"So Alpha really is a World Government spy," Queen Dowager Connie said thoughtfully, processing Jerry's confirmation.
"What? Really?" Jojo gasped from beside her, his weathered face showing genuine shock.
"She let it slip when she was drunk in town the other night," Granny Connie whispered, sharing what she'd discovered. "I had my suspicions, but hearing it confirmed..."
"That horrible woman!" Little Bonney clenched her small fists, anger flashing in her eyes. Jojo and Duz both gritted their teeth, their faces darkening with fury at the deception they'd all been living under.
After a moment, Bonney pushed aside her anger about the fake nurse. Star-like light danced in her eyes as she looked up at Jerry with pure hope shining on her young face.
"Dad said he could trust you, Brother Jerry. Do you know anything else about my dad? Can you tell me more about him?"
Jerry scratched his head, choosing his words carefully. "Well, Kuma and I have known each other for over a year now. I happened to run into him not too long ago, and..." He began recounting their first meeting on Gunnas Island, sharing what he'd learned from newspapers and their brief encounters.
"Big pirate... tyrant... Seven Warlords of the Sea..." Bonney murmured the unfamiliar titles, trying to reconcile these fearsome descriptions with the gentle father she remembered.
Puru puru puru.
The familiar sound of a Den Den Mushi interrupted the conversation as Jerry casually answered the call.
"What's up, Skull?"
"Boss Jerry! We're all set here and ready to sail whenever you are," Skull's voice crackled through the connection. "How are things on your end?"
"Just about wrapped up," Jerry replied briefly before hanging up.
Glancing at the position of the sun, Jerry realized he'd spent nearly half a day here without noticing. Time had flown by in the peaceful atmosphere of the church.
After saying his goodbyes to the small group, Jerry pulled up his hood and began making his way back through town toward the port.
Behind him, the sound of quick footsteps echoed as little Bonney rushed to the window. She threw open the shutters and spread her arms wide, spinning in a small circle.
"Granny Connie, look! I can really stand in the sunlight!"
The warm afternoon rays illuminated her beaming face as she basked in the natural light she'd been denied for so long. For a few precious seconds, she simply jumped with pure joy.
Then, with sudden determination, she looked back at Granny Connie before turning and running toward her room. The older woman and Bonney's protectors exchanged knowing looks but didn't try to stop her. Instead, they followed with gentle smiles, understanding what the brave little girl had decided to do.
Jerry made his way through the bustling streets back to the port, where he spotted Deuce leaning against their ship's railing, head down as he scribbled notes in his ever-present journal.
"Hey there," Jerry called out with a wave. "Everything ready to go?"
"Yeah, Brook's already aboard, and the others are exploring nearby," Deuce replied, glancing up briefly before returning to his writing. "We figured we'd do some shopping while waiting for you to get back."
The island wasn't particularly large, and perhaps thanks to Kuma's reputation and protection, the people here seemed to live peaceful, content lives. The former tyrant king's reign of terror was just a bad memory now.
In the golden light of the setting sun, Jerry could see shops lining both sides of the street, filled with customers and merchants calling out their wares. The sounds of bargaining and distant music created a symphony of everyday life, while crowds of people moved between the stalls, creating a scene full of warmth and vitality.
Maybe it was because the Black Star Pirates had behaved themselves during their stay, even patronizing local businesses and making several purchases, but the townspeople near the port showed no fear. They went about their business normally, treating the pirates as just another group of travelers.
This peaceful scene was suddenly shattered by a commotion echoing from one of the side alleys leading to the port.
"Stop right there, little Bonney!"
A sharp, angry woman's voice cut through the evening air, followed immediately by the rapid patter of running feet.
"I won't stop! I won't listen to you anymore, you liar! You awful woman!" came the response in a young girl's defiant voice. "I'm going to find my dad!"
As pedestrians instinctively stepped aside to clear a path, two figures burst from the alley—one chasing, one fleeing—moving at surprising speed as they raced toward the port.
The pursuer was Alpha, the CP agent disguised as Bonney's nurse, her professional facade completely dropped as she gave chase with single-minded determination.
In front of her, little Bonney ran with everything she had, a small bag bouncing on her back and her distinctive bear-ear hat slightly askew. Despite her short legs, she moved with desperate speed, leaving little clouds of dust in her wake.
"Still not stopping?" Alpha shouted, a vicious smile spreading across her face. "According to our agreement, if you try to escape, I'm authorized to use necessary force!"
Alpha had always held nothing but contempt for this bothersome child and her traitorous father. Earlier, she'd gone to investigate the pirate ship and report to her superiors about the Black Star Pirates' presence. When she returned to the church ahead of schedule, she'd spotted a small, suspicious figure trying to sneak out.
The hooded coat Bonney had borrowed from Jerry's example might have worked for an adult, but on a girl barely nine years old, it was ridiculously conspicuous.
The sight had stunned Alpha for several seconds. She'd never expected Bonney to actually leave the church grounds, especially since her other agents always stationed themselves in town, knowing the girl never ventured out.
But after confirming it really was Bonney, the chase had begun in earnest.
"Little Bonney! You brought this on yourself!"
As they reached the more open area near the port, Alpha's smile turned twisted and cruel. She'd been looking forward to switching to more aggressive supervision methods, and she showed no mercy to her targets regardless of their age.
Seeing the narrow, winding alleyways give way to open ground ahead, Alpha grinned wickedly and shouted, "Got you now!"
She pushed off hard with her legs, launching herself into the air like an arrow, aiming directly for Bonney who was still weaving between pedestrians and obstacles as she fled toward the port square.
"How can that awful woman fly?" Bonney gasped, risking a glance back over her shoulder.
Seeing the open square just ahead, little Bonney gritted her teeth and felt a surge of determination rise in her chest. She whispered to herself, "Dad told me stories about Nika, how he had a body like rubber and could fight using his imagination."
"I want to fight like Nika too! I'll defeat this bad woman the same way!"
The square opened up before her as Bonney realized she'd reached the port area, with Alpha bearing down on her from behind, almost close enough to grab her.
Suddenly, Bonney stopped running. She spun around and leaped into the air, her small form silhouetted against the evening sky.
In that moment, inspiration seemed to flash through her young mind. She raised her fist and glared defiantly at Alpha, shouting with all the courage she could muster:
"Age-Age Distortion!"
"What?!" Alpha's triumphant expression instantly turned to horror. Her hand, which had been reaching out to grab the child, froze in place as she stared in disbelief.
Bonney's small body began expanding like a balloon being inflated. Her height shot up to nearly five meters in an instant, her limbs growing thick and powerful, wider than her torso, with an almost surreal quality to their proportions.
Along with her transformation came a massive fist, swinging down with tremendous force and momentum.
Bonney's punch connected like someone swatting a fly, sending the completely unprepared Alpha crashing to the ground from mid-air with devastating impact.
Jerry, who had been watching this unexpected scene unfold from his position at the port, couldn't help but exclaim in amazement:
"Well, I'll be damned! What an incredible ability! That kid's got some serious power hidden away."
The revelation of Bonney's Devil Fruit abilities sent murmurs through the crowd of witnesses, but Jerry found himself grinning with genuine admiration. The brave little girl had taken her first real step toward freedom, and she'd done it in spectacular fashion.
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