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"That is how it is, Mr. Kagaya."
"Hina wonders if Kaito-sama has time to speak with Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
Hina, wearing a Marine's coat of justice over her shoulders, looked at the gentle man in front of her with a serious expression.
"Speak with Kaito-sama? Unfortunately, Kaito-sama and Rimuru-sama are both away from the Jura-Tempest Federation at the moment."
"However, if the Fleet Admiral has something to convey, he is welcome to tell me directly."
A brief glint passed through Kagaya's eyes when he heard Hina's request. He considered for a moment, then answered.
"With you?"
"What, do you feel I am not qualified?"
Kagaya's tone was perfectly gentle, yet it carried the unmistakable weight of someone long accustomed to authority.
"No, no, no, Kagaya-san, Hina did not mean that at all!"
Hina looked at the gentle Kagaya and found, despite herself, that a faint sense of awe was rising in her chest. It was not the feeling of standing before an administrator. It was the feeling of standing before someone who had held a position of real power for a very long time.
"Hina will contact Fleet Admiral Sengoku right away."
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a Den Den Mushi, then dialed.
"Moshi Moshi! This is Sengoku!"
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, this is Captain Hina!"
The slight fatigue that had been weighing on Sengoku from hours of paperwork lifted immediately at the sound of her voice. He composed himself.
"Hina. What is the situation on your end? Have they agreed to let you speak with someone at the top?"
"Hehe! You must be Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
As Kagaya spoke, the Den Den Mushi, which had been wearing Hina's face, slowly shifted into something gentler.
"That's correct. And who am I speaking with?"
Sengoku's expression sharpened as he heard the unfamiliar voice.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Kagaya, Chief Administrator of the Jura-Tempest Federation. If the Fleet Admiral has anything to communicate, I am the right person to hear it."
Kagaya already had a reasonable guess as to why Sengoku had reached out. It was almost certainly because of what the children had gotten up to during their overseas internship.
"Hehe! Since Mr. Kagaya has said as much, I won't waste time. I want to know your country's stance on pirates."
'As expected. The internship children.'
"Our country's current stance toward pirates is one of hostility."
Sengoku caught the weight of that word immediately.
"Currently? Does that mean your country's stance could change?"
"That is correct. Our country's position depends entirely on the views of Her Majesty the Queen and the Regent."
Kagaya said it without the slightest hesitation.
"I see. In that case, I have one more question, if you'll permit it."
"Please go ahead, Fleet Admiral."
"I have received reports of your country's ships appearing across the Grand Line, the New World, and all four seas. I would like to know what your country intends."
Sengoku's tone had shifted into something noticeably more serious.
"Hahaha! So that's it!"
Kagaya let out a warm, full laugh.
"To be honest with you, Fleet Admiral, those so-called fleets are simply our students' internship ships."
"Internship ships?"
Sengoku had turned over many possibilities in his mind. This one had never appeared. He had to take a moment.
Then a detail floated back to him. A report he had filed away without much thought, from the Loguetown Branch in the East Blue. It had mentioned ships flying the Jura-Tempest Federation flag docking in Loguetown. He had set it aside because the report described a group of small girls disembarking.
"I see. It seems I was overthinking it. Your country certainly takes the education of its young people seriously."
"Hahaha! The Fleet Admiral flatters us."
"Not at all, not at all..."
Setting aside the quiet exchange of probing and deflection between Sengoku and Kagaya, let's check in on the actual heavy-hitters of the Jura-Tempest Federation.
"What for?"
"Payment, obviously! Vivi, you're not thinking of breaking our contract, are you? Because if you are, I will go berserk. Milim!"
Kaito fixed Vivi with the expression of someone prepared to unleash a natural disaster, and shouted.
"I know! Awoo! Awoo!"
Vivi looked at Milim baring her fangs and claws and couldn't stop a fond smile from spreading across her face.
"Alright, alright, alright! I'll take you on a tour of the palace and personally guide you myself!"
"Now that's what I like to hear. Milim, stand down."
At a satisfactory answer, Kaito waved a hand. Milim's dragon-roar tapered off.
"Hehe! Kai-chan, was Milim very scary just now?"
"Absolutely terrifying. I almost died of fright."
"Hahaha!"
"Milim-san is so cute!"
"She really is, I like Milim-swan like this too!"
Bang.
Sanji had barely finished the words before Kaito materialized behind him and kicked him squarely in the rear.
"Perverted cook, get lost. Don't go directing that at my Milim."
"Ah ah ah! I'll be back!!!"
Chopper stared in horror at the arc Sanji cut across the sky.
"Sa... Sanji has turned into a shooting star!!! Someone get a doctor! Wait, I'm the doctor!"
"Hmph. Let that perverted cook reflect on his choices. Don't bother with him."
Nami said it without looking up.
That settled it for everyone else. The matter of the airborne Sanji was dropped, and the group followed Vivi into the palace.
Because Kaito had rescued Cobra, Vivi found her father before she could track down Mr. 2 Bon Clay.
With Cobra appearing in person to explain everything and the super bomb being dug out from beneath the plaza, the nationwide rebellion came to an end with Koza's voluntary surrender.
Cobra did not punish Koza or the other rebel leaders.
"So this is the palace with four thousand years of history. Truly remarkable. By the way, I wonder if that vase is valuable."
Kaito held a small red flag and strolled through the hallway trailed by a large group of the little ones, pausing in front of an antique vase.
"Hehe! If Kaito-sama likes that vase, it is yours. You are a great benefactor of Alabasta, after all."
Cobra, walking beside him, offered it without a moment's hesitation.
"Is this what they mean by the magnanimity of kings?!"
Rimuru looked at him with an expression that said, 'So this is what those hateful rich people are like.'
'Good heavens, you have completely forgotten you are also a ruler! (●´Å｀●)'
"After the tour, I have prepared a grand banquet for everyone. I hope you will all enjoy it."
"Oh oh oh! A banquet! I love banquets! I want meat!"
Luffy's eyes went as wide as dinner plates the moment the word "banquet" landed, and he roared with excitement.
"Then let's go!"
And so, as time moved on, everyone ate and drank and ran loose through the palace to their heart's content.
The celebration carried on until evening, when Sakuya's firm reminder that children should not be up past their bedtime finally brought things to a close.
Two days later. Alabasta, Spider's Cafe Port.
Vivi stood watching Kaito and the others prepare to leave, her chest full of something she couldn't quite name.
"Kaito-sama, I will definitely come visit the Jura-Tempest Federation someday."
Kaito smiled.
"I'll be waiting."
He turned and walked up onto the internship ship.
Vivi watched the Going Merry ease slowly away from the port, and the tears came before she could stop them.
With her face wet, she raised her voice toward Luffy and the others.
"Sniff... Thank you so much for everything! If we meet again someday, will you still call me your nakama?!"
Luffy was already opening his mouth when Nami's hand covered it. Nami glanced at the Marine warships moving toward them in the distance, then looked back at Luffy.
"You can't answer her, Luffy! We can't let them know about our connection to Vivi! We say goodbye like this, without words!"
Vivi looked at Luffy and the others standing there in silence. Something in her eyes dimmed, and she lowered her head.
"Gah gah!"
Karoo made a sound beside her. Vivi looked up in the direction the bird was watching.
The moment she did, every tear she had been holding back broke free at once.
On the Going Merry, Luffy and the crew had lined up along the side of the ship. One by one, they raised their right hands, each revealing the X marked on their wrist. The proof of a promise made.
"Everyone!!!"
Vivi steadied herself and raised her right hand in turn, showing them her own mark.
She knew they would see it.
"Luffy! You will definitely become the Pirate King! Definitely!!!"
Click!
"Kai-chan! Send me a copy of that photo later!"
Kaito leaned against the railing of the internship ship, camera still in hand, looking out at the scene he had just captured.
A quiet smile settled on his face.
"Okay..."