"That's enough!" Agitated, Ann roars, brow furrowing from the crisp coal smoky smog soon spewing into the open air as she scowls seeing the ruined remains of the ship slowly sink to the washing waves below, the fierce flames feasting upon the once usable ship sinking into the dark depths of the seafloor below.
"Ann is right! We don't need to kill them! We're not savage pirates! If you rookies don't learn to hold back you'll never become good marines!" Jaguar joins in towering over the rest of the marines on said ship the two are on.
"Vice Admiral Portgas. Vice Admiral Saul we brought a survivor!" A marine calls out making Ann furrow her brow by the marines sharing a lost look with Jaguar as they bring forth a woman with long snowy white hair with an ice clue tank top and olive trousers with glistening gold accents as a belt.
"What have you done to my nakama?!" Mad, the woman roars raising her voice to Ann arching a brow by the woman's guts.
"…Are you really after a weapon?" Saul asks as Ann herself sighs sadly, bowing her head, hating having to even hear it but…
"You're pathetic you hold no conviction and yet you pass your conviction!" Cross, the young woman continues berating both of them.
"Oi you're talking to two vice admiral!s" Annoyed, a mad marine hollers.
"Enough." Ann curtly cuts in brow furrowed fuming.
"But vice admiral...!" One of the marines call out however the silently raise her hand stops him.
"We deserve it, it was thanks to our negligence that innocent blood could be on our hands." Honestly, Ann admits stating the fact firmly.
"Could be?! You blindly follow the law using this weapon as a pretence! But you're terrified of a past you know nothing about!" Angry, the woman raises her voice fury flowing through her. She snarls scowling at Ann and Saul, her teeth gritted grinding together tense as Ann furrows her brow by her words watching her be taken away as Ann leans over the railing of the ship, her fingertips fidget coil around the railing of the ship scowling her grip tightening curling coiling around the railing.
"You okay?" Softly, Saul asks her.
"Are you?" Ann asks as Saul goes quiet from her words while the two simply stare ahead…
Ann furrows her brow as she sits at her desk, brow furrowed firmly focusing on the paper, the memory of before still hanging heavily, lingering in her head. She tried to distract herself, she tried to not think about the woman about the unnecessary canon fire, furrowing her brow by it all as she holds her head, feeling her fingertips comb through her hair, tugging at stray strands of blonde, trying not to think about it. Ann furrows her brow by the still silence of her office, taking note of the lack of a certain someone ignoring the heaviness in her constricted chest at the lack of a certain someone…
"Mam, Fleet Admiral Sengoku wants you…" Ann jolts up at the voice turning towards the marine in waiting while she sighs slowly standing up from her desk brow furrowed from the heaviness in her chest. She felt her legs ache turning as heavy as led as she forces herself out of her office, her hues darting from side to side sneakily trying to make it.
Her hues dart from side to side, her hues widening when seeing a familiar figure on the other side of the other hallway. Her body tenses up at the sheer sight of him conversing with Smoker and some other marines as she bows her head, begging beseeching in her head internally screaming at herself not to stop, not to make eye contact, not to even breath as she ignores the heavy hue of heat hitting her cheeks, quickly brushing by the two, ignoring the fair few eyes on her as she speed walks past the group, heading over to Sengoku's office.
"A buster call? You're joking…" Alarmed, Ann furrows her brow by Sengoku standing before him.
"Why would I joke about this? This is a top secret mission. You are to be one of the five vice admirals commanding the battleship fleet from this the Gorōsei have promised you the position of admiral if you do this." Seriously, Sengoku tells her.
"…Admiral?" Astonished, Ann jolts up at it.
"That's right with Garp continuingly refusing it the Gorōsei thought it best for you to step up to it. You've certainly earnt the right to it after all. I even recommended you myself to them." Truthfully, Sengoku admits as Ann furrows her brow by his words.
"But they're just scholars they're peaceful people they simply wish to learn why are we taking such extreme measures!? From what I've seen everyone we've captured was simply interested in studying history! If their research really is so dangerous the government can join them! You allowed Vegapunk to join so why not the oharans!? As it stands we're the only ones taking lives. Show me evidence that they're actually evil." Assertively, Ann orders from Sengoku scowling.
"Are you disagreeing with the government?" Sengoku's hues narrow at Ann.
"And if I am?" Ann challenges back brow furrowed crossing her arms over her chest cross.
"Then your promotion to admiral will go to someone else Sakazuki seems willing." Sengoku hints as Ann alarmed grimaces from the thought, brow furrowing from it.
"Sakazuki is a monster, he would murder thousands of innocent if one pirate were on board." Brow furrowed, Ann argues.
"He is willing to sacrifice that for the government aren't you? Be quiet and do as you're told! You could be an admiral Ann!" Agitated, Sengoku snaps slamming his hand down upon the desk below brown meeting black glaring glowering at one another in a silently stare down until…
"Over my dead body." Bluntly, Ann snaps scowling turning on her heel heading towards the door.
"Ann do not be rash!" Roaring, Sengoku snaps standing up from his seat scowling at the back of Ann.
"I'll do whatever the hell I like." Ann roars back brow furrowed before prying the door smoothly sliding open, swiftly slamming it shut much to Sengoku's frustration.
"Tch Garp why must your family be so difficult?" Sengoku scowls slowly sliding down plopping himself down upon his chair, leaning over his desk brow furrowed head in hands dreading what he had released…
"How could they do this!? How could they call out something so extreme?! How could they risk the lives of thousands over something so…Ann could feel her blood boil, bubble, burn, feeling her muscles tense tired almost as angry she seethes snarls. Ann couldn't help it as she paced back and froth fuming, if Cora were here he would give her some sort of reasoning as would Bell but neither were here it was just her here alone as she expected when it came down to it…
"Hey I didn't see you at lunch." Ann flinches from the voice turning towards the door slowly sliding to the side, her hues widening while feeling her heart drop, her blood turning cold towards the shy shudder coursing crawling down her shaking spine. She couldn't decide if this shaking was out of fear for the person before her or if her rage was getting the best of her for the situation, she found herself stuck in.
"…" Silently, Ann continues pondering to herself, brow furrowed, there was still so little that she knew about this, about all of this and they wanted to call a buster call!? What were they thinking? What was on that island that would cause such extreme measures!?
"What's with the face?" Frowning, Aokiji eyes the furrowed fretful features of the anguished Ann in a world of her own blanking out the chill chill user. He steps in, the two needed to talk, they had to…
"I take you know about the buster call." Coldly, Ann abruptly cuts Aokiji off.
"Yeah we're to be admirals after this." Aokiji plops himself down on the seat as Ann seethes scowls, that's it?! That's all he has to say!? They were to be admirals if they were to do this!? The prince of thousands for some flimsily title!? Tense, Ann couldn't help but feel her blood boil, bubble, burn further fury flowing through her veins from his words.
"…Why do you sound so happy about that?" Tense, Ann demands from Aokiji anguished.
"Why wouldn't I be? We're to be admirals not to mention bringing justice to those demon Oharans…" Aokiji answers aloofly, simply shrugging as Ann blinks baffled by his words, something seemingly snapping within her.
"If Gold Roger had a child? They'd be a demon!
"A demon that would be beheaded no doubt about it!
"Their last words should be something like: I'm sorry I was born! I'm just garbage!
"It would be best for that demon to go off somewhere to just die! No one would care!
"A devil child brings nothing but the luck of a devil…
"…Excuse you?" Icily, Ann whispers weakly, her tone trembling slightly shaking even as she blinks back the watery depths of her hues.
"Hm? Those demons want to revive a weapon." Aokiji answers as if it were a firm fact.
"…You really think that?" Tentatively, Ann asks brow furrowed from it all as she couldn't help but feel the sharp sting in her constricted chest.
"Gold. D Roger was the king of scum…
"Why wouldn't I?" Aokiji furrows his brow at Ann.
"Well if you did research you'd know that the oharans are a peaceful people, scholars what would they do with a weapon?" Ann reminds Aokiji as her brow furrows from his words.
"Attack the marines. The World Government." Aokiji reminds Ann.
"You think it's as simple as that?" Tense, Ann arches a brow by Akoji's words.
"They broke the law Ann why are you defending them?" Tiredly, Aokiji furrows his brow at Ann.
"Why is researching into the void century a law though?" Tentatively, Ann asks Aokiji crossing her arms over her chest.
"Why are you so bent over backwards about this?" Aokiji asks brow furrowed at Ann.
"Innocent lives are at stakes." Seriously, she snaps scowling at Aokiji anger freely flowing through her. Baffled that she even had to explain this.
"These are not innocent lives they knew what they were doing, the knowledge of those people spreading could leak out pirates could endanger more lives we must deliver absolute justice on this." Truthfully, Aokiji reminds Ann as her hues narrow at his words, true justice….that's what he would call man slaughter? That's what he would call genocide? That's what he would call murder!?
"…Is that what you think?" Tense, Ann whispers weakly, trying to keep her tone calm, collected composed but eve she could feel it wobble a bit as bit her lip trying to stop it, her back turned to him unaware of her watery hues of brown.
"It is." Aokiji answers stating the fact firmly to the anguished Ann.
"Well I see how things are now." Ann smiles strained she should have known, she really should have known, she really should have expected it, she shouldn't have gotten her hopes up, she shouldn't have thought anything different, she shouldn't have thought he'd be different, he was the same, he was just like the rest of them he was…so why? Why did it hurt so much more than the rest?! Ann holds her head anguished at the thought trying to fight back against the tears trying to freely fall from her.
"Ann!" Aokiji calls out to her as she swiftly brushes by him only to feel the stern ice-cold hand clamp down upon her, noting the icy shards stretching over to her, trying to coat her trap her almost as she could feel her blood turn ice cold.
"…Don't come near me!" Mad, she swiftly slaps his hand aside anguished as Akoji's hues beneath said shades widen when seeing the raw amount of emotions with seeing said watery browns broken before him, disappointment drenching her trembling tone.
"If you go down this path you'll get hurt you'll be in danger they'll hunt you down!" Ann asserts annoyed almost as he tries to reach out to her however…
"You expect me to stand by as thousands are slaughtered?" Seething, she snarls at Aokiji.
"You expect me to stand by as you throw your life and career away!?" Angrily, Aokiji demands done.
"I thought you were different! You're the same just as them!" Anguished, Ann rushes to the door done.
"Ann!" Aokiji calls out but…
"People like you…people like you are why I can never find a place I belong in this world…!" Upset, Ann whispers weakly whimpering while Aokiji astonished, simply stares at Ann as she turns her back turning to leave.
"ANN!" Angry, Aokiji roars raising his voice startling a fair few to hear such raw emotion to hear the chill chill fruit user raise his voice at Ann simply staring ahead as she swiftly slams or well swiftly slides the door in his face fuming on the warpath.
Quietly, Ann stands before the tall towering staircase seagulls squawk, throughout the soaring sky above flying in the air as the clouds go about their day darkening. Ann never could remember if it was the sun shining that day or if it were rain that came crashing down causing her to feel the sharp sting of reality…she never could decide…
Shining, the sun shimmers shines down upon the people of Loguetown as the crowd forms around the plaza. The brisk breeze brushes through the young girl's perky pink hair however while the other friendly faces watch on in awe in shock in relief that this was finally happening, the girl looked on anguished, in pain, in sorrow as the tears freely fell from the crying child, gritting grinning her teeth together trying to be strong…
The brisk breeze brush through Ann's long blondish wavy locks of pink feeling the shy shudder of the brisk breeze brush against the side of her cheek, brushing through stray strands of blondish pink. Ann's nose twitches at the sea salt air around the air as the people of the town go about their day hearing the washing waves of the sea. Still she remains resolved in her stance staring up at the tall towering staircase before her feeling a wave of emotions, staring up at the platform before her, swearing she could still see him there, still smiling despite it all still grinding despite the blades about to be swiftly slashed down upon him, still smiling to the bitter end…
She holds a camellia in her hair, wearing brown boots, a peach pink shirt and brown leggings. The girl tries to be strong as she stands by the red head's boy side straw hat on as the two hear the chorused sound of footsteps alongside the crisp clink of chains. Grinning, the man in red chained to the wooden block walks by soldiers either side of him as he makes his way towards the tall, towering steps which would lead to his demise.
Briefly, brown meet black as the man with the busy beard grins giddily at the pained girl, giving her a small smile before going on ahead as the girl soon forces a smile of her own to hit her lips as the man makes his way on stage smiling despite being on death's door.
"Thought I'd find you here..." Ann perks up at the voice however she still stares ahead resolved in her stance almost as the man in white approaches standing side by side with her, his hands shoved into his pockets, looking up at the platform above. No words needing t be said as a still silence falls between both grandfather and supposed granddaughter.
"Kuzan's looking for you he seems pretty heated you two get into a fight or something." Sighing, Garp looks to his side towards Ann as she simply stares ahead as after a few moments of still silence…
"Ann…listen to me no matter what happens you must listen to Garp." Resolved, Roger kneels down before the girl confusion clear on her furrowed features from the mention of that loudmouth.
"…Garp?" The young girl furrows her brow by the thought of that loudmouth marine practically obsessed with her father as her father was with him.
"Trust in him as I do." Determined, he tells her his grip tightening around her shoulders scaring her.
"I…I don't understand! Papa-" Anxiously, Anne begin but…
"Ann!" Roger raises his voice to her making her flinch from it, her father had never really raised his voice unless he was serious.
"…" Silently, she stares shakily at him, his hues softening sadly guilt clear on his furrowed features for raising his voice at her but it had to be done…
"Please." Pleadingly, the man begs beseeches the astonished Ann as he places his temple on hers, their temples touching as she sniffles slightly at the tenderness of his tender tone.
"…Okay." Obediently, Ann bows her head, recalling her father's firm words to her…
"I don't know if I can do this anymore gramps." Ann admits to her him, his hues widening when hearing her words taken aback at her words.
"Eh?" Garp turns to face her taken aback astonished at her words while she simply stoically stares ahead.
"My father told me to follow you, to do whatever you said but…he…he would want me to be happy to live life freely...right?" Frowning, Ann admits as she wraps her arms around herself, brow furrowing from the thought of her father, smiling despite death's door awaiting him, hugging her, holding her as the tears freely fell from her, begging, beseeching for him not to go, time and time again praying pleading to the high heaves for her father to be spared only to be met by the swift strike of both blade and reality.
"…Ann…" Garp furrows his brow at the girl the tears freely falling from her hearing her sharp sob she so desperately tries to muffle.
"You told me when I'd become a vice admiral I'd be as free as I could be, I could use this power to stop so many, to shield them from the marines but…" Anguished, Ann bows her head, grimacing at the murky memories of it all, all the times she turned a blind eye, all the times she had to keep her mouth shut, all the times she's had to keep her head down, all the secrets she's had to hide, all the shit she's seen, all the secrets she could unfold to the world would devastate them…
"But what?" Garp pries his tone soft staring sadly at the anguished Ann.
"I don't feel free at all, I don't feel happy at all I don't…" Ann holds herself pained by the reality of it all.
"You're not happy? You seem pretty cozy with Kuzan…" Garp throws in only making Ann grimace all the more.
"…I've lied to him I've lied to them all." Ann reminds Garp the truth of the matter.
"You know why." Garp reminds Ann.
"…But is that just? Is it fair that I have to hide who I am to those that supposedly care for me? I know how'd they'd react to the truth know…" Ann's arms only tighten around herself even more…
"He's scum! It would have been better if he and any other offspring of his are never born why else do you think the military are trying to flood such scum out?"
"A child like that is nothing but a burden to society
"A nuisance!"
"It should be killed on the spot!"
"It wouldn't be human!"
It would be a demon!"
"Demon!"
"Demon!"
"Demon!"
"Demon Oharans…"
"How do you know that?" Tentatively, Garp asks Ann.
"Because I know them, I know him and his justice!" Poisonously, the angry Ann spits sharply back brow furrowed, pain pouring out of her tone, she was a fool to think he was different, she's just the same as the lot of them…
"What are you saying Ann?" Garp demands from her seeing her after a brief moment of still silence slumps over.
"I'm saying….I'm done." Determined, Ann answers as she looks up at the execution platform above.
"Ann…!" Garp's hues narrow alarmed at Ann's words.
"I've tried gramps I have but how is this justice? How is this a code you expect me to follow? How can I kill thousands of innocents all for some stupid promotion? All to shut up the truth? All to shut up history my father based his final journey on?" Ann demands from Garp frustration freely flowing through her.
"…I don't know Ann. I don't…" Garp bows his head pained, he had tried, tried to give her a home, tried to give her a normal life, tried to make something of her however…
"I know gramps I tried I really did." Softly, Ann whispers weakly, warmth in her tentative tone towards him, pained it had to be this way.
"Ann if you go through with this…" Tense, Garp tries to warn her however her hues remain glued to the execution platform.
"The whole world is going to hate me eventually anyway might as well get a head start don't you think?" Teasingly, Ann smirks at Garp.
"Ann…" Garp grimaces bowing his head knowing no words would reach the resolved determined D as she heads off on a warpath…
Quietly, the cold crips heels hit the stoic stone floor below alongside the many men and women guards that come crashing down collapsing as she simply brushes by them firmly focusing on the task at hand, heading towards the singular cell where awaits is a familiar woman with white hair, her head bowed down chained to the wall battered beaten bloodied.
"Wha…what are you?" Oliva grunts, sluggishly moving her head looking up as icy blue meet curt browns.
"I'd like to ask you a few things." Ann admits as she looks down spotting scarlet smeared across her face as before Oliva knew it…
"Code red! Vice Admiral Portgas has taken the prisoner and fled!
"She knows all the details of our plan after them find Ann and Olivia at all cost, fire at will!
Loudly, the alarm blares boisterously throughout the prison as Ann holds Oliva's hand rushing through, fleeing from the armed marines rushing after them.
"They're after us I'll draw them away it's me they'll be after." Ann asserts as she removes herself from the railing of the ship she took off in, Olivia stands on the other ship by her side eyeing her, her grip tightening around the rifle in her hand.
"Ann they'll never take you back…" Oliva's hues narrow at Ann who doesn't even bat an eye to the truth.
"It's fine. I never wanted to be there in the first place carry out this operation in the name of the law is pure tyranny, murdering thousands just for knowledge, who has the right to say what we can and can't learn." Ann admits brow furrowed furious from the sad truth of the matter.
"Ann…" Olivia's baby blues soften slightly at Ann.
"I'm just following my own sense of justice. Now hurry and warn everyone back home." Seriously, she warns Olivia.
"I'm not going to thank you." Olivia turns her head away from Ann.
"I never asked I wish you luck though." Truthfully, Ann admits to Oliva her icy blue widening when hearing her words but beofre she could say much more the ringing roaring alarms of marine make their appearance as she watches Ann drive the boat towards the marines making their way over, Olivia uses the chance to escape however as she turs her back, her hues soon widen when watching the ship she saw once racing across the washing waves be engulfed in fierce flames, a magma fist of sorts striking down the ship, smoke spewing out from the ruined remnants of said sinking ship.
"It's been taken care of." The curt cold of Sakazuki states through the snail Sengoku holds.
"…Good." Sengoku hangs up from the snail softly sitting him down sighing sadly exhaling exhausted bowing his head in his hands anguished at what had to be done…oblivious to the tall towering figure of Aokiji leaning against the door of the fleet admiral's office reeling from the news of the supposed death of Portgas. D. Ann…
"Uh…" Curious, the young little girl gawks gapes at the woman sleeping upon the sandy shores of the beach, the waves washing over her having brought her to the island as if she were a gift to the island, a blessing some would say with her hair sprawled out similar to ocean waves as the little girl couldn't help but stare stunned at the beautiful woman washed ashore…
"Hmmm?" The girl jolts up at the low hum of sorts seeing said woman's hues slowly open revealing warm brown blinking befuddled, a fair few times trying to focus her vision upon the sandy shore she found herself upon, ignoring the itchy gritty grains scraping against her until taking note of the girl before her.
"Well what's a little girl like you doing out here on your lonesome?" Curiosity getting the best out of her, Ann asks the girl as she stands slightly or at the least leans against her leg, quirking her head to the side, staring at the girl simply silently staring.
"…!" The young girl jolts up at the sudden spotlight shining down upon her as the woman waits patiently until…
"You just going to stare or…?" Ann asks as she trials off eyeing the girl before her.
"Sorry I've never seen someone so pretty before…" Bluntly, the raven haired girl admits as she looks down at her dress.
"Oh ho flattery will get you everywhere kiddo." Cheekily, Ann attempts to cheer the rather awkward child up.
"You're hurt…" The girl points out gesturing to the shy scarlet stream stemming down her temple.
"This is nothing I've had worse…" Smirking, she waves the girl's concern off as another still silence hangs heavily in the air between both of them. Where was Ann? Last she checked she was in the sea grabbing into the earnest sea king and being taken here…how she managed to escape Sakazuki she still did not know all she remembered was begging beseeching for someone to help her as next she knew the sea king came…
"Still gramps is gonna kill me…" Ann huffs, furrowing her brow by the thought of his reaction.
"Gramps?" The young girl quirks her head to the side startling Ann, she was still here?
"Yeah heheh…I could already picture his fist of love after that…say is there a town around here?" Hopeful, Ann asks as she scratches the back of her head.
"Yeah." The girl nods her head.
"I see. Well this looks like plenty of wood to help start my ship I suppose." Smiling, she stands staring up at the tall towering trees.
"Eh?" The girl blinks befuddled watching her draw out her blade.
"Stay back kid." Smoothly, she warns her.
"Okay…" The girl takes a fair few steps back her hues widening as with one swift strike the trees come crashing down.
"Whoa…" The girl jumps up slightly from the tremors caused by said single strike.
"That should do hmm maybe two more hmm…I'll wait and see don't want to waste any trees you know?" Aloofly, Ann dismisses approaching the tree.
"Are people always that strong?" Surprised, she asks as her hues widen when seeing said woman with swift strike slice the burk into bearable pieces to carry.
"Hm? Oh no don't suppose you could keep this a secret could ya? People tend to be put off by my strength." Smiling, she perks up at the girl still surprised she was here as she winks at her placing her finger to her lips.
"People tend to me put off with me too." The girl bows her head.
"Eh? Why' that?" Ann asks brow furrowed, her hues soon widening when watching hands spread out of nowhere carrying the wood close to the sea shore she once stood upon.
"I bet these are pretty nifty with work or heck when you're playing patty cake!" Cheerfully, Ann tells the girl, her hues widening when hearing her words as before the girl knew it she let out a small giggle.
"You have a nice laugh, you should laugh more! The name's Ann, Ann D Portgas!" Smiling, Ann introduces herself to the child.
"D?" Robin quirks her head to the side.
"Yep. What about you?" Ann asks her.
Robin. Nico Robin.