I walked into the boys' room, slipping my shoes off before I stepped on the tatami mats. They were both still out cold, Sora drooling into Eli's hair, turning it a darker shade of red. I felt a small grin pull at my lips, my tail twitching happily as I walked over to them. I softly sat down on Sora's empty futon and gently shook Eli's shoulder. The boy just groaned and burrowed closer to his twin. I gave a small giggle and pulled back the covers. Both boys let out small hisses, but still didn't wake. So I reached forward and scooped up Eli, setting him in my lap.

Eli slowly stirred, just starting to wake. But Sora woke up the second his little brother was no longer in his arms. He sat up with a snarl, his dark eyes scanning the room looking for his brother. When they landed on me, he seemed confused. The expression was so like his father's that I felt a small pang in my heart. But I covered it with a wide grin and held open my arms. Sora grinned broadly and jumped into my lap, all but landing on his brother. Eli, now fully awake, groaned and pushed at his brother, while Sora rubbed the top of his head against my chin.

"Mama," Eli groaned out, "Get Sora offa me!"

"You baby," Sora retorted, poking Eli's cheek. "I'm not doin' anythin' t'ya!"

I stifled my laugh and grabbed both of their cheeks. They instantly stopped bickering and glared up at me. "Come now, boys," I said, smiling down at them. "Go pack. We've got a job to do."

They both flashed me identical grins and scrambled off of my lap. With a small chuckle, I stood up and walked over to the door to my room, leaving them to their packing. Before I walked into my room, I told them to pack light, only the bare essentials. I grabbed one of my bags and started shoving clothing in, making sure that I didn't grab anything with the Navy emblem on it. Once I had my weapons in it as well, I closed it and threw it by my door. I glanced down at my outfit and decided that I should change that as well. Digging through my clothing chest, I found an old outfit that would work perfectly for the mission.

I grabbed the shirt and examined it closely before I put it on. It would be a close fit along the body, the deep v-neck closed together with a small tie. The three-quarter sleeves were also form-fitting until my elbows before flaring out slightly. The black waistcoat I pulled out laced up tight the front and fell to my mid thighs. The tight black shorts hid beneath the waistcoat. My brown leather boots came up just past my knees, completing the outfit. I pulled my hair out of it's hold, running my fingers through it a few times to detangle it.

With the end of my tail tickling the backs of my knees, I turned to the boys' room to find them packed and waiting for me. I grabbed my bag and pulled the strap over my shoulder. I grabbed Sora's hand with my right and Eli's with my left, and, together, we left our rooms to go find the ship that would be taking us to the island I was to be meeting my future partner at.

Everything was swooshing and swaying, nothing staying still. My stomach felt like it was doing summer-salts and I couldn't hold my head up. Bile filled my mouth and I all but flung myself onto the rail of the ship. I gagged, but was unable to do more than just spit the bile out into the water. With a low groan I rubbed my face. God, I hated riding on ships for the first few days. Sora and Eli took after their father, and were true seamen. They loved every minute of being on a ship. I started to turn my head to see what they were doing, but the motion just caused my nausea to swell once more.

I groaned loudly and slowly slid off of the railing and onto the deck. The wood was warm against my clammy cheek, calming me slightly as I closed my eyes. Dimly, I heard one of the marines on the ship try and talk to me and Sora replying. For the life of me, though, I was unable to understand a word they said. I felt arms go around me and lift me up. I felt my hair rise on end and tried to hiss, but the noise I made was a pathetic mewl. After a few nauseating paces, I was set down again. I managed to halfway open one eye, just enough to see that I was in a rowboat. With a small groan, I closed my eyes again. I felt small hands grab a a hold of mine, the smell of my children filling my nose and calming me into a light doze.

When I woke up, I was no longer moving. I heaved a sigh of relief and sat up, finding that I was now on a beach. I stood and walked to the edge of the water on shaking legs. I splashed a small amount of it on my face, cooling me down but not enough to affect my Devil Fruit. I ran a hand through my hair and turned around to see Sora and Eli talking to a few marines. I walked over with a shy smile and grabbed our bags from them, thanking them for their help.

One of them gave me a weird look. "What kind of Marine Captain gets sea sick?" he blurted out before his companion sharply elbowed his side.

I just laughed. It was a question I got often. "I just do. If I am on a ship for more than a few days I am fine, but until then?" I shook my head. "At least the boys take after their father."

I thanked the marines once more before they got back into the rowboat. Usually, I would've had them drop us off at the main port of the island, but it was not wise on this one. We were on one of the few islands the World Government had no jurisdiction over. It was a true Pirate Town. Hawkeye had told me that he was on his way here, so if I was going to find him, it would be here. Now, to avoid being outed as a Marine Captain before he arrived, that was going to be tricky.

I glanced down at my boys and gave them another look-over, making sure that they didn't have the Navy or World Government emblems on them anywhere. Satisfied, I grabbed my bag and stood back up. I told the boys that they were to remain quiet and behind me unless I told them otherwise. Under normal circumstances, they—especially Sora—would have grumbled that they could take care of themselves, that they didn't need me protecting them. I saw in Sora's dark eyes that he wanted to say something about their order, but he held his tongue after Eli pinned him with his yellow ones.

I turned towards the town and rubbed my hands over my face once more. I took a deep breath, trying to remember the last time I was among enemy pirates. With one sharp shake of my head, I started walking. I held my head up high, my back straight, and walked at a leisurely pace. I made sure to roll my hips more than normal, swinging my arms slightly. I knew that I now prowled forward, walking like a cat in the middle of its territory. And I also knew that my boys mimicked my walk just like I had taught them, with their heads high and backs straight. Show no weakness, no fear.

We made it just inside of the town borders when I stopped. The few pirates that were on the streets eyed us lazily, but saw no cause to panic. I skimmed over them, not bothering to note more than passing details of their faces. None of them fit any of the descriptions I was looking for, so none of them were worth more than a passing thought. Once I had ascertained that, I started walking towards the largest tavern in town, Sora and Eli close behind me. It also served as an inn, so it was perfect for my needs. I flung open the doors to the bar, and every eye in the room turned to look at us. All conversation halted, not a sound permeated the room. I slowly walked up to the bar, where there were two empty stools. Totally aware of our audience, I gestured for Sora and Eli to take a seat.

Once they were settled, the bartender leaned over the counter to glare at me. "This ain't no place for children, nor pretty women such as yourself," he said gruffly, his dark eyes scanning me from head to toe. "Even if yer a Devil Fruit user," he added upon seeing my twitching cat ears.

I held his stare, even as my tail brushed the backs of my thighs as it swished in annoyance. "I can hold my own," I said loud enough for the entire bar to hear. "I am looking for someone."

"Ain't we all?!" a drunken voice shouted from somewhere in the room, causing several of the pirates to chuckle. "

I felt a scowl start to form on my face, but did nothing to stop it. Directly to the bartender, I said, "When will Red-Hair be here?"

He laughed at me. "What, you thinkin' about joinin' up with Red-Hair?" he wheezed out as everyone else in the bar started laughing as well.

"Or are ya tryin'ta pick a fight with 'im?"

"Nah, I betcha she's tryin' to screw him, not join his crew!"

"No! Look at her kid! She's trying to make him play daddy!"

The last man who spoke walked up right behind me, reaching around to try and pat Eli's head. I felt a growl bubble up in my throat. I quickly reached out and grabbed his hand, inches away from touching my son. I released my claws, feeling them bury into his arm. He glared at me as he hissed in pain. Spinning, I pulled him with me, throwing him over my shoulder to land hard enough to splinter the floor. Still holding his now dislocated arm, I dug my heel into his wind pipe. I bared my fangs in a hiss, pulling his arm as high as possible.

"Do. Not. Touch. Him," I growled between clenched teeth. With one hard push into his throat, I threw his arm down with a disgusted snarl. I turned back to the bartender, casually retracting my claws. "As I was saying," I said calmly, ignoring Sora and Eli's smug grins directed at the rest of the room. "I am looking for Red-Hair. Until he arrives at this island, I will be letting a room from you." I leaned between my boys and rested my bloody hand on the bar. Raising an eyebrow, I asked, "Will that be a problem?"

A thick, almost palpable silence filled the room. I felt every eye on me, but now with wariness instead of distaste. When the bartender said nothing, I nodded and turned towards the stairs at the back of the room. I heard my boys hit the floor after jumping off of their stools. I turned my head slightly to see them both making ridiculous faces at the entire bar. I had to bite my cheek to hold my grin in check. They were truly their father's sons. I said each of their names sharply as I started walking up the stairs.

A loud bang disturbed my sleep. I let out a small groan and rolled onto my other side, pulling Sora closer to my chest. I buried my nose in his hair and reached over him to place my hand on his brother's head. I was just starting to drift back to sleep when a large ruckus started up in the tavern bellow us. I was planning on ignoring it, as it had nothing to do with me. But when first Eli, and then Sora, started stirring, I knew that wasn't possible. They were both incredibly heavy sleepers, so it took a lot to wake them.

With a groan, I sat up in bed and ran my fingers through my hair. I stood up and covered the boys back up before fixing my sleeping yukata. This one was a pale lilac with a darker purple sash tying it. With a put out sigh I walked to the door in my bare feet. When I opened it, I was all but slammed backwards from the wall of sound. I could hear wood splinter, glass break, men scream. Great. A bar brawl. With a scowl, I quickly stepped out and closed the door behind me. I quickly walked down the stairs and saw that the entire bar, from the patrons to the staff, were fighting. Off towards the bar, I could see the bartender in someone's face. From his fist in the man's shirt and his irate expression, I figured the mystery man is the one who started the brawl.

Alrighty, then, I thought to myself, rolling my shoulders. At least I know who to punish now.

I calmly, but quickly, walked through the brawl, stepping carefully to avoid the broken glass. If I stepped on someone's face or punched a set or two of balls, it was not personal. They were just in my way. When I reached the bartender, I grabbed his arm to try and get his attention. He just shrugged me off. I felt a growl bubble in my throat and grabbed his arm again, this time turning him to face me. He just scowled down at me and shoved me back. With a small hiss, I grabbed the back of his shirt and threw him into the fighting crowd. And then, without even looking at the person the bartender had been "talking" to, I grabbed the front of his shirt.

"You fucking assholes!" I shouted, throwing him out of the front window and into the street. The sound of the window breaking, coupled with my shout, was enough to bring the entire bar to a stand still. "There are children trying to sleep upstairs, you heathens! Now stop this fighting at once!"

I watched a man disentangle himself from the crowd and stride over to me. He was tall, much taller than me, with his gray hair slicked back from his face. He had a scar in the shape of two X's on the left side of his face, making his scowl all the more menacing. He wore a blue cloak with paler blue squigly lines over a navy v-neck shirt. He had a yellow sash tied around his waist and over his pale green pants. Several other men started to walk behind him, including a rather fat an eating some meat and a blonde with shoulder-length dreadlocks. I returned Scar-Face's scowl and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Are you aware," he said in a gruff voice once he was less than a foot away from me, "That you just threw my captain out the window?"

"And when he was trying to stop the brawl to boot!" Dreadlock added with a sneer.

I glared lazily at the men. "It doesn't matter to me," I said with a shrug. "What ever stops the fight. Hopefully my boys haven't woken up yet."

I turned and moved to step around Scar-Face, but he just stepped back into my path. I let out a small growl and glared up at him. Neither of us said anything, each waiting for the other to make a move. When he still didn't move, I grabbed the front of his shirt. I was about to fling him out the window to join his captain when I smelled him. I felt my brows furrow in confusion, trying to place the scent. When nothing flew to the front of my brain, I readied myself to throw him once more. But the excited squeal of Eli stopped me cold.

"Uncle Yasop!" Sora and Eli chorused in unison, making my blood turn to slush in my veins. "Uncle Lucky!"

As I listened to their feet pound down the stairs, I hauled Scar-Face closer to me and breathed deep his scent. And it finally clicked in my mind, causing a wide grin to break across my face. "Ben!" I said, voice holding the same amount of joy as the boys'. Ben just stared down at me, clearly confused. Of course, I didn't blame him one bit. It had been several years since I had last seen him, back when we had all first entered the Grand Line.

My boys had been no more than two, so it had been almost eight years since I had last seen the Red-Hair Pirates. You might be wondering how it is that Sora and Eli, who had been no more than toddlers at the time, could recognize the Red-Hair officers. The answer is simple: their Devil Fruit. The boys had both split the Time-Time Fruit, which gave them the ability to instantly recall any moment in their time, among other things. As they came running down the stairs, just as careful of the debris and not of the men as I had been, I could see all of the Red-Hair Pirates give us quizzical looks.

Staring up at Ben, I tilted my head to the side and felt my ears droop in disappointment. "You... don't recognize us?" I asked quietly, hating the sadness in my voice.

Ben stared down at me for a long moment, just long enough for Sora and Eli to walk up to me. As both of the boys each grabbed one of my hands, I was happy to see recognition light up the pirate's face. "Elle?" he asked slowly. I couldn't help the grin that broke over my face.

Behind Ben, Yassop and Lucky Roo walked closer to us. Lucky Roo gave me a wide grin around his meat and Yassop lightly ruffled my hair. "Been a long time, Kitty," he teased, using my old nickname.

Just then, the doors to the tavern burst open and a glaring man came charging in. His hair was blood-red and fell to his shoulders. Across his left eye were three symmetrical scars, starting just under his hair line and ending just past his cheek bones. His crimson brows were drawn together in a scowl. He had on a black cloak that fell just past his knees with high collars. His white button up shirt was messily pulled out of his gaudy pants, with the buttons starting just bellow his pecks. On his right hip was a large sword, on which his hand was resting.

The bar, which had started murmuring at my familiarity with the Red-Hair Pirates, instantly fell silent when the Captain entered. I felt my ears lay flat against my head and my tail start to swish even faster. I hadn't even realized that I tightened my grip on the boys' hands until they tugged them free. Without even thinking about it, I stepped in front of them, blocking them from his sight. Red-Hair glared at me for several heart-pounding seconds before turning his glare onto his crew.

"Am I missing somethin' here, boys?" Red-Hair asked lightly, almost joyfully, while his dark eyes sharply glared at the room. "Because it looks like you're awfully close to the woman who just threw me out of a window."

I heard a snort behind me and glanced down to see Sora and Eli covering their mouths and trying to hold in their laughter. I quickly hissed at them to be quiet, but not before Red-Hair noticed. He raised one crimson eyebrow and asked if they found something amusing.

"Yeah, the fact that everyone says you're so strong," Sora started to say.

"But Mama was able to throw you so easily!" Eli finished. Both boys glanced at each other before they chorused, "It's just too funny!" and burst out laughing.

I quickly crouched down in front of the twins and pinched each of their cheeks. "Don't be rude," I scolded them, pulling their cheeks and making tears appear in their eyes. "This man is very strong, and that is why I was able to throw him. A weaker man would have resisted. Red-Hair knew what I was doing and went with the flow to keep from being injured," I explained to them, letting go of their cheeks and softly brushing their hair out of their faces.

I glanced back to see Red-Hair giving me a puzzled look. "Not many people would have guessed that," he said, his gruff voice sounding amused.

I felt my back grow stiff and instantly wanted to shift. I fought back the urge and said coldly, "I only knew because I know you." When Red-Hair's puzzled look only increased, I felt like the wind had been knocked right out of me. "Shanks," I said slowly, standing up and facing him. "It's one thing for Ben to not recognize me. But I expected more from you."

Red-Hair just gave me an empty grin. "Sorry, love," he said sweetly. "I don't remember every pretty face I've meet over the years."

Any pain that I had felt at his ignorance vanished in a flash, quickly replaced by anger. Dimly, I was aware of Ben, Yassop, and the others all blanch, aware of small hands tug at my yukata. But I ignored it all and strode towards Red-Hair. I placed my hands on my hips and glared up at him, sharply kicking his shin. I felt pain radiate up from my toes, but paid it no heed.

"Buggy recognized me faster, and I spent more time with you!" I shouted out, poking his chest. "I was with you for years, years, Shanks! I was the first member of your crew! And a very important member at that!"

Red-Hair just stared down at me, scowling in confusion. "Are you trying to say you're Elle?" he asked, taking a step back. "But that's impossible. She's—well, she's," Red-Hair's eyes traveled down to my chest before rising back to my eyes, "she's not like you. And, 'sides, she's a cat."

I felt the unintended jab at my chest spear right through my middle, even if it was no longer true. I felt the fur on my tail stand on end, and felt both my claws and fangs lengthen. I took a step even closer to Red-Hair, but my nose barely reached his chest. So I grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled his face down to mine.

"Now, you listen here, you giant asshole," I snarled into his face, taking satisfaction in watching his dark eyes widen. "It doesn't matter to me whether you recognize me or not."

At Ben's muttered dissent of my words, I shot a lethal glare at him over my shoulder before turning back to Red-Hair. With a small snarl, I shoved him away from me and brushed off the front of my yukata. Throwing my braid over my shoulder, I said calmly, "It doesn't matter because I don't have time for it to. I need your help, Shanks, and you are going to give it to me."

Red-Hair gave me a small smirk and asked how, exactly, I was going to make him help me. I let out a loud sigh and reached into the front of my yukata. Instantly every man in the room rushed forwards, trying to get a better look at what it is, exactly, that I was doing. I heard my boys mutter something about them being perverts, and couldn't help but agreeing with them. So I quickly grabbed what I was looking for and shoved it at Red-Hair.

He took the paper and raised his eyebrow at me. I just motioned at him to read it. His dark eyes scanned the page and his crimson brows drew together in a frown. Once he was done reading, Red-Hair glanced back at me. "I see," he said slowly.

I nodded and turned back to my boys. "Good," I said, turning them around and ushering them back to the staircase. "Okay. So we can discuss this further tomorrow."

"No."

A/N: And, after who-knows how long, here is the second chapter of ASN! I hope you enjoyed it!

~Shini