Chapter Text
As Kanao stepped into the main deck there was a huge crowd in the center. She had to stick to Marco’s leg as he pushed through his brothers to make it to the center of all the attention: Teach. Kanao hasn’t heard much about him, the few weeks she’s been on the Moby his name was only brought up a few times.
In the center was Rakuyo and Speed Jiru, who she assumed been called by Teach for backup. The two were hanging off the shoulder of the laughing man.
“Zehahaha!”
His laugh was certainly unique, not that, that was odd. Kanao was getting used to hearing different types of laughs. Marco hugged Teach welcoming him back. Jiru and Rakuyo were swept away by the rest of the family. Kanao stood there not knowing what to do. Should she follow Marco? Should she introduce herself… somehow? She doesn’t feel comfortable speaking- certainly not to someone she barely knows. Kanao was brought out of her thoughts as Marco walked towards her with Teach in tow, the two of them hanging off each other’s shoulders.
“Sprout! This is Teach, he’s part of the second division, Teach this is our little Sprout! Izou and Thatch found her a few weeks ago, she’s a new member of the crew.”
Kanao looked up at Teach, he smiled down at her and crouched down to meet her eyes.
“Zehahah! Nice to meet you Sprout! That’s a nice name you got there!” He reached out his hand taking her hand and shaking it. Kanao’s whole body also shook as a result.
Kanao felt dizzy as Teach stood up again laughing. He was certainly a character… she didn’t know what to make of him. Everyone seemed to like him so she would try her best to get along with him!
—-
For Teach’s return the crew decided to have a banquet. Gramps was certainly happy to have his sons safe and sound. He even started drinking more despite Tate’s and Marco’s disapproval. Kanao was certainly taken aback on how loud everyone could be. The music and dancing was loud enough for Kanao to cover her ears.
She sat on a crate near the railing watching her family celebrate. She felt her heart pound, it could be from the music but she was happy to see the smiling faces on her family. She was content with just watching them party but it seems Thatch had other plans. Before she knew it he picked her up from under her arms and swung her around.
“C’mon Sprout dance with me for a bit!” Thatch laughed, not only from the joy of the party but from sprout’s wide eyed expression. He set her down, her tiny feet on top of his. He grabbed her hands and began to move.
Kanao looked up at Thatch’s smiling face, could this really be considered dancing? She guesses she shouldn’t think too much about it, she smiled as she danced with him, letting out a small laugh as he swung her around. The sound of her laughter made the Whitebeard pirates hearts soar. The sound of happiness from their youngest made them smile.
Their family formed a circle around them singing and cheering them on. The song they were singing was unfamiliar to her but she knew one day that she’ll learn it. Izou came over tapping Thatch’s shoulder.
“Mind if I cut in?”
Izou grinned and snatched her up resting her on his hip. They began to spin around causing her to giggle. It seems the commanders also wanted to dance with their little sprout which then turned into a competition as to who could snatch her up. Whitebeard laughed at the scene happy to see his family so happy.
“Gurarara! You brats keep this up and I’ll snatch the little Sprout for myself.”
—-
Kanao grew tired, stifling a yawn. She was resting in Tate’s arm who rocked her gently.
“I think you had your fill, c’mon Sprout let’s bring you to bed.” Tate smiled, leaning down to kiss the top of sprouts head.
Kanao felt her eyes close as Tate walked down the hall. Kanao watched as the rest of her family kept partying. She smiled at the sight and her eyes drew to a close.
Tate slowly let sprout down on her bed, tucking her in. Tate removed sprout’s bow and brushed out her hair. She smiled down at the sleeping kid and kissed her head once more.
“Goodnight little Sprout.”
—-
“She’s like a doll! Her smile is empty and she can’t make decisions on her own!” A new person appeared in Kanao’s dream, she had short pigtails with blue butterfly clips.
Great- another person who didn’t like her…
“Ms. …. You shouldn’t say that about Ms. Kanao!”
“Ms. …. Wouldn’t like that you’re saying those things!”
“Ms. Kanao is very kind to us!”
Kanao was surprised to see three little girls, especially that they were defending her. It is a bit annoying that she can’t hear the names other than her own.
“I just don’t know how you three get along with her, she’s so hard to deal with! I- I just want to throw my hands in the air and be done with her!”
Is she that difficult? Do any of her family members think of her that way? Perhaps Marco? She couldn’t help him with the inventory, or was it Namur? Gramps? Izou? Thatch? Tate? Are they getting sick of her?
—
“Gah!” Kanao shot up in her bed, her breathing was heavy and she felt her body shake. She curled in on herself and tried to catch her breath. She began to cough due to her dry through. She groaned and slowly got out of bed.
She made her way down the hall heading towards the galley. She excepted it to be empty but to her surprise Teach was already there guzzling down a pot of coffee. He almost chocked as he looked surprised at the child’s appearance.
“Sprout! What are you doing up this late… or early morning? Gah who knows!” Teach laughed at his own mix up. Kanao stared at him, making her own way to grab a glass on the cupboard by bringing a small chair against the counter.
The silence was awkward, magnified with the sound of the running water as the young girl filled up her cup. Teach cleared his throat as if trying to fill up the empty room. Sprout just stared back at him sipping her water.
“Uhh, couldn’t sleep?” Teach raised a brow trying to figure out what to say. “You know, I rarely sleep at all! Zehahah!”
Kanao raised a brow leaving her now empty cup in the sink, she sat down in the chair she pulled out before and stared at Teach with a small tilt in her head. Teach pulled out a chair of his own and sat next to her. He leaned down his hands locked together, a small smile on his face.
“I don’t remember the last time I had a full nights rest. I’m gonna assume here and say you had a nightmare?” Teach raised a brow looking at the little sprout who is now curled in on herself and looking away from him.
“Marco filled me in on the full story, there were things that happened to you that none of us fully know. Your name for one!”
Kanao moved her head to look at him and sighed. There was stuff about herself she didn’t even know. Those people in her dreams, so familiar… so warm. Yet there was always someone who complained about her. Was she really that bad?
“But, despite that. My brothers really love you.”
Kanao’s eyes widened and she felt her mouth open ajar. Did they really..?
“Hey, don’t look too shocked! You don’t even know it kid but you have those guys wrapped around your finger.” Teach reached a hand out and ruffled her hair.
“So whatever nightmares you have, just know when you wake up you have a big ol’ family to look after ya!”
Kanao watched as Teach stood up and waved goodbye as he left the galley. Her heart felt lighter after hearing his words. She’ll find a way out to thank him! She’ll sit next to him for breakfast! That always made her family happy whenever she sat next to them!
—-
“Zehahah!”
The Whitebeard pirates zeroed in on Teach, they weren’t jealous why would they be? It’s not like there's a schedule or anything as to who gets to sit next to their sprout. But they couldn’t be mad seeing it was sprouts’s decision to sit next to him.
Kanao didn’t expect to get along with Teach this easily! He was laidback and the fact he laughed at his own jokes made her giggle as well. He also shared a piece of his cherry pie! She didn’t notice the crumbs in her face till Teach reached over and brought a napkin to her face.
“Teach, it’s too early for her to eat pie, she’ll get a sugar rush.”
Izou walked over handing sprout a glass of milk. He slid in the to empty space next to her and ushered her to finish her breakfast.
“Zehahah! Sorry Izou, I couldn’t help myself the Sprout was eyeing it like a lost puppy! She’s a little master mind I’m telling ya!”
“Har, har, though she does have puppy dog eyes!” Izou grinned and patted her head.
“Hey, Sprout, how about the two of us go on a shopping trip? We’ll dock in about a few hours, how about it?”
Izou waited for her response, she chugged her milk leaving behind a milk mustache. She nodded happy to spend time with him. Completely unaware of what’s on her face. Her confusion only growing as Teach and Izou laughed so hard, that they were clutching their stomachs.
—-
The market in town was booming, the amount of people was daunting to Kanao, thankfully Izou noticed and offered his hand which she took gratefully. Izou didn’t specify what they were shopping for so Kanao made the assumption it was just for fun. This would technically be the third island she has been to. The one where Izou and Thatch saved her, the second was where they met up with Teach although they didn’t exactly dock but it still counted in her head!
Another thing Kanao has noticed about this world was that a lot more people dressed more 'modern' for a lack of better words. The kimono she wore was familiar to her, she had dreams about walking in a city where the people wore fancier dresses and suits. The people in the market weren’t wearing those luxurious clothing but it was a far difference to the clothing she and Izou were wearing.
Most of her wardrobe was made by Izou and Tate, she liked the clothing they picked so she didn’t really have an opinion as to what she does or doesn’t want. Tate tried to get her opinion but it was futile as she gave Tate a blank stare. Same with her bows and other accessories picked out by those two. So it was a shock to her when she passed a stall that had a very familiar looking butterfly hair clip. It seems her surprise didn’t go unnoticed as Izou noticed her gaze drift off.
“Sprout? Is there something you want?”
Kanao slipped her hand out of his and made her way over to the stall ignoring the older ladies greeting. Her heart raced as she stared at the hair clip. Could she ask for it? How? She was thinking of exactly how to get her point across without using her voice.
Her little spiral was interrupted as Izou placed a gentle hand on her head.
“Hello, excuse my sister here, she’s a bit on the shy side.” Izou chuckled a bit, smiling warmly at the owner of the stall.
“Oh that’s all right! Children her age seem to always be,” the stall owner laughed a bit, standing up and picking up the hair clip and handing it to Kanao. “Here it’s all yours, it looks like a perfect fit!” The women smiled at Kanao who tentatively held to pin close to her chest.
“I can pay, there’s no need to-“
Izou was cut off as the woman shook her head.
“It’s all right!” She huffed crossing her arms. “It won’t hurt by business giving out free stuff here and there, plus,” she leaned over the stall to see the bright smile on Kanao’s face. “That smile is payment enough!”
Izou thanked her with a slight bow and leaned down patting his sister’s head. “Would you like me to put it in now?”
Kanao nodded profusely, which made Izou and the stall owner laugh. He removed her pink bow and gathered the loose hair in a tight ponytail on the side. He placed the new butterfly clip on, standing up and smiling.
“It looks perfect on you..”
The stall owner took out a small stand mirror on the table allowing Kanao to check out her new accessory. She stared at herself and grinned. It was perfect…
—-
After their little shopping trip and Kanao showing off her new hair pin to her brothers and gramps, everyone coed at the sight of her.
Izou was pacing in his room wiping his face from unshed tears. Marco, Tate, and Thatch were sitting on his bed watching waiting for an explanation.
“She picked it out herself! Well- not exactly but she way eyeing! So I tried not to panic! I think the lady could tell? I’m not sure, but our Sorout picked something out for herself!”
Izou clutched his chest as he fell down dramatically.
The silence was interrupted by a loud sniffle from Thatch.
“Our little Sprout is growing up so fast!” Thatch quickly began to sob also falling to his knees. Marco and Tate looked at the scene before them and smiled.
“I’m glad our sprout is growing too, I’m sure you feel the same Tate?”
“Of course I do! I finally have something to go off of what she likes or not, fufu!”
—-
Kanao was sitting on her vanity (a gift from Thatch) brushing her hair for the night. She was already dressed in her dark purple night gown, one of many that Tate bought for her. Kanao stared at herself in the mirror, the words from her dreams still swirling around her head. Though the words Teach had said to her had helped her alleviate her own anxieties.
She grabbed her newly bought hair pin and stared at it, as if it would give her the answers she needed. The pin was the same color as the woman with the soft voice in her dreams. Pink and green, the other woman had a purple one, while the girl with the pigtails had a dark blue shade. Kanao sighed as she set down the pin and stood up ready to head to bed.
She stopped herself and looked to her door, she clenched her hand around her gown and bit her lip. Teach’s words once again echoed in her mind. ‘But, despite that. My brothers really love you.’ The words motivated her to head out her room and down the hall. Her padded feet led her to the Med Bay.
She can do it, she just has to say it. She swings open the door, a bit more violently than needed, the speed in which she did made Marco jump out of his chair.
“Gah!”
Marco turned at the door and was surprised to see his sister standing there with a determined look on her face.
“Uh Sprout? Is everything all right? Are you having trouble sleeping?” Marco voiced his concern walking over to her with a worried expression. He crouched down at her height and offered a small smile. “Sprout..?”
Kanao took a deep breath, sweat rolling down her face. She opened her mouth her lip quivering. She pressed her hands to her chest trying to anchor herself.
“Sprout, don’t push yourself,” Marco frowned a bit wanting to reach and hold her but waited a bit before doing so. “You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to..”
Kanao shook her head and looked at him. She had to, she trust Marco, her family, she knew one day those blurry faces will make sense to her. But, for now the people in front of her matter now.
“My… my name…” her voice was hoarse, timid and uncertain. “My name is Kanao.”
—-