Reiju’s choice!

"So choose wisely. I can either teleport you away to your brother, or I can have you join my crew and be one of us. Also, don't bother lying to me with your answer… I would know!" Ian repeated to her.

But against the thoughts of Ian, it was not Reiju who responded. It was Sanji.

"Ian… How? That was exactly what I was going to ask you as a favor…" Sanji muttered in shock.

And even Reiju who was in shock woke up from her trace at this.

"Oh, is that so? I did suspect something like that, but I just felt it was right for her to join us. Still, the choice is hers," Ian said.

What he had said was indeed fair. The choice was hers. If she wanted he would really send her to her family.

He would never force anyone against their mind.

Reiju for her part was deep in her thought.

For her, this was a golden opportunity. As she had said to Sanji when they talked earlier, she had suspected that her family might be betrayed by big mom. And when Sanji asked her if she wanted to save them, she said that they all deserve to die, including her.

Sanji had said that she was not like them… but although she was kinder, she still did what she was ordered to do by her father…

So why was this a golden opportunity for her? She would be able to finally be truly free. Her family was dangerous and they would become even more so in the future. And if she ran away from them they would find her and make sure to brainwash her into obeying them again, and what little freedom she had would be gone.

But now this choice in front of her was one that would exempt her from all that drama.

She knew her father… he would never dare go up against an emperor… well not one as young as Ian as he would underestimate him, but she was different, she clearly saw how strong Ian was in the war, and even now she felt it in her bones…

It was a reasonable choice to accept Ian's invitation. But she decided that she will see what the drawbacks of doing so are.

Big mom for a start would attack them in rage. As they were supposed to be allies. She already thought that big mom was just using them and was going to dispose of them so it didn't fully count…

Her father would be angry at her and might decide to disown her after his attempts at attacking Ian fails.

She didn't see anything else to the matter, which made her consider accepting even more.

Then Sanji who was also silently waiting for her response decided to speak.

"You are the only one from our family, besides our late mother, that treated me kindly. That place with those monsters is not for you, Reiju. Join Ian. He is strong. Much stronger than you are thinking… and he would protect you. He already saved me from the marriage, you can see the lengths he will go to for a friend, not to mention a crew member. He had called Whitebeard to help him in threatening big mom to back off. So that says it all. I know that deep inside, you also want freedom just like me at that time… If you join Ian you would have that and more." Sanji tried to help her make her choice.

He really didn't want her to be like those monsters anymore.

Looking at them all she saw how they all were encouraging her to choose.

She saw how Elene was quite excited for her to join, and how Ian was giving her a gentle smile, and also how the rest didn't react in disgust or anything even after knowing she was an assassin…

Sigh…

"I agree…" She responded almost tired as she uttered the word.

And at that moment Ian knew she was saying the truth and that she agreed from the bottom of her heart.

"But, although I don't like my family, I don't want them to die with the exception of my father… you may not know, but apart from Sanji whom our mother took a special drug to protect, all of us are genetically enhanced. But in the case of my brothers, my father saw fit to remove their sympathy and empathy, and though it doesn't justify their wrongs and even I still don't forgive them, there is still a chance in the future for them to be cured, and then they could atone for their sins." She said to Ian soon after she agreed.

But she added in her mind 'I too will atone for my sins with them…'

Ian was not able to pick that up as he decided long ago that he would not be leaving his ability to read minds open. And he would not use it easily.

"That's fine, I understand. I will not do anything to them so you can relax. Now then, allow me to officially welcome you to the crew!" Ian reassured her.

"Yes!" Elene and Stella from the side said at the same time as they jumped at her and hugged her, Libell also joined them and hugged her new big sister. To them, Reiju was just so cool. But if one would look around well, they would notice that all of them there had a small grin on their faces.

They all agreed with her choice and welcomed her to the crew. Even Aokiji.

He then continued on.

"Before we get back to our subject on the ambush of the big mom pirates… tell me, don't you suspect that crafty old hag to just be playing your family?" Ian said towards her.

There was no way big mom was really planning to go through that alliance. She was definitely lying just to get her hand on their tech.

Reiju looked at him in surprise. And then started to think about what to say.