angelsxdemons: Thank you! I haven't written a ZoLu story in a long time. Well, I did post one that finished a couple months ago, but most had been written 2 years ago.

Wishfull-star: Thanks! I'm glad you like my stories no matter who the ship is! I know this one isn't as popular as some others.

obamahouse: I butchered Drum lol. Things are very different, but I had a lot of fun with that one! Chopper's reaction is golden tbh. And I love your username haha!

I just got my second vaccine! I don't want to wait 2 weeks. (╯_╰) Some Luffy drama in this chapter! Enjoy~

Luffy noticed immediately after landing that there were people around. He could easily smell and hear the four. Three sounded pretty young.

Luffy didn't point out knowing they were there. He wanted to know how they reacted. They didn't attack yet, so they probably weren't dangerous. Especially with three being kids. Though he and his brothers had been very dangerous children. He giggled. Zoro asked what was funny. "Just thinking about me and my brothers. Since the people watching are kids."

"Oh yeah, you did say you used to beat up and steal from people." Nami asked what they were talking about. "Luffy was a troublesome child." Luffy laughed loudly, agreeing with that sentiment. He couldn't wait for his crew to meet Ace somewhere in the Grand Line. He knew he already had a bounty, and Luffy was excited to get his own and make it clear to Ace he was stronger than he was three years ago.

The three got bored waiting for any action, so Zoro loudly asked why there were four people watching them. He didn't give away Luffy's sense of sound and smell. The three kids ran away screaming. The three pirates waited expectantly for any move from the guy with a long nose, thick lips, and bushy hair.

He smelled familiar slightly. He sorted through all of the smells of people he knew well, and connected them. "Hey! Are you Usopp?!"

"Ahhh! How'd you know?! Well, don't mess with me. I am Usopp. Captain Usopp! I'm in charge of the security of this village - hey, listen to me!" Luffy wasn't listening and answered his crew's question.

"I know his dad! He was on Shanks' crew. He was a sharp shooter, Yasopp," Luffy explained happily. Usopp asked if he'd met his dad. "Yeah! He's on the Red Haired pirate crew! He was my friend when I was little." Usopp was smiling, and fell down the wall when he tried to drop down. He rolled a few times, slamming into Zoro's foot to stop him rolling.

"...Thanks," Usopp said, standing up and rubbing his nose. "How'd you know it was me?" Luffy grinned and said he looked like him. Of course he didn't say anything about the familiar scent. "And he talked about you sometimes. It was annoying. Shishishi…"

Ten minutes later, they were at a restaurant in the teeny tiny village that Usopp lived in. Luffy wasn't surprised that Yassop left. His life as a pirate fit his personality more than just sticking in this little village. But Luffy wondered how he'd feel whenever he learned that his wife was dead, and Usopp was basically an orphan.

"So, you're looking for companions and a ship?" Luffy nodded, stuffing his face with fresh meat. Actual meat! Cooked meat! They definitely needed a kitchen and then a chef. Definitely, they needed good food for their journey. Usopp seemed a lot different than Yassop. But both talked a lot it seemed.

"You're pirates but you have such tiny boats? Why?"

"Cause we didn't have lots of money. Nami could have stolen one, but she didn't, even though she's a thief," Luffy said, taking another bite of meat. Nami quickly interjected that she stole from pirates only. Luffy doubted that, and so did Zoro, but they both stayed quiet about it. "So, do you know anywhere we can get a new ship? This place seems pretty small but we really need a new ship. Have to have a kitchen to cook meat."

"And booze."

Nami grumbled, "Why do you two only care about meat and alcohol? Don't you want the privacy of your own room on the ship!?" Luffy opened his mouth in a small "o", and said he hadn't thought about it awhile. "You were just thinking about it the other day!" Luffy giggled, and Nami put hand to her face. Usopp laughed, thinking they were funny.

He said, "There's one place a ship could be There's a mansion on top of the hill. The ship belongs to the mansion's owner. It's not a big ship, but it's a lot bigger than the dinghies you guys are using." Luffy hummed around his meat. "The mansion belongs to a young girl, sick and weak who spends all day in her bed." Nami asked why she owned the mansion if she was so ill. Luffy wondered why she wasn't at the doctors.

Usopp continued, saying, "I think it happened about a year ago. Her parents died of a sickness, leaving her with a large inheritance. Tons of money and the mansion itself. She has over ten servants to take care of her, luckily. Even if you're really rich… it doesn't exempt you from suffering."

"It makes it easier," Luffy said untactfully. Nami scolded him lightly. "What? If you're sick and you have money, you get treated, right? Poor people don't matter much to the world."

"Well, that's true, but don't say it like that," Nami said, frowning and not seeming sure what to complain about anymore. Zoro raised his brows, and said he saw nothing wrong with Luffy's point. "Anyways, we shouldn't buy a ship here, then. Won't we be trying to take advantage of a sick girl?" Luffy asked what she meant. "You know, manipulating her circumstances for our own gain."

Zoro and Luffy both gave her a deadpanned look, and she blushed looking away, recognizing she'd pretty much done the same to them in trying to manipulate them into fighting her battle for her own gain. Luffy grinned and said, "Well, that's all in the past. I really want a ship, we need one, but I don't want to be a 'bad' pirate," he mused, and then demanded for more meat. Zoro asked for more alcohol.

Usopp was looking at them strangely. Then he looked back to being at attention. "You were looking for new companions right? If you let me be captain, I'll join." The three immediately declined and went back to their food. Zoro looked very frustrated and insulted. Luffy was the captain. If Usopp was captain, Zoro would leave instantly.

"Don't mind him, Usopp. Luffy is a sensitive subject for Zoro," Nami said dismissively, waving her hand around. Luffy laughed around his new serving of meat, while Zoro chugged his third bottle of straight sake. He really didn't seem to discriminate about what alcohol. As long as there was alcohol present.

Luffy had a train of thought about this, and was distracted by it. "Hey, Zoro. Will you drink anything with alcohol in it?" Zoro nodded. "What about pee?"

"Really? You're asking if I'd drink spiked piss?" he asked in an unimpressed voice. Luffy laughed and said he couldn't help the thought, it just popped into his head. "No, I would not drink spiked piss." Luffy pouted. It was a good question, but then he went back to eating meat. It tasted delicious. There was really no comparison between blood and regular food. They were just so vastly different. Almost like they stimulated different taste buds.

Blood felt rich and very satisfying and not just because of the taste. The feeling of drinking warm blood straight from the source was very fulfilling and extremely satisfying. Food was more fun to eat. It was delicious and made him feel happy. Satisfied in a way once he was full.

"Luffy? Oi, Luffy," Zoro said. Luffy looked up, and realized Usopp left. "Why were you so distracted?"

Luffy took another bite of his meat. "I was contemplating life."

"Oh, no…" Nami said. "That can't be good." Zoro snorted, and Luffy just said he was thinking about "stuff". They didn't ask him what it was before the kids before came in. Luffy looked over at them curiously. They each were holding a little wooden sword. Harmless, really, until you attacked somebody's face with it. Why was he thinking about things like that? Maybe because he was thinking about blood…

"We ate him…" Zoro said, jerking Luffy to attention. He looked at Zoro, who discretely winked at him. Luffy pat his stomach obnoxiously, understanding they were pranking the kids. Why? Luffy didn't know. But it was nice seeing Zoro be goofy. The three faces went pale, and they started to shake in fear.

Zoro added. "Apparently, lying all the time makes the meat more tender." Nami smacked Zoro's head down. That was enough. Luffy burst out into laughter, slamming his fist on the table as he laughed loudly. Nami couldn't help but start laughing, too. Zoro was the only one not breaking character, and still had that sadistic look on.

They ran away screaming Usopp's name, tears in their voices. "Shishishi, Zoro is mean."

"Why would you say that stuff?!" Zoro said it was funny. Nami thought it was, too. "I think it would have been fun for anyone but little kids. What the hell was with the 'tender meat' part? What's wrong with you?" Zoro looked away and rolled his eyes. Luffy laughed again. But then he got up and went after the kids.

He stretched his arm to grab one of their shoulders, making him scream. "Hey, Zoro was just joking. Usopp left before. We didn't eat him," Luffy said. The three sighed in relief. Luffy wondered if they really thought they'd eat him in public. "Besides, if we were to eat somebody, wouldn't it be in private? Everyone would see otherwise!"

"Ah! That's a good point!" the one with glasses exclaimed. Luffy smiled, and asked what their "organization" was. "We're the Usopp Pirates! What are you?" Luffy shrugged. They didn't have a crew name yet. Well, they'd figure some out eventually. They talked for a bit about Usopp mostly. Apparently he lied a lot. A lot. Luffy couldn't imagine lying every day. He could only pull one off at all in his life, let alone many daily! It seemed kind of annoying. To have somebody lie all the time. "Well, they aren't mean lies. He lies a lot to Kaya, but that's good! He makes her feel better with them. A true hero, Captain Usopp!"

Luffy grinned. "That's really nice! I never thought of lies as being helpful. So, they're nice lies… I'm going to the mansion for that ship!" He went running back to the restaurant, finding them coming out. "Oh, did you pay?" they shook their heads. They put it on Usopp's tab. "Hey, we should go to the mansion to look for a ship."

They headed there, Luffy running off ahead of them, Zoro and Nami walking slower with the little kids as they talked about Usopp's friendship with Kaya, the sick girl. Nami thought it was very sweet. "So, he's got a crush on that girl? Why doesn't he just make a move?"

"Not everyone is open about it like you and Luffy, Zoro." The boys asked if he and Luffy were together together. "Yup. They're inseparable." The boys had apparently never heard of boys being with boys. "And girls can be with girls," Nami added. Luffy smiled. He was glad Zoro and Nami were open about things. About that kind of stuff, and their feelings about Luffy's other half.

He thought Usopp was interesting and to come with them, but he felt he'd be scared of him. At least at first. He didn't seem that brave. Luffy could hear his heart beating really fast when he was watching them. That fast usually had to do with fear. But, that was why having a ship would be great! He could feed with Zoro in privacy, and Usopp wouldn't even need to know about it!

Luffy could keep it a secret with the help of his nakama. He swung his arms happily until they were all at the gate. He knocked on it. "'Scuse me, please give us a ship," Luffy said to the gate, where nobody was. They all stood in silence for a moment, and Luffy shrugged before he jumped the gate. "Let's just go in."

"We can't stop him," Nami sighed.

"Then we join him," Zoro replied easily, and jumped the fence next. The two landed in the courtyard, looking up at the huge house. Luffy liked his treehouse more. "Yeah, I couldn't ever live here."

Nami dropped down. "I could! It's beautiful!" she gushed, looking up at the fancy, shiny mansion. More like a small castle! Luffy ran off, calling for Usopp, finding him next to a window with the girl leaning against it, her elbows on the window sill. She looked happy. Maybe Usopp was telling her stories.

"Hey, Nami, that girl is pretty, right?" Nami smacked his head and hissed that just because she preferred girls didn't mean she liked every girl. "Oh, okay." Zoro snickered, and Nami glared at him, cheeks red.

Usopp demanded to know what they were doing there. "We brought this guy here!" the kids said.

Luffy waved. "I want a ship. Oh, please and thank you," he said with a bow. That had to have worked. He was sincere, and she was rich and they had a boat. They should give it to them now. Usopp recovered quickly, and put his arm around Luffy's shoulders. "I'm Lu-"

"This is Luffy, he traveled far and wide to be a new member of the Usopp Pirates!" Luffy started to protest that statement when an adult voice called them. Angrily demanding to know what they were doing here. Usopp shrunk back. The guy had round glasses and combed back hair. "Smells bad," Luffy stated loudly. Zoro pursed his lips and Nami sighed.

"Excuse me, we want a ship."

"No. Now all of you get out right now." Luffy frowned, and crossed his arms. Then, the three watched an utter disaster crash down. The butler, Cladahador or something, started completely insulting Usopp for everything, from his appearance, to his personality and then to his father. Luffy was glaring. This guy was an asshole. He mocked Usopp over having a pirate as a father. Luffy didn't step in, though. This wasn't his fight.

Maybe he should have stopped Usopp when he punched the butler, but it wasn't his fight, and he didn't know these people or how to react. He just knew he hated the butler. Zoro was looking at him in disgust, too. Kaya, the princess-sick girl tried to get the fighting to stop. "Please, no more violence! Clahador isn't a bad person! He's just… concerned about me."

Honestly, she didn't sound very sincere. Luffy was still glaring at the butler. "Get out, now. You savages! You're not welcome here! I'll let you off this time, but I'm warning you to never come back again!"

"Fine! I'll leave even without you telling me to! I'm never coming back here!" Luffy frowned when Usopp left. They probably weren't going to get a ship then. Luffy looked at the butler with a glare.

"You smell, by the way," he said, and turned around to walk to Zoro and Nami, who both looked bothered with the whole event. "Go take a shower." Luffy thought it was kind of hypocritical to say somebody else smelled. And for them to take a shower. Clahador, the butler said nothing as they left, the Usopp pirates shouting at him.

Luffy left the group to follow Usopp, leaving the others behind for now. He found him easily, following the scent and sat next to him on a cliff overlooking the sea. "Yo! Are you really not gonna see the princess anymore?"

"She's not a princess, but I don't know… maybe if that butler apologizes. I hate him," Usopp hissed, glaring at the ground with hatred. Luffy nodded, agreeing he was a jerk. He wondered what he should say. Usopp was really upset, that much was clear just on his face. He looked on the verge of tears. Maybe for anger, embarrassment or hurt.

The rubber boy said, "You should be proud of your dad. He's super cool and proud of you, even if he doesn't know you well." Usopp smiled and nodded. "You should see the princess again. It's not her fault the butler was a jerk. Maybe you can sneak in through the chimney."

Usopp said, "Again, she's not a princess. And… I don't know, maybe I'm a bad influence on her. Lying isn't the best quality, I know that. I lie to her but it's mostly stories. She's so sad and alone and sick. I want to make her feel better," he said in determination. Luffy smiled. "I'm definitely going to go back. I'll let things cool down, let him not be so scared anymore, then I'll go back to see her, no matter what that butler thinks."

"Chimney~..."

"I don't think they have a chimney big enough for me to fit through anyways…." Usopp said slowly. Luffy shrugged. Then he smelled that butler again, and saw him below. Why was he there, too? Usopp yanked him down until they were both on their stomachs, spying on them. There was the butler, and then some other guy.

He had a weird goatee and heart shaped sunglasses with a hat that definitely stood out. "I told you not to stand out here! Why were you sleeping in the middle of the village?" butler asked. Jango, the other man, didn't see anything wrong with that. Luffy asked who he was in a whisper.

Usopp said, "I've never seen him before. I have no idea. He's weird looking, I'd definitely remember him." Luffy thought this was suspicious just by how they were meeting like this, in the middle of nowhere. What were they going to talk about? The two teens stayed silent and listened closely. Their eyes were wide as they waited for something to happen.

"So… are you prepared for it?" butler asked darkly, pushing his glasses up with the heel of his wrist. Kind of a weird way to move his glasses. Usopp and Luffy were both shocked when Jango said he was ready to kill Kaya at any time. "We can start operation 'assassinate Kaya' anytime," Jango replied simply. Like killing an innocent person was nothing big. No big deal to kill an unsuspecting, vulnerable girl.

They were scum, absolutely disgusting. Luffy and Usopp only had to keep listening to get the entire plan and back story. They sure did talk a lot about things they both already knew. But it was good for information for the two spectators! Butler was actually a former pirate captain. Captain Kuro. He gave Jango the gig of captain before landing on this island. Then he told his crew to come back in three years. The only reason Jango liked or respected him was because the job came with benefits.

"And I will get those benefits, right?" Jango asked. He smelled like a hair product that was way too sour. It bothered his nose and he forced back a sneeze. Kuro promised he'd get his share if he did his job. Voice sharp and not how Luffy would ever address his crew. He wouldn't be an abusive captain who didn't care about those below him, or next to him.

Luffy was a pirate captain like Shanks. His crew was his family, even if they didn't feel the same. "Leave the girl to me," Jango said smugly. "Don't worry, I'll make it look like a complete accident! Everything will go just fine." The guy sure was confident. But the conversation wasn't over. Luffy heard Zoro calling his name, and got up and ran to him, shushing him. Luffy continued to listen, glad the little kids weren't there anymore.

The part-human explained what he was hearing. A plan to hypnotize the princess and force her to write Kuro's name into her will before murdering her. Zoro had a dark look on and Nami was holding her hands to her mouth in horror. Luffy could hear Usopp angrily breathing, but not saying anything.

He spent three years gaining everyone's trust only to betray the vulnerable princess. "How horrible!"

"I knew that guy smelled bad," Luffy said. The two pirates were still in the area, and Luffy saw Usopp was freaking out. His face was pale, and he looked terrified for the princess. Maybe he was thinking about how he wasn't strong enough to protect her. It made Luffy angry. He stomped up to the cliff.

He shouted, "Hey, you! Don't you dare touch the princess!" Nobody was going to be able to stop him from thinking of her as a princess. She was rich and pretty and lived in a castle. Usopp begged him to stop, but he was spotted, too, now. Kuro, butler man, whatever his name was, looked at them coldly. Luffy was unafraid, but Usopp was scared. Luffy pinched his hand.

"Did you… hear anything?"

"Nothing!"

"We heard everything!" Luffy declared. He didn't even think before this. Jango said it was no big deal. "I'll deal with this. Look into the pendulum! When I say 'one, two, jango!' you'll both fall asleep."

"Wow, really?" Usopp punched his head, but Luffy stared anyway. When "Jango" was said, Luffy felt himself sort of fuzz out. His ears were ringing, and suddenly everything was red. He jumped off the cliff to attack Jango viciously, and Kuro backed away. Luffy was growling and ripped off Jango's glasses.

"Get him off of me!" Zoro was then there, grabbing him in a headlock, demanding to know what the hell was wrong with him, though his voice was dripping with concern and worry. Jango ran off, and Luffy continued to thrash around like a rabid animal. Zoro scratched his skin and shoved it in front of Luffy's face.

He smelled it and his mind cleared before he fell forward, eyes open and hazy. Zoro was calling his name, freaking out. Nami couldn't get down from the cliff, and was calling out, asking if he was okay. "I don't know!" Zoro shouted back. "Luffy? Can you hear me?"

Luffy turned and vomited onto the ground, feeling absolutely sick. "Ugh… I don' feel good. My head hurts…" Usopp was looking at him in shock and fear, while Nami managed to climb down the cliff and run to him. Neither were afraid of him. Nami asked what happened. "It was when that guy tried hypnotizing me! I just… everything went red and I was so angry and wanted to hurt him."

He was shaking in worry. "D-Do I look any different?"

"No. You just look sweaty and pale. Are you okay? Are you here with us?" He nodded. Nami sighed in relief. Luffy's face was red, and his teeth were clenched. Now everyone would think he was some rabid monster. He had been. He was rabid, he just wasn't foaming at the mouth. At least he didn't bite the guy and drink from him.

Usopp hadn't run away, but he hadn't come closer. Luffy couldn't tell what he was thinking, not facing him. "Is he okay now?" Zoro nodded, Luffy not responding. He felt in control, but was he "okay"? He'd just completely lost control of himself and turned violent in a moment. "It happened when that guy tried to hypnotize him! That one, two, Jango! Maybe it messes with your head!"

Zoro and nami nodded. That could be it. Luffy could tell they were fibbing. They didn't believe that at all, but Usopp bought it. He was glad Luffy was okay. "We have to do something!" Luffy closed his eyes, and could hear Butler and Jango talking. He relayed the information to his crew. The attack was tomorrow morning. A crew would come and attack and kill villagers. Make it look like a pirate raid, and would definitely kill the princess by the end of the day.

Nami said, "We should help. Besides, if she dies, we won't get the ship. What? I'm just saying the truth." Luffy nodded, but was afraid to face Jango again. If Zoro hadn't been there, he might have killed the guy in cold blood, with his own bare hands. The guy was no doubt freaked about him, now. That Luffy was some monster. He'd been clawing and ripping at him, growling the whole time.

He was ashamed and embarrassed. "Zoro, I think it would be best to have some," Luffy said quietly, so Usopp couldn't hear. Zoro nodded, not protesting at all, or showing an ounce of hesitation. He stood up with Luffy, and they walked down the beach. Usopp asked where they were going. "We'll be back in a bit. I gotta do something first."

"Oh, okay…" Nami suggested they try and form a plan. Luffy and Zoro hurried to a cliff that wasn't near any land where someone could see. He made sure nobody was around when he bit down on Zoro's shoulder and only drank a little bit. Slowly, which seemed to not illicit the extreme pleasure that sucking hard did. He pulled away, and left a lingering kiss there.

Zoro tilted his head up and kissed him sweetly. "Let's go save a village. We're weird pirates, helping people." Luffy smiled. He liked being this kind of pirate. "I guess I do, too, now. When I feel like it, or you do, captain," Zoro said fondly, looking at Luffy with what could only be described as love. He didn't say the words, which Luffy was glad about. He didn't want to rush. But he also would want to hear those words that he'd only ever heard from Ace when he was leaving.

When he was saying goodbye to the only brother he had left. Not even Garp had ever said it to him. Though Zoro saying it would be much different than his family. They left, following the scent he knew was Nami's. They found her relatively quickly. She was with the kids, and Luffy asked where Usopp went.

"To warn everyone about tomorrow," Nami said, sitting on the fence. "So, what will we do? Are we going to help, or leave while we can?" she asked. Luffy wanted to help. "I didn't really expect anything different. Are you feeling better, now?"

Luffy nodded. "I feel completely back to normal. Sorry for worrying you guys." Zoro pointed out he was probably the most worried. "Yeah… it was unnerving. Losing control of myself like that. At least I didn't grow claws or anything like that," he said in a shaky voice. The three boys weren't listening, waiting for Usopp to come back.

Nami quietly said, "You're really lucky to have one another. And that Zoro's okay with it." She had a light smile on. Zoro asked if she was jealous in a teasing voice. "Yeah. But it's endearing, too." Luffy smiled widely. They'd find someone that clicked with her. He promised. "Big promise, but I'll believe you, even if it's a foolish thing to promise."

Luffy laughed, and said, "I'm really glad you like sailing with us." Nami had a guilty look on for a second before her smile was back.

"I agree. I just can't wait to have a bigger ship. Though my hopes are low about getting one here," she added, with the other two agreeing with that. It was unlikely that things would go well enough to get them that ship. The one they really wanted, and frankly needed, by now. They couldn't get any more crew members with those tiny boats. Not without it being quite uncomfortable and completely cramped.