Nojiko

People in the Cocoyasi village, where the Arlong pirates sink their teeth, are actually still living normally. Today, their village is also lively as usual, and even in hard times, you will still see people laughing and smiling.

There is a house that is located on a hill, and behind it is a ravine that leads to the sea. The yard of the house is full of orange trees, and the orange-colored fruit looks beautiful adorning the trees. The location of this house, far from other houses, makes this place feels so serene.

A 13-year-old girl was seen working hard to pick oranges. In the middle of a large orange field, she was alone without anyone helping. Occasionally, the girl would glance back toward her home and the village.

This girl with light blue hair and eyes is Nojiko, Nami's older sister. And from her tanned skin, it is clear that they are not biological siblings because they were both found as children by Bell-mère before being raised by her.

*thud

*thud

Nojiko became immediately alarmed when she heard the sound of footsteps entering her orange grove. Nevertheless, she looked surprised when she saw the arrival of a figure she had not anticipated.

"Bell-mère?..."

Nojiko had a fleeting vision of Bell-mère silhouette, the person she loved the most and whom she had considered to be her own birth mother. Yet, after that, Nojiko's vision was replaced by Nami's silhouette, who was approaching her with her body covered in bandages and scars.

"Nami? What happened to you? I'm really worried, you know," cried Nojiko as she ran over to her sister, but Nami only gave a cold shoulder as she continued walking into the house without saying a word.

Nami, who had been away from her home for a considerable amount of time, was immediately overcome with feelings of melancholy and nostalgia. Nevertheless, her heart suddenly began to hurt when she thought about what had happened to Bell-mère several years before.

Nami will occasionally visit her house for the sole purpose of sating her yearning for it and for Nojiko. Still, she never admits her feelings and continues to be cold to everyone.

Nojiko, who knew about it, then asked with a warm smile, "Do you want to eat? You can also spend the night here for a few days... oh yes, can you help me pick all those oranges? To be honest, I feel very overwhelmed if I have to do it alone, hehehe…"

"Don't talk so casually with me. Remember now, I'm a member of the Arlong Pirates."

Hearing that, Nojiko's smile immediately turned stiff, But she also felt helpless because she and the other villagers couldn't do anything to save Nami. Furthermore, because Nojiko is Nami's older sister, she feels a tremendous amount of guilt and even feels as though she has broken her promise to Bell-mère to look after Nami.

"Hey, Nami, I know it's hard for you, but you can stop being a pirate. We can figure out together how to pay Arlong... look, even though the sales of oranges haven't been great lately, I'm sure we'll be ok."

In the end, Nojiko's grief became too much for her to bear, and she began to cry. Her legs began to feel weak, and she fell to the floor sobbing like a baby.

Nojiko, who lives alone in this house after Nami was taken in by Arlong, strives to become more mature in her isolation, and the fact that her sister has become cold toward her only makes her sadness worse.

Nami, who had the intention of scolding her older sister, changed her mind, and after taking a few deep breaths, she went up to her older sister while saying:

"Shut up! You are two years older than me, so why are you being such a baby about everything? Bell-mère is going to be furious if she sees you crying like this."

*sobbing

"But... it's all because of you... every time you go to that place, I can't stop worrying... and now when you come home, you're being so cold to me..."

Nami could only be silent because she didn't know what to say, but she had her own reasons for doing this, and she was sure that the village and its people would have been killed a long time ago if she had not become Arlong's minion.

"Stop crying already. I want to show you something."

After that, Nami took Nojiko back to the orange groves. After determining the exact location, Nami started digging the ground. Nojiko, who was confused, just stood there and watched in silence. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she noticed a large wooden chest buried underneath it.

"Don't let anyone know because this is our only way out."

When Nami said that, she had a proud expression on her face, and Nojiko understood why. After opening the large wooden box, she could see a lot of treasures stored inside, and the golden glare that emanated from the treasures inside left Nojiko speechless.

"since when did you collect all this?"

Nojiko gave her sister a questioning and worried look, and as if she knew what her older sister was thinking, Nami then replied:

"Don't worry, I didn't steal it from Arlong. I have collected all of these treasures over the years from all the earnings I got while I was outside, and I have kept them secretly in this place."

"Don't tell me you want to use this money for" Nojiko, who seemed to know what Nami was planning, immediately looked surprised, but Nami immediately cut her words and said:

"I still need to collect some more if I want to buy our freedom and the freedom of everyone else in Cocoyasi Village… before that time comes, I ask that you please be patient."

The moment she heard that Nojiko's eyes welled up with tears again. Not only did she learn for the first time what her younger sister had been plotting the entire time, but after seeing the bandages and wounds on her body, Nojiko felt an even deeper sense of pain.

"Nojiko! Are you at home? Come quickly. There is a marine anchored in our village."

Suddenly, from the direction of the orange groves entrance, the old man Genzo came and shouted. Nami immediately rushed to bury her treasure while Nojiko went to meet Genzo to question him about what had happened.