Taking Her In

"Stop crying. You're not a child no one wants!"

Cifer held Joni in his arms and gently stroked her little head with two fingers.

"But Joni's daddy and mommy don't want Joni anymore!"

Joni sobbed bitterly, and only then did Cifer and the others finally learn the truth.

There were two children in Joni's family, and she was the younger one. Her birth had been an accident, and at home, she was the kind of child neither parent loved.

After she grew a little older, all the dirty and tiring work at home was done by her and her older brother.

Not long ago, her older brother was supposed to go out to sea with their parents to shop, then help carry the luggage and move things. But that day, he suddenly fell ill.

Her older brother was the only one in the family who cared for her, so she had naturally been willing to take his place and go out to sea to work like a pack mule.

Who knew that the ship they were on would be attacked by a pirate crew at sea? While her parents fled in panic, they paid no attention to her at all.

As she watched the lifeboat drift farther and farther away, she jumped into the sea and swam after it, constantly shouting for her parents to save her. But not a single person on the boat turned back to acknowledge her.

That was why she had been washed ashore on Reksenor by the waves, why she had eaten a Devil Fruit, why she had met Cifer and Akainu, and why she had gotten to eat the first full meal of her life.

"Joni can work really hard! Please, don't throw Joni away!" Her tear-filled, earnest eyes looked toward Cifer and Akainu.

"We're Marines of justice. Of course we won't abandon little Joni!" After hearing her story, Hina could not help but be overwhelmed by maternal affection.

"The Marines can afford one more mouth to feed, right?"

Cifer looked at Akainu. There were only two people here who could make the decision, and Cifer did not intend to drag a child around with him everywhere.

"I naturally won't let her become a pirate!"

After all, Joni could be considered someone he had picked up. She was adorable, possessed Devil Fruit powers, and had such a pitiful background. Naturally, Akainu would not let her wander around everywhere with Cifer.

He would just treat it as raising a daughter!

"Joni, from now on, you'll follow Uncle Sakazuki. He's a Marine Admiral at Marineford!" Akainu's answer was entirely expected, and Cifer was not surprised.

"Aren't Big Brother and Uncle together? Joni wants to follow Big Brother."

Joni was very curious. They could stroll together on a Deserted Island, so shouldn't they be good friends?

"I am a Marine Admiral! This guy is a notorious Great Pirate!"

Akainu answered unhappily. As for whether he was displeased with Cifer or something else, only he himself knew.

"Is Big Brother a bad person?"

Upon hearing that Cifer was a Great Pirate, Joni's body could not help trembling. The scenes of those pirates burning, killing, and looting aboard the ship remained vivid in her mind.

She could not believe that this big brother, who seemed so gentle and polite, was actually a bad person.

"I suppose I do count as a Great Pirate." Cifer scratched his head. After all, he was one of the Shichibukai. "But this world isn't simply black and white."

"Pirates represent evil, but not all pirates are bad people. Marines represent justice, but not all Marines are good people. Don't easily believe what you hear. Believe what you see for yourself."

Such principles were far too profound for Joni. She was still too young, but Cifer believed that she would naturally understand once she grew older.

This time, Akainu did not refute him either. As someone who had experienced much of the world, he was naturally not as childish as Joni, but he had to treat the world as black and white.

Only by becoming the whitest could he have a chance to deal with all the true black.

Joni nodded as if she understood, and Cifer placed her in Akainu's arms.

So warm!

That was Joni's first impression. She had always thought this uncle looked fierce, but his arms were much warmer than Big Brother Cifer's. Big Brother Cifer looked gentle and polite, yet his embrace was icy cold.

"Let me make this clear first. I'm very strict. I'll train you into the strongest Marine soldier!"

Akainu's expression remained stern.

"Okay!"

Thinking of the hateful appearance of the pirates who had attacked that ship, Joni nodded fiercely. She wanted to become stronger, then capture all those bad people!

Once Joni was certain she could stay, the worry hanging over her heart finally faded. She followed Hina around the warship, and as it was her first time at sea, she was curious about everything.

Jonathan continued playing chess with Wright, while Akainu and Cifer stood at the bow and talked for a long time.

They had become acquainted through battle. After three days of fierce fighting, the two had acknowledged each other, chatting freely like old friends reunited after a long separation.

"About time for me to leave too!"

After having another feast at the G-8 base, Cifer decided to set off for Jaya. Joni froze when she heard that, not expecting Cifer to leave so soon.

"Will we meet again, Big Brother Cifer?"

"Of course!"

Looking at the hope in her eyes, Cifer tugged at the collar of his Justice Cape.

His original coat, for some reason—whether because it had come with him or for some other reason—could originally have been restored by his super-speed regeneration.

But Akainu had burned it to nothing but ashes during their fight two days ago, so it naturally could not be restored. He could only take one of Akainu's Justice Capes from the warship. After all, Akainu's red suit was far too ugly.

Akainu had initially voiced quite a few objections. But after considering that Cifer's justice was not much different from his own, he simply let him have it. He treated it as if a thief had stolen one; besides, it was not as though Justice Capes going missing from the Marines was a rare occurrence.

"How much longer do you intend to keep a Marineford colonel following you?!"

Naturally, Akainu was dissatisfied with Cifer taking Hina along. What kind of sight was it for a Marineford colonel to remain aboard a Shichibukai's ship all the time?

What was more, Cifer had not even become a Shichibukai yet. This damaged the Marines' dignity!

Cifer covered his face. He knew Akainu's old habit was acting up again. The man thought about the Marines' dignity all day long.

"Then how about you take me to Jaya?"

After thinking it over, Cifer realized that he would not need the two of them for the journey after Jaya anyway. He already had someone else in mind.

"Once we reach Jaya, send someone to pick the two of them up. I have arrangements for the rest of the journey."

Hina felt somewhat disappointed. She had originally thought they would part ways only after he became a Shichibukai, but because of Akainu, it was happening early.

She did not show those emotions on her face. She knew very well that she was a Marine who represented justice and could not truly become Cifer's companion.

Jaya was not far from Nabarro Fortress, only about three or four days away. Akainu did not pursue the matter any further, and the two reached an agreement.

The Little Ul set sail.

"Big Brother Cifer, when we meet next time, Joni will definitely become an outstanding Marine soldier!"

Standing on the shore, Joni had already changed into a brand-new little Marine uniform at the base, looking full of energy.

Akainu stood behind her with his hands in his pockets, silently watching the ship sail away.

At this moment, on an unknown island somewhere in the Grand Line.

"Where's my little sister?! Where did she go?!"

A boy around twelve years old, yet nearly two meters tall, roared.

"I told you, she was taken away! There was nothing we could do! They were pirates!"

Seeing his parents' perfunctory attitude, his heart completely turned cold. Although they usually treated his little sister badly, he had never expected that even her life meant so little to them.

"It's all because of me! If I hadn't gotten sick that day, my little sister wouldn't have..."

A powerful aura surged into the sky, and the couple eating nearby collapsed to the ground with a bang.