Wishfull-star: Thatch's fruit comes up in this chapter. Lol it would have been fitting for him to have the devil fruit strusen had, the one to turn things into food. I can see him stealing things from people to turn into food as a prank and then feed it to them. Or turn toilet plungers into food and make everyone feel sick.

sairakanzaki: So much more comes with the darkness, and not just with Ace. Hehe, long time until then, though!

Poor Ace in this chapter. But some important things happen! Enjoy~

"Don't, Thatch," Ace said in a cranky voice as he worked to get the pancake syrup out of his hairline in the nice bathroom in their bedroom's hall, the one with Pops' room at the end. "Please, I don't want to talk about it." He sighed, pulling strands of hair out clumped with thick, gooey syrup. He would be forgoing syrup from now on. Great.

Thatch sighed, and went to get Stefan, and then left Ace to himself. He looked at the mirror with angry tears. He sniffled, wiping his eyes. The captain had told him it was nothing to be ashamed of. He was just grateful nobody woke from him screaming that morning. Another hallucination. Stefan panicked at that, and he felt guilty for scaring his precious pup.

After he got his hair clean, he left, holding Stefan close, unable to help the big pout on his face. He was still hungry, had barely started to eat before he fell asleep at the dinner table. It really was good he was a logia. Blunt force trauma didn't affect him, and if he fell on a fork or something, it would go right through him harmlessly.

He was asked how he was in the hall, and snapped he was fine. He heard Marco behind him, telling them to not bring it up. Nobody was especially offended, everyone knowing about Ace's sudden narcolepsy. They were confused by the rapid shift from not being able to sleep to having a sleep disorder.

There wasn't really a way to explain it. Ace couldn't explain it properly even if he tried. It was a complicated situation. About the way the black reacted to his fire, and then what happened after it. Most of the crew had no idea anything like that had happened in the first place.

The youngest walked to the kitchen, and contemplated about what to eat. He didn't want anything to make a mess again. A mess he wouldn't be able to clean up, as he'd be asleep. So, sadly, he chose dry cereal. "Son, that is not a breakfast," Pops said, walking up behind Ace at the long bar counter. Ace frowned, and looked at his pitiful meal.

"I don't want to make a mess again," he said with a sigh.

Pops sat next to him. "It's a medical disorder, not a weakness. You will need to have some handicaps. You can't just push through and fight off narcolepsy. Bay told you all the little things to do, and we'll help you do those. Remind you to take your naps. You shouldn't be upset or angry if one of your brothers reminds you that you should be sleeping. We all know the schedule and will gladly help you keep track of it."

Ace deflated, eating more of his dry cereal sadly. "I'm not mad at everyone else. It's just stupid. Falling asleep like an idiot, anywhere and everywhere," he spat angrily. "What if I burden the crew? You have to protect me when I should be able to protect myself?"

"Then if that happens, it happens. Nobody can do anything about it if it happens. Just do what you can, even if it doesn't feel like much. We're trying out some medication at Iryumi island, a week away. They have advanced medical facilities and we can have an expert take a look at you. Bay is an amazing doctor, but she doesn't know much about this either."

"I'm just wasting money and time-"

"Son. You don't waste any time or money being here. Besides, you know how much money we have. A doctor's appointment and medication for a chronic sickness is a damn good use for money, don't you think? Would you rather that money be used for drinks and a brothel?"

"What's a brothel?"

"The point is that there are things we spend a lot of money on that is unnecessary. This - you - are necessary. Your safety is a priority, as is everybody else's. We're a family, we gladly help one another," the captain finished strongly.

Ace sniffed, wiping his eyes. "I'm sorry. It's just so embarrassing," he spat in a hush. Pops rubbed his back, saying he understood his feelings, and that there was nothing wrong with being upset with this. It would stick with him his entire life, and getting used to that idea was going to be hard. "Yeah. It is…"

After he finished his unappetizing dry cereal, he left. He looked at the clock on the wall, and saw it was time for his nap. And he hated that he was ready for it. He walked down the halls, going to his room. His legs were stiff, and his mind foggy. He didn't think he'd make it to his room.

Then Marco appeared, and escorted him to his room, just to make sure he made it there. "Th..ank y...ou," he slurred as he fell asleep on the bed.

"Any time, little bro," Marco said quietly, closing his bedroom door quietly. When he woke up, he looked to the clock on his nightstand, and rubbed his hands down his face. Even after sleeping an hour, he was still tired. But Bay said he should keep the naps short and orderly. So, he stood up and used the bathroom before heading out on deck. It was nice outside today. He climbed onto the cabin and laid down before he saw Thatch shoot off the ship, screaming.

"Thatch!" Ace called, screaming for somebody to help. "He fell in the water! Over there!" he pointed frantically. Someone jumped in and swam out to save Thatch. Ace was freaking out. Did somebody throw him over the side of the ship?! Who would do that!? Everyone was out on deck, shocked as Thatch was fished up out of the ocean.

His eyes were wide and wet with tears of fear and sea water. He was shaking on his feet when he landed. "Are you okay?" Ace asked in worry, checking over his closest brother.

He whispered, "I couldn't move. And it was going dark and I thought I was gonna die!" he shrieked the last part. Jozu said that was what it was like being a devil fruit user, though his voice was full of sympathy. When asked why he flew out over the edge, Thatch gasped. "That! I was just minding my own business setting up a paint prank when I just shot out of the air and into the water!"

Rayuko asked if he thought it could be his devil fruit. "Maybe it has something to do with air," he offered helpfully. Thatch gasped, and hurried inside to practice. To one of the unused large rooms. It stored some exercise equipment that weren't used much. The chef in training declared this was his new training space.

Pops said, "Just as long as you don't damage the inside too much." Thatch nodded, and shut the door. He was having "private training time". Ace could work his devil fruit basics pretty well. He didn't have any attacks for it yet. He could use ryou well in stressful situations, but observation haki wasn't coming to him easily.

Ace went to the navigation room, and watched in interest while the handful of pirates charted their course, predicting the weather as best as they could. The ship was smooth sailing in their forecasts. Storms were expected, but generally, the ship should be easy enough. Since they'd been to many of these islands before, they conveniently knew if there were anomalies in the surrounding seas.

Like the drop off into the ocean that they bypassed a week ago. Whitebeard had sailed a long time, so he definitely knew what he was doing, and he was teaching his children how to be competent pirates now, too. Ace had faith he was a good teacher, though he was very hands off. If they were going to learn how to be pirates, who could be a better teacher than Whitebeard?

Hours later, Thatch came out of the training room with his hair a complete and wild mess. Oh, this wouldn't do. Hopefully his devil fruit didn't mess with his hair too bad. Marco laughed at him, asking how on earth his hair had become a bird's nest like that. "Shut it, birdbrain! I'm gonna call you that from now on!"

Marco laughed. "Words don't bother me! Try harder!"

"You're one year older than me, you're still a kid, too! Don't act all high and mighty. You're hair is the bird's nest! I would never be surprised if someday a bird lands in your stupid hair and lays an egg!"

"And then we can see if a fresh egg cooks on his flames!" Ace added. Marco scowled and left. Thatch and Ace started laughing loudly.

"I thought words didn't both you, bird brain!" the second youngest cackled. He turned to Ace, and explained what he thought his devil fruit was after such a mess of training. "I think it's a logia. I tied stabbing myself and I was lucky enough that I didn't die. It was a bad place, too! I could have stabbed my own stomach, like seppuku," he said. Ace frowned at him.

Why would you try stabbing yourself to test if you're a logia? It made no sense, but Ace kept listening and didn't interrupt. "Anyways, I think it's an AIR logia. And I shot air from somewhere before and went flying the opposite direction. Watch this," he said, and blasted a gust of wind down the hall, where many were gathered to hear about his training after hearing the big blow out argument between Thatch and the phoenix.

But, Whitey Bay was walking down the hall then, and was hit by the air and slammed into the wall. "O-oh shit," Thatch said. "Bye! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, Bay!"

"You little shit!" she raged from down the hall. Ace started laughing loudly but then forced himself to stop. Bay told him laughing too hard may trigger a sleep attack. He took a deep breath and chased after his favorite brother. He found him hiding in the storage room.

He opened the door and walked in, crouching next to Thatch where he hid behind a crate. "She isn't after you. But man, you should be careful with that. But, do you think you'll be able to fly? Or jump really high by shooting air out of your feet?" Ace asked excitedly. Thatch beamed, saying his possibilities were endless.

"All you have is fire. Booooring," he said. Ace scowled, defending his fruit.

"It least it's noticeable. Who will know what you are if you're just surrounded by air?" Thatch pouted. "Well, I think having two logia and a mythical zoan is pretty cool! Our crew will be super strong, I have a good feeling. Even having to deal with my thing and all."

Thatch replied, "Dealing with is a very negative term for treating a sickness." Ace huffed and looked away. "I get why you're upset and all, but nobody else thinks you're stupid or weak. I mean, you didn't do this by any choice. I know diabetes is caused by eating too much bad food." Ace said he didn't think there was that kind of diabetes on the ship. There were two types after all. "Whatever, you get my point."

"Yeah, I get it. I know everyone is being really supportive, but still… something other than falling asleep like a baby would have been fine," he grumbled at the end. He didn't know what he'd rather have, but still. But he didn't want to be annoying. "I won't complain about it anymore, though."

Thatch said there was no reason he couldn't complain, but that it was true it wouldn't do anything for him. Being upset wouldn't keep him awake. Ace hunched over and nodded, knowing he was right. "So, do you want to see if my power can blow you or Marco away? You're a logia, maybe the wind would go through you!"

Ace smiled, and said Thatch was a logia, too. Maybe Ace's fire would be fine. "No! Air is much less deadly than fire!" The younger laughed and said he was joking. "But let's go get Marco! Though he might be cranky, still."

"Nah, he gets over it fast," Ace replied, and stood up with Thatch to search for their barely older brother. They found him on Pops' shoulder in his chair. "Marco, we wanna see something. Thatch wants to use his powers to see if he can blow either of us away," Ace explained. Marco said no.

The chef in training pouted and apologized. He hadn't meant to be mean, he was just joking around. He gave his puppy dog eyes that were much more effective when Ace was the one to do them. Marco sighed, but nodded. "Have fun, sons," Whitebeard called as they went into the room Thatch had been using.

They tried on Ace first, and Thatch shot air from his hands, only you could see it, it wasn't completely clear. It slammed into Ace and threw him against the wall. He grunted, even though it didn't really hurt. "It worked on a logia!" Thatch cheered. "Marco, you next!" The phoenix went to the middle of the room while Ace fixed his crazy hair, now. Thatch blew Marco away, too, before he shifted into his half zoan form and rode the waves of air.

"Thatch, you're devil fruit could be pretty useful. If you get strong enough, you could blow wind into the sails to make the ship faster!" exclaimed Ace excitedly. "It would be amazing!"

The second youngest beamed, and said he would be glad to use his fruit to be useful. Ace thought his was less useful, but he was still happy with it. Ace then felt a tickle on his eye, and felt it. The black was there, seeping out. "You okay?" Marco asked, seeing Ace touch the usual dull eye.

Ace nodded. "Just a tickle," he said simply. The tickle stopped, and he didn't feel anything else off. He felt no fear and no threat about the black that still resided in his body. It was part of him now, he knew that, and was unafraid of it anymore. Oden thought it was strange and unbelievable that the demon woods had actually helped Ace and not harm him. Izo still didn't know.

They all headed to the kitchen and Thatch made some grape macarons with vanilla added around the outside. They were delicious. He knew Ace loved macarons, so made them a lot. He and Marco ate them happily, Thatch joining in after cleaning up. He was happy he was allowed to cook and bake on his own, more than good enough to not risk a fire.

"Hey, guys? Can I ask what your backstories were? You know mine kind of. Poor and with no family and then went missing for 70 years," Ace wondered cautiously, not wanting to seem nosey. Thatch was more than happy to share his. Marco said nothing, so Ace assumed he didn't want to talk about his.

Thatch started his story. "I was in an orphanage after my parents ditched me and then died. I liked to cook there, but I kept ruining food and starting fires on the stove. But I got better after being kicked out of that orphanage for accused arson. So, I lived on the streets but made myself presentable so I could help vendors cook. It was a small island.

"It was after an earth quake not caused by Pops ravaged the island when the crew found me. I was one of the only ones alive. So, he rescued me. I didn't even ask, just like you! And after that, I joined and wanted to become a chef, so they've been teaching me. I was twelve then, too," he finished. Ace was surprised with how happily he spoke of a tragedy like that. "I only talk about it lightly because I know it's in my past completely, never going to haunt me again. Marco doesn't talk about his past, so he won't tell you anything."

"Oh, okay," Ace said simply. Marco looked slightly ashamed, but Ace added he wasn't bothered, it wasn't his business.

After eating the delicious macarons, Ace started to sway a bit. Marco caught him before he fell off the bar stool, and easily carried to boy to his bedroom. Stefan was resting on the bed, the only one now unable to sleep, still. But he was a good boy, and just relaxed with Ace all night as he slept.

-x-

"Hah!" Ace shouted as he let out a burst of flame at the cactus in front of him. He and Thatch were practicing on the island with their devil fruits. Ace hadn't been able to practice much, worried about setting the ship or somebody on fire. So, they were on a dry, hot island while using their abilities.

Oden was inside being treated by Bay after he got caught in Thatch's wind by being distracted and flew a dozen meters and crashing into a cactus. Well, that was what he got for not paying attention and always running off on his own. Ace was using his flames on Marco as target practice, but the phoenix was on a break.

The flames didn't harm him or his clothes, so he was fine target practice. Thatch was trying to narrow his shots, but they were still very large, even when he tried to shoot them out of his fingers only. The same was for Ace. Large and uncontrolled bursts of flames came from his hands.

Their brothers cheered them on, though many were inside to get away from the heat. Ace was unbothered by the weather, both cold and hot weather. It was cool, honestly. He could wear his preferred clothes all year on all islands. Thatch, however, was sweating badly, his shirt off and wearing shorts.

When Ace's flames went the wrong way and merged with Thatch's wind, it went roaring forward quickly. "Cool!" Thatch exclaimed. Ace nodded in agreement. And then went to his own, telling Thatch he'd master his faster. "Yeah right! Air is easier to use than fire."

"We'll see about that, then," Ace said with a grin. He moved away a bit, and tried to gather a huge ball of flame in his hands. But it didn't work, just sprayed fire upwards. He brought his hands together to try and make a compressed ball of flame. It sprayed out between his finger, though. He had very little control, and it frustrated him a bit.

He was about to take a break when the tickle from his eye went down his face, neck and arm into his hands, turning the flames black for an instant, making them turn into a black ball before it exploded once the black disappeared. Thatch saw this, and his eyes sparkled, listing the possibilities he could have if he could merge the black he had with the flames.

"Maybe you could make scary black fire!"

"Maybe, but I like it brighter more, so far. But I'll try it again when its dark. Then we can see the extent. But I don't want to risk damaging more of the black," he added honestly. "I already destroyed a lot of it, and we saw how that went."

Thatch nodded, agreeing that nobody wanted a repeat of that bad situation. They took a break to drink some smoothies made en mass for the crew. They hadn't picked up anyone more since Ace had joined, but they were wanting to have more people. New people were fun, and Ace and Oden were assimilated enough to have the novelty gone on them.

After practicing, the crew went exploring, taking a lot of water with them as they ventured inland to the dry desert. They wouldn't go far, but some wanted to try and hunt some food down here. They rarely went on desert islands, apparently. Ace looked for critters in the sand, and when he found something, he ended up torching it and eating it right then and there.

"No fair!" Thatch said. "I can't cook food and I'm to be the chef some day!"

Marco pointed out that Ace's food was charred to the point of being crunchy. It was nothing like cooking with an oven at all. The chef in training admitted that was definitely true. They all explored, looking for caves. They looked everywhere, but only came across one. It was large, and they didn't hesitate to enter. There were 17 of them, but the cave was more than big enough for them. Ace and Marco stayed aflame, lighting one side blue and one side orange. Marco's flames were prettier and more delicate, Ace's more wild seeming and unorganized.

They walked in far when it was deep enough to start being damp. There were some bats, but they ignored the pirates. They got deeper and deeper until they came into a cave with glowing crystals and bioluminescent bugs on the walls. They looked around in awe and many tried breaking off some crystals before they heard a deafening roar from an angry creature in the cave.

"Time to go!" Vista shouted, and they all sprinted away until they saw it behind them. Thatch turned around and blasted air at it, knocking it back a good distance, and then went back to running, screaming until they were out of the cave and back into the heat. The creature, angry and aggressive, no longer followed, and the group couldn't help but start laughing.

Oden said that it was fun, and Rayuko bonked him on the head. "It's your fault for taking one of the crystals."

"Others tried it too, you know?" Oden said defensively. Vista pointed out he was the only one to succeed. They headed back, disappointed by getting no food and no crystals. Besides the one Oden was going to keep, small though it may be. But when they got back to the ship, he gave it to Toki as a gift.

"Awww," Marco sighed from around the corner. Ace asked if he ever wanted to be in a romantic relationship, since he thought the couple was so cute. "I don't know. We're pirates, love life doesn't really come here, right?" he asked, sounding slightly embarrassed.

Ace pointed at Oden and Toki. "Then what's that?" he asked with a snicker. "Besides, maybe somebody will join that you like!" the younger said enthusiastically. Marco smiled and said maybe. He asked about Ace curiously.

The youngest thought for a moment. "I don't know, I've never thought about it. I never really had a reason to, I was living by myself and only thinking of me and Stefan. I guess I never thought too far into the future," he explained honestly. Marco smiled and said maybe somebody would join the crew that he liked. Ace nodded before he heard Jozu calling him over. He walked away and to the larger teen. He was told he wasn't practicing with hand to hand enough anymore. The boy nodded, and fought back.

He didn't win but he didn't get pummeled either. Jozu couldn't use armament haki, so he couldn't beat him up. When Ace was able to used his ryou when a dark cloud passed over them, making the ship much dimmer, he punched Jozu hard in the gut, making him grunt. "Hah! I landed a hit!" but he was distracted and Jozu sent him flying across the deck.

Jozu looked shocked at his hands. He used haki! "Hey, you did it!" Ace cheered for him, happy for him. That his brother improved. Many came over, excited for Jozu and asking questions about how he'd done it. They'd done the same for Ace, but his answer of "I don't know" wasn't satisfying to them.

Though that was what Jozu just said, too. He couldn't explain it. Maybe it was because somebody else was using haki against him. But the ryou on Ace's arms disappeared when the sun came back out. It was a bummer he was so limited with it.

"Ace, time for you nap, son," Pops said. Ace grumbled, but nodded and went inside to have his scheduled nap. He fell asleep very easily, and woke when Sammy came and knocked on his door. He was one of the oldest on the crew. He was cranky sometimes, but overall a good guy. All of them were. He didn't sense anybody bad, which was a relief. And it was nice that Pops believed in his instinct.

When he was up, he went to the bathroom to pee and saw himself in the mirror. "Well that's a new place," Ace commented quietly when he saw the black was gathered inside of his left ear and not eye. It didn't mess with his hearing at all, so it didn't much matter. He left, and went to monitor the weather with the navigators. He had so much to learn, and liked being kept busy, with lots of options for things.

The next island they visited had tons of deadly plants, but also had a civilization on it. "Time to look for some new meds. I'm sorry we haven't landed on an island with a doctor yet," Pops said sincerely as the island came into view and they looked for a good place to dock. Ace said it was okay, and he wasn't upset about it.

"The naps work okay. Though I still have stupid sleep attacks regardless," he grumbled the end. Pops said that's why they should have more help. Ace nodded, and when they docked and scouted, he went with Pops and Bay to the doctor's office, finding one with little wait.

He went in on his own, but Bay and Pops would be there when they had the results, and learn what the best course of action was for his condition. When the boy entered, he was asked a lot of the questions Bay had asked. He was surprised when he was told his case wasn't as bad as it could be.

What was worse about it than hallucinating and passing out at random times and places. "You could have sleep paralysis, but don't," the doctor said patiently. She was very nice, even knowing he came with strong pirates. Ace wondered what happened with sleep paralysis. "You wake up and are unable to move for a short period of time.

"That, coupled with hallucinations and waking nightmares can have serious trauma. Seeing some monster looming over you and unable to do a thing about it, even if it isn't actually there," she explained. Ace was glad that didn't happen to him, truly. After he was diagnosed, he was give different medicines to try, with the permission of Bay after looking at them thoroughly and thinking about Ace's medical information.

They were thick bottles since they'd be out at sea and might run out before they made it to an island they could buy refills. "Still have scheduled naps, they are very important," the doctor finished, getting a hefty amount of money for all of the medications and the visit itself. He tried not to think of the price, remembering the billions of berries they had tucked deep inside the ship.

Bay was carrying the bag of pill bottles as they made their way back to the ship to put it all away and for Ace to form a group and go exploring. He was going to food test again, with the head chef and Thatch waiting for him. "How'd it go?" Marco asked, going to go with them this time.

"Got a lot of different meds to try. Apparently I could have had sleep paralysis accompanied with hallucinations, but that didn't come, so I'm really happy about that," Ace said lightly. They walked to that island's restaurants, taste testing everything, one of Ace's favorite things to do on islands with towns on it. But they're dinner was interrupted when they heard screams of people outside. They looked out the window and saw a group of people ravaging the shops next to this place. "Should we help?" Ace asked.

They looked to Handi, who nodded. They should help, the people living here had helped them by giving countless directions to the pirates and offering them supplies at a discount. They were good people, it seemed. So, the four of them hurried out, and worked to take on and then out the viscous pirates.

Thatch blew them into brick walls hard enough to knock them out or break bones, but not hard enough to damage the buildings, which was a vast improvement from before. Ace burned their legs so they couldn't run around anymore. Marco flew and used his hand to hand to deal with them, while Handi shot them with his two guns.

They heard other fighting, and then mostly silence. Pops came over, glaring at all the pirates. "Sons, get them out of here," he said, voice audible through multiple streets. They worked to get the pirates and then toss them into the ocean to drown or get caught by sea kings that may be in the area.

While Ace had been on the ship, they'd killed enemies many times before. It wasn't a big deal anymore, really. After the pirates were clear of the street, they walked back, Thatch gushing about how well he used his devil fruit. Ace congratulated him, thinking it was awesome, too. "You weren't too bad either!" the brown haired teen exclaimed, making Ace smile.

When they got back to Pops, much of the crew gathered there, he was talking to the city's leaders. "This happens often?" the captain asked.

"Yes, we're a large target for pirates, being the only place with a city in this area," the mayor said sadly. Ace wondered what Pops was thinking with talking to random people like this.

He asked, "How would you like to be under our protection? We can raise our flag on your island to deter other pirates. We'll give you a den den mushi and you'll call us if enemy pirates ever land and cause trouble." The Whitebeards were surprised with this, looking at one another.

The mayor jumped at the offer, and bowed deeply. "How can we ever thank you?" he asked quickly, sounding so happy and relieved. Ace smiled. Pops really was a good guy, if you weren't an enemy, though. The captain said they could just continue their hospitality. "Very well!"

"Gurarara, then it's settled!" He turned to Atmos, and asked him to get den den connected to their ship, and a spare jolly roger. They had multiple ones if theirs blew away in a storm. It was strange, now having a responsibility over a whole island. At dinner, he was asked what his plan was for this. "Good people shouldn't be punished like that. Plus, I was thinking of doing this regardless. I just never had the right circumstances!"

Jozu asked if they would be doing this to other islands. If it was to gain power and notoriety. "Yes for both questions. I think we should start truly making a name for ourselves. We have many people to recruit, but we're plenty strong as we are. Especially with five devil fruits now, all of them very strong and will become stronger." Ace and Thatch smiled at each other, as did Marco.

The crew was already well known, but maybe this would boost their reputation! Ace wanted them all to be strong.

They were leaving the island after stocking up after a couple days. Ace helped carry things up, though he wasn't that strong compared to other members. But he helped in his own way. They had more recipes from the island. Over the course of their time there, they did not venture into the forests with the dangerous plants. Nobody on the island went there.

Oden had set off to explore, but was dragged out and thrown back onto the ship and then ordered to not enter the forest. Ace thought he ran off early when they docked so he didn't need to hear any orders from Pops. That was Ace's explanation. When they were leaving, they watched the flag pole flutter with the new jolly roger marking that as their territory.

It was a new starting point in a way. A new chapter or getting well known more. And more trusted by citizens.

Ace was on watch that night in one of the crows nest, as there were three. He could barely hear the sounds of voices, but couldn't see much. He wished he had better senses with his fruit, but it wasn't a zoan like Marco, who had great senses of sound and sight, and smell as well. His fruit was really versatile. Jozu's was probably the least of them. He was trying to listen, looking around to see where it came from before he felt a tickle in his eye and then his ear. When closing one eye, he was perfectly in the dark night, the moon shadowed with light clouds.

One ear was also better, and he put his hand over the other. But what he saw was a ship coming their way from far away. They were noisy, and the sounds echoed over the silent night. Ace grabbed the bell on the crowsnest and banged it hard, the other three doing the same. Pirates flooded out from inside, knowing what to do when hearing a bell ringing.

"Over there, a ship is approaching!" Ace called. The darkness that changed one eye and one ear disappeared, retiring back into one eye but not altering his sight at all. He wondered how he could use the darkness to his advantage.

When the ship approached closer, everyone was ready to fight. The ship had two cats on their sails and jolly rogers. They weren't regular cats but scary looking ones. Well, supposed to be scary, but not much. Whitebeard asked if they were really challenging them. "We'll take your head!" Some of the crew scoffed at the ridiculous ambition.

They all got ready to fight, and even in the dark, their asses were whooped. The two captains with claws went after Ace when he started to aim fire at their ship. Ace punched one in the face with ryou, as it was night time outside. Marco took the other one out. Thatch was blowing them over the sides of the ship.

Pops sat in his throne, probably annoying the enemies on purpose and teaching them it wasn't only the captain that was strong. Once they were defeated, and the two captains were laying on the deck, Whitebeard finally got up and walked to them. They both closed their eyes, ready for death. But the captain didn't kill them.

"I won't kill you if you become our allies. A subordinate crew under us," he offered simply, surprising everybody. Then he turned to Ace, and asked if they were good. He was happy his instincts mattered. Ace nodded. They were good, even if they were enemies right now. They had no allies as they were now, so would these be their first? Pops really was wanting to increase the crew's powers. "Become my sons."

Ace was surprised he would consider allies his sons as well, but it was technically building the crew, and therefore the family. The two defeated captains were shocked before they shared a look, and agreed. The crew then had a welcome party, nursing the wounds both crews sustained. The teenagers and Ace weren't allowed to drink any alcohol, too young in Whitebeard's eyes. He said once they turned 18 they could drink.

So, Vista, Jozu, Marco, Rayuko, Thatch and Ace were unable to drink anything, and settled with fizzy drinks they got from the last island only a few days ago. While he was eating sweets, sharing with his other young brothers, Pops complimented his efficacy on watch, making Ace blush and smile.

The Decalvin brothers, two silly guys, really, were happy to be Whitebeard's subordinate crew, the first of them. They set off the next morning, gone before Ace was awake. He was only on watch because he wanted to be. It had been too long with him needing to go to bed earlier. But there had been others on watch, too, in case he did fall asleep, which he didn't, surprisingly.