"See this is what you get after challenging us!" Cockily, the red head pirates cheer over their latest win while they gush over their spoils, smiling Ann watches on the crew celebrate their latest win while she sits lies across the railing of said ship. She feels the brisk breeze of the sea air flow through her long locks of pink, a familiar beaded hat with two smiley faces of blue perched upon her head, wearing a ruffled long sleeved snowy shirt with pretty pink accents of petite petals with some shard shaped petals of ruby red, she wears baby blue trousers below with long brown boots.

"You guys are way too cocky." Calmly, Ann remarks smirking shaking her head amused at the crew looking over their most recent treasure hearing the soft squawk of the seagulls flying about as her fingertips curl around the ropes around the ship, feeling her fingertip brush against the rough texture.

"Aw come on Ann lighten up look at this load!" Shanks whines wearing his dress snowy shirt and straw hat as Ann arches a brow bemused by the monkey known as Monster throw itself upon her shoulder perching himself upon her shoulder. Smiling, she arches a brow by the monkey waving its arms about cheering grabbing a nearby pint from another crew member, gurgling the booze lightly sloshing upon her shoulder.

"Oi Monster!" Annoyed, Ann furrows her brow by the merry monkey downing the drink before hopping off onto another shoulder making her sigh.

"Yeah thanks to them now we can feed off being pirates." Perkily, Bonk Punch proudly proclaims the crew cheering in agreement.

"Treasure! Treasure!" The red haired pirates perkily cheer however Ann's hues narrow noting some strange sound.

"Oi!" Loudly, Ann calls out stopping said loud cheering.

"What?" Hongou furrows his brow at Ann.

"You guys hear that?" Ann asks as she leaps off the railing of the ship brow furrowing from the strange sound, looking around the place perplexed puzzled even as she waders about attempting to find said source of the sound.

"Huh Ann what are you…?" Lost, Shanks moves towards her, following her tracks towards a fair few treasure crimson chests, glistening gold glowing as Ann opens one box after another until…

"Where were you involved in this?!" Taken aback, Shanks stares shocked alongside Ann gawking gaping down at the sobbing sound of a crying child in the treasure chest, a young girl with short fluffy hair of sorts, one side ruby red the other side snowy white with bright purplish hues staring up at the crew.

"Could it be that those pirates snatched her from somewhere?" Benn offers.

"Poor thing…" Ann's hues soften slightly at the baby girl, brow furrowing briefly thinking back to a certain freckled boy once in her own arms as she feels her chest ache, feeling the sharp sting from the thought, pained to see the sniffling crying child try to wipe her tears away Ann assumes.

"You must be kidding…" Shanks furrows his brow at his friend but she simply glares at the ass but beofre she could say much more…

"Waaah!" The baby girl bursts into tears taking the others aback at it.

"Alright I know now please don't cry!" Panicked, pleadingly almost Shanks begs beseeches the crying child, sweat sliding down his worried fretful face having no clue how to deal with the child, attempting to sing to it almost but all it does is make the child cry louder.

"Well done moron…" Ann huffs shaking her head at him.

"At least I tried! Urgh!" Shanks huffs making Ann sigh softly at the crying child below.

"Maybe if we h-" Lucky Roux begins but…

"Finish that sentence and I swear you'll be hanging off the grand line itself." Icily, Ann threatens as Ben bashes his foot into the side of Roux cheek.

"What do you expect us to do? Uh sleep little baby please be quiet?" Hopeful, Shanks sighs sadly attempting to do so again but…

"What are you doing?" Baffled, Benn joins in equally as lost.

"I don't know!" Shanks grabs his straw hat stretching it rushing off lost making Ann sigh at the lost cause that was the crew.

"Honestly useless the lot of you…" Ann sighs softly reaching out towards the crying child, snot drooling down the weeping girl, picking her up, hearing the soft sound of metal scraping against petal below, brushing the pearl white necklace to the side as she holds the crying child.

"Oi Ann!" Scared, Shanks calls out but stops surprised at the strange sense of practice, Ann seems to have holding her.

"There, there…" Tenderly, Ann says softly, whispering it to the crying child unfazed by the snot shooting out of it's nose, simply rubbing her back, bobbing her up and down upon her shoulder staining her bare shoulder but she doesn't bat an eye to the tear stains simply rocking the child with the waves of the ship.

Gather up all of the crew!

Time to ship out Bink's Brew!

Could be today could be tomorrow.

Twilight dreaming, no longer can we now see shadow hands still leaving free.

Why worry there's sure to be a moonlit night again…"

Ann sings out loud to the crew their hues widening with the child's own in awe at the song as soon enough, Shanks stands smiling, a pint in his hand happily joining in with the crew…

Gather up all of the crew!

Time to ship out Bink's Brew!

Sing a song, a lively song for all the oceans wide!

After all is said and done

We all end up skeletons!

Endless aimless this story on the uproaring seas!

"She quieted down" Shocked, the red haired pirates gawk gape at the surprising skill the swordswoman had.

"This must be some kind of fate…" Shanks says smiling from ear to ear rushing over to the child and Ann's side peering over Ann's shoulder smiling at the sniffling child, cooing calming down. His hues of black meeting her warm browns.

"It must be." Smiling, she agrees as a strange semblance of understanding filters between both of them, knowing what was to be done with the child…

"Thought I'd find you out here…" Benn steps out noting the starry sky above as he sees the furrowed frown of Ann perched upon the railing of the ship staring out at the starry sky and washing waves with smoke spewing out of her lips.

"Benn…" Brow furrowed, Ann sighs sadly, spewing silver still from her lips.

"You look tired." Tentatively, Benn takes note of.

"You try getting a baby to sleep." Sighing, she shakily exhales.

"…Why do I get the feeling this is something more than that?" Tiredly, Benn exhales exhausted.

"Why do you always have to be right?" Ann reels her head back brow furrowing fatigued.

"I'm not the first mate for nothing." Benn states smirking slightly.

"True…" Ann gives him that.

"So…what is it?" Befuddled, Benn ponders perplexed.

"Do I have the right to help raise the girl?" Ann asks alarmed anxious at the thought.

"…What do you mean?" Mystifed, Benn ponders perplexed.

"…" Quietly, Ann bows her head brow furrowing from the thought of a certain blue eyes girl.

"Ann you did all you could for Robin…" Benn sighs softly sitting down by her side.

"But was it? I haven't heard anything from her since that day." Ann anxiously argues.

"For a good reason remember, if the government really know about you…that girl's…" Benn reminds Ann as she winces when hearing his words.

"…I know I just…I hope she's okay…" Ann admits as she bows her head pained.

"I'm sure she's fine stop worrying about it, you're a good a mother Ann." Assuring, Benn promises placing his hand on her shoulder squeezing it.

"Hmm…" Humming, Ann trails off brow furrowing fatigued from it all as she trails off pained, wishing she could believe Benn's words...

"Why isn't the kid going to sleep!?" Scowling, Shanks furrows his brow by the crying child in the other room as the men group around for their daily kid meeting.

"She's probably expecting Ann's goodnight song…" Benn leans back in his seat smoking.

"Urgh why did Ann have to go off again?" Annoyed, Shanks scowls, munching on his meat.

"You know how she is boss, Ann's a wanderer." Roux reminds him.

"She could have taken Uta with her or something urgh Uta won't quit crying she's screaming like a banshee." Shanks grumbling gnawing away at the meat.

"We could always knock her out?" Roux offers but is met by the swift strike of a kick.

"Do that and you'll get a flogging from the whole crew!" Cross, Ben scowls at Roux.

"I was just offering an idea…" Roux bows his head.

"An idea that will cost you your head when Ann gets back." Bluntly, Benn deadpans.

"What are we gonna do!? We haven't slept a wink!" Shanks bows his head horrified holding his head.

"Well why don't we try it?" Benn offers.

"Eh?" Shanks blurts out.

"Ann's night-time song." Yassop sighs joining in.

"You're kidding." Shanks furrows his brow by the ritual.

"It may be our only hope…" Ben deadpans as before the men knew it they were linking arms signing to the cheery child.

Casually, the washing waves of the seashore of sorts rock against the contraction of sorts, a board shooting through the sea as Ann stands upon it, hands shoved into her pockets bored as the wind brushes through her hair blowing it back but she places her hand over her head, keeping the hat firmly in place as she shoots through the washing waves of the sea. She hoped by the time she got back Uta was asleep, she looks towards the compartment behind her, smiling softly at the gifts she had bought for the little tyke alongside the necessities not exactly trusting the boys to keep on top of said stock.

She raises a brow by the familiar ship before her faltering briefly by the still silence she is met by, no drunken roars, no poking on the side, no nothing it was as quiet, far too quiet for such a ship. Alarmed, Ann couldn't help but tense up, her had slowly but surely sliding down to her sheath strapped to her side by the blade at the ready, her heart hardening at the thought of some pirate scum touching Uta…and her friends…sure.

She hadn't been gone that long…had she? No course not, Ann shakes her head at the thought since Uta joined she made sure to come back much more earlier than last, she had made it a point to tell Shanks at what date and time she would be back making the effort to warn him in advance before she would just hobble off after some drunken night to wander off to who knows where. She didn't know why she would wander, sometimes she would just get this itch in her leg and off she got off, Shanks understood though it was what she had warned him about at the start of joining and becoming a big boss or well the big elite eh Ann still had no clue about the names nor did she really care.

Still she never thought she would be walking in her father's footsteps, taking in a child raising her…Ann couldn't help but furrow her brow by it all feeling the sharp sting of guilt gnawing away at her as she thinks back to a certain blue eyed demon child…she could have raised her she could have done so much more for her she should have…how could she act so happy ow raising this younger child while forgetting about her? Ann grimaces guilt gnawing away at her at the thought, she just…that girl had her own mother as did the young child did to be fair, Ann didn't know why…maybe it was due to Robin having been through so much…her joining her and Shanks would have only made her more of a target.

She means she thought they would have uncovered her family tree by now especially with her departure from the marines, she thought they would have finally realized and that was why she left Robin to it, being Roger's child made Ann a huge target hence her hiding behind the red haired pirates she supposed, she knew she could trust them she also knew she would be hunted for all her life she thought the normal life Robin would receive with that nurses family would work no it had to work…Anxiously, Ann furrows her brow by the range of emotions hitting her bowing her head wincing briefly by her head hitting the hard work of said ship sapping her back to reality.

Maybe she was overthinking things again? Ann furrows her brow by the thought, no she shook her head, she failed that girl, she failed that boy, she failed them all at the very least she wouldn't ruin this child too…Ann couldn't help but think to herself, she couldn't come up with an excuse for ditching Robin like that, she was just scum that's what Ann was, a true demon, her blood was black, her blood was rotten, her blood was…she was…she didn't deserve to be a mother. Miserably, she steps back, keeling down taking the gifts ad such from the compartment below brow furrowing from the lack of rock as she gets out her own.

"Hey I'm ba…" Solemnly, Ann ties the ship to her little boat of sorts, leaping up only the to falter furrowing her brow by the still silence she received in return and…

"The hell happened!?" Horrified, she gawks gapes at the many men on the floor below, lying on the ground, small snot like bubbles blowing out of their noses the soft snores escaping each and every crewmate, how long had they been sleeping!? Was Uta okay!? Was this some sort of trap!? Some sort of trick!? Some sort of attack!? Anxiously, Ann couldn't help but worry.

"ZzzzZZzzz…" The soft snoring of the men echo throughout the ship. Scared, Ann looks around said ship.

"Uta!? Uta!" Anxiously, alarmed, Ann cries calling out to the child, drawing out her blade brow furrowing fretfully searching for said child only to falter when…

"M…a? Ann perks up at the sound turning, her hues widening when seeing a familiar child crawling over to her unfazed by the sleeping men.

"Uta!" Relieved, Ann rushes over to the child lurching forward picking her up as she does so however…

The child beams brightly at the sheer sight of the astonished Ann as the young Uta grabs hold of a barrel nearby holding her up as next she knew…

"C-Come here come on." Ann smiles softly squeaking internally holding her hands out to the giggling child moving one leg forward, one leg back as before she knew it, she had caught the smiling Uta squealing awakening the boys alarmed at said squeal until hearing the news and as soon as they do, Shanks raises a pint as another party rolls on by for the red haired pirates…

Groaning, Ann winces when feeling the sharp sting of a hangover heavily hitting her head, trying to ignore her aching tense temple trying to blink but she feels the ache of her heavy lids feeling as if she hadn't had a wink of sleep. She hisses harshly from the searing sun rudely waking her up, the shy stream of light trying to hit her through the tousled tress towering over the crew but fortunately for her, her hat easily shields her from said sunlight. Silently, she leans against the rock she had used as a bed, her hat over her face fatigued from the night before, the thought alone of last night's party only bringing the sharp sting of the after effects.

"I don't know what the hell happened last night, but never again am I mixing my drinks…." Drained, Ann groans grimacing at the sour stench of her mouth mortified at it, soon hearing the soft sound of footsteps making her peer up through her hat towards the smirking Yassop.

"Well last night I asked how many drinks you had and you said and I quote I've had... eleventy twelvy pints." Playfully, Yassop smirks smugly staring down at his gun below, looking inside, checking it over.

"That all?" Ann arches a brow surprised, she was normally careful with her drinking…

"You then started talking about your knife stick." Smirking, Limejuice joins in.

"Which I corrected." Yasopp adds amused.

"And I take this is the remains of it." Ann eyes the snapped stick by her side, a part of her pondering where the blade edge of said stick was…

"Yep. Then you got into one of your depressed drunk state started talking about some whale calling out for a mate for two decades and had not received a response. You made Monster cry along with Howling gas and Rockstar. Shanks then said how we were going to find this whale and then you sputtered out name a more iconic duo than my crippling fear of abandonment and my anxiety. The boss then said you and me, then you two started crying and hugging…" Benn adds his arms crossed over his chest.

"Couse we bloody did." Drained, Ann grumbles glaring up at the sky through her hat adjusting her hat on her head as she leans her neck back to look up at the tousling trees, feeling the brisk breeze brush through her hair tousling the long locks of pinkie blonde brushing through her hair enjoying the ice cold air around her, the sharp soft slap of sorts seemingly snapping her out of her drained daze of sorts.

"Boss…" Hongo approaches exiting out of the boat, the only one of the crew not hungover holding a familiar baby girl gurgling, her chubby teeny tiny arms reaching out to the smiling Shanks.

"Alright let me see the little tyke." Smiling, Shanks stretches his arms out towards Hongo happily taking the baby girl fussing over the baby girl.

"How are you feeling?" Lucky Roux asks as he munches on some bread.

"Like the weight of world is suffocating me, but that could just be my steadily rising need to puke." Pointedly, Ann admits her hand gently reaching out to her throat her fingertips fidgeting gently massaging her throat trying to comfort her hoarse throat, wincing when feeling the sore sharp searing sensation of her throat feeling as if it had been burnt on the inside swearing she felt some chunks within laying littered from the geyser slowly but surely trying to crawl up her throat.

"That all?" Amused, Yasopp arches a brow bemused by the grumbling blonde.

"I'm never going to drink again." Ann states the fact firmly swearing it curling in on herself.

"You say that every time…" Lucky Roux cackles dragging out a piece of his sandwich munching on it, some stray speckles of bread freely falling upon the sandy shore of the gritty ground below.

"And I mean it every time." Tiredly, Ann huffs burrowing her face further into her heat huffing, nuzzling into it almost.

"Till someone passes you a pint." Playfully, Yassop adds amused as he crosses his arms over his chest chuckling coyly at the groaning grumbling mess of Ann.

"What else am I meant to do? You don't squander free booze." Bluntly, Ann states the fact firmly, wasting free booze seems stupid, sure you may not like the stuff but even the Ann recalled having no choice as Shanks shoved said pint into her hand.

Sighing, the man of the hour himself happily fusses over baby Uta, a part of Ann tempted her to go see her and join in but her body had other ideas as the searing sensation of her fatigued form froze her to the spot. Silently, she watches Shanks try to hand Uta over to Hongou however Uta soon burst into tears the sharp scream of a cry startling everyone as Ann hisses harshly briefly by it, holding her head from the searing sensation of her aching head, letting out a low groan along with a fair few others from the baby girl's surprisingly large lungs.

Uta sobs her heart out as Ann holds her head, trying to deal with it while watching her reach her hand out towards Shanks snatching some scrap of his shirt, clinging to Shanks's chest.

"Aw she likes me!" Merrily, Shanks smiles at Uta's antics.

"The tits probably help." Haughty, Ann remarks earning a fair few snickers from the chuckling crew.

"Shanks: for the last time they're pecs!" Playfully, Shanks smiles at Ann.

"With the way you show them off people would beg to differ." Dubiously, Ann argues as she leans back again the rock smirking.

"You been looking Ann?" Amused, Shanks calls out.

"The whole world has." Haughty, Ann argues back.

"Someone sounds jealousy." Shanks smiles cooing at the giggling Uta.

"In your dreams and they're muscle tiddies, to a baby they're the same thing." Truthfully, Ann deadpans as just then Uta returns to continuous crying much to the dismay of the crew.

"Wait I know what to do!" Roux rolls over to Shanks side. Curious, Ann raises a brow curiosity getting the best of her as she and Yassop watch Roux roll over towards the two, taking out from his sandwich, some cheese, a flat one with holes littered about it.

"I think she's hungry!" Roux smiles as he places it over baby Uta's face, suddenly stopping said tears as the crew cheer all except Ann and Yassop silently sharing a look of unease and understanding with one another.

"Neither of you should have children." Yasopp states the fact firmly to his captain and crew mate as Ann nods her head.

"Agreed…" Ann agrees however before more could be said…

"Monster no!" Ann hollers horrified as said brown blur suddenly snatching the crying child from Shanks stealing her away as Ann forces her body to stand swiftly taking chase after the monkeys despite her body begging beseeching her not to as she goes to take back the red-haired pirates baby girl…

The soft snores escape the slumped state of the pink haired woman on the rocking chair in the nursery of sorts, the group had set up it wasn't perfect, but it was something. Sleeping, Uta leans into Ann's side smiling softly happily nuzzling into her side as she has own arm lazily draped over the baby girl, happy to be i her arms as from the naked eye it would look like a mother and daughter drained from the daily deeds of motherhood.

The red haired pirates smile softly at the two within said nursery, knowing how hard the blonde worked to make the ship a home, whether it be at dinner firmly on focusing on the girl or keeping stock of the little girl's necessities sure she would have the boys to step up at times when she wouldn't be there, often giving them a list of things to do when she went off. Still they remembered her feeding the young Uta, remembered seeing her at night softly shushing the crying child rocking her on the boat with the starry sky spotting some glistening gems of stars as the boat rocked them both.

Quietly, Shanks enters the room, his hues softening slightly at the sight of his old fatigued friend's furrowed facial features hearing her soft snores seeing her in a world of her own. Smiling, he reaches out towards the sleeping baby girl, taking her from Ann as he does so however his hues soften slightly noting the stray tear freely falling from Ann. He had no clue why she left how she did but he respected her decision and would wait when she was ready, he was her friend after all practically a sibling even. Shanks reaches for the duvet nearby taking it and draping it over Ann as he then leaves Ann to have the rare rest…

"Were you waiting for me?" Ann asks crossing her arms over her chest eyeing the man before her.

"Welcome back." Kuzan smirks slightly at the sight of her.

"…Welcome back too…I guess." Shyly, Ann glances to the side sheepishly scratching her chest.

"We'll leave you two alone." Amused, Bell hollers holding the side of Isuka, still sleeping, still in a world of her own.

"H-Huh? Oi Bell!" Flustered, Ann calls out to her however she's long gone…

"How was your trip?" Kuzan asks as he and Ann wander through the streets their hands brushing gently against one another as Ann tries to ignore the faint feverish tint to her crimson cheeks from said touch alongside the sharp spark spreading up her arm.

"Nothing much." Meekly, Ann slides her hands into her pockets.

"Heard you got into a squeamish…" Kuzan remarks.

"Wasn't that bad, what about you?" Ann asks him.

"Just some ship that got ambushed." Aloofly, he shrugs.

"Ah…" Ann nods her head in understanding, a still silence filling in the air between both of them but it wasn't awkward, it wasn't uncomfortable it was rather the opposite, a comforting silence, no words needing to be shed between the two util…

"Ann sama!" Smiling, the love struck marines call out to her.

"So noisy…" Annoyed, Ann holds her head grimacing at the searing sensation of her tense temple.

"Agreed. Guess, I'm going to have to beat people off with a stick aren't I?" Kuzan remarks reaching out, his cool hand providing some semblance of comfort..

"You can try it would be funny to watch…" Amused, Ann chuckles coyly at the thought, leaning into his hand slightly.

"Thanks again for the food." Aokiji thanks her after a moment slowly lowering his hand.

"Oh that…it's fine. Hey um…sorry." Shyly, she bows her head scratching the back of her neck, guilt gnawing away at her.

"Hm?" He hums looking down at her.

"About before…with the whole handler thing and kicking your shin thig I may have gone a bit far…" Sighing, she furrows her brow, she just wasn't used to it the again that wasn't really an excuse she supposed…

"Just a bit." Kuzan exclaims.

"Okay maybe a bit especially with us coming back from the mission…" Ann sighs softly.

"Guessing going out cooled your head then…" Kuzan assumes.

"…Yeah. Sorry again." Ann apologises once more.

"It's fine." Aokiji assures Ann.

"Hm what's…?" Ann's hues widen when he takes out a bottle of some sort.

"You seemed to have liked that wine from last time, so I brought you some." Kuzan reveals.

"You remembered? Thanks… this stuff looks expensive where did you get it?" Intrigued, Ann asks as she eyes the bottle baffled, touched even by it.

"Like I said I saw it and bought it, don't drink it all in one day." He tells her.

"Don't worry that's the last thig on my mind. Still finding this where exactly did you find this?" Ann asks it looked rather rare.

"I saw it at a store while I was working, think of it as incentive for that date of ours." Kuzan scratches the back of his head.

"Heh, you're still on about it." Amused, Ann chuckles coyly.

"And if I am?" Aokiji asks eyeing her soft smile.

"You're relentless." Ann smiles shaking her head, a faint tint of ruby red crossing her crimson cheeks.

"I don't hear you complaining." Cheekily, he argues amused almost at her reaction.

"Course not…thank you Kuzan that's…that's kind of you." Ann smiles softly up at Kuzan.

"Don't mention it." Kuzan glances to the side, a faint feverish tint to his cheeks bringing a bright broad smile to her lips.

"Oh and Kuzan?" Ann calls out to him.

"Hm?" He looks down at her.

"I'm looking forward to it." Ann winks at Kuzan.

"As am I." Kuzan smiles softly down as the two head off heading back to base…

"Hmm…?" Ann furrows her brow as she feels her heavy hues slowly but surely open she opens them. Alarmed, Ann's hues widen when noting the lack of a certain weight in her lap but before she could panic her ears perk up at the commotion outside.

"Okay Uta say dada okay?" Smiling, Shanks crouches down trying to talk to Uta perched upon a barrel as Ann watches on shaking her head amused as she goes into her room, her brow furrowing from the bottle in the corer. Quietly, she approaches the rack of booze brow furrowing from her fingertips coiling around the neck of the bottle brow furrowing from her heavy heart at it, blinking back the tear trying to escape through it. No she shouldn't think of that not anymore, Ann shakes her head slotting it back into the section, leaving her room to stare at Shank's attempt at fatherhood.

"Aaa…" Uta opens her mouth but…

"…What the heck are you doing?" Ann asks brow furrowed leaning against the wall.

"Trying to get Uta to say daddy." Shanks smiles at Ann.

"You really think that'll work?" Ann arches a brow by the attempt.

"It has to she's at that age now you know?" Shanks reasons.

"I get that but you really want her to say daddy?" Ann exclaims.

"Well yeah she's a daddy's girl." Smiling, Shanks proudly proclaims it.

"You're so childish." Coyly, Ann shakes her head amused at his antics.

"Eh?! How so?" Shanks quirks his head to the side.

"Being obsessed over something so trivial." Teasingly, she dismisses him.

"You're just cocky cause you're in the lead." Huffing, Shanks grumbles.

"…Lead?" Ann arches a brow befuddled by his words.

"Out of us she spends most of the time with you, you got to see her first steps now it's my turn for her first word." Shanks tells her.

"…Cause that makes sense." Dryly, Ann crosses her arms over her chest.

"Of course it does!" Shanks states the fact firmly making Ann sigh shaking her head at the man-child that was her captain.

"You going out again?" Benn arches a brow at Ann approaching the side of the ship seeing her pick up the ladder.

"Yeah I left a note of instructions all that if you need more I got my snail…" Sighing, she tells the group hoisting her bag up.

"Right." Benn nods his head taking note of it as Ann swerves over the railing to climb down when…

"WAAAAH!"

"H-Hey Uta what's wrong?" Surprised, Shanks jolts up trying to rock the crying child.

"Waaah!" The tears freely fall from the crying child fussing in his arms, her teeny tiny chubby arms reaching out towards Ann.

"Seems someone doesn't want you to go." Yasopp smirks slightly.

"Urgh Uty I'll be back." Ann sighs swerving back over approaching the baby girl making a fuss.

"Waaah!" The crying child reaches out her chubby fingertips towards Ann.

"I promise I'll be back soon. Take care of her." Softly, she pecks the young girl's temple before turning to look up at Shanks.

"Course. Have a good trip." Shanks smiles softly.

"Aw you two sound like a woman wishing her husband well while he's going to work." Yassop smirks smugly at the two.

"That's awfully specific." Shanks sighs.

"And stupid." Annoyed, Ann deadpans turning to frown at Yassop.

"Just saying." Yasopp smirks smugly.

"See ya." Ann turns on her heel leaving, returning to her boat setting off…

Quietly, Ann crouches down tying the rope to the dock as her little boat of sorts floats up and down upon the washing waves where she spots a seagull soaring past her making her turn towards the tall towering windmills in the distance…

"Hey!" Surprised, Ann arches a brow by the boy before her adorning a marine shirt.

"Hm…" Humming, Ann eyes the eerily familiar boy before her.

"You a pirate?" He scowls hands on hips.

"I prefer wanderer." Smoothly, she corrects him turning back to her knot.

"Are you or aren't you?" Impatiently, the boy bellows.

"Impatient one aren't you?" Amused, Ann chuckles.

"Hmph." Huffing, he glares at Ann angry.

"Well little one see ya." Smirking, she stands hoisting her back over her shoulder sauntering past him.

"If you cause trouble for my town I'll beat you!" The boy catches up threatening her.

"I'm sure you will." Smirking, she plops her head down ruffling his crisp coal locks making the glaring boy huff, puffing his cheeks cross watching the woman go on ahead, heading up towards the mountains.

"W-What are you doing here?" A woman with frizzy orange hair gawks gapes at the pink haired woman.

"Been a while Dadan." Dubiously, Ann smirks smugly at Dadan.

"Y-You're not meant to be here…" Dadan squeaks scared.

"And you're meant to be a good parental figure for Ace guess we're all not getting what we want." Ann huffs hands on her hips.

"Who says I'm not a good parent?" Dadan scowls.

"Where is he?" Sternly, she demands looking around the forest and log hut.

"How should I know?" Dadan glares to the side.

"And that answers my question." Annoyed, Ann grumbles glaring to the side scowling.

"O-Oi where are you…!?" Dadan begins watching her head off.

"Tell Garp I'm here and I'll have your heads." She threatens waving the terrified group of bandits off.

"Eeep!" Said scared bandits cry out.

Quietly, Ann makes her way through the forest, not even batting an eye to the beasts littering about the place, the monkeys fleeing frightened even the tall towering tiger and other creatures littered about the fierce forest until Ann stops staring at the back of the raven haired boy simply staring out at the scenery before him.

"You're Ace I assume." Ann approaches steeling herself, staring down at the boy before.

"Who's asking?" Annoyed, he simply stares ahead as Ann smirks slightly.

"Geez don't you recognise me?" Mockingly, Ann smirks.

"Should I?" His hues narrow looking up at Ann.

"I'd be impressed if you did last I saw you, you were but a babe in my arms hell of a crier." Casually, she sits down by the boy's side staring out at the scenery.

"What did you say?" Scowling, his hues narrow.

"I said you were a cry baby oh I'm also your sister." Aloofly, Ann simply stares ahead.

"You expect me to believe that?" Tense, he glares glowers at the girl, standing up pipe by his side in hand.

"Course not it's shady as heck if you didn't, I'd question if you really were Ace." Ann responds simply staring ahead.

"…Where's your proof?" Pensive, he demands.

"You want my blood or something?" Sighing, she side eyes the boy.

"I want to be left alone." Ace growls glaring at Ann.

"…Afraid I can't not now that I ca finally see you." Ann admits as she leans against her hand simply staring ahead.

"You could have before couldn't you? The old man did." Ace glares at her wary.

"I wasn't allowed to, the old man thought it'd get in the way of my training plus it'd look weird if I did." Drained, Ann grumbles glaring to the side scowling.

"…You being serious?" Stunned, his hues widen when hearing her words.

"…Yeah." Ann answers.

"Could you tell me about her then?" Tentatively, he asks as he brings his legs close to his chest.

"…I'd be happy to." Truthfully, she offers as Ace curls in on himself, a still silence falling between both of them, no words needing to be shed between both reunited siblings.

"Hey what should I do!?" Scared, Shanks demands as the canon fire continues on, the sharp slash of a blade ringing easily dealing with said canon fire as the ship finally makes it out of the enemy flank.

"First of all relax." Ann reveals herself on the railing, turns on her heel turning to deal with both her captain and his child.

"Ann!" Relieved, Shanks smiles from ear to ear at the Ann.

"Relax how can I relax!?" Shanks scowls, his grip tightening on the crying Uta.

"Considering you have a crying child in your arms do you really think screaming is going to get her to relax." Ann places her hand on her hip huffing hearing Roux and Yassop chuckling behind the bickering two.

"Then you take her." Shanks insists.

"Urgh you're such a kid…" Ann huffs taking the child from Shanks.

"Hahah you decided to take her on cap!" Roux calls out.

"Yeah she's your responsibility." Yasopp adds.

"Oh this coming from father of the year." Ann scoffs smirking.

"Hey at least I am a father." Cheekily, Yasopp smirks back bemused.

"Could have fooled me." Ann adds as she focuses on the little girl in her arms.

"At least I have the capability to settle." Smirking, Yasopp remarks.

"Clearly…You saying I can't." Scoffing, Ann smirks only the to furrow her brow at the man.

"You're kidding right? Ann you can't be in the same place for a day." Yasopp points out.

"PFFF I don't know what you're talking about…" Anxiously, Ann glances to the side sheepishly.

"Come on just admit you easily get bored of people." Roux throws in.

"I wouldn't say that." Tense, Ann glances to the side sheepishly.

"Okay you're scared of committing to one person." Yasopp throws in.

"Hey I don't see you guys settling for the same broads you bring on board, Shanks back me up here." Huffing, Ann turns to him.

"Eeeeh well…" Shanks smiles trailing off as she glares lightly at the traitor.

"Oh come on!" Ann groans.

"Aw come on Ann I mean I don't blame you will how you grew up…" Shanks begins but…

"What's this got to do with me growing?" Ann's hues narrow at Shanks.

"You're kidding right? Your whole childhood defines who you are shapes you into who you are today, how your parents show affection could be how you show affection." Shanks points out.

"…Urgh I'm not listening to this." Ann groans turning towards the nursery.

"I'm just saying it would take someone certainly special to tie you down." Yasopp hollers.

"He isn't wrong." Bemused, Benn adds.

"And I'm just saying you guys are as bad if not worse now if you excuse me." Ann huffs turning to leave when…

"Mama!" The group all flinch perking up at the voice.

"…Eh?" Dumbstruck, Ann turns to look down at the baby girl in her arms.

"NOOO!" Shanks screams falling flat to his knees taking everyone aback at their captain's cry having no real clue what to do with their man child of a captain.


*Uta's here guys! What did you think of this chapter? Of Ann and Uta? How do you think Uta views Ann? Also Ann's thinking of Kuzan...!*