The tearoom of Isshin Dojo was packed with people.
Michael, Hawkeye, and Enel sat on one side, while Monkey D. Dragon, Ginny, and Kuma sat on the other.
Koushirou Shimotsuki, who had just emerged from his daughter's room, took the host's seat, brewing tea for his friends who had come from afar.
"I wonder... what brings the Marine's Grand Inspector to Revolutionary Army territory?" Ginny spoke up first, delivering unfamiliar lines in a wooden, script-reading tone.
"I'm really curious!"
"Enough with the act. If you were going to pretend, you shouldn't have exposed yourself from the start," Michael rolled his eyes, then pointed at Hawkeye and Enel.
"It doesn't matter if these two know my identity because they're only here to stay by my side... The reason they became Marines is simply because I'm a Marine. What matters isn't the Marine, but me."
"Whew! You should've said so earlier! I was racking my brains trying to figure out how to cover up our relationship..." Ginny sighed in relief, smiling as she spoke.
"So what brings you to Shimotsuki Village?"
"As your Chief of Staff, can't I come by whenever I want?" Michael said, extending his hands.
"Hurry up, let me hold little Bonney!"
"Tch, so Bonney was your goal all along?" Ginny clicked her tongue but obediently handed Bonney over to Michael.
"Be careful with her, she's mine and Kuma's most precious daughter."
"I don't think that's something someone who naturally turns into light and flies around holding their daughter should say," Michael couldn't be bothered to look at Ginny, instead cradling Bonney in his arms.
"Oh my, Bonney, I'm your favorite Uncle Michael!"
"Ew! A grown man acting all cutesy? Thats creepy!"
"Enough, Ginny," Dragon rarely showed a warm smile. "You should see how Kuma usually talks to Bonney... now that's truly terrifying!"
Hearing this, Kuma lowered his head somewhat sheepishly, though his face was full of pride.
"Hey, that wasn't a compliment!"
The cheerful laughter in the tearoom continued for a long time, only gradually quieting down when Kuina and Zoro entered.
Koushirou waved to Kuina and Zoro, then performed a perfectly standard dogeza bow toward Michael.
"Vice Admiral Michael, words cannot express my gratitude... You saved my daughter's life. Whatever you ask of me, I will do it."
"Enough, this was just a trivial matter for me... And in a way, I was repaying a debt to the Revolutionary Army," Michael said as he helped Koushirou up.
"You reap what you sow—simply put, Kuina was fated to survive."
Koushirou sat up again, lost in thought.
Michael could say that, but his own principles wouldn't allow him to think that way.
After much deliberation, Koushirou turned his gaze to Monkey D. Dragon.
"Dragon-san... I accept your invitation."
Dragon's hand trembled slightly upon hearing this.
After dozens of failed invitations, this veteran whose contributions rivaled the earliest cadres had finally agreed to join the Revolutionary Army—all because of Michael's intervention?
Michael was equally surprised.
He had assumed Koushirou would remain in seclusion forever.
Though the original work never depicted Koushirou's strength, a man who wielded the so-called "soft sword"—one who couldn't even cut paper if he didn't wish to—could hardly be considered weak.
Not to mention he had trained Zoro, a true swordsmanship prodigy.
At this thought, Michael glanced sideways at Hawkeye.
It was hard to say who was stronger between the current Hawkeye and Koushirou.
"Now that we're all family, why don't you fill me in on the Revolutionary Army's recent situation?" Michael said, gently rocking Bonney in his arms.
"I heard the two little girls I rescued from the Grand Line—being Devil Fruit Users—were taken under Ginny and Kuma's care?"
"Oh, you mean the sisters Monet and Sugar?" Ginny nodded. "Ah, those two have been quite the handful... Sugar's manageable. Aside from being a bit timid, her only hobby is eating grapes. But that girl never seems to grow any taller... Is it because of her strange Devil Fruit ability?"
"Yes, the Hobi Hobi no Mi freezes the user's appearance at the moment they consume the fruit."
"That explains it... But her sister Monet, the Yuki Yuki no Mi user, is much trickier," Ginny shrugged.
"That girl seems utterly infatuated with the hero who fell from the sky... If I hadn't told her your identity, she might have already run off to the Grand Line searching for you."
Ginny sighed helplessly, then glanced up at Michael's face...
While not as pleasing to her as Kuma's, to most women, this face was undeniably handsome.
"Still, both sisters have remarkably useful abilities—especially the Hobi Hobi no Mi. Though turning people into toys erases all memories of them, in a way, it's the perfect undetectable infiltration method."
"This... still requires further study." Monkey D. Dragon nodded, then continued, "As for the current development of the entire Revolutionary Army... everything is progressing according to the steps we initially laid out... Our relief stations, orphanages, and offices are now spread across all four seas and have begun entering the Grand Line. Many countries view the construction of such facilities favorably."
"Excellent, that's the first step."
Hearing this, Michael smiled with satisfaction.
"After these years of experience, Dragon, you should understand... Sometimes a soft approach can be more effective than the barrel of a gun."
...
East Blue, Loguetown, Revolutionary Army Relief Station.
"Hey! Get some people over here to help!"
"There's a young girl and two children on this ship!"
"They're practically starved to the bone!"
"But this girl is still clinging desperately to that ship, refusing to let go!"
Today was unusually busy at the Revolutionary Army relief station.
Fearing they might hurt the girl, the female staff were sent to persuade her...
They had to—her strength was unbelievable!
And this was when she was nearly starved to death!
After some conversation, the female revolutionary returned with an indescribable expression.
"What did she say?"
"Well... this girl says..."
The female revolutionary shook her head and continued:
"No one will separate her from her Michael-themed ship!"
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