Bell-mere's visit (Side story)

[Chapter 76: Bell-mere's visit (Side story)]

...

"Oooh...! Good morning Nojiko!" Genzo, the sheriff of Cocoyashi Village, smiled cheerfully and waved happily after seeing the beautiful girl of blue hair approach him so suddenly.

"Good morning Gen-san!" Nojiko, who was carrying a small bag full of tangerines, waved back and smiled as cheerfully as him. This day's morning on Cocoyashi Village was incredibly beautiful, feeling happy was something that was bound to occur for the people living there.

Ever since Arlong was defeated by the Straw-hats, the village has been recovering from its previous state slowly but surely. Furthermore, with the help of the newbie star, Swords D Nael, even the corrupt marine captain Nezumi that had complete control over this island, was imprisoned, and thus, the whole island returned to its previous peaceful life from before.

Even though the people from other islands were still feeling a bit skeptical about visiting the island due to the previous rule of Arlong, some of them were already starting to consider visiting again due to the rich variety and quality of the tangerines that were produced there.

For some reason, after Arlong was defeated, the Mikan Grove, which was the yard where Nojiko planted her tangerines, suddenly became incredibly fast and efficient when producing them. The change was so radical, that the sweetness and flavor of the tangerines also became something incredibly godly. Thus, tangerines became one of the most required products from Cocoyashi village during the past month.

Of course, the information about Nojiko's tangerines couldn't have spread so fast if it weren't for the help of the mysterious company of merchants that appeared suddenly one day, some months ago, and helped her in her business of selling the fruits. They said that they were just starting their business and that they were a newbie company of merchants, thus, finding something so precious like high-quality tangerines that are only produced in one island, was also like finding a treasure to them. However, contrary to their sayings, the power and influence they were carrying was something rather peculiar for a newbie company to have.

Moreover, not only was this company exceedingly mysterious. But there was also the mystery of who was the actual owner of this Company. As no one has managed to see him until now. Ever since the company was found and continued growing in power, never has the actual owner of the company showed himself, and instead sent average-looking businessmen to deal with every economic opportunity.

Very mysterious, right? I wonder who might the real owner be...

"I've brought some more tangerines for you Gen-san" Nojiko, who finally entered the small office of Genzo, placed the small bag she was carrying on the ground, and then looked at Genzo with a gentle smile on her face.

"Nojiko... You know I could have simply gone to buy them at the store, right? You didn't need to take the hassle of bringing them here..." Genzo made a troubled expression when he saw Nojiko's sincere act. He felt like he was taking advantage of her by taking these tangerines for free.

"Don't say that, you are like a father to Nami and me, it's the least I can do. Besides, for some reason after Arlong was imprisoned, the tangerine bushes suddenly grew a lot more vigorous, and the production rate of Tangerines increased a fewfold. Not to mention their incredible flavor that caught the attention of those merchants and everyone around the village..."

Nojiko giggled happily recalling everything that had happened during the past few months, and how everything has gotten a lot better since then.

"The only thing that displeases me about the sudden change is the strange appearance of dozens of crows and ravens above the yard... I mean, it is obviously not strange for them to appear around crops to eat them, but these damn birds don't even taste the fruit! They just stay around the yard as if it was their home, and drop from time to time their strange rainbow-colored poop on my crops! Not to mention their creepy red eyes... It's as if they are a completely different race that has never been seen before..."

"Yeah, now that you mention it, I've seen some of them a few times circling around the village as if they were patrolling it, and even when the old people try to feed them with bird's food, they just simply ignore it and continue flying around... But since they are not really making problems for anyone in the village, I guess it's okay to just let them be for the time being..." Genzo nodded with a wry smile on his face, and then took one of the tangerines in the bag before he then took a bite and smiled happily after the incredible sweetness and sourness of the tangerine invaded his mouth.

"Damn... I never get tired of these..." Genzo said while he ate another small part of the tangerine. All this while Nojiko looked in satisfaction at the happy expression of Genzo.

"We've got visitors!!"

Suddenly from behind, Nojiko and Genzo heard the shout of a woman and smiled happily seeing that the merchants were back so fast already. That only meant that the tangerines sold extremely well and that they were already in need of more.

However, when Genzo and Nojiko walked towards the dock to see what was happening, they discovered that the incoming ship was not the one from the merchant's company, but rather, a small beautifully carved boat that was carrying one person aboard.

"Someone is actually visiting us? I thought there was still some fear of Arlong lingering in the nearby islands, so I supposed that they wouldn't visit us for the time being, but it seems I was wrong... Hmm... Let's just hope whoever is in that boat is not a bad person..."

Nojiko, who was watching silently at the approaching boat, fell in a trance while looking at it. As if something incredibly important was approaching, and she knew about it.

It was maybe her imagination, but the feeling of recovering something incredibly important soon started lingering in her heart. and strangely, her gaze soon ended up landing exactly at the hill in the distance where Bell-mere was buried many years ago...

'This familiar feeling...'

"What's wrong Nojiko? Do you feel bad?" Genzo, who noticed the abnormal change in expression of Nojiko, raised an eyebrow before he then turned to look at the faraway person in the boat with narrowed eyes.

'Maybe this guy is indeed here to cause trouble... Hmph! I will show him that although I was not able to defeat Arlong, I'm still the sheriff of this village, and not everyone can come here and do as they please!'

Genzo placed his hand on his gun and looked at the suspicious individual in the distance with a sharp gaze in his eyes.

Soon, the boat finally reached the dock, and the mysterious person walked towards all of them in silence. This person had a hood covering all his/her body and face, so it was almost impossible for them to see who it was, and Genzo, seeing the seemingly shocked state of Nojiko, felt a vein pop off from anger.

"Who are you Punk? What are you doing to Nojiko?!" Genzo raised his gun and pointed it towards the mysterious person with fierceness evident in his gaze. However, right in the next second for some reason, the gun was no longer in his hands and was instead flying away several meters into the distance.

Moreover, the mysterious person was no longer standing quietly in silence while looking at them, but was instead in front of Genzo with a kicking-like pose, probably because it was this person that knocked the gun away.

"It's been truly a long time since I've been here... And this is how you receive me?" The beautiful voice of the mysterious person soon reached everyone's ears and had everyone's eyes bulge in shock and surprise.

Genzo was the most shocked of all of them, as his eyes bulged out enormously while his mouth refused to talk properly.

"T-t-that v-voice...!!"

This was a voice that everyone knew very well. especially Nojiko, who now had tears coming down from the corners of her eyes as she glanced at the now smiling figure of her mother standing in front of her.

"You've really grown Nojiko..."

Bell-mere was standing in front of them, the supposedly dead Bell-mere who was shot through the heart many years ago, and the same Bell-mere who the doctor said was completely dead after the tragedy had happened.

Genzo, who was still looking utterly shocked at Bell-mere, suddenly had some foam come out of his mouth before he fell to the ground helplessly completely unconscious.

*Thud!*

""Ah, Gen-san!"" Everyone gasped in shock seeing the sudden collapse of Genzo, and immediately grabbed him and took him towards the clinic to have him treated. However, right when they were about to leave, they nodded their heads to Nojiko and Bell-mere, as if telling them to talk properly while they helped Genzo. To which both of them nodded as well, and looked at each other with complex expressions.

"Where... No... How are you alive?" Was, of course, Nojiko's first question. As she looked at Bell-mere with a confused and doubtful expression on her face. As she was starting to doubt whether she was actually hallucinating, or imagining all this.

But seeing the helpless smile on Bell-mere's face, somehow her feelings got a lot calmer than before.

Bell-mere, who was thinking about what to tell her, simply smiled gently before she then shrugged her shoulders and walked towards Nojiko to hug her.

"It's a long story"

"I'm all ears" Nojiko giggled softly before both of them walked back towards Bell-mere's old house with cheerful and beautiful smiles on her faces.

...