"SO YUMMMYYYYY~!" Yamato squealed, and Izuku laughed.

They had spent the morning doing shipboard duties. Izuku had been cleaning the outer hull; a task he was well-suited for, thanks to his quirk. Unlike most pirates, who had to use a vest and pulley, he simply Floated around the hull, wiping with a mop or picking barnacles off with a pick. Yamato, meanwhile, had been lugging barrels and other heavy objects around the ship; food and booze from the hold to the kitchen, gunpowder and empty shells from the magazine to the armory, even a freshly-repaired cannon from the smithy to the gun deck.

Now it was lunchtime, and they were sitting together in the Moby Dick's vast mess hall. Yamato was demolishing an entire cherry pie, while Izuku settled for some onigiri. It was the best he had tasted in a long time; both delicious and invigorating. For cooking, Thatch could match Lunch Rush!

"Thatch and the others have to be putting something into this!" Izuku noted, then sipped some juice.

"I know! Oh gosh pie is so good!" moaned Yamato. "This one is so yummy and sweet. I just love it!" The girl sighed, then downed another spoonful.

"You can say that again young lassie, Zehahahaha!" bellowed a voice from nearby. Izuku turned to his left, and saw a man sit down. He was very tall and broad-shouldered, close to Yamato's height; but with a pot belly over thin legs. His skin was bronze, his black hair held back by a black bandanna; a short beard covering his chin. He was holding a very large pie in his hand, and chomping on it with some gusto.

"So, you two are the new members of the family ey?" he asked, regarding them with interest. Izuku almost gagged. The man had teeth missing.

"Yes we are!" Yamato replied cheerfully. "I'm Yamato, and this is-"

"I know who you two are! You've been the talk of the ship!" The man turned his eyes onto Izuku. "Midoriya Izuku, the man who fooled an Emperor! Never thought I'd see the day! This world is one interestin' place lemme tell ya that, Zehahaha!"

His laugh was odd, but he seemed harmless.

"Uh yeah, that was me." Izuku felt more than a little awkward.

"So what made you go and do that?" asked the man. "I mean, there's not many who'd go sneaking into an Emperor's bedroom, and then make off with his daughter."

Now Izuku felt even more awkward. How to explain it?

"Because he's a hero!" Yamato cut in before he could answer. The man glanced at her, with a look Izuku could not quite read.

"Is he now?" His grin returned. "Well, a hero you might be, kid. But you're a pirate now. You go telling folks you're a hero when they know you're a pirate, well, what're they going to believe?"

There was that look again, as the man turned back to his pie. Izuku wasn't sure he liked this man.

"I can be both!" retorted Izuku defensively. "A pirate…that's just my profession! A hero is my vocation! It's for my dream!"

"Oh~?" The man set his pie down and turned to look at him again; grinning that gap-toothed grin. "And what kind of dream is that, youngster?"

"To save this world from villains," Izuku replied firmly. The man blinked, apparently taken aback.

"Heh, that's a bit broad. How will ya do that?" he asked, smirking. "Hard to be a hero when you're a pirate after all."

And Izuku looked at him, eye to eye.

"I don't care," he replied. "Let people judge me as they will. All I want is to save those who can't save themselves, and do it with a smile." He looked away. "I've seen this world, and it needs a hero. I won't back down from that, not for anything or anyone."

"Really…" The man smirked, and sat back. "Well, you go tackle that dream hard Midoriya. Don't let me stop ya." He grinned ear to ear, looking back at him. "After all, you wanna be a hero to save people in of itself. That's a noble dream." He chuckled. "You'll make a fine pirate yet! I can tell!"

Izuku looked away again, embarrassed. "Yeah… but I don't want people to look at me as a pirate."

"Nonsense young man! See, pirates aren't all bad! Look around you!" He gestured around the mess hall. "We're just normal folks with big dreams and big wants; for things a dull life can't provide. And this Era of Dreams Roger done made, it ain't never gonna end!" He grinned, pulling a big red rum bottle from the sash around his waist, and took a swig from it. "Haaa! Thatch's cherry pie and the best rum from Brew Island. Breakfast of Champions lemme tellya!"

That explained a great deal. Including his physique.

"Heh, I like this guy, seems like a fun one to party with." Banjo smirked at the jolly pirate, remembering of some of the guys he used to hang out with during his delinquent days.

"So do you have any dreams?" Yamato asked, and the man looked back.

"Me? Well, I just wanna live freely is all," the man replied. "And being with Pops gives me just that. Hell, I've been on this ship since I was 'bout twelve years old. Beats an orphanage growing up! Zehahaha!"

"You've been here for that long?" Izuku asked. Haruta was a Division Commander and he'd been on the ship for only a few years! "How come you're not a Commander?"

"Not really interested." The man shrugged, then finished his pie and licked his fingers. "Haaaa that hit the spot. Whelp, time to tend to the sails! I'll be deckside." He stood up.

"It was nice meeting you Mister…" Izuku paused, and the man turned, grinning as he held out his gnarled, sun-spotted, and scarred hand.

"No need for ya to call me Mister kiddo, the name's Marshall D. Teach. Nice ta meetcha!" He shook Izuku's hand, and the boy felt a chill run up his arm. "Same goes for you Yamato! A rare day to find a lady with a good taste in pie!" He chuckled, and he walked off, humming to himself.

…

"Izuku…" Yamato whispered, as Izuku saw him go. "That guy…"

"Yeah. He's a D," Izuku murmured back, sipping his juice. To think that someone who bore that name was on this same ship.

Meanwhile, Yamato's eyes settled on a nearby calendar. She smiled as she saw the date, and went back to eating her pie.

(X)

Teach hummed to himself as he worked his way through the Supply Quarter; checking the linens and patches needed for mending the sails.

"Well now," he mused aloud. "I knew those two were special, having tricked Kaido of all people… but to think that that boy…"

Teach closed his eyes. And his body straightened up, his posture no longer hunched and lazy but towering and sprung, his arms bulging with muscle.

Blackbeard opened his eyes, and grinned.

"To have multiple souls in one body…" he said, his tone lower. "A kindred spirit that boy is. He… or rather, THEY are just like me." His grin widened. "Zehahahaha…"

He had been worried when he saw the boy's abilities. He had feared that Izuku had beaten him to his goal; taken what he had sought for so long. But once he realised the truth, fear was replaced by intrigue. Devil Fruit or no, he would watch that boy with great interest. Multiple strange abilities, all of them useful, and none of a Devil Fruit's weaknesses.

And all he wanted to do was save people? With a smile and liberate others from evil?

Did Newgate know of the legend too?

He looked to the side, a dark smile etched on his lips, scratching his chin as he thought.

"I wonder…"

Then he jumped, as someone banged on the door.

"Gyah!" he cried. "Y-yeah?"

"Hey you done looking for what you need in there dude? I gotta get the needles for patching up some cots!"

Teach looked hastily through the needles, and pulled out a likely looking roll.

"I've got them here!" he called out. "Sorry about that. I was looking for the ones for the sails!"

"Oh those? Harlen's got them. Had to patch up some of the giant quilts just in case."

"Gaaah shoot!" Teach snapped his fingers. "Guess I gotta go to the other side then! Thanks for lettin' me know Jeff!"

"No problem, Teach."

Teach opened the door, handed Jeff the needles he was looking for, then strolled off down the corridor, sipping heartily from his rum bottle.

Yes, things had indeed gotten interesting. Still, for now, best to leave them as they were. He had waited this long, and he would wait longer if he had to. Besides, this ship was fun. He had no complaints.

Yes, he would wait. Until that Devil Fruit appeared.

And the world would shake and quiver at the name of Blackbeard.

(X)

Another sunny day. Another job to do.

Izuku was polishing the deck; using his Black Whip tentacles to rub down the smooth wood with cleaning fluid. With all his tentacles, he could do the work of a dozen swabbies at once; and the task was soon complete.

He paused, and wiped his brow. Many weeks had passed since he and Yamato had joined the Moby Dick. Since then, life had fallen into a comfortable routine. The work wasn't hard, not compared to his Hero training; and he had gotten the hang of all the basic jobs. And when he wasn't working, he was enjoying the fellowship of Yamato and their crewmates; not to mention the delicious food. He had seen wondrous things too, like the glowing jellyfish forests underwater; the ones Haruta had called Aqua Borealis. This pirate life really wasn't all that bad.

The thought made him look down. He had left off his gloves, scarf, and greaves; leaving him, in effect, wearing a green onesie with shorts and a shirt.

"I think I'm gonna need a change of clothes," he mused aloud. "Maybe I can ask the Quartermaster for something."

"Definitely something light, but not exposing too much skin. I don't want you getting skin cancer" Nana stated firmly.

"The crew uses sunscreen all the time" Hikage said."You don't see the big heaping barrels of the stuff?"

"You never know!" insisted Nana.

"Wonder if cancer's even a thing here. I mean some of the guys here smoke all the time and it doesn't seem to even slow them down" Banjo asked, recalling how Fossa seemed to never be without a cigar.

Izuku smiled as the Vestiges bantered.

Izuku merely smiled at the banter amongst the Vestiges, and glanced around the deck. There was no one else around, apart from Jozu at the wheel, up on the quarterdeck at the stern of the ship.

Yes, this was a good time. Izuku sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes.

Fifty-Five Percent…

His body glowed as he channeled One for All's power, emerald lightning crackling around him. It was hard to keep this focus, but he held his mind steady; repeating the old mantra in his head.

The egg in the microwave. Keep it steady, push a little…

Izuku heard the caw of seagulls, and his eyebrow twitched.

This was starting to get on his nerves. Every time he tried to meditate, to channel One for All, animals would always appear. Even in his cabin, seagulls would caw outside his window; breaking his concentration.

He heard a whoosh of spray, and opened his eyes. Just beside the bow, a blue whale was cresting on the waves. A calf was beside it, spraying from its blowhole.

"Whales now?" Izuku sighed, and closed his eyes. He did his best to concentrate, to draw on that power, and push his ceiling. Fifty Five Percent. Push more… but keep it contained.

Around him the seagulls cawed. Out on the sea, the whales rose and fell, rose and fell again. He felt the splatter of water, heard the whoosh of their blowholes.

"I'm trying to meditate here!" he called out, losing his temper. But the whales were unperturbed.

They were staring at him. Just like that sphinx had done. What was it about the animals in this world?

And…why was it so much harder to develop All for One now? It hadn't been this hard when he was preparing for the Paranormal Liberation Front. Why was his growth…stalling?

"Think of it like game mechanics," En commented."Like, you play an MMO and you get to level… lets say 50 right? It's easier going from 40 to 50, than it is from 50 to 55."

Izuku understood. Back then, he had been training and fighting strong opponents, and regularly too. Muscular, Gang Orca, Overhaul, then Gentle, and then Endeavour. Since coming to this world he had fought only Malice and the Finalem brothers.

"You just gotta keep to the Grindstone. Least that's my theory."

"Like you ever would if money wasn't involved," Daigoro sneered.

"Shaddup."

"Midoriya!" Jozu called out. Izuku opened his eyes, and saw the massive man waving at him. "Get on over here! Pops wants to talk to you!"

"Really?" Izuku stood up, and flew over to the door below the quarterdeck where Jozu was waiting. He was frowning, as usual.

"Can the guy ever learn to smile?" Daigoro asked in his head.

"No time to explain. Come on. He and Yamato want to talk," insisted Jozu. Izuku blinked. What was going on?

Come to think of it…

"Where has Yamato been all day? I haven't seen her do her chores" Yoichi wondered, sharing Izuku's thoughts.

"Umm, Jozu sir," Izuku asked, following the taller man through the door. "What's the occasion?"

"Need-to-know basis," Jozu replied sternly and Izuku blinked.

"Yeah, that's an immediate red flag," the Third User muttered. He had been on edge all day, and this was making it worse.

"Is it something to do with Kaido?!" Izuku pushed past Jozu and bolted down the corridor. Up ahead was the mess hall, and beyond it the war room. He pressed on, barrelling through the door…

"SURPRIIIIISE!"

Horns blew, and streamers flew. Izuku gawked, wincing at the noise, his mind thrown into confusion. What on earth was going on?
Then he saw. The mess hall was brightly lit, hung with bunting and streamers, and with enormous banners.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!" belted out the assembled pirates. Izuku saw Marco, Haruta, and Yamato seated at a table, all singing together. Whitebeard was on his throne, keg of grog in hand.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUU!" Izuku was agog, eyes wide as Jozu approached. The man kept frowning… before he smiled and gave a thumbs up.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY IZUUUUKUUUU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUU!"

They all cheered, tankards lifted high, roaring with laughter; as Jozu led a thoroughly discombobulated Izuku to the table.

"Happy birthday Izuku!" Yamato called out. She ran up, wrapped her arms around him, and spun him around. All the crew laughed at the sight.

"Yeah man!" Haruta called out "Happy Seventeenth!"

"How… how did you know?" Izuku asked, looking up from Yamato's bosom.

"I worked it out with Marco and the others!" she exclaimed, beaming. Izuku blushed, as her soft bosom engulfed his face, making her giggle.

"Better let him go Yamato. He's got candles to blow out!" Marco called, laughing. Yamato set Izuku down, and he saw the cake on the table in front of him.

"Vanilla cake, with chocolate ice cream between the layers," Thatch declared proudly. "Happy Birthday Izuku."

Izuku looked down at the cake, seventeen candles all aflame. Around him the smiling men and women looked on, waiting for the big moment.

A birthday cake. A birthday party. His birthday party.

Well, what else could he do? He took a deep breath, made a wish, and blew out the candles. All cheered and clapped, and Whitebeard laughed louder than any of it.

"Alright everyone! It's party time!" he called out, and the pirates cheered again. "Happy Birthday son!' He patted Izuku on the head.

Tears welled in Izuku's eyes. When was the last time he'd had a birthday party like this? With music playing, and honest merriment? When had a father ever called him 'son' on his birthday?

He sniffed, forcing back the tears. Now was not the time.

"Here!" Haruta trotted up, handing over a simple box. "Fixed this up for ya myself!"

Yamato looked on, grinning from ear to ear, as Izuku sat down and took the box. He opened it, and pulled out…new shoes?

"Those little shoe-socks ya got in seem pretty worn. So I gotcha new shoes." Haruta nodded. "Plus we have LOADS of socks. Don't we Rakuyo!"

"TONS OF EEEEEEEM!" the wild blonde haired man exclaimed, sobbing with joy.

"Got some stuff for you too." Marco smiled as he offered his own parcel.

"Same," added Jozu, holding out a gift. Then game Namur, frowning all the same.

"Open them up," Whitebeard prompted. Izuku did so, feeling like a kid at Christmas.

There was a fine pair of pants freshly-sewn from Rakuyo. Compression shorts of all things from Fossa. A comfy satin sash and belt from Marco. Boots from Speed Jiru. A fine linen shirt, light and breathable from the goofy Flamenco.

"A whetstone?" Izuku asked, looking up to Vista who smiled.

"Only the finest from my hometown. I know you like to fight with your firsts, but you never know when you may need one!" the Fourth Division Commander explained.

And from Namur goggles and some kind of device for the mouth.

"It's a Water Breather. Refuels when you're up and it sucks in CO2. Can give ya about five minutes of Oxygen" Namur stated.

"Wow, a refueling Breathing device?" Izuku exclaimed. "Where did you get this!" Namur shrugged.

"From a dive I did a while back. Not many Fishmen on the crew who could use'em. But considering your speed underwater, figured you could use it."

"Thanks! All of you so much!"

Namur nodded, and his frown became a slight smile; making the moment all the better.

"Yeah, that green onesie was getting a bit old, so why not give ya some new duds?" Marco asked.

"We all got a fresh pair of clothing on our first birthday on this ship." Jozu added. "Consider it a rite of passage."

"Izuku," Whitebeard offered him a small chest. "Here." Izuku blinked, then took it, and Whitebeard nodded as he flipped the latch.

Gosh, was this like little kids playing pirate at home, and finding buried treasure? He vaguely remembered playing something like this once with Kacchan.

He opened it, the memories of his long lost friend fading as he saw what lay within. A necklace of pure, shining gold.

"Yoooo you got your own Gold Chain!" Daigoro cheered.
"Gold mined from Sphinx." Whitebeard explained with a smirk. "Figured you would like something from my home for you to carry."

Izuku gulped, looking down at the chain and touching the small gold crusted segments. He sniffled, and placed it around his neck, letting it fall upon his normal green costume.

"Fits nicely, as I thought." Whitebeard nodded. "Now let's party everyone!"

"Yeaaaah!"

Izuku looked around, taking it all in. All these people, all these pirates, gazing upon him with love and pride. He gulped, and sniffed, as the tears rose again.

"Izuku?" Izuku turned to see Yamato. She was holding a parcel in her hands. "Hey so…I did my best to think of a present. What with well… me not knowing much of Birthdays and all. Marco and the others told me about the whole idea of it." Marco nodded as he was busy chatting with Vista and Jozu.

"So I… Ummm… I did my best at making something for you but… it turned out clunky," she rambled, blushing. "Like, taking a big mass of steel and trying to make it into a club I have no way how to do. So I figured I…" She held it out. "I'd settled on this!" She held it out, bowing low.

"Whatcha make?" Haruta asked, as Izuku took it and opened it up. Izuku stared, hardly daring to believe it.

It was a little green bag, finely embroidered, tied shut at the top with an intricate knot. He hadn't actually seen one in many years, but he knew in an instant what it was.

"An…omamori?" he stared at Yamato, who blushed and fidgeted with her fingers.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhh!" squealed Nana, gooey-eyed.

"Toki made one…for Oden…" she stammered, her face as red as her hakama. "It was in his journal…and I've seen them…so…"

"Yamato…thank you…" And he meant it. He meant it more than words could say. "This…this means so much to me. I never thought I'd ever get one of these." He murmured as he looked at the charm, then back to the beaming amber eyed girl.

"And here!" A pair of enormous, hairy arms clamped around him from behind. It was Teach, and he was in a huggy mood.

"Uh, hey Teach!" Izuku exclaimed. He was so glad of the ship's washing facilities.

"Here, I got somethin' for ya too Midoriya! Here!" He held a bottle of…

Rum.

"Izuku. No" Nana urged.

"O-Oh wow, a-a drink" Izuku stammered, smiling as Teach let him go and ruffled his hair.

"Yep! From my own stash! My favorite rum! Hope you like it! Go on, try a sip!"

"You're lucky! Teach is pretty easy going, but he never shares his booze," said Haruta, giggling.

"Oh wow! Lucky!" Yamato exclaimed. "I wanna try it!"

"Sorry Yamato my lassie!" Teach beamed. "I love your taste in pie, but I don't intend to share my drink! I can drink with others, but this is good booze to me!" He smacked Izuku on the back heartily. "Well, go on! Taste it!"

Izuku gulped, looking at it. It was corked, fresh and unopened. To decline would be so utterly rude, and Teach looked so happy.

"Izuku don't get peer pressured. Don't drink," Nana insisted.

"At this point we may as well try a sip," Yoichi cut in. "What's the harm?"

Izuku sighed as Yamato leaned in, eyes wide. Even Whitebeard, who was drinking from his keg and nodding along to the sound of a piano playing, glanced his way.

No getting out of it.

He uncorked the bottle, and cringed at the scent. Just one swig. One swig would do no harm. Just one to be polite.

"Alrighty." Izuku held it up, and all eyes fell on him. What did they used to say in the movies? "Drink up me hearties… yo ho?"

And he swigged.

(X)

"BLRGLGLGLGLGLGGL!"

"WAAAAAAA IZUKUUUUUU!" Yamato wailed, hands to her head, as Izuku slumped backwards; eyes rolling back, foaming at the mouth.

"HOLY SCHNITZEL HE'S FOAMING!" yelled an appalled Haruta. "WHAT'S THAT RUM MADE OF! CONQUEROR'S HAKI!?" The entire hall had fallen silent, and all were staring, wide-eyed.

"ZEHAHAHAHA! Boy can't handle his grog!" Teach grabbed the bottle before it fell to the ground, slapping his knee and laughing from the belly. "Oh this world can't stop being the best!"

"Whoa jeez Marco! Medic!" Haruta was holding up the white eyed green haired boy.

"Well, least we know he's the lightest of lightweights," Marco mused. Izuku blithered and babbled as the blue phoenix fire washed over him; and everyone laughed.

"Well, we could use more sober folk on the ship anyway," Whitebeard said, smirking. "The boy will be fine in a few minutes." Teach laughed and slipped the bottle into Izuku's shaking hands as Yamato lifted him in her arms.

"Bleaaagh… Yamagoo…" he blithered. He held the bottle for her. "You drink… too hard…."

Yamato bit her lip, then took the bottle and drank. And drank again.

"Come on, let's get you right and rest a bit before we can go into the cake." Yamato looked to Teach, who shrugged.

"Sorry Yamato my lass, didn't know the Emperor Trickster made a feather heavier, Zehaha~. But, he had a sip, so present exchanged! Enjoy the rum! I'm getting me some pie!" He hummed happily and strolled off towards the buffet table.

She pouted and set the boy on the table.

"You gonna be okay lil dude?" Marco asked, grinning.

"Yeah… Is this… being hung over?" he asked, looking down at himself as he rubbed his head, then he noticed the blue fire on him. "I'm on fire but it doesn't hurt."

"Phoenix fire actually. You're being healed up, even from the effects of alcohol like that. You'll just be a lil drained since it consumes your stamina and some of my own." Marco smiled, ruffling his hair. "This'll be a birthday you'll never forget."

"Not… anytime soon." Izuku panted. "But hey…" He smiled, looking to Yamato as the white haired girl perked up. "You got a nice rum bottle to enjoy."

Yamato grinned, and sipped from the bottle again. It was really good! And Izuku had given it to her. On his birthday!

"True… Thanks Izuku but maybe next time… I should handle the drinking." She giggled, and slipped her arm around his shoulder. Whitebeard and others laughed, and the birthday party went on late into the night.

Seventeen years old, first sip of alcohol, and Izuku is now a Pirate.

'This will be so riveting to add to your journal Izuku,' Yamato thought as he and Haruta talked about Heroes from Izuku's 'homeland'. She heard him mention a "Kamui Woods". 'And I'll keep on logging your journey and… I hope we can do this more often.'

She rested a hand over her heart. It was nice seeing him like this, so happy and lively; though a little drained from Marco's healing. It was the happiest, most relaxed, she'd ever seen him.

She didn't want it to end. And she didn't want to be anywhere else but where he was.

Even if it meant leaving this place.

And here we are. Izuku is now 17 years of age with him growing ever closer to the crew. We are now in Mid-July so if Izuku leaving with Yamato was about 4 years before Roof Piece, 24 months before Luffy sets sail I would say we are at 22 months before Luffy goes into the barrel.

Nice little comedic and bonding bits. Again, big thanks to WildJoker000 , Juubi-K and IKnowNothing for their help on this one.

Next one is almost done too. Just needs IKN's polish and we should be good to go.

But yeah, come chapter 46, you'll see Izuku in his new pirate drip.

Oh yeah and introducing Teach. That was big too.

Hope you all enjoyed and I'll see ya in the next one.