To my veteran readers: I hurt my hand worse than before (see profile for details) so this'll be the only thing I upload for a little while. I decided to post it since I'm 6 1/2 in so that you guys still have something to read while I rest up. I would have uploaded Imagined Life since that one's getting more votes but I'm only done 3 chapters so it wouldn't have been enough. I know many of you don't care for genderbenders but this is all you're getting until I fix my tendons and muscle :P And at least it's not a story about Ace becoming a girl e_e;

To my Divide readers: Yes Sabo is in it (the beginning and later on) but he's not the same Sabo as the one that you all love. This one is less of an ass. He's in the first 3 chapters and then won't show up for a while. By the way, this story will only be 15 chapters at absolute most. It'll probably just end up 10, meaning I'm almost done. I put him in to practice different ways of writing him. Divide!Sabo will (sort of) make an appearance in future works I'm planning. Hell, he's the main character of one or two! Let's just hope I can get Skip done soon hehehe...

Important! I will post the next chapter in a few days depending on the responses. If it isn't gaining the interest of a fair number of people or if it isn't getting good feedback I'll stop posting it (though I'm going to keep writing). This is because it's getting less votes and therefore means that my usual readers aren't interested in it. But if it is I will keep posting and writing (once my hand gets better and midterms are over).

Please review!

Disclaimer: Don't own One Piece. I own the original parts of the plot, but not the stuff taken from Oda. He'd have me assassinated if I claimed it as my own e_e;

Marco opened his eyes slowly to the sound of shuffling. Through his blurred, tired vision he made out a black-haired woman sitting on the edge of the bed.

"…Ann?"

The girl turned to him and smiled. "Sorry, did I wake you?" She looked away once more and slipped on one of her boots. Marco blinked a few times, trying to remain alert in his exhaustion, ignoring her question.

"What are you doing yoi?"

Her response was a large grin. After she tied her second boot she slid over to him on the bed until their faces were mere inches from each other. She slowly leaned in and brushed her lips against his teasingly before pulling him into a fast kiss. He leaned into her to deepen it but she moved away, laughing at his displeasure.

"I'm heading out. I'll be back soon, though, so just go back to sleep."

"Where?"

"To see my brothers," she replied. The blonde's brow furrowed in a look of concern, leading her to sigh and roll her eyes. "I'll be fine, Marco. I'm the second division commander for a reason, you know."

"I know yoi," was his response, but that look never left his face.

"Then stop worrying," she commanded as she lifted herself from the bed and hoisted her green and black bag over her shoulder. Before she could move out of his reach, the blonde gently grabbed hold of her wrist. She looked at him again, a bit more annoyed than before.

"Be careful yoi," he said, holding her firmly.

Ann sighed but smiled. She bent down near to his face and flicked his forehead. "If you keep worrying your face is going to get stuck like that." Without waiting for a response she spun on her heel and left the room.

Marco turned and stared out the small window near the bed. The moon was still high in the sky and he just knew he wasn't going to get much sleep. Normally he didn't worry much about his lover—she was one of the strongest people he knew—but something felt off to him. He couldn't help the sense of unease that entered his thoughts. Still, he forced it aside; Ann never lied to him so he trusted that she would return unharmed.

Ann groaned from her seat on Striker, staring up at the hot, blinding sun. While she told her lover she wouldn't be gone long, a week had passed and only then did she reach her destination. Finally the island came into view—her home. She smiled while imagining the looks on her brothers' faces when she showed up. Luffy was going to be seventeen in a few days and would finally begin his journey to become the Pirate King. She didn't doubt that he'd do it either—not since she dropped her ambition of becoming Pirate Queen. She was happy simply working under Oyaji and staying with her family aboard the Moby Dick. Of course, she wasn't going to just let him get that title and was aiming for Whitebeard to become King instead, but secretly she was rooting for her little brother.

Ann and Sabo had been exchanging letters since they both set out three years ago. It was through said letters that the two agreed to meet and spend a few days with Luffy before he started his own adventure. It was exciting to know that her little brother was finally joining them on the open sea.

A sharp pain brought her away from her thoughts and she winced, wrapping her arms around herself. On her way to visit Luffy she was caught in a fight with some unknown pirates. They attacked her out of nowhere and, despite her ability, succeeded in injuring her before she took them out. She was lucky enough that a Revolutionary ship was passing through and the crew treated her wounds; they were nothing serious but she had, in her excitement to meet her brothers, forgotten to pack a first aid kit. Oh how Marco would rub it in her face when she got back. She thought that the person who treated her wounds said she wouldn't be in any pain but maybe she heard wrong.

After what she deemed 'a hell of a long time', Ann reached Fushia Village's dock. She hopped off Striker and fastened it to the wood before adjusting her hat and turning to face the familiar sight. She smiled as she stepped away from the dock and onto the shore. Really, nothing had changed since she'd left. She felt nostalgia sweep through her as she passed houses and shops that were just as they were three years before.

Seeing as Fushia was so small, it didn't take Ann long to cross through to the other side where the forest began. She took in a deep breath and prepared for the long hike ahead.

"Ann!" Luffy shouted as he rushed the girl, arms outstretched while a tall blonde casually meandered over to the pair. He smiled as his brother locked their sister into an embrace, laughing in his excitement.

"Oi, oi, Luffy, you're going to crush my ribs," Ann stated as she tried to pry his limbs from her sides. Eventually she succeeded in removing the rubbery appendages and smiled, getting a better look at her little brother. He was a lot taller than when they last met and, much to her dismay, was quickly catching up to her in height. It was expected because she was a girl but that didn't mean she had to like it.

"Shishishi, sorry! I'm just so excited to see you again!"

"I can tell," she replied, ruffling the boy's hair. Her gaze turned to the blonde beside Luffy and they both smiled at each other. "Looks like you beat me here."

"You were slow. What took you so long?"

Ann shrugged. "Got into a fight with some rookies. I got a bit hurt and it slowed me down."

"You okay?"

"Of course," she started, "I'm a commander of the Whitebeard pirates, after all. Something as small as that isn't going to take me down."

Sabo laughed and patted her on the back. The three headed deeper into the forest to visit their hideout and reminisce.

"So you managed to find a guy? I'm impressed," Sabo teased. He laughed when he saw Ann's eyebrow twitch.

"Oi, what's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing. It's just... Let's face it; you're a bit of a brute."

"I'm a pirate."

"True," he said. His smile grew wider when he noted the irritation on her face.

"So," Luffy interrupted after he got tired of their boring conversation, "you're with the Whitebeard pirates now?"

Ann's mood flipped instantaneously and her eyes softened with a fondness she rarely showed. "Yeah; they're great!" She paused and thought over all of their adventures and the exciting battles they fought. Where should she start? There was so much to tell about the crew and, in all honesty, she could go on for hours detailing just the members themselves. "They're more of a family than a group of pirates. Whitebeard calls us his children and we call him 'Oyaji'."

"And you're okay with that?" Sabo asked. He knew far too well that Ann couldn't stand to refer to anyone as 'father'. Her hatred for Roger ran deep and because of that he never thought she'd willingly call anyone using that title. He watched her closely and noticed her deep concentration.

"Well I wasn't at first but…look!" Instead of explaining it she stood, turned and pointed proudly at the large purple and white tattoo on her back. The two brothers gawked at it with interest.

"So I take it that's why you're not wearing much clothing," Sabo said, looking over the symbol with fondness. He was impressed that Whitebeard was able to win his sister over to such an extent. Maybe he was worrying for nothing.

"It's my pride," she stated before sitting back down on the ground.

They remained quiet for a moment before Luffy decided to step in. "What about you, Sabo? Do you have your own crew?" He looked to the older with big, excited eyes.

"That I do not, little brother."

"Awe, why not?"

"I'm with the Revolutionary Army now."

"Who're they?" Luffy asked while cocking his head to the side. Sabo just laughed.

"They're a group that's trying to bring down the World Government. I'm head of their intelligence division."

"I'm surprised they let you leave," Ann chimed in, looking at the blonde.

"Yeah, me too."

Suddenly another pain shot through Ann's body. She cringed and curled unto herself in an effort to lessen the burning that quickly spread through her body. Sabo and Luffy were at her side in a heartbeat, each gently caressing her shoulders in an effort to calm her.

"What's wrong?" Sabo questioned, worry evident in his tone. Ann simply waved them off to assure them that she was fine.

"It's nothing—just a bit of pain from my injury."

Luffy pouted in concern. "You sure?"

She looked up at her little brother and forced a smiled, reaching out and rubbing the top of his head. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

As her brothers slept, Ann clenched her teeth in silent pain. The burning was getting worse. You would think that heat wouldn't bother her because of her Devil Fruit ability; while that was normally true, burning from injuries still affected her. She cursed inwardly, knowing that she lied to Marco when she left. Despite assuring him that she would be fine she was now folded tightly into the fetal position, attempting to wait out the white-hot agony that seared through her being. All she could think was that he was going to be pissed if he found out.

Ann opened her eyes and stared out the window at the moon from where she lay. As the bout of pain subsided she let out a sigh, knowing that another wave would arrive shortly. She hoped to fall asleep before then and, luckily enough, her eyelids felt heavy.

Ann's eyes peered open to the annoying morning light that seeped into the hideout. She blinked a few times before noticing that someone was staring at her. As her eyes adjusted she ran her gaze over the boy's features and registered him as Luffy, but his expression confused her; he looked like he was witness to something bizarre. What's worse was that the same expression dawned the face of her other brother as well. Still resting comfortably on the ground, she tilted her head and watched them.

"…Ann?" Sabo asked in disbelief.

That reaction worried her. He sounded like he wasn't sure of what he was saying and suddenly she felt her stomach tie into a knot.

"What is it?" she asked. As soon as the words left her mouth her eyes widened tenfold. That wasn't her who spoke, was it? It couldn't be, could it? Was she sick? That had to be it—there was no way her voice was that low.

A/N: Yes, it's short. Really short for me. Sorry bout that, just wanted to get the premise down. As stated before, this isn't a very long story. And as you may already expect, Ace will be a little OOC since he was originally a girl in this... Makes for lots of funny and awkward moments ;) But he'll start acting more like his lovable self as he adjusts to... this. Oh and some chapters may be rated M further on (nothing hardcore, I assure) just because of the changes e_e But I will warn you at the top of the chapter :D And it won't be for a while so don't worry. Umm... what else? I'm used to putting really long Author's Notes because of reviewers...

Oh yeah! Review and tell me if you want me to keep posting! I know it's a boring start but things will get interesting come the next chappy, kk? :D Ugh I'm so tired...

Well, I have nothing more to say. Hope this tides you over until I get my hand fixed. (I can't hold cups anymore ;_; Curse you, university art teachers! It better not be a permanent injury like the last time this happened in 2010...)

For the third time: tell me what you think ^^