Chapter 57

Grandline, Paradise, Skypea

As Azul slowly opened his eyes, the first rays of sunlight met his eyes, making him squint slightly but soon adjusted to their intensity before bringing himself into a sitting position with a slight groan accompanying his actions. Taking in his surroundings he realised that he was still in Shandora, or was that again? His experience in the other realm was slightly confusing him, until he managed to sort his memories out and put them into order.

Looking to his left he saw Robin sleeping next to him with a peaceful expression on her face, while covering the rest of her body with a giant blanket, so large that she probably could wrap herself inside of it 50 times before she ran out of material to do so.

'All hail the mighty sushiroll!' Azul thought with a grin and slowly but carefully began to roll Robin into the sushiroll, and before she slowly opened her eyes with a big yawn, finished his task. Sitting himself down Azul couldn't help himself but marvel at his work and started to laugh with full belly laughter when he saw at first confusion on Robins face after she saw the state she was in, continued by the exesperated tries to get out of the tightly rolled blanket with an increasingly redder face, making Azul laugh even harder.

"Bloody freakin hell! How did I...? You did this, didn't you? Get me out of this right now!" Robin grit out through her teeth, wiggling around inside her sushiroll like a dolphine stranded on dry land, bringing new tears to Azuls eyes until he calmed down a little and freed the fair maiden from her plight, earning him a giant smackdown in the end, which made him grin a little at the sting he felt from the little strength that she had, let alone that she had to alleviate herself with her devilfruit to even reach to the top of his head when he was standing, making him laugh once again, and once again earning himself a smack on the head, though he didn't really feel it anyways.

"Calm down girl, all in good humor hehehe" Azul said while drinking some water from a bottle nearby, giving it to Robin afterwards who also took a sip.

"How long was I out anyways?" He asked her. She replied while taking a small bite from a fruit that had been supplied by the warriors of Shandora for them while they stayed here, making Azuls stomache grumble at the sight in hunger.

"Three days you've been out. What was it that caused you to react that way?" She asked back, giving him some fruits that he gulped down in gusto.

"Hmm, maybe I'll tell you someday, but not now. Though thank you for taking care of me in the meantime. I appreciate it." Azul said while smiling kindly at Robin who nodded in reply after receiving the young mans thanks.

"The strawhats already returned back to the grandline, if you were wondering." Robin said, wiping her mouth with a napkin she had grabbed from somewhere.

"Hmm, I see. Would you like to go back as well then? To the grandline I mean. Even though I like it up here, I have some things to take care of down at the blueseas. What do you say? Wanna go back down?" Azul asked, flushing down the food with the rest of the water from the bottle after which he stood up and began to stretch himself a little bit after having to stay down on the ground for three days to get his muscles some activity again, making him m.o.a.n slightly in the process.

"I do not mind to go back down, though I really enjoyed my stay up here a lot. Despite what happened at the end." She replied, standing up as well, after which she gave Azul the bundle with all his things in it. Stretching herself a little as well the two of them walked back towards the Shandia and thanked them for the supplies after which they said their farewells and disappeared inside the jungle towards the exit of the skyisland they had inquired about.

Lifting Robin off of her feet again, Azul jumped into the air and began to ran down towards the bluesea, rushing through the thicker clouds that evaporated on contact with him on his path, soaring through the sky once more, and letting the wind rustle clothes and c.a.r.e.s.sing their skin.

Some time afterwards they reached the height of the grandline again. At first Azul thought about going back to Jaya to pick up his ship but in the end decided against doing so, since he had everything he needed in the bag at his back and could get himself a better ship at one of the following islands.

The weather as they traveled over the oceans surface remained surprisingly calm and so they had no issue to arrive at the next island, even though it took them hours to do so. The island they came upon was a weird one, to say the least. Everything there was elonggated. Be it the animals, fruits, trees, houses or humans. Thin and incredibly tall. Though they were even more surprised that, as they were about to set foot on the island the ocean next to the shore froze solid in milli-seconds, making Robins eyes widen in remembering fear. Her shaking didn't go unnoticed by Azul who stretched out his haki over the island and soon found out the origin of her horror. A man with a strong spirit had put his hand into the ocean and frozen it solid in a speed that was truly impressive. A devilfruit, no doubt.

Putting a calming hand on the small of Robins back, Azul smiled at her, telling her that all would be alright, making her calm down a little, though her fear didn't lessen.

Azul meanwhile had found out that the strawhats spirits fluctuated a little. Some seemed to be very afraid while others were cautious and battle ready.

Unluckily, Luffy rushed the man, the hothead that he sometimes was, and got frozen solid as a result, scaring the rest into action, nobody knowing who the man was.

Azul, feeling what was happening, decided to interfere, as none of them were ready to face such an opponent and going by Robins reaction, he seemed to be an enemy of her at the very least.

Lifting Robin back up, Azul disappeared from his position and soon reappeared once more, right as the tall man was about to grab a shivering Nami, attempting to freeze her solid as well. Not wasting a second, Azul put Robin down a good distance away and appeared right above the mans approaching hand, smashing it down from above straight into the earth, making the mans eyes widen at the realisation that he hadn't shattered due to haki being used.

Standing back up, the tall man looked upon the newest arrival but couldn't really identify the man, surprising him even more, since most men that can use haki already have a bounty on their heads, which the man normally knew from memory.

His gaze soon afterwards wandered over to the woman with black hair in the distance he knew only too well.

"I had wondered where you have been Nico Robin. It seems you have chosen yourself another victim eh?" The tall man asked with a small chuckle making Robin frown while the remaining unfrozen strawhats bustled to unfreeze their companions in the meantime.

"What do you want Aokiji?" Robin asked, bringing a bright grin onto Azuls face after hearing the mans name.

"So you are an admiral ehh? God I'm a lucky one! Finally my time for retribution against the world government can begin in full blast hahahaha" Azul interrupted their heated exchange with a bellowing laughter, while kicking his right leg backwards and with it fell into a battle ready stance, finally facing of against a servant of his nemesis...