Zoro stood up as the sun went farther away. Luffyko had been gone for awhile, 'I hope she didn't get lost.' "The captain sure is late." One of the kid's said as they waited for their captain. He couldn't help but smirk, they were like him looking for their late captain. 'At least mine is good looking'he thought. He tuned out the children as they continued talking about their long nosed captain, he didn't really care for the liar.

"Look there!"

Zoro turned to where the kids shouted and saw someone running up the trail, "What's this?" Usopp was running towards them, however his captain was not with him, "Isn't Luffyko supposed to be with him?"

"Captain!" The kids yelled out as he ran through them on towards the village.

"Where's Luffyko?" Nami asked as he ran by her, "Didn't she go to the coast with you?" However, Usopp kept running making Nami watch after him, "You suppose he is still angry about having his father insulted and all?"

"Beats me..." Zoro replied drifting off, but Nami made a point was he still mad? Luffyko usually cheered anyone up, whether they wanted to be or not. He listened as the kids said they thought something might have happened and he couldn't shake the feeling off that something had happened. Luffyko wouldn't have just left Usopp leave like that. "Hey do you know how we get to that coast?" The kids where in a small huddle talking about what they think had happened and what they needed to do. Zoro walked up annoyed that they had ignored what he had said, "I got that already, just tell me how to get there!"

Nami jumped down from where she had been sitting and looked at Zoro, did he feel what she felt? She couldn't help but shake the feeling something had happened to Luffyko. She looked again at the swordsman and couldn't help but feel there was something else to his annoyance. "Kids please take us to the cliff." She followed beside Zoro as the children lead them to the cliff, "Do you have a bad feeling about this?"

Zoro looked down at the navigator who was twisting the ends of her shirt. He placed a hand on her shoulder, "It'll be fine, she's strong." If only he could listen to his own reassurance. He knew she could handle herself, but she still worried him.

"Here it is. Captain is always coming here to mend his heart." One of the kids said as they looked around. "The straw hat girl isn't here." Another kid said.

Nami put a foot on the edge of the cliff and looked out, "This place is pretty steep." She said as she looked down.

"Nami be careful there."

"Look…look there!" Nami cried out when she saw the body of the girl.

Zoro saw his captain on the ground unmoving, "What?" He said as the children pointed out that it was his captain. How could she be down there unmoving? A flashback of Kuina came to him as he was told she had died from falling down stairs. Not again he rushed down to the shore Nami close on his heels. He stopped when he was close to the girl terrified of what he would find out.

"Luffyko? What are you doing down here?" Nami asked hoping for a response. The girl had clearly landed on her head, monster or not she had to be dead.

"She fell."

"And died on impact!" Another kid continued.

Zoro thought he heard a noise then but the kids continued to talk about how she had died, "Quiet." As they quit talking he heard the sound again. He then gave a smirk, he's captain was alive. "This girl…" He took one of his swords and poked her in the butt. He's smirk grew as her hand twitched scaring the children and Nami.

Luffyko woke up from her nap and stretched, "Morning!"

Nami smiled in relief and gave a small wave as Zoro held back a laugh at her carefree attitude. The kids on the other hand wanted to know about their captain. Zoro and Nami listened as Luffyko told them what Usopp had heard. "The village will be attacked? And Kaya will be killed?" The kids asked in disbelief. "Is this for real?"

Luffyko placed her hat on her head and remained serious, "Yup, that's what they said."

Zoro lightly tapped her leg with his foot to get her attention, "By the way, how did you end up snoozing off here?"

Luffyko looked up and smiled, "About that, I thought I was still on the cliff all along…now, how in the world did I get down here?"

Zoro kept his expression calm, but inside he felt a rage. If it hadn't been for her rubber body she would have died. 'That caretaker and his friend will pay' he thought, 'No one will hurt my captain if I have a say about it.'

Luffyko as the kids ran off after talking to Nami, "Oh no!"

"What?" Zoro asked in surprise as his captain looked worried.

"If we don't hurry and get ourselves some food, the shop owners will be gone and we will have no meat pies!"

Zoro looked at his captain and then hit her in the head with his sheath, "This is no time to be thinking about that."

Nami nodded, "Zoro's right we need to go back to the village and help Usopp."

Luffyko stood up and brushed the dirt off her clothes, "I agree! Let's go!" She followed the kids and Nami and found herself beside Zoro who was staring off into nowhere, "Yo, Zoro."

"Huh?" He muttered and then looked down at the small girl beside him, "What is it, Luffyko?"

"Nothing was just wondering what you were staring at."

"Nothing I was just thinking."

Luffyko just gave him a smile and nodded and continued to follow the path in silence when the kids started to yell captain. Luffyko looked up and saw Usopp and smiled and waved, "Yo!"

Usopp blinked and then rubbed his eyes, when he still saw the girl he ran up and looked at the girl closer, "Hey, you're still alive!"

Luffyko blinked in surprise, "Alive?" She tilted her head trying to understand what he was trying to get at, "Ya, I just woke up."

Zoro on the other hand clenched his hand around his sword. It was how he thought; they had tried to kill her. He couldn't wait to fight those bastards; he would make them regret their attack. When he returned to the conversation he saw the boy lie to his pirate crew on how it was a lit. 'Smart choice, children should not be worrying about this.'

Nami waited till the children left before she spoke, "Come on, we need to treat those injuries." When they arrived back at the boat Nami began to clean and bandage his gunshot wound, "There, that should do it."

"Why did you say all that?" Luffyko asked him.

"Cause I'm a liar. No one would believe me in the first place. I was to naïve."

Zoro stepped forward then, "Even if you are naïve, the truth is the truth."

"Those pirates are really gonna attack, right?" Nami asked.

"Yeah, there's no doubt that they'll be coming. But everyone thinks that it's all a hoax." He said and then buried his head into his hands, "All the villagers think it's just going to be like every other day." He then drew up his courage and sat up, "But I will stop those pirates at the coast and make sure it was just a lie! This is my duty as a liar! Even though they shot my arm…chased me all over the village…this is still my village. I love this village. I want to protect everyone!"

Zoro gripped his sword; he would get his revenge. He also decided he would help the boy, he gave a grin then he had showed some courage, "Never thought that you were that kind of guy. Ditching your friends so that you can face the enemy by yourself."

"Let me get this straight, all the pirate's treasures will be mine." Nami said as she put a hand on her hip.

Luffyko rolled her shoulder and cracked her neck, "Alright, we will lend you a hand."

Usopp began to cry, "You guys are…willing to fight beside me? Why?"

"Because they have more people." Luffyko said as she continued to stretch out her arms.

"If you're scared, you can reconsider." Zoro said as he looked over the boy.

Usopp stood up and pointed to himself, "I'm scared? It doesn't matter how many there are, it's fine by me! For I am the brave warrior of the sea, Captain Usopp!" His knees continued to shake and he punched them, "Damn! Damn! This is no small matter! They are the Kurahadol's band of pirates! Scared, of course I am. So what of it? I won't accept anyone's sympathy. Just go home. Go home!"

"We are not laughing." Zoro said with a straight face as he looked at the younger boy. "We're helping you 'cause we admire your courage."

"If it was sympathy, would we put our lives at risk?" Luffyko asked him seriously.

Usopp straightened up when the girl spoke, "Damn…you guys…" He wiped his face then nodded, "Listen we need a plan. Follow me." He lead them to the break in the cliffs, "Alright, they're planning to attack the village tomorrow morning from this very coast. However, this is the only route that leads to the village. The rest are cliffs. There's no other way to attack. In other words, if we hold firm to this slop, the village won't be attacked."

"I see…that sounds simple." Nami said as she looked around the area they were.

"Talking's easy, but we'll need true strength for the battle." Usopp said in a knowing way, "What are you guys capable of?"

"Slicing."

"Stretching!"

"Stealing!"

"I'll be hiding!"

"You will be fighting!" The three yelled as they grabbed him to make sure he couldn't run away.

"Just joking, I'll back you guys up. Now it's time for my plan."

Luffyko looked at Zoro once the plan was all set. A barrel full of oil was spread on the pathway, making it impossible to walk up. "Good it's perfect." Usopp said with a grin, "Now they can't get up this slope. The oil covered all over should do the job. After they slip on the oil, we jump in and wipe them all out."

"Oil, eh?" Nami said as she walked down to look at the masterpiece.

"Anyways, all we need to do is defend this slope!"

"But we should be careful not slip on it ourselves." Nami warned, "Or else it'd be like getting trapped in quicksand."

"You're kinda smart coming up with this trap." Luffyko said as she kept placing a foot on the oil.

Usopp grinned, "Of course I am! I have complete confidence in myself with my traps and shooting my slingshot."

Zoro looked at the horizon to see the sky lightning up, "It's almost dawn. They'll be coming."

They waited as the sun came up and started to climb into the sky. Luffyko sat with her elbows on her knees, "Not here yet? And it's such a nice day too. What do you think happened?"

"They'll definitely come, they are just a little late." Usopp said confidently.

Nami sudeenly heard something and tried to figure it out, "Hey you guys…I'm not sure if it's just me hearing things…but, there seems to be people shouting somewhere." After a pause Nami nodded, "I can definitely hear them alright."

"Now that you mention it…"

Zoro could see the boy start to panic, "Oi, what's wrong?"

"There's an exact same slope up north!" Usopp said as he gripped his head. Don't tell me…"

"Maybe we're at the wrong coast?" Luffyko asked worriedly.

"Because they met at this coast, I assumed they'd come from this side." Usopp said as he looked at the pirate girl in horror.

Luffyko gave a panicked expression, "Hey, then we oughta hurry or they'll attack the village! Where's the coast?"

"Head straight north from here and it should take you about three minutes." Usopp explained, "The landscape is very similar to this one. We just need to stop them from climbing up the slope, but…"

"Don't worry, we'll make it somehow." Luffyko said with a nod.

"Oh crap!" Nami yelled, "The north coast that you mentioned is where our ship is anchored! All of my treasure will be taken!"

"I can be there in less than 20 seconds!" Luffyko said as she took off running. "Head straight north, head straight north." She chanted as she ran, this was taking her longer than she thought, she was heading straight north right?

Usopp continued to run towards the coast, that girl was fast, but she was still a girl. 'Captain Usopp to save the day!' he thought with a grin then continued to run forward, he couldn't even see Luffyko anymore.

Zoro growled as he slipped down the oil again, Nami would pay for this. He needed to get up there and joining the battle, he had to make sure Luffyko was safe. He slipped back down the oil, "That's it." He muttered and grabbed his swords and used them to get up the slick oil. "Now he said straight north…"

Luffyko panted as she saw the village, "Why am I out of the village? That's weird. He said head north so I ran to where it's cooler." She continued to run and then she saw a whole bunch of men appearing on the horizon, "That's where they are!" She said as she ran towards them rotating her arms as soon as she got close enough she yelled, "Gum Gum Gatling!" When she stopped she saw another bunch of men sent back by Zoro, "Hey Zoro."

"Captain."

Usopp watched in amazement as the small girl and swordsman threw the men down the hill. Nami sighed in relief, "Finally they made it."

Zoro looked down, his bandana covering his eyes. He placed his sword on his shoulder and scowled at the pirates, "What's all the ruckus?"

Luffyko took a couple deep breaths after a run, "how should I know?" She asked from his side. "But I'm still pissed off."

Zoro remembered what had happened and glared at Nami, "Nami! How dare you trample me down the slope!"

Luffyko glared at Usopp, "Usopp, you bastard! You didn't tell me which way was north!"