Lying Usopp
Cade watched as the clouds floated above her. With a rope wrapped loosely around her wrist she floated along side the boat. She enjoyed the relaxing warm of the water until Nami broke into that with her typical complaints.
"We need to plan things more," Nami said.
"What do you mean?" Luffy looked back at Nami from the bow of the ship.
"Are we going to the Grand Line like this?" Nami asked.
"Oh, that's right. Although Uncle Cabbage gave us plenty of fruits, we don't have any meat on this ship," Luffy said.
Cade laughed. Typical Luffy always thinking of meat.
"I'm not talking about the food supply!"
"And we don't have any sake to drink either. How boring," Zoro said.
"Let's not worry about the problem of food and drink first!" Nami growled.
Cade hung onto the side of the boat. "Well, meat and sake are food and drink."
"That's not what I meant! The place we're going, the Grand Line is the most dangerous place in the world. Every pirate in this world wishes to get the treasure there, so we need to get a better ship first." She pressed her thumb to her chin. "We're also short on crew members and this tiny ship doesn't have any equipment. No matter what you think, we can't possibly be safe."
"Oh! What do we do then?" Luffy asked.
"We have to prepare first, and plan for the journeys ahead. There's a village due north. We should go there first." Nami unfolded a map. "First thing to do when we get there is look for a better ship."
"And eat some meat!" Luffy threw his hands up.
"You expect to find a decent ship on an island that small?" Cade asked.
"It's the best chance we have right now." Nami rolled up the map.
"And how are you going to pay for it?" Cade asked.
Nami twitched then shot a glare at Luffy. "Well, we would have some money if a certain someone didn't give it away."
"So you're planning on stealing one?" Cade kicked her legs in the water.
"We'll have to wait and see when we get there," Nami said.
"Whatever." Cade went back to floating in the water until Luffy called out.
"Wow! There's really and island here!" Luffy stood up in the boat.
"Careful, Luffy." Cade pushed her feet underneath her. "Standing in a boat this small can be bad."
"So? I have you here to save me if I fall in." Luffy grinned.
"Geez. You two." Nami shook her head. "Anyway, what did you expect? We followed the map, so it won't be wrong."
Cade pulled their boat upon the beach so it wouldn't float away. Nami anchored her own and climbed out.
"Oh. Is there a village here?" Luffy pointed inland.
"Uh huh. Looks like there's a small village." Nami looked at her map again.
Zoro crawled out of the boat and stretched. "Been a long time since I last stood on firm ground."
"That's because you were sleeping all the time," Luffy said.
"We did stop on an island before," Cade said. "We left you alone since you need to rest and heal."
Zoro nodded. "By the way, just noticed a moment ago…" He looked up at the cliff. "What are those guys doing up there?"
Cade glanced up at the cliff in time to see three of four people running away. The one who remained stood with his arms crossed. His curly black hair held tight under a bandana.
"I am the great pirate fleet leader, Usopp, who is in charge of the security of this village! I'm also known as Captain! Captain Usopp! It's best if you don't try to attack this village because my eighty billion men are not going to forgive you!" He spots Cade and screams. "Ah! Monster!"
Cade jumped upon the cliff and thumped him on the head. "I'm not a monster! I'm a fishman! Got it?! Fishman!"
"Okay! Okay! I get it!" Usopp held his head.
"So you've been attacked and not a single man has come to save you. You were lying," Nami said.
"What?! I've been caught!" Usopp's eyes bugged out.
"What is with this guy?" Cade shook her head.
Luffy laughed. "You're so funny!"
"Hey! Don't underestimate me!" Usopp said. "I am a man with high self esteem. And everyone here calls me the Honorable Usopp!"
With a roll of her eyes, Cade grabbed Usopp and jumped back down to the beach.
Usopp shrieked.
"Stop screaming. We've landed," Cade said.
"Don't hurt me! Please!" Usopp begged.
"Don't worry. We might be pirates, but we're not going to hurt you." Luffy bent down to Usopp.
"What?! P-pirates?!" Usopp turned blue.
"Chill. Like Luffy said, we're not here to hurt anyone." Cade tapped Usopp with her toe.
"We're here looking for a ship," Nami said.
"A... a ship?" Usopp looked at each one of them. "I-if that's all you're looking for..."
"And meat! I'm hungry!" Luffy said. "And crewmates!"
"Um, okay. I know where you can get something to eat." Usopp lead them into the town.
Cade pulled her hood over her head as soon as the town came into view.
"Why'd you do that?" Usopp asked.
"Humans aren't known for their kindness towards fishmen." Cade eyed the villagers.
Usopp nodded and headed inside a small tavern. They placed their orders.
"So you're looking for crewmates and a big ship?"
"Yup." Luffy ripped into a piece of meat.
"Oh! Sounds like a big adventure!" Usopp grinned. "There's only one place where you can find the stuff you want in this village. Although it's not a very big ship, but it's not that small either."
"Where?" Nami asked.
"There's a mansion not far from this village that belongs to a wealthy family. The ship belongs to the mansion's owner. Although we say that she is the owner she is a pitiful young girl. A weak and sick girl that always lies on the bed," Usopp said.
"Eh? Then how come she's the owner of the mansion?" Nami asked.
"Hey! More meat!" Luffy held up his empty plate.
"Are you listening to me?!" Usopp screamed. "I think it happened around a year ago. That girl's parents died of sickness, leaving her a large inheritance, a mansion, and over ten servants." He put his hands behind his head and leaned back. "Even if you are really rich, it doesn't exempt you from sorrow."
"Never mind." Nami whopped the table with her hand. "Let's forget about searching for a ship in this village. We'll go and search somewhere else."
"Okay. But we're not in a hurry. I still want some more meat. Let's buy some more meat for our supply," Luffy said.
"I suppose we can afford some meat for the trip." Cade dug through her wallet. "But we'll need to get more money after that."
"And about looking for crewmates?" Usopp said.
"Is there somebody who wants to be our companion?" Luffy asked.
"Let me be the captain, and I'll join you." Usopp pointed at himself.
"Never mind," everyone said.
Cade propped upon her elbow. This coward wasn't to be a captain?
"What kind of attitude is that?!" Usopp's mouth dropped open. "Anyway, I have to leave now. It's that time." He got up and left without another word.
"That was sudden. I wonder where he's going," Cade said.
A few minutes later the door swung open. Three boys rushed in. "The Usopp Pirates are here!"
"What?" Nami asked.
"I don't know. Who are they?" Luffy took a drink.
"They said Usopp Pirates. So they're friends of his," Cade said. "They must be those who ran away on the cliff."
"Hey! Captain isn't here!" the carrot hat boy said.
"It can't be that… he's been eaten up!" the onion hair boy said.
"H-hey, pirates! What did you do to our Captain Usopp?!" The boys raised wooden swords. "Give us back our captain!"
Cade rested her chin in her palm and drummed her fingers on the table.
"Yum! What a delicious meal!" Luffy sat his cup down.
"Huh?! Meat?!" The boys gasped. "He… he ate the captain?!"
"Your captain…" Zoro rested his elbow on the table and placed his head in his hand. "We just ate him."
The boys scream and look at Nami.
"Why are you looking at me?!" She turned to Zoro. "Why did you tell them those weird things?!"
Zoro laughed.
"Chill out, boys. No one ate anyone here," Cade said. "He left a few minutes ago."
"Wait. He up and left," the onion boy asked.
"Yup. He left the shop," Zoro said.
"You're friends of his. From the cliff, right?" Nami asked.
"Yup. I'm Carrot. This is Onion and Pepper."
"Oh, so it was time to go to the mansion," the pepper boy said.
"Mansion? The place where the sick girl lives?" Nami asked.
"Yeah." Carrot nodded.
"Why does he go there?" Luffy asked.
"To tell lies," Carrot said.
"Isn't that a bad thing to do?" Luffy asked.
"That's not bad! Actually, it's great!" Pepper smiled.
"Yes! It's very good!" Onion said.
"Eh?" Luffy tilted his head.
"How can letting lies be a good thing?" Cade lifted an eyebrow.
"It's to restore her spirits. He's been doing it for a year now," Carrot said.
"So to restore her spirits, he's been going for a year to amuse her with made up tales?" Nami asked.
"He just said that," Cade said.
Nami frowned.
"You got it," Pepper said.
"I like his nosiness," Carrot said.
"I like the captain's cowardice," Pepper said.
"I like his lies," Onion said
"What kind of strong points are those?" Zoro asked.
"So the lady's feeling better already?" Luffy asked.
"Yeah, and it's all thanks to the captain." Carrot nodded.
"All right!" Luffy jumped to his feet. "Then we shall go to the mansion and ask for a ship!"
"No! Didn't I just say for you to give it up?!" Nami demanded.
"Shut up. It's not your decision to make. It's Luffy's. He's the captain," Cade said.
Nami looked as if she were going to say something else but didn't.
They stood and left the tavern.
Cade scanned the town as they strolled through it. It was nice, small, and looked to not have much excitement happening as everyone went about their day. It would be a miracle if they managed to get a ship out of this place. Stepping out of the town they walked up a winding dirt path to a large gate blocking their access to the mansion behind it.
"Good afternoon. Please lend us a ship," Luffy said even though no one was on the grounds. Stepping forward he climbed up the gate. "Let's just go in."
"Then what's the use of that greeting?" Pepper asked.
Nami sighed. "We can't stop him."
"You're just now noticing that?" Cade smirked.
Nami ignored her.
"Since we can't stop him, we'll have to follow him," Zoro said.
Cade launched herself into the air with a single kick. Flipping over the gate she landed at the same time Luffy did. Once everyone was over they walked around the side of the house and spotted Usopp at a window.
"Huh? Why are you all here?" Usopp looked at them.
"We brought this guy here." The three boys point to Luffy.
"Oh! So you're the one who owns this place." Luffy looked at the blonde girl hanging out the window.
"Who's that?" Kaya asked.
"These guys heard of my reputation, and traveled far to see me here. They are the new members of the Usopp Pirates." Usopp slipped his arm around Luffy's shoulders.
"No. That's not…" Luffy started.
"This guy lies nonstop," Cade said.
"A request? Of me?" Kaya blinked.
"Yeah, we need a big ship," Luffy said.
"What are you doing here?!" A man wearing glasses and a black suit marched over to them. "You can't just barge into the mansion like this!"
"Oh no! The butler!" Usopp said.
"Klahador," Kaya said.
Cade knitted her brow. The hairs on her arms stood. Something was off about this man. Though she couldn't put her finger on it.
"Who's he?" Luffy asked.
"Listen, Klahador, these people are-"
Klahador lifted his hand to silence Kaya. "You don't have to explain. I will ask you about it later. Please get out. Or is there something you need to say?"
"I want a ship," Luffy said.
"No way," Klahador said. "You… you're Usopp. I've heard some rumors about you. The villagers talk about you all the time."
"Oh… oh, thank you." Usopp smiled. "You may call me Captain Usopp. Everyone calls me that."
"The guards said you were lurking outside the gates. What do you want here?" Klahador pushed his glasses up with his palm.
Cade wondered why he did it that way. It was the first she had ever seen.
"Er… I heard that there's a huge mole inside the mansion! So I wanted to see it for myself!" Usopp said.
Cade's lip twitched. "Really? A huge mole?"
Klahador chuckled. "I see that you can certainly lie well."
"What?!"
"I have heard about your father too," Klahador said. "You're the son of a filthy pirate. I'm not surprised that you turned out this way. But you had better stay away from my mistress."
Cade shook her head. This guy was definitely a jerk. Maybe that's what troubled her about him. He was an unfair, biased jerk.
"His dad is a pirate?" Luffy asked.
Cade leaned closer to Luffy. "Now that he mentions it, Usopp does look like Yasopp. They have the same curly hair. Do you think it's possible?"
Luffy hummed. "They do have the same hair."
"Did you say filthy?" Usopp demanded.
"You and the mistress belong to totally different worlds. Is it money that you're looking for? Name your price," Klahador said.
"That's enough, Klahador! Apologize to Usopp at once!" Kaya demanded.
"There's no need for me to apologize to this uncivilized person." Klahador waved his hand at Usopp. "I'm just telling you the truth. I feel sorry for you. You hate your father, don't you? Because he's a dumb treasure hunter who deserted his family and village."
"Klahador!" Kaya screamed.
"I won't let you say another bad thing about my father!" Usopp glared.
"Why are you so angry? You're not very smart, are you?" Klahador pushed his glass up again. "You should have just told your usual lies. And say that your real father is a traveling merchant or that you and him are not blood related."
Usopp rushed forward and punched him. "Shut up!"
"About time someone punched him." Cade crossed her arms. "Wish I had done it."
"You still can." Zoro smirked.
"Will you two stop it?! You're going to make things worse!" Nami said.
"Uh… See? You're so violent! Like father, like some!" Klahador said.
"Shut up!" Usopp screamed. "I'm proud that my dad is a pirate! I'm proud that he is a brave warrior of the sea! You're right that I like to lie! But I'm proud of having a pirate's blood in me! I don't have to pretend that I'm not! I'm the son of a pirate!"
"Oh yeah! That guy! Now I remember!" Luffy tapped his fist in his palm.
Cade nodded. Usopp is Yasopp's son without a doubt.
"You said pirates are brave warriors of the sea?" Klahador pushed up his glasses again. "Don't twist the truth. It's because you have that kind of savage bloodline that you like to lie so much. And use violence whenever you are enraged." He stood and dusted himself off. "I believe you only get close to the mistress for the money."
"What are you talking about?!" Usopp asked.
"Who cares what your motive is, the fact that your father is a pirate is more than enough reason for me to kick you out!"
Usopp grabbed the butler by his tie. "I dare you to say that again!"
"Usopp, please stop! Don't use violence!" Kaya placed her hand over her face. "Klahador isn't a bad person. He's just concerned about me. That's why he's a little extreme."
"Isn't a bad person? Good people don't insult people like he did." Cade pointed at the butler. "He's the one in the wrong. Usopp's been nothing but kind to you."
"But..." Kaya lowered her eyes.
Klahador slapped Usopp's hand off him. "Get out of here. Savages like you are not welcome here! I'll let you off this time, but I warn you… Don't come back here again!"
"Fine. I understand. I'll leave even without you telling me to." Usopp walked off. "I'll never come here again!"
"Captain! You bastard! Captain is not that kind of person!" Carrot said.
"Yeah! Stupid!" Pepper punched the air.
"Idiot!" Onion added.
"Idiot!" Luffy chimed in.
"Why are you screaming along with them?" Zoro tapped Luffy on the head.
"I'm going to kill him!" Luffy said.
"Hey, hey!" Zoro held him back.
"I agree. This butler needs to be put in his place." Cade cracked her knuckles.
"Not you too!" Nami said.
"All of you, get out of here now!" Klahador said.
The group headed for the gate. Walking down the dirt path Cade noticed Luffy slipping off from them. He's going after Usopp. Guess I'll check out the shops here. Reaching the town Cade broke off from the group without a word. Strolling at a leisurely pace she looked for sales of items that could benefit their journey.
A few minutes later she heard Usopp screaming about pirates coming. The townspeople rolled their eyes and went about their business. But Cade noticed the fear in the young man's eyes. This wasn't a lie.
She followed him.
"Hi, everyone!" Usopp waved at the pirates and his friends. "What?! How can you still be alive?!"
"Still alive?" Cade and Luffy asked. He added, "I just woke up."
"Ah! Sneak attack from a monster!" Usopp jumped from Cade's appearance.
"Will you stop that? I was following you since town. Now what do you mean still alive?" Cade punched Usopp. "I said not to call me a monster!"
"Sorry! He fell off the cliff! There's no way he can be alive!" Usopp pointed at Luffy.
Luffy tilled his head in confusion.
"He was asleep the whole time. Captain, we heard about the pirates! We've got to warn everyone!" Pepper said.
"I'm going to need a complete recap for this." Cade waved a hand. "Get to explaining."