Yamato was over the moon, gazing up at the grinning old man that towered over her and Izuku. She's here… she's finally here at last! Standing before the greatest Pirate in the world!
"Wha…whi…it…it's…"
"I uhhh…" Izuku uttered, gulping, struggling to speak to the literal giant before him. "It's an honor to meet you Captain Whitebeard, or should I call you Emperor Whitebeard or Comman-"
"Whitebeard's enough squirt." The old man chuckled. "I wasn't the one that made all those fancy titles, though…." He rolled his neck. "From the look of your clothes, and your backpacks, you must have traveled far."
"They look like they could use some good cookin' too." Yamato turned to see a tall man in a white chef's outfit with a yellow scarf. He had red-brown hair styled in a pompadour, and a short black beard. "Greenie there especially looks like he needs some meat on his bones."
"I'm fine, really," insisted Izuku.
"We'll get them fed in time. Come," Whitebeard gestured towards the stern. "You've got a lot to tell me, I reckon."
He led the way across the deck, to where an enormous throne-like chair awaited.
"Uh, shouldn't we talk in your office?" Izuku asked, as Whitebeard sat down.
"It's fine," replied Whitebeard, settling himself in the chair, hands on the armrests. "Anything you can say to me, you can say to my crew. We have no secrets here." He smirked. "Marco and Patricia stood right where you two are now, when they announced their marriage."
A chorus of snickers rose from the crew, and Marco rubbed the back of his neck. Izuku went pale, and glanced up at Yamato, who was innocently looking around, taking in all she could see.
"You trust them that much?" he asked, looking weary at such an idea.
"Of course. They're my children."
"Oh, excuse me, Mr. Diamond Jozu!" Yamato had trotted up to Jozu and Vista, utterly oblivious to what was going on. "So, did you know about Whitey Bay being a mother? And her son being a King?"
"Yamato!" Izuku shrieked. Yamato paused, wondering if she had made a mistake.
"Yeah, of course we do," replied Jozu, still frowning.
"Indeed," added the smiling Vista. "She's our dear little sister, the first one we ever had. It's only right we look out for her." He turned to the rest of the crew, who had been eavesdropping with some enthusiasm. "Everybody back to your stations. We've got a ship to run and places to get to."
"Yeah, back to work!" barked Jozu. The crew dispersed, but kept glancing towards Whitebeard as they returned to their duties.
"It'll be fine." Yamato assured Izuku, grinning. "I trust them." Izuku closed his eyes and sighed.
"I've got some refreshments if you care for some," said the chef; the only one who had not left. "And grog too, as always."
"Thank you Thatch," said the tower of a man.
"No problem." The chef, whose name apparently was Thatch, gave a rakish salute, winked at the duo, and strolled off; disappearing into the stern.
"That was Fourth Division Commander Thatch!" Yamato squealed, fists to her mouth in fangirl glee.
"Our reputation seems to proceed us," Whitebeard commented lightly.
"Yes, but Yamato's a special case. She's… been very eager to meet you all," Izuku explained, as Yamato's head snapped back and forth, staring in wonder at everyone and everything.
"Really? I couldn't tell," quipped Marco, honestly looking a little flattered by the Oni girl's excitement.
"Hey Marco," called out one of the crew, approaching with a bunch of newspapers. "You're gonna want to see this. Same for you Pops."
"Thanks," Marco took it, putting a paper under his arm. Whitebeard took one too. Both sets of eyebrows raised when they saw the contents, and the two men shared a look that Izuku couldn't parse.
Whitebeard reached down, and picked up a barrel that had been standing by his throne. He popped the cork with a flick of his thumb, and began to glug it down.
"Ohhhhh! That looks yummy!" Yamato declared, Izuku stared, open-mouthed.
"What?" he asked, seeing the look on Izuku's face. "Can't a man enjoy a drink on a nice day near his hometown?"
"I just… never seen… so much at once." Izuku mused.
The hulking man let out a belly filled laugh. "Gurararararara! I haven't even started drinking yet!"
"Need anything?" Marco asked, as Whitebeard started drinking again.
"I'd LiKe WhAt He'S hAvInG!" Yamato squawked, almost jumping up and down with excitement. Whitebeard cocked an eyebrow, and Marco shrugged.
"Uhh, Yamato" Izuku said. "Let's… save the drinking for later. We need to talk about things."
"Oh, right." Yamato remembered herself, and calmed down. That's right. This is an Emperor's flagship. Got to act proper! Breathe… be respectful. "Umm, Mr. Newgate…"
"I said just Whitebeard is fine." The emperor rolled his eyes. "I'm old enough as is. Mister just sounds off."
Yamato clammed up.
"O-Okay, sorry I-"
"Don't apologize either, waste of time when you haven't done nothin wrong," Whitebeard cut in, setting down the barrel with a sigh.
"So, you wanted an audience, and here I am." His manner had changed; becoming more authoritative, business-like. "So what's gotten you so excited to see me?"
Yamato looked at Izuku. "I think you should talk. I… may say something silly." She took a deep breath, and stepped to the side, blushing. Izuku cleared his throat.
(X)
"Whitebeard, we have very important information; pertaining to one of your former crew, and to one of your rivals." He took a breath. "Which would you like to hear first?"
Nearby, Marco was flipping through the paper again, giving the boy another look he couldn't discern.
"Neither," replied Whitebeard with a boom in his voice. "First, tell us how you met Whitey Bay."
"Okay, well…" Izuku paused, choosing his words. "Yamato and I stopped by Ludeterin, and the Brownbeards attacked it. Whitey Bay showed up, and we helped her fight them off."
"Brownbeards," muttered Vista. "Copycats and anklebiters."
"After that we talked," Izuku went on. "And Yamato recognized Bay as one of your crewmates."
"Did you now?" Whitebeard cocked an eyebrow at Yamato.
"Yes," insisted Yamato. "We needed to come see you, and she was willing to make a deal. Help her with Doyle, and she would arrange a meeting."
"That sounds about right," Marco mused. "Still, you guys bested the Finalem Pirates; and they're not connected to any of the other Emperors." There was a strange look in his eyes, which set Izuku's teeth on edge.
"Oh no, they were anklebiters; or that's what Bay called them," Yamato replied. "They wanted to be Emperors themselves. Why do you ask?"
"Well I'm asking because at least Izuku here," Marco held out the paper to him, "has become a bit of a celebrity."
"Hmm?" Izuku looked down at the paper, which was folded open at one of the inner pages. And his blood ran cold.
WANTED ALIVE: DEKU
350,000,000 BERRIES.
It was him. His hair, his freckles, his eyes; staring out at him from the page in the form of a drawn sketch. Yamato leant over his shoulder, drawing in a breath as she saw it.
"Aggression against Beast Pirate Officers…" Izuku read aloud, his whole body starting to shake. He felt like lead was congealing in his stomach.
"We should have snapped that Malice's neck!" growled the Third. "The bastard survived!"
"It could have been Ulti who told Kaido about us!" snapped Nana. "And don't encourage murder!"
"Are we really debating this right now?" The Third barked back.
"Whelp, there's that." En sighed. "Say… wonder if we can turn ourselves in and make a nice profit-"
"Can you stop thinking about money for five minutes!" Daigoro barked.
"Wow Izuku you got a bounty! And it's even higher than Bay's!" declared Yamato. "That's great!"
"No it's not," retorted Izuku, making Yamato pause as he felt ill. "Our anonymity is gone. Kaido knows for sure we're not in Wano, and he knows what I look like..." Yamato's mouth clamped shut at his words.
"Sounds like there's a story to be told here," Whitebeard mused. "You, my boy, have a history with Kaido. And there aren't many that can say that."
"Not everyday someone like Kaido puts out a bounty," Jozu mused, as Thatch returned with a tray of sandwiches. "And for a live capture too."
Izuku felt sick. He felt exposed. Now the whole world knew his face; not as a hero or the Symbol of Peace, but as a lotto ticket, a target.
"Hungry?" Thatch held out the tray. Izuku didn't reply. He couldn't even think. All he could see was that image, burned into his mind's eye.
"Oh great, he's gone catatonic. As if things couldn't get worse!" The Third practically screamed stomping away, looking as though he'd finally had enough.
"Huh, boy looks like he's seen a ghost," muttered Thatch. Whitebeard let out a snort. Yamato, meanwhile, set to work on the sandwiches.
"So, tell me." Whitebeard rested his chin on his fist. "Kaido is a surly, battle-hungry drunk. He rules Wano, and all the islands around it for a fortnight's sailing. His idea of a good time generally involves mass destruction, booze, or both. Just what, young pup, did you do to piss him off so badly?"
"At this point, it'd be more accurate to ask what didn't we do." Hikage tried to lighten the mood with a joke.
That seemed to snap Izuku back to reality as he looked up at Whitebeard, and from face to face of his crew. They were all staring down at him, eyes questioning, suspicious.
"It's fine, my friend," said Thatch, smiling. "You can tell us. You're perfectly safe here."
Izuku closed his eyes, and drew a long breath. Aizawa-sensei would tell him to shut it, to tell them nothing. But it was too late for that.
Besides…he felt nothing. His Danger Sense was silent, still.
"If I tell…you won't tell Kaido, will you?" He cursed himself as the words came out. He sounded like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
"Tell Kaido?" Whitebeard barked a scornful laugh. "Ha! Boy, I've known Kaido for longer than you've been alive. I begrudge him every tiny moment of it, and not for one of those instances have I found a damn to care what he thinks. You two are my guests, and my guests speak freely."
Izuku stared at him, astounded. All his experience told him not to speak, not to open up to this man. But he couldn't help himself. He wanted to trust Whitebeard, and something inside him told him that he could.
"Izuku, it's okay. I believe we can trust him. After all Yamato does and she hasn't let us down yet." Yoichi offered with a smile, with some of the others nodding in agreement.
He gulped.
"I…washed up on the island of Onigashima," he muttered.
"On Onigashima?" Marco was incredulous. "Wano's surrounded by waterfalls and high cliffs, you can't just wash up there."
Izuku's wavering heart sank. Marco was poking holes in his story, and he had barely even started. How was he to explain the black hole? His former world?
"One thing at a time Izuku. We have to give them something, but make sure it's on your terms to reveal the rest," The Second User all but instructed.
"Different story, and it has to be private, please!" he pleaded. Whitebeard blinked, his face stern. But he nodded.
"I was hurt," Izuku continued. "I would have died there on the beach if it wasn't for Yamato. She carried me back off the beach, and helped me recover."
He glanced at Yamato. She had demolished the sandwiches, and was smiling brightly at him.
"And no one noticed you were there?" asked Vista. "I heard Onigashima was huge, but that huge?"
"I lived alone," Yamato spoke up. "I didn't get visitors."
"Really…" mused Jozu. "You must've been important then."
Yamato flinched at that.
"Indeed," added Whitebeard as he rested his cheek on his fist. "Tell me girl, what is your connection to Kaido?"
"This could get ugly. Better be prepared." En muttered.
Yamato's smile vanished, and she looked away, ashamed. Izuku's heart ached for her, even as his nerves tingled with fear. Had Whitebeard seen through her, just like that?
"Yamato…" he said, reaching out and touching her arm. "It's okay. We've come this far."
He smiled what he hoped was a warm and comforting smile. Yamato looked down at him, eyes full of fear, and sighed.
"Kaido…is my father."
Whitebeard's gaze didn't shift, and the atmosphere on deck went cold and tense. Izuku could see the looks in their eyes, and hear them muttering.
"She's Kaido's daughter!?"
"Did he just steal her then!"
"Oh my god he stole from an Emperor!"
"Oh man this is bad!"
"Maybe we shouldn't keep them on the-"
"QUIET!" Whitebeard barked, his will washing over Izuku like a wave, making him stagger. More than a few of the pirates around him flinched, and shifted their feet. He knew this feeling. It was just like in Onigashima, in the vents near Kaido's chambers.
Haki.
But it wasn't bone-biting cold, not like Kaido's will. It was warm, somewhat smothering. Yet firm and unyielding.
"So, Deku," said Whitebeard, and Izuku felt sick under the intense gaze. "Let's see if I get this right. You washed up on Onigashima, got Kaido's own daughter to act as your nurse, and no one knew anything about it?"
Izuku felt cold. Whitebeard wasn't buying it.
"Best come clean Izuku." Nana spoke, hoping to deescalate things.
"Someone did figure it out," he said. "But we didn't know about it until we were about to leave, when he jumped us. I…think it was all the food Yamato was bringing in. I can't think of anything else."
Whitebeard said nothing, but the gaze did soften, and Izuku felt his confidence rise a little.
"We came up with a plan to escape," he went on. "She had seastone cuffs on her wrists, primed to explode if they were destroyed, or if she left the island."
Yamato held up her wrists, her face grim, showing her scars. The crew began mumbling again, but Izuku could sense sympathy in it.
"I was wondering about those," Marco murmured, glancing away as he stroked his chin mournfully.
"But why would Kaido do that to his own child?" Jozu asked aloud. Yamato squeezed her eyes shut, her hands dropping to her sides, clenching into fists, unsure of what would happen next.
"He did it…because I wanted to be Oden!"
The deck went silent, the crew staring at Yamato or glancing at one another, all in utter bewilderment. Only Whitebeard was unfazed.
"You wanted to be Oden?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow, not sure he understood what was said.
"I did," Yamato replied, opening her eyes, her voice rising. "He inspired me in a way no one ever had before, and never would again until I met Izuku. My father wanted me to be his heir to inherit his empire. I couldn't, not after seeing Oden."
The deck remained silent, all eyes on Yamato.
"What did he do to inspire you?" asked Whitebeard. Izuku had the horrible feeling that he already knew the answer. Yamato gulped, mastering herself.
"He inspired me…when he died."
The deck erupted in cries of disbelief. Izuku clenched his fists, glancing around at the crew. They were horrified, angry.
And then the slightest of buzzes, as his gaze met another. There was a man among them, just visible amid the crowd. He was quite tall, with the smooth face of a young man, and black hair. His skin was pale, his lips painted red. His dark eyes were fixed in his direction as Yamato spoke, cold and merciless.
"Be ready," the Second whispered.
"We knew he was dead, given Kaido took Wano," Whitebeard murmured. "But… How did he die?"
"Kaido ordered him and his retainers boiled in oil," Yamato went on. "Oden asked that anyone who survived for an hour would go free, which Kaido accepted. Once in the pot, Oden put a plank on his shoulders, and carried his retainers on it."
She gulped, and she raised her head again. Izuku could feel her spirit rising.
"My father watched on, but the false Shogun, Kurozumi Orochi, got angry. He ordered a firing squad to shoot Oden and his warriors as the hour passed. But Oden, with his last strength, threw his retainers away. As they flew, he called out to my father, warning him not to underestimate his samurai. My father shot him in the head, and he sank into the oil with a smile on his face."
The voices had fallen silent, but Izuku could hear sniffs, and sighs. Above them, the clouds were darkening. Whitebeard sat on his throne, unmoving and deathly quiet. Izuku could see his clenched jaw, and sense the tension rising from him.
He was furious. But there was no danger in his fury. Izuku's Danger Sense remained as it was.
"So the rest of the Akazaya Nine lived," Whitebeard said. "But what of my daughter Toki? The children?"
Izuku's stomach clenched, and he saw the anguish in Yamato's eyes. She had to do this.
"Toki and the children fled to Oden's castle," she said, her voice starting to crack. "The Akazaya Nine joined them there, and everyone else who still loved Oden. Kaido came, trapped them inside and he…he burned the castle to the ground."
Izuku's knees quivered as the pressure rose again. It was getting hard to breathe.
"Toki…no…" whispered Marco, his fists clenched at his sides. There were tears in his eyes.
Whitebeard's fists clenched and shook, a shadow falling over his eyes. He was breathing through his nose, hard.
"Kaido…" he growled. Izuku shuddered, the sound reaching into the depths of his being, making some ancient animal part of him want to run and hide.
"And how do you know this, Demon!"
Izuku jumped, and turned to see the man he had seen before push his way through the crowd. Yamato turned, startled as well.
For a moment, he stared. The man's black hair was done up in a Japanese chignon, and he was wearing a pink kimono with a wide orange obi. Then he saw those dark eyes, blazing with hate; and his bewilderment vanished. It was a hate he had seen before, in Jansen Baker's eyes.
"Commander Izou!" someone called out, as the man drew a long-barrelled pistol from his obi. Izuku crouched, ready to move.
"Your father killed my sister, my lord, his wife, and his children!" the man named Izou roared. "The Kozuki bloodline is dead! And my homeland burns at the touch of horned beasts like you! You…!"
"IZOU!"
Whitebeard's fury slammed into him with an echoing clang of his naginata hitting the deck. Izou froze, fear replacing rage on his doll-like face. Whitebeard was standing now, looming over them all.
"That's enough," he commanded. Izou was shaking, eyes wide, the fear in his eyes warring with baleful hate.
"Izou, back off," Marco cut in, stepping between Yamato and Izou. The black-haired man glowered, then holstered his pistol and marched back to his former place.
"Izou… You're Kiku's brother," declared Yamato, awe-struck. "Kikunojo of the Snow…"
Izou stopped, and turned to glare at them, lips opening in a snarl.
"Izou," warned Whitebeard. "We will have a talk. Later."
"R-right Pops." Izou's bravado vanished. He stalked through the crowd and leant on the gunwale, staring out over the sea. No one else said a word.
Izuku looked at Yamato. She looked like she was about to cry.
"Yamato," Whitebeard turned to her, his voice suddenly warm. "Don't blame yourself. Izou is just… taking it badly."
"Is he wrong though?" Yamato protested, eyes bright with tears. "I couldn't stop my father, I just… did the only thing that brought me hope. But even then that wasn't enough…"
"You were a child then and barely a woman grown now." Thatch softly spoke. "There's nothing you could have done." Yamato closed her eyes, looking away as she did her best to hold back the tears from escaping.
The deck fell silent once again.
"Still, exploding seastone cuffs," Marco mused, hoping to get the ball rolling again. "That sounds like Queen the Plague's work. Getting those off wouldn't have been easy."
"It wasn't," Izuku agreed. "We had to get the key, the one Kaido kept close."
"Oh?" Whitebeard sat down on his throne, looking at them with what might have been intrigue. The rest of the crew were listening too, curiosity replacing the dark mood of before.
"Now this I got to hear," commented Thatch, smirking.
On the spot again, Izuku stumbled a little to get back on track. "Well, I stole a uniform and snuck into Kaido's chambers via the air vents. He was blackout drunk, but somehow…he sensed I was there." He paled, remembering that time there.
"Did he now?" Whitebeard mused. "He may be a drunken chore boy, but his Haki is nothing short of incredible, I'll give him that."
"Lucky for me, Yamato was on time," Izuku continued. "She burst right in and called him out. While he was fighting her, I took the key from his pants, and snuck out through the vents."
Whitebeard looked from Izuku, to Yamato, then at Izuku again.
"So you're telling me," he said, "You took the key without him noticing?"
"Yes sir. I replaced the key with a piece of stone just in case."
"You took the key from his pants while he was fighting Yamato?"
"Uh, no…" Izuku rubbed the back of his neck. "His pants were on the floor."
Whitebeard sat still for a very long time, looking down at the deck. Then he began to shudder.
"Hnhnhnh…." He threw his head back, and laughed. "GURARARARARARARARA!"
Izuku stared at him as if he had just sprouted horns. He was laughing?
"Hey, you know boy!" spluttered Whitebeard. "I think there's only a handful of men who would be so brazen enough to pull that stunt, all of'em are dead other than ole Garp the Fist himself!"
He sat back and took a swig of grog. Izuku blushed.
"You've got guts, you two!" Whitebeard roared, slapping his thigh with an impressed grin on his face. "You robbed Kaido, and he fought you naked!" Around them, the crew burst into roars of laughter, slapping their thighs and each other's backs.
"He wasn't naked!" protested Yamato, looking away in embarrassment. "He had a blanket!"
"Still hilarious!" Whitebeard chuckled, happy to get a laugh. "But you were saying that someone figured you out. Was that the one you fought? The one the bounty mentioned?"
"Yeah." Izuku cleared his throat. "One of the Flying Six somehow figured us out, and jumped us on the beach while we were getting ready to leave. He caught Yamato in a seastone net, and I had to fight him. It was Spytand Malice."
The laughter stopped.
"Spytand Malice?" Vista was incredulous. "That Marine turncoat?"
"Yes, he did!" insisted Yamato, glowering. "I saw him do it!"
"Him?" Vista pointed at Izuku. "This little broccoli-top beat Spytand Malice?"
Izuku looked around, fighting down his irritation. The pirates looked dubious; apparently not sure whether to believe him or not.
"Well, it wasn't easy," he allowed, frowning at Vista.
"Bounty north of 300 million," Jozu mused. "Not too shabby, for a broccoli-top."
Izuku almost reflexively touched his hair, mentally wondering if he should trim it.
"But from the looks of things you didn't kill him," Whitebeard cut in. "It would have been better if you had."
"Least someone around here is talking sense." The Third muttered, ignoring the glaring Nana behind him.
"I thought I did," admitted Izuku, sighing. "I knocked him right over the horizon. I thought he would go down in the sea, but he must have landed on Wano."
"You sent him flying over the horizon? Now I'm starting to smell BS," Jozu interjected, a skeptical frown on his face..
"Let him finish, I'm enjoying this tale," Vista retorted.
"Fighting off an officer of one of the Four Emperors, stole that SAME Emperor's daughter,right under his nose?" Thatch said with a coy smirk. "Who just happens to be a giant flying fire-breathing dragon." He put his hands in his pockets, and looked at them with respectful eyes. "You kid, are something else. Something brave, something stupid. But definitely something."
"Still… with Oden dead." Whitebeard sighed. "We should prepare a toast. Thatch." The cook looked up. "Prepare the drinks for tonight. We'll honor that foolish brother of mine with the best brew we've got, make sure everyone gets a glass."
"Sounds good to me, Pops." Thatch saluted.
"Back on subject, you likely came to me wanting sanctuary from Kaido," Whitebeard mused. "If I know him well, he'll want to right this slight by twisting Deku's head off his neck. "
"I… I also wanted to give you something," Yamato spoke up. "Oden idolized you as a brother."
"And how would you know that?" Marco asked. Yamato took a deep breath, and reached into her backpack, pulling out a familiar journal. Marco's eyes widened at the sight of it.
"Is that…!"
"Oden's logbook," Whitebeard murmured, leaning forward.
"I found it outside the castle as it burned." Yamato admitted. "I've kept it ever since. I read it every day, and every night I could. It's what kept me going. I wanted to be like Oden, because if I wasn't, I would only be Kaido's daughter."
She stepped up to Whitebeard, holding out the journal. "If you want it back, here it is."
Whitebeard quirked an eyebrow, looking hard at the logbook. In the corner of his eye, Izuku could see Izou glaring at Yamato again yet holding his tongue.
"Give it to me later, " Whitebeard replied, taking a deep breath, followed by a long drink of grog.
"There's more," Izuku blurted out. He gulped as Whitebeard's eyes fell on him. "While I was sneaking around Onigashima, I saw something important. Kaido is building an army."
"Pft, who isn't these days?" scoffed Whitebeard, raising his barrel again.
"An army of artificial Devil Fruit users."
Whitebeard stopped, and very slowly and carefully, set down his barrel. His yellow eyes fixed on Izuku's green, and seemed to peer into his soul.
"Explain."
"Wait, artificial Devil Fruit users?" The crew began to gossip again.
"But how is that possible?"
"Kaido is working with one of the Seven Warlords, Donquixote Doflamingo," Izuku explained. "He sends treasure to Dressrosa in return for the fruits. They're called SMILEs."
"SMILEs…" Marco murmured aloud. Whitebeard looked to the side, stroking his chin.
"What are these SMILEs my good man?" Vista called out.
"They're red fruits, looking like apples but with rings," Izuku said. "But the chance of a power is low, about ten percent maybe. Those who don't get one…become what Kaido calls, "Pleasures."
"Pleasures?" Vista asked.
"Their faces are locked in a permanent smile. And they laugh constantly." Izuku shivered as he remembered them.
"And what kind of powers come forth from this SMILE?" Whitebeard asked.
"Animal based, so… Zoan, if I had to guess? Kaido calls them Gifters" Izuku surmised. Whitebeard nodded, seemingly understanding.
"I see… Kaido always said he wanted a crew of Zoan Users…" he muttered. He looked away, his eyes distant.
"He plans to wage a war upon the world!" pleaded Izuku. "You, Big Mom, Red Hair, the Marines, everyone. He wants to crush you all, destroy everything! And with his new army, he can do it!"
Whitebeard sat there, seemingly unmoved. Around him the pirates were gossiping again.
"I don't buy it."
"He's just stirring things up."
"Kaido's a lazy drunk."
"They aren't lying." Whitebeard said, silencing the gossips. "Every word they've said has been true..."
Izuku's heart leapt.
"You can tell? Because of that power? Haki?" he asked.
"Yep." Whitebeard took a sip from his barrel. "You are a young one if you don't know what Observation can do for you."
"And did you defeat Malice without it?" demanded Jozu. "He had Haki, and he was a Rokushiki user!"
Izuku rubbed his arm. This was going to get tricky.
"Truth be told, I don't have Haki," he admitted. Whitebeard perked up at his words. "But I defeated Malice, and Finalem Handsome."
Yamato nodded vigorously, which earned a few interested looks
"That so? An Ancient Zoan user and a particularly troublesome Logia user," Whitebeard muttered. "You must be quite the cunning little squirt to have pulled that off."
"Well…it took some planning," Izuku admitted, rubbing his neck. "And King Bach and Justinian Lawson helped a lot; with Handsome I mean."
"Right…" Whitebeard set down his barrel. "Mind indulging an old man's silly question? It's been on my mind since I saw you."
"Not at all."
"Are you haunted?"
Izuku almost gaped.
"You have eight spirits hanging around you," Whitebeard went on, pointing with a lazy finger. Izuku's blood ran cold as he understood, "It's curious."
"Uh oh," grumbled Hikage.
"Whelp, not like we can run anywhere." En mumbled.
"You can see them?" he breathed. It made sense. Kaido had sensed them too, and he'd been intoxicated to hell and back and half asleep.
But see?
"I can." Whitebeard sighed. "I can't hear them, but I can see their faces. It looks like they're having an argument."
That wasn't the half of it.
"You can tell them all that it's fine," Whitebeard said, closing his eyes. "You're all welcome to stay, though if my grog starts floating I'm gonna be pissed."
Izuku felt himself calm down. It was strangely warming, comforting, to hear him say that.
"But…I have a bounty now."
"And? So does ninety-nine percent of everyone on this ship," Marco replied. "Shoot, my bounty is over a billion." He shrugged. "It ain't nothing to be sad about. Still, Pops, what do you mean by ghosts?"
"It has to be something only someone of Pop's caliber can see." Vista smirked. "This boy becomes more and more intriguing by the minute."
"There were also those black tendrils from before." Jozu mused.
"Two of them are staring at me," Whitebeard commented. "They don't seem to like me."
Izuku looked over his shoulders, and saw the Second and Third users glowering at Whitebeard in mingled fear and anger.
"It's all right." Yoichi put a hand on his shoulder. "I believe in him."
"And now the frail one's calming things down," Whitebeard continued. "They can hear me, at least." He smirked, and let out a laugh. "Gurarara… Roger's rolling in his grave right now. I can lord this over him when I see him again for a drink." He smiled. "The man who's seen everything the world has had to offer, pah. Guess not."
"These ghosts…" Izuku muttered, gulping. "They're here because of a power, a power that was passed down to me; from a man greater than I'll ever be."
"That's a low bar," commented Whitebeard. "That dancing louse Shiki."
"Shiki?"
"Shiki, the Golden Lion, one of Gol D. Roger's rivals," Marco explained. "One of Pops' old acquaintances, if you can believe it. He was the last known user of the Float Float Fruit."
Izuku sighed. No getting out of it now.
He levitated into the air, bringing out his Black Whip. The crew watched with interest as the black tendrils coiled and danced around him. Their interest turned to surprise, even shock, as his smoke began to billow. Whitebeard's expression didn't change but his eyes were locked onto him.
"Ok, I didn't see that coming," Marco said, blinking. "Yo Thatch, you seen anything like this?"
"No, not like this," the chef replied, stroking his beard. "Not with those tentacles. Or flight."
"My power is nothing like a Devil Fruit," Izuku called out. He floated out over the gunwale, until he was hovering over the water. The entire crew was watching him in clear astonishment. Even Izou was staring. Yamato was staring too, but with a grin on her face. She knew what was coming.
Izuku deactivated Float, and dropped into the sea.
(X)
"Man overboard!"
"Get a rope! Quick!"
"Hey Commander Namur! Help us out!"
Yamato looked over the side, smiling down at the rippling water.
"You seem awfully calm." Whitebeard commented as Yamato turned back to the Emperor. "Your friend can't swim."
"What makes you think that Izuku ate a Devil Fruit?" she asked, smirking. Whitebeard cocked an eyebrow.
Then a cry rang out, and they all looked to the opposite side. There was Izuku, rising from the water, a big fat grin on his face. Jaws hit the deck as he spun like a top, water flying in all directions. Even Marco looked shocked.
Whitebeard threw back his head, and roared with laughter.
"Well that's new!" he spluttered, as Izuku came in to land. All eyes were upon him as he touched down.
"He's okay?"
"But how did he do that!"
"Was it some kind of trick?"
"But those powers had to be from a fruit right?"
"Maybe he's using some kind of technology!"
"Where in that ratty ass suit would he have the room for tech like that?"
Izuku ignored their babble, striding across the deck, taking his place beside Yamato. He was still grinning, and Yamato couldn't help but grin back. It wasn't every day one got to surprise an Emperor and his crew.
"You're just a puzzle I wanna solve, young man," Thatch remarked, as Izuku shrugged.
"I don't have a Devil Fruit at all. I have no interest in eating one anyway," Izuku said with a smile.
"With powers like yours, I can't say I blame you." Marco remarked. "Damn, that'll be useful, if you can keep it up."
"I can explain my power to you, Whitebeard. But to you and you alone," Izuku said sternly. "Is that fine?"
Whitebeard sat where he was, expressionless. Then he nodded.
"That's fair. You've shown me your power, so the least I can do is let you stay the night. But I do have one question, Midoriya Izuku."
"Yes?" The boy perked up.
"If you never met Bay, and came upon Doyle without knowing what was ailing it, would you have still helped?"
"Yes," Izuku said on the spot. "Without question." His face was resolute.
"Hmm. Alright." Whitebeard mused. "You two, we'll talk later. Marco, mind showing them to the guest rooms?"
He shot Marco a look, a look Yamato couldn't read.
"You got it." The blonde nodded, as Yamato and Izuku picked up their backpacks, and followed him towards the stern. Yamato was almost bouncing with excitement as they entered the sterncastle. She was going into Whitebeard's ship! Walking the same halls that Oden walked!
But as they passed, she could see the eyes of the crew, and could sense their feelings. They were afraid, apprehensive. Kaido's daughter was among them, and hell was snapping at her heels.
And that glare coming from Izou. If looks could kill…
She looked down. She didn't want to lie, not to Whitebeard. But maybe it wasn't wise to tell him everything.
(X)
Once the two travelers were out of sight, Whitebeard closed his eyes, letting out a long sigh.
"So, we gonna call a meeting first?" Thatch asked, looking pleased.
"Yeo." He rose from his throne. "Gather the Commanders to the War Room." Thatch nodded, giving a mock salute as he turned away. Around him, the rest of the crew were dispersing, the drama over for now.
Thatch watched them for a moment. Everyone seemed to be doing their work just fine. Sails were being mended, decks swabbed, nicks and scratches polished or sanded.
He made his way up the ship, to where Namur and Haruta were standing by the wheel. He nodded, and they followed him into the sterncastle.
"I was about ready to jump in when that kid came out the other side," commented Namur. "He was fast."
"You took note of the speed Namur? Nice."
"To fly across the Grand Line and stop at islands, he must be fast," mused the brown-haired Haruta. "What works in the air would probably work in the water too."
"Or he's a good swimmer." Namur shrugged.
They continued down familiar hallways, to one particular cabin; deep in the bowels of the sterncastle.
"Still…I've never seen him so angry," Haruta said, as they reached the ornate wooden door. The inset smaller door was already open.
"Izou you mean?"
"Yeah."
They stepped through into the vast chamber. Within it was a horseshoe shaped table, bearing seventeen chairs of various sizes, each with a number engraved into the head. Within it was a circular table, covered with a map; complete with icons and figurines. Thatch took his seat, as did Namur and Haruta. Their fellow commanders did likewise, filing in in ones and twos.
Thatch felt an old thrill as he saw them. They were all there. All fifteen Division Commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates. The mightiest sons of Edward Newgate, all in one place.
"They enjoying their rooms?" he asked Marco, as the other man took his seat on the opposite side.
"So far," Marco replied. "They're settling in, gonna rest a while."
"Good to hear, after all they've been through, they've earned it."
Soon all the seats were taken; all but two. One was the mighty throne of Whitebeard, right in the center. The other was the number two chair on his right hand; a chair that had been empty for years.
Thatch sighed through his nose, and gave the armrest a quick pat. Its occupant would never sit there again; and Whitebeard had yet to find someone worthy to take his place.
After all, was there anyone in the world like Kozuki Oden?
The doors swung open, and the commanders looked up. Whitebeard strode into the chamber, all eyes upon him, his jaw set. They watched in silence as he sat on his throne, staring at the map table in front of him.
"Now, I usually don't call these sorts of meetings. But…" Whitebeard sighed. "With what we've learned today, I want to know your thoughts."
"About what Pops?" asked Atmos, commander of the 13th division.
"Our new guests and what they've said, but first things first." Whitebeard's eyes shifted to the end of the table, where Izou sat beside Jiru. The man-geisha stared at the map, unable to meet Whitebeard's gaze, his eyes instead set squarely on the image of Wano.
"Izou, you called Yamato a horned monster. Why?" All eyes fell on Izou, awaiting his response. Izou gulped, and forced himself to look at his commander.
"Pops…the Oni tribe, are a sore subject for the people of Wanos. They were a blight upon the land for centuries, bloodthirsty barbarians who brought nothing but death and destruction wherever they went ."
"Oden never said a word about it," commented Marco. "Yet here you are flipping your top off."
"She'll bring us nothing but trouble Pops!" protested Izou. "If not for being Kaido's daughter, then for being herself! They're a vicious, inhuman, brutal race! They crave domination and violence! Every Oni I've ever encountered or read about throughout Wano's history has done nothing but evil!"
He paused his tirade, breathing hard. "Now we know Lord Oden and Lady Toki are dead! And their children too! The Oni may now be smaller in number, but I guarantee Kaido won't stop until Wano is a playground of bloodshed! Him and the filth who serve him!"
The chamber was silent.
"Vicious inhuman race," growled Namur. "I thought I'd never hear those words on this ship. Guess I was wrong." Izou flinched at his words.
"It's not the same!" Izou practically yelled at his fellow Commander. "Oni are born for violence and death, even throughout Wano's many centuries of history, not a single member of their race was known to be anything other than a killer."
"Then let me ask everyone a question," Whitebeard cut in. "Does anyone in this room see that girl as a domineering battle-hungry bloodthirsty beast?"
"Overeager and excitable, sure. But just from the brief conversation we had, I'd be shocked to see that girl hurt anyone, much less mindlessly slaughter anything." Jozu spoke up.
"Yeah, plus that Izuku kid put himself in Kaido's crosshairs just to rescue her, even though he could've easily left her to rot." Marco spoke firmly. "Does that honestly sound like something anyone would do for some crazed monster?"
Izou looked sick as he glared at the map.
"That's what I thought. Izou, you're my son and I know both Oden and Toki's death hurts you especially. But let me make this clear. You keep those thoughts to yourself, or better yet," Whitebeard glared. "Don't think those thoughts at all." Izou looked away, snarling out of his mouth.
"Do I make myself clear?" Whitebeard asked, and Izou nodded.
"Yes Pops… " He turned back to the table, stewing in anger and shame.
"Now then." Whitebeard leaned back into his chair. "With that matter settled, we will move on to a more pressing topic." He looked at the map. "Kaido."
Thatch clenched his fists, forcing himself not to snarl. He could see eyes glancing towards the empty chair.
"He's making an army of Artificial Devil Fruit users, with Doflamingo's help," Whitebeard went on. "With an army like that at his back, he'd try to put a torch to every island on the grand line, and that'd be just the start knowing him."
"Pops, we can't attack Dressrosa," stated Blenheim, sitting with his arms crossed. "Kaido will go all-out if we do. "
"And that's just the Beast Pirates," added Fossa, chomping on his cigar. "If we lock horns with Kaido, Big Mom will pounce and try to take our territories. Red hair might get involved, but who knows with him."
"And then there's the Marines too." Kingdew stroked his chin. "Two Emperors, maybe three, or even all of them going to war? They won't sit by and do nothing. They'll take what they can, and pick off anyone who's left standing; assuming Big Mom doesn't first."
"Linlin won't focus on battling us," Whitebeard replied. "She only wants our islands. She won't risk her fleets if there's nothing sweet at the end of the road for her. Red Hair isn't one to get into fights either, but he'll try to play peacekeeper and fail."
He grabbed a long rod, and reached over the map, tapping on a cluster of islands. Thatch recognised it as Totland; Big Mom's seat of power.
Linlin will pick off the weak islands closest to her territory. Kaido, meanwhile," the rod moved to a large landmass, bigger than any of the other islands. "He'd want this fight. He'll take us on directly, try to break us in one go. It's his best shot to claim Roger's throne."
"But we can cut off his supply of SMILEs at any time now." Marco mused. "If we take Dressrosa that is. But considering that's a Warlord's domain, we'll be picking a war on two fronts. The Marines, and the Beast Pirates."
"If we fight a Warlord, wouldn't that mean we fight all the other Warlords too?" Haruta asked. "Like Hancock, Kuma and…" he gulped. "Hawkeye?"
"We needn't worry about all the Warlords showing up," Jozu replied. "According to Jinbe, the Warlords don't exactly get along and Hawkeye only moves when he wants to. If Doflamingo bites it, they won't be rushing to his aid, nor weeping for his funeral." The massive man crossed his arms.
"Hawkeye could get ideas in wanting to test himself against Pops though," Rakuyo added. Vista laughed.
"Then I will take him. It's been a dream of mine to test my steel against the Black Blade Yoru." The man stroked his long mustache. "If I were to fall in battle, let it be to the world's greatest swordsman."
"Dream about that later Vista. Besides, all this depends on attacking Dressrosa; and I haven't agreed to that." Whitebeard brought his rod back and set it down.
"I don't think any of our allies would be able to take Dressrosa either." Curiel adjusted his green cap. "If we send them en masse, it will look like we would use them as proxies."
"Plus that still doesn't address the possibility of the Marines coming to Doflamingo's aide." Jiru chimed in. "Even if they don't summon the other Warlords, we might end up bringing out at least one of the Admirals."
"What about taking the fight to Kaido instead?" Haruta asked. "I mean, you guys have been to Wano before, right? You guys mentioned it a lot."
"We were shipwrecked on Wano's coast to be fair." Jozu shrugged.
"We could." Marco replied. "But… if we fight Kaido in Wano, Pops would have to go all out. Which means…"
"Wano would be destroyed." Izou uttered to the side. "The coastal villages will be swamped by tsunamis. Mt. Fuji would go active. The rivers will overflow. The country…" He closed his eyes, grimacing. Jiru put a hand on his shoulder.
"But if we let Kaido be, his army will grow and he'll go to war regardless." Jozu muttered. "If we try to build up our own forces, Big Mom and Kaido will catch wind. As will the Government."
"Even knowing this… does anyone in this room want to leave Kaido alone?" Marco spoke up, his voice hard. "Knowing what he did not just to Oden… but to Toki?" The room turned quiet, everyone looking down or at the table. "To her children?"
Thatch knew he was right. Kaido had to pay, somehow. Killing Oden in battle was one thing, fighting and dying in battle was all but certain for a pirate and Oden knew that. But boiling him alive, and then burning his wife and children?
Thatch was angry. They were all angry, save for Haruta, and that wasn't his fault. He was the youngest person in the ship until Izuku arrived. He had never known Oden or Toki.
Izou was shaking, tears in his eyes. Jiru squeezed his shoulder. Whitebeard was glaring at the map, at the Land of Wano.
"Everyone in this world needs to live by a code of conduct," he said, his voice making the air turn cold. "That is what separates men from animals…" A shiver ran through the room, the particular word choice not lost on them.
"You all lost a brother and sister," he muttered. "You know my answer." He sighed a long, weary sigh.
"For now, there's another matter," he said. "Pertaining to Yamato and Midoriya Izuku, better known as Deku."
(X)
Yamato stared at the ceiling, her mind awhirl. Around her, Moby Dick creaked as it sailed away from Sphinx.
She was just about used to sleeping on a ship. She had gotten accustomed to it on the Yukimaru, though Bay's cabins had been a lot more luxurious. This one wasn't bad, but the bed was too short; her feet hanging down over the edge.
Well, there was nothing she could do about it. This was a guest room, and she was bigger than most.
She glanced across the room. There was Izuku, looking through his backpack and sorting out their supplies; nibbling on a biscuit.
"So… we made it," he said. "We got to Whitebeard. And we told him mostly everything." He looked at her "Yamato, you okay?"
"Hmm? Oh, uhh. Just fine." She smiled lightly. "Still, I can't believe we're on his ship."
"It's bigger than Captain Bay's" the green-haired boy mused. "More guns too."
Yamato looked up at the ceiling. Yes, this was Whitebeard's ship. And Whitebeard was everything she had dreamed he would be. Strong and commanding, yet kind and generous. Just as Oden had described.
Yes, this was the man Oden had loved and called brother. And this was the crew Oden had called his brothers. And they had loved him; just as they hated the monster who had destroyed him, and his family.
The monster, whose daughter she was.
Her heart sank as she remembered Izou's face, the hatred in his eyes. Izou, the older brother of Kiku, the wonderful and kind samurai who was accepted into Oden's Retainers. And died in Oden's Castle on that day.
Horned beast.
She reached up, and touched her horns as they scraped against the bedhead. Horns, just like the ones Kaido had; and Jack, and Black Maria, and Who's Who, and Sasaki, and Page One, and Ulti too.
Oni. A family of Oni. The ravagers of Wano.
"Yamato, don't listen to him," Izuku said firmly, pain in his eyes.
"It's hard not to, " she replied, sucking in her lips. "I was there, at Kozuki Castle. I saw it happen."
"It wasn't your fault," he urged. "You were a child."
"I am still his blood though."
"You're not your father!" Izuku growled. "He doesn't deserve to be your father! Not after what he did to you! You don't have to answer for him!"
Yamato took a breath. She wanted to believe him, to accept what he was saying. But…
A knock at the door made them both look up.
"Hello?" it was Marco's voice.
"Come in," Izuku called out. The door opened, and Marco poked his head around it.
"Hey you two. Enjoying the ship? How's the beds?" he asked, opening the door and stepping inside.
"The beds are fine." Izuku replied, while Yamato pulled her legs in to try and hide how ill sized the bed was for her.
"They are guest beds. Got to be" Marco remarked cheerfully. "Anyway, if you still want to talk to Pops in private, he's ready for you now."
"Okay, great," Izuku said. "I've got some questions for him too."
"And he's more than happy to answer." Marco nodded, then his eyes softened when he saw Yamato lumber off her matress
"Hey, don't let what Izou said get to ya. He was just… heated," he said. Yamato closed her eyes.
"He's been on this ship ever since Oden left with Roger, right?" she asked as she stepped out into the corridor, Izuku following behind, and Marco closing the door behind them.
"He has."
"Then he didn't know what happened to his sister, or his lord and his family." Yamato looked down at the deck, and took a deep breath. "It must have been hard for him."
"Yeah. But Pops and him had a few words. He won't give you any trouble."
Marco led them down the corridor. There were men cleaning the portholes and swabbing the deck, who stepped aside to let them pass. Yamato tensed as she went on, awaiting their looks of distrust, or their hissed curses. The looks topside…
But none came. They barely seemed to even notice her. Did they not know?
They continued on their way, running into more pirates as they went. Yamato couldn't help but notice how different things were to Onigashima. There was no fear here, between Marco and his subordinates.
"Your pirates seem to be pretty loose with their attire," Izuku commented. Marco looked back.
"What, we can wear whatever we like. We are pirates. Free men on the seas," he replied with a shrug.
"I know. But Bay's crew all wore fancy, formal clothes; and the Beast Pirates had uniforms."
"Well, Bay's always had a taste for the finer things," said Marco, grinning. "Still a princess at heart, that way. But it's her ship and her rules, and this isn't her ship."
They reached a massive, carved door. Set into it was a smaller door, which Marco opened and led them inside. Within was an enormous horseshoe-shaped table, and a vast throne at its head. Upon it, sure enough, was Whitebeard, his cheek rested on his fist.
"Wait, isn't this the War Room?" Yamato asked, looking around.
"It is," Whitebeard said. "Did Oden write that down?"
"He did! But, where's the big map of the seas?" She asked, looking around. She could see other maps along the walls, showing islands and geographical features. There were even dark blue charts that looked like undersea charts. But nothing showing the expanse of the Grand Line.
"It's under your feet," Whitebeard said. "The Moby Dick may have been sailing for a long time, but I make sure to keep her up to date." Izuku looked down. The floor was wooden, but the planks were lined with steel.
"Sit." Whitebeard gestured to two chairs set before his throne. The pair did as they were bidden, while Marco stood at his captain's side.
"First, let me apologize for Izou's outburst," Whitebeard said, sighing. "A son of mine should've known better."
"He didn't know. I mean, he lost his family." Yamato uttered sadly. "It must have all been so much so fast…"
"Doesn't excuse what he said," Marco stated. "No child should be made to pay for the sins of their parents."
Yamato took a breath. Again, she wanted to believe them.
"Speaking of which, you looked ready to spring at him, boy," commented Whitebeard.
"He had a gun," replied Izuku defensively, "He was angry, and coming closer. I didn't know what he was going to do."
"Even if an attack on my son is an attack on me?" demanded Whitebeard, quirking an eyebrow. Izuku went pale, but did not turn his eyes away.
"For Yamato's sake…yes," Izuku gulped. Whitebeard nodded lightly, while Yamato smiled at the gesture.
"I suppose Izou would have deserved it," he mused. "But let's move on. I know how you got here, and why you are here. But I must know what you are, and what you plan to do now. Some friends of mine in the New World have reported a massive storm over Wano; a storm that has been there for two weeks running."
Yamato's blood turned to ice.
"A storm?" Izuku asked, gulping.
"Oh yes. Someone like that lizard can change the weather with his mood alone. No one knows why; especially since Wano's height should protect it from storms. But for a storm like that to appear, and for you two to turn up like this…well, connect the dots."
Yamato gulped and looked down. She knew her father's rage only too well. A storm, even one that persisted for two whole weeks, would not have been the end of it.
And a stab of dread set in as she could only imagine what kind of havoc such a storm brought upon the inhabitants.
"But then there's you, Midoriya Izuku," Whitebeard went on. "You pleaded with me to hear you out in private. Well, here we are." Izuku perked up, but then looked awkwardly at Marco.
"I'm the First Mate," he replied. "What he hears, I hear, but I'm not telling a soul outside pops."
He smiled. Izuku nodded, and cleared his throat.
"Whitebeard…it's a long story…and there's a lot of things that are going to be hard to believe."
"I have all day," replied Whitebeard airily. "And I've been seeing the unbelievable when you were a glint in your father's eye."
Izuku took a breath. Yamato stared at him, silently pleading with him not to falter.
"First of all…I'm not from this world," he began. "I was sent here from a planet called Earth. My homeland is called Japan, and in my world, four fifths of humanity possess a special power. These powers are called Quirks."
And so he told them of his world, and his life. Of Japan, and the Superhuman Society that controlled his world. He told of his birth, his upbringing, of his mother, and the father he barely knew. He spoke of Bakugo, of his classmates at UA High, of his mentor All Might, and all the Heroes and Villains he had encountered.
And all the scars he had suffered, and all the sorrows he had endured. And how a two-hundred-year-old villain had plunged the world into darkness, and how Izuku and his friends had finally put an end to him, once and for all.
Throughout his tale, Whitebeard and Marco remained silent. But for the occasional quirked eyebrow, or a skeptical look, they made no reaction; but took in every word.
"And as he died, his body became a portal," Izuku went on. "It was his final revenge, and it got me. I fell through it, and I woke up in Yamato's room on Onigashima. We'd won, but…"
He trailed off, breathing hard.
"You paid a price." Whitebeard's voice was soft.
"Gotta say… I can't believe it but…" Marco mused, speaking for the first time in a while. "Never would have imagined that there would be other worlds. And then those abilities of yours, Quirks." Marco ran a hand through his hair. "It's quite something."
"Though," Whitebeard had a coy grin on his face. "I quite like this All Might figure. " He said, stroking his chin. "I'd like to learn more of him if you can." Izuku blushed.
"Well uh, sure! I can go into detail about his Silver and Golden Age costumes! Or how his Missouri and Illinois Smashes have different angles of attacks!"
Yamato blinked. It had been some time since he had done this.
"And then there's his numerous missions both in America and Japan ranging from tackling wildfires, stopping whole floods and hurricanes with his punches, and then his raids on cartels in Arizona and California! The Imperial Cartel la Familia outside of San Diego was really troublesome but got top grade coverage in America! Then came Tropical Storm Eduardo too right after, it was quite the double whammy of a time…!"
"Uhhh…" Marco was flabbergasted.
"And then there's him doing the Burrows Run when there was a nasty polar storm in Alaska as he ran through the wilderness from Anchorage to Burrows, the most northernmost city in the Western Hemisphere to deliver medicine! Or maybe his charity run and crime stoppage from New York to Los Angeles and…!"
Finally Izuku paused in his mad babble, as he saw the confused look on Whitebeard's face.
"S-sorry..," he said, fidgeting with his fingers. "I…I keep doing that."
"He does, a lot,." Yamato said, giggling. "I don't mind that at all Izuku! Learning about All Might's escapades and good deeds reminds me of Oden and his youth! Oh! I know just the time and place actually!"
"Oh no." Marco uttered. "There's two of them."
"Like the time he was able to march through brothels and fight grown men, though he was only a youth! Or when he convinced all those ladies across the capital to join his harem! Or the times he got drunk when he was nine, and…!"
Then it was her turn to trail off. The look on Whitebeard's face had somehow gotten worse.
'He's annoyed!'
"Ummmm…" Yamato went bright red, rubbing the back of her head.
"Just…." Whitebeard uttered. "Give me a heads up next time. My mind is full of seventy years of bullshit. I can only handle so much at once. As for All Might, just tell me about the man. Not of what he's done, please."
"Ummm, sure." Izuku looked thoroughly scared. "I can tell you how he inherited One for All too. From his mentor Shimura Nana." Izuku gestured to his right, into empty air.
"Oh! Hi Nana!" Yamato waved, guessing his meaning. Marco looked utterly confused, and glanced at Whitebeard. But the mighty pirate let out a laugh, and nodded respectfully at what he and Izuku could see, but Yamato and Marco could not.
"Ma'am," he said, with a smile. Izuku blushed, but he seemed to be relaxing a little.
"She says hello…and she can tell me, to tell you, at a later time." He looked away, and Yamato blinked. What did she mean?
"She's looking a little bashful," Whitebeard said. "Never thought I'd catch the eye of a ghost; especially not such a fine-looking one." He grinned from ear-to-ear, and Izuku's eyes bulged, as he glanced from Whitebeard to Nana and back again. "Guess I still got it."
He sat back, chuckling to himself.
"Haaa, poor Roger. Missing out on the chance to explore a whole new world. Steel flying machines. Great towering cities of metal. A Superhuman Society. And communing with the dead." He sighed happily. "I can't wait to see his face when we meet again."
"Pops don't think like that. You'll make me nervous," Marco joked. "But, with your powers, you could have left Onigashima without anyone noticing. Why didn't you?"
"I couldn't just leave Yamato like that," Izuku replied plainly. "She saved me. Besides, I saw what kind of life she was living inside for Kaido…" He paused, shaking. "When I was in the vents, near him, I felt like I couldn't breathe, like I was going to die."
"That's to be expected," Whitebeard replied, in the tone of one who understood only too well. "Your first taste of the Color of the Conqueror."
Yamato perked up. It was a term Oden had used in his journal to describe Haki.
"It's a wonder you didn't pass out or run away screaming," Whitebeard continued. "Many in your place would have. You're a brave lad, Midoriya Izuku."
"Brave…" Izuku scoffed. "I wasn't brave in there. I was terrified… I couldn't move."
He shuddered, and Yamato reached to squeeze his shoulder.
"That isn't a crime," Whitebeard said. "A brave man isn't someone who doesn't feel fear, but someone that conquers that fear when he needs to." He smiled. "Izuku, I can understand being afraid of Kaido. When I was your age, I would've been just as afraid, probably more. The point is that you didn't, because you wanted to save one person."
Yamato felt something inside her, something warm and soft. She had felt it before, when she had tended Izuku in her room, and when they had talked together and told each other stories. She looked at Izuku, and saw him looking up at Whitebeard; eyes bright with awe and gratitude.
"Even so, what are you going to do now?" Whitebeard suddenly asked. "You're a marked man. If you enter World Government territory, they'll either distance themselves from you, or truss you up and hand you right over to avoid war. Do you plan to go into hiding?"
Izuku's face fell, and he took a long, deep breath.
"I wish I could say I could…but I don't think I can," he said. "Pirates like the Finalems rove the seas. I can't ignore them when they're harming innocent people. And I… I made a promise to myself." He looked back up at the Emperor with perhaps the hardest look Izuku had given all day. "To defeat Kaido."
Marco whistled and Whitebeard sat there in silence.
"You wish to defeat him, you say?" He asked. "Many people say that, but they can't follow through on it."
"I know."
"They say it is impossible. Something no one can kill."
"If he bleeds, he can be killed. He had those scars." Izuku retorted. "I'll find a way. Somehow. I'll get stronger. Improve my mastery of One for All." He gripped his fists. "And I will defeat that Demon King." His eyes hardened. "And I want to make a world where everyone can live in peace and happiness with a smile on their faces. Just like All Might wanted. And just like Sphinx."
"Really now? My home you say?" Whitebeard asked, eyebrows quirked.
"Why not?" Izuku demanded, and Whitebeard blinked. "What's wrong with wanting to make the world a better place? To make a world that's not under the boot heel of a cruel government or those depraved pirates?"
"Nothing, if you can manage it," Whitebeard replied. "But the proof is in the pudding, and there ain't no pudding." He leant forward, gazing down at Izuku. "You, my boy, don't even possess Conqueror's Haki, let alone Haki itself. I can sense it, clear as day."
"I know," Izuku stated. "But I'm learning."
"That's right!" declared Yamato, beaming. "I'm teaching him!" She activated her Haki, her fists shining black. Izuku turned to face her, and they mock-sparred; re-enacting their training for Whitebeard.
"A unique approach," Marco said, watching with interest. "I haven't seen it done like that, but hey, if it works." He shrugged.
"Even if you do learn Haki, you don't possess the temperament to possess the Color of the Conqueror," Whitebeard went on, eyes narrowed. "Even if you defeated Saltquaker, Kaido is in a whole different league." He lifted his head. "You face the impossible in wishing to defeat that dragon. Even Oden couldn't pull off that miracle."
Izuku closed his eyes.
"I don't care." Whitebeard blinked, as did Marco.
"Everyone said I couldn't be a hero. Everyone said I couldn't make it to UA High. Save Kacchan at Kamino. Or become a Pro Hero or defeat All for One. All my life I've been climbing mountains that were deemed impossible for a scrawny nerd like me." He looked up at the old man right in his yellow eyes, his gaze hard and firm. "Kaido is just another mountain. I just need the training. The time. And the right chance and opportunity and-"
"We'll do it together," Yamato spoke up, and Izuku turned. "I made an oath that I would defeat my father too. You don't have to face him alone, Izuku." She smiled and nodded. "I need to get stronger too! And we will climb that mountain together! And then… we can save this whole wide world from Kaido!"
Izuku smiled back at her. And it was just like before, on Onigashima, when they had made their plans together. They heard a small scoffing chuckle.
"You feisty brat, talking about defeating the strongest menace the world has ever seen," muttered Whitebeard. "You lack even basic Haki, yet you think you can win? Brazen, foolish, downright insane."
Then he grinned. "But then again, it's no different to what you've done so far as a hero. And you know what I think? I think it's nothing short of damn cool."
"You do?" Yamato asked.
"Of course! Not every day you see people going around helping others and asking nothing in return. There are too many people in this world like the Finalems; and nowhere near enough like you two. Didn't you say you wanted the world to be like Sphinx?"
"Yeah." Izuku nodded. "More than anything."
"Well… as you know I am old. And I am the father to a great many sons and daughters. Is it not a parent's duty to leave this world better for their children?"
Whitebeard took a deep breath.
"What you've told me is invaluable. We have crucial information about Kaido's growing army. Yamato, you've been on Onigashima your whole life. You know its layout?"
"I do." She responded. "Every hideaway and location. I can even make a sketch of what the Skull Dome is like on the inside!"
"Skull Dome?" Marco mused. "Wait, is Kaido's fortress a skull mountain?"
"Yep." Izuku and Yamato replied in unison.
"Typical," Whitebeard scoffed. "We also know where Kaido is getting his SMILEs from. But we don't know whether they are made there, or come from somewhere else. More importantly, you've given me answers about my brother."
He sighed, and leant back in his throne.
"I loved Oden, and Toki, and their children. Even those foolish Retainers."
In that moment, he seemed very old.
"Would you like to read it then?" Yamato held out the logbook. "Please… you must know what Oden knows. What he wrote down. Before you met him, during your travels. And during his adventures with Roger and his return to Wano."
The old man blinked.
"I only need to know the last part." Whitebeard waved it off. "What he wrote down when he returned home." Izuku perked up.
"But, he was on Roger's ship. The King of the Pirates! They found the One Piece and the meaning of the Will of D!" Izuku exclaimed. And the old man scoffed.
"I know it already," he replied. "I was the last man to speak to that grinning fool before he turned himself in." He shrugged. "He told me everything."
Izuku and Yamato looked up at him, eyes wide.
"He did?" Yamato asked, awestruck. Whitebeard nodded.
"I did, and I know what the Will of D truly means… and that the One Piece is real." The old man smiled. "That was a good long talk, me and Roger. Never had that much fun laughing with my oldest rival."
His sad smile faded, and his aura turned serious. "All right…the pages when he returned to Wano, after his voyage with Roger."
Yamato flipped through the journal, until she reached the part Whitebeard wanted. She had never liked that part. It was a part of Oden's life she already knew, back when she had lived in the Flower Capital. When he had humiliated himself for the sake of his people, and saved her soul at the cost of his life.
She handed it to Marco, and Marco handed it to Whitebeard. He read, and the only sounds were the ticking of a nearby clock; and the creaking and groaning of the Moby Dick around them. Yamato stared at Whitebeard, looking for some sign of a reaction, of any feeling at all. Her heart sank as his eyes narrowed, and his frown deepened.
"He did what?" Whitebeard growled. Yamato felt the pressure rise again.
"Pops?" asked Marco.
He handed the journal for Marco to read and the blonde's eyes widened.
"Yeah…" sighed Izuku. "The naked dancing."
"Five years… enduring all of that." Whitebeard growled as Marco set the journal down, jaw clenched. "For five years." He bared his teeth, glaring off into space.
He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as the pressure seemed to wane.
"We're going to do it then, Pops?" Marco asked, his tone low.
"Truth be told, I was considering it for a while…" Whitebeard muttered darkly. "I had considered invading Wano."
Yamato and Izuku perked up at that, and the girl felt hope swell within her.
"An invasion… you mean!"
"I didn't know for sure. Whether Oden and his family were alive or dead. But now I know. I know what my brother endured… What my daughter and her children endured…and how they died."
His eyes narrowed, and the air in the room went cold.
"Kaido can't be left alone" He growled and closed his eyes.
"So you're going to go to war? Whitebeard?" Izuku asked, eyes wide.
"Not today. Not tomorrow. Maybe not even next month. But… soon." He reopened his eyes, fire and fury burning within them.
"I will go into Onigashima, take that impudent murderous brat by his horns and teach him a lesson!" His eyes were full of fury, the room heavy as Yamato and Izuku felt his presence wash over them like a wave.
"I will show him that there are lines in this world that you do not cross! That damn punk will get what's coming to him, for tarnishing and MURDERING my brother! Butchering his family, my DAUGHTER!" Whitebeard declared. "He, and the rest of his savage empire… I will treat them like the rabid animals they are! And in Oden's memory, I will liberate the Land of Wano!"
Yamato could only gaze up in awe and terror and wonder. And the realization hit her.
The Whitebeard Pirates will be going to war.
Against her father.
The Strongest Man in the World… against the World's Strongest Creature.
"But…" Whitebeard took a deep breath. "Like I said, not now. If we attack the Land of Wano now, we could lose everything."
"Your territories," Izuku asked, finding the strength to speak once more.
"Yeah," said Marco, mastering himself. "What's more, we'll never do it, let alone sail on Wano, without Kaido noticing. He'll prepare, and he's already well dug in."
"There's more too," Yamato cut in. "Onigashima is surrounded by whirlpools. There's only one way to get to the island." She perked up. "Ummm, do you have a paper and pencil?"
"Marco," Whitebeard ordered. Marco headed to a desk by the wall, pulling out some pencils and paper. Yamato trotted over to join him, Izuku following on, and started to draw. Whitebeard sat where he was, watching as Yamato scribbled, covering page after page with drawings. All at once she was finished, and brought her drawings to show Whitebeard.
"The Torii Gate," she explained. "It's the only way into Onigashima, and it's fortified." She brought up another page, showing a crude map of Wano, "With waterfalls going over the sides, the mainland in the center, and Onigashima at its southern edge. Around the plateau lay the Sea of Spires. The Spires here are fortified too, they have garrisons, with heavy guns in turrets and decks. Anything that gets past them then has to get up the waterfalls."
"And even if we could, we'll be bottlenecked," scoffed Marco.
"That's right, you can get in via the Giant Koi fish," Izuku murmured. Marco grinned.
"That we did. Quite the hassle wrangling those buggers up though. The Moby Dick needed repairs for days after that trek upward," Marco added.
"My drawing skills aren't the best, sadly," Yamato apologized. The blonde laughed a little.
"Don't be. The information you're giving us? It's priceless."
"So even if we go through the Sea of Spires, and climb the falls, Kaido will know we're coming and then…" Izuku glared at the map. "He'll be ready."
"And he'll slaughter us," growled Whitebeard. "We could try and lure him out, but not without Big Mom and the Marines noticing. We need another way." Yamato furrowed her brows. How can they hope to succeed in this possible endeavor?
"The Fire Festival," suggested Izuku.
"The what-now?" asked Marco.
"It's a big annual festival Kaido and the Beast Pirates hold," Izuku explained. "In Onigashima, and right across Wano. It was two weeks ago now."
Marco darted over to the desk, rummaged in it, and came back with a calendar.
"This is today's date," he said, pointing to June 21st. Izuku pointed to it, then tapped back along the days, counting under his breath.
"Doyle… Ludeterin… Sky Island…it was…June 6th." He paused, and then tapped another day. "And I arrived on May 24th."
"So… June 6th is the date of the Fire Festival." Whitebeard mused. "Knowing Kaido, it'll be drunken debauchery and loud music." He smirked. "The perfect time to attack."
"We'd have to do it a little at a time," Marco said aloud, tapping on the map with his forefinger. "Hit the Spire gun stations first, then the climb, then the Torii Gate, and go right into the harbor. Hit them hard, fast and quiet. We'll need some of our buddies who specialize in stealth too."
"What made you suggest the Fire Festival?" Yamato asked, turning to her friend.
"Back in my world, the United States, a prominent country there, was born thanks to a bold move by its first president, George Washington." Izuku explained. "He had his army backed into a corner and they were starving, but the enemy forces, the Hessians, across the river were celebrating Christmas…a winter festival. Eating, drinking, the whole nine yards." His brow furrowed, in a way Yamato had grown accustomed to
"I can see that white haired fellow talking into your ear," Whitebeard said. "He's well read?"
"Umm, yes. He is" Izuku replied. "Anyway, it was the middle of winter and the river was frozen solid, so Washington's army snuck over it and attacked the enemy in their fort. They never saw it coming, so it was a total rout. The Hessians were cut in half, surrendering, while Washington's army only had two injuries."
"Two injuries? No loss of life?" Marco mused.
"Impressive." Whitebeard mused. "That educated ghost fellow seems to know his world's history. I'd like to hear more."
Yamato beamed, seeing Izuku rub the back of his head as he looked to the side, no doubt talking to Hikage. He was the most educated of the Vestiges after all!
"Anyway back on topic, We make our way up the falls, through the current," Whitebeard stated. "And I will crush that Skull Island myself." He closed his eyes. "But… if me and Kaido fight there… Even if I liberate that country, lives will be lost." Yamato went pale.
"That's right. Your Quake Quake Fruit… the side effects could induce tsunamis." She said as she felt lead in her stomach as she looked at the map. "There's a lot of villages along the coast..."
"You gotta be kidding me!" Izuku's eyes bulged in horror, his fists clenching.
"Nothing we can't fix though," Marco interjected with a grin. "We get some of our allies to the villages and cause a little fuss, push them inland? They can avoid the tsunami."
"Quick on the draw as always," Whitebeard smirked, and Marco grinned from ear to ear. Izuku sighed in relief, as did Yamato.
"Still, Wano will be beset with aftershocks if I went all out, and then there's the slaves to consider too," Whitebeard mused. "Getting them out of Onigashima won't be easy."
"But we can do it," insisted Izuku. "When you go to war, Whitebeard, let us know. We'll come running."
Whitebeard quirked an eyebrow. "Oh? Running from where?"
"Izuku has a bounty," Yamato spoke up. "One from my father, no less. If anyone leaks it…"
"They won't," said Marco firmly. "No one on this ship will betray you. Even if they could bring themselves to do it, they know what'll happen to them. Trust me, and trust them."
"But we're putting you all in danger," pleaded Izuku. "So it's best if we keep going."
"Running yourself ragged?" retorted Whitebeard. "Like you did in your own world? Charging around trying to save everyone? Avoiding your friends for their sake?"
Izuku hung his head. Yamato knew what he meant. It was the hardest, most painful part of Izuku's story. His terrible, lonely quest amid the ruins of his country, his mentor's last stand at Kamino, and Bakugo dying at Shigaraki's hand.
"You almost killed yourself trying to manage one country," Whitebeard went on, tilting his head. "What makes you think you can cope with the whole world?"
Izuku closed his eyes, and clenched his fists. Yamato's heart ached, for she knew what he was thinking. This was who he was, the only way he could be what he yearned to be; and now even Whitebeard was criticizing him for it. That she knew he was right only made it worse.
"I'll be with him every step of the way," she announced, a hand on Izuku's shoulder. "Even though being on your ship was a dream of mine…Izuku can't do this alone. No matter what…I'll protect him too!"
"Yamato…" Izuku stared up at her, tears welling in his eyes.
"So…now we're at two people," replied Whitebeard. "Two heads may be better than one, but it's still only two heads. Two of you, against the whole world."
The room was silent, the air heavy.
"No one should live like that," he said. "No one should go through this world alone, with nowhere to rest their head in safety." He leant forward. "You want to change the world for the better, and you carry upon your shoulders a great burden. To carry on the ideals and wishes of those who came before." His eyes were on Yamato first. "One, being my brother. And the other," He turned to Izuku. "A single man who brought an era of peace and prosperity all on his own."
"Whitebeard?" Yamato asked. Was he saying what she thought he was saying?
"What you two need is support. A family."
Yamato felt her heart stop. Izuku's mouth dropped open.
"You… you don't mean…" Izuku stammered. Yamato felt tears prick at her eyes.
"Oh I mean it. Kaido can kiss my ass. I've lived too long to be afraid of the likes of him."
Whitebeard stepped down from his throne, and knelt down before them, holding out his arms. Marco had the world's biggest grin on his face.
"I will make your dreams come true," he said, smiling warmly. Yamato let out a sob, and even Izuku took a step forward. "A dream of a better world. Where all under the sun, can no longer live in fear and terror, but strive for the pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Izuku, Yamato. Join my crew. And become my son and daughter."
Yamato flung herself into his embrace, and beside her Izuku did the same. She let out a sob, as her heart erupted; with a feeling she had thought she would never feel.
For the first time in her life, she was in the arms of a loving father.
"Can we do it though?" Izuku whimpered. "Can we be Heroes, and Pirates, all at the same time?"
"You can." Whitebeard's hands were on their backs as he embraced. "And you will. I know so, Izuku." Izuku let out a shudder, embracing him as Yamato continued to cry. But it felt so good. "I will support you and Yamato. That's a promise." He tightened his grip, and Yamato didn't want the moment to end. She hoped Izuku didn't want it to end too.
"What's the saying that All Might fellow said? Yes, I know what it was." He chuckled with a big confident smile.
"I am here."
And Izuku slumped against him, shuddering, and Whitebeard had his hand to his head, and Yamato knew Izuku felt as safe as she.
They were going to do it. They would fight her fath…no, the King of the Beasts, Kaido. They would fight as the children of the Whitebeard Pirates, under the Great Pirate Edward Newgate.
As Pirates, and as Heroes too.
And there we have it. The end of the Hunt for Whitebeard Saga. Next time, the Acclimation Arc.
A huge thanks to Juubi-K , WildJoker000 and IKnowNothing especially for their editing and polish on this one. I thought I would have a harder time with this chapter, but I was able to crank this out in a week's time or so. The typing just did not STOP.
And now, we enter a break. I gotta work on FFESS and plan out the steps for the Acclimation Arc, which will be a bunch of small chapters now that our duo is now members of the Whitebeard Pirates. Getting to know them, going across the New World and the Grand Line. Etc. During said Arc there will be two medium sized to large size chapters which will mainly be two fights I have planned, one of which me and IKN have talked about a lot.
But yeah, Izuku is in the arms of this world's Symbol of Peace once more, and Yamato has found of father at long last. Lots of feel good stuff. As for people wondering why Whitebeard is cool with Izuku?
The dude thought Ace trying to KILL HIM was cool shit, so imagine when he finds out of this genuine kid who wants to save the world from itself and help and save others. With his past experience, and his Haki sensing it, he believes and buys what Izuku is selling. And as stated, he wants to leave this world better than he left it.
Izou will be an issue going forth, since although Newgate told him to drop it, you can't just drop such a mindset overnight. The Oni and Wano have a very checkered history, one I can't wait to delve into too.
Anyways, hope you all enjoyed this. I know I did. I'll see you all around in the next one.