"…Pardon?" Perplexed, Kuzan stares at Ann attempting to process the news, attempting to try to rationalise the answer she gave.
"You heard me." Mortified, Ann groans plopping her head down upon his shoulder.
"…How?" Fascinated, Kuzan couldn't help but be with his arm draped over the girl's shoulder bringing her closer curiosity clear in his tone towards her.
"The ship I was on with him swerved he slammed into me…I was traumatised." Tense, Ann places her hands over her face frowning at the murky memory feeling her throat tense tighten up at the memory feeling as if vomit was burning her throat as if the chunks of vomit were clawing up her tense throat trying to have her spew from such a horrible memory.
"I could imagine." Kuzan smirks slightly.
"What made it worst was my old man telling me the first guy I kissed I had to marry." Mortified, Ann adds anguished at the taunting teasing of her father and his crew as the naïve girl had a practical breakdown from it all crying her eyes out alongside Buggy as the two for once in their lives held one another not fighting but rather crying at the situation they found themselves stuck in.
"And you fell for that?" Kuzan chuckles slightly.
"I was a kid okay?!" Defensive, Ann argues at the horrifying memory.
"Kuzan smirks shaking his head sipping his wine.
"It's not funny!" Fuming, Ann angrily scowls at Kuzan, her flustered features practically burning.
"Come on you got to admit it was funny…" Kuzan argues amused at her rather cute reaction.
"Sure looking back on it but think back to kid me thinking I had to marry that clown I was mortified." Ann argues head in hands if it weren't for Rayleigh's guilt who knows how long that joke would have played out…
"Would you like a redo then?" Teasingly, Kuzan gently pries Ann's hands off her furrowed features.
"Redo?" Astonished, Ann quirks her head to the side oblivious to Kuzan's small smirk and glint gleaming in his eye.
"With your first kiss." Kuzan leans into his inner palm smirking softly down at the befuddled Ann.
"…What are you talking about? My first kiss happened that's why it's called a first kiss now a question for you…" Ann argues as Kuzan couldn't help but sweat drop at her frankness and obliviousness.
"You're killing me here Ann." Kuzan groans combing his hair back befuddling Ann.
"Eh?" Ann quirks her head.
"Never mind." Kuzan shakes his head at Ann.
"I know, how about this what was your first impression of me?" Merrily, Ann changes topic.
"A bit self-absorbed you know?" Kuzan smirks slightly at Ann.
"Come on tell me." Ann prompts playfully.
"Terrifying…" Kuzan smiles softly at the memory of it all, he had seen her a fair few times having even done a fair few missions with her in the past however he would never forget the first day he properly saw her…
Loudly, the girl giggles before the young Kuzan towering over her as he happily chats up another girl as soldiers come out of the ship, in particular a robed woman. Her hood up, she saunters into the bar, the crisp click of her heels announcing her as she takes a seat. Smiling, the girl giggles eagerly dirking up the tall, towering man's attention as the young girl quietly orders her drink, pulling her sleeve back brow furrowed at the watch on her wrist…
Kuzan couldn't help but take note of the hooded person across from him, his brow furrowing at the stranger something seemingly drawn himself to the frowning figure. Silently, she removes her hood, his eyes widening while watching her his eyes hidden behind his shades staring stunned at the beauty before him, her long wavy blonde locks of pink, never having seen such wavy waves of pinkish blonde. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of red, reminding him of the colour of sherry. Her cheeks were decorated with freckles, making her appear younger than she actually was. Freckles that if Kuzan had to be honest were adorable never had he seen such perfectly littered freckles before…
"…Didn't your parents teach you its rude to stare." Surprised, Kuzan perks up at the woman's voice as she softly sips her glass.
"Hmm?" Humming, he couldn't help but eye the beauty before him.
"It's annoying if you have something to say to my face then say it." Irritated, she snaps scowling staring ahead aloofly.
"I've never seen your face before." Kuzan admits to the blonde beauty.
"And I haven't yours. What's the deal?" Dismissively, she shrugs him off.
"Nothing I'm simply curious how someone so young is being served." Kuzan admits.
"I'm not that young." She scoffs.
"How old are you then?" He asks as her eyes harden narrow.
"Seems your parents taught you nothing when it came to woman." Wryly, she smirks smugly suavely sipping her drink.
"I wouldn't say that." He remarks.
"Your date begs to differ." Dubiously, she points out smirking smugly sipping her drink once more.
"Oh…" Kuzan turns back to his date seeing her long gone…
"And there she goes…quite pissed from the looks of it. Now if you'll excuse me my drink has turned sour from the poor company." She soon stands as just then she flinches from the sharp sound of a gunshot. Kuzan's eyes narrow.
"…The hell?" She storms out oblivious to Kuzan slowly standing silently following her outside to hear the commotion.
"Oi!" Kuzan's eyes expand when watching her rush race forward towards the battered, bloodied, beaten fishman falling flat to the ground in a pool of ruby red by the cackling blonde boy waving his gun about alarming the residents.
"I shot it! I took down a stinky fish-man!" Merrily, the young boy beams brightly.
"Thank heavens someone shot him it would've been terrible if it'd come close enough to spread its diseases!" One of the residents sneer pinching her nose repulsed.
"It was evilly plotting something!" Another angry voice adds.
"Even if it can walk it still has a fish's brain!" A man adds as Kuzan quietly watches staring stunned at the girl rushing over to the stranger, to the fishman crouching down.
"Hey! Are you alright? Come on talk to me!" She crouches down next to the mess of a fishman unfazed by the crowd.
"Oi girl what are you doing get away from that thing!" A marine calls out but…
"That thing is a person, a person who is injured get a first aid kit now!" Scowling, she barks at the marine but…
"What? Why would we waste our precious supplies on that thing!?" The blonde boy glares at the pink haired woman quietly focusing doing her best to help the fishman.
"That thing is a breathing sentient creature just as we are all now did you hear me or not? Get a first aid kit now!" Sternly, she barks back but…
"You think I'll listen to some common bitch? I'm the son of a marine!" The blonde boy sneers.
"I don't give a shit who you are this man is bleeding right now as we speak." Sternly, she tells the boy how it is taking everyone aback.
"Leave him to the seagulls!" The blonde boy waves the woman off firmly focusing on her bad taking some sort of cloth of white out.
"Where is that…here we are!" Relieved, she takes out the fabric, Kuzan's eyes expanding when seeing the jacket.
"T-That's…" The marines gawk gape at the hard rip of…
"A justice coat? W-Why does she have one?!" The blonde gawks.
"S-She's ripping it!?" A marine gasps.
"How could she…!?" One of the mad marines begin but it falls to deaf ears.
"Here, I know this isn't much but it should stop the bleeding." Softly, she promises using the fabric to wrap around the wounds or try to…
"W-Wait…" The fishman gently grabs her arm stopping the woman.
"Huh?" She blurts out.
"Don't…waste your jacket on me…" The fishman bows his head.
"What?" Her eyes narrow.
"I'm the one…who screwed up…" The fishman whimpers weakly.
"You did nothing besides this is just some stuffy jacket." She dismisses unfazed by the horrified insulted marines watching on…
"I shouldn't…have come here…it's my fault…for thinking…I could come here…this is what I deserve…for existing…for being a filth-" Fuming, the fishman whimpers weakly, the tears freely falling.
"Shut. Up. Don't call yourself that. You're worth more than that!" She assures the fishman.
"Worth what? That's just some fish!" The blonde boy barks.
"I wasn't talking to you!" Snippily, she snaps at the boy.
"E-Eh? D-Do you know who I am!?" Angrily, he glares at her however…
"I really don't give a shit who you are, you could be some noble's brat and I still wouldn't give a shit." Snippily, she deadpans taking most of them aback.
"You…!" The blonde boy begins but…
"Please miss…don't get in trouble…on my account…" Anguished, he clings to her.
"I'll do what I want." She says softly standing.
"B-But I'm not worth it I'm a screw up I'm…" His hand grip tightens around hers as she stands.
"You're more than that." She squeezes his hand.
"…You don't know me!" He accuses.
"Everyone has worth in this world it's fools like him that fail to see it…" She assures him.
"M-Miss…" The fishman whimpers weakly.
"Please…save your breathe." Softly, she sets his hand off her arm, setting him down.
"Why…help such a screw up like me? All I ever do is cause trouble…I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" The fishman wails whimpers weakly, the tears freely falling from the frightened fishman.
"You blabbermouth fish you annoy me!" Mad, he fires his gun again however his eyes widen when seeing no scarlet spill…instead…
"…She caught it!? The baffled blonde gawks gapes at the singular shell between the fingertips of the woman simply staring stoically scowling at the boy before her.
"What's with that look you!" The blonde boy blasts his gun, frighted from the feral look she sends him. His eyes widening when with another shell he soon shoots she dodges with ease, simply quirkig her head to the side.
"…" Silently, she stares at the boy slowly but surely approaching.
"Don't you see this!?" Terrified, the gun in the boy's hand begins to shake, quiver, quake as he fires shell after shell scaring those watching on oblivious to the girl swiping each and every shell soon showing four bullets between her fingertips as if it were a magic trick terrifying the young boy beginning to tear up.
"What is she…!?" The others watching on couldn't help but gawk gape at the stern scowl of the woman striding over to the boy.
"You annoy me too!" Terrified, the boy fires one last blast but she simply quirks her head to the side, her eyes flickering flaring briefly as before he knew it, the gun was snatched from him.
"Little boys shouldn't be playing with such tools." She sneers poison dripping down her tense tired toe towards the blonde boy before turning her back to the baffled boy falling flat to his knees, shaking quivering quaking, marines rushing over to him.
"I-I'm going to tell my father about you!" The young blonde boy bawls his eyes out fleeing frightened, a fair few marines rushing after him.
"You guys going to stand there or what?" Impatiently, she barks at the crowd of meek marines.
"H-Huh?" The group let out.
"Get a first aid kit. Now!" Sharply, she barks terrifying the marines meekly scramble about as she doesn't even bat an eye to the crying child fleeing frightened, simply returning to the fishman's side. She is oblivious to Kuzan quietly watching on in awe almost astonished at the sight playing out.
"Help is on its way." Softly, she assures the frightened fishman feebly nodding just as she perks up at the soft steps approaching, turning to look up at a familiar figure…
"You…" Her eyes narrow at the tall, towering man with a first aid kit.
"The bar had one." He hands her the box as she simply nods opening it up, doing some basic of the basic first aid as best she could hearing the fishman's feeble whimper while she tries her best…
"…I'm sorry." Softly, she sits down by his side, placing the gun to the side, the other firmly on the fishman's chest, the tears freely falling from the fishman, a still silence soon falling between both of them, no words needing to be shed for the terrified tears the frightened fishman releases…
"You believe in love at first sight?" Casually, Kuzan asks.
"Love at first sight?" Ann arches a brow by it.
"You heard me." Kuzan smirks.
"…I mean I know people can be physically attractive to others but that's really it, it isn't until you know the person that you can decide if you could the rest of your life with them that is if you want that I know a fair few don't so…" Ann admits as she argues brow furrowed.
"Yeah I see that…" Kuzan exclaims.
"You do?" Ann arches a brow.
"Yeah I get that, getting along way too much with a person makes things boring you need someone although similar has to be different." Kuzan reasons.
"Say if you could have dinner with anyone living or dead who would you want," Ann asks him.
"You…" Kuzan answers.
"Huh?" Astonished, Ann blurts out.
"You heard me." Mischievously, Kuzan smirks unapologetically.
"You really like messing with me don't you? Anyone else you used that on?" Ann accuses annoyed.
"Didn't you hear me before?" Kuzan sighs at her.
"Course I did I didn't know you were being serious though." Tiredly, Ann argues.
"And if I am?" Kuzan challenges turning his head to her.
"Uh….I think that's the tenth question." Ann hums brow furrowed.
"So who wins?" Kuzan asks amused.
"…I don't think there are any winners…say how about when this is over since I owe you one for taking care of me, I treat you to a drink." Ann offers optimistically smiling softly.
"Oh ho so you finally agreed to a date?" Kuzan smirks.
Someone had to make the first step." Amused Ann argues.
"What do you think I was doing? Besides isn't it normally the man asking the girl out?" Bemused, Kuzan smirks slightly wrapping his arms around the flustered mess of Ann
"…I'm just trying to pay you back unless you don't want to..." Ann argues as she leans into his side, too tired to argue anymore as soon Ann feels at ease from the soft scent from the lazybones.
"Who says I'm complaining?" Smirking, he brings her close to his chest.
"So?" Softly, she looks up at him, feeling his hand on her waist drawing patterns.
"I'll be looking forward to it." Smirking, he nuzzles into her side, smirking slightly as the two descend down into the dark depths of their respective dreams…
"The fish-man Island huh? I've been there with White-Kichi-chan!"
"Don't drop your guard! No matter how many times you go your chances of dying won't change!" Roger warns Oden as the ship swims through the deep ocean, a bubble coating glistening gleaming as her eyes narrow noting the sea beasts going about the place her eyes widening while narrowing at the sharp searing sensation in her tense temple, what was….what's…?
"Will be born…our ruler will be born…"
"My head…" Ann holds her side of the head.
"Ann…?" Roger furrows his brow at his daughter.
"What's with these voices?" Ann cries out holding her head.
"I don't know. Rayleigh do you hear that?" Roger furrows his brow turning to the blonde.
"What are you talking about? It's the silent deep sea." Smirking, Rayleigh furrows his brow at the two.
"No I can hear it too." Oden steps up.
"You too Oden? Who's talking this deep in the water!?" Roger roars taken aback at it.
"Urgh…" Ann holds her head pained.
"It'll be over soon sweetie." Softly, Roger squeezes her shoulders.
"Toki that's the Fish-Man Island!" Oden gasps at the bright bubble before them.
"How interesting…it seems like the whole island is in a bubble…That's…!" Toki gasps in awe at it.
"The fishmen tribe? They've surrounded us!" Oden gasps seeing said warriors greet them armed and ready.
"What do you want surface dwellers!? Depending on how you answer you might be exterminated!" The armoured giant merman roars raising his spear to the two. He has a red nose, small eyes, and long thick orange curly hair and beard. Both his chest and arms are covered with hair. He is bare-chested and has matching black tattoos on both arms, which looks like a spiral with wavy protrusion designs around it. He wears a gold crown that resembles a tulip with jewels embedded, a golden bracelet on each wrist, and carries a gold trident with an elaborate design.
"Whoa, wait wait. Look closer! It's me Roger! Great Knight Neptune!" Roger rushes in stepping in.
"Roger? Oh I see so you guys are gonna do it!" Incensed, Neptune scowls glaring glowering down at Roger.
"This again…?" Ann sighs softly as the group go inside entering the fish island.
"We're not up to anything bad! Come on why are you scared of a prophecy? You're better than that!" Roger furrows his brow at the merman.
"The prophecy says someone will break the gate of the Fish-Man Island soon! And now you guys are here so most likely…" Neptune begins as the roger pirates exit out of the ship listening to Neptune when…
"Neptune-sama it's been broken! The sea kings chewed up the gate!" A scared soldier screams rushing in.
"What!? The gentle sea kings did such a thing!? It can't be true!" Tense, Neptune gawks gapes at the news.
It came true…Oden sweat drops.
"There is a hole in the outer bubble!" The scared soldier screams.
"Patch it up! Give it a quick fix!" Neptune roars.
"Trouble always seems to find us…" Ann sweat drops.
"We couldn't have prevented this." Neptune bows his head, facepalming.
See!? It wasn't us!" Roger roars at the merman.
The sea kings are going crazy because they're waiting for the mermaid princess to be born." Shyly, a young girl calls out as Ann turns towards the robed girl with the crystal ball.
"The mermaid princess!? That's another prophecy!" The soldiers soon rush over to the girl.
"Then the king will have a baby!?" Beaming another soldier smiles at the thought.
"We have to celebrate!" Cheerily, a smiling soldier insists.
"Wait, wait I'm not even married yet-jamon! I was only enthroned a few months ago-jamon!" Neptune roars raising his voice to his men, a heavy eye of ruby red dusting his crimson cheeks.
"But Neptune sama she even divined the day that the former king would die!" One of the soldiers argue.
"And that sexy I mean that hateful mermaid Otohime's political demonstration the other day was…!" The soldier smiles.
"Otohime!? I-It's not like it brought me any comfort! These days the whole country is swayed by that girl's prophecies…" The blushing merman bows his head flustered.
"We're not here for your personal issue Neptune." Rayleigh hollers as the group are taken to the stones.
"R-Right…" Neptune bows his head shyly sheepishly.
"How is it Oden?" Roger calls out to the man eyeing the crimson cube and the normal looking cube.
"Well…there are two, so I thought we could get a lot of information but one of them isn't so important. It's an apology letter from someone named Joyboy." Oden translates.
"I can't believe it! He really can read the script!" Surprised, Neptune gasps.
"Yeah by the way do you have a weapon to control the sea kings!?" Roger asks him.
"A weapon?" Neptune furrows his brow down at Roger.
"The sky island's stone says it's here. The ancient weapon that has a god's name…Poseidon." Roger reveals to Neptune.
"To tell you the truth…I had a slight chill when I heard Shyarly's prophecy earlier-jamon. Once every few centuries in this country a mermaid who can talk to the sea kings is born. Maybe that mermaid is…" Neptune confesses to Roger.
"So your daughter will become the weapon that will destroy the world someday!?" Surprised, Roger exclaims.
"It's just a prophecy-jamon! And even if it's called an ancient weapon, it doesn't have to be used as one!" Neptune dismisses.
"I never thought that Poseidon was a mermaid!" One of the roger pirates exclaims as the group return to the main hub of fishmen island.
"Hey Shyarly when will the mermaid princess be born?" Smiling, Rayleigh kneels down next to the little girl.
"10!" Smiling, she answers as the ball glows beaming brightly only to falter from the young Ann's anguished reaction.
"I guess it's 10 years from now…But Roger I can't believe you're interested in such a weapon I'm disappointed in you!" Neptune berates Roger.
"Neptune what we want is the vast amount of treasure that was left by the people who called it a weapon!" Rayleigh reassures Neptune.
"Are you relieved? We won't come to kidnap your hairy daughter who'll be born someday!" Smiling, Roger laughs.
"She won't be hairy!" Neptune roars mad.
"Ten…" Anguished, Ann looks sadly solemnly towards her father brightly beaming broadly despite the news given.
"You!" Shyarly points to Ann.
"Hm? Me?" Ann jolts up at the sudden spotlight hsinig down upon her.
"You will marry and have two children." Shyarly looks into her crystal ball.
"…Eh?" Ann repeats taken aback.
"EH!? Shyarly what are you saying?! My pretty princess will marry no one!" Roger frets worriedly staring at the girl wearing a light-coloured hooded dress with a stripe down the side.
"Oi what about my Momosuke!?" Oden roars rolling his sleeve upwards.
"Not him! He isn't good enough!" Enraged, Roger roars.
"Oi Roger who are you to stay who my son isn't good for!?" Fuming, Oden growls.
"I am! My daughter deserves the best of the best a man that will have to surpass me!" Resolved, Roger dictates.
"Oi papa…!" Pleadingly, Ann tries to stop her father's fretful fury but….
"He will be older." Shyarly adds alarming Roger.
"…How old?" Roger growls.
"Uh…" Shyarly trails off uneasily.
"We talking two years older right?" Roger probes anxiously as Shyarly stares at the crystal ball.
"…More." Meekly, Shyarly answers.
"How much more!?" Mortified, Roger roars raising his voice terrified.
"Papa…" Ann furrows her brow concern clear in her tone towards her father.
"Roger calm down she isn't always going to be the princess of pirates you know?" Rayleigh smirks slightly at Roger.
"Nonsense my Annie is never going to marry no one will ever be good enough isn't that right sweetie?" Strictly, Roger roars picking up his little girl holding her up as she simply sighs at her father.
"Do I even have a say in this?" Tiredly, Ann sighs slumping slouching her shoulders exhaustion etched into her furrowed features as next she knew…
"Gather up all of the crew! Time to ship out Kink's Brew!"
"Urgh…" Ann groans holding her head grimacing at the searing sensation in her tense throbbing temple trying to get up only as she reaches out to do so notice the empty space. She furrows her brow by the strange sense of loneliness ignoring the crisp chill crawling down her shaking spine where was…
"Morning." Mumbling, Kuzan enters the room, a tray in hand.
"Wha…what happened?" Flustered, Ann demands alarmed as she stands up lightly.
"We played 20 questions and someone drank a bit much…." Mumbling, Kuzan gently lowers the tray placing the cup of water and pill over on the counter side.
"Just a bit? Ow, ow, ow…! So much for looking after your supposed sick patient." Pointedly, Ann grumbles holding her head.
"I tried to stop you you're lucky we were here." Kuzan hands the pill and glass over to her.
"Urgh…" Ann groans taking the pill.
"Good morning lovebirds had a good night?" Kureha smirks smugly at the two.
"Go to hell!" Angrily, Ann grumbles glaring at him.
"Not denying lovebirds this time around?" Amused, Kureha downs the bottle in her hand.
"That's because you know we're not, old hag!" Ann glares at the smirking witch.
"I'm a young spring flower now get out you lot are fixed up and I'm taking all your loot from your ship!" Scowling, she kicks at the bedridden blonde her face falling flat to the ground, her leg twitching tiredly as Kuzan simply sighs.
"You're what!?" Smoker scowls storming in, smoke spewing out alarmed at her words.
"Oi old hag you owe me remember?" Agitated, Ann removes herself from the cracked crater.
"Hmmm…I don't recall owing you anything…" Smirking, Kureha looks to the side.
"Old hag…" Angry, Ann growls glaring at her.
"Tch you're lucky I'm in a good mood seeing you two bicker was more than enough entertainment for payment." Playfully, Kureha places her hand to her hip.
"Eh?" Ann blurts out.
"Now get out!" Kureha roars as next she knew the three of them were booted from the castle.
"Well that was easier than I thought." Truthfully, Ann admits as internally, she thanks the old hag. The group head down returning to their merry marines, glad for them to be back as they head back on their ship, continuing their mission…
