made her way to the kitchen. She was unsurprised to find Medea there, puttering around to preparing a meal. "Good morning," she greeted the witch.

"Morning, Robin," Medea answered as she continued to stir the bowl. Her actions were automatic, so the greek was able to give the pirate a commiserating look. "How are you holding up?"

"I'll be alright," she answered demurely as she took a cup of coffee. While the brunette didn't have a hangover, she still preferred to start her day with a cup or two of the black gold. "It still hurts, but I think things will turn out fine."

"It gets easier," Medea finished mixing and put her hand on Robins in a show of camaraderie. The elfin woman stared at her in sincere concern. "It will hurt. You will always think of them, but eventually, it achs more than bleeds."

"Were the argonauts close?" Robin couldn't help but ask. The greek rarely talked about her time on the famous ship.

"The argonauts?" Medea asked, confused as she returned to cooking. "Some were, and with a few exceptions, we were all friendly to each other. I was more talking about my family. I lost them twice over. It does get easier. We just have to move on little by little."

"I didn't mean to assume," Robin apologized as she passed a plate of french toast covered in fruit and syrup. From above, they heard another pair of feet descending the stairs. "I suppose I was a bit spoiled with my crew. We were all close. I thought the Argo would be similar."

"You forget that we were less like a crew and more like a random collection of people on various quests. More than that, we all had dealings with the gods. Only a rare few were of good nature. Events like that tend to scar." Medea explained as she set six more plates at the pirate's side.

Judging by the serving size alone, Robin already knew who was joining them.

"Good morning Robin, Medea," Artoria nodded properly at each of them in turn as she took her seat at the kitchen counter. She ate with the speed of Luffy but the elegance of Sanji. Her mouth was never full when she talked, but she always took another bite as soon as the last word left. "I trust you both are well-rested?"

"Oh, I slept fine," Medea said with a sly smile. "I was a bit lonely. I think only four of us went to bed alone." Artoria blushed deeply, looking away. She continued to eat, however.

"Diana was distraught about her world," the King of Knights defended herself. "We were both well into our cups, and she proved to be a very compassionate lover despite my inexperience. While I do not regret the experience, I do wish you would not bring up such a topic at the table."

"I'm just teasing," the greek said with a chuckle. "I am happy for you two, though I would recommend making sure your door is closed completely in the future if you want privacy."

"We will do that," the blonde said, her flush redoubled.

Robin watched the interaction as she continued to eat. While not unfamiliar with sex, having seen more than her fair share, the pirate had always been too preoccupied to deal in romance. Before she joined the crew, there had been no one she had trusted enough to lay with. She knew how to lead people on, to tease and tantalize, but the physical aspect was foreign to her. Of the Strawhats, only Sanji and Franky were interested in sex and romance. The rest of the crew had been 'Dream-sexual,' too focused on their goals to think about anything else.

The brunette wasn't even sure what she liked. Male? Female? Young? Mature? Now that her dream was put on hold, at least for the moment, maybe she should consider romance since she had the time. Despite never giving love much thought, Robin knew exactly who was sleeping with who on the Island.

Early on, she had kept tabs on everybody at all times. It had been paranoia, she wouldn't deny, but Robin had held at the practice even after she was sure none of the other women were a threat. Partly out of habit, partly curiosity.

Most would not know that Robin, the devil child and most dangerous woman in the world, was that she was a huge gossip. Most of the time, she kept what she discovered to herself. On the crew, she only talked with Nami about what she saw or heard with her Devil Fruit. By this point, the pirate had dirt on all the women on the Island.

Robin watched Medea tease her crush/co-conspirator. She noted the little touches, the way she swayed her hips or bent at the waist. For all that Artoria was eager to put the greek's advice to use in seducing Mikael, the blonde was woefully naive when it came to those same tactics being used on her.

Robin smiled to herself behind her cup of coffee. While they weren't the Strawhats, they were still her new family.

The rest of the women trickled in over the next half hour to have a late breakfast. By the time everyone was fed and had consumed the pills Medea had made for them, Emma turned to address the room.

"As you all might have guessed, Mikael has defeated the last boss of the second game." A few worried looks were thrown at the blonde, but she waved off their concern. "He doesn't intend to link the fire. He will be walking away and trying to find someone else to do it. Unfortunately, he has no idea how long that will take, so we could be without contact for a week or more, like last time. Or he could summon us tonight. He already missed today's 9am summons. Robin, when you are called, let us know as soon as possible."

"Sure," Robin agreed readily enough, leaning into her had as she watched the proceedings.

"Thank you. After last night, I would like to offer my service as a psychologist and counsellor, should anyone feel the need. Like Tsunade, my door is always open if you want to talk." Robin squinted her eyes at Emma. She was being a bit too helpful. The pirate wasn't the only one to think so because Yoruichi spoke up.

"And how are we supposed to trust you? You kept our world's situation a secret until Robin confronted you."

"You can trust me to have some professional pride if nothing else," the mutant said. The rest of the room did not look entirely convinced, so she explained. "None of us trusted each other in the early days, and as a psychic, I know more than most how important privacy is. I only made the deduction about Death after the first month. By that point, even if I told you all, you wouldn't believe me, nor would it have achieved anything. It would also be more points of failure for Mikael to discover."

"Why hide it from him?" Glynda asked.

"His second element," Diana said before Emma could respond. "While he is a dragon of Freedom, he is also a dragon of Life."

"That is one concern," the White Queen nodded at the amazon. "We know elements have a mental and emotional aspect, so Life being in the service of Death could be a problem. It is not my main worry, though. How much do you all know about Patrons?"

"Not a great deal," Glynda admitted. "I believe he mentioned it to me only once, saying there would have been no point in the original story."

"There are two main worries I have," Emma said as she poured herself another cup of coffee. Her fifth in half an hour. Robin shared a concerned look with Raven. Was Emma already spiralling? It hadn't even been a full day since she had talked to Mikael.

"The first and least of my worries is that Patrons choose their champions. Unlike the company which lets people do as they will, getting clones of any captures for use, Patrons actively pick people for reasons. This gives them benefits but also duties. Not only did Death choose Mikael, but they also tampered with things to a great extent."

"Such as?" Tsunade asked.

"Such as the sheer size of that dragon outside," Medea chimed in. Emma nodded for her to continue. "I went over dragons with Mikeal a few times. It makes no sense for the dragon to be that big. This Island can be large because there are ways to purchase size expansions. The only way for Mikael's body to grow so big would be it growing throughout millions of years."

"They also made sure he was as skilled as possible," Glynda said in thought. The rest of the room looked at her, and she elaborated. "I helped train him. He was hopeless early on, with no combat sense in the least. Even if he could control the dragon's body, his only threat would be in size. Now? In pure skill alone, he is my superior. Even if he does not have Aura, so long as he is decently equipped and can use his magic, only a few of us could beat him. Most of that is pure skill and knowledge."

"This man has been honing his warcraft for decades," Diana nodded, catching on. "He has fought armies, monsters and gods. He isn't even done yet. By forcing us to remain on the sidelines, they have created a warrior of unsurpassed skill."

"That is not the only change Death made," Scathach said. "The Island grows and adapts as he encounters foes. The manor would have existed in Mikael's original choices but not the Island. We must assume that it serves some greater purpose as well."

"So Death wants something from him, or us? Big whoop," Yoruichi said, still staring at Emma. "We can deal with that when it becomes important. You never told us why we couldn't just tell Mikael."

"As I said, Death's intentions were the least of my worries." Emma took a big sip of coffee, pausing in thought before speaking again with a sigh. "I will just come out and say it then. We are all dead." There was a beat of silence where the women waited for Emma to elaborate.

"So?" Yoruichi asked.

"We are all dead," Emma repeated. "Not undead like Mikael or souls like in your home world. The only reason we are still around is that we were Chosen. Our worlds ended, and they took us with them."

"We are aware of that," Tsunade said harshly, not liking having the recent wound opened.

"I think," Robin said, putting the pieces together. "What she means is our continued existence is dependent on Mikael."

"Is that not a good thing?" Priscila, who had been silent until now, spoke. "Did our Bard not make you all immortal?"

"We do not know if Warranty Plan is active. A lot of the original catalogue was changed. We have to operate on the assumption that we are no longer guaranteed rebirth," Glynda explained to the crossbreed before turning to Emma. "I do not think that is what you are getting at."

"It isn't, but keeping our potential mortality in mind is essential. I mentioned that by being chosen by a Patron, people get perks and benefits that they do not usually receive by being randomly picked by the company. Death, specifically, allows for the release of any captures and its champions to send the dead off to an afterlife."

"You think he would put us to rest if he knew he could?" Yoruichi asked, horrified. Others around the table reacted just as harshly. Medea looked like she would cry at the thought.

"For some of us? Before he left his cell if he knew he could and convinced himself it was for our sake? He would have in a heartbeat. Now, I can't be sure one way or the other, but I would rather not take the risk." Emma said plainly, staring at Scathach. Rather than be affronted at the words, Robin paid attention to the mutant's emphasis on the word 'convinced.' She had done something similar the night before.

"Why? I know he said he couldn't love us, but surely he doesn't hate us to that extent?" Medea looked almost desperately at Emma, urging her for answers.

"He doesn't hate us," she quickly clarified. "In fact, the opposi-"

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The mutant was cut off as her throat seized up. The psychic clutched at it desperately, coffee falling to the floor. All the women sprang to their feet, some rushing to her side in an instant. Others looked around in search of an enemy.

Robin stayed in her seat, well aware that it was the result of the Comand Seal. She was busy pondering the blonde's words. The opposite of hate? That had some implications that would line up with her own theories.

"I'm fine," Emma said as the women crowded around her. "I'm fine. It was the seal. I can't say more. Just know Mikael doesn't hate any of us."

"It'll be another month or so before we cross the tier seven threshold for dragon's blood," Medea said as she cleaned up the spilled mess. "Once we do, I am going to use Rule Breaker. Whether you want me to or not."

"Please do," Emma said. "I am rather sick of things as it is."

Robin took the chance to step away. She would get no more answers for now. A lot had changed in the last twenty-four hours. She needed to get the story straight before the details faded.

*********

Robin, upon her summoning, found herself in a cemetery.

Dozens of headstones lined the walls and pilled at her feet. The sky was a grey overcast, barely providing any illumination. Ash swirled in the cold air, and groans rang in the distance. Robin could not see her summoner immediately, but he was not hard to find.

He lay in an open coffin, half-buried in the dirt. His form was emaciated and sunken in, though not to the extent he was in his cell. Rather than look like dried jerky, he looked like Luffy, who went without eating for two days.

He was, again, completely naked.

Robin eyed his form more critically since he wasn't a complete husk of rotten skin and bones. She had seen dozens of examples in her life of spying. Still, her only real experience with touching male genitalia had been when the crew rather forcefully recruited Franky; other times, she used it as a convenient target. Mikael staked up favourably to the cyborg, but the pirate had no idea what was considered 'impressive' in this sphere.

Mikael was awake, his eyes wide and unfocused as he stared at the sky. He did not so much as twitch as she neared his still form. Robin would have been worried had the Darksign branded onto his heart and the six red Command Seals that circled it not pulsed regularly like a heartbeat.

"Mikael?" Robin asked softly as she leaned her head over his prone form. "What happened? Did something go wrong with your plan?" The man stared at her for a moment, uncomprehending, before he moved.

"Nothing." He said, taking a deep breath and dislodging the pile of ash that had accumulated on his body. "Nothing happened."

Robin backed away as the man slowly and methodically sat up and raised himself out of the coffin. Suddenly his body twitched violently in spasms, and he almost fell back down. Robin reached out instinctually to support him, though her body passed through as always. She needn't have bothered as Mikael caught himself and, with another deep breath, rose to his full height.

"Sorry," Mikael said as he started to slowly and carefully go through some stretches. "I am just getting used to this new body." His voice was rougher than she was used to. He usually spoke with a deep, smooth rhythm that Yoruichi had, more than once, claimed to want to hear in bed. Now it was the sound of gravel and rocks.

Robin eyed the man critically as he methodically moved every part of his body, uncaring for his nudity. The man, even emaciated as he was, was still a mountain. Robin was the second tallest of the women on the Island at 6'2", after only Glynda's impressive 6'5", and Mikael still stood an inch or two taller than her. Though he lacked the muscles she knew he would gain, he was still wider than her. Every once in a while, his body would be wracked with more spasms, and he would lose his footing.

"What happened after you defeated Aldia?" Robin asked. As the minutes passed, he got more control of his body, and his speed picked up. His face still remained blank of all expression.

"I hoped I would be transported here right away," he explained monotonously. "I wasn't. It took a while. How long was it on your end?"

"Only six days this time," Robin said, starting to grow worried about his out-of-character behaviour. Mikael loved to talk. He was never the strong silent type. After discussing with the other women, they all agreed that he wasn't talking only when he was singing or deep in thought.

"That lines up with my time," Mikeal said simply. Robin did some quick math. Six days was almost two whole cycles. He must have been on his own for nearly two years. No wonder he was out of it. Mikael continued to move, starting to do squats and focus on his legs. There was a moment of silence that Robin didn't know how to break before the man began to speak, his words hesitant and unsure. "Are you... are you all right?"

"Hm?"

"Before," the naked man stopped his movements and looked at her. His face finally changed to worry and confusion. "Before Nishandra and Aldia, I was talking to... Emma, I think. She said you got some bad news. Are you all right?"

Robin's heart clenched for more than one reason. The reminder of her loss, of the Strawhats, was still painful. It had only been a week after all. But another feeling also welled up within her.

Nico Robin was familiar with loneliness. It had been her only companion throughout most of her life. With no friends or people to trust, her loneliness nearly drove her to take her own life. It had been a year and a half for him. After what had clearly been an ordeal, Mikael still remembered a conversation that long ago and still worried about her. It touched Robin somewhere deep.

She hoped that he at least had someone with him during that time. That he hadn't been utterly alone like she suspected.

"I'm hanging in there," the pirate said instead of asking about her worries. "The other women have been keeping me company. I am not alone." 'Unlike you,' went unsaid.

"Good, good." Mikeal nodded slowly before returning to his stretches. Robin watched him for a minute, wondering if he would continue the conversation. He didn't, though she was surprised he could do a full split.

"Medea succeeded," she said. Mikael looked at her in confusion. "With the eggs? She succeeded in hatching them."

"Really?" A slight glint of curiosity now glimmered in Mikael's brown eyes.

"Yes," she continued, happy to get him out of his stupor. "All four hatched four days ago. They were adorable, barely the size of a pillow. Three females and one male. Artoria named the male Hengeron II and one of the girls Llamrei II. Medea called the other two, Andromeda and Cassandra. They've really livened up the place."

"Of course they would call them that," Mikeal deadpanned, though Robin could see a hint of a smile on the corner of his mouth.

"Both Medea and Tsunade have been trying to get them to sit still for some scans," Robin continued. "But all four, barely able to walk, try and follow Artoria or Priscila like little ducklings." Mikeal finally let out a small chuckle at the mental image.

"You're right. That does sound adorable."

For the next few minutes, Robin regaled him with stories of the drakes' exploits. Like how they had destroyed Priscila's robe and made a nest out of it. Or how they had chased Yoruichi, in cat form, around the living room. Through it all. Mikael continued with his exercises. Though he did laugh at the last story.

"They're going to be real hellions when they grow up," he said as he stood up from a brief stint of sit-ups. He started to make his way towards the only exit in the little cul-de-sac the pair found themselves in.

"I'm sure they will kidnap a princess or three," Robin said as she followed the man. "Maybe terrorize a village."

"I'm sure you all will train them right. Though, I wouldn't be surprised if Medea taught them to attack any blond pretty boys on sight."

As he spoke, they approached a widening in the path. Robin noted with interest the ruins that lay around her. A fountain of some sort had once been here, the damage and growth of flora indicating it had been abandoned centuries ago. Nestled in between the cliffs as it was, engravings had been protected from most of the elements.

The occasional body lay in heaps. More graves lay all around, and what plant life there was, was grey and wilting. Some bodies still twitched, though most lay still.

Mikael would eye a body once before moving on in quick succession. Robin decided to stay quiet for the moment, unsure if this area was safe for her summoner. The first body they approached that still moved, naked like her companion, Mikael walked up to and stomped on the being's skull. Its head burst, covering the man's foot in grey matter. A silver mist rose from the corpse and flowed into Mikael, who rolled his shoulders in response.

"Alright, everything is still in order," he said as he wiped his food in the dirt. "Let's find one with an Estus, weapon or at least clothes."

"I'm guessing you know where we are?" Robin asked as the pair made their way forward, occasionally pausing for Mikael to strike down another hollow.

"Dark Souls 3, unlike the other games, has a different framework," Mikael explained, casually breaking the neck of an undead who had tried to lunge at him. "You do not play as a hollow, at least not initially by the same definition as the other games. This is the Cemetary of Ash. Here lay those who tried to Link the Fire but were too weak to sustain the flame. Only ash remained of them. To make a long story short, the Lords of Cinder who could link the fire haven't. So the world calls upon Unkindled Ash since the start of the world to give them another chance to Link the Fire. Just another failsafe in the Age of Fire to ensure the flames never truly go out."

"So they are not undead," Robin couldn't help but ask.

"Not hollows specifically," Mikael clarified. "They are still undead, and most are- 'scuse me for a second."

A dog, grey and emaciated like the corpse it was eating, had spotted her companion. It growled and barked, lunging for Mikael's throat. The man barely flitched at the violent attack. Instead, he caught it by the neck in one hand and broke its neck with a loud and quick 'snap.'

"Sorry," he said, throwing the corpse away. "Anyway, they are a different kind of undead. Most are still mindless, the First Flame having burned away their sanity just like hollowing. It is okay to think of them as the same, though the term Hollow has different connotations in this game than in the others."

"Is that why you can end the Age of Fire in this game?"

"Partially," he waved in a 'so-so' gesture. "You have to understand, Unkindled Ash are failures. The fact that they are summoned at all shows how dire the Flame feels the situation to be. For all Gwyn's machinations, the Age is meant to end, and will end, eventually. If the first game is the last gasp of a civilization, then this one is the last gasp of a World. It has been stretched for too long."

Robin continued to ask questions as they wandered about the cemetery. There was a brief period of worry when Mikael was beset by three foes and a dog at once, but her summoner managed to survive the encounter with some good positioning. Robin would rate his hand-to-hand skills as decent enough, though she could probably take him with her own Fishman Karate. It was clear he was used to weapons for all his combat skills.

Eventually, after an hour of wandering, the pair managed to make their way out of the part of the cemetery in the cliffs' crag. Robin's breath was stolen from her when she stood on the ravine's edge, staring out over the miles and miles of tombstones lined the cliff edge. Very faintly in the distance, near the horizon, she could make out a structure of some sort.

"That's my first stop," Mikeal said. He was also looking at the far structure. "I'll have to face Gundyr if I want to make it to Firelink Shrine. I hope I can find a decent enough weapon before then. The Fire Keeper is on the other side, and I can't channel souls into my body and spirit without her."

"Let me help you look for something," Robin said. While her main body remained nearby, she started sprouting eyes further away. The sheer number of dead that filled this graveyard was staggering. It took some real effort on the woman's part to sort through all the visual information she was receiving.

Most of the ashen ones were the naked, gaunt-looking ones the pair had already met. After five minutes of searching, Robin found one in better shape. It wore loose clothes, which was more than most, and the pirate directed Mikael in its direction. Unfortunately, it only had the clothes on its back. Nonetheless, her companion killed it and took its vestments.

The next few hours were spent making a winding trail towards the shrine.

By the time Robin felt her time ending, they were still far away, but the pair had managed to find two Estus flasks and a broken sword. More importantly, to Robin at least, Mikael had gotten out of his funk. He was joking and laughing as usual. She had even caught him humming under his breath a few times.

As she stepped through the portal, Robin let her thoughts broadcast. Emma had been nearly catatonic with worry for the last few days, and the pirate would rather nip her attitude in the bud. At the same time, Robin decided it was time she took the mutant up on her offer of counselling.

If Mikael could push forward, so could she.

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