Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for James, Keiko, etc. You all know this by now though, so yeah, who really cares?

A Cat's Instinct

Chapter 4: Blast From the Past

A/N: Sorry this took so long. It took me a while to type...

Kuro headed into town. He was feeling much better, and his job, though not his first choice would suffice in what he needed for his plan. His life in the village had been quite satisfying, and as usual, his plan was going smoothly. Kaya's parents had unfortunately passed away, and he was left to take care of her, along with a newer butler, Merry.

Several shopping bags in hand; he spotted a young couple, who caught his eye.

"That boy looks familiar…" Kuro said to himself, as he was tempted to walk over.

Shrugging his shoulders, he found no harm, in speaking to the young couple.

"Excuse me, but do I know you?" Kuro asked.

"No, I don't think we've met before." The boy answered, "Are you from around here?"

Kuro nodded,

"I serve the young lady up the street." He answered, "You just looked awfully like my son."

"I'm sorry sir, but my father died a long time ago. He died a long time ago, because he was executed while on a ship." The boy said sadly, "He was a sailor."

Kuro sighed,

"Sorry to bother you. "he said, heading home.

As he left, something bothered him,

"I swear that was him…" he thought, "I should've asked his name. I hope to see that boy again."

A little later, James and Keiko were having lunch.

"I hate tomatoes…." Keiko complained, rolling them around with her fork.

"Well, why did you put them in your salad then?" James asked a smirk on his face.

"Stop mocking me…" Keiko warned, "You're the one who pushed his glasses up his face every five seconds."

James resisted fixing his glasses for a few more minutes, out of slight embarrassment.

"Are you sure you didn't know that man?" Keiko asked, "It looked awfully a lot like the Captain."

"No, he wouldn't stoop down to that level, but then again, he would do anything to fulfill one of his plans." James said, "Maybe we should find out about him."

Keiko nodded, but stopped,

"James, the Captain was killed. This is insane! So, he looked like him, that doesn't mean he was. I'm sorry I even mentioned it, but we should set off." She said.

James stopped, and looked at her, tears in his eyes.

"I could tell you, that the two of us were very close. I should've held my tongue…" she added.

She went over to James, feeling terribly sorry for getting his hopes up.

"Is there something you'd want to tell me?" she asked, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Can you keep a secret?" he asked.

"What am I, in kindergarten, of course I can!" she exclaimed.

"Well, Captain Kuro is my father." James said.

Keiko gawked at him,

" What!" she asked, "Kuro had a family!"

James nodded, and continued his explanation.

"Well, he married my mother, three years before my birth. My mother died of a stroke, and I was sent to live with my father on the ship. He called me his apprentice, to keep my identity a secret, for my own security. Then, Django came one night, telling me that there was a traitor on board the ship, and he took the captain onto the island to be executed. Django took me onto the island myself, as an orphan. I lived with my aunt and uncle for two years, and well, you can take it from there. But it was all my fault that the Captain was captured…If I was there, to protect him, this wouldn't have happened…" he said sadly.

"Oh…" Keiko said, "Now I know why you were so close to him. I never knew…"

"Yes, but because of the bounty placed on is head, he wanted to keep me and my mother safe." He said.

"Wow, was he a good father?" she asked, growing very interested.

"Yes, very good, probably the best. He taught me everything I know now. He originally didn't want me to become a pirate, but after my mother's death, he changed his mind. I wish I spent more time with him though, because, he was always so busy with his plans and whatnot. What I do remember, however, are the stories he used to tell. He had so many wondrous adventures! Every night, as I went to sleep, he told me of his adventures, as the ship's rocking lulled me to sleep.

I actually do remember him mentioning you, and your mother. He also said you were quite a skilled member of the crew, in getting around quickly. He said, that once you hid in the cargo room for a few days, driving your mother nearly to insanity!" James said.

Keiko laughed,

"Are you serious? I didn't think the Captain would notice me." She said.

"No, he had a keen eye for talent, besides, he was good friends with your mother. Ryuu I believe her name was." James said.

Keiko nodded,

"Yes, that was her!" she exclaimed excitedly, " I can't believe the Captain actually knew me!"

"Yeah, he also said that you were a trouble maker aboard the ship. You once made such a mess with spaghetti in the mess hall, that he banned any kind of pasta on the entire ship." He said.

Keiko just laughed.

"I know. I do remember the pasta incident. My mother was surprised he didn't execute me, or throw me off the ship. She said that he was actually a kind person, but he had some very bad things happen to him, and he changed. But that was before your mother's death, that he became one of the cruelest pirates ever to sail the seas." Keiko said.

"Yes, I regret not knowing my father as well as I could have…" he sighed, " But I'm still going to defend his honor."

Keiko smiled,

"That's pretty brave of you." She said.

"Thanks." James answered.

"But that doesn't make you less of a terrible pirate…" she said, smirking.

Kuro, meanwhile, was tending to Miss Kaya. She was in bed with another serious fever.

"Klahadore…" she asked, feebly, " Why is it so cold in here?"

"It's not the temperature." He said, " You're just heating up."

Kuro then placed a wet cloth on her head.

"Thank-you, Klahadore." She said.

Kuro gave her a warm smile, as he sat in a chair next to her bedside, watching her fall asleep. Glancing at her once more, he pulled a picture from his pocket. In is, was a happy couple, and their young, dark-haired baby between them.

"Oh Karla, I miss you so much…" he said sadly.

Kaya stirred, and he quickly put the picture in his pocket. Pushing up his glasses up the bridge of his nose, he went to a nearby basin, to redampen the cloth on Kaya's forehead.

Meanwhile, James and Keiko were making plans to steal a boat.

"Come on James, untie the damn thing, before we get caught!" Keiko urged.

"Alright, geez. You had to pick the boat with the toughest knot to und!" James said, frantically picking at the knot.

Growing frustrated, he took his cat claws, and slit the rope in half.

"You should've done that in the first place." Keiko said.

"Yeah, well, I was trying to be discreet about it." He answered

"Stop it and come on! Someone's coming!" she said, hiding.

"Is someone there?" a high-itched voice called out.

A boy with a large nose and black hair emerged, his slingshot held out, ready to shoot.

James tried to hide, but didn't bother.

"Yeah, someone's here." He said.

"I've never seen you before. What are you doing in this village?" he asked.

"I'm a pirate. " James answered calmly, " I came to steal a boat."

The boy gave him a nervous look.

"Well, that boat belongs to one of the villagers! Why if my name weren't Captain Usopp, I'd turn tail, but I must stop your injustices." The boy yelled.

James sighed.

"Are you sure? My father taught me everything I know. If you knew him, you wouldn't mess with me." James answered.

James grinned, as Usopp's face grew pale.

"My father is also a famed pirate!" Usopp announced.

James looked at him. He could feel the adrenaline pumping inside his veins. Letting out a low cat-like growl, he unsheathed his claws.

"My father, was Captain Kuro Neko/ No pirate in all the seven seas could compare to him!" James snarled, lunging for Usopp.

Usopp screamed, and tried to run, but he was slashed in the arm. Usopp however, retaliated with a shot into James' shoulder, with his slingshot.

Keiko stood back, enjoying every minute of the battle.

Stumbling, James' fell to the ground, his temper cooled.

"I'm sorry…" he said.

"You're a beast! Get away!" Usopp screamed, holding his slingshot up again, " I have to tell the village!"

Usopp grabbed a scrap of James' clothing, and ran into the town, as James struggled to his feet, holding his shoulder in pain.

Keiko looked at him,

"Serves you right." She said, kicking him.

"Where'd he go?" James asked looking around.

"Usopp ran off, probably out of fear." She said.

James stood, but fell bleeding in the water.

"Okay, you can get up now." She said, nudging him with her foot.

James tried to sit up, but winced in pain, as he tried to use his right arm.

"Damn that Usopp. If I ever see him again, I'll kill him!" he said, cleaning off the blades of his claws.

"Chill out. It's your stupidity that got us into this mess. Let's just take the ship and leave." She said, helping him up.

"Alright." He said, collapsing into the boat.

"But still, that Usopp could only mean trouble…" she said, her voice covered in unease.

Usopp, meanwhile, ran at top speeds.

"Help! Pirates were in the village!" he screamed.

No one listened to him, except for two people.

Kaya's eyes lit up, as she heard Usopp's calls.

She walked to the window, as she watched him climb up the tree by her bedroom window.

"Kaya! I just met the son of Captain Kuro! He was on this island! He slashed my shoulder, but I got him, and he fell dead!" Usopp announced, " He was fierce, and mean!"

"Oh Usopp, you're stories get better, and better." Kaya said, happily.

Kuro then walked in. Upon hearing his screams, he entered.

"Oh Klahadore. Usopp is telling how he killed an evil pirate." Kaya said.

"In deed. Who was this, so called pirate…" Klahadore(Kuro) asked.

"Why he was the son of the famed Captain Kuro, or so he claimed. Isn't he brave?" Kaya answered.

Kuro was at a loss of words.

"It couldn't be…" he thought, " James wouldn't admit it! I told him not to, but then again…He thinks I'm dead…"

"Klahadore, are you alright?" Kaya asked.

"Yes, I am perfectly fine. It's you who I am concerned about." He said, closing the window.

"Hey!" Usopp said, but it was muffled by the glass of the window.

"Now Miss Kaya, you should get some rest. Usopp's stories are too much for you." Kuro said.

Kaya wanted to protest, but didn't.

Kuro gave her a smile, and left the room.

Kaya sighed. She was feeling better, and wanted to see Usopp, but he had already headed into the village.

Lying down, she grabbed a cup of water from her side tale, and treasured the cold feeling of the water in her hands.

Placing the glass on the table, she clutched her table, and fell asleep.

James and Keiko were well on their way. Their stolen ship, was working well, and James was feeling a lot better.

However, he was sleeping peacefully, and they were drifting.

Keiko looked at him, and frowned.

She grabbed a bucket of salt water, and poured it on him. James shot up, and gasped, as the cold water hit him.

"What the hell was that for?" he demanded.

"I'm not doing all the damn work, while you're sitting on your lazy ass and sleeping!" she snarled.

"I'm the Captain!" he growled.

"It doesn't matter! You're a lazy moocher, not a captain!" she shot back.

James sighed, and stood up, his clothes were wet, and dripping.

"Well, what do you expect me to do?" he asked, irritably, his face, like one of a wet cat.

"Well, don't just lay there!" she said.

James stood slowly, gave Keiko a slight glare, and went to check on the sail.

"There you go." She said.

James only grunted and continued to check it.

"Damn, bossy…Oh, I don't care anymore…Once we get to land, I'm setting off on my own." He said to himself angrily.