Coming face to face with an old face had always been something Robin welcomed, until the last couple of days when fate had decided to be mean to her.

Today was no exception, as the Thousand Sunny docked at the ports of one of many islands in the Grand Line; the city bustling with life and business. Knowing that the last few suitors had turn out to be more than horrible, Nami had insisted that she followed Robin alone as the pair followed along the tenth string on the latter's hands.

They were being followed of course, as the others were admittedly interested to know who their competitor would be. The two women knew that but were too lazy to dismiss them, knowing that it would create unnecessary ruckus to begin with. And so they swallowed their earlier instructions from before, walking along to the tunes of the red string on Robin's wrists.

"Nico Robin." The owner behind the red string scoffed upon seeing her face. "I've been expecting you."

"Crocodile."

"You've got to be kidding me." Nami practically wanted to cry out.

"I assume by your presence that you've yet to fall in love with anyone." Crocodile smirked. "Don't tell me that the boys secretly behind you both aren't doing enough to please you."

"That jerk…" Sanji muttered through gritted teeth.

"My pleasure is none of your business." Robin answered as curtly as she could back at her old partner.

"And yet it once was…"

"H-Huh?" Nami turned to her older friend. "H-He means… Robin? Is he the one… that you said...?"

When Robin said nothing but turned red, the orange haired girl had screamed in surprise. "Really?! Why?!"

"Why?" Zoro was obviously not getting where this conversation was going. "What did he do to Robin?"

Usopp coughed uncontrollably, knowing what Nami was insinuating. "I knew I didn't wanted to know for a reason."

"I still don't get it."

"Crocodile was…" Usopp sighed as he tried to think of the best way to put it all together. "He was her first."

This time, Ace frowned. "Really? He was her first love?"

"No, no. You're getting it all wrong." The long nosed young man dismissed the guess. "Robin has never fell in love before."

"Then…"

"He was her first, damn it!"

"I don't get it." Luffy tilted his head in confusion. "First what?"

"I see." Kid turned to look at the infamous ex-Warlord. "So he was the first guy she f-"

"Made love!" Brook interrupted before the redhead could utter a profanity, covering Chopper's ears at the same time. "The first guy she made love to!"

"Oh." The new piece of information began to sink in. "Oh."

"That jerk!" Sanji bit his lips in anger. "Why I ought to-"

"When the string appeared, I had a hunch that I'd be seeing you again." Crocodile drawled lazily. "You were the only one I ever bothered with after all."

"By bothered, you mean brainwashed." Robin frowned. "I was young and naïve back then. I'm nothing like I once was."

"And yet you ironically are." He hummed to himself funnily. "Anyway, if you came for love, I don't have any."

"Then we'll be on our way-"

"But if you came for something else," Crocodile added, staring intensely at the black haired woman. "Maybe I can consider reliving back our old times together."

"Screw you."

"Gladly."

"I think I'm going to be sick." Nami placed a hand on her mouth, the other quickly pulling Robin along. "We're going back to the ship."

"Nami…" Robin faced her younger friend apologetically. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"It's okay. But seriously? Crocodile was your first?"

"He was attractive back then." She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "But he was also a questionable character."

"I swear to God, Robin." Nami shook her head at the thought passing through her mind. "I bet you're going to surprise me with who you're choosing at the very end. But then again, judging by who the potential soulmates are, your future isn't looking very good."

"Well… maybe the next one would be better."

"I hope so too."

Behind them, the men trailed along, hearing everything that had just transpired between the two.

"Crocodile… and Robin-chwan…" Sanji uttered sadly, being pulled along by Franky.

"Get a grip! You're being super irritating."

"So she does like her boys bad." Kid laughed, shaking his head at the predictability.

Ace, Sabo and Law only frowned in silence.

"Who would have thought?" Zoro dismissed it all too casually. "Robin and Crocodile, huh…"

"I don't like it." Luffy stated simply.

It wouldn't matter to the men if they had liked it or not, for the next day would soon come as yet another surprise for the whole lot of them.

The men on board had straightened their postures in order, a little wary at how the great pirate was before them. It had only been two days since their last meeting with Crocodile and they hadn't expect to see another familiar face so soon.

But this time, they hadn't actually known the man; they'd only seen him in his infamous wanted posters.

Only one man greeted their new visitor with vigour; though he was quickly flung aside from his sudden warm greetings.

"Luffy. Long time no see."

It was a little unnerving to have the great man stand before them. It was only a few hours ago when they had decided to stop by this little island to get some supplies for Chopper's medical expertise. They hadn't bank in on running into a potential soulmate, much less a man of his calibre.

"You didn't have to throw me off, you know." Luffy rubbed his cheeks painfully. "But I can't believe you're one too!"

The said man finally turned his attention to the one on the opposite end of his string and he had smiled warmly, walking up to her for a hug.

"I've heard a lot about you, Nico Robin." The man greeted casually. "To think you're a potential soulmate…"

"R-Red-haired Shanks." Robin gulped, definitely cursing fate for playing such games with her. "I didn't realise…"

Shanks smiled, a little too happy at the situation. "This must be a birthday present, or something."

"Or something is definitely right." Usopp and Nami both commented offhandedly.

The man went in for a hug and Robin had tensed at the touch, though still pleasantly surprised by how nice he smelled. She could have sworn he had at least been drunk and was a little unsettled by the fact that he was actually sober.

"So? Wanna get married?" Shanks joked but Robin remained stoic. "Is that a yes?"

"Shanks!" Luffy interrupted the moment between the two. "You don't get to cut in line. You have to compete like everyone else."

"Is that so?"

"Shanks, we have to go." Beckman urged for his captain to follow. "While it's great seeing Luffy… and the woman behind the string… we have other important things to do too."

"I see." The man furrowed his eyebrows in disapproval. "Guess I'll see you next time, Robin."

"Shanks!" The Straw Hats captain whined.

"Oh, you too Luffy."

"Shanks…"

It was only until he left did the woman (and many others) realised that Shanks had dropped her surname to just calling her 'Robin'.

"Talk about an unfair competitor." Ace huffed once the older man was out of sight. "And that old man didn't even greet me warmly."

"Or at all." Zoro pointed out.

"Doesn't he automatically win?" Kid looked on mysteriously.

"… You never know until you try." Was all Law said before walking away from the crew. "I'm getting tired."

"Robin!" Nami huddled over to the older woman. "I see hope!"

And Robin wouldn't let anyone else know, but so did she.

"So, we're down to the last string." Brook laughed but upon seeing Ace, stopped. "Ace, what's wrong?"

"Goddamn it. I know who the last string belongs to."

The skeleton followed his line of sight and was surprised to see Robin smiling at her company.

"I can't believe my eyes! She's smiling! Although, I don't have eyes."

Far away from them, the woman enjoyed her small talk with her new acquaintance.

"I see." She noted his manners. "So you were shocked at first too."

Marco laughed as he ran his free hand through his hair. "I almost had the shock of my life when I saw Ace with his red string, but I was more than happy to know that you're the one I'm connected to."

"Likewise." Robin reciprocated his grin. "I didn't know the Whitebeard's first division commander would be a pleasant and decent person to have a conversation with."

"I would love to talk some more but I think your admirers wouldn't like me to do so." Marco nudged his head to the crew behind her. "And one's coming this way…"

"Marco." Ace was miraculously by their side. "You're leaving already?"

"Pops send me out on an errand." The older man replied. "Though now I think he did that because he knew what the string meant."

"You should stay." The former added reluctantly. "We're finally able to start this thing properly."

"But I really have to go. Maybe I'd drop by when I'm free."

"And what if the string disappear by then?"

Ace could see both their faces drop at that thought and he too couldn't help but feel a little hurt by how attached Robin already was to Marco.

"It wouldn't." He uttered at long last. "I'll just have to be back before then."

When all was said and done, the pineapple man (as called by Luffy) had left; leaving Robin to deal with the few suitors before her.

"So I guess we finally know who each person is." Sabo was the first one to bring the topic up during dinner that night. "I propose we start the competition."

"How should we go about it, though?" Sanji smoked in his cigarette. "I can't imagine we fight it out to death."

"That suits fine by me." Zoro ate into his chicken drumstick.

"I agree." Kid did the same right after.

"… I don't want that." Robin shook her head at the ridiculous statement. "It's stupid."

"Why don't Robin spend the whole day with a person each?" Usopp offered and the atmosphere immediately got brighter.

"That's genius!" Nami slapped her friend on his back. "And she can spend the night too."

"I'll pass." The woman glared at the younger woman but she was clearly immune. "The day part sounds good, though."

"Then, that settles it!" Luffy raised his cup for a toast. "We start tomorrow!"

Franky and Chopper turned to each other excitedly. "We'll get the lots ready!"

Robin continued digging into dinner, wondering who the first person she'll be spending time with tomorrow is. The smile etched on her face would remain unnoticed, as the plan of getting rid of the strings would finally be put into action.

Tomorrow, Robin thought, would be the day to determine her future; whether she likes it or not.