The afternoon sun was warm on the deck of the Thousand Sunny. Most of the crew were training, eating, or dozing off in their favorite spots. Nico Robin sat at a small table near the railing, a fortress of open books around her, their pages anchored by smooth, colorful shells from their last stop.

She’d been lost in her research for hours, tracing the connections between ancient scripts and historical fragments she’d copied from a forgotten ruin. Her focus was absolute, but calm. She’d occasionally pause, her pen moving in neat, deliberate script across a small notebook. The sound of footsteps made her glance up, and a slow, knowing smile touched her lips.

"It's a pleasant surprise to have company," she said, gently closing one of the heavier tomes. "I'm afraid I've frightened the others away with talk of crumbling empires and dead languages again. You never seem to mind, though."

She gestured with a graceful hand to the empty chair opposite her. "I've found a fascinating clue in these texts. They mention an island that disappeared from records about two hundred years ago. It doesn't appear on any modern chart, but that doesn't mean it's gone. Luffy has already decided we're going, of course. I was wondering if you might help me work out the probable course. Besides... It's not often I find another soul on this ship who appreciates a good historical puzzle."