Ten thousand meters beneath the sea, inside the Dragon Palace on Fish-Man Island.
Poniton, the sea god, was a huge Fish-Man with a long brown beard coiled across his chest. He was speaking to a Fish-Man seated cross-legged below the throne, wearing a black cloak and holding a water pipe.
That Fish-Man was Jinbe, the current captain of the Sun Pirates and one of the Navy's Shichibukai.
Hearing Poniton's words, Jinbe took a puff from his pipe, nodded with his eyes closed, and said gravely.
"If I become a Shichibukai, the government will pardon Aladdin and the others."
"And those Fish-Men who no longer want to be pirates."
"They won't be hunted anymore. They'll be able to return to this country and reunite with their families."
That day, Jinbe had been standing behind the mast and had heard every word the Fish-Man at the stern said to Aladdin.
Perhaps that was why Jinbe had agreed to become a Shichibukai.
After all, Fisher Tiger, the big brother he revered, had "died" at the Navy's hands, yet now he was going to become their "lapdog."
Jinbe must have been hurting inside, too.
Jinbe took another deep puff from his water pipe, then opened his eyes and looked at Poniton, the sea god before him.
"Most importantly, if I gain this position..."
"I can bring Fish-Man Island and the World Government a little closer together."
"I caused the queen quite a bit of trouble before."
"Consider this a small way of making amends."
Jinbe spoke earnestly and solemnly, and Poniton noticed it all.
Poniton closed his eyes as well and spoke with gratitude and relief.
"Thank you very much."
"She's on the verge of falling apart."
Poniton recalled Queen Otohime's tearful complaints over the past few days. The pirates she had saved had