CHAPTER 4: THE VISION PIRATES

Syrup Village, Gecko Islands, East Blue

"Do you have to go now?" Kaya asked her husband as he made his way to his boat.

Usopp turned to her and smiled. "My friends need me Kaya. They won't make it at sea without the great… CAPTAIN USOPP!"

Kaya covered her mouth and giggled. Though they had been married for four years Usopp still had that effect on her. Seven years ago he had use to tell her farfetched stories to cheer her up. These days he told stories that were even more farfetched and she still enjoyed them but couldn't tell if he was telling the truth or a lie.

She looked at him, remembering the boy who swore he was going to be a great pirate of the the seas. The man standing in front of her was a great pirate indeed, but what she liked about him was that in the same way he was the pirate he said he would be, he was still the same boy. He was still as kind and caring as always. The way he held his daughter, with so much love and tenderness, assured her that he would always be like that, no matter how many hardships he endures.

Usopp walked up to her and handed the child to her mother. He smiled at her and then leaned in to kiss her. After that he kissed his daughter on the forehead. Then he got into the boat.

"Take care of Aya," He told her.

While she watched him row into the horizon she could not decide what she was feeling. She was definitely not happy to see him go, but she was happy that she had such a considerate husband.

"Please be safe Usopp," she whispered. "We'll be waiting."

Shimotsuki Village, East Blue

"Okay Nero honey!" Tashigi waved at the little boy. "Take care."

Nero stood next to Koshiro and waved back with a big smile. "Okay Mom."

"Don't give Sensei any trouble," Zoro told while casting one of his trademark scary glances.

The little boy nodded slowly before he turned to the man next to him and dragged him to the Isshin dojo.

"Come on Grandpa," he said cheerfully. "You said you had a lot of cool stuff to show me."

Koshiro laughed and went along with the boy, but not before he turned to the married couple and bid them farewell.

"Have a nice journey my good friend Zoro," he whispered. "And take care of Tashigi."

When he first met her, he had mistaken her for his long-dead daughter. She was so much like Kuina. It wasn't just her appearance that reminded him of her, but her character as well, and the fact that Kuina would have been about the same age if she were still alive. That was why he took her in as his daughter. She was exactly what Kuina would have been if she was still alive.

"Come back soon Zoro, Tashigi."

Cocoyashi Village, Conomi Islands, East Blue

"So you're heading out to sea again?" Zeff asked rhetorically.

He and the rest of the Baratie cooks had come to see Sanji and Nami off. Although the two claimed they would only be gone for a few months he knew better. What they were planning was not something that would take months to accomplish, it would take way longer than that.

Sanji looked at them in surprise for he had not expected them. There was a spark in his eyes along with a slight smile. Then it was gone and replaced by a frown.

"What are you doing here Geezer?" he demanded. "You too Jerks?"

"See that Boss," Patty said to Zeff. "I knew it was a bad idea to come here. He doesn't want to see us."

Zeff took a step towards Sanji. There was a grim look on his face as he did so. Then he kicked him.

"Oh my God!" Nojiko exclaimed as she watched him fall through the wall of their house. "Will he be alright?"

Nami frowned. "He'll live. HEY ZEFF, SANJI YOU'RE FIXING THAT!"

If they heard her they didn't give any indication that they did. Sanji climbed out of the wall he made and showed his fists to his mentor.

"What the hell was that for Old Geezer?" he cried.

"You stupid brat!" Zeff retaliated. "You think I will allow you to speak to me like that!"

Nami's farewell to her family, unlike that of Sanji's, was peaceful and civil. She hugged her sister, and then Genzo and then hugged her sister again. Many tears were shared between the three of them. Even after they separated and the two Straw-Hats got into their boat they were still crying.

"Nami are you okay?" Sanji asked in a concerned voice.

Nami wiped away her tears. "Yeah, now let's go before they notice their wallets missing."

Foosha Village, Dawn Island, East Blue

"Hurry up Luffy," Hancock called. "We have to meet the others in a day and we won't make it at that pace."

"Go on ahead," Luffy called from inside their house. "I'll catch up."

Luffy had bid the mayor farewell first then he went to Makino and her son and did the same. He would miss them all, especially the little guy, who he now considered a little brother.

The boy reminded him so much of himself when he was that a kid. He kept asking him to take him to see if he ever went back, which Makino and surprisingly Luffy had said "NO". After nearly a year of pleading he expected he suddenly stopped and decided that he didn't want to be part of Luffy's crew anymore. "One day I will gather a crew stronger than yours. Then I will defeat you and become king of the pirates."

"LUFFY YOU JERK!" Makino's voice cried from outside. "You're letting a pregnant woman carry stuff?"

"I'll be there in a sec," he cried back. "Just forgot something."

When he found out he would be a father he had been looking forward to it. He would get to be the father his father was never to him. He would be there for his child and watch him grow. But now that did not sound possible anymore. With the new threat on the horizon he could not afford to make his child's existence known. It was too dangerous, that was why he had brought his wife back with him to the East Blue. He wanted him to be born away from all the madness, and now that didn't seem possible either.

When he found his room he left his thoughts. He opened the door and closed it again. Then he lifted the door mat, revealing a trapdoor. He opened it and revealed a golden chest hidden there. Luffy took the chest out and placed it on the floor then he opened it just to make sure its contents are still the same.

There were two Devil fruits in the chest. After he had defeated Blackbeard he had decided that the Dark-Dark and Tremor-Tremor were too dangerous to be in anyone's hand, he decided to keep them to make sure it doesn't happen.

In the middle of those fruits lay his most treasured possession, one that he had not used in for years. He took it out of the chest and examined him. Then he put it on his head and muttered something.

"We're going to have more adventures together Straw-Hat."

Somewhere in the East Blue

"I see you're still mad about me usurping your position as captain."

Sam remained quiet, he was too angry to speak. This kid, who the hell did he think he was?

"Tell you what Sam," Will continued. "How about you train and learn how to control that Devil Fruit and then you can challenge me all you want to your heart's content."

That offer was tempting, but he knew that he would not be the one on top in the end. He had seen Will take down that frighteningly powerful guy in seconds and he did not want to meet the same fate. But then again he had said that the sword he wore was one made of a substance called seastone, one that can apparently negate Devil Fruit powers. Sam had spent countless hours asking himself whether the bastard also ate a Devil fruit but he clearly doubted it. That damn sword affected him just being close to it. If he had eaten a Devil fruit he would have been more affected by it as he carries the blade with him twenty-four seven.

Damn this kid, he said non-verbally. He makes me angry just looking at him.

He hands tightened hard into a fist. His hair straightened and raised and his body released more than a few sparks into the air.

"Mind you," Will said to him. "You're going to destroy the ship if you keep doing that."

He had forgotten about that. Every time he got mad he released a bit of the Devil fruit's power, threatening the existence of the ship and her crew.

"What's this ship called anyway?" the white haired bastard asked.

"The Mean Mug," one of the remaining crew members of his old crew said.

Over the past two days he had noticed them giving him looks of sympathy, something he really hated. He wanted to beat the crap out of them and then throw them overboard, but he doubted it would make the bastard happy.

"What the Hell is our crew even called?" He asked aloud without meaning to.

But Will thought deeply about it. He had not considered that. He had not even gotten a new jolly roger since he cast away that embarrassment of a jolly roger.

"Between all you good-for-nothings is there anyone capable of drawing a decent jolly roger?" he asked.

Sam was getting madder by the second at being referred to as a good for nothing, until he realised that the bastard had not included him. He was looking at the other seven members, all who seem to cower away at his mere glance. After a few seconds one of them stepped forward.

"I can sir," he said.

Will gave him a slight smile. "Good, this is what I want you to draw on the flag…"

About an hour later the pirate stood back and admired his work. On the jolly roger was the traditional skull. It had ha detective lens on its right eye and a dagger was drawn in the lens.

The entire crew marvelled at their new jolly roger, including Sam. The work was simply magnificent.

"From today onwards we will be known as the Vision Pirates," Will announced. "Hence there is a lens on our flag."

"Vision?" Sam asked. "What's our vision? To become the world's worst crew?"

The pirates gasped after their former captain said it. The new captain was surely going to kill him. Even the look on their former captain told them.

However, what really happened was Will turning to Sam and giving him the first real smile his used in months.

"There you go Sam," he said. "Took you long enough."

Sam looked at the boy, confused. "I was wondering when you were going to speak up. I was worried you were becoming like the rest of these idiots." Sam looked even more puzzled now. "If you're going to say something in your heart you might as well say it aloud. Especially when you have murderous thoughts like yours you just have to spit it out. It makes you feel better."

Sam was taken aback by the young man. He was giving free will to say whatever the hell he wanted to say. That was something he never did when he was a captain. He use to throw his crewmates over board just for suggesting something.

"I hate you," he declared.

"Now anyway," Will said, ignoring him completely. "The reason I named this crew the Vision Pirates is because I have a dream, one that will eventually become this crew's dream. You are all going to help me take down the Straw-Hat Pirates."

Silence… then-

"What! Are you fucking crazy?" Sam exclaimed. "They will mop the floor with our arses!"

"Right now yes," Will said. "But I will shape this crew to be able to take on the toughest pirate crews in the world."

The crew of the Mean Mug thought about it and just couldn't imagine it. They were scared out of their wits. Will couldn't care any less about their mental state. He was say something when he heard something hit against the ship.

For a moment they all wondered who it could be. They were almost pissing in their pants now. The last two visitors the ship had were dangerous. One managed to kill the other and usurped their captain's position. They somehow felt that whoever it was who had bumped into their ship wouldn't be any different.

They all stood and watched the figure climb onto the boat. Red hair, dark skin, wearing a jumpsuit. When she stood up and looked at them they noticed something else about here. SHE WAS HOT!

The entire crew's eyes lit up with heart symbols, only one person seemed to be unaffected. He noticed her other features that the others didn't notice.

"You're a Fishwoman," Will said, noting the thin gills on the side of her neck , three on each side.

He also noticed that she was barefoot and that both her hands and feet were webbed. I've never seen a Fishman resembling humans that much, he thought to himself.

The others were beginning to notice it too, but it did nothing to lower their attraction to her.

"So hot," the seven Idiots said in unison.

Will ignored them and decided to question her. "Who are you and what are you doing on my boat?" he demanded.

The woman ignored him and looked out far at sea. Then she muttered to herself.

"Coast is clear," she said. She went over to the rail and was about to jump back into the sea when Sam stopped her by grabbing her shoulder.

"Wait just a mome-"

He never got to finish what he was going to say. The woman punched him so hard he flew to the other side of the she and went overboard. Will almost panicked when he saw the former captain go overboard until he noticed his hands gripping the rail. Then he returned his gaze to the Fishwoman, who looked really mad.

"Let anyone touch me," she threatened them. "Just dare to do it and I swear… there will be Hell to pay."

This time no one tried to stop her as she jumped into the sea. Then Will went over to the rail and pulled Sam up. The guy was punched so hard he was coughing blood.

"What the Hell was that?" he asked after he was well enough to speak again.

"Fishman Karate I think," Will answered. "I've never seen it being used so I'm not really sure. It shouldn't have made contact with you anyway. You're a Logia Devil fruit user. Her punch was supposed to go through you."

"Cut me some slack will you," Sam replied. "I've only had this power for two days. Very short time to master it if you asked me."

"Whatever," Will said. He turned to the Seven Idiots, who were in shock at what had just transpired. "Turn the ship around. We're following that woman."

"What? Why? Where? And how?" Sam asked. "She is a Fishwoman. They aren't exactly known for swimming above the water now are they? How are we gonna follow her?"

"I can tell where she's going," Will said. "It's an island four hundred kilometres south of here."

"How the hell do you know that?" Sam asked. "Can you read minds or something?"

"None of your business," Will told him. "All I can say is that I've met my newest crewmember."

-TO BE CONTINUED-

AN: this chapter was supposed to be posted before Christmas but I kinda slacked off playing Batman: Arkam City and God of War: Ascension. Happy late Christmas everyone. In my country today is known as family day(ironic since I'm practically alone in the house) so happy that too and enjoy the new year.