The Marine's Roger

by Sully7072

All Ann knew was to survive that was his final order, an order she would follow to her grave to survive in this new world of piracy that her father left behind even if it meant working for the enemy...

59. Film Z

"Retreat!" The young woman with blue hair calls out as a man stands by her side, a ninja looking man using his vines to secure those that had fallen, that had been knocked out onto the boat. The scared screaming men adorned in black rush towards the black boat, carrying those that had fallen onto the boats, following the lead of the young woman with navy blue hair and ninja looking man.

The sickly stench of iron hangs heavily on the lone island as many men garbed in black lay scattered across the island, their eyes blank before the woman with long locks of pink looking just done at the only three left standing. Two barely even able to stand fighting the blurriness of their vision, stumbling, staggering swaying from side to side before the bored blonde while the leader with a metallic gauntlet of sorts similar smiles grinning at the bored blonde.

"…Can we be done with this now?" The bored blonde brushes the crimson clinging to her glove aside as ruby red droplets drip down from her hand. Her bored sherry red eyeing the mess of the old man before her his purple spikes stained scarlet, a ruby red river descending down his head as he wheezes slowly standing up.

"Done…I was just getting started…!" Staggering, he grins at the bored blonde.

"Sensei you're old please I don't want to fight you…" Annoyed, Ann places her fingertips to her tense temple tiredly tutting the man turning away from the nagging nuisance.

"That's a shame that's all I want to do with you!" He grins growling getting ready for another hit as just then…

"I will…follow master Z anywhere!" The blue haired girl lunges at Hibiscus.

"Ain don't!" He tries to warn just as he sees vines shoot out from the corner of his eye.

"My life's devotion is to serve Z-sense alone!" The mosa mosa man bellows only to gasp alongside Ain when…

"…So noisy." Hibiscus simply sighs vanishing before both of their very eyes.

"Wha-" Ain turns only to gasp at the firm hit at the back of her neck, quickly knocking her out.

"Ain!" Z calls ot to her picking up her fallen form as just then…

"…Binz!" Z then turns to the plant man swiftly knocked out.

"You're defeated. Your troops have been knocked out and your commanders beat. Leave and no more blood has to spill today." Tiredly, Ann orders Z as men too scared to fight, quickly retrieve both knocked out marines taking them onto the boat, retreating them back to the ship.

"You think I'll let you get away again Hibiscus then you can think again!" Z grins at the bored blonde as just then a bright blast of gold light descends down the heavens between both of them.

"…My, my if this isn't quite the little reunion." Kizaru reveals himself before both man and woman.

"…" Hibiscus simply stares.

"Kizaru…!" Z grins at the admiral.

"Ah it's been a long time instructor. What are you doing here?" Kizaru couldn't help but ask.

"I've come for Hibiscus' head!" Z snarls turning his focus to the bored blonde approaching the edge of the cliff.

"I'm afraid the only head I'm here to take today is yours instructor. The fleet admiral would kill me if I let someone else take her head instead of him…" Honestly, Kizaru explains to Z.

"…doesn't the person who's head you lot are after have a say in this?" Tiredly, Ann shoves her hands into her pockets, exasperatedly eyeing the pair but…the two simply lunge at one another as they begin fighting.

"…Just ignore me then. You marine lot…if there's one thing you have in common it's your incompetence…" Ann rubs the side of her hair, fanning it out bored as she approaches the edge of the cliff, ignoring the low bright beam of light destroying a ship nearly nicking the cheek of an astonished Ain as many men in black trying to take their fallen with them are blasted back by said light beams.

"Borsalino I warned you not to rely too much on the glint glint fruit." Z grins, his metal fist dispersing the bright beam of light, saving his comrades from another hit of light.

"You're as strict as ever instructor Zephyr!" Kizaru turns his light into a familiar blade.

"I abandoned that name I'm Z!" Z growls hitting said sword of light.

"…I'mma just head out." Ann decides to do just that when…

"You're not going anywhere Hibiscus'." Z turns to rush at her however he is quickly kicked aside by Ann, throwing him into the stone wall of the island nearby as he coughs crimson from the low blow.

"Urgh…you're a real headache you know that? Clingy guys like you are so not my type." Tiredly, Ann looks over her gloved nails, bored almost.

"Heh and you're as arrogant as ever…if you think I'm letting you get away again you can think again!" Z repeats resolved removing himself from the crater formed from the measly kick making her groan at the headache.

"Don't you think you have more pressing matters to deal with?" Annoyed, Ann points over to Borsalino.

"She's right instructor!" Borsalino slams his glowing foot towards his old mentor.

"Tch those lax fools in the navy may have granted you the rank of Admiral Kizaru but don't let it go to your head!

"I didn't come here to reminisce about the old days

"Then tell me this Borsalino Hibiscus is right there! The child of the pirate king, the traitor to the marines and yet you're here after my head!? Don't you see this is the perfect chance to-" Z tries to reason batting the kick back.

"Not unless you want to anger red hair…" Haughtily, Ann argues in a smug sing song tone.

"Tch…relying on such tricks where's your honour Hibiscus?" Z growls glaring at the girl beneath his shades snarling at her sly smug smirk.

"Honour when have I ever had that?" Amused, Ann scoffs waving Z off.

"You…!" Z growls about to lunge at her when…

"Ciao." Ann winks diving down from the perch, landing on a familiar boat of sorts lying in wait as she activates the engine and takes off…just as the island erupts behind her, a familiar glistening golden light enveloping the island as Ann has her back turned to it, unfazed by the chaotic destruction behind her while on that same sea, a familiar man on his bike watches on, an ice path beneath his feet watching the destruction before him.

"My my my what on earth is the Navy doing?" The man watching the destruction take place ponders before continuing on his stroll…

Steam spews into the open air as Ann exits out of the shower, grumpily grumbling, tousling her hair with a spare towel as she sits down on her bed brow furrowed from it all. She spares a glance at the window behind her towards the lively people going about their day, oblivious to the ongoing chaos of the outside world when…

"Peri…Peri…Peri…" Her eye twitches tense towards the voice, turning to look over the snail on her cabinet.

"Tch…" She tuts tiredly towards the snail, reaching out towards said snail.

"Kaclink…" The snail clinks.

"What?" Annoyed, Ann grunts grumpily tiredly, not even batting an eye to said scarred snail.

"Ann the hell is the news on about?" The snail grumpily glares at her.

"Hm?" Ann grunts firmly focusing on drying her hair huffing.

"They're sporting about you destroying some island!" The snail continues complaining as she sets the receiver down.

"Oh that…" Ann tosses her towel to the side.

"That…?!" The snail scowls seething as she begins to change.

"Oh come on Benny you know me as if I would destroy an island without due cause…" Cheekily, the amused Ann scoffs smirking putting on a cherry pink dress satin shirt smirking, putting on some trousers as she gets changed.

"Ann this is serious what happened on that island?" The snail demands from her.

"Urgh look this is just the government pinning this on me rather than another traitor to the marines. How else would the people react to more people actually growing a sense of self about that damn cult…?" Snippily, she sneers scowling as she looks herself in the mirror getting out some lipstick.

"Ann…" The snail scowls while Ann leans over, applying her makeup.

"I didn't do it. Look it's not my fault trouble just follows me everywhere." Aloofly, Ann dismisses putting her lipstick aside as she goes to put on her mascara.

"Speaking off…that guy…" The snail goes to ask…

"Hopefully dead." Ann curtly cuts said snail off humming as she considers a braid, making motions of a braid in the mirror.

"You're as cold as ice Ann-chan. He was your mentor remember?" Another voice speaks from the snail, the voice more jovial cheeky even as she doesn't even have to turn to know the user.

"Hardly…that old man was a pain in the ass to hide my power from…good riddance if he's gone. Clingy guys like him are nothing but a pain in the ass." Annoyed, Ann complains, her face fatigued from the three scarred snail smiling.

"Sounds like you're talking about another person Ann." Amused, the snail smirks smugly just as Ann's eye twitches tense, freezing from her low loose side ponytail.

"Urgh Shanks put Ben back on the phone. I'd rather speak to someone with a brain if you don't mind." Irritated, Ann grumbles turning to glare down at the snail, hand on hip.

"I have one." The snail whines.

"Just cause the possibility of you having one doesn't mean you use it." Ann leans towards the snail snippily scowling at it.

"Meeean…" The snail draws out.

"If that's all I'm going to be on my way." Ann flips her low ponytail turning towards the door.

"You gonna go see Uta?" The snail smiles at the thought.

"Of course. Someone has to set my dear daughter straight with this boy bullshit." A dubious glint gleams in smirking sherry before setting off, having much to do…

"What is this?" Robin seated by Chopper's side spots the struggling Chopper.

"It's snow! No, its not freezing to be snow. What is it?" Chopper struggles to identify the strange smoke in the air as he rubs his fur fretful frantic even.

"This is... volcanic ashes…" Robin identifies as Sanji hands her a cup of tea.

"Volcanic ashes?! That's disgusting!" Chopper squirms.

"The ashes entered your fur, did it not? Let's take a bath together after." Robin decides.

"Bath?" Sanji says heart eyes popping out of his eyes.

"Together?!" Brook adds astonished.

"Today is not my bath day...but I'll take it, this is very disgusting." Chopper smiles up at Robin.

"Me... Can I take a bath with you as well? Can I? Look, my face is also disgusting!" Brook adds hopeful freaking Chopper out at the skeletal man's face.

"Don't hurt your feelings by what you said." Sanji sighs.

"No..." Robin refuses.

"Brooke, you can take a bath with me!" Chopper offers.

"I love you, Chopper!" Brook cries.

"Hey, Nami! Something wrong?" Franky notes Nami's furrowed frown.

"One of the compass needle that pointing in the direction that the volcanic ash came from…" Ash couldn't help but describe eyeing her compass.

"Hmm…that direction…that's where Hibiscus was last spotted…" Robin observes from Nami's needle.

"Eh…? Hibiscus?" Usopp perks up at the name.

"What do you mean Robin? What's that about Ann?" Luffy perks up at the name.

"Ann swan! Just her name makes my heart throb!" Sanji swoons smiling.

"Today's new reports said she blew up a random island…" Robin frowns.

"Eh!?" The straw hats let out.

"Ann wouldn't do that…!" Luffy scowls.

"Indeed…but she was spotted leaving the island before its destruction…" Robin recalls.

"Oi, oi…she ain't the right hand of a yonko for no reason…she's fine." Firmly, Zoro calls out to the group.

"Still if the eruption that caused volcanic ash to rain down blew the entire island away…" Nami looks back down at the needle.

"The needle would no longer have a magnetic field to lock on to? That's impossible." Franky dismisses.

"This is the new world remember?" Namie reminds him.

"That's right, you bastard. Don't be surprised. Disappear before the beauty of Nami. Nami, some tea." Sanji scowls sharply at Franky before happily handing Nami her tea.

"Thank you. Anyway, we have to avoid at all cost, the island the needle was pointing at." Smiling, she takes the tea.

"In that case, Nami...there is someone we can't show that pointer by any means." Usopp whispers to Nami.

"That's true. Choosing the safest route and guarantee the crew life is my job." Nami decides but…

"Hey, that needle is moving very interestingly!" Luffy stretches his neck over noting Nami's needles.

"Luffy!?" Nami squeaks shocked as the two do a spit take.

"Let's go there!" Luffy dictates.

"Crap! He saw it!" Usopp curses.

"I smell adventure!" Luffy stretches back over to the head of the Sunny.

"Wait, Luffy! You didn't listed correctly! According to Nami, those ashes were..." Usopp tries to stop him but…

"Hey, guys! Our route has been decided! Get ready!" Luffy cut Usopp off.

"Luffy!" Usopp cries but Nami simply sets his hand on Usopp.

"But...If the pointer is crazy, how will we know where the island is..." Usopp goes to fret when…

"Be quiet. I'm a navigator. If we decide to go, I can take you anywhere. Luffy, keep an eye out." Nami proudly proclaims.

"Leave it to me!" Luffy goes to do just that.

"Hey, is it really alright choosing it like this? In the New World, the path you choose can cost us our lives." Usopp argues.

"Franky, Turn thirty degrees to port." Nami orders.

"Turning thirty degrees to port." Franky complies.

"Hey, do you hear me?" Usopp exclaims.

"We don't know what might happen, so prepare yourselves! We can't do anything. After all, he is the captain." Nami reminds him.

"But we don't want to get involved with volcanoes or anything that can threaten our lives!" Usopp frets just as a body lies on some piece of plank.

"Castaway located. Prepare to rescue him immediately! He's being dragged!" Chopper rushes over as a piece of the sunny for the submarine helm opens it as Chopper spots the piece of plank holding the body beginning to float away when…

"Leave it to me!" Luffy stretches his arm out towards a familiar gauntlet.

"Luffy, what's wrong?" Chopper gasps at the panting Luffy.

"I'm running out of strength..." Luffy whimpers.

"Pull, pull! Luffy, don't let go yet!" Chopper cheers him on as Luffy brings the figure over with Sanji and Usopp's aid as they bring him on board.

"So? Is he alive?" Usopp questions as Chopper checks him over.

"His heart rate and breathing are weak, but he's only passed out, he's not in danger." Chopper reports.

"Really?" Usopp says surprised.

"I hope we didn't get someone problematic again. A big guy all bruised! And this business in his left arm... Just by looking, anyone can tell its not just something." Nami eyes the gauntlet, Robin reaches out to.

"Kairouseki: Sea Stone Thats really made of Kairouseki." Robin reels back perturbed.

"I get it! Thats why Luffy lost his strength when he touched it." Usopp smiles.

"A powerful weapon made of Kairouseki..." Nami frowns.

"Awesome!" Chopper, Usopp and Luffy gush in awe.

"Thats not it!" Nami snaps at the trio.

"Kairouseki has the same energy as the ocean. A weapon made from that material... means that it was made to end Devil Fruit users." Sanji ignites a cigar.

"He might be an enemy and we can't lower our guard in the New World." Nami adds eyeing the purple haired man.

"If you're worried, throw him overboard." Zoro speaks up.

"Idiot! We can't do that." Usopp argues.

"I don't want to!" Chopper adds.

"He might kill you as soon as you heal him." Zoro brings up.

"Even so, I'm a doctor! I can't abandon him." Chopper refuses.

"What's the problem? Heal him, Chopper. If he's the enemy, I'll finish him off. Is that alright?" Luffy decides as he turns to his crew for their thoughts.

"Yes! Thank you, Luffy!" Chopper smiles.

"Well, as a see warrior, of course it's alright." Usopp decides.

"Damn, they are so carefree. I really have a bad feeling about this..." Nami couldn't help but worry as they allow Chopper to treat the stranded stranger…

Quietly, Ann sits in the café calmly sipping away at the tea in her hand. She eyes the pouting Uta seated across from Ann. Ann tries to quietly enjoy her tea ignoring the pointed glare Uta gives her, her arms crossed at the older woman. Ann on the other hand looks to the side towards the busy streets spotting some tourists noisily conversing amongst themselves in a world of their own, taking photo after photo. She turns away, using her hand, attempting to hide her face discreetly. She couldn't help but be on guard, eyeing the alleyway potentially with a spy within watching her.

"Mama! Mama!" Silently, she glances over towards the young boy, a tourist family she assumed as his small chubby hand pointed to one of the many ballons the worker was holding. She couldn't help but smirks lightly at the clown happily handing out ballons to children, she couldn't help but wonder of a certain blue haired clown brother of hers, she should visit him, internally, she couldn't help but think to herself when watching the boy beg beseech for a balloon.

The mother simply smiles happily handing some money over the clown cheerily handing him a ruby red balloon. The boy beams brightly by the ballon, Ann unable not to see a certain freckled face boy before her, her heart shatters silently at the thought before sharply turning away from the sight of the parents happily holding hands with the boy playing with his balloon.

Pained, Ann couldn't help but frown from the thought, he was better off without her, it was for the best he had some stability in his life, stability she could never provide not even with her rank. Makino was a much more fitting mother figure than she could ever be…she wasn't the best cook nor was she the best stitcher. She could still remember her attempts causing her to bleed far more than she had when she was first learning swordsmanship from Rayleigh. Her hand throbs from the sore memory as her hand twitches tense.

She could still hear his cries, his sharp sobs, his chubby hands reaching out to her as she held him in his arms…the sun shining down peering into the room where the bedridden Ann had screamed, shouted screeched…she could still remember some of her yelling even now as Shanks squirmed from her holding his hand, his hand bandaged up soon after…

"I'm gonna kill that icehole!" Angrily, Ann screams screeches shouts out throughout the procedure, sweat sliding down her tense temple, screaming shouting sobbing.

"Ann let's just breath o-" Shanks softly begins but…

"HE DID THIS TO ME THAT PRICK!" Ann angrily yells swiftly shutting Shanks up.

Ann couldn't help but sweat drop, a shy singe of embarrassment hitting her face first from it all as she screamed shouted screeched at her brother baring it all. She couldn't help but wonder if she did apologize in the end to her brother…maybe if she bought some booze from here that could work as an apology? Ann hums at the thought glancing over at the vendors on the other end of the café, unable not to think about it all, the fear, the horror, the rage…after everything that had happened…after all that pain, that loss that…Ann stops briefly brow furrowed from the thought of her baby brother in her arms…long gone from the world.

Ann's fingertips tense around the handle of her cup, Uta simply scowls at Ann attempting to get her attention as another murky memory surfaces…the fear…the horror, the pain as her baby brother bawled his heart out as the lone Hibicus had fallen, her younger self staring stunned at the bloodied bed sheets of her mother having passed from the world…would the same happen to her? No she couldn't risk it, she couldn't…she wouldn't let them win.

"…You're getting rid of it?" Shanks says shocked stunned at Ann.

"I refuse to have that murderer's child inside me." Angrily, Ann fumes furious frowning from the thought disgust drenched int her tense tired tone.

"Ann…you know you can't blame a child who's hasn't even been born yet." Sternly, Shanks reminds her.

"How would Ace feel Shanks!?" Snarling, Ann angrily demands from Shanks.

"Ann…" Shanks softens slightly at the tense tremor in her tone.

"I would be betraying him like I had betrayed him before." Anguished, Ann holds her face mortified.

"You tried…" Tentatively, Shanks says softly at her.

"And failed, if I had reached him, if I had been faster if I had just…and now this!?" Ann gestures to her stomach scowling seething.

"A unborn child bears no sin…don't you remember his words?" Shanks sighs softly sadly at her, his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't bring him into this!" Tense, Ann bitterly barks back brow furrowed fuming.

"Ann…" Shanks sighs softly at her.

"It's my father's fault this curse had fallen onto my family…!" Ann angrily blames bitterly.

Ann was firm on this stance for so long despite Shanks screaming shouting at her to reconsider it. She remembered her brother's glare, even on the ship she could recall her brother stealing her booze, her pipes, her fury at him for trying to protect the child banning her from any form of alcohol or substances and the crew complied much to her fury even despite her attempts at taking care of the child none of it worked was it fate or was it the blood in her veins that provided such a sturdy child?

She did not know all she could really remember were the times she and Shanks sat with one another, neither of them speaking a word to each other, clearly in a mood with one another. Shanks scowling, glaring at the calm composed Ann simply staring out at the sea before barking at her breaking the still silence to keep the child, resulting in a fair few childish feuds, Ben would have to break up…

The silent sea breeze brushes through Ann's long hair as she silently stares out at the open sea, the boat rocking the pair of them at their table until…

"…The child would be a good contingency." Ann finally breaks the still silence stunning Shanks having readied himself for another rant.

"…Eh?" Stunned, Shanks blinks befuddled, a fair few of the red haired pirates perking up at her words while wordlessly she stares out at the sea.

"If all goes wrong…it would be best to have a backup." Briskly, she simply shrugs stunning the group as she simply stares out at sea.

"B-Backup!?" The boys gawk gapes at her.

"S-So cold…" The redhead pirates couldn't help but think to themselves.

"I thought mother's were meant to be all loving and maternal!" Yasopp thinks to himself.

"S-Scary…" The other red haired pirates couldn't help but shake scared.

The red haired pirates couldn't help but gawk gape at Ann.

"Especially that of an admiral and someone like me…heh that will certainly be a middle finger to the world government." Ann couldn't help her sly smug smirk of pettiness, pleased by the thought.

"HOW PETTY!" The red haired pirates bellow baffled by the reasoning for her decision.

"How can you say that about your child?" Cross, Shanks slams his hand down on the table tense glaring at Ann still staring out at the open ocean.

"Do you want me to keep it or not?" Snippily, Ann challenges Shanks swiftly shutting Shanks up.

"I'd like for you not to call them an it for one!" Sheepishly, Shanks sits back down grumpily pouting.

"Tch…!" Ann tuts clicking her tongue tense towards Shanks as a still silence continues between both siblings.

In the end…

"You promise me I won't die?" Ann couldn't help but cross her arms over her chest eyeing Hongou having gone over the plan for her absence.

"I'll make sure of it." Hongou promises her.

"…Hongou…" Ann couldn't help but frown furrowing her brow by the thought, a grim grave look on her furrowed features.

"Hm…" He looks up at her noting her heavy expression.

"If I do…" Ann begins but…

"I just said you…" Hongou cuts her off.

"Look on the off chance that it's me or the kid…save the kid." Ann crosses her arms anguished over herself.

"You…you sure?" Hongou couldn't help but frown.

"…I am. No matter what Shanks says. The kid has to live." Ann states the fact firmly resolved as Hongou quietly nods.

And in the end…

The baby's sharp screams echo erupts throughout the pirate ship, some smile raising their mugs of beer celebrating the arrival as within Ann couldn't help but smile softly down at the freckled face of the baby boy in her arms. Fatigued from it all, she still smiles holding her baby boy, her temple to his own. She couldn't help but blink back the tears seeing so much of Ace and yet so much from him…her heart ached at the sight and yet…she couldn't help her smile.

Happy almost to see some of his features on the child…a part of her unable not to smile at the thought of this child being theirs…who knows what this child could do after all…the child of an admiral and yonko right hand…her smile couldn't help but widen with the thought of the chaos this singular child could cause for the world government. Who knew how tall the child would even be?

Ann couldn't help but beam by the thought of the possibilities…briefly brushing past a small strand of curl in his hair, quietly booping a familiar nose of the boy beaming brightly by the thought that this child of hers…would be the perfect successor to taking down the world government. Smiling, she happily hugs the child, she couldn't help her tears of joy, of relief that they were both alive, that they were both okay, that they were both safe.

It was worth it.

"If it's a girl…Rouge…" Ann smiles softly at the boy below never having felt such joy before was this…was this how her mother felt before…to think she was oh so eager to be rid of the child months ago…

"And if it's a boy?" Shanks softly brings her back to reality.

"…Ace. This is the name I've picked." Ann decides happily hugging her child smiling rubbing the side of her face to the young baby boy's.

"…Ann…" Shanks softly whispers.

"Gol. D. Ace. He is my child and mine alone." Ann's grip tightens tenses around her baby bundle in her arm…

"Mmm…" Uta makes a sound of sorts bringing Ann back to reality as Ann arches a bored brow towards the pouting girl glaring at her still, now resorting to making sounds to grab Ann's attention.

"So…how's your music faring?" Ann attempts to make conversation but…

"…" Uta continues glaring.

"…I take it you're still mad at me…" Ann quietly sets her teacup down.

"No what gave it away?" Aloofly, Uta sneers snippily.

"The attitude for one young lady." Ann gives Uta a look.

"Mom you hung a guy I thought was cute from a cliff!" Uta frowns at Ann.

"I had to make an example out of him honey." Ann simply sips her tea.

"Mom that's not normal." Uta asserts annoyed.

"Oh come now least he's still alive." Ann offers optimistically.

"Wha…what do you mean by that?" Taken aback, Uta eyes Ann.

"…I'm just saying some parents aren't as lax as I am." Ann silently sips her tea.

"That's you being lax!?" Uta gawks gapes at Ann.

"I care for my own Uta. I had to make sure the other boys knew if they wanted you, they had to be serious." Ann asserts to Uta.

"Have you thought that maybe I don't want serious?" Uta huffs.

"Excuse you?" Ann blinks befuddled.

"Maybe I want some fun like you and Shanks have." Uta argues as Ann makes…quite the face.

"Uta for the love of whatever is out there never phrase it like that again." Ann perturbed pinches the bridge of her nose.

"You know what I mean! I heard you and that guy papa dueled had fun.

"…I was young back then and very very stupid." Sternly, she tells Uta.

"Come on mama I just want to have some fun it's boring on the island." Uta whines.

"It's safe on the island and fun you're talking about is a different kind of fun, a kind you young lady are not ready for." Firmly, Ann stresses to Uta.

"But why not?" Uta whines.

"Because it leads to nothing but trouble and pain." Ann states the fact firmly.

"Urghh you're being so unfair right now?" Uta puffs her cheeks childishly.

"I'm simply looking out for your best interest. All men really do is let you down. Now eat some of your cake I didn't buy it for it to go to waste." Sternly, she orders before going back to her tea.

"Urrrrgh…fine but I'm eating this for me not your beri." Uta stabs into the strawberry shortcake with her fork.

"Fine. Fine." Ann dismisses her pouting child smirking slightly when noting the pout fade from Uta's awestruck expression from the cake along, bringing a small smirk of endearment to her lips at her child fighting back the sheer tastiness of her strawberry shortcake…

"Luffy, it looks like he woke up!" Chopper perks up at the slumped stirring man.

"Feels like it." Luffy smirks slumped against the door.

"Hey, crappy cooker." Zoro slightly draws out his blade.

"Shut your mouth. I know, you shitty marimo. I can feel him from here." Sanji swiftly snuffs out his cigarette ready for the potential fight ahead.

"We caught a big fish." Zoro couldn't help his grin.

"Are you ok? You don't need to force yourself. You were floating in the sea, do you remember it?" Innocently, Chopper questions the man.

"Yes, I remember. Thank you for the great treatment. It looks like I came back to life, doctor...?" Z goes to ask for his name.

"Chopper!" Chopper smiles.

"Doctor Chopper. You are a great medic." Z praises him.

"Praising me doesn't get me happy, you idiot!" Chopper blushes brightly.

"You are the captain of this ship?" Z turns to Luffy.

"You can tell?" Luffy says surprised.

"Yes I can. I've seen a lot of young man like you. I'm a specialist when it comes to gauging strength." Z smiles.

"Really? What will you do? Stay with us until we arrive to the next island?" Luffy assumes however…

"I got a Vivre Card, my friends should be using that to get here." The old man shows a piece of paper.

"Old man...thats a cool weapon! Where do they sell those?" Chopper asks amazed.

"When I lost my arm to a damn pirate, a crazy scientist from the Navy made this one for me. Battle Smasher. It's made of Kairouseki, the weakness of the Devil Fruit users this way I destroy their power and crush them with this powerful squeeze. Dr. Chopper, I don't recommend something heavy like this." Z explains.

"Awesome!" Chopper gushes.

"I can't get it off without a special key, so something terrible can happen if I fall with it on the ocean." Z tells him.

"Old man, are you a Marine?" Luffy questions.

"No. I got too old for that, so I left them. I'm doing something different now." Z responds.

"What are you doing?" Luffy wonders.

"I'm looking for someone." Z bows his head.

"Someone?" Luffy says surprised.

"The child of the pirate king." Z admits.

"…eh?" Luffy's eyes expand.

"You may know her as the queen of the sea…the rightful heir of the pirate throne…" Z continues regardless.

"Why are you looking for Ann mister?" Luffy couldn't help but wonder.

"Because that girl…has caused rippled across the entire seas, ripples that I cannot turn a blind eye to…she is someone who needs to be brought to justice." Z informs her.

"…justice?" Luffy frowns.

"Only then can the world be at peace again…" Z dictates.

"…you…you want to hurt Ann?" Luffy frowns.

"…I don't want to. That girl…even for a short while was my student, a student I knew was holding back but for reasons I did not know at the time but now…now more questions have only erupted from the ripples she has caused across the sea. Questions I want answers to, answers I know I won't get unless its through the means of fighting. A person's true character is found on the battlefield after all." Z explains to Luffy.

"…you really think you can beat her?" Luffy asks him.

"…I have to. For the sake of the sea and the era Roger's bloodline must end." Z asserts.

"…I guess there'd be trouble between us then." Luffy sighs sadly.

"Oh?" Z raises a brow behind his shades.

"Ann is a part of my nakama I won't let you hurt her." Luffy pulls his sleeve up.

"Is that so…? Seems she too has poisoned you." Z stands sighing sadly disappointment drenched into his tone.

"…poison?" Luffy blinks befuddled before being met by the harsh hit of sea stone.

"Luffy!" Chopper cries out to Luffy being hit through the wall as he rolls across the sunny.

"Nami, go outside! Take care of it, please!" Sanji calls out to her as she nods, arming herself with her staff.

"How painful... a punch from a Kairouseki weapon really works." Luffy winces holding his face from the harsh hit.

"Straw Hat...why are you a pirate?" Z growls getting out of the hole in the wall he had created.

"To become the Pirate King!" Luffy answers holding his face frowning.

"Pirate King...so she really has poisoned your mind!" Z snarls lunging at Luffy only to be intercepted by Sanji and Zoro both of them struggling to lay a dent on the man.

"He's strong!" Chopper says amazed.

"Damn!" Luffy curses as he goes in for another hit however it doesn't do much as the trio get on the defensive.

"Brooke! Let's fight too!" Usopp calls out to the skeleton.

"Ok!" The skeleton goes to draw out his blade when suddenly something rams into the ship.

"They're here…" Z couldn't help his grin as Ain and Binz both leap down from the ship.

"I am a Vice-Admiral of the New Navy, Ain! We are confiscating this pirate ship. Do not resist. You will only shorten your lives." Sternly, she orders as she takes out her daggers. Binz by her side readying his plants as more ships sharing the same flag surround the straw hats…

"Mama…" Uta calls out to her eyeing the hot cocoa in her hand.

"Hm?" Humming, Ann arches a bored brow at Uta.

"Do you really mean that?" Uta couldn't help but wonder.

"Mean what?" Ann asks Uta.

"About me not dating…" Uta frowns.

"Sweetheart the world is full of terrible people I just don't want you to get hurt…" Ann attempts to explain to her.

"But…I really liked him…" Uta whines.

"Can you at least tell me the boy's name then?" Ann asks.

"Uh…Andrew?" Uta trails off.

"…why do you sound confused?" Ann smirks slightly eyeing Uta over her raised teacup.

"Who sounds confused? You're the one sounding confused…" Uta pouts puffing out her cheeks cross.

"You didn't even know the boy's name did you?" Ann smirks seeing said through her.

"Of course I did." Uta huffs crossing her arms over her chest.

"Then explain why you gave the wrong name." Amused, Ann chuckles coyly.

"E-Eh?" Uta stutters surprised.

"His name was Marcus." Ann tells Uta.

"How did…?" Uta begins but…

"Uta dear I do get to know my victims before I screw them over I have some semblance of standards." Ann smirks softly setting her tea down.

"…riiiight…" Uta draws out.

"You can hardly give me that face after telling me that tid bit young lady…" Ann gives Uta a look.

"So what if I didn't know his name…?" Uta dismisses.

"Uta how can you like a boy if you don't even know his name?" Ann argues.

"He was cute." Uta smiles.

"…he was cute…that's it?" Ann blinks befuddled.

"…He had a cute butt?" Uta offers as Ann does a stunned spit take.

"Uta!" Astonished, Ann covers her flustered face from Uta's face.

"What? That's what Shanks says about girls…" Uta shrugs innocently.

"Oh for…your father is the last main to use as a basis for seeking a man out." Agitated, Ann argues.

"You think so?" Uta hums.

"Well I mean there are some good things about him…" Ann considers.

"But you just said…" Uta begins but…

"Uta…just because you find a boy or physically attractive doesn't mean you should start a relationship with him." Ann cuts Uta off.

"Why not?" Uta probes.

"Uta someone could be the most prettiest person in the world but they could have the worse personality there is…" Ann attempt to explain to her.

"So…the most ugliest person must have the best personality." Uta deduces.

"Well no…that's not always a guarantee. People can just be creeps." Ann argues.

"…urgh this is ridiculous there's no winning." Uta groans grumpily.

"Exactly which is why you will never participate in such a gamble." Ann decides.

"Mama! You can't decide that for me!" Mad, Uta whines glaring lightly at her mother happily enjoying her tea.

"You're a devil fruit user too…tell me what did you do to Nami and Chopper!?" Robin demands from Ain her hands holding Ain at bay but…

"Robin let go of her!" Alarmed, a child version of Nami calls out to her.

"…huh?" Robin turns to her but its too late.

"Modo Modo!" Ain touches the hands holding her.

"…!" Robin gasps at the pink aura surrounding her, changing her just as an explosion erupts from behind blasting back both Zoro and Sanji soon wrapped up by vines thanks to a certain ninja, holding Franky, Usopp and the rest.

"I won't…I won't let you hurt Ann!" Angrily, Luffy swears it incensed despite the dire situation he found himself in trapped within the sea stone grip of Z's gauntlet.

"Do you have any idea what trouble that woman has caused? How can you expect to stop me when you're this weak? It's laughable! Should I just crush you? What do you say pirate king? Name yourself." Z orders from Luffy who simply growls glaring at Z.

"I won't…let you…hurt…Ann!" Angrily, Luffy swears it irritated.

"I see. So you're Garp's grandson…heh of course you'd be pulled into her poison." Z tosses Luffy aside.

"Z-sensei I'm glad you're safe." Ain turns to the older bandaged man.

"…We're leaving. But before we do Straw hat…that woman…she is not who you think her to be. That woman is capable of nothing but lying. Whatever honeyed praises she's giving you mean nothing all she cares about is herself do you understand that?" Z calls out to him.

"You're wrong!" Luffy growls lunging at Z until gasping at the plant shooting out of nowhere catching him.

"Luffy!" Nami alarmed calls out to the man now held back by a familiar vine.

"I am Z, the supreme commander of the Neo-Navy! And I will take that traitorous Hibiscus head!" Z proclaims proudly before leaving with his crew.

"Oi our fight isn't over!" Luffy flails around in the vines as Z leaves the dismantled Sunny and Sunny to it…

"…That paper about that island exploding…" Uta brings up brow furrowed.

"Hm?" Ann's eyes expand at the mention.

"They said it was you…that island…disappearing." Uta fidgets fiddles with her hot cocoa.

"Oh that…" Ann looks to the side.

"You…you didn't do that?" Uta worriedly watches her mother.

A still silence settles between both mother and daughter until…

"…What do you think?" Ann asks as she softly sets her cup down, the crisp clink of cutlery echoing.

"…no. you wouldn't do that. Least not without some reason for it." Uta deduces.

"…I didn't." Ann confirms.

"Then why didn't you say so?" Uta pouts playfully.

"Just wanted to hear your thoughts is all." Ann admits aloofly.

"Mama…why are they pinning this on you?" Uta furrows her brow at her mother.

"…because it's easier that way." Ann shrugs.

"Easier?" Uta blinks befuddled.

"The marines can't let the public know more than one person turned traitor let alone more powerful than the common rookie." Ann scoffs smirking.

"So they're blaming you…" Uta frowns from the thought.

"It's easier that way." Ann shrugs.

"But it's not fair to you!" Uta stresses scowling.

"…Uta…" Ann sighs softly at her frowning daughter.

"None of this…none of this is fair on you." Uta's grip tightens tenses trembles around her cup of cocoa.

"It's alright. Let's not let this ruin our day." Ann leans over placing her hand over her daughter's smiling.

"But none of this is alright!" Uta couldn't help but growl glare down at her cocoa.

"When you're in my position it's expected besides it expands my horizons not only do I pillage homes and steal children but I also destroy islands on the side…really does expand the bio does it not?" Ann attempts to joke cheekily winking.

"Heheh…you're so silly mama!" Uta couldn't help but giggle gleefully bringing a small smile to Ann's own lips at the sight, the two happily enjoying their mother and daughter day out…

"Luffy! I'm going to completely fix Sunny! It will take some time, but while I fix it you'll go after Z, right?" Franky assumes as he mends away at the ported Sunny battered, beaten bruised but still standing.

"Yes, I'm leaving Sunny with you!" Luffy smiles at Franky.

"This should settle for hotel rooms, repairs…" Nami looks over the beri in her grasp in her younger form, now in a white dress with pigtails.

"I'm so sorry...All of this because I wanted to save that Z." Chopper apologizes to the crew.

"Don't apologize. A pirate shouldn't regret doing what he believed in." Zoro calls out to Chopper.

"It's not your fault. We all know that." Sanji adds.

"Thank you." Chopper smiles.

"New Navy...Who could that Z be? And why does he want Hibiscus dead so badly?" Usopp couldn't help but wonder.

"She is the child of the pirate king." Zoro brings up.

"Yeah but what her father did has nothing to do with Ann." Sanji frowns.

"Maybe to some but she still is his child she may know things no one across the whole world knows…not to mention the impact she left when she revealed she was the pirate king's child… the whole point of Marineford was to put an end to the pirate king's bloodline but…" Robin brings up.

"They failed. And now Z most likely wants to finish what the navy started." Zoro cuts in.

"Yeah but when he found out about Luffy's connection to her, he attacked out of nowhere! That's unreasonable!" Chopper adds.

"The ability of that Binz is problematic." Sanji spews smoke from his cigarette.

"Next time we are going to settle things straight. Besides, we need to avenge Sunny, that showed so much bravery." Zoro smirks at the Sunny.

"If it wasn't for Sunny strength, we would all be swimming at sea because of the Navy attack or worse some of us would have drowned." Nami adds.

"We need to find that New Navy and pay them back." Robin asserts.

"Are you serious?! I don't want to mess with those dangerous people again besides Hibiscus will properly deal with them she's super strong so let's just stay in this island until Sunny is repaired!" Usopp argues.

"What are you talking about? If we don't find them, my body won't return to normal!" Nami argues.

"Me neither! I don't want to stay like this! With this body of a child, I can't do anything!" Chopper adds.

"The navigation in the New World will be a lot harder! As navigator... I need to get back to normal, so I can guide Sunny Go!" Nami disputes.

"That's right!" Chopper agrees.

"I-I don't mean that you should stay just like that!" Usopp assures anxiously.

"It would be a problem if I didn't return to normal as well." Robin throws in.

"I bet you're happy to be a teen again and having everything in the right place again." Usopp argues however…

"I'm sorry!" Usopp cries from the hands sprouting out of him messing with him.

"Honestly. Don't joke around when our ladies are in trouble. But, wait a second... That means I'll be able to closely follow Nami's precious days while her body matures? I'll be able to see the moment when the larva turns into a beautiful butterfly?" Sanji swoons smiling at the thought.

"That's incredibly awesome!" Brook agrees amazed.

"Disgusting." Zoro states.

"Huh? I'm going to kill you, you marimo! If you went back into a kid, I'd give you a lesson." Sanji swears snarling at Zoro.

"Idiot!...I'd defeat you even as a kid!" Zoro butts heads with Sanji.

"What did you say? Then I would defeat you even if I was turned into a three year old!" Sanji barks back.

"Idiot! I would have defeated you when I was a baby!" Zoro barks back.

"Hu?! What did you say?!" Sanji snarls the two arguing as just then…

"This is no time to fight!" Nami splits both boys up.

"You know...actually, my age was also decreased..." Brook admits sheepishly.

"It looks like...It didn't change...Anything..." The crew eye Brook.

"I was also touched by that Ain from the New Navy." Brook insists.

"Speaking about it, it's true. But it didn't change anything..." Usopp confirms recalling his tied up form with Brook.

"No! I am just bones. I've been a corpse for more than 50 years... But something changed that had never happened before. My age went back years. Look, my hair has the softness of years ago!" Brooke shows his afro off.

"No it hasn't! You painted your hair!" Sanji kicks him.

"You don't need to go back to normal." Zoro decides for him.

"Yes, that's right. No, No! I also want...to return to normal? How do I know?!" Brooke wonders.

"For us to go back to normal, we have to gather information about Z and the New Navy. Excuse me, do you have any...big city on this island where we can get some information and clothes?" Nami perks up at a passerby.

"This island has nothing besides our docks. How about you go to the neighboring island? They are very popular for the hot springs and volcanoes. And now there is the sea train passing there, it has a lot of people visiting!" The woman tells the crew.

"Sea train? Are you talking about that sea train?" Nami perks up.

"Yes." She smiles as the crew go to catch a lift from the sea train.

"What do you think of this dress mom?" Uta asks as she spins smiling showing said dress off to her.

"Looking great sweetie…" Ann assures as just then…

"Heh pretty enough for a boy…?" Bemused, Uta winks.

"Uta…" Ann gives her a look.

"I'm growing up it's only natural I start liking boys." Uta whines.

"Did your time on the red haired pirate ship teach you nothing about boys...men at that?" Tiredly, Ann argues.

"Mama..." Uta begins but…

"You saw how many women they brought on board, how many women were cheated on heck no doubt you heard how they would talk about girls sometimes..." Sighing, Ann reminds Uta.

"Till you beat them up." Uta points out.

"Uta listen to me I get it you are growing up I'll grant you that but dating? Yeah no." Ann asserts as she pays for the dress.

"What do you mean yeah no?" Uta whines as they leave the shop.

"Do you honestly think you can place in your trust to some boy...?" Ann asks as she takes the bag adding one to the many bags she holds that wer Uta's shopping.

"Jack isn't like most, I mean he isn't a pirate for one." Uta brings up.

"Jack…?" Ann arches a brow by the new name.

"Uh…" Uta trails off.

"Looks like I got another boy to make an example of." Ann grunts.

"Mom! He's a good guy I mean like I said he's no pirate." Pointedly, Uta argues.

"Doesn't mean he won't cheat besides what makes you think he's even good enough for you?" Ann argues.

"Mooom..." Uta whines slumping her shoulders.

"Sweetie you are the child of a yonko and my child at that you deserve better than settling for some island boy..." Bluntly, Ann tells Uta how it is, brow briefly furrowing from the strange sensation of being watched. Ann stops in her tracks turning to look behind her brow furrowed at the crowd of tourists many talking, many eating, many having the time of their lives as she seemingly silently scans the crowd, feeling a familiar gaze on her when…

"So you want me to end up with a pirate?" Uta brings Ann back to reality.

"With no one." Ann asserts as she turns back to Uta.

"But that's no fair!" Uta stomps her foot down on the ground.

"Life's not fair sweetie." Aloofly, Ann brushes past Uta.

"But I heard you dated when you were even younger than me!" Uta follows after Ann whining.

"...What'cha talking about sweetheart?" Ann skeptically side eyes Uta.

"I know all about you and that swordsman, mama was rather cheeky when she was young!" Uta giggles gleefully alarming Ann.

"...W-Who told you about that?" Tense, Ann demands from her daughter.

"Papa..." Uta shrugs.

"What!?" Ann growls.

"He was drunk though..." Uta recalls.

"Dammit Shanks..." Ann facepalms.

"If you did that why can't I?" Uta argues.

"Uta you must never do that!" Tense, Ann sternly stresses.

"But why not? It's my body my rules that's what you always said..." Uta huffs arms crossed.

"This is difference." Ann stresses.

"How?" Uta probes.

"Look Uta remember when you asked about the men bringing women on board and was all confused about it wondering about their wives and such back home." Ann attempts to explain.

"Yeah...you said something about the rules of the sea or something…" Uta hums.

"That's the thing the rules of the sea...it's different to the rules of the land." Ann rubs the back of her neck.

"So we can-" Uta begins but…

"No you cannot." Ann curtly cuts Uta off.

"But why not?" Uta whines.

"Is he asking you for this?" Ann's eyes darken.

"Course not!" Uta huffs.

"I swear…" Ann raises her fist.

"It's not like that mom!" Uta whines.

"It better not be…" Ann grunts grumpily glaring behind her once more, swearing she saw a faint figure watching her. Was it CP0? Ann couldn't help but be on guard as her eyes soon landed on the figure. Her eyes expand, feeling her voice choke on, tense tighten even why…why was he here? She couldn't help but wonder brow furrowed tense, her legs becoming as heavy as led when…

"Mom…?" Innocently, Uta calls out to her, seemingly snapping Ann out of it as she simply shakes her head, she was just imagining things. She had to be.

"Nothing…come on let's find you another cute dress…" Ann turns to smile at Uta.

"Okay!" Uta happily complies before going on ahead as Ann turns around once more, her eyes expanding to find the fiant figure gone, the feeling of being stared at long gone… she goes on her way, following Uta's lead on her shopping spree, oblivious to the lone wanderer hiding away behind a building before going on his way…

"Luffy, Marino, Bones. You faces are too recognizable. Leave the information gathering to me. Isn't that right, Nami-swan, Robin-chwan?" Sanji tells the board as they get on the train.

"You can't do it either, Sanji." Nami tells him.

"Whhhhat!?" Sanji says shocked.

"A hot temper is just as bad as being too well known. We will gather the information!" Nami decides.

"No... But I wanted to go with you..." Sanji whines.

"We're here!" Chopper comments as they get off the train, a young blonde girl with her mother and wheelbound grandmother go on their way in front of the crew.

"Let's enjoy the hot springs." Zoro decides as the boys go to do just that.

"Why was he here? Ann couldn't help but wonder her brow furrowing further from the thought maybe she was just seeing things? Ann brushes her locks of pink perturbed…hopeful almost at the thought.

"Mom…" Uta calls out to her mother as she looks over at the mannequins offering all sorts of outfits.

"Hm?" Ann seemingly snaps out of her thoughts turning to Uta.

"...do...do you regret it?" Uta couldn't help but question her.

"...It's complicated..." Ann sighs sadly.

"Complicated?" Uta perks up at the word.

"I hate the means of which I did what I did…" Ann scratches her cheek.

"But…" Uta quirks her head to the side.

"But I don't regret the relationship that came from it..." Ann asserts attempting to find the words.

"...so...I won't regret…" Uta begins but…

"Yes you will." Ann assertively cuts her off.

"What do you mean I will...!?" Uta huffs foot firmly stomping on the ground once more pouting.

"You need to do that with someone you love with someone you're going to spend the rest of your life with...or never at all is a much more safer saner possibility." Ann explains to Uta.

"And what if Jack's that person?" Uta argues.

"And what if he isn't? What if he tosses you away for another girl?" Ann disputes.

"H-He wouldn't do that!" Uta disputes.

"How do you know that?" Ann challenges.

"I know him!" Uta glares at her mother.

"Uta just because you know a person doesn't mean they still won't hurt you." Ann gently tells her.

"Mama..." Uta begins but…

"Men are nothing but selfish creatures. They don't think with their heart all they think about is themselves. Their priority is themselves not you, not anyone else." Ann tells Uta.

"…Jack doesn't." Uta frowns.

"I'm sure that's the image he's been trying to push onto you." Ann sneers snippily.

"Image…?" Uta whispers weakly.

"They seem perfect but that's only a façade for you to give them what they want from you. As soon as you do they'll abandon you for another girl to trick…" Ann explains to Uta.

"Want from me?" Uta furrows her brow befuddled.

"All men do is take…that's all they ever do that's why men aren't worth it Uta. All men do is hurt and betray anyone at a second notice to gain something." Ann crosses her arms over her chest.

"Shanks doesn't." Uta frowns.

"Shanks is one of the rare few you can call a man most of them are nothing more than disappointments." Ann asserts to Uta.

"...But I love him…" Uta looks down at her fidgeting fingertips unaware of Ann's twitching eye.

"Those are heavy words Uta." Ann's fingertips dig deep into her inner palm.

"I mean them…!" Earnestly, Uta asserts.

"You're a child." Ann dismisses waving Uta off but…

"I mean them!" Uta remains resolved.

"Then let me ask you something, has he said those words to you?" Cooly, Ann asks her.

"W-Well..." Uta begins but…

"...Well?" Ann cooly raises a bored brow.

"..." Uta falters going quiet.

"That's what I thought." Ann silently stares down at her daughter.

"…" Uta's lip trembles making Ann falter, guilt clear on her furrowed features for her daughter.

"I'm sorry Uta . I know I'm sounding cruel but men like Shanks are a rarity, they are few and far between. I'm just being in realistic when I said not to push all your eggs in one basket." Ann gently brings Uta's head up with her finger under Uta's chin.

"You're saying not to put any of my eggs in any basket." Uta frowns up at her mother.

"For good reason...look you're my daughter and I love you, that's why I'm telling you these things. i don't want you make the same mistakes that I did." She slides her hand across Uta's cheek.

"Mom…" Uta whispers weakly.

"You're still young. All I want is for you to be happy. And men…they aren't the answer. Most men don't see it the way that you do. I just don't want to see you get hurt. Look you're young you have your whole life ahead of you. I don't want to see you be trapped with one person for the rest of your life." Ann attempts to comfort Uta.

"Trapped...?" Uta blinks befuddled.

"Don't you think it's scary waking up to the same face every single day..." Ann argues.

"I mean not really not if it's with someone I love." Uta smiles shyly up at Ann.

"And how do you know they'll still love you ar that point?" Ann sighs, she loved her daughter but she did not think she made her this naïve…

"What do you mean?" Uta blinks befuddled.

"People get bored Uta, and when they get bored they cheat. They hurt you. They betray you. That's what men do." Ann tells her how it is.

"Then I'll just..." Uta begins but…

"Don't you dare say change, never change just cause someone tell you do you understand?" Ann places her hands on her shoulders.

"Then what should I do?" Uta frowns up at her daughter.

"Nothing. If they cheat they aren't worth your time. That's why it's best to simple enjoy life you're a smart and beautiful girl Uta. Capable of all sorts, don't ever think you have to settle down just cause others are confining themselves to people, don't let yourself be held back by other people's words. You chose when you want to settle or if you ever want to settle that's up to you, no one can tell you otherwise." Sternly, she tells her daughter.

"Mom..." Uta begins but…

"You have plenty of time so take your time, think about this, it's a big step...I don't want you to rush in like I did...you need to be sure you're choosing to do this when you're of age...and married." Ann sternly stresses.

"But you're not married..." Uta frowns.

"Yes well like I said I'm a pirate it's different." Ann tells her.

"That's not fair." Uta pouts puffing up her cheeks.

"Nothing in life is fair Uta." Ann reminds her.

"I was a pirate once too technically." Uta huffs.

"Oh I'm sorry did you ever fight on the ship?" Smirking, Ann asks amused.

"Noo..." Uta draws out.

"Exactly that's not going to work." Ann flicks her head.

"Ow! But mama I really like him!" Uta whines holding her head.

"Just cause you like him doesn't mean he likes you back." Ann tells her.

"But..." Uta goes to argue when…

"Uta people hurt you I'm sorry but do you honestly think it's worth getting your heart broken over some guy?" Ann asks her.

"...no." Uta falters.

"Exactly now come on I'll treat you to some shopping how about that?" Ann smiles.

"...Okay..." Uta sighs sadly as the two continue shopping…

Steam spews into the indoor bathhouses as Luffy exhausted from the hot bathe water pokes his tongue out, leaning over the side seemingly similar to both Brook as Sanji and Zoro happily enjoy their respective bathes.

"Sheesh you devil fruit users have so many weakness." Sanji stands, towel wrapped around him as he eyes the sad state of his captain and fellow crew member.

"We can more or less manage when we're only half submerged." Brooke groans.

"The water feels great." Zoro comments.

"I can feel it... I can feel it in my bones... Everything goes away along with the exhaustion." Brooke enjoys the warm water.

"Z...I got distracted with the weapon in his arm and I let my guard down. I'll get him next time!" Luffy furrows his brow by the memory.

"Idiot. Navy patrols are all over this island if someone as whimsical as you went wandering off blindly…you'd just cause more trouble again. Don't you remember what Nami-san said? Leave the information gathering to Robin-chan and the others. And as for Z… Let me and Marimo take care of Z. Ann swan will surely be so grateful if we took care of that pest." Sanji decides swooning at the thought of her.

"I don't want you to do anything. I will finish him off. Next time, I'll dodge that arm of his and attack him with everything I got! That way he can't hurt Ann! I'll protect her!" Luffy swears it.

"You're lively as always. I got tired of waiting for you guys here." Dread hits the straw hats hard from the voice alone as they turn to stare up at the man above slowly lifting his head astonishing Luffy falling flat behind him, hitting the bathhouse as he takes Sanji and Zoro with him.

"Aokiji!" The group gawks gape at the laid back man before them.

"What's wrong, guys? Who is this person?" Brook asks eyeing the slumped stranger.

"A Marine! Admiral Aokiji of the Navy!" Luffy fills Brook in.

"Admiral?!" Brook gawks gapes at the cool calm collected man.

"Hi there. How long has it been?" Aokiji smoothly salutes the group, simply staring stunned at the admiral before them.

"OOh I wan that and that and that mom doesn't this make me look so cute!" Uta cheerily looks around the shop smiling from ear to ear animatedly looking through so much. Meanwhile the just done looking Ann quietly smokes, silently smoking. The shop owner blushing brightly by the blonde beauty, swiftly peeling off the no smoking sign smiling at the blonde beauty before him.

"...you look great sweetie." Ann grunts, cigarette between her lips thinking of something. Was she too harsh? Ann couldn't help but ponder by their talk, did she go too far with her explanation...still she had to words with Shanks when she got home, Uta learning of her and Mihawk's history was troublesome.

"You're not even looking!" Uta whines when spinning spotting Ann in a world of her own almost.

"Urgh you look great." Aloofly, Ann assures the pouting Uta.

"Hey mom..." Uta sighs spinning on her heel firmly focusing on the mirror.

"Hm?" Ann hums.

"You say men are the worst then why do I see you flirt with them?" Uta couldn't help but ask.

"Oh that...that's cause I want something from them." Truthfully, Ann admits.

"Tha...how does that make you any better mama!? You're a hypocrite...!" Uta accuses.

"I mean yeah you're not wrong. It's a little trick I learnt when I was young about men. I knew what they wanted and I knew what I wanted so it was a simple exchange as it were. But that is definitely not something you should ever do." Ann sternly stresses.

"Then why do you do it?" Uta quirks her head to the side.

"For information or allies if I ever get in a tough spot I'll have them become my shields or scapegoats." Smirking, Ann admits.

"That doesn't sound fair mama." Uta couldn't help but point out.

"They're the ones who think they can get one up on me might as well let them think that while I swindle them for everything. Men are nothing more than tools to take advantage of..." Ann coldly concludes.

"You're scary mama..." Uta says as she looks herself in the mirror.

"That's what being a pirate is about especially with the number of men you meet on the seas. Best to take advantage of them before they take advantage of you." Smirking, she tells Uta. Everyone had a part to play after all, a role in the grand scheme of things.

"Mm..." Uta couldn't help her uneasy responds worriedly eyeing her mother, silently smoking.

"Now come on let's go get something to eat." Ann flicks the cigarette aside, snuffing out the low ember as she and Uta go get something to eat…

"Zoro, Sanji!" Luffy calls out to them getting into a fighting stance.

"Yes!" Both boys get into their stances ready to take on the admiral.

"What does an Admiral want with us?" Brook demands from the admiral.

"Now now, don't get so worked up." Aokiji tells them still slumped in the water.

"What do you want with us? Don't tell me..." Sanji scowls up at the taller man.

"It's nothing like that. I don't want to capture you now. I left the Navy, you should've known that. I'm not a Navy Admiral anymore." Aokiji waves them off.

"Then what are you?" Brook demands.

"What? I don't like a skeleton asking me that...but since I'm not an Admiral anymore...am I an ally of justice? No, that's not it...what am I? How should I know?" Aokiji raises a bored brow to Brook before wondering that himself.

"How will we know?!" Zoro and Sanji snap at the man.

"Well, that's it. I have no intention of fighting with you now. Think about it. If I wished to fight, I wouldn't be in a hot spring where I can't use my powers." Aokiji places his hand to his head before leaning back over lying on the railing sighing.

"You were waiting for us?" Sanji

"That's right. I don't want to stay here anymore...so, let's talk about the rest outside." Aokiji stands, their eyes expanding at his scarred state but most importantly the ice sprouting from the stub of his leg forming an ice foot.

"Ah, this? Well, how can I say, I got carried away too much." Aokiji notes the men staring at his scarred form as he rubs the scar marred into his right shoulder, oblivious almost to them gawking at his leg of ice. Ice coats the railing of the bath he once laid in, steam spews around the scarred man as a still silence sits between the men, having no clue what to make of the former admiral Aokiji.

"You enjoying the cake?" Coyly, Ann asks amused as she leans back against the café chair, quietly enjoying her tea.

"…course I am it's so good!" Uta in awe gushes over the sweet treat.

"Heh I'm glad." Ann couldn't help her small smile at the sight until…

"Hibiscus'…" Her brow furrows from the call of her name making her arch a bored brow at the trio before her.

"Oh for…again really?" Ann exhales exasperated.

"You know these people mom?" Uta asks innocently.

"…Sadly…not today Z come back another day and you can get your ass whipped." Ann waves the old man off.

"You think I'll just walk away…?" Z growls.

"If you know what's good for you. You will." Ann quietly sips her tea unfazed by the men armed in black, aiming their weapons at her as Uta couldn't help but freeze frightened for her life…

"Everyone here must know he doesn't know when to fall. Z…or rather former Admiral of the Marine, Black Arm Zephyr. He is alive…" Tsuru frowns as those of the marine sit in the dark room eyeing the projection showing the profile of the purple haired man with the robotic arm as the elite marines sit around the table eyeing the projection.

"Either way with Roger spotted this may be our only time to strike, with Zephyr focused on her this could be our only time to take her by surprise and overwhelm her…the bloodline of the pirate king we must finish what we started and eradicate such filth from the plains of both earth and sea. The same with Z, he may have taken care of us in the past but he is now a enemy of the marines along with Z and the neo marines they should all be disposed of with Roger." Steam spews out of Akainu's gloved fist, flames engulfing it whole as he sits at the head of the marines.

"Wouldn't it be easier to let the pair fight it out? They're both as ruthless as each other, only one will be walking away…" Kizaru argues eyeing the photos of Z handing a child a ice cream cone after one had fallen to the floor while another shows Ann simply staring ahead.

"Taking such lazy precautions with someone of her caliber is a foolish move! A rat like her needs to be exterminated from the ends of the earth!" Enraged, Akainu dictates.

"Tch…" Smoker scowls sharply spewing smoke into the open air.

"…Ann san…" Softly, Tashigi whispers weakly.

"For the both of them to be on that island of all islands…Hina thinks something set this up." Hina admits.

"It's no secret Z has been tracking Hibiscus down…" The mohawk admiral points out.

"Not that I can blame him. She made a mockery of us. That traitorous cow!" Cross, another mad marine adds angrily.

"Indeed. Which is why we can't let her out of our sights when she is alone is when she is most dangerous…" Tsuru states sternly to the rest looking over the old marine profile of both Hibiscus and Z just as Akainu slams his heated fist on the desk.

"In the name of Justice, we must take down Z and his neo Marines with all the power of the Marine and execute absolute justice on the scum of that demon Hibiscus! We will not rest until we have her head!" Akainu declares breaking the cigar in his other hand in half, unaware of a silent few furrowing their brow. They sheepishly look down at the photos of Hibiscus' being spotted in the same area as she helps a crying child reunite with their balloon with Zephyr spotted in the same area, helping a crying child lost be reunited with their parents, making the marines dead set on dealing with the two terrifying threats.

"Ann D. Roger…you are under arrest for betraying the marines…for…" Ain steps forward frowning glaring up at the woman above calmly quietly enjoying her tea.

"Could we quit with the pleasantries? Look I didn't see you. You didn't see me how does that sound?" Ann silently sets her tea down turning to eye the group before her.

"You think I'll just walk away again?" Z grunts glaring at Ann.

"I think you'll use your eyes to see I'm busy and have no time to play." Ann gestures to Uta.

"Play? You think I'm playing?" Z scoffs.

"You think you're different from any other man attempting to take my head." Haughtily, Ann asks.

"You…" Z growls glaring at her.

"Go home Z. I have no time to play with you today." Ann orders once more waving them off when…

"M-Mom…" She hears her daughter's shy stutter as she slowly turns, Ann's eyes darkening at the blade to her daughter's neck.

"Is this how you really want to play?" Ann asks her tone cold curt eyeing the blue haired woman holding her daughter hostage.

"…I will do what I must for Z sensei." Ain places the dagger close to the trembling Uta's neck. A still silence sits between the two till Ann sighs, numerous guns pinned pointed at her and yet she stands.

"…Uta…could you close your eyes I rather you not see what I'm about to do." Ann politely requests from her.

"…mom…" Tears begin to form in Uta's eyes.

"It'll be alright I promise." Ann assures her.

"…" Sniffling, Ann complies.

"Tell me…do you know what happened the last time someone tried hurting my family?" Aloofly, Ann asks Ain.

"…Last I checked you did noth-Arghhh!" Ain's sharp screams stop her midway, scarlet spewing out of her eye socket, the knife thrown in impaled firmly into her eye as she releases Uta, screaming sobbing holding her eye.

"Ain!" Z calls out alarmed alongside Binz.

"Did nothing huh. I took a man's arm for pissing me imagine what I'm going to do to you." Ain grins giddily down at the screaming woman wailing thrashing as Ann digs the blade deeper and deeper into Ain's eye.

"I can't see I can't! Argh!" Ain screams just as scarlet splashes across Ann's shirt.

"You…bastard…" Ann growls glaring down at the wailing woman.

"Arghhh!" Ain continues screaming scarlet seeping out of her.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to get blood out of a satin shirt!?" Snarling, Ann tosses Ain aside.

"Ain!" Z and Binz rush over to her wounded side.

"Mama gets angry at the strangest things…" Uta whispers worriedly watching.

"It's not strange when it's a white shirt at that honestly…urgh…this is going to take forever to get out…" Annoyed, Ann couldn't help but whine at her mess of a satin shirt oblivious almost to the wailing woman trying to use her devil fruit to bring back her eye…

"Chopper, have you found anything?" Usopp in disguise asks Chopper as he, Nami and Chopper are at the back of the bar while Robin performs for the buzzed troops of marines and tourists alike.

"I heard some rumors that a few Marines came to this island after Z. But I couldn't get anything more." Chopper reports.

"Only rumors, huh? There are defiantly a lot more marines showing up at the club...but I don't know if it's because of Z...or due to Robin's popularity." Usopp sighs.

"Robin is that much popular?" Chopper smiles.

"Just look at how much I got for being her manager!" Usopp shows the bills to Chopper.

"Awesome!" Chopper says amazed just as the stack of bills is taken by Nami.

"We can't do anything with rumors alone." Nami looks over the bills before her.

"So, what will we do?" Usopp wonders.

"I know! Leave it to me." Nami smiles winking at them.

"Vice Admiral Garp…who is this Z? Why hunt former vice admiral I mean…Hibiscus?" Coby couldn't help but ask his mentor staring out at the open sea.

"He wants to put an end to all pirates what better way than to take the survivor of the Roger line?" The two perk up at Sengoku's voice, they all turn to the man munching on some crackers.

"But…" Coby's brow furrows.

"He will most likely die… I know." Garp munches down on his rice cracker.

"And he still…?" Confused, Coby begins but is met by still silence.

"Zephyr is your anger towards Ann so strong that you risk your life knowing you will most definitely die…do you hate her that much? Garp couldn't help but wonder what the former's admiral plan was as he recalls the good old days.

"Fight…?" Garp blinks befuddled at Zephyr.

"Yeah Akainu seems eager to fight her and I'm curious to know how strong she is for you to take her under your wind. I thought it'd be a good practice match." The young Zephyr explains.

"…I don't know." Garp furrows his brow.

"Why not? It may discourage those that believe she's become a vice admiral due to nepotism." The young Zephyr points out.

"Yeah…thing is…" Garp shoves his finger into his nose as next thing he knew…

"…you want me to beat up some old guy." An unamused Ann frowns as she sits on the sofa in her apartment, wearing a marine cap, her hair held up in a low ponytail.

"Just to prove you're worthy to become a vice admiral." Garp answers as the girl calmly turns the page of her book.

"Did you have to do that?" Ann asks aloofly.

"Well…" Garp begins but…

"I'm guessing that's a no." Ann plops the book down on her desk.

"…Ann…" Garp begins but…

"So some sexist pig thinks I should stay in my station…" Snippily, Ann assumes annoyed.

"Well I wouldn't call him sexist more ageist…" Garp admits.

"Tch…so I have to put this idiotic fool in his place then." Ann stands snippily.

"Ann…" Garp furrows his brow at her.

"Fine. Be good to get some of my angries out." Ann smirks slamming her fist into her palm.

"You can't kill him." Garp calls out to her.

"Yeah. Yeah." She waves him off.

"Ah Garp-san this must be the future vice admiral Portgas correct?" Zephyr smiles at the young lady by Garp's side, his hand out offered to her and yet…

"…can we get this over with already?" Annoyed, she dismisses him.

"Pardon…?" He blinks befuddled.

"Just show me the bastard who thinks I should stay in my lane." An /n crosses her arms over her chest unfazed by the crowd forming, some murmuring astonished at her bluntness.

"Ann…" Garp facepalms at her.

"What? This is what it's about. Some guy thinks I'm not ready to be a vice admiral, bring him out." Ann accepts the challenge.

"Sakazuki…" Zephyr sighs turning to the man stepping forward.

"Let's get this over with." Ann grunt grumpily as the whistle blows, Sakazuki goes to strike but his eyes expand when she seemingly vanishes from his sight.

"Observation…?" Zephyr by Garp's side spots.

"Just watch." Garp grins as Sakazuki turns to look up attempting to grab the haki infused fist however his eyes expand unaware of the decoy that is the fist as a kick swiftly slams him into the wall, a crater formed rubble falling from the outline of Sakazuk's form. Everyone's eyes expand at the sight as Ann stands, eyeing the man, waiting for him to get out as next thing they knew…

"Are we done here?" Ann asks, all eyes expanding, gawking gaping at the man coughing crimson in her hand, choking him.

"Ann!" Garp growls glaring at the lone girl.

"Don't worry he still has a pulse." Ann tosses the body to the ground as he heaves, scarlet splattering across the ground brushing past Garp.

"Sakazuki!" Zephyr rushes over to his student, his eyes briefly meeting Ann's glare, his eyes expanding at her look alone as she shoves her hands into her pockets.

"Ann!" Garp growls but the girl is long gone by them, those in her path easily giving way terrified, staring stunned shakily at her all of them unable not to think of her as a monster.

"What happened to you leg?" Luffy asks eyeing the seated state of Aokiji more importantly his frozen foot.

"Have you ever heard that in the world, there are things that it's best not to ask?" Kuzan with a towel draped over his shoulder says, snow white boxer briefs on as he sits on the bench, his back to the steamy window wall.

"Then I won't ask...but why'd you fight Akainu? You're friends right?" Luffy assumes as Kuzan couldn't help the face he makes from the question.

"Good grief, you really have no tact do you? No comments about that too." Kuzan answers.

"Then, why are you here?" Luffy probes.

"You really don't learn anything. Well, I guess I can answer that. Enjoying the hot springs. That's what I'd like to say... But actually, I can't stay relaxing too much. I'm chasing after a certain man. You guys fought against a strong guy, right?" Kuzan couldn't help his smirk of pride awe almost as he rubs his iced prosthetic.

"Z..." Luffy frowns.

"That old man was strong, wasn't he? After all, he is a former Navy Admiral." Kuzan reveals to them taking them aback at the news.

"Uta…I think it best for you to leave. Hand this to the café owner and head back to my ship won't you?" Ann hands her a small sack of beri.

"Eh? But it'll be cool watching you beat these guys up." Uta whines taking the bag.

"Yeah but I rather you not get involved." Ann admits.

"Oh so you think I'll get in the way?" Uta gives her a look.

"Uta…" Ann returns with a look of her own.

"Ugh fine stupid mama…" Pouting, Uta goes on her way.

"Now then…where were we?" Ann asks as she slams her fist into her palm, the crisp crunch of bones sending a shy shudder down the spines of the marines before her as next they knew they were screaming and she…she was laughing.

"The world is in the Great Era of the pirates. At sea, arise and vanish pirates that go after the One Piece. When some disappear, other are born. Does pirates appear because the One Piece is on the other side of the sea of the New World? Or does One Piece exists because Pirates also exist? Do dreams come first? Or is it the people? In some moments... when pirates choose their dreams, they loose their happiness and the loved ones cry for them…" Kuzan adorned in his normal clothes explains to the boys following him out of the bathhouse as he stops, unable not to think briefly back to a certain someone, his heart heavy at the thought of her before a familiar grave, crying her heart out…

"What must be done? Is there an answer? The former Navy Admiral, Z, found an answer by force. If the One Piece disappears, so will the pirates. And who's the only person keeping the one piece alive?" Kuzan continues questioning looking out to the open sea.

"…Ann." Luffy bows his head.

"She is the last descendent of the pirate king. The man who began this era without her there is no one to continue the legacy of the one piece. It's a very simple way of thinking, is it not?" Kuzan turns to smirk at the group glaring.

"…So Ann has to die just so Z can get rid of the one piece?!" Luffy seethes scowls, unable to not think back to Ace to Ann, his hands forming into furious fists from the thought alone.

"…I left the Navy, but I want to see where does the path that Z has chosen will take him. He is my mentor after all and I respect him. But I am conflicted the path my mentor believes in the method he wishes to partake in is a path I cannot let him achieve not through this means but what can one do? Am I allowed to stop him when beyond that I don't know what to do next. Straw Hat Luffy I'm sure you will follow your beliefs and end up clashing with Z again. Let me see your answer. Later." Kuzan salutes the group leaving them to it.

"Are you done now?" Present looks down at the heaving wreck beneath her feet, the old man wheezes weakly, spewing his insides out from the woman above him.

"Your justice is useless things like justice and freedom have to be torn down and rebuilt from scratch!" Seething, the man shakily stands scowling at Ann.

"What are you on about?" Ann exasperated eyes the staggering swaying figure.

"You…do you even have a justice?" The bruised bloodied battered old man heaves out.

"Justice? You want to talk to me about justice? Oh this should be good." Bemused, an amused Ann couldn't help but smirk shaking her head at him.

"You left them! Thanks to you the marines have splintered off in factions its never been as splintered as it has been before…!" He accuses.

"Yes well that wasn't my intention." Ann looks over her nails.

"Wasn't it? The child of the pirate king infiltrating the system that took her parents to take out those from within…pretending to be befriend people, pretending to care, having admirals who were once brothers turn against one another…no feat like that has been achieve you really are nothing but poison…" Poisonously, he snarls scowling at her only then to gasp, scarlet sputtering out of his mouth once more.

"And you really are nothing more than an old man wasting my time." Ann with one single strike makes the man fall to his knees.

"Argh…" He wheezes holding his stomach spewing scarlet once more.

"Now why don't you do us all a favour already and die. You're nothing but a nuisance after all." Ann crouches down before the heaving wreck of an old man holding him up by his hair.

"And you…you're nothing but a demon." He spits back, scarlet staining her cheek and yet…

"So I hear." Ann releases him, standing up unfazed by the scarlet strain on her cheek as she trots off leaving the heaving huffing mess of the old man to descend down into the dark depths of his subconscious…

The younger Zephyr watches as a younger Ann calmly converses with some marines, Garp by her side, his brow furrowed at the young woman. He had sensed it even during lessons…the young Zephyr was calmly going about his day through HQ when he stops perking up at the group of boys surrounding a blonde.

"I can't believe you, we didn't pass that assignment thanks to your clumsiness!" Cross, the marine boys sneer scowling down at the blonde shaking quivering quaking before them in a corner.

"You shouldn't be a marine." Another annoyed voice throws in.

"Yeah you're an anchor you'll just drag us down!" Another accuses.

"We're not teaming up with you! " The group of boys decide as the younger Z raises a brow by the sight about to step in when…

"Hey." The pink haired girl steps up brushing past Zephyr, his eyes narrowing, wasn't that Garp's girl? He had recalled eyeing her.

"Oh if it isn't little miss perfect." The boys sneer.

"The only reason you're at the top is cause we don't hit girls!" The boys beam brightly at the just done blonde.

"Yeah!" The boys bellow.

"Sounds like more of a you problem." Pointedly, the blonde deadpans.

"Huh?" The boys blink befuddled just as Zephyr was to step in his eyes expand when the pink haired girl stands over the battered, beaten, bruised broken men, blood seeping out of their cracked crush skulls as she simply smirks down at them, the blonde boy before her shaking, quivering, quaking while she doesn't even bat an eye to it leaving the boy alone in the alleyway while her hands seep scarlet…

Zephyr had stepped back shrouded in shadows staring stunned at the young girl, her strength…this was nothing like the first time he had gauged her strength, something was different, something had snapped, there was more than meets the young girl, the young Zephyr could see that any day.

"…Garp…" Zephyr approaches Garp.

"Hm?" Garp grunts turning away from his rice crackers to face him.

"That girl of yours…" Zephyr begins but…

"Oh Ann? What about her?" Garp goes back to his snacks.

"She's strong." Zephyr states.

"…you think so?" Garp falters from his eating.

"I know so. I just saw her beat up some boys, high leveled boys at that…a farther rank she has." He stresses to Garp.

"Hahha that sounds like her!" Garp laughs.

"She has serious talent for the marines you should lend her to me!" Zephyr tells him.

"Eh?" Garp blinks befuddled.

"I'll teach her, train her to be stronger." Smiling, the earnest marine promises but…

"…no thanks." Garp declines.

"…huh?" Zephyr blinks befuddled.

"Ann's fine. She's like me she isn't seeking to becoming an admiral." Garp shrugs.

"But…" Zephyr begins but…

"Rice cracker?" Zephyr couldn't help but furrow his brow by the treat offered to him, the look in Garp's eye saying it well as Zephyr promptly backed off but even after that…that never stopped Zephyr keeping a careful eye out on the blonde…

"I don't trust her." Sakazuki's voice snaps the younger Zephyr out of it as he turned to his student scowling at the girl conversing with something, Garp by her side.

"I take it you're referring to Portgas." Zephyr assumes.

"Garp's granddaughter there's something off about her sensei." Sakazuki tells him.

"…you felt it too then Sakazuki?" Zephyr looks up at him.

"She'd holding herself back sensei." Sakazuki stresses.

"…I know…" Zephyr frowns, why…why was she holding herself back so much? It boggled Zephyr's mind it truly did…

"Let me fight her." Sakazuki steps up.

"You?" Zephyr exclaims.

"I want to see if she's strong enough to be a vice admiral…to see her true strength." Sakazuki admits.

"Alright…I'll set it up…" Zephyr promises for he too was curious over the young girl's true power.

"Fight…?" Garp blinks befuddled at Zephyr.

"Yeah Akainu seems eager to fight her and I'm curious to know how strong she is for you to take her under your wind. I thought it'd be a good practice match." The young Zephyr explains.

"…I don't know." Garp furrows his brow.

"Why not? It may discourage those that believe she's become a vice admiral due to nepotism." The young Zephyr points out.

"Yeah…thing is…" Garp shoves his finger into his nose as next thing he knew…

"Ah Garp-san this must be the future vice admiral Portgas correct?" Zephyr smiles at the young lady by Garp's side, his hand out offered to her and yet…

"…can we get this over with already?" Annoyed, she dismisses him.

"Pardon…?" He blinks befuddled.

"Just show me the bastard who thinks I should stay in my lane." Ann crosses her arms over her chest unfazed by the crowd forming, some murmuring astonished at her bluntness.

"Ann…" Garp facepalms at her.

"What? This is what it's about. Some guy thinks I'm not ready to be a vice admiral, bring him out." Ann accepts the challenge.

"Sakazuki…" Zephyr sighs turning to the man stepping forward.

"Let's get this over with." Ann grunt grumpily as the whistle blows, Sakazuki goes to strike but his eyes expand when she seemingly vanishes from his sight.

"Observation…?" Zephyr by Garp's side spots.

"Just watch." Garp grins as Sakazuki turns to look up attempting to grab the haki infused fist however his eyes expand unaware of the decoy that is the fist as a kick swiftly slams him into the wall, a crater formed rubble falling from the outline of Sakazuki's form. Everyone's eyes expand at the sight as Ann stands, eyeing the man, waiting for him to get out as next thing they knew…smoke spewed out of the empty crater, lava and magma making its surface.

"Sakazuki we agreed to no devil fruits!" Zephyr called out alarmed however…

The man simply roars rushing at Ann, fist ready as to everyone's surprise…

"She's running at him!?" They couldn't help but gawk gape as flawlessly she dives down just in the nick of time to uppercut Sakazuki, crimson comes gushing out from the lone hit before she snatches him by the throat, raising her fist as the crisp crunch of bone echoes erupts from the pinned man coughing crimson. Zephyr couldn't help but stare stunned at the dark look in the woman's eyes as she continued beating the man to a bloodied pulp, bloodlust oozing out of her that it even made the admiral freeze frozen, frightened almost until…

"Ann that's enough!" Garp calls out to her seemingly snapping her out of it.

"Are we done here?" Ann asks, all eyes expanding, gawking gaping at the man coughing crimson in her hand, choking him.

"Ann!" Garp growls glaring at the lone girl.

"Don't worry he still has a pulse." Ann tosses the body to the ground as he heaves, scarlet splattering across the ground brushing past Garp.

"Sakazuki!" Zephyr rushes over to his student, his eyes briefly meeting Ann's glare, his eyes expanding at her look alone as she shoves her hands into her pockets. That look…that look he gave engrained into Zephyr for that look was far from human…

"Oh you got to be…" Ann on her way back begins before being bashed back by a familiar iron gauntlet…

"Roger!" Roaring, Z hollers rushing towards Ann as Ann easily dodges each and every of Z's sloppy strikes scowling. She manages to redirect a few, sliding her hand over the gauntlet to flip him away from her, drawing as distance as she could from the man. She takes a step back from the rooftop she found herself on spots some people below, some tourists some locals fleeing from the chaos caused by the two. Ann couldn't help the sharp string of guilt gnawing away at her from the side seeing a beam about to fall on a fleeing family, she quickly kicks it aside, the family below oblivious to the sight.

"Will you just stop!?" She snaps slamming her hands into a crass cross taking Z's fist.

"Never!" Z roars.

"Look this is just excessive. I get it you don't like me but if we stay here for this long the marines will come and we will both be screwed." Ann bats Z back brow furrowed fuming.

"So long as your head is taken I don't care." Z declares determined rushing at her.

"What did I ever do to you?" Ann shoves the gauntlet aside as she blocks another hit being thrown back briefly by it.

"You broke the marines, you turned my students against one another. You are nothing more than a infestation, a plague that poisoned my poor students and their minds making them turn on one another." He snarls slamming his gauntlet at her but…

"You mean I made them think for once in their pathetic lives!" Ann barks back blocking another hit.

"You made them think you cared but you don't care about anyone but yourself. As soon as you're done with them you'll throw them away like some sort of toy…" Z roars going for another hit however…

"…is that how you really see me?" Ann couldn't help but ask as she flips over the gauntlet.

"You're nothing more than a monster just like your father. You may seem all warm and kind but deep down you're nothing more than a manipulator, something who crawls into someone's head and feeds them poison. All of this just so you'll become the pirate king!" He snarls going for another hit however…

"I never said I would." Ann flips over using the bulky fist as a platform of sorts to spin off for a kick to his face.

"But you will you are your father's daughter!" He snarls grabbing her arm and tossing her aside.

"Just because I'm my father's daughter doesn't mean jack you dumbass!" Ann angrily yells scarlet dripping down her tense temple, the pair oblivious to the tense figure watching on amongst the scared crowd, his fingertips curling into a firm fist, his chest constricting pained towards the sight of the scarlet seeping out of Ann's head.

"Then what do you want? What is your dream?" Z challenges cross.

"Why does my dream matter to you?" Ann demands baffled by the question.

"Because it could affect the world as we know it!" Z exclaims.

"It won't! Because my dream is an impossible dream!" Anguished, Ann admits as she thinks back to her drunken stupor of Shanks…

"Is that so?" Z falters frowning from the hitch of her tone.

"It is. That's why I live for his dream." Disappointed, Ann admits anguished as a still silence occurs between both marines before lunging at one another again.

"Your fathers? So you do want to find the one piece!" Z asks as he attacks time and time again.

"I want the dawn of the world to come." Ann admits to Z.

"Are you determined to risk your own life?" Z challenges.

"I'll easily throw it away for the dawn to come!" Confidently, Ann answers as her firm fist of Haki hits Z back blasting him back into the lighthouse.

"What about your friends?" Z shakily spits scarlet.

"Bold of you to assume I'd have any I'm the daughter of the demon pirate king remember?" Ann reminds Z heckling hollowly.

"So are you prepared to sacrifice your friends in order to fulfil your goal and walk on top of their corpses to continue?" Z roars rushing at her.

"So long as that dream comes to fruition I don't care who's enemy I become because no matter what happens I will always be the world's enemy!" Anguished, Ann declares determined. Z's eyes expand behind his still shades, both fists hitting blasting them back as they skid across the port. When they both stop neither stands, simply lying there staring up at the seagulls above. Ann blinks blurry, batting back the dots and blurry vision. Shakily, she reaches towards her face frowning from the foreign feeling of warmth until noting the taste of iron in her mouth.

"Huh…haven't bled in a while…" Amused, Ann couldn't help but laugh, scarlet staining her side smiling as Z rushes at her once again.

Kuzan quietly watches on, hands shoved in his pockets as Z roars rushing at Ann tackling her winding her as she is forced back into battle being thrown into the side of a building by Z. Kuzan couldn't help the smoke shyly shooting out of his gloved palm, his fingertips curling into a firm fist, ice coating over it as Z fires blast after blast from his robotic gauntlet of sorts at Ann. Ann grunts after being thrown into a wall, unaware of the chaos ensuring as rubble from the building Ann had been flung into descends down about to hit a group of people trying to evacuate if not for the ice wall swiftly saving them.

"Ladies go to the sea train and be careful." Kuzan advises the group.

"T-Thank you!" They thank him, nodding their head before leaving as Kuzan stays watching the chaos ensue.

"…All this for one head…isn't this too much?" Kuzan couldn't help but wonder worriedly watching on, his fist clenched, conflicted even as he watches Ann smirking stumbling out of the debris, a familiar giddy greedy grin upon her lips, sending shivers down Kuzan's spine from the eerily familiar sadistic smile of Hibiscus.

"Can't believe mama ditching me like that. Tch mama does whatever she likes honestly…" Uta huffs puffing her cheeks cross out as she makes her way out of the city avoiding the chaos behind her as she seemingly approaches the train station when…

"I…I…" Chopper gawks gapes at the faint figure before him.

"Chopper what is…wait is that…!?" Usopp soon gasps following Chopper's gaze.

"It is it has to be!" Chopper stresses staring in awe at the young girl.

"Oh wow!" Usopp couldn't help his smile.

"What's with you two?" Zoro frowns at the two.

"It's really her!" Usopp squeals smiling.

"Who? Wait is that…?" Nami soon perks up at the young girl.

"Oh my…" Robin whispers.

"Who's that cutie over there?" Sanji swoons smiling.

"Princess Uta! She's only done her music over video transporter snails but she's still a bit hit to quite a few people!" Usopp spins smiling.

"I heard of her. She's the entire world's sweetheart at this point." Robin recalls.

"Is that chicken really that big a deal?" Zoro grunts.

"As odd as it might sound coming from Soul King, her voice is otherworldly." Brook confirms.

"U-T-A! UTA-chan!" Sanji swoons spinning about as Uta turns frowning at the commotion.

"Hm? Is this what mama meant by creeps?" Uta couldn't help but wonder to herself eyeing the lovestruck blonde.

"What a loser." Zoro smirks.

"Hey shitty swordsman say that again and I'll cook you up nice and juicy!" Sanji scowls getting in Zoro's face.

"I'd like to see you try twirly brow!" Zoro butts heads with Sanji.

"Mmmm…maybe mama was right about guys…" Uta considers inching away from the group only then to gasp at the hands grabbing hold of her, a blur of red rushing at her.

"Hey I was right! Uta! You're Uta aren't you?!" Luffy beams brightly at Uta.

"Hm?" Uta blinks befuddled.

"It's me, remember?" Luffy smiles at Uta.

"Me? Wait…Luffy!?" Uta recognizes taken aback.

"It's been a real long time Uta!" Luffy smiles.

"Luffy!" Uta happily hugs her.

"Wha…?" The group gawk gape at the hugging two.

"Luffy you know Uta?" Robin calls out.

"Dammit you've could've introduced us Luffy!" Sanji scowls at the traitor.

"Why exactly are you so friendly with princess Uta!?" Usopp demands from him.

"Cause she's Shank and Ann's daughter!" Luffy answers taking the group aback.

"Ann…?" Robin perks up at the name.

"Uh…Luffy you're not exactly meant to spread that around…" Uta sighs sadly at him exasperated even.

"Eh?" Luffy blinks befuddled.

"Mama said I'd get n a load of trouble if word got out you know?" Uta huffs hands on her hips.

"Uta in person and in a place like this I must be dreaming!" Sanji still swoons smiling.

"Wow it really is her…I can't believe you know princess Uta Luffy!" Usopp adds amazed.

"How could you keep such a pretty princess from us!" Sanji grumbles glaring at Luffy.

"Hehe I'm glad I got to meet Luffy's crew!" Cheerily, Uta smiles.

"Still I did not think Red Hair and Hibicus has such a relationship…" Brooke admits.

"Mama and Shanks are brother and sister." Uta smiles.

"Eeeh?!" Brook freaks out.

"They were both raised by my grandfather Roger. They found me in some chest and decided to adopt me." Uta explains to Brooke.

"I see…what was it like being raised by such people?" Robin probes.

"…Normal I guess…?" Uta shrugs not quite sure what to say when thinking back to it all…

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU GAVE UTA CANDY!?" The angry Ann yells shaking Shanks screaming at the flimsy man in her arms as Uta giggles uncontrollable running about the ship.

"She was hungry." Shanks whines while the crew try to catch the sugar filled girl.

"She hadn't eaten her vegetables we both agreed she wouldn't eat any till she ate them!" Ann angrily reminds Shanks.

"Come on she was giving me the face!" Shanks whines.

"How are we going to give her the proper diet if you keep feeding her such crap dumbass!" Ann yells.

"Owow! I'm sorry I'm sorry!" Shanks flails about as Ann shakes the redhead back and forth the sugar fueled Uta going manic all over the ship, giggling gleefully in a sugar filled world of her own…

"Hey Luffy it's been a while so how about another game while I wait for the sea train?" Uta couldn't help but giggle, a glint gleaming in her eyes.

"There's no way you can beat me now." Luffy argues.

"What are you talking about? I'm on a 183 game long winning streak!" Uta huffs hands on her hips.

"Wrong! I won those 183 times!" Luffy corrects.

"Those are extremely divergent perspectives." Robin observes the bickering pair.

"What kind of game?" Nami couldn't help but ask.

"Luffy and I used to compete all the time. At knife throwing, arm wrestling…okay this is what we're gonna do today! It's a game of drinking whoever finishes their can first wins!" Uta explains to them.

"What a strange game…" Robin observes.

"Heh I got the idea from papa though the first time we tried it mama totally overreacted and took the booze from me." Mischievously, Uta admits.

"Booze!?" Nami says surprised watching Uta approach a vending machine, ordering two canned drinks for the two.

"Yeah mama always did complain about papa spoiling me, not that she's any better mind. Heh…" Uta giggles gleefully handing Luffy a can of soda.

"Ready…?" Luffy asks as Uta glances behind her noting the dog.

"Let's do this!" Uta smirks slightly at the sight of the dog.

"Three two one go!" The two chorus before opening their drink beginning to down it when…

"Hey is that Ann over there?" Uta asks as she picks up a random stick then she points in a random direction.

"Eh? An-argh!" Luffy turns only to gasp when the stick is thrown and a dog rushes at Luffy, bashing him into the water.

"Luffy!" Nami calls out worriedly while Sanji dives down to save him.

"She won! Aw crap he got into the water…" Usopp announces before faltering from the drowning Luffy.

"Uta won!" Chopper cheers oblivious.

"Where'd the dog come from?" Robin couldn't help but wonder

"Heh I don't know but its just like old times!" Uta giggles gleefully.

"That was cheap Uta!" Luffy wheezes after Sanji takes him out of the water.

"Oh right you ate a devil fruit huh Luffy? Sorry about that!" Uta giggles.

"You cheated back there! I want a do-over!" Luffy orders.

"There you go again being a sore loser! Heh still that hat papa gave you suits you! I didn't think he'd hand his treasure over to anyone." Uta takes note of.

"Heh…" Luffy perks up at his hat.

"Hey question where did you two meet anyway?" Nami couldn't help but ask.

"She came to Fusha Village along with Shanks and his crew!" Luffy answers.

"That's your hometown isn't it?" Brooke recalls.

"Yeah!" Luffy confirms recalling the memory well…

"Uta's daydreaming again!" Luffy notes the young girl gazing out at the setting sun on the open ocean.

"You should come join me." She suggests smiling.

"No way boring! I wanna play a game instead!" The younger Luffy refuses.

"Honestly you're such a baby…i n that case how about…a drinking game! Winner drinks the fastest wins!" The young Uta stands sighing as soon enough…

"Yeah!" Luffy agrees as the night sky settles over Fusha, the two children outside the bar, the lights from within shining while the two children hold up their glasses of juice.

"That's dangerous! Cut that out you two." Makino fusses fretfully eyeing both children, a dog barking in the back.

"No way!" Both children refuse.

"Uta! Luffy!" Makino frowns at the pair when…

"Come on let them have their fun." Makino perks up at Ann's voice turning to the bemused woman exiting out with Shanks.

"This is their idea of serious competition." Shanks adds amused.

"Let's do it!" Luffy hollers.

"Ready…" Uta adds.

"Three two one…" The two chorus as they begin downing their glasses as the red haired pirates watch on.

"What are they competing over anyway?" Makino wonders.

"Who's going to become the bigger pirate apparently." Amused, Ann answers.

"Is Luffy gonna win?" Roux chimps down on some meat.

"Hey look over there!" Uta noting Luffy about to win points in a random direction, taking out a small slick stick perking the dog's interest as its thrown Luffy's way.

"E-Argh!" Luffy cries out the glass breaking as the dog pounces.

"Luffy!" Makino and Ann call out, Ann rushing over, pushing both dog and animal away from the shattered shards.

"I can't believe he fell for it again…" Yasopp huffs.

"Uta that was unfair." Ann gives Uta a look.

"But I'm a pirate mama you said so yourself we pirates live by differently rules!" Uta whines.

"That…urgh…Luffy you okay?" Ann looks over Luffy worriedly.

"It's not over! That didn't settle nothing!" Luffy however doesn't care.

"You're being a sore loser again!" Uta accuses as Makino cleans up the glass.

"Well you cheated so you lose!" Luffy argues.

"I'm a pirate there's no such thing as cheating! You got careless in a duel because you're a dumb baby!" Uta blames.

"It's not like Ann and Shanks say you're a real pirate yet!" Luffy argues.

"Shut up I'm Shanks' and Ann's daughter! Unlike you I've been sailing and going on adventures for years now! That's a huge difference!" Uta barks back.

"Is not!" Luffy disputes.

"Is too!" Uta insists.

"In that case let's fight to settle it like real pirates!" Luffy raises his fist.

"Fine with me!" Uta begins waving her arms about.

"Alright that's enough you two!" Ann breaks the pair up.

"Eh?" The two blink looking up at Ann.

"But the fight…!" Luffy begins…

"The fight can wait till tomorrow it's bedtime now." Ann asserts.

"No fair!" Luffy whines.

"Momma can't I stay up another hour?" Uta uses her puppy dog face but…

"You're already pushing it young lady." Ann doesn't fall for it.

"Shaaanks!" Uta whines turning to use said face on him however…

"Listen to Ann Uta." Shanks shyly hides behind his hat.

"But I'm not tired!" Uta slams her foot to the ground.

"You will be after waving your arms out like that." Ann lightly flickers her temple.

"Ow! Shanks talk to her!" Uta whines rushing over grabbing at his leg.

"Yeah Shanks!" Luffy agrees doing the same.

"Uta Luffy both of you need to stop clinging to me or else Ann's really gonna nag at me!" Shanks tells the two.

"I heard that." Ann raises a fist warningly.

"Eep!" Shanks and his crew too flinch fearful of said firm fist.

"How come you call your dad Shanks anyway?" Luffy couldn't help but ask her.

"He might be my dad but he's also my captain and I idolize him! Isn't he cool?" Shanks smiles.

"You call Ann mom though don't you idolize her?" Luffy innocently questions.

"Course I do mom is super strong and can beat people up with just a look but Ann is my mom at the end of the day! Heheh I'm feeling so good about beating Luffy again I think I'll sing again!" Uta decides.

"I think you can sing tomorrow." Ann decides.

"But moom…" Uta draws out childishly.

"Now Uta." Ann orders.

"Urgh fine…" Uta gives in.

"Shanks I wanna go sailing too!" Luffy turns to him.

"You're going to bed too." Ann tells Luffy.

"But I wanna join!" Luffy whines.

"You're too rowdy for my crew." Shanks states.

"What about Uta?" Luffy looks over to Ann picking Uta up.

"She waits on the ship during battle. There's no way you could sit still." Shanks tells him.

"He's right Luffy." Ann adds.

"That's right…I'm the Red Haired Pirates Musician Uta! And I'm…not tired at all." Uta releases a small yawn nuzzling into Ann's arms.

"Course not." Amused, Ann chuckles coyly pecking her head as Luffy watches her be taken back to the ship…

"…Come to think of it. You disappeared all of a sudden." Present day Luffy recalls.

"U-Uh…" Uta falters from his words.

"It was sudden How come?" Chopper wonders.

"Let's see…if I can remember right…I used to wait for Shanks and his crew to come back but one time…" Luffy rubs at his head making quite a face trying to remember…

"Welcome back! What was your adventure like this time? Tell me!" Merrily, Luffy warmly welcomes the red-haired pirates back oblivious to the solemn scarlet sunset as the red haired pirates silently exit out of the ship, none of them looking at the brightly beaming Luffy, a solemn sadness hanging heavily in the air as Ann watches on from above.

"Oh what's your problem guys? You look down. Forget it I'll ask Uta…Uta! Uta!" Smiling, Luffy calls out to the girl as the man head into the bar.

"…Shanks…" Ann furrows her brow at her captain approaching Luffy.

"I'll let you brag about your adventures again where are you Uta!? Hm Shanks? Where's Uta!? Where did she go?" Innocently, Luffy looks up at the solemn Shanks, his hat hiding his facial features.

"…" The silence speaks volumes as Luffy begins tearing up.

"No way don't tell me…did something happen to her?" Horrified, Luffy gasps grabbing hold of Shank's trousers.

"Don't worry Luffy Uta left the ship to become a singer. That's all." Shanks softly sets his hand on Luffy's head.

"What? No way why!?" Luffy slaps said hand away.

"To accomplish her dream." Shanks sighs but…

"She loves you too so much! She'd never leave the ship! Something must've happened!" Tearfully, Luffy screams scowling at Shanks.

"…" Silently, Shanks stares down at Luffy.

"Say something Shanks!" Luffy screams, tears in his eyes however…

"…" Silently, Shanks stares down at Luffy.

"I'm done with you! Waaahhh!" Luffy turns on his heel heading off, the tears freely falling fleeing.

"Luffy!" Ann calls out but it falls to deaf ears as the boy flees from them.

"So why'd you stop wanting to be a pirate Uta? You used to love the Red Haired Pirates so much." Luffy couldn't help but ask her.

"I still do dummy!" Uta whacks Luffy's head.

"Ow that hurt Uta!" Luffy whines.

"That's for being do dumb, dummy. Look I just wanted to be a singer more than a pirate it's why mama and papa dropped me off at this music institute. Mama found this cool music teacher for me plus she said it was safer for this way…" Uta explains to Luffy.

"Oh…" Luffy trails off in understanding.

"Yeah…mama always was a mother hen when it came to protecting me heh but still I mean I've already got fans all over the world after only two years! So it all worked out! What about you Luffy what are you doing now?" Uta boasts proud before asking that.

"Are you joking? I'm a pirate!" Luffy answers.

"Eh? Now that I think about it I did see some poster with your face on it." Uta hums.

"Yeah I'm gonna be the King of the Pirates so what are you doing here Uta?" Luffy couldn't help but ask her.

"Oh you wouldn't believe me if I told you…urgh mama was being so unreasonable somehow she found out I was seeing some guy and made a huge fuss about it. Saying I couldn't date till I'm eighty can you believe that? She's not even eighty herself!" Uta complains cross.

"Heh that sounds like Ann." Robin chuckles coyly.

"But it gets worse the guy who I thought was super cut Ann made hang off the side of the island!" Uta adds.

"Eh!?" The group gawk gape at the news all except two…

"That sounds like Ann." Luffy smiles Robin too smiles.

"Yeah said he was supposed to be made an example off for some reason ward off the rest of the guys I was talking to. Urgh she's so unreasonable I mean it's so boring on that island sometimes can't a girl have some fun?" Uta whines.

"…S-Scary…" The group couldn't help but gawk gape at the unfazed girl.

"Oi Uta where is Ann? Wait does that mean she's here?" Luffy questions.

"Course she is. We were spending a few days together though now isn't the best time to talk to her." Uta considers.

"How come?" Luffy wonders.

"She's dealing with some weirdo with a robot hand." Uta dismisses.

"Z! Is she alright?" Luffy perks up at the description.

"Of course she is. Luffy this is Ann, Ann can take care of herself." Uta scoffs.

"But…" Luffy begins but…

"Look I gotta go I don't know when the sea's trains leaving and mama stressed for me to go get on it." Uta tells Luffy.

"Eh?! You're leaving?" Luffy says surprised.

"Sorry…mama's orders." Uta clasps her hands together apologetically as she then goes off to get on the sea train…

Ann couldn't help her shaky sigh as she returned back to her room. Her brow furrowed frimly, she doesn't even look as she reaches for the bottle beneath her pillow, corking the bottle with her teeth, she downs the bottle with ease, enjoying the brisk burn running down her throat needing something after last night, she was plopped back down on her bed, brow furrowed frustration frely flowing through her…she had to…she had no choice but to send her away…this was getting out of her hand…Ann couldn't help but brush her fingertips through her hair ruffling her long locks of pink before glancing back over at the mirror, something seemingly snapping as next she knew…she was screaming slamming smashing her hand against the mirror.

The shard sounds of scarlet stained shards echo erupt into the open air and yet Ann didn't stop, she just kept hitting, kept punching, kept striking at the mirror, over and over and over. Tears freely fall as she finally stops. Scarlet droplets descend down her broken bruised beaten knuckles but she doesn't care, she can't care, the numbness freely flowing through her as she took enough hefty gulp of the bottle before tossing it aside as she plopped onto her bed. She takes out the small cigarette from her pocket, igniting it with her lighter, eyeing the lighter briefly before setting it aside as she spewed smoke into the open.

A still silence sits settles around the empty air as Ann's lip trembles.

"You're nothing but a demon…" His words ring in her head as she places her hand over her face, feeling the sharp shrapnel skim across her skin, the sharp sting bringing a strange sense of relief to her as a sharp sob soon broke out. She curls in on herself, her lip trembling trying to fight back the sharp sob but she couldn't. She cried, falling into the dark depths of her dreams…

The ocean sees the beginning of the world and the ocean knows the end of the world even if I were to disappear. The omniscient ocean leads the way, I must not fear, because you are here. I must not be timid, because my comrades wait for me. I hate that song master. A strong for the marines who travel north does not excite me…" Aokiji softly sings before the brightly blazing sun, swords stabbed into the stone edge before him, the brisk breeze brushes through his hair as a man approaches, a man on a mission.

Z is a large, muscular, tan-skinned man, standing around twice the height of a typical man. He has short purple hair and a large mechanical right arm connected to the left hip with converted mast rigging. Underneath that mechanical arm is a regular-sized and pitch-black prosthetic arm. He dressed in a Marine-like coat with his Jolly Roger impressed on it, baggy trousers tucked into his boots, and a pair of triangular sunglasses.

"You like that don't you?" Aokiji stops singing turning to face the man, tossing him a familiar bottle of sherry.

"Yes this is the best drink." Z agrees eyeing the sherry wine.

"I also used to drink that a lot, imitating you. I wanted to be a cool man like you." Aokiji admits to Z.

"You came to give a lecture to a stubborn old man?" Z assumes.

"…I even shared this drink with the woman I love." Aokiji admits to Z, a still silence erupts between both of them.

"Roger's girl right?" Z presumes.

"…" Kuzan goes quiet.

"I told you to be careful around her." He sighs softly at Kuzan.

"…Did you know?" Kuzan couldn't help but ask.

"It was obvious you'd recognize her if you had fought her before but still Garp did a good job in covering her up." Z concedes.

"…" Kuzan bows his head.

"She was a good marine…strong, brave, honest…Sorry but I won't stop. The Pirate King's bloodline must end it's to get rid of the evil called pirates, without the bloodline that caused this era, the era of piracy will end. The marines failed to execute the true justice and thanks to that an innocent life was killed." Z explains to Kuzan, his brow furrowed at the murky memory of a young grinning girl, scarlet soaking long locks of pink, a bloodied blade in her hand hovering other the battered bloodied beaten marines below, limp long gone from the world as she sadistically smiles, licking her bloodied lips.

"…What makes Portgas and her so different?" Kuzan couldn't help but ask.

"…She played being a marine well, she may have fooled thousands, but she did not fool me. I've seen that child be raised upon the sea to be a cruel monster, a monster that knows nothing of the consequences of her actions of the blood and destruction she left behind in her wake, she is not the women you knew, that was nothing but a mask used to trick you and many others to turn against one another so she could have her revenge. The marines were too scared to execute Roger so they targeted the weaker of the two, the one they knew they could take on." Z's grip tightens tenses around the bottle, small cracks forming firmly frowning, Kuzan's expression remains hidden behind his stoic shades.

"Do you intend to die?" Kuzan couldn't help but ask, a still silence between the two.

"I will not back down from getting the demon child's head. Next time we meet, let's drink together and put this chapter of Roger behind us. Go now I don't want to kill you." Z offers.

"Neither do I master Zephyr." Kuzan admits, his hand gloved turns to a fist, ice beginning to coat his hand and arm as shy steam spews from the motion.

"You'll fight to protect a woman who never even existed?" Z couldn't help but eye the ice coated man. A still silence occurs between both men as Z simply grins when the hand coated in ice melts away…a still silence occurring between both mentor and student as said student leaves…

"This is a Kairouseki bullet?" Nami asks innocently eyeing said singular bullet Chopper pulls out of Luffy.

"It was on Luffy's shoulder." Chopper confirms as the rain freely falls from the high heavens.

"How long will you stay here?" Aokiji approaches the group holding up a black umbrella, hand shoved into his pocket.

"A-Aokiji! You!" Nami squeaks shocked to see him leaping back alarmed as she rushes over to Luffy's side startled to see him.

"What is Aokiji doing here?" Chopper freaks out alarmed as Robin herself covers her nose repulsed just at the sight of the man almost.

"It's alright. We met a few moments ago." Luffy bandaged up assures his crew.

"Z is a former Navy Admiral?" Usopp says surprised by the news.

"…Is that why he's after Hibiscus?" Robin assumes.

"To him Hibiscus is the reason the marines have splintered, have begun fighting amongst themselves. He believes she is the reason the marines have lost their way…" Aokiji explains to them.

"So he wants her head." Zoro concludes.

"…yes. Just as he tried to do last night…" Aokiji frowns from the murky memory.

"He's strong…If Ann hadn't stopped him…who knows how many people would have died from that crossfire." Usopp adds.

"He's willing to go to such lengths to make sure she dies. Wait a second! He will involve civilians... That's just wrong!" Chopper realizes horrified.

"Don't you think you're thinking too much about yourselves? How much fear and victims do you think pirates cause in the world? Don't tell me you don't know. Z hates all of that... He hates it so much that he doesn't care if he dies along…" Aokiji begins but…

"It doesn't matter!" Luffy cuts him off.

"Luffy!" Nami and co turn to him.

"Ann is my nakama, she helped raise me and people want her dead just cause she's the pirate king's father I won't…I won't lose her like I lost Ace. Ann belongs here just as Ace did…she deserves to live just like any one of us!" Angrily, Luffy swears it incensed thinking back to Ace as just then…

"…Isn't that her over there?" Zoro frowns when he looks over to the side.

"Eeeeh!? Ann swan!" Sanji swoons smiling at the thought of her however…

"Her hand…" Chopper whispers.

"Hm? What is it chopper?" Robin notes Chopper's furrowed frown.

"Oh yeah looks like Z gave her a good one." Usopp assumes but…

"No…the cuts…those are self inflicted." Chopper identifies frowning from the purple, black bruise small slithers of scarlet seeping out as she seemingly tries to tug the sleeve down.

"…eh?" The straw hats eyes expand at the news unaware of Aokiji's careful eye on her.

"She's with someone..." Brook takes note of.

"Wait…isn't that…?" Usopp begins but…

"Kizaru…" Robin answers.

"What's an admiral and a yonko right hand doing together?" Brook wonders as Aokiji turns watching the pair from afar seemingly converse. Ann soaked with rain but she doesn't seem mind, rather the opposite as Kizaru on the other hand has an umbrella for himself.

"You had one job and you couldn't even get that right…" Agitated, Ann glares glowers up at the man in gold and yellow.

"Things got chaotic Ann-chan…" Kizaru rubs the back of his neck.

"Chaotic all you gotta do is kill some guy?" Annoyed, Ann argues, she agreed to do it as the marines wanted it was her captain's orders to show some semblance of good faith…

"…to be fair Ann-chan he's my mentor…" Kizaru points out but…

"So…? He's still a threat. A threat that needs to be dealt with. I mean…you think that's reason enough to let him go terrorize other islands? We both made an agreement I would do things your way out of good faith for my captain, but this is getting out of hand. You promised me you'd kill him on that last island…" Incensed, Ann crosses her arms over her chest cross.

"And I thought we had…" Kizaru admits.

"Same here guess it was my fault for the fleeting hope of you lot actually being competent." Ann sneers snippily.

"So mean Ann chan." Kizaru whines.

"Would you just look around you I mean look at the chaos he's made. Do you know how many people have died?" Ann argues agitated.

"You sound almost concerned Ann-chan…" Kizaru teases her.

"And you sound like you're going to do another piss poor job…again. If you continue with hesitating to kill him then I'll do it myself." Ann threatens.

"So cold Ann chan." Kizaru continues teasing her.

"I told you before Kizaru, I despite the clingy types and if he continues following I will kill him. Whether you marines like it or not do we have an accord?" Ann growls grabbing him by the shirt startling those watching on as both yonko and admiral stare at one another.

"Yes…yes…" Kizaru complies as Ann releases him, brushing past as she spews smoke into the open air once more before going on her way as Aokiji watches her fleeting figure leave…

"What wonder they were talking about…" Brooke wonders watching them leave.

"It doesn't matter I'm gonna go help Ann!" Luffy declares determined.

"Oi Luffy!" Usopp cries out as he and his crew soon follow him as Aokiji and Robin are left alone.

"…Isn't it painful?" Robin asks a still silence settling between the two.

"…" Kuzan looks up at Robin.

"The both of you…pushing each other away like this." Robin wonders.

"…I hurt her." Aokiji bows his head.

"…and now she's hurting…being alone it isn't easy let alone being constantly on the run with the world against you…" Robin reminds Aokiji as he simply bows his head.

"I did something she could never forgive me for…something that could never allow me to stand by her side." Aokiji reminds Robin, a still silence settling between the two just as the sun starts to shine. Robin closes her umbrella looking up admiring the shining sun above.

"And yet you're still chasing after her…" Robin points out making Aokiji go quiet as Robin simply leaves, smiling going with her crew…

"What happened to him in the past was really terrible. But causing a tragedy like this, involving innocent civilians as a motive...it is not right..." Sengoku states the fact firmly.

"Dry as always...not everyone can easily separate things like you do. Am I right, Sengoku?" Garp turns to his old friend.

"Vice-Admiral Garp!" Coby calls out to him.

"What is it?" Garp grunts.

"Z... No, the former Marine, Admiral Zephyr...What kind of person was he?" Coby questions.

"He, more than anyone, believed in the Navy justice." Garp tells him.

"Then why is he doing this?" Coby probes.

"A certain accident happened." Garp answers.

"An accident?" Coby wonders.

"Zephyr was a serious man. Even on the dangerous battlefields, he was always in front of his subordinates and he risked his life fighting against the rivals of that era. He became an Admiral of the Navy when he was still young. And when he was living an happy life, his wife and son were killed by a pirate that hated Zephyr. By fully understanding the burden of having a position as a Navy Admiral...Zephyr kept that hatred and sadness in the bottom of his heart and continued his mission. The years passed and Zephyr pledged himself on training the young Marines. The man who created all Marines...every soldier that raised their patents lately, are his apprentices. However, a bigger tragedy fell upon him. The training ship of the new recruits commanded by Zephyr was attacked by a pirate with Devil Fruit powers. And only Zephyr and two more survived, everyone else were killed. Zephyr lost his arm." Garp explains to Coby thinking back to the admiral, Smoker Hina all he had trained all except one…

"Took an arm from a Navy Admiral?" Coby says stunned.

"And then, Zephyr got a weapon to defeat Devil Fruit users, from the Navy scientists. And together with his disciples, he created an attack unit. And he hunted down Devil Fruit users. He was still in the Navy, but that was when they weren't disappointed with the Navy. And then, the only thing that was keeping him in the Navy was destroyed…." Garp explains to Coby.

"What was it?" Helmeppo speaks up.

"Portgas' betrayal." Garp's eyes narrow.

"Vice admiral Ann? I-I mean…" Coby stops himself.

"Even now those that call her that and those that curse her name…even now the crack she left behind has only grown stronger, spreader further throughout the marines. Were we right to kill Ace when one of our own, one of our best was a child of the same sire?" Sengoku speaks up.

"…Sengoku…" Garp turns to his own friend.

"She was a good marine, she was respected, many had followed her I even considered making her fleet admiral. Zephyr even agreed but then…with Hibiscus betrayal…I still do not know the answer all I know is that it hurt Zephyr seeing his student turn against one another fighting. They were comraded brothers in arms in his eyes until Hibiscus came into the ranks… and letting loose the figure who had caused such ripples due to her connection to red hair…it broke Z, seeing the organization he so loved be torn to shreds from the inside thanks to her, to see brothers in arms fight one another…thanks to her, to see what once was a whole unit of people bound by justice begin turning against one another, backstabbing, lying to one another, it broke Z. And so, Zephyr left the navy. And now he showed up in the New World. Hating pirates...disappointed with the Navy... Leading the organization he created, the New navy, to finish off what we marines failed to do thanks to the Figureland family's protection…the unacceptable reality...has changed that man." Garp explains to his pupils, a still silence of unease hitting them.

Quietly, Kuzan makes his way through the crowd attempting to evacuate the island, however he soon stops staring stunned at the blonde before brushing past him…

"Idiots…the lot of them…if you want something done you do it yourself." Agitated, Ann couldn't help but curse seething snarling at their incompetence. Her blood bubble, burns, boils as it pumps through her veins simply scowling staring ahead, she understood Shanks' order, she understood it well but still to bow to the world government now and again to assure her loyalty even after what they did to her brother, what they did to Whitebeard, what they did to everything. It was fine though…soon…soon the leash forced upon her would be tethered, soon those that she has to keep assuring her loyalty too would soon crumble, would soon pay, would soon…burn.

Ann couldn't help the faint furious tremor coursing through her veins as she brushes past a lone lean man unaware of his calm collected cool blues gazing down at the fierce fire before him, not even batting an eye to the wanderer silently staring at her furious fleeting form…unaware of his heart aching at the sad sight of the wrathful woman, firmly focused on the task at hand.

"Are you done now? You're clearly not in the state to continue…" Unamused, Ann eyes the broken battered beaten man below beneath her feet.

"…I pity you…child of Roger…." Z reaches for his inhaler taking a bit as he catches up to her.

"...you still want to fight?" Annoyed, Ann turns to face Z slowly but surely making his way up.

"Fear and pain weaken your determination…" Z shakily stands.

"Really? It does the opposite for me, drives me to keep on living." Ann grunts getting up as well.

"Is that so?" Z couldn't help but smile.

"It is. Well some other elements help of course I'd hate to miss out on watching the world burn for existence or well…drown…heh a slow painful death for those that persecuted me and my family. They'll all pay soon enough…" Amused, Ann assures.

"Wha…what are you talking about?" Z frowns at the dark look on Ann.

"The dawn to come of course." Ann smirks smugly.

"…the dawn?" Z blinks befuddled.

"Oh yes if you got this riled up about the little ripples, I've left just wait for the tsunami to come oh when it comes, I'll be laughing. I'll finally be happy I'll finally be smiling and most of all I can finally be released from this hellhole of a role given to me…" Ann admits pride pouring out of her tone.

"A role…?" Z frowns.

"We all have a part to play, it's why we're born without one we're just mindlessly going on with our lives you know? Not me though…not with my role." Arrogantly, Ann brushing her hair to the side smirking smugly.

"What do you mean by role?" Z grunts growling.

"What else would I mean? Once I've completed it I can finally return to the only people that can accept me that can love me. Once I've done what I was tasked to do…I can finally be done with you people with this world with everything. I mean we're better off dead if we can't fulfill the roles given to us you know?" Ann argues as Z couldn't help but stare stunned up at the crazy woman.

"Portgas what are you saying!? It's useless you can't destroy my justice!" Z grins giddily back batting her back with his arm.

"I'm not here to destroy your justice think what you want I don't give a shit, all you marines are the same using justice just as an excuse to get out of your responsibility to make yourselves feel better! All of you…you who speak of justice are nothing but cowards!" Snarling, she spins into the open air attaining as much distance as she could from him however…

"Even for a pirate you have courage much better than that wimpy Marine!" Z admits as he rushes at her, Ann's expression furious from his words.

"Don't bring him into this! Who the hell do you think you even are!?" Angrily, Ann slams her furious fist against Z's his grin simply widening when hearing her words.

"I am…Z!" He grabs her shoulder, going for an explosion to the face, an explosion emitting from his claw however…

"I don't care!" Ann screams shoving the hand aside as smoke shoots out from his claw.

"Then come at me! This is the final battle!" Z dictates determined as the battle continues…

"It's ready! The repair is finished! We can go at any time! Super!" Franky poses proudly.

"Guys, thank you!" Luffy smiles.

"Huh? You say that now?" The crew turn to make the same face at Luffy.

"It seems they've decided. The island where the last End Point is, where Z is... It's this way." Aokiji watching the crew begin boarding takes out a hourglass.

"An Eternal Pose?! Why are you giving this to us?" Namie recognizes.

"What do you mean, why? Without it, you can't go to the island where Z is." Aokiji points out.

"Well, that's true, but..." Nami begins but…

"The Navy is moving in on Z and Ann." Aokiji points out.

"The Navy too?" Usopp says surprised.

"This is the only way they want to take out both Ann and Z." Kuzan states.

"Eh but I thought they were working together." Chopper argues.

"…just because they have a common enemy doesn't mean the navy won't take advantage of a weakened Ann." Kuzan argues.

"…Is this why you're helping us?" Robin presumes.

"…All I really want…is Ann safe." Kuzan admits to the group, their eyes expanding at her words. A still silence settles between them, Luffy simply stares at the lone wanderer until…

"Then why aren't you protecting her?" Luffy frowns.

"Luffy…!" Usopp panics perturbed however Luffy simply stares at the ex-admiral.

"Jeez you really didn't listen last at the bathhouse…if you must know I'm the last person Ann would ever trust." Kuzan states the fact firmly.

"So…?" Luffy frowns.

"So…someone as stubborn as Ann would never accept my help." Kuzan states the fact firmly amused almost a hint of endearment clear in his tone towards the topic that is Ann.

"Oh…I don't like you." Luffy smiles at the ex-admiral.

"Luffy!" Nami panics perturbed.

"You're a coward…Ann needs help and you're not even brave enough to offer your hand out to her? I really don't like you one bit." Bluntly, Luffy admits to him.

"Luffy…!" Nami and Usopp tries to shut him up but…

"It's fine. I get it. I'd hate me too." Kuzan admits.

"You should." Luffy stresses straight-faced.

"Luffy! Don't anger the man that nearly destroyed us last time!" Usopp freaks out.

"But it's okay you've guys are stronger now we've all gotten stronger!" Luffy smiles.

"Luffy…!" The others couldn't help but fret from his words, this was an admiral they were talking about…

"Besides being alone is more painful than being hurt. Don't you think so?" Luffy argues.

"…If only things were as simple as that…besides as if she would accept me being by her side after everything." Kuzan couldn't help his dry chuckle.

"Yeah…you really are a coward." Luffy says straight-faced.

"Luffy!" Nami hisses anxious.

"Have you even asked her?" Luffy couldn't help but ask Kuzan.

"…Keeping my distance and looking out for her from afar is the only way I can atone…" Kuzan tells Luffy.

"Are you really okay with that?!" Luffy snaps scowling at the calm composed collected ex admiral.

"So long as she's safe I'm fine with how things are." Aloofly, Kuzan admits as he looks down at the fabric in his grasp, clenching the feeble fabric with the skewered stitches, unraveling almost.

"If you want to be by her side then tell her so! Or at the least become a person that can stay by her side!" Luffy snaps but…is met by Kuzan's still silence.

"…Yeah I really don't like you." Luffy huffs before stretching himself on board, brow furrowed.

"Both her and Z are going down paths I feel as if I shouldn't stop but at the same time, the end result of this path Ann and Z are both going down…worries me…just keep her safe…please." Kuzan requests making the straw hat's go silent as they all begin boarding the Sunny. Robin remains the last lingering as she eyes the sad solemn wanderer, noting the strange fabric in his hand…a handkerchief? Robin couldn't help but wonder before brushing it off, they didn't have time to ask, they had a much more pressing matter to attend to.

"…We will." Robin reassures Aokiji as the straw hats take off, taking the eternal log post with them…

"Black Arm Zephyr…has returned!" Roaring, Z runs at Ann again.

"Sh-" Ann begins before being grabbed by the throat, raised up to the high heavens being choked out.

"Your cursed bloodline will en-urgh!" Z begins before being kicked back.

"Look I'm into choking not going to lie but even I have my limits…" Ann rubs her roughed up neck, she liked pain sure but still…

"Stop making things weird Hibiscus!" Z glowers.

"Maybe if you were more of a threat I wouldn't have to make fun of you so easily." Amused, Ann argues as she feels another sharp hand on her leg.

"…crap…" Ann lets out as she is swiftly flung into the wall of rock.

"ANNN!" Luffy roars rushing through marine after marine, Zoro, Sanji following in his stead as Ain and Binz both fall to the wings of the captain, each of them doing their respective task, getting closer and closer to Ann.

"…Luffy?" Ann perks up at the voice, prying her head free from the crater outline of her form when a firm fist rushes at her. She dives down out of the way from said strike, rubble descends down from the high heavens, some hitting Z but he brushes it off as Ann draws as much distance as she could from the ex-admiral.

"Fight me Hibiscus! Don't ignore me!" He roars rushing at her as she avoids each and every sing of his gauntlet, haki infused fists bracing each and every hit he throws her way.

"Not my fault you men are predictable." Ann remarks swinging herself away with his arm as a platform dodging each and every one of his blows until her haki infused fist strikes Z back.

"Argh! You…held back…even now?" Z grunts grimacing his shades shattered crooked to the side.

"…Even if you didn't like me back at the marines even if you want me dead you still have my respect for going on your own from the marines." Ann admits to Z.

"Heh…I see why he…likes you so much." Z couldn't help his smile spewing scarlet.

"You've gotten old, old man." Ann heaves noting his crimson cough.

"Heh…way to make me feel better." Z remarks.

"Considering you tried to kill me moments ago that isn't exactly a priority." Ann rebukes.

"You…really have changed." Z couldn't help but take note of.

"Huh?" Ann blinks befuddled.

"Your eyes…no matter how long we fought I never saw that glint in your eyes…the glint of bloodlust…seeing you have such a look…made me hate your father so much. To raise a child to be so bloodthirsty…made my blood boil." Z bows his head.

"…Right. You just…gonna lie there or?" Ann eyes the fallen form of the heaving Z.

"Heh, my body doesn't want to move anymore…what a shame, that fun moment ended so quickly still that fire in your eye…I see why he looks at you the way he does." Z couldn't help but grin.

"…That so…." Ann hums having no clue who or what he was talking about…

"Those who follow their dreams destroy everything and move on…take my life." Z commands Ann.

"Oh for this again?" Annoyed, Ann rolls her eyes exasperated.

"Why do you hesitate? You never hesitated before…!" Z brings up.

"Because I was a kid back then! I've changed, people change Z and maybe just maybe I'm sick and tired of hurting people, of killing them do you think I enjoy is? Any of this!" Tiredly, Ann snaps at Z.

"You…you don't do you?" Z grunts.

"To take enjoy met would mean I care and I don't. There's nothing left for me in this world…the only thing that's left is my task and once I've done that. I can finally be free." Ann admits to Z.

"This dream you plan to trample people over…who's dream is it?" Z asks her.

"What do you mean?" Ann turns to frown at Z.

"That look in your eye it's clearly not your dream." Z scowls.

"…My dream is impossibly but…if I can accomplish his dream maybe then I can finally be forgiven." Ann softly slides her hand over her chest hopeful, smiling pained.

"Forgiven?" Z frowns at her reaching for his shattered shades.

"…Maybe then… I can be free from this miserable existence." Ann couldn't help but whisper weakly, blinking back the tears thinking back to a certain boy…if she were to die…it would be a new slate for the boy as she had told Makino to give him her last name before departure. He would never be safe if he knew about her, no one really was…the boy could finally be free, could finally be rid of the curse in their bad blood. She would save him, he would have a normal life, a safe secure life…

"Hibiscus…" Z's furrows his brow at her sorrowfully slumped state reaching out to her when…

"Ann!" Ann flinches from the voice.

"Eh…? Luffy!" She stands staring stunned at the boy so she wasn't hearing things.

"We're here to help!" Luffy beams brightly, his crew right behind him as he rushes over to her.

"…you've gotten stronger." Ann places her hand on the boy's head, smiling softly sadly down at the boy.

"You noticed?" Hopeful, he smiles up at her.

"Course…ah don't suppose I could ask a favour could I?" Cheekily, Ann asks.

"Anything." Luffy agrees.

"Go to Punk Hazard there's someone there I'd very much like for you to reunite with." Ann tells him.

"Reunite…?" Luffy quirks her head to the side.

"He's the man who tended to you." Ann reminds him.

"…polar bear guy!" Luffy smiles.

"Uh…yeah sure. Think you can do that?" Ann asks him.

"Sure!" Luffy agrees.

"Z sensei!" The wounded Ain and Binz both rush over to their wounded teacher's side, saddened.

"Ainz, Binz forgive me…for giving you so much work…" Z shakily stands.

"I…as long as you're safe I…" The tearful girl approaches the man when Ann's eye twitches tense taking out her gun, she fires, the harsh ring echoing taking them all aback until…

"So mean Ann-chan…shooting an ally like that." Kizaru forms before them.

"The men around would beg to differ." Ann eyes the men armed in white a fair few looking uncertain conflicted even at the sight of her.

"I told you to take out Z." Kizaru argues.

"You honestly expect me to believe that? Please…" Ann scoffs smirking.

"Kizaru!" Robin gasps at the man above.

"This isn't good! Why now?" Usopp frets.

"…How long have you known?" Kizaru's playful tone drops taking a fair few aback.

"Since the start as if I could expect an honourable agreement from Sakazuki not that the deal has anything to do with him." Ann scoffs, a part of her had thought the Gorosei would agree with him eventually, the idea of killing Roger's heir was far too good to not take advantage of let alone being alone and without Shank's protection so she played along as Shanks had wanted…

"As cold as ever Ann-chan." Kizaru calls out cheekily to her.

"Oh you got to be…why can't you just go die in a hole or something?!" Snippily, Ann glares at the man above as does Luffy.

"Aw Ann as charming as always." Amused, Kizaru taunts her.

"Oh piss off!" Ann flips him off just as Luffy's crew arrive.

"It's a shame that Hibiscus and master Zephyr are almost dead but seeing you're all going to die anyway, it's the same." Smirking, Kizaru reasons.

"Damn it just at a time like this…wait what are you?" Ann curses however her eyes widen when Z puts his arm in front of Ann and co.

"I see that he's brought a whole battalion with him." Z staggers forward.

"What are you…?" Astonished, Ann blinks befuddled.

"The ocean saw the world begin…" Ann perks up at the familiar voice singing.

"…that voice…" Softly, Ann whispers.

"I was able to do what I wanted at the very end. So should you Hibicus." He approaches the army of marines, back turned to her.

"Eh?" Ann blinks befuddled but…

"The ocean saw the world begin…" She stops when hearing a familiar signing voice.

"I have to clean up my own mess Hibiscus." He puts his shades on.

"Oi Zephyr!" Ann steps forward frowning at the implication.

"Or I won't be bale to face all those who have gone before me." He grins at the incoming troops.

"And the ocean knows how the world will end…" The voice continues to sing.

"…Admiral Zephyr…" Ann whispers weakly staring stunned at the man.

"Ann…whatever comes…don't let the past consume you…don't let those who have sacrificed their lives for you be in vain." He calls out to her.

"…Admiral…" Anguished, Ann begins brow furrowed.

"Hibiscus', you have your own adventure do you not? Your own dream…" He reminds her.

"I told you…!" Angry, Ann begins but…

"Don't give up on your dream just yet. You still have your dream to accomplish. I, Z, will handle this." Z cuts her off taking her aback.

"…You…you don't even know what it is!" Incensed, she snaps scowling at Z.

"…If it's you…I know it will be a good dream." Z smiles back at her.

"That…" Taken aback, Ann begins but…

Sensei you can't!" Ain rushes over to his side however a wall of ice soon shoots up making Ain gasp at the arm tugging her back. Ain turns her eyes expanding at Ann having pulling her back in time as she stares stunned at the wall of ice, separating them both.

"…Ice…don't tell me…" Ann whispers grip tightening tensing around Ain's arm when looking up towards the man above watching it all go down.

"Kuzan. At the very end you create a place for me to die huh?" Z couldn't help but smile.

"Sensei! Sensei! Sens…!" Sobbing, Ain falls to her knees after hitting at the ice over and over until…

"It's not safe we need to go." Ann pulls the wailing woman up from the floor.

"No! Not without sensei!" Ain refuses roughly trying to get out of Ann's grip but…

"He's gone. There's no saving him now." Ann easily overpowers Ain, forcing Ain to turn to look at her.

"No! He can't…! Sensei! Sensei!" Sobbing, Ain wails in Ann's arms as Ann drags the young woman away…

"Thus it leads to a just world…" The song continues playing as the group leave as on the other side, the vice admirals watch on as Z take on each and every marine. The vice admirals and admial included shed a silent tear towards their battered bruised beaten teacher still fighting to the bitter end as Borsalino fires a small shot of light, hitting him square in the chest but Z simply staggers, scarlet spewing out of him as he simply smiles, fighting to the bitter end…

Ann makes her way towards her boat brow furrowed at the line of ice she was greeted by…a pathway? Perplexed, she couldn't help but frown at the sight.

"…So now you choose to act…" Annoyed, Ann tuts tiredly tense, a faint feverish hint of bitterness brewing before getting on her ship, spotting some sherry. She stares stunned at the new bottle noting the small Hibiscus flower nestled by the sight of the bottle before brushing it off, ignoring the pain swelling in her constricted chest as she takes off…

"There's Hibiscus!" One of the marines on standby call out on the boat.

"Get the canons ready!" Another of the marines order however…

"We can't sir!" The marine reports to them.

"What do you mean?" The marine scowls sharply at him.

"The canons have been blocked up." The marine tells him.

"Blocked up?" The marine turns, eyes expanding at the sight of the frosted up canons all over the armada each one of the boats facing the same issue.

"By ice!" The marine exclaims.

"Then get the guns!" A marine orders on a different boat.

"They've been taken!" Another marine exclaims. Snails soon erupt from different boats each of them lacking their weaponry.

"Of for set sail after her!" Another marine commands cross on another ship scowling at the fleeting figure of Hibiscus.

"We can't sir!" The marine exclaims.

"What!? Why not!?" The marine snarls at the marine.

"The rudders sir…they've been frozen over!" They report.

"Dammit!" The marine curses cross watching Hibiscus flee from the islands, simply staring ahead, hands shoved into her pocket, back turned to the lone bottle of sherry. Silently, she reaches for it, grabbing it by the neck, she uncorks the bottle with her bare teeth, spitting the cork into the ocean before taking a hefty gulp of the sherry, leaving the ruined remains of the island.

Slowly, the morning sun rises as Ain and Binz both cry their hearts out towards a familiar memorial, Z's gauntlet slumped over the memorial piece as the sun slowly rose. Kuzan quietly watches the pair weep for their mentor, his gloved hand holding a familiar bottle of sherry.

"Don't cry!" He yells at them startling the two into a still silence.

"He followed his heart till the very end, that's cool don't you think?" He argues grip tightening tensing around the bottle, no words needing to be shed as they all mourn the loss of their mentor…

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*Don't you love it when you forget the password to an account...anyway as sorry thought I'd drop off this chunk of a chapter for you! I'd love to know your thoughts on Kuzan and Ann after this chapter!*