The sun had long since set and there hadn't been any indication the Witch had survived the battle. Shanks watched as her own crew gathered along the shoreline, desperately waiting to see their Admiral again.

"You." Shanks pointed to the tall blackhaired man who stood apart. "You're her second in command."

"Aye." The man's voice wavered but his gaze never left the horizon.

"What was that thing?"

"She used to tell us stories when we were recruits, of what the sea was like before the government and before the Grandline. How the Sea Kings of today are descendants of vicious monsters who roamed the earth like it was a playground." The man shook his head. "She said they had all but died out and those who remained were too weak to cause an issue, but I always wondered why we needed a safety plan if they were all gone."

"She said she knew my captain."

"It is to my understanding she fought with him in God Valley."

"So she's around Garp's age?"

"She trained Garp."

"I'm sorry?" Shanks coughed, surprise welling in his chest at the statement. Looking back, he had never really thought about it before. Garp had always been there, along with Sengoku, but they had to start from somewhere.

"She found it both hilarious and ironic when she was put onto your tail."

"I wish to know her name."

"She has a name, but not one to be called by but one given to her against her will. It is a name she rarely gives out and a name she is rarely called." The man smirked. "Most have never heard this name and even fewer have seen her face."

"Why?"

"Don't you think it's a bit odd that no one has ever commented on her? If she is so old, how is her name not being sung as a hero's through the marines?" Shanks pondered for a moment, but the marine was right. Someone of the Witch's caliber should be praised but it's almost as if she doesn't exist. "They kill her off."

"What?"

"They kill her off every couple of years and then bring her back when a new wave of marines are in. She starts at the bottom and works her way up."

"What happens during those off years?" Shanks felt his stomach sink and he almost regretted asking the question.

"She refuses to tell me. All she says is she never wishes to go back." Silence hung heavy between them and it became increasingly obvious the Witch wasn't returning anytime soon.

"Lucky! Set about getting everyone fed. I have a feeling we will be here for some time," Shanks ordered. Lucky nodded and lumbered off towards the direction of their ship. It had taken some heavy damage, but nothing a good shipwright couldn't fix.

"Thank you, Red Hair." Shanks waved the man off.

"She said your name was Weisman?" Weisman grunted in agreement. "We will all wait for her return."

"Why?"

"I am intrigued by her and the knowledge she has."

"What will you do if she doesn't have the knowledge you want?"

"Then this has been fun nonetheless."

Time seemed to pass slowly for both crews. For a bunch of marines, they were certainly unlike anything Shanks' crew had ever come across. They had a party streak and could drink with the best of them, but most of all their views were skewed from the rest of the force. It had the pirates relaxing from a stress they hadn't known they were carrying.

Then the singing started. Shanks didn't really know what to make of it, but he found himself joining in.

"Oh you can search far and wide

You can drink the whole town dry

But you'll never find a beer so brown

(But you'll never find a beer so brown)

As the one we drink in our hometown (But you'll never find a beer so brown)

As the one we drink in our hometown"

The marines were very good singers and the song sounded familiar, almost as if he had heard it before? No, it wasn't that.

Naia.

Naia would've loved this. Her love for what she called sea shanties rivaled what he remembered of Whitebeard and Captain Roger.

Did the Witch teach them?

"You can keep your fancy ales

You can drink'em by the flagon

And the only brew for the brave and true

Comes from the Green Dragon"

The marines harmonizing was an experience that sent shivers down Shanks' spine. The crew devolved into chuckles and belly laughs the more they drank. His eyes swept across the crowd to the dark figure lingering just beyond the light of the fire. It held the aura of amusement and pride.

"Hey! Ho! to the bottle I go

To heal my heart and drown my woe

Rain may fall and wind may blow

But there still be many miles to go

Sweet is the sound of the pouring rain

And the stream that falls from hill to plain"

"She took her time coming back." Shanks waved Benn off, sauntering over to the shadowed person. Her clothes were ripped and her veil only covered the top portion of her head. Shanks was amazed it was still on. The Witch was smiling. It was a small smile, but it was the most expressive face Shanks had seen on her outside of anger and frustration.

"I love to hear them sing."

"They are quite good at it," Shanks chuckled.

"I taught them one song and they have expanded their knowledge everytime we visit a port." Her stance waived for a moment, but she caught herself before she could lose her footing. "I will leave them be, if you do not mind."

"They are welcome to dine with us anytime." Her lips twitched. Shanks felt a wave of protection wash over him and before he thought about what he was doing, he wrapped his arm around the Witch's waist, keeping her upright. She did feel so familiar against him, maybe it was simply because she was a similar size to Naia or… Shanks didn't let his thoughts continue.

"To the shallows?"

"A bay would be best. I do not trust myself not to be swept away," The Witch murmured.

"I know just the spot." Shanks led the Witch further inland, taking care to keep his stride steady and slow. She was a fair bit smaller than him and in her exhausted state, his normal pace would be too much for her.

The laguna was small with a steady trickle of sea water from a passing strait and far enough from the crew to allow some semblance of peace and quiet. Shanks carefully let the Witch submerge herself in the water, letting his hand slip from hers. The water tumbled around her, vibrating with an energy it didn't have previously. It was enchanting to watch. How the water moved around her and how she moved with it.

"You are being awfully quiet, Red Hair. It's not like you."

"The beast-"

"Hydra," The Witch interrupted. "Is not dead, but he is trapped where no one should be able to reach him."

"Trapped?" Shanks echoed.

"The sea is a magnificent place to hide things. It's depth and trenches are a great place for things and beings to be forgotten about," The Witch explained, her body sinking further into the water. "You needn't worry about it. For as powerful as it is, it is not a great swimmer."

Shanks blinked at the statement, his stomach clenching as laughter bubbled in his chest.

"It can't swim?" The Witch nodded, a small smile fluttering over her lips.

"Surprising no? A sea monster that can not swim. It is ironic." Silence fell. "It is not from the same era as the mark. The mark was derived afterwards or I suppose it is the practice that created the mark was formed in order to deal with the beasts."

"To deal with them? Are you telling me people enslaved those creatures!?"

"At one point yes, but those creatures had a strong will and only having a single master was pointless. They would break free with little issue, then the practice evolved."

"Into anchors and multiple masters. Then why turn to humans? Our will can not be the same as those things!" Shanks blinked. The Witch was older than Whitebeard and from what Weisman had said she was most likely even older than that. How many generations had this woman lived through? How many stages of the world had she seen? Naia had been desperate to keep him away from all this. Her reaction on the island had been proof enough of her vulnerability and his own humanity. His humanity… When had he started to think of her as anything other than human.

"If you could leash someone with power to conquer the ocean, would you?" The Witch perched herself on a nearby rock, the water never leaving her long enough for her skin to dry. "Humans have an unreasonable amount of will, but those who would demand the use of such a branding would never be broken."

"It's why they executed Captain Roger instead of branding him."

"That man held the force of will like it was an axe rather than part of one's emotional state. He would've needed an army to keep him in check, not a few arrogant assholes."

"Then why was she taken?" Shanks whispered. The question was more to himself than to the Witch, but she answered nevertheless.

"She had something they desired, just as I do and just as many of us did." Shanks pondered how many of them there had been. A dozen? A few hundred? All trapped beneath the world's nose. Who was he kidding, they were trapped by the world and no one chose to see them.

"I see you." Shanks heard the statement like it was someone else. The Witch chuckled lightly.

"That is very kind of you, pirate, but the world does not need to see us." Silence fell and Shanks felt like he had lost what little control he had had over the situation. This world would never be the same to him.

The water shifted, lapping at his feet and drawing his attention back to the Witch. Shanks couldn't see her eyes, but the eerie stillness the Witch had had him assuming her eyes were closed; however, Shanks could see the concentration on her face, most likely trying to breath through whatever pain she may be in. It was a dim light that caught his eye from under the top of her dress that had Shanks moving before he could stop himself. The water welcomed him into the small laguna with all the familiarity it did with her.

"What an unusual necklace." Shanks let the chain drape over his fingers."Does it usually glow?"

It looked so familiar.

Didn't Ace have one on him?

"Oh this? Not my style but Naia insists it will be of use in the future," Ace shrugged.

"How is a pearl going to help you?" Shanks scoffed.

"The hell if I actually know," Ace snorted. "All she said was if I needed anything, to hold this and focus on what I truly needed and she would know."

"She would know?"

"All of them would. Luffy, Sabo, Naia, I think even Garp has one."

"Ahh, why didn't I get a super special pearl?" Shanks whined. "I gave her a necklace."

"She said the ocean yells about you. You and Luffy, but she doesn't trust Luffy to be on his own and she doesn't trust me to actually ask for help." Ace shrugged again. "She's not wrong. Luffy makes a mess no matter where he goes and I… I don't like to bother her with such things."

"Then you will bother us." Shanks smiled at the boy. He had come so far since he last saw him.

Why did the Witch have one?

"Glow? What are you-" Her breath hitched at the red light the pear pendant was giving off. Shanks flinched back when she stood hastily. The water rocked around her, helping to stabilize her, but she didn't pay any attention to it, her focus completely on the pearl in her hand. "No, it doesn't. It's not suppose to unless someone is in danger."

"Ma'am, it's time." Weisman's voice broke the calming silence that had fallen over the pair. "Fire Fist Ace has been captured."

Captured?

"I have to focus on what I truly want and she would know."

Naia.

What a mess this was.

"Then we best not keep the Admiral waiting." The Witch stood with a confidence she did not have previously. Shanks watched silently as the two marines spoke frantically to each other. They didn't appear to be too happy with the news as one would expect, but if the Witch truly was Naia. This was her worst nightmare. Her advice to Ace before he left Whitebeard fluttered through his brain.

"I beg of you. Only think of yourself, no one else but yourself!"

Naia knew. She had to. Her timing was too perfect.

"He said a ship will be by to pick us up shortly."

"Then we best separate ourselves, Emperor." Shanks shook himself from his thoughts.

"Aye, work must be done."