Quietly, Ann sits at the cabinet in her room, quietly applying the last aspects of her makeup. She silently stares at the mirror of herself, silently applying an extra layer of mascara to her eyelashes, her sherry red staring back at the woman with long locks of pinkish blonde. The faint shimmering shine of glistening golden sparkles of makeup, the fine grainy powder flicking shining from the light above as she tends to the final steps of her makeup. She spots the lipstick by her side smiling softly at the hibiscus like golden emblem printed upon it, a murky memory surfacing as she fiddles with the lipstick.
The younger Ann leans over the cabinet calmly carefully applying a familiar lipstick, feeling a set of piercing eyes on her. She couldn't help her small smirk at the sight of the man failing to get back to reading his book. She smirks slightly amused almost at his attempt at not watching, she knew how he got with her hair up and neck exposed especially when she applied her makeup.
"Kuzu come over here." She calls out to him.
"What? We're going to be late for reservation…" He grunts, draping his arms around her, pecking the back of her naked neck making her smile slightly a shy shudder coursing down as she seemingly leans into his touch.
"Just get over here." Ann gently takes his face in her hands as next he knew lipstick of ruby red was smeared all over his flabbergasted face.
"I always loved that shade of red on you." Ann smiles softly at the shell-shocked man attempting to register what had happened as the two then went out for dinner.
Present day Ann smiles softly sadly down at the lipstick in her hand, fiddling with it before sighing, her small falling, frown falling as well while finishing the last bit of applying her makeup. She soon puts her hair up as she then stands then takes a step back from the mirror, giving herself one last look over before glancing over at the board behind her. She eyes the numerous wanted posters. Her smile softening slightly at the sight of Buggy's to Luffy's even Law's stands upon the board proudly almost as she couldn't help but smirk slightly at Nami's pose contrasting to Robin's own. She feels a small singe of pride blossoming blooming from the wanted posters pinned behind her just as the door opens…
"You ready?" She turns to Shanks.
"Well that depends." Ann slowly stands leaning over the cabinet taking out some lipstick.
"Depends on what…" Shanks furrows his brow at Ann putting her lipstick on.
"Do I look nice?" Ann turns to smirk at Shanks.
"What?" Shanks sceptically stares at Ann.
"Do I look nice?" Ann repeats the question turning to face Shanks.
"This feels like a trap." Shanks frowns at Ann.
"Don't worry. This is a judgement free zone." Ann assures as she swiftly silently pulls out her knife.
"The knife says otherwise…" Shanks silently stares down at the blade before him.
"Shanks I mean it. This a judgement free zone." Ann assures, a sickly sweet smile on her face.
"Hmmm…" Shanks couldn't help the strained sound coming out from him, from the blade teasingly touching his throat.
"That red stone is called a Road Ponegliff!" The bandaged Inuarashi informs the straw hats standing before the scarlet stone. Inuarashi is an incredibly large and grizzled canine mink. He wears a small pair of blue sunglasses and has shoulder-length black ears, a white beard, and a large and bushy tail. He wears a a dark-colored striped suit with a frilled collar, a belt, a light-colored cape, and a helmet.
"There are four of those red stones - the Road Poneglyphs in the world! That stone must indicate the location of some unknown spot but it's not Raftel. The other three Road Poneglyphs all indicate different locations in the same manner. When you learn where those locations are and connect those four points on a map, those lines will cross at the center! That's where the last island is. Only the King of the Pirates and his crew have reached it and that's Raftel!" Inuarashi elaborates to the group.
"The last island - Raftel! Raftel...Finally! I wonder if it's there! Or not! The One Piece!" Luffy couldn't help but beam brightly by the news, sweat sliding over his brightly beaming face.
"So we can get a hold of the One Piece!" Chopper couldn't help but smile.
"It's finally in sight! Conquering the Grand Line!" Brook joins in.
"I'm getting fired up! Super!" Frankie poses.
"I can't wait!" Robin couldn't help but smile as a bandaged Law quietly watches on, brow furrowed at the stone…
"Okay! Let's go search!" Luffy goes to set off but…
"Where are you going?! It's a big world!" Usopp swiftly stops him however…
"I'll get back Sanji quickly!" Luffy promises pumped.
"Listen to me!" Usopp yells.
"You- gara , if you're gonna go to Whole Cake Island along with Pekoms, it wouldn't be such a bad idea." Nekomamushi spews smoke from his pipe. Nekomamushi is a large, yellow feline mink with dark brown stripes, sharp teeth, claws, and a very thick striped tail. He has wild, bushy blonde hair resembling a lion's mane running around his neck and down his back, and there is a scar running from the left side of his forehead down to his cheek. His outfit consists of a large robe decorated with circles, a haramaki around his waist, sandals, a light-colored shirt, and pants.
"Of the four Road Poneglyphs, we are missing the whereabouts of only one. We have one here. And the other two are under the control of some pirates." Nekomamushi admits to Luffy and co.
"Pirates?" Law perks up.
"Who are those pirates?" Luffy wonders.
"Emperor Big Mom! And another Emperor - Kaido, King of the Beasts!" Nekomamushi admits as Law's eyes expand at the names.
"What?!" The others freak out.
"I see!" Luffy doesn't.
"So we should just rob them!" Franky smirks smugly.
"Whoever it is, I'll just cut them." Zoro smirks.
Law silently watches on unable not to think back to a certain Hibiscus, recalling her words well…
"If you want Luffy to beat Doffy you'll need something to give him…" Ann informs Law.
"And what could I possibly give him?" Law sceptically stares at Ann.
"…Kaido's head." Happily, Ann answers astonishing Law back then from the dark glint in her eye.
"Oh, I suddenly see nothing but darkness before my eyes..." Nami weeps weakly while Law's grip tightens tenses on his blade from how perfectly it all seemed to align.
"Me too! But I don't have eyes." Brook wails.
"Why?! We gotta kick their butts anyway so let's just do it!" Luffy stamps his feet.
"Don't say it like it's nothing! I didn't care much because I thought we wouldn't fight them anytime soon but the thought of it makes me wet myself!" Usopp wails.
"Yeah! We'll wet our pants! Don't mess with us!" Chopper cries.
"But you don't need to rob the Poneglyphs." Nekomamushi assures.
"We don't?" Chopper says surprised.
"Usually, people can copy their text like making a rubbing. No one goes around carrying around such massive stones." Nekomamushi explains.
"How do you know that?" Robin couldn't help but ask.
"How else do you think Roger got his?" Inuarashi speaks up smirking.
"Eh? Where did he get the time to do that?" Franky couldn't help but ask.
"He didn't. Hibiscus did." Nekomamushi states.
"Eh?" The crew blink befuddled.
"Hibiscus?" Law perks up at the name.
"Ann!?" Luffy says shocked.
"Ann did that…? She must have been a child…" Robin furrows her brow by the thought.
"A gutsy brat she was alright." Nekomamushi couldn't help but smirk spewing smoke into the open air.
"A suicidal brat you mean…honestly how she got out of there I'll never know." Inuarashi tuts tiredly.
"Wait hold on you serious!? You're telling me some kid managed to steal from a yonko!? But…but…but…" Usopp couldn't help but freak out baffled how someone so young could have the guts to do something so scary.
"No way! I mean…how could a child do that!? How could someone condone a mission that dangerous for a child so young!" Nami couldn't help but wonder, angry almost at the thought.
"This wasn't just some kid…this was the child of the pirate king young ones." Inuarashi tells them.
"But that…" Nami couldn't help but fret frowning from the thought.
"…" Law couldn't help but frown from the thought, it did make some sense he supposed.
"That does sound like Ann." Robin hums.
"Yeah heheh!" Luffy couldn't help but grin.
"I've got an idea! In that case, we'll sneak into Big Mom and Kaido's headquarters and get the copies! Then, we'll reach Raftel before anyone knows! And you'll become the King of the Pirates!" Usopp decides however…he soon spots Luffy's displeased expression.
"What's your problem, you dummy?!" Usopp yells at Luffy.
"That's not manly at all! Whoever it is, we can just kick their butts!" Luffy snaps the both of them beginning to wrestle.
"Easy, easy, easy!" Chopper tries to calm them down.
"Stop! Cut it out! Stop running!" Brook too but it falls to deaf ears.
"Can't we figure it out with just three of them? The location of Raftel." Chopper reasons.
"No, we can't. We can't identify the location with just three. I think we'll have to look for the fourth Poneglyph eventually." Nami sighs.
"Of course! There's no short route to become the King of the Pirates!" Luffy yells rolling with Usopp.
"Shut up! What's wrong with taking a short route?!" Usopp barks back rolling with Luffy.
"What did you say?!" Luffy snaps at Usopp.
"They're full of life." Inushi remarks.
"They- gara are a lot of fun. But I'm more worried about you- gara , Nico Robin. Those- gara who are interested in the 100 Year Void are now collecting the copies across the world but no one can read them. Big names all around the world will...surely target you- gara for kidnap when they're ready to read them." Nekomamushi tries to warn her, spewing smoke into the open air as Robin recalls an old memory…
"Professor, I want to solve the mystery of the Void History!" Robin cuts in alarming all of the archaeologists.
"You can't, you can't! That has always been forbidden!" Fretfully, Clover shuts the idea down.
"Why? If we study the Poneglyphes, we'll know what happened during the Void Century, right?" Robin reasons to him.
"Why do you know so much? You used your ability to spy on us in the basement once again! But Any action taken to decipher the Poneglyphes is considered a great crime! We should be beheaded!" Panicked, Clover realizes horrified.
"But Isn't everyone gathering in the basement late at night to do research on the Poneglyphes?" Puzzled, Robin rebukes.
"Robin! Why do you know such a thing? Are you saying that you peeked on all of that too? Answer me, Robin!" Cross, Clover demands from the upset child.
"Say Saul, Ann, did you know there's a hundred year gap in history that we have no record of." Robin reveals to the two, their eyes widening when hearing her words, when something seemingly clicks within her head.
"Robin you shouldn't…!" Worriedly, Saul begins but…
"You mean the void century…" Ann assumes.
"Wait how do you even know about this?" Taken aback, Saul ponders puzzled.
"I'm an archaeologist." Robin replies.
"An archaeologist? Even though you're so tiny?" Saul exclaims.
"This from the giant." Ann scoffs.
"You think that's right?" Robin queries to Ann.
"Course not we need to acknowledge the mistakes of the past so we can learn from them." Truthfully, Ann tells Robin.
"…!" Robin's baby blues widen when hearing Ann's words.
"What's with the stare?" Surprised, Ann asks Robin noting her and Saul's stunned stare.
"You sounded just like an archaeologist!" Awestruck, Robin beams brightly at Ann.
"Hah I doubt that I mean I have seen some." Ann admits, a small smirk crossing her lips at the thought of back then…of the roads, of the headaches…
"You have?" Robin perks up at the thought turning to face the blonde her eyes shimming shining at the thought.
"Yes…I was a young girl my father had taken me aboard his ship, shown me the Poneglyphs." Ann holds her head to the side slightly squirming from the sharp sting of the memory.
"You know about them? What did they say?" Eagerly, Robin asks as she turns to face her practically on her knees.
"I was but a girl Rob I doubt I could remember let alone even read it at the time." Tiredly, Ann aloofly dismisses.
"Hmm…" Disappointed, Robin furrows her brow by it.
"Sorry to disappoint you but hey maybe in the future you could research it, record it even." Amused, Ann offers.
"But the government forbid it." Robin furrows her brow by it.
"Just cause the government say you can't do it doesn't mean you can't do it." Ann winks at Robin.
"…Ann…!" Saul's eyes widen when hearing her words.
"K...Kidnap Robin?!" Luffy says shocked.
"What?!" Franky too all eyes falling on Robin.
"Are you insane?! Don't think that you'll be able to survive after making the entire world your enemy!" Spandam snaps at the group back at Enies Lobby.
"Bring it on! We're gonna go back together! Robin!" Luffy yells calling out to the chained girl crying her heart out towards her nakama.
"Listen carefully, Robin! You're alone now, but you'll meet friends someday for sure!" Saul swears as Ann holds the crying Robin trying to shield her from the ice coated her giant friend as before she knew it…
"Robin…it's going to be okay." Ann smiles at the girl her eyes widening when seeing said familiar smile.
"Ann?" Robin furrows her brow by it just as Aokiji steps forward.
"Not a step closer." Curtly, she snaps raising her blade.
"An-" Aokiji begins but the heavy ring echoes throughout the room, Akoji's heart dropping seeing scarlet shoot out of Ann as she…smiles? Startling Aokiji as he felt his heart drop.
"ANN!" Aokiji cries ice shooting out of him as she drops down with Robin, clinging to her, pipe of sorts in mouth as they both freely fall, diving down into the watery depths as a coat of ice covers her tracks, oblivious to the hidden scheme as the two make their escape…
"It's no problem. I have strong friends who will protect me." Robin turns to smile at both leaders of Zou.
"Whoa-whoa, did you say "Strong"? That makes me blush! I'll kick anyone's butt for you!" Luffy blushes brightly by her words.
"You shouldn't count on me like that..." Chopper couldn't help but blush.
"I'll protect Robin- san no matter what!" Brook swears.
"I'll do anything for Robin too! Super!" Franky adds.
"I won't let anyone touch Robin!" Usopp declares.
"If they do, I'll take their lives and money!" Nami smirks smugly.
"They- gara are very dependable!" Nekomamushi couldn't help but smile at the crew.
"You have good friends." Inuarashi agrees as they watch the strawhats prepare for their next move.
"Ann…" Momo couldn't help but whisper.
"Hm? You know Ann Momosuke?" Robin turns to the child.
"Yes Ann is…my betrothed." Momo announces to the group.
"Betrothed!? E-EEEHHHHH!?" The crew couldn't help but let out shocked oblivious to the looks Nekomamushi and Inu had given one another at the boy's declaration.
"EH? What's all this Ann is my betrothed crap huh? Someone's getting' awful full of themselves again don't you think!?" Luffy rushes over poking at Momo.
"I'm not full of myself you fool! She was promised to me! We're meant to be together for her to be alive and well…to be waiting for me for all these years!" Momo couldn't help but sob while fleeing from Luffy.
"…I don't think she was waiting." Zoro brings up however…
"She must have spent so many nights alone all on her lonesome worrying about me…waiting for me for so long I'll make her a life she won't regret waiting for!" Momo continues on regardless as the group sweat drop, Robin included, unable not to think about Ann and a certain ice man.
"By the way, how do you guys know so much about the Poneglyphs?" Perplexed, Luffy turn back the Wano samurai.
"It all started with our master - Kozuki Oden- sama who used to have an interest in the stones. Because..." Inuarashi begins but…
"Is it okay to tell them, dog?" Nekomamushi stops him frowning.
"Go ahead. You don't have to hide anything from them. You can tell them anything." Momo speaks up.
"Did you say "Go ahead"? What's that bossy attitude?!" Luffy demands from Momo.
"I am their boss! You insolent dork!" Momo barks back.
"How can you be ceremonious all of a sudden?!" Luffy pokes at Momo.
"Cut it out! Luffy!" Momo wails while fleeing from Luffy still.
"Now, what's with that person - Kozuki Oden?" Robin couldn't help but ask.
"The Kozuki Family of the Land of Wano was, in fact, a clan of stonemasons that has quarried stones and processed them for generations. They are still highly skilled." Nekomamushi tells them.
"Stonemasons?" Usopp says surprised.
"Yes. It goes way back, 800 years ago...The Kozuki Clan invented an indestructible book with their sophisticated skills. That's what the Poneglyphs are!" Nekomamushi spews smoke into the open air as he tells them this.
"What?!" The group say shocked.
"The Kozuki Family?! Were they the ones who made all those Poneglyphs in the world?!" Robin says surprised.
"You made the stones that Robin is looking for?!" Luffy turns to Momo.
"Not me! It was my ancestors from way back!" Momo scowls.
"Then, do you guys know what's written on them?!" Luffy turns to the scabbards.
"That hasn't been passed down fully through the generations." Kanjuro tells Luffy.
"You can find it out by reading the stones." Kin'emon adds.
"The only thing that has been passed down was how to read and write the ancient text." Raizo adds as the samurai grunt grimacing glaring down at the floor below.
"However…unfortunately, that's..." Kanjuro bows his head anguished.
"Before it was passed down to Momonosuke- sama, it was cut off at his father - Kozuki Oden- sama 's generation!" Kin'emon admits as Momo bows his head pained.
"By "cut off," you mean Momonosuke- san 's father is..." Brook begins but…
"Yes, Oden- sama is... Wano...Wa...Wa...!" Kin'emon grits his teeth together tense with Raizo and Kanjuro, the tears freely falling from all the sobbing scabbards trying to fight back the tears but…it's futile.
"Oden wouldn't be "oden" if it wasn't boiled….! Oden's words ring out throughout the scabbard's heads.
"Hey! It's okay if you don't wanna talk about it!" Luffy assures but…
"Oden- sama was...executed! By the shogun of the Land of Wano and the pirate Kaido!" The scabbards bow before them admitting just that.
"What?!" Luffy says shocked.
"To save all of us retainers, he met his fate!" Kin'emon sobs.
"By Kaido?!" Luffy says shocked.
"Kaido..." Law frowns the pieces all fitting together in his mind.
"And...Emperor Kaido's Beast Pirates are...still in the Land of Wano! In the Land of Wano?" Kin'emon reveals anguished.
"If you don't wanna talk about it, that's okay but...why was your master executed? You guys have been captured and targeted because of that, haven't you?" Zoro speaks up.
"Momo- chan ..." Nami whispers watching the boy sob his heart out trying to wipe the tears but they never stop.
"Yes, you're right. You could say it's a cardinal sin. Kaido is trying to pull information from us! The previous daimyo - Kozuki Oden- sama...travelled to the last island Raftel with the King of the Pirates - Gol D. Roger and witnessed the secret of the world!" Kin'emon informs them.
"What?!" The group gawk at the news.
"Roger?" Nami says shocked.
"Momonosuke's father...went to Raftel with Gold Roger?!" Luffy says stunned by the development.
"Now it all fits…" Law whispers.
"Was your father one of the Pirate King's crew?!" Luffy demands from the crying child.
"Momo's father was?!" Usopp says shocked.
"Momonosuke- sama ..." Raizo calls out to him.
"'m asking you, Momo!" Luffy calls out.
"Luffy!" Namie frowns at him.
"That is right!" Momo confirms.
"He witnessed the secret of the world? Probably, with Ann and Rayleigh- san too." Robin says stunned.
"I see! In order to get the secret of the world out of you retainers, Doflamingo and Caesar who were tied to Kaido...were trying to catch you guys." Zoro catches on.
"That's right!" Kin'emon nods.
"So do you guys know the secret of the world?!" Usopp wonders.
"Well... Actually we don't know it! Oden- sama didn't want to burden us with the secret. We don't know anything!" Kin'emon adds.
"Yes, but even if we knew it, we wouldn't tell anybody. Whether we know or not, we'll keep being hunted! If so, the only option we have is to fight!" Kanjuro declares.
"That's right! Although we are defeated soldiers, we accept our disgrace and survive to this day for one reason! Just because of Oden- sama 's words that are etched in our minds!" Kin'emon slams his fist to his chest.
"Those words are the reason we live!" Raizo roars.
"The same here." Inuarashi agrees.
"Uh-huh." Nekomamushi too.
"Wh-What are those words?" Usopp wonders.
"The words he left behind were just one phrase! "Open up the Land of Wano!" Kin'emon declares with the rest of the scabbards staring up at the family crest above.
"What do they mean by "open up"?" Chopper wonders.
"The Land of Wano is closed off to the world. Which means no one's allowed to leave the country or enter from the outside, but if they open up, that means they'll interact with other countries." Brook explains.
"It's a pity that, although we should have been shields for our master Oden- sama, we were saved by him instead and we brought shame to ourselves! What we have to do now is to put our lives on the line and avenge our master!" Kanjuro declares.
"We need to kill the shogun who stole the Land of Wano and open the closed country to the world!" Raizo roars.
"That's our wish! The Land of Wano is almost entirely under the control of the shogun and Kaido who've joined forces. Our friends are trying to muster dissidents there now but they're still vastly outnumbered by the enemy's great army! There's no chance to win!" Kin'emon confirms for the group.
"So that's what's happening there." Brook gathers.
"Momo- chan ..." Namie worriedly watches the crying child.
"But we have to win! Thus, to look for someone who will fight with us, we set out to the sea! First, we were heading for Zou!" Kin'emon tells them.
"Because to fight against the Beast Pirates, we surely needed the help of Minks, our closest allies." Kanjuro adds.
"Yes, the Kozuki Clan and the Minks...have a special bond from way back, which means whatever happens, we'll share the same fate!" Inu agrees.
"More than anything, the dog and I are Oden- sama 's direct retainers. Ever since the day Raizo arrived here, all of our warriors were prepared!" Nekomamushi nods.
"But when we actually fought, it turned out like this against Jack's unit which was just a part of Kaido's army!" Inu frowns.
"How disappointing." Nekomamushi glares down at his cast.
"What a shame." Inu nods.
"Hey! But that's because they used that dirty weapon!" Frankie argues.
"No one could've expected they'd use the poison gas!" Usopp points out.
"If there were a judge to call foul and we'd win, maybe that would work, but..." Inu tells the two.
"No matter how dirty they play, this is our country! We should've won!" Nekomamushi insists irritated.
"But we won't let it happen again! We won't repeat the same failure! We have an ace up our sleeve too. If we fight again, we'll show them the true power of the Mink Tribe!" Inu proudly proclaims.
"The true power?" Franky says surprised.
"Yes! We're not gonna just back down!" Nekomamushi nods.
"Then, take your injury more seriously! Otherwise, you won't be able to exercise that true power!" Chopper tells Nekomamushi.
"I know." Nekomamushi sighs.
"No drinking until you're fully recovered!" Chopper adds.
"That's boring..." Nekomamushi whines.
"No baths either!" Chopper throws in.
"Now, we have a favor to ask, Luffy- dono and you too, Law- dono ! I know it's presumptuous of me to ask you a favor after you saved my life but I've been impressed by how strong you guys are! Since we are fated to share the same purpose, will you help us fight to kill the shogun of the Land of Wano and Emperor Kaido?!" Kin'emon requests from them.
"Please! I'm begging you, Luffy- dono!" Kanjuro begs.
"I'm begging you too!" Raizo pleads.
"Oh! Yes! Who can ask for more?! Those samurai and the Minks! They'll be a big help for us too! Those samurai and the Minks! They'll be a big help for us too!" Usopp cheers.
"We were gonna fight Kaido sooner or later! We gotta jump at this chance!" Franky smiles.
"They even have a ninja, Luffy!" Chopper climbs on Luffy's shoulder.
"Please help us!" Kin'emon bows before Luffy.
"I refuse!" Luffy answers astonishing his crew, a still silence soon falling around the group.
"Wh-What?!" Kin'emon stutters shocked still trying to reel from Luffy's words.
"Wh-What did you just say?!" Usopp adds astonished.
"I refuse!" Luffy repeats.
"Why?! We've been traveling together!" Usopp shakes Luffy mad.
"Luffy- dono!" Kin'emon stares stunned at Luffy.
"I refuse!" Luffy repeats.
"Don't!" Usopp glares at Luffy.
"Tell me you're kidding!" Chopper snaps at Luffy.
"Why can't you get it?! Think about it! We have to join hands! Are you out of your mind?! Just a moment! Forget about what he said! We'll teach him a lesson!" Usopp snaps at his captain before turning to assure the samurai.
"Stop!" Luffy winces from Usopp's harsh hit.
"Luffy, think again!" Usopp shakes Luffy.
"This will make you less of a man!" Franky tells him however…
"Wait! I think Luffy has a point there." Nami cuts in taking the group aback.
"Nami?!" Usopp says shocked.
"I'm gonna go...negotiate!" Nami's eyes shine with the berri sign.
"That's not it! No!" Chopper and Franky stop her.
"Are you just a figurehead, Momo?!" Luffy yells at him.
"Cut it out! He's only a child!" Usopp holds him back but…
"You say it! I thought you were an important person! You're a leader of these great men, aren't you?! Are you gonna just cry?!" Luffy continues to yell at Momo.
"How could you make him cry like that?! Don't be harsh to an eight-year-old!" Nami slaps Luffy.
"Luffy- san. Generally, heirs don't necessarily stand on their feet until they're fully grown. If adults assist them properly..." Brook tells him however…
"How do you think you can stand by Ann's side by being such a cry baby!" Luffy yells taking the whole crew aback, Momo too when…
"Oh, Momonosuke- san?" Brook takes note of the boy stepping forward from his words.
"Momonosuke- sama ..." His scabbards call out to him.
"Yes, come here, Momo- chan. I'm sorry for what our stupid captain said to you..." Nami goes to hug him however he brushes past her taking Nami aback.
"AAHHH!" The young Momo sobs scared at the lion rushing after him, he soon gasps when his sandal catches onto a root making him fall to the floor.
"Someone please…help me…" The tearful boy couldn't help but whimper weakly not wanting to die when…the sharp scream of the lion echoes erupts taking the boy aback as he looks up, staring stunned at the bloodied blonde before him.
"…You okay?" The young Ann looks down at Momo, oblivious to his bright blush staring stunned at the bloodied blonde.
"I…I…" The young Momo begins but…
"Come on captain's waiting." Aloofly, Ann brushes the blushing boy off, going on ahead.
"W-Wait for me!" Momo couldn't help but reach out to Ann attempting to catch up to the girl far ahead…
"Father...I..." Internally, Momo makes his way towards Luffy brave faced.
"You want to stand by her don't you!?" Luffy's words echo in his ears.
"I like Ann!" The young Momo tells his father.
"Oh? Well to get a girl like Ann you'll need guts think you can be brave Momo?!" Oden drapes his arm around the young sniffling boy gathering his courage as he goes over to the blonde playing cards with a younger Shanks and Buggy…
"You can't see it all! And that's how the world is, Momonosuke!" His father's words echo in the brave face of the boy looking up at Luffy.
"Father, I..." Momo wipes his tears snot shooting out of his nose as he looks up at Luffy.
"We're surrounded!" Kin'emon's words echo throughout the fire.
"Mother!" The sobbing boy calls out to her however…
"Ready the flaming arrows!" A voice hollers.
"Run! There must be a way out! Everyone! Run!" Oden tells them amongst the fierce flames as the young Momo tried to run but…Kaido easily towered over the young boy.
"Luffy! I..." Momo begins crying…
"Your father is...a foolish lord!" Kaido's words echo in Momo's head.
"I want to bring down Kaido! He was an enemy to my parents! He killed my mother too! I wish to grow up and become strong quickly and avenge my father and mother! I want to protect all my retainers too! I want to…I want to see Ann again too!" Tearful, Momo cries sobbing his heart out.
"Momonosuke- sama!" Kin'emon calls out.
"It's enough to know that you feel that way!" Nekomamushi weeps.
"You- gara got older and weepy." Inui tuts tiredly at Nekomamushi.
"Shut up!" Nekomamushi barks back at him.
"But because my body's still small, I can't do that! That's why I want you to fight with me! I'm begging you! Please..." Momo bows before Luffy however…
"I got it! Let's join hands! We're allies! Let me have Kaido's head though!" Luffy stops him, smiling offering his hand to Momo.
"Thank you! Thank you!" Momo cries.
"You're doing it wrong! You gotta grab tight! Like this!" Luffy shows him.
"Thank you!" Momo continues thanking him.
"With more energy!" Luffy instructs.
"Our leaders are bonded! This is great!" Nekomamushi cheers.
"Straw Hat- ya . Didn't you have to ask me first?" Law comes up to Luffy.
"It's cool, right?" Luffy assumes.
"Yeah, but..." Law begins but…
"I'm so relieved!" Luffy cuts Law off as Law couldn't help but wonder what he got himself into as the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance was finally formed.
The cheers of the people echo erupt into the empty air around the desert outside the church. The bells ring, roaring throughout the desert as the people cheer celebrating the newlywed couple. Ann couldn't help but smile softly sadly at the sight of the newly weds, a part of her unable to not feel the shy sting of envy towards the happy couple, confetti flying in the air alongside the doves flying high in the sky above the church. Cactus stand, scattered around the outside of the church as the red haired pirates cheer just as the sharp squawk of seagulls chorus confusing a fair few below, Ann included as she looks up. Her hair held up as she reaches out for a paper as does the smiling Shanks.
Ann couldn't help her sly smug smirk towards the sight of the news reporting the fallen figure of Doflamingo, she had thought they had printed it out already but she supposed the world government were no doubt scrambling in their attempts at hiding the truth from Morgans. Still Ann couldn't help but grin giddily at the news proudly proclaim Doflamingo's defeat thanks to the straw hats, she smirks spotting some pictures of herself winking at the camera.
"Someone was busy." Shanks smirks at Ann.
"Hey they did most of the work." Ann argues.
"Or so you want people to think!" Benn hollers from the back earning a fair few chuckles from the red haired pirates as Bonkpunch happily leans over the well for a drink, monster dancing on his shoulder smiling.
"God Usopp? Oi Ann you got some explaining to do!" Yasopp hollers cackling at the sight of his son's wanted poster as Building Snake goes over to pat Yasopp's back, equally as amused at the news as the wedding celebrations continue…
"There is nothing! He didn't steal anything!" One of Big Mom's soldiers report after looking through Brook's things.
"That's good then, Soul King. I'm sorry to suspect you. Pet, pet." Big Mom holding Brook apologises petting the afro skeleton.
"How frustrating. What a humiliation." Brook couldn't help but think to himself in shame.
"The Tamate Box goes without saying, but I can't let you steal a copy of the Poneglyph or other stuff either. It'd be foolish if I allowed you to take it and let someone reach Raftel again. I'm not gonna mess up like I did with Roger, using that brat to act as one of my own, to steal a rubbing of my Poneglyph!" Big Mom seethes snarls at the miserable memory of the young Ann.
"O-Ow! Brook couldn't help but wince internally at Big Mom's harsh grip tightening tensing around the skeletal man. Big Mom is a plump woman with a sizeable chin. She has an enormous physique, standing at 880 centimetres or just shy of 29 feet tall, which is the largest known height for any human. She is taller than the extremely large Whitebeard.
"Not only that but he read the stone with his strange ability that allowed him to hear the voice of all things, but we have someone who will eventually have a similar ability. The ones who will reach Raftel next will be none other than us." Big Mom declares determined She has moderately round, orange eyes, prominent eyelashes, and wears thick purple eyeshadow. She has a very wide mouth with full lips sporting red lipstick, large, round teeth, and a long, thick tongue that often sticks out. She also has long, curly, and wild pink hair that falls halfway down her back, as well as a long beak-like nose, and plump, round cheeks. She also sports a tattoo on her left shoulder and arm, consisting of a large, standard-shaped red heart framed by thin lines curled at their bottom ends, which all tops a far smaller heart.
"Mama!" A young voice calls out to Big Mom.
"Oh, my dear Pudding! We were just talking about you." Big Mom perks up at the star of the show.
The soft sound of music plays bounces around the walls of the venue. Amused, Ann easily converses with the group of men, murmuring about her attempting to talk to her, flirt with her as she smoothly shuts the disappointed boys down, heading off to lean against a nearby pillar, glass of sparkly in hand. Ann couldn't help but smile softly at the sight of the people dancing, spinning about with their respective partner, others drinking away their sorrows, in a world of their own.
She couldn't help but move the drink in her hand a bit bemused by the bubbles bubbling to the surface swiftly popping as she silently smiles sadly at the sight, trying to ignore the heavy ache in her heart when watching the happy couple cut the cake…the people cheering eager for a piece.
"…What are you doing over here?" Benn couldn't help but go over to Ann, his brow furrowed at the girl smiling softly sadly down at her glass.
"What do you mean?" Mystifed, Ann arches a befuddled brow towards Benn.
"The buffet's over there." Benn points to the table where Roux is happily digging in. Monkey too munching down on anything he can scarf down as Hongou simply sighs shaking his head at the pair, too tired to warn them or scold them like normal.
"Not really hungry." Aloofly, Ann shrugs
"You…you okay?" Benn couldn't help but furrow his brow at Ann noting her sad soft smile.
"Yeah…just…just bring back some old memories…" Ann couldn't help but close her eyes reminiscing…
"Are you still mad?" Amused, Ann couldn't help but smile leant against the back of the blue shirted male, perched proudly upon his bike.
"…" Kuzan keeps cycling, simply staring ahead at the open sea, the washing waves helpless to the lone path of ice he forms from the bike.
"Kuzu come on he was just a kid." Ann couldn't help but chuckle at the pouting male.
"A noisy one." The man finally speaks, grumpily grumbling glaring ahead annoyed as Ann couldn't help but smile softly at the endearing sight. She could still remember, the two at the small fish shaped restaurant, the two conversing cheerily in a world of their own when they hear the soft sound of a plate crashing. The two turning to the young blonde boy, heart eyes on him staring smiling at the amused Ann unable not to laugh as next the two knew, the boy had come back over to the table, cutting Kuzan off time and time again as he attempts to talk to Ann.
"Hey I still enjoyed myself that food was good come on I know you enjoyed it too." Ann smiles softly leaning her head back bemused by the grumpy man besides her. She couldn't help but think back to the brave boy, clearly having no clue who the person he was interrupting was, a part of Ann impressed by Kuzan's patience when it came to the boy belittling Kuzan, attempting to sweep the smirking Ann off her feet as she simply responded with a…
"Call me in 30 years and we can talk!" Teasingly, she told the young boy beaming brightly by the promise quickly fleeing as Ann had felt the air turn colder, her hand swiftly sliding over to his. She then entwined her hand with his squeezing his hand feeling the air return back to normal as Kuzan calmly squeezes her hand back, both smiling as the head chef of the restaurant came over to their table. The beaten bruised boy bowing his head apologetic to the two as the peg legged chef gave them their meal for free for the boy's poor manners.
"…the brat was still a pain in the ass." Annoyed, Kuzan's voice brings Ann back from the memory.
"And he was a kid come on don't tell me you're feeling insecure from some kid." Ann drapes her arms around Kuzan.
"Course not." Kuzan huffs scowling simply staring ahead.
"Good cause trust me, you make me feel things I shouldn't so you better take responsibility got that?" Teasingly, she leans in, gently pecking Kuzan's cheek.
"I got it." Kuzan leans back against her his attempt at returning the affection as he rides the bike for the two.
"Hey look over there." Ann perks up at the island they pass by taking note of the church bells ringing.
"Hm?" Kuzan turns to the church to the happy couple coming out of the church.
"Looks like someone's getting hitched…" Ann smiles softly at the sight of the blooming bride beaming brightly by her husband's side.
"…Looks like it." Kuzan grunts going back to staring out at the sea.
"…they look so happy." Ann couldn't help but smile softly leaning into her inner palm, leaning over watching the colourful confetti fly.
"I don't see why." Kuzan dismisses shrugging it off perking Ann's interest.
"What do you mean by that?" Ann looks up at Kuzan confusion clear on her furrowed features to the man, his back still to her.
"I just mean I've never seen the point of it. Why do you need some stupid paper to tell the world you're together. It's a waste of money." Kuzan dismisses simply staring ahead.
"…Maybe that piece of paper is important to them…maybe they want to prove they want to spend the rest of their lives together." Tense, Ann couldn't help but frown at Kuzan.
"…Sounds like a waste of time to me." Kuzan states unaware of the pained plastered expression of Ann blinking back the tears threatening to fall from his words.
"…Sounds like a dream to me…" Softly, Ann whispers weakly keeping her tone cold curt calm smiling strained as Kuzan raises a befuddled brow by her words before shrugging her off, firmly focusing on taking her back to base unaware of Ann's pained expression, curling in on herself from Kuzan's words…
"…You mean him?" Benn brings Ann back to the party, blinking back the tears taking her aback as they form.
"…what do you think?" Tense, Ann attempts to joke lighten the mood with a strained smile however…
"Ann…" Benn softens slightly at Ann noting the pain on her strained smile.
"Sorry I shouldn't let him ruin this day." Apologetic, Ann bows her head, smiling sadly down at the floor below but…
"It's not your fault it's hard forgetting someone you love." Benn joins her side, Ann's eyes expanding when hearing her words.
"…Sorry what?" Alarmed, Ann tenses up smiling strained, her fingertips fidgeting, grip tighten tensing pinching around the neck of the fine wine glass.
"…Don't lie Ann." Aloofly, Benn tiredly tells her exhaling exhausted at Ann.
"W-Who says I'm lying?" Anxious, Ann smiles strained stuttering slightly however…
"You're lying to yourself if you're going to deny it Ann." Bluntly, Benn tells Ann as she squirms slightly from his words.
"That…I…urgh…" Ann tries to find her words however falters frowning.
"I'm not going to lie to you Ann." Benn admits to her.
"Hm?" Ann arches a befuddled brow.
"I've been around my fair share of women as I've have seen my fair share of men trying to chat these girls up but that admiral of yours." Benn admits to her as Ann's eyes expand at his words before hardening harshly.
"Ex admiral…and he isn't mine." Sternly, she snippily reminds him.
"Yeah well just listen…never have I seen a man look at a woman the way he looks at you…the way he looks at you is how I aspire to look at a girl one day." Truthfully, Benn admits as he recalls the days of him being in the corner conversing with some women while noting the small chuckle coming out of the younger Ann as she and a certain admiral converse with one another, in a world of their own as Benn couldn't help but sceptically watch on. The man was an admiral after all, he was still part of the marines for all Benn knew this could have been some trap to kidnap her however…he never did.
Benn could never forget the look in Kuzan's eyes as he simply listened to her, nodding, smiling softly at her, amused almost at her words while conversing with her. He had never seen how happy Ann had looked unless it was with him…he could recall the woman by his side tugging at him, attempting to get back his attention as he spewed smoke into the open air, watching the two soon enough leave the bar…
"…Benn…" Ann's brow furrows fatigued from the topic at hand, this was a happy day why ruin it with a topic like this? This was a happy day, a joyful day, a jovial day after all, staining such a day with a mood killer like him, would do no good for any of them.
"I mean it Ann and I'm not even going into how you perk up at the sight of him." Benn couldn't help but smirk slightly at the murky memory.
"I do not!" Ann angrily snaps sharply scowling at the bemused Benn.
"Oh of course not just as you two don't purposely plan to meet at bars sometimes even after you left the marines." Bemused, Benn continues teasing the flustered fuming face of the angry Ann glaring at Benn before cooly calming composing herself, taking a breath. She gives Benn a dirty look, eye twitching tense, growling glaring at the ass before taking a breath, counting internally.
"No clue what you're talking about." Aloofly, Ann turns away huffing haughty.
"I'm sure…just as I am sure it's just happen chance when we meet up with the admiral at the bar." Bemused, Benn smirks smugly.
"Yes well that doesn't happen…not anymore." Agitated, Ann turns away annoyed.
"Ann…" Benn softens slightly at Ann downing her glass.
"…if you're so smart Benn tell me this then. Why has he joined the crew of the man that sent my brother to be executed?" Enraged, Ann asks angrily, pain pouring out of her tense tired tone. A still silence ensues between both right and left hand of the yonko…
"…Not even I can crack that Ann…" Benn admits, smoke spewing out into the open air.
"…Does he hate me so much that he'd join them?" Attentively, the anguished Ann couldn't help but wonder weakly, tone trembling, sliding her hand over her mouth muffling the slight hitch in her voice, trying to keep it together, trying to handle the pain pumping through her with the mixture of emotions washing over her. So many questions filtering through her, rage, sorrow, confusion…so many emotions fluttering fighting against one another.
"…I'm sure it's more than that." Benn promises her however Ann couldn't help her strained smile.
"Don't lie Benn." Briskly, Ann cuts Benn off.
"Ann…" Benn's brow furrows at Ann.
"I lied to him Benn, for days, months, weeks, years. I've lied to him…I'm the child of the man he hates, he despises, he's spent his entire career in the marines training to eliminate…why wouldn't I be surprised he'd turn away from me too…?" Ann couldn't help but smile sadly at the firm fact of the matter, she had hurt him as he had hurt her…she couldn't blame him, truly she couldn't, she was the child of the devil after all she was…
"If Gold Roger had a child, they'd be beheaded, no doubt about it!"
"Their last words should be something like: I'm so sorry I was born I'm just garbage!"
"She is the child of a devil…"
Ann couldn't help but grimace holding herself at the murky memory of it all of those voices flooding back to her when…
"So…you went to Roger's execution…" Aokiji furrows his brow at her as present day Ann tries to blink back the tear threatening to escape, pulling her hair back brow furrowed from the memory of it all hitting her once more.
"This again? Well yeah…it was a big thing at the time you know? A whole era was changing…it still is changing I suppose, I wonder what the future will bring?" Ann couldn't help but ponder to herself, smiling strained.
"More scummy pirates after that treasure he mentioned." Aokiji's grip tightens around the anxious Ann grimacing glancing to the side scowling.
"You really think all pirates are scum?" Shyly, Ann asks as she removes herself slightly from Aokiji, his brow furrowing from her words.
"All they do is cause trouble I wouldn't have this job if it weren't for them." Aokiji argues.
"Do you…do you think Gol. D Roger is scum?" Softly, Ann asks Aokiji.
"He's king of the scum." Aokiji asserts as Ann couldn't help but grimace, her heart aching breaking by his cold curt crisp words.
Ann…" Benn's brow furrows at the struggling sniffling state of Ann attempting to fight so hard against the flood of tears of emotions of the inner conflict within her. She didn't want to make a scene today was their day not hers, never hers…never…the anguished Ann couldn't help the sorrow washing over her, her heart aching at the sad reality of the situation as just then her heart breaks further from…
"Do we even deserve to have been born?" The younger words of Ace ring in Ann's ears as Ann's heart aches breaks by the thought of him.
She slides her hand over her eyes attempting to stop the leak of mascara of her makeup fading…how could she even be speaking about him like this when it was his fault her brother was taken from her!?
How could she still feel such a way towards her brother's murderer? Towards the man who had once again done nothing but allow it all to happen? How could she betray Ace like that!? How could she call herself her brother when she wasn't even there for him when he needed her most, when she had fallen for the man who had helped in her brother's demise!?
"Ace would want you to be happy…" Benn softly says to Ann astonishing her, seemingly snapping her out of her thoughts.
"And you honestly think I deserve that…?" Ann couldn't help but wonder, heckling hollowly holding herself.
"Ann…" Benn softens sadly at the anguished Ann.
"You honestly think he'd be happy that I was thinking that way towards…that I was feeling this way towards his killer…?" Ann couldn't help her self-hatred, her guilt gnawing away at her.
"He would want you to be happy…" Benn says softly to her.
"…" Ann couldn't help but frown from his words.
"Come on…" Benn offers his hand out to her.
"What are you…?" Astonished, Ann seemingly snaps out of her thoughts turning to Benn, his hand offered out to her, noting the numerous people out on the dancefloor already.
"Might as well have some fun it's a wedding after all." Amused, Benn argues as Ann herself couldn't help but bow her head, her shy sad smile sliding her hand into his, the two beginning to dance with the rest, enjoying the wedding festivities…the best the two of them could…
The soft sound of sizzling from the grill echoes erupts from the equipment in the snowy island of sorts. A familiar penguin sits at the grill, steam spewing out from the grill, the penguin tries to control, fanning the flames, the supersized penguin has a familiar piece of worn fabric around its fin as it does just that. The penguin turns the skewers sat on the glowing embers of orange, trying to keep the flickering flames feasting on the embers to cook the skewers.
One of said skewers resides lodged in the mouth of Kuzan, sat down on a small stone, too small for comfort as he reads the paper, shades silently reading the disbandment of the warlord system, spotting the familiar figure within the paper, clearly connected. Kuzan's grip tightens tenses on the paper, eyes lingering on the woman winking in the camera, smirking smugly, sipping at the tea at the café as the fall of Doflamingo is broadcasted throughout the world…
He hears the soft sound of snow breaking beneath his feet. He adjusts the paper, faltering from the sad sight of the black box falling on the snowy sheet below beneath him. He reaches down noting the familiar messily done handkerchief coiled around the black box as he reaches towards the box, gently clapping hold of the box. He picks it up, softly sliding the worn fabric attached back into his pocket. Quietly, he opens the box showing the small slick silver ring within, a hibiscus within the gem of the stone. Silently, he stares sadly solemnly down at the ring before hearing the soft sound of snow crunching, the penguin waddling back over to him. He quietly closes the black box putting it back into his coat as Camel comes over to hand him another skewer.
*Heeey been a while...didn't realize how much I had been neglecting this story till I spotted some chapters so...heads up I will be more on top of this story and there's been some huge changes I highly advise rereading the story I've managed to change some of the chapters, some may not have changed but yeah...what do you think of this chapter? As always would love to know your thoughts on Ann and Kuzan!*