"L-Lice…" Dread hits the horrified Ann, tensely pulling plucking at her perky pink pigtails panic pumping through her veins from the news. Tears threaten to fall from the sniffling sherry red of the young fretful freckled face girl, the blue haired boy by her side easily as mortified. The glistening gleam of two similar ring like piercings matching their terrified faces.

"Seems so haha guess we have no choice but to shave your heads now to get rid of the lice!" Merrily, Roger smiles at the crying children before him.

"NO I LIKE MY HAIR I DON'T WANNA BE BALD!" Ann bursts into tears.

"ME TOO I LIKE MY PRETTY HAIR! SHANKS YOU LICEHEAD!" Angrily, Shanks snatches the young boy by the collar shouting shaking him.

"YEAH THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! WE NEVER SHOULD HAVE WORN YOUR NASTY ASS HAT!" Angrily, Ann joins in fuming at the redhead.

"YEAH I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS EVEN IF YOU APOLOGIZE 1000 TIMES!" Buggy declares determined.

"5000!" Ann raises her fist in the back bellowing it out.

"73000!" Buggy adds angrily as the young redhead sniffles at his angry brother and sister.

"Uuu I'm sorry for being a lice head…" Sniffling, Shanks whimpers, voice cracking, tears of guilt freely falling.

"Stop scaring them Roger! Look just wash your heads with kerosene and you'll be fine." Rayleigh comes in brow furrowed at the laughing man.

"R-Really?" Ann sniffles shyly hopeful.

"Really?" Rayleigh smiles softly at Ann.

"Hahaha come on it was funny." Roger argues amused as Ann turns to glare icily at her father.

"DAD YOU ASSHOLE!" Angrily, the young Ann yells reeling her fist back before slamming it into her father darting off as he keels over, wheezing.

"That's my girl…!" Heaving, he smiles strained on his knees watching his crying child run off…

The sun was peeking its head out of the horizon of the room as Ann slowly opened her sherry reds to present day. She glares giving a dirty look to the morning light filtering through the blinds and casting a warm glow onto the bedroom. She squinted against the light as she stretched out her arms and legs, feeling the warmth from the man behind her, his arms around her, snuggled tightly against her. What time was it? What day was it even? Ann couldn't help but frown from the nagging feeling within her chest, constricting choking her almost as it tried to remind her of something but what…?

It didn't matter, she had work to do if she left now, he could come in an hour or so later…she knew this system like the back of her hand by now. Sneakily, she slides her legs out of his hold, trying to sneak out of his hold however…arms soon wrap around her.

"Morning…." She hears the gruff voice bring her back, feeling his lips on her neck.

"Morning…." Groggily, she reaches out gently patting the side of his hair, hugging him of all sorts. Her brow furrows when he brings her closer nuzzling into the crook of her neck.

"…What are you doing?" Sceptically, she turns to raise a brow at him

"H-Hey!" Astonished, Ann squeaks shocked when he flips her back onto the bed, she did not have time for this if she was any later they'd start to question her.

"Five more minutes." He bows his head into the crook of her neck.

"Aokiji you can't just…!" Annoyed, Ann attempts to argue but…

"Five more minutes…" He tangles his legs with her own.

"…Urgh…" was the only answer Ann could give him since the sleepiness didn't abandon your body yet. And another part of Ann couldn't help be tempted as she soon enough buried her head into his chest, relishing the feeling of his warm, strong arms around her. She felt safe and content, and for a moment, she almost forgot that she had somewhere to be but she knew it couldn't last forever if it did people would begin to question, question things she couldn't let be considered.

Sighing, she gave in to your responsibilities for the day and rolled over sitting up in bed. Aokiji followed, wrapping his arms around Ann from behind and pulling her closer to him. "Just for a little while longer.," he whispered in Ann's ear, his breath warm against her skin making Ann sigh. She had work today as did he…and yet…she smiled, she couldn't help melting into him and closing her eyes again, savouring the sensation of his body against Ann's, the weight of his arms around her, and the heat of his breath on her hickied nape.

It was in moments like this that Ann felt truly alive, truly loved and happy. She never felt like this when it came to her other flings in the past what Aokiji different still confused Ann…she tried to find some semblance of an answer and yet the warm embrace of sleep embraced Ann once more, the workaholic felt the world slip away, and for a moment, everything was perfect…she couldn't say no to him when he was holding her like that in bed: her back against his chest, feeling how warm he was despite his devil fruit's powers.

"Come on you know they'll question it if I come in late." Ann sighs sadly, she knew she had to get up, so she did forcibly removing herself from Aokiji.

"So what if they question? Just say you slept in late." Aokiji dismisses, watching her change, she could feel his eyes pinned upon her.

"Do you hear how ridiculous that is coming from me?" Annoyed, Ann scowls sharply at him.

"…You care that much what people think?" Aokiji leans back baffled.

"Look Aokiji you may not get it since you have the gift of towering over others but I don't. You may not care how the people you lead think about you but it means a great deal in terms of them listening to you and following orders." Ann attempts to explain.

"Oh come on you can always nip at their ankles." Amused, Aokiji tries to joke but…

"And you can always shut up." Ann snippily sneers slamming her boot on.

"You know if you sleep in today it doesn't matter right it's a half day." He reminds her ruffling his hair.

"Half day?" Astonished, Ann blinks befuddled.

"You really forgot…?" He says surprised.

"Forgot what?" Ann probes perplexed.

"It's the day the pirate king was executed." Aokiji reminds Ann as a wave of dread hits her.

"…That right…" Ann immediately turns away astonished ashamed anguished, how could she even forget that…? Guilt gnaws away at Ann.

So you going to the bar tonight?" The voice of Aokiji brings her back to the present.

"Bar why would I?" Irritated, Ann grunts growling.

"To celebrate." Aokiji frowns.

"…" Ann couldn't help the silence she gives as a response brow furrowed, frustration freely flowing through her until…

"He's the king of scum…" Aokiji's words ring in Ann's ears.

"Ann?" Aokiji calls out bringing her back to present once more.

"I'm gonna go brush my teeth." Tiredly, Ann arises heading into the bathroom, brow furrowed at the two toothbrushes on offer alongside some spare towels she swears she never bought before feeling a pair of arms around her, feeling a head softly plop down on her head.

"…Ara ara how long are we going to do this?" Aokiji asks arms around her, leaning over her as she tries to brush her teeth.

"Do what?" She frowns wordlessly handing him his toothbrush.

"This?" He answers as she spits, him following soon after. Ann couldn't help but feel a sharp sting to her constricted chest, panic pumping through her for some strange reasons.

"I mean I think it's been fine but if you want to quit." Aloofly, Ann dismisses the fierce flames festering within her, removing herself from his hold however…

"I mean the secret. Why don't you want to tell anyone about us?" Aokiji brings her back, dragging her back into the bathroom.

"Excuse you?" Ann couldn't help but scowl swiftly removing his hand from her.

"Look if people give you flak…" He begins but annoyed Ann shoots out.

"I'll go to you right? With all my problems I'll just go to you, hide behind you as you deal with my problem right?" Angrily, Ann fumes quickly beginning to change clearly in a rush clearly wanting to get away.

"Ann." Aokiji furrows his brow at her noting her fuming fame.

"Listen Aokiji you may not have much to lose from this but I do alright? And I'm not going to lose what I've earnt these past years cause of that!" Angrily, Ann barks back at him.

"Ann!" Aokiji furrows his brow at her.

"See you." She swiftly heads out.

"Ann!" Aokiji calls out but it falls to deaf ears as he is met by the swift slam of the door.

"Oh ho someone's late…" Bemused, Bell leans back on the sofa, feet on the table smirking smugly at Ann.

"Don't. Just don't." Disgusted, Ann sneers snippily.

"Oh? Lover's tiff?" Bell leans in intrigued.

"Piss off." Ann plops down on her desk done drained with it all.

"Riight….guess you got lucky since its half day today most of the marines have just taken the day off." Bluntly, Bell admits arms crossed.

"They can do that?" Ann blinks befuddled.

"Well I mean its pretty pointless coming in just for the morning…" Bell shrugs.

"Hmm…" Ann makes a strained sound getting straight to the paperwork. How could she forget the anniversary of her father's demise? What kind of daughter was she? How could she even call herself his daughter? Then again she couldn't even do that…maybe she should go to Sabaody see Rayleigh and Shakki share a drink? No it was too long a ride for that not to mention it may seem suspicious for a vice admiral to approach the dark king…it would be too suspicious…maybe she could call and meet up with Shanks and Buggy? Of course not Shanks was probably in the grand line by now or something, or too drunk to answer and Buggy…Ann couldn't help but sigh sadly, he clearly didn't want to be near her…not that she could blame him, not that she could blame either of them, for a marine to approach either pirate crew would look terrible…

"Say Ann you gonna join us for a beer tonight? Or are you going to ditch us again?" Bell calls out snapping Ann out of her thoughts.

"…I have work." Ann defaults done drained.

"So cold, come on lighten up a bit today's the day that scummy pirate king died today's a great day." Bell boisterously bellows unaware of Ann's grip tightening tensing around her papers.

"I'm sure it is but I've got work to do." Ann seemingly strangles her paper.

"What could you possibly have to do that you can't push back?" Bell dismisses.

"Paperwork of course." Ann gets out a pen, doing just that.

"Hmm…honestly it feels like you have a trick every time to avoid going out to drink." Bell hums unaware of the grip tightening tensing around Ann's pen.

"I don't like drinking in loud crowds. I've told you this." Truthfully, Ann admits unless it was with people she knew, she trusted who she knew weren't going to get too rowdy she was fine…this? This was not fine…none of this…was fine.

"Come on it's fun, everyone's discounted for marines you know?" Bell winks at her.

"So I've heard you have fun with that." Tiredly, Ann reads the paperwork below.

"So stingy…if Cora were here he'd say the same." Bell whines standing up.

"…I'm sure." Ann furrows her brow going back to her work…

Quietly, Ann exits out of the flower shop, bouquet in hand ignoring the merry marines marching about, some already with booze in their hands, others dancing with other marines merrily having the time of their life as Ann couldn't help but wonder what ways she would end the merry men before her. She could slit each and every one of their throats, the tempting thought lingers in Ann's head as she couldn't help but glare briefly before going back to her poker face.

"You going?" Her sheer reds widen when hearing his voice turning to Garp leant against the flower shop, sherry red meeting his aged old pair.

"Yeah…" Softly, she nods bowing her head.

"…" Garp nods, no words needing to be shed as they go their separate ways.

"Roger burn in hell!"

"Pirate King scum!"

"Vice Admiral Ann happy pirate king execution day!"

"Yeah…" Ann couldn't help the pained strained smile she gives, internally cursing each and every marine scum she sees smiling so happily, so joyfully, so cheerfully making her blood boil, bubble, burn. She hoped they burnt, she hoped they die, she hoped they'd rot in hell as her father watched on from the high heavens above as she made her way to the port, grip tightening tensing around the bouquet strangling the neck of it almost as she couldn't help but seethe. Still she shakes her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. She didn't need this, she didn't need any of this, she didn't she just…she just needed to find her boat and go, that's all.

"Ann….!" Her heart drops at the familiar voice, the hell was he doing here?

"No…not now. Ann couldn't help but curse grip tightening tensing around the bouquet increasing her footsteps, soon enough speed walking through the crowd.

"Ann!" Aokiji calls out easily making his way through the card much to Ann's annoyance at his long strides.

"What!?" She barks back at him adjusting the strap of her bag brow furrowed.

"We need to talk." Aokiji asserts to her however…

"I'm busy." She declines getting on the boat.

"Ann…!" Annoyed, Aokiji calls out to her but is met by the water striking at her him nearly hitting him.

"We can talk later!" Ann calls out from the sound of the engine before setting off leaving Aokiji and co to it…

Quietly, Ann makes it to the town brow furrowed at the sound of celebrations of cheering of smiling faces from marines and civilians alike making her sick. Silently, she glares at the adults joyfully celebrating in the square dancing to their hearts content, some playing games amongst stands, winning prize after prize, celebrating the death of a single man making her sick. She brushes past the festivities making her way towards a familiar stairway of sorts…she could still remember it, that day, the seagulls soaring above crying calling out as the man himself shackled slowly but surely made his way to the stairs.

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 as 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.

"All right let's get this over with quickly." Smiling, the man at deaths door plops himself down still smiling despite the blades teasingly touching his neck.

"Hey king of pirates! Where did you hide all the treasure you found?! That great treasure! The one piece!" Desperately, a voice calls out to the man now at death's door however said merry man simply smiles laughing reeling his spine back as he looks up at the soaring sky smiling before returning his focus to the crowd.

"My treasure? If you want it, you can have it! Find it! I left everything this world has to offer there!" Smiling, he tells the people before being cut down as the pirate king, Gold D Roger had finally been cut down as next the girl knew, she had felt a hand on her shoulder as the girl kept smiling despite the tears freely falling from the crying child…

Ann could feel tears threaten to fall from her shimmering sherries remembering her bawling state, staring at the man, her father about to be beheaded still smiling despite it all. She could feel the trembling bouquet in her hand shake, why was she so stupid? Why did she even buy this cursed bouquet? She couldn't even set it down without eyes on her…what was she thinking? Why was she so stupid?! So…

Father…what would you think of me now..? Ann's grip tightens tenses around her bouquet, she knew how he'd feel, he'd feel ashamed. Sure she joined the marines as per his order but it definitely was not his order for her to sleep with an admiral, with a man who thought of him as nothing more than scum. How could she betray him like that? How could she let that even happen? She was better than this, she had to be…she…she could already imagine her father rolling in his grave for doing what she did…

Perhaps she should have gone to Sabaody…they'd probably be celebrating over there too…least she had Shakki and Rayleigh there to comfort her for the three of them to mourn the loss of Roger or at the least Ann could give the flowers to Shakki she recalled the woman being quite fond of them and at least her money wouldn't be put to waste. Even then though her going all the way to Sabaody would scream suspicious. At least Loguetown had a marine base she could say she wanted to celebrate over there and it would make sense to the higher ups at least with Garp backing her up, she could say she found an exclusive bar she enjoyed or something, she didn't know and frankly she didn't care…she didn't seem to care about anything at the moment as next she knew as she watches the nameless faces cheer and celebrate her father's demise her blood began boiling, bubbling burning again. The flowers in her hand trembling as she hears the crisp crunch cursing at the sorry state of the flowers, there was no way she could give this to Shakki now…

Ann could feel her teeth tense grit grind together as next she knew she released a guttural growl slamming her fuming fist into the stone wall before her. Finding herself in an alleyway alone she continued slamming her hand over and over into the stone wall, adrenaline pumping through her, the rush helping her almost block out the pain, the sadness, the sorrow biting her lip, tasting the cris curt current of iron from her pierced sore lip. But she didn't care she just kept on punching until hearing the sharp stone shards fall to the floor, the adrenaline pumping her through her fading feeling the sharp sting of her bloodied bruised bleeding knuckles…

So much for being cool…she couldn't help but frown at the stone shards lodged into her hand however she simply waves her heated hand off. She needed a drink. That was what was going to get her through the day it always did…her eyes expand at the small stone stairway of course, curiosity getting the best of her she follows down it, noting the numerous wanted posters, her eyes lighting up at the bar called Gold Roger.

Ann couldn't help but frown from the musk collected from the dark depths of the bar noting the cut out wanted posters, some having been ripped off some slashed some with raw red crosses on them. She couldn't help but eye the fallen posters having wasted away as she enters the dark depths of the bar brow furrowed from the heavy later of dust around it. She spots the chairs not even set down some having been put up on the table.

"Oi this place open or not?" Ann hollers hands on hips.

"Scram. We don't serve your kind here." The old man sneers snippily at the woman in white.

"My kind huh." Unfazed, she takes a seat.

"Oi you heard me!" He snaps at her.

"I heard you." She smirks reaching for the bottle behind the bar.

"If you had then you'd know this ain't a place for someone like you!" He glares at the girl.

"I think that's up to me to decide not you." Easily, she opens the cork with her mouth.

"Get lost!" He snaps at her however…

"I'm just curious about a name is all." She admits as she downs the bottle.

"A name?" She blinks baffled by the bottle she downs, the booze leaking out from the tip, some streams descending down her cheeks but she remains unfazed, necking the drink down.

"Nice friend you got there…bit quiet though isn't here?" Haughty, she spins on the barstool smirking at the skull the man was seemingly talking to.

"This is what became of a guy once known as Killer Giant. A villain who sent hundreds of pirates to the afterlife." He tells her turning back to the skull.

"And you just got his skull here…? Not much for company I assume." Amused, she struts over to the table with the skull, picking it up.

"…Gold Roger sent him to his grave with just one blow." He glares up at the woman admiring the skull, booze bottle in hand.

"That so?" She smirks, a faint flush to her cheeks, smiling softly at the skull with a crack in its temple.

"It is with truly lighting speed. He was famous for his absurdly huge blade but their fight ended in the blink of an eye! And this is the wound he received!" He proclaims proudly as she sets said skeleton down.

"From Ace you mean." She softly sets said skull down back on the table.

"How did…?" The man with the beanie blinks befuddled baffled.

"Heh sounds like the old man." She chuckles coyly going back to her seat on the bar stool.

"Old…man…?" Mystified, he blinks befuddled before gasping gawking gaping at the phantom figure he sees before him…

"Ah forget what I just said old man." She waves the stunned stare of the old man unable to not see him.

"Your eyes…" He whispers weakly despite the sherry reds, the space, her eyes he knew them well.

"Hm?" She hums, taking another sip of her bottle befuddled brow raised at the gawking gaping old man.

"Don't tell me…those eyes…only one man I have seen has those eyes." He stares staring stunned at her eyes at such intensity. However what he saw that was devilish intrigue all he could see in this child's eyes were sorrow, bitterness and anger so much anger, the fierce flame within said sherry shades scared the old man.

"Ah…seems I've been spotted lucky for you I'm in no killing mood today." She sets the booze bottle aside, one leg over the other on the bar stool.

"You really are his…heh he was quite the infamous scoundrel you know!" He smirks suavely at her.

"Oh I know…" She chuckles coyly.

"With his dying breath giant killer said to him Roger…my hat's off to you…may you have honor as the Eternal Pirate…Eric Down the man known as King Silver the world's greatest gunman the giant Gowns brothers…they were all tough men who were as feared as demons but for Gold Roger they were as weak as infants." He continues gushing giddily about her father unaware of the soft sad smile crossing Ann's features.

"Those names do ring a bell…" She smiles sadly bowing her head, blinking back the tears threatening to fall.

"Tell me what's the child of Roger doing wearing the clothes of a marine?" He couldn't help but ask amazed.

"…how do you think I would surirve in this curle world we live in?" She scoffs smiling strained.

"…It must be tough." He couldn't help but eye the drunken slump of the child before him.

"…it's hell." Honestly, she admits anguished about it all.

"…Would ya like to hear more?" He offers.

"…I really would." She nods.

"Very few people these days believe this story you know. Gold Roger…in those days, no even still, I guess he was the one and only man who didn't fear the Grand Line. Back then the Grand Line was an unknown area from which not a single boat ever returned after being swallowed up. It was a sea of evil that people feared and which few approached!" He continues his tale to her thinking back to it all, Roger's crew in his bar.

"Old man give me more rum. The whole bottle'll do!" Roger hollers to the younger form of the old man.

"You sure are drinking happily Roger." The bartender remarks.

"Of course I am I'm just about to take a little stroll into the Grand Line. I'm excited beyond belief." He admits to him.

"Whoa you're going there!? Into that sea of evil!?" The bartender gawks gapes at the news.

"What? Is there something wrong with that?" Roger queries.

"No, not exactly but…take my advice forget about going there. No one's ever come back!" The bartender advises.

"That's why I'm going. Now then give me more run, a whole bareel' do!" Roger decides raising his bottle to the high heavens his crew cheering behind him.

"After saying that he drank the whole place dry." He concludes his tale to Ann.

"Hahah…" Ann couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" He blinks befuddled at her.

"Sorry it's just…that sounds exactly like him." Ann couldn't help but grin giddily.

"You miss him?" He asks her softly.

"…every day of my life." She admits taking another chug of the bottle blinking back the tears threatening to fall.

"…What makes it even more funnier is that after all that drinking he then set sail all too casually the next morning." He tells her.

"Of course he did hahha! That man was drunk eighty percent of the time!" Ann couldn't help but smile.

"Did you go with him?" He couldn't help but ask.

"I joined a little later." She smiles sadly at him.

"When I heard he had conquered the Grand Line a bit later I was more happy than I was surprised. I was more excited than I should have been at my age! And then today Roger died on the execution platform…" He furrows his brow, a still silence surrounding the two.

"…I remember the day well…" Anguished, Ann smiles strained.

"You were there?" He says shocked.

"…I was." She nods recalling the day well….so visibly.

"Watching your father be executed…that must have been easy…" He furrows his brow worriedly at her.

"…It was his decision I had to respect that." She recites pained.

"That still doesn't mean it was easy to watch something like that…a daughter watching her father be slain…how heartbreaking." He argues.

"He was my captain first and I had to respect that." She states.

"…I can only imagine the trials you must have faced as a child…if its anything every since that day everyone proud of their great strength tossed their hat into the pirate ring. It marked the beginning of the great pirate era! But now…" The Old man bows his head pained.

"Now…?" Ann hums.

"The town's full of nothing but cowards and scum now! Men crazy enough to challenge that sea of evil are all but gone now! That's why…this bar will be closing for good soon enough…" The Old man complains.

"…Old man…" Ann calls out to him bowing her head.

"Hm?" He looks up at her.

"I wouldn't close up just yet." She advises him.

"Huh?" He stares stunned at her sherry shades spotting a familiar pair of charcoal once staring back at him when they spoke of crossing the grand line.

"Take it from me when I say this have faith." Firmly, Ann asserts.

"Faith?" He blinks befuddled.

"The dawn will come, a pirate will conquer the grand line someday." Seriously, Ann tells him.

"Those're some mighty big words and in this bar of all places! Heheh You sound…so much like him…" He couldn't help but smirk.

"Hm?" Ann arches a befuddled brow.

"Heh if there's still patrons like you out there as you said maybe I'll hold off on closing! Heheh I haven't been in such a good mood since then! I'll treat you to a drink." He decides going to the back of the counter.

"Oh afraid I'm already ahead of ya there." She raises her bottle.

"Eh sherry? I thought you'd be a rum person like your old man?" He hums.

"Heh…don't suppose I coul ask for some sake?" Smiling, she requests.

"Sake?" He asks astonished.

"Yeah he grew fond of it in his final years." She admits.

"I think I got some here…" He pours two glasses of said sake.

"Thanks." Smiling, she takes the glass.

"Now let's have a toast! To the eternal king of pirates!" He raises his sake.

"To the eternal king of pirates!" Ann agrees as the two clink glasses sharing tales of the pirate king.

"So she just took off…." Smoker grunts glaring ahead as he drinks, smoke spewing out of the cigar lodged in his mouth baffled he was even talking about this with the man in blue by his side similar staring ahead.

"…Yep." Aokiji wearing his blue bandanna and shades silently sips his drink.

"She clearly had work." Smoker states.

"It was a half day…besides what was with the bouquet?" Aokiji wonders while the rest of the merry marines have the time of their lives, some dancing some flirting, others just drinking away as Bell sits around a group of male marines easily swindling them out of their money with a drinking contest.

"Why do you care? You two ain't official…" Smoker reminds Aokiji, a part of him baffled he even remembered that, how many times had the two gone drinking together when Hibsicu could be brought up? It was annoying.

"…I'm trying to talk to her about it." Aokiji admits to Smoker surpring him. He knew Aokiji for a fair years, he knew how prone the man was to one night stands, he would often complain about the women clinging to him and here he was complaining about the one woman who had refused to cling…Smoker couldn't help but frown.

"Talk to her about it? My money's on her leaping out the window." Smoker states setting his drink down.

"You think I haven't thought she would?" Aokiji huffs.

"Oi why are you even trying it with her? Some of your old flings tried to contact Hina to get me to talk to you about them." Smoker admits to Aokiji.

"That so?" Aokiji grunts simply sipping his glass of sherry.

"It is, it's annoying I told you I don't care for your love life but it keeps crawling back to me." Smoker complains huffing.

"You think she's seeing some guy?" Aokiji couldn't help but wonder.

"Oi you listening to me!? Takezawa said that she wanted to have dinner with you!" Smoker scowls sharply at Aokiji, he didn't need this shit.

"Oh…Takezawa…remind me who she is?" Aokiji frowns.

"…Big Bazookas." Smoker grunts.

"Ah…." Aokiji exclaims.

"Since you were with Ann she decided to third wheel with us and kept bringing you up." Smoker grumbles.

"That so?" Aokiji hums.

"Yes it is not even going into the other girls grifting after me to get to you at the bar!" Smoker complains cross.

"…I'll need to find a place with no windows…" Aokiji hums looking down at his glass of sherry.

"Oi you even listening to me…!?" Mad, Smoker snaps scowling at Aokiji. The two continuing to enjoy their drinks oblivious to a certain woman with assets coming in, eyes firmly focused on the hunched over figure of Aokiji.

"I should be going please don't tell anyone what you heard yeah?" Ann smiles getting up from her barstool.

"As if I would…" The old man scoffs.

"Here." She sets the money down on the counter.

"O-Oi! This…this is too much!" The man gawks gapes at the beri.

"Gotta buy your silence somehow." Smirking, she points out.

"Oi I told ya I ain't interested in…!" He begins but…

"Think of it as payment for the stories and for the rum, my old man no doubt ransacked from you." She smirks heading to the door.

"That…" The old man tries to argue but…

"Oi Old man you don't mind if I come back here again do you?" She asks as she stops at the door.

"Not at all you're welcomed here any time." He assures her.

"Thanks." She smiles before heading off.

"Aokiji-san!" The Girl giggles glued to his side as many marines buzzed go off with their respective partner, the bar still abuzz.

"…" Aokiji however simply stares ahead sipping his drink.

"It's been so long! Let's have a fun night kay!" She winks at him, bouncing up and down when…

"Hey Vice Admiral Garp!" A fair few marines call out to him.

"Hm?" Garp enters the bar brow furrowed.

"You should stop offloading your work on Ann she barely has any time to celebrate with us!" Bell hollers, the male marines beneath her feet clearly buzzed not there anymore.

"How can you say that about the hero of the marines!?" One of the drunken marines holler.

"Oi Ann's my friend alright I want her to have a good time like we have." Bell whines.

"Ur…well…she wouldn't really have a good time…" Garp tries to explain.

"Eh what do you mean?" Befuddled, Bell wonders unaware of Aokiji silently listening in sipping his drink as the woman clung by his side seemingly chats his ear off.

"Portgas' father was killed by Roger, a year before Roger's execution, Ann gets rather emotional about it so uses work as a distraction." Garp answers.

"V-Vice Admiral…" A fair few marines begin sniffling sadly.

"To think her father was killed by that monster Roger!" Another angry marine yells.

"Poor Vice Admiral Ann!" The marines sob.

"A-Aokiji san?" Surprised, the girl blinks befuddled watching him slide out of her hold, taking his leave, leaving the befuddled girl to it…

Quietly, Ann sits crouched curled on the sofa sniffling sadly, holding the neck of the bottle before her, how had it come to this? She was so happy before…retelling tales of her father's exploits hearing someone so happily, so joyfully, so proudly speak of her father…and yet when she came back here…it all came crashing down upon her, the bird cage she had to go back into, she had to lock herself back up in. Ann couldn't help but glare glower at the pleased people below brow furrowed at the merry marines some drinking away others dancing with their loved ones others flirting with girls of both marine and civilian rank making Ann's blood boil bubble burn.

Why…why these lowly scum get to live and not her father? These people who waste their lives supposedly saving the world supposedly protecting it as so many islands suffer suffocate from the cage the government keep them trapped in, keep her trapped n.

"Urgh…!" Angrily, Ann throws her bottle blood boiling bubbling burning glaring glowering at the sharp shards shattering across the floor, staining both the floor and wall. Ann doesn't even care plopping herself down glaring at the cell wall she called her apartment, anger freely flowed through her blushing face. Why…? Why did these people get to live while her father who had helped saved so many, who had done so much for people, who discovered the truth the government refused to tell the world had to die? Her father was the real hero these people…they were nothing but lowly rats, lice, an infestation…

Ann looks over towards the snail…she could call Shanks, Rayleigh…Buggy…

"Gold Roger do I know him? It'd be better if that guy was never born along with any form of offspring!"

"He's scum, those of the same bloodline are scum of the earth!"

"What if Gold Roger had a child? They'd get their head chopped off for sure!"

"I'd want to hear from him before they die I'm sorry I was born I'm just a piece of trash who didn't deserve to be born!"

Ann swiftly stops herself, curling further in on herself what was she thinking…she was probably just being a nuisance, a burden that's all she ever was…trash. The tears continue freely falling from Ann, her ears ringing oblivious to the gentle call of her name, to the familiar ice-cold hand, bringing her some semblance of gravity of reality grounding her back, blinking back the tears threatening to fall she turns to the man before her concern clear in his furrowed features for her.

"Why…why does everyone I love leave…?" She couldn't help but slur sniffling sadly, using the fabric of her sleeve to wipe the tear aside oblivious almost to the man quietly drawing her into his side, she was the problem wasn't she? Her father leaving her to the marines, her mother leaving the whole crew leaving, Buggy and Shanks leaving…leaving her in this cage they supposedly trapped her within for her safety, she was a burden, she was vile, she was a cursed child that did nothing but ruin lives…that's why they left, that's why they all left…the tears freely fall from the anguished Ann.

"…" Not quite sure what to say, Aokiji simply stares stunned at the sobbing Ann never having seen the stern faced admiral so broken, so sad, so…vulnerable.

"All I've ever wanted was a place to call home…but that…that's impossible. Aokiji…I'm sorry for being born." She whimpers weakly, her voice cracking breaking before the taken aback Aokiji, he knew she was too drunk to even hear what he could say. Gently, he scoops her up in his arms, attempting to comfort her, hold her through this tense time no words to be shed as he simply holds her, letting her let the dam out…