CHAPTER 24

Sab explaining what she saw that day. Ann hold her anger after hearing what had happen to her twin. The other feel furious. Sab leave the part where others acknowledge her as the wolf Queen. She didn't like others to know it until they come in term of alliance with her and her sister. So, she decide to hide her status and known as Karasu best friend. She glare at the three wolf remind them not to tell other about it. The three of them agree and nod earning a frown on Kid face.

"I think i better go back to Whitebeard Kingdom. I go and convince oyaji... I mean Whitebeard to ally with us." Ann slipped up making Sabo smirk at her with a tease. Ann glare at her.

"To be ally again is hard decision for the kingdom. I think about it again before I come into conclusion." Shanks said.

"It's your decision. Whether you fight with us or not our plan to take back Raftel to It's people will carry on. Even if we fight them alone." Ann said determinedly. Sabo stand beside her twin also determine to fight alone if there are no allies with them.

"Why you want to fight?" Makino asked.

'Raftel are our home and the people there are our families.' Sabo signed. Kid amused with the answer.

"Blacky please take care of Sabo for me. And you after your heal call me. This time we find Lu together." Ann said making Sabo sweat drop.

"I hope that monkey didn't wreak havoc anywhere. We never know what crazy thing she done." Blacky said making Ann and Sabo sweat drop.

"I doubt about it. She is trouble magnet after all." Ann stated.

The three of them standing on the cliff waiting for the firebird to come. Ann told Sab about it and Sab also told her about what she discover before. Both of them wonder why they choose. Blacky didn't know Ann real status until the firebird landing in front of them.

"Your Queen of the firebird." Karasu widen his eyes and he kneel down with respect.

"Yes, and karasu take care of your queen for me. Don't let her do crazy thing. I come again after she heal." Ann said.

"You knew?" Karasu surprised.

"We're twin. I have a feeling when I saw her earing." Ann answered earning a smile from Karasu.

Both of them look at Ann flying away toward direction of the Whitebeard Kingdom.

Ann walking at the Town in Ace persona. She walk toward the tavern to get some food to eat. Luckily Thatch and Marco saw her and both of them run toward her.

"Ace!" Thatch jumped at her back and hug her tightly. He cry animatedly making Marco rolled his eyes. Ann surprise and accidently push him away making Thatch shocked.

"You still hate me..." Thatch said with a sad tone. Ann punch on his head.

'You the one that surprise me. Lucky I didn't accidently kill you.' Ann signed angrily. Marco sighed.

"It's your fault. I won't blame him if he accidently kill you yoi." Marco said.

"You two are meanie!" Thatch said and pouted making both of them sighed.

"You're back yoi. We miss you. Don't disappeared like that again. The others worried about you." Marco said.

"Where you been? We can't track you anywhere. Are you with Ann?" Thatch asked. Ann look at them without answering Thatch question.

"Ace yoi..." Marco clearly worried about Ann.

'Non of your business. I want to get something to eat.' Ann replied and walk toward the tavern leaving the two commander behind.

"You are one of us yoi. We are family after all. Family taking care of each other. Why didn't you let us take care of you?" Marco angrily said making Thatch surprise to see Marco blown out angry at Ann like that. Ann stop for a while and continue walking without turning back toward them.

"Have you own way then. Not my place to ask you to stay. You can leave if you want to. I don't want oyaji disappointed in you." Marco said and walk away. He clearly angry with Ann attitude. Thatch trail him from behind. He never saw Marco disappoint with any of his brother and sister before. This is the first time.

Ann come back to the castle after dinner. The other feel at ease to see her safe and sound. Most of the commander greet her happily and the worried clearly shown on their face. Ann walk toward King Whitebeard while Marco standing beside him looking at Ann with his bore expression.

"Ace my son, welcome back." Whitebeard greet her. Ann just nod.

Ann just looking around without signing any sign language to them. She just look at the commander one by one fondly. She never expect to have a big family like this. Whitebeard just stare at Ann behaviour with wonder.

"Where have you been my son?" Whitebeard asked. Ann just stay silent. She just look at Whitebeard without answering his question. Whitebeard wonder again and sighed.

"Get some rest. You been through a lot I see. If you need anything come to my chamber. I answer anything you want to know." Whitebeard told her. Ann nod and walk away to her room.

The other commander wonder what happen to their Ace. After Whitebeard ask them to leave only Thatch, Izo, Marco and Namur stay behind. They still feel uneasy with Ace action.

"Something wrong with Ace." Namur said. Thatch told them about their encounter with Ann that afternoon. The other also shock to hear Marco angry with Ann.

"I hope you didn't get Ace a hard time. I don't know what happen to him but clearly there something bothering him." Izo said. Marco sighed heavily.

"I know yoi. I go apologise later." Marco said. The other smile.

Later that night, Ann sit in front of the window and looking outside the castle. She know she need to leave this place soon. She got to miss this place where she feel she being love again. Where she meet her second family beside her own. Where they accept her without any doubt. After thinking long enough, she decide to asked Whitebeard. The answer from the king itself will determine whether they allies or they enemy. Ann sighed. She hope her assumption about Whitebeard isn't right at all.

Ann walk toward thing chamber. Upon arriving in front of the chamber door, she gulped and knock. A voice asking her to come in making Ann jumped. Whitebeard open the door and surprise to see Ann in front of it. She seem bother with something making the king sigh and asking her to follow him into the chamber.

Ann never been to the chamber before. She surprise to see how big the chamber is and how all the furniture are bigger than she can imagine. What make her stop is when she found a beautiful flaming blue bird resting on the king bed peacefully. She amaze with flaming blue bird making Whitebeard smirk. Whitebeard sit down while Ann just standing in front of King.

"What can I do for you my son?" Whitebeard asked. His voice echo in the chamber making the blue bird awake and looking at them with wonder.

'Can I ask you something?' Ann signed making Whitebeard wonder.

"What in your mind my son?" Whitebeard asked. The blue bird just look at them without utter any word. Nor that Ann know that the blue birds actually Marco in the form of blue phoenix.

'I know I leave without your permission and I always jump into conclusion. Someone tell me if I cannot find the answer by my own better I ask directly from the source. I'm a Raftelian and I join you all because I need to find some answer not because I really want to. You can say that I am spying on you all.' Ann explained.

"Why you do that?" Whitebeard become alert. The blue bird stare at Ann intensely alert.

'My king only is Roger but I really want to know how come both of the kingdom allies for a long time cut their ties? I cannot except that kind of thing without any answer. I need to know, King Whitebeard.' Ann replied.

"Why do you want to know? What you want to do?" Whitebeard clearly suspicious with Ann.

'To fight back and bring Raftel back to it's people.' Ann answered with determine.

~ To be continue...

AN : It's really take me a while to find a good storyline for Ann. I hope you like what I write about her. Next...