In Need of a Ship, Liars of Honor and Disgrace
(East Blue)(The Next Day)
Nami awoke with a grumble, annoyed with the sounds of the seagulls screeching so early. She got up with a yawn and rose from the cot, she had thankfully gotten to sleep in. However it was a rough time sleeping with one eye open. Between a Devilfruit using Pirate, a renowned Swordsman in the East Blue and a so-called former Agent of the World Government, she had all the reason to keep an eye on everyone in case they tried anything with her.
Though she doubted that when it came to Luffy, which was really a bit disturbing honestly.
She was extremely thankful in the end that Rukido ended up giving her the cot while he kept watch tonight. Due to how exhausted she was previously, Nami didn't get a chance to take in the room she was in. It was...unique to say the least. There was at least a full armory of weapons just hanging off the walls, ranging from axes, guns, daggers, ect. She couldn't help but sweatdrop at the size of a massive axe just casually handing off the wall.
'I'd need the same freakish strength as they do and a metal arm if I want to make that thing nudge.' Nami thought before shaking her head. Why was she even thinking about this, she had bigger things to worry about. However upon seeing a small chest with a long, pearl necklace sticking out of it, her eyes turned into Beri signs. 'MONEY!'
Before she could get the chance to look further, a knock on the door made her stop. "Are you awake Nami? Come on out and eat. The first meal of the day is the most important after all."
"I'll be out in a minute!" Nami called out, remembering that she was on a Government Agent's boat. Or former agent. Either way, she wasn't about to steal from him without another escape route.
After straightening out her skirt and making sure she had her staff, Nami took a deep breath and stepped out. She was greeted with the pleasant surprise to see them all sitting on the boat while eating fish. Luffy seemed to be eating the most while Zoro was drinking despite how early it was. Rukido however had head turned to the sea, humming a tune through his mask.
"There's no way we're gonna be heading into the Grandline in these conditions." Nami pointed out, making sure she was heard.
"Yeah, we only have fish to eat." Luffy said, eating a whole fish before moving on to another.
"We also need plenty of booze." Zoro said, tossing away an empty bottle.
"I believe she means we need a better ship." Rukido said, not moving his gaze. "As much as I enjoy my little home, it wouldn't do too well on the Grandline. Too many ways for it to get destroyed."
"Guess that makes sense. Not like we got much of a crew either." Zoro said. While he fully believed he could take on anything there, he wasn't sure it was worth voicing after how badly he got hurt in Orange Town.
"We still need more meat too." Luffy added on with a wide smile.
"Among other things." Rukido said, turning around to face them. "It's a shame too. Had we not been in so much trouble with Orange Town, we would have been able to get all that and more."
'And pay a large chunk of my Beris for it. No thank you.' Nami thought with a twitch. "Well there's no point in thinking about that now. It'll be a few days until we can make it to the Gecko Islands. If we're lucky, then we'll be able to see about getting a ship from there. Preferably for a low price."
"In that case to the Gecko Islands!" Luffy ordered, his laughter growing louder. Nami could only shake her head, wondering exactly how this partnership was gonna work out. A few minutes of silence went by before Luffy spoke up again. "Well, I'm bored."
"Not much to do on this boat." Zoro said with a grumble.
"Hey, I know!" Luffy suddenly exclaimed while looking at Rukido. "Show us those weird moves you did against Buffoon!"
"Weird moves?" Zoro questioned while Nami's eyes lit up with interest.
"It's Buggy and they aren't weird moves. They're special fighting techniques taught to us Agents while training under the World Government." Rukido said before explaining further. "It's known as Rokoshiki, The Six Powers. The techniques gained from this style can truly only be earned through vigorous training and more than simple practice. Though some learn better than others."
"And how well do you know them?" Zoro asked, if only a little interested.
"I can't say. Two years ago I was nothing short, but another agent compared to the top Assassins who used these techniques regularly." Rukido said, getting an uncomfortable shiver from Nami. "I haven't seen them in action either, so it was impossible for me to compare myself to them back then. Though I'd like to think I've gotten much stronger since then."
"Can you show us? Please?" Luffy asked, wanting to see anything to relieve the boredom.
"I could, but I won't just yet." Rukido said, getting a groan of disappointment. "Oh don't be like that. They're not nearly as fun to show if I'm not fighting anyone."
"Then let's fight right now!" Luffy said, jumping on his feet and making the boat rock. He was then punched across his head by Nami and forced back down. "OW!"
"Don't start a fight on a boat!" Nami yelled. With how freakishly strong these guys were, she bet they would destroy the boat by accident!
"I was going to refuse anyway. A fight on a boat this small wouldn't be all that great, now would it?" Rukido asked, his visor showing an eye smile.
"...The heck is up with the mask anyway?" Zoro asked. He felt annoyed just looking at it and as far as he was concerned it wasn't taken off just yet.
"I'm merely keeping my face hidden. That's the point of a mask you see." Rukido said and Zoro could feel the sarcasm from it.
"I mean what's the point in you wearing it to begin with? We're on the same side...right?" Zoro pressed, his hand on his blade. He was more than willing to cut him down if he was gonna be a backstabber.
"Yeah, we're friends now." Luffy declared.
"...To put it quite simply, I'm an ex-agent for a reason. I destroyed something that my superior had been looking out for and I would have been executed for it." Rukido said, his tone sounding...off as he spoke. "Thankfully I'm considered dead, but I can still be identified quite easily. Therefore I wear this to ensure my safety and now along with yours."
"I-I see." Nami said, feeling herself on edge. Just what did this guy destroy for him to need to hide his face?
"Also...I think my face got quite messed up." Rukido said, his tone cheerful as he rubbed the back of his head. "I figured with this thing, I could at least look cool and hide my ugly face."
"...Eh...?" Nami and Zoro got out while Luffy tilted his head in confusion.
"But enough about me! I wanna hear about all of you!" Rukido said, his tone unchanging. He then turned to Luffy with a curious expression. "I'm quite curious as to why that hat is so important to you. You certainly got angry once Buggy stabbed it."
"I was wondering about that myself." Nami said, giving the rubber man a stare. Luffy however gained a wide grin as he held his hat.
"Someone very important gave me this hat and I made a promise to return to him once I became a great Pirate." Luffy said, sounding oddly sincere.
"How'd that happen?" Zoro said while Luffy's grin seemed to grow larger.
"It started back when a pirate ship came to my village..." Luffy began before telling his tale.
(East Blue)(Four Days Later)
The days went by slowly for the crew. Between their confined space and limited ways to entertain themselves, it was growing a bit boring. It didn't help that they were stuck with fish and a small amount of fruit now. As a plus side however, Zoro had made a full recovery from his injury and would be able to fight as much as he wanted.
All they could really do in the end was talk to one another and it was interesting to say the least. From Luffy's story on how Red-Haired Shanks had saved his life, to Zoro's declaration to become the strongest, it was enlightening. Nami and Rukido however didn't say too much in terms of their stories. The Pirate Thief did talk about some of her exploits before teaming up with them while the Ex-Agent talked briefly about how some of his techniques worked. Mostly due to Luffy's constant determination to see them all.
"LAND HO!" Luffy exclaimed, catching their attention. They all perked up and saw the island on the horizon and smiled.
"About time. I was gonna lose my mind." Zoro muttered. All he could do was practice his stances and that was all. 'I need to get some weights here.'
"That's good. Maybe we'll be able to get a real ship while we're at it." Nami said with a hint of relief. She had to admit it was...good being with these guys. While her opinion on Zoro or Rukido hadn't changed much in a few days, she saw Luffy in a brighter light.
Though not nearly enough to change her eyes in Pirates as a whole.
"We should make our way to one of the beaches. The last thing we need to worry about is someone stealing our boat." Rukido said, his gaze unchanging. "Oh and welcome to the Gecko Islands. Specifically Syrup Island if I recall correctly."
"What are we waiting for! Let's go!" Luffy exclaimed, very excited.
(Gecko Islands, Syrup Village)
Syrup Village wasn't anything fancy, just simple. Surrounded by grasslands, dirt trails, hills and forest. It was a rather simple village with normal houses and the people were mere workers who helped each other when they could. It was very, very rare for any of them to have visitors due to them being another island with nothing truly significant to many.
'Those jerks.' Was the thought of a young teen who was sitting up in a tree top.
He was a slim tan-skinned teenager with medium-length black curly hair, prominent lips and a long nose. He wore an olive green plaid bandanna, a blue and white striped armband on his left arm, along with a pair of goggles, brown overalls with a white sash and no shirt underneath and a yellow satchel.
He was Usopp, the residential Liar of Syrup Village. Something he would say he was quite proud of and considered himself to be quite good at. Since he was a kid, he would always run around and tell lies of Pirates coming to the mainland. And the people of the Village would fall for it each and every time. The reason behind his lies however started off as a means to comfort his ill mother that his father would be coming back. He sadly never did and his mother passed during that time, but he continued with the lie. Mostly in hope that his father's crew would come back some day. Though he knew at a certain point they had started playing along with it, if only to get out of their dull lives. But as of recently they've been getting more agitated.
'Did they have to start throwing rocks like that?' Usopp thought while wiping some blood from his head. He remembered seeing their annoyed looks growing into anger despite doing this for years. It was just a little baffling to him. 'Guess I have been active with the lies lately. I guess I can spend some time with Kaya for a little while.'
Ah Kaya. His best friend who just happened to be the richest girl in the village. Despite that fact, he had never once asked for anything from her. He enjoyed telling his made up stories of his 'adventures' and seeing her smile from it. Kaya was extremely sick for the longest time of her life, but it was nothing terminal thankfully. All he knew was that it started around her parents death and that she hadn't stepped out of the manor ever since then. It was sad to him that a girl so kind and caring had to go through something so terrible, but he was happy to say that she loved his company.
"CAPTAIN!" Usopp quickly pocketed his bloody rag and looked down to see his crew. There were merely three children, named Ninjin, Piiman and Tamanegi. They were village kids who had loved his more entraining tales and chose to join the Usopp Pirates as fun.
"Hey guys, what's up?" Usopp asked, a smile coming on his face.
"We saw a sailboat heading to the beach!" Ninjin exclaimed.
"There were a few people on it too." Piiman added on.
"But we think they're pirates!" Tamanegi yelled, expressing all their fear. However Usopp looked less than impressed.
"Come on guys. You could try better with a lie like that." Usopp said, his expression deadpanned.
"But it's true!" The boys exclaimed.
"Okay, okay, even if it is true, what makes you so sure that they're pirates?" Usopp asked, a notable sweat going down his head.
"W-well they weren't a normal ship. It was like a Sailor's Boat." Piiman admitted.
"But they could be pirates sneaking in!" Ninjin yelled.
"Y-yeah! Plus, we heard from the adults that the Buggy Pirates took over Orange Town!" Tamanegi said, getting Usopp to freeze a little bit. Being a fan of Pirates, Usopp had taken the time to actually look into them in hope of seeing news on his father.
'Orange Town isn't all that far, just a few days at best!' Usopp said, his sweat becoming clear. The man was nothing good, especially with a crew like his. They would tear the poor island to shreds. He considered maybe making sure they stayed hidden before Kaya came to mind. 'I can't let Buggy get to her! Or anyone in the Village.' Even if they had been acting harsher as of late, this place was still his home! Not to mention Kaya. He could never disappoint her! "Alright! Listen up men!"
The boys straighten up at his tone.
"We're gonna drive these pirates away if it's the last thing we do!" Usopp declared, jumping down from the tree. His legs were shaking bad, but the kids were more focused on his crossed arm, cool guy pose. "We'll make sure that they'll never try anything against Syrup Village and show them the might of the Usopp Pirates!"
"YES SIR!" The kids exclaimed, thinking about how 'cool' Usopp sounded.
"Okay, let's do it guys!" Usopp yelled, unable to help the small tears in his eyes.
(Gecko Islands, Beachside)(Later)
The crew stepped off the boat after ensuring it wouldn't float off, quickly taking note of the dirt trail that led further into the island. They didn't expect much, but Nami wanted to keep her guard up in the chance of there being pirates.
"Doesn't seem too bad so far." Zoro said, his hand lazily by the hilt of his blade.
"It shouldn't be bad at all. Syrup Village is the only settlement on this island and they're a simple people last I remember." Rukido said before pointing to the path. "Either way, that should lead into the Village. Hopefully we'll be able to get a proper Ship.
"And a lot of meat." Luffy said while stepping forward. However several small metal balls were shot at Luffy's feet making him jump back in surprise. They heard the sound of laughing and saw their attacker.
"HA HA HA! I AM USOPP, LEADER OF THE INVINCIBLE PIRATES WHO RULE OVER THIS ISLAND! YOU STAND BEFORE A LIVING LEGEND, THE MOST REVERARD PIRATE WHO EVER LIVED!" Usopp said with a large grin while pointing to himself. He was managing to do all of this without a single shake in his body. "I AM THE GREAT CAPTAIN USOPP! SURELY YOU'D KNOW AN ATTACK ON THIS ISLAND WOULD MEAN CERTAIN DEATH! MY ARMY OF EIGHT THOUSAND MEN WILL TEAR YOU TO SHREDS!"
"AWESOME!" Luffy exclaimed while the others...looked less than impressed.
"Eight Thousand Men? I only see three little boys." Nami said with a smirk. The moment she said that, the boys screamed in fright before running off.
"Nice eye." Rukido commented.
"WHY ARE YOU GUYS RUNNING OFF!" Usopp yelled, only to see the boys disappear from sight. Taking a large gulp, he pulled out a slingshot and aimed it down at them. Shaking the entire time as well. "D-don't move a muscle! Make one move and you're dead!"
"A pirate using a slingshot? Oddly not the weirdest thing I've seen this week." Nami admitted, not feeling overly threatened.
"Now that you've drawn your pistol are you willing to use it?" Luffy asked suddenly. It caught them off guard while Ussop froze upon the words. The Rubberman was oddly serious with how he was looking at the Long Nose Liar.
"Luffy?" Nami questioned, a bit surprised with how he was acting. Zoro merely raised an eyebrow while Rukido seemed interested.
"Guns aren't for threats, they're meant for action. Are you willing to risk your life?" Luffy asked, keeping his serious face.
"Take a good look. The man before you is a real pirate." Zoro declared, a smirk coming on his face.
Usopp was shaking badly in his boots, unable to hide the effect of the words getting to him. A few seconds had passed before Usopp dropped his slingshot, falling to his knees with a defeated look on his face. "Dang it, you guys are definitely pirates. Only they could defeat someone like me with just words."
Luffy looked at him for a moment before he started laughing out loud. It wasn't long until Zoro and even Rukido joined in the laughter Though Nami could only let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
"Ha ha! You're nothing like your dad!" Luffy yelled while Usopp's widened.
"Wait wha-AHHH!" Usopp screamed as he slipped off the clift and fell towards the ground. Before he hit however, he stopped short of hitting the ground.
"Do be more careful. You'd be surprised how many men lost their lives due to simply falling." Rukido said, kicking off air itself while holding Usopp up from his overalls. Zoro watched with wide eyes, Nami seemed surprised while Luffy was grinning.
"What the hell! YOU CAN FLY?!" Usopp exclaimed before he dropped on the ground. "Ow." Usopp grumbled out before looking up to see Luffy. "Y-you knew my dad?"
"Yup! Yasopp talked a lot about you." Luffy said, laughing. He was completely unaware of how much happiness Usopp had gained upon hearing that.
(Syrup Village, Meshi Restaurant)(Later)
"I'm not paying for your food, just so you know." Nami said as she looked at the Pirate crew and Usopp. The Lair had brought them to a tavern where Luffy told him how he met his father. It was interesting to learn more about one of the Four Emperors of the Sea and his crew. 'Seriously, they make them sound...normal.'
"Well a friend of my father is a friend of mine!" Usopp said before holding his chest out proudly. "Ya know those pirates of mine are still around, if you join my crew-"
"Pass."
"THAT FAST!"
"We're a part of Luffy's crew." Zoro said to himself and Rukido. He then pointed to Nami with a sneer. "The witch on the other hand is a Freeloader and-GAH!"
"SHUT IT, BASTARD!" Nami exclaimed after striking Zoro in his nose. The Swordsman could only growl, holding his face while Luffy laughed. Usopp was scared into a fright yet Rukido seemed to be paying attention outside. "You wouldn't be able to even get here without me!"
"She's right. She's an awesome navigator and a cool thief." Luffy praised with a wide grin. Nami couldn't help but feel a bit of pride from the words.
"She is better than most navigators I've sailed with." Rukido added on, his gaze still focused outside. He heard Zoro grumble something rather rude and couldn't help but chuckle.
"R-right. Well anyway, thank you for telling me about my dad. It's...it's nice to know he's doing okay out there." Usopp said, managing to keep his tears in check. He was just too happy. "If you need help with anything at all, just ask!"
"Well now that you mention it, we are in need of a proper ship." Nami said with Usopp gaining a thoughtful look.
"Well...no one around here owns a big ship or anything like that. We really don't have anyone who could make one either." Usopp said, letting out a sigh. "Sorry guys, but I don't think I can help you with your request. You may have to try the next island."
"What about that manor up top?" Rukido pointed out while Usopp stiffened.
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Usopp yelled suddenly, startling the group. Once he realized he yelled that, he instantly calmed down. "I-I mean, it's abandoned and old! No one lives there anymore!"
"I see a few people walking away from there right now." Rukido added, getting a scream from Usopp.
"Yesh. what's with you?" Zoro asked, annoyed.
"I bet he knows someone up there." Nami said, a sly grin on her face. Upon seeing his rapidly paling face, she went further. "I bet it's a girl~"
"IT ISN'T LIKE THAT! WE'RE JUST FRIENDS!" Usopp exclaimed. His face was fully red upon saying this until he realized how badly he spilled. "CRAP! YOU TRICKED ME!"
"So you do know somethere?" Luffy asked, getting a gasp out of the long nose man. However he coughed and recovered quickly.
"Y-yeah, but don't think for a second I'm gonna ask her for a ship of all things." Usopp declared with his arms crossed. "If there's one thing I value, it's Kaya's friendship. I won't abuse that for even a moment, got it!"
He managed to say all of that with a solid glare on his face, surprising most of them. Despite having a slight fear over them, he sounded extremely serious on that statement. Though his shaking in his legs was kinda ruining his cool moment.
"You misunderstand. We merely wish to speak with the owner on purchasing our own Ship should they have one available." Rukido clarified, making sure he didn't get the wrong idea.
"Maybe with your own money." Nami muttered. She clearly wasn't about to spend any of her stolen treasure.
"Not to worry. I should have more than enough to pay for a ship in full size." Rukido said, reminding Nami of the treasure he already owned himself. She pouted at not having the chance to get to it. "Would you mind taking us there?"
"Well...alright, but you better not embarrass me!" Usopp said, giving them all a stare.
"Shishishishi." Luffy could only laugh while the rest merely smirked. Well, Rukido's visor had managed to show an eye smile, but it didn't ease Usopp's worries in the slightest.
(Syrup Village, Kaya's Family Manor)(Later)
"So your whole deal is that you lie to people, rile them up and laugh about it. Not only that, but you lie to your so-called friend as well." Nami said, giving Usopp a stare as they made their way up to the Manor.
"T-They're just stories I made up. Trust me when I say she knows, but it makes her smile all the same." Usopp defended himself with a light blush. She always loved his tales, regardless of how silly and unreal they seemed. "Back when we were younger, her parents had passed and left her their belongings. But she was always sad and to top it off, she's been ill for a while. I just thought I would cheer her up the best way I know how."
"Not the normal way to cheer someone up, but if it works, it works." Zoro admitted.
"With that kind of logic, I can agree." Nami said, unable to keep the smile off her face. However she put it away remembering why they were coming here. "I only hope that she does have some kind of Ship available."
"I bet she does!" Luffy said, a wide smile on his face. "I'm getting my own Ship soon! I can't wait to see it!"
"IF she has one, make sure you take good care of it!" Usopp said. However he saw that Luffy was still giddy about getting his own ship and couldn't help but yell. "HEY! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME!"
"Leave him be, it'll be his first ship after all." Rukido said, his eye smile staying up the whole time since they left. Usopp was still a little unnerved about that, but chose to ignore it for self preservation. "Oh, it looks like we've arrived."
They all stopped before a tall metal gate which was being held up thanks to a brick wall that surrounded the manor completely. The manor itself was well kept, not a single sign showing it had aged and looked beyond beautiful. However there was a simpleness to it that made it feel humble and at home with the island. It was honestly a good sign if it wasn't over the top like many nobles and royals acted.
"How are we getting in?" Zoro asked.
"Well the guards here don't normally like me, so I've always used this tree to get over and talk to her from a branch." Usopp explained while pointing over to it. However Luffy wasn't listening and instead grabbed the brick wall with one hand while wrapping them all together. "H-hey!"
"Luffy!" Nami exclaimed, a light blush coming on her face.
"Wait, don't tell me.." Zoro said, darkly upon a bad feeling.
"This won't be good for my back." Rukido added on in acceptance.
"LET'S GO!" Luffy yelled before launching them over. They screamed as they soared straight up before they began falling. Before they hit the ground however, Luffy inflated himself into a balloon and allowed them to land on him. They rolled off while Luffy deflated back to normal with a grin on his face. "See? That was eas-OW!"
"Don't do that again!" Usopp and Nami yelled after hitting him over the head.
"Usopp?" They turned up to the manor at the voice. It was a Woman, potentially Kaya. She had pale skin, brown eyes, a slim body and long blonde hair. She was wearing a yellow dress and brown sandals. "What are you doing here? Are these your friends?"
"Um, yeah! Kaya, meet my crew! Part of the Great Usopp Pirates!" Usopp said with a large grin.
"No, we're not." Zoro said bluntly, earning Usopp's ire.
"CAN'T YOU JUST PLAY ALONG!?" Usopp yelled.
"Don't care enough, so no." Zoro said, killing Usopp's attitude with a stare.
"So mean." Usopp complained under his breath.
"I see. Oh! Forgive my rudeness!" Kaya exclaimed with an embarrassed blush. "My name is Kaya, I welcome you to my home. I'm happy to meet Usopp's friends."
'...Nope, can't rob her.' Nami thought with a curse. She could tell this girl was genuinely nice. Try as she might, she couldn't rob from people who were truly good if she could help it.
"Good to meetcha! I'm Luffy! This is Zoro, Nami and Rukido." The Rubberman introduced themselves with them making notions of who they were. With a wide grin, Luffy got straight to the point. "We wanna get a Ship from you."
"Huh?" Kaya asked, a little confused.
"What he means is that we'd like to purchase a ship from you." Rukido said before the girl got the wrong idea. "You're the only one on this island that would be able to have such a thing available, but we do want to make sure one is available."
"Oh, I understand." Kaya said before frowning a bit. "Unfortunately, we may not have any that would fit your needs. Merry may know, but he's out right now. Forgive me."
"Aww man." Luffy pouted, a little disappointed. However it faded quickly as a smile came on his face. "Oh well, we can wait for him to come back right?"
"I don't mind. Would you like to come inside?" Kaya offered. She wanted to get to know Ussop's new friends like she had with him. It would also be nice to have new friends as well. "I'm sure Klahadore won't mind making tea for everyone."
"As a matter of fact, my lady, I would." They all turned at the sound of the voice and saw a man approaching them. He was a tall and slim man with slicked black hair and pale skin. He wore a black suit with two golden markings on it over a white shirt with a curious collar, with spiral-like protrusions on the edges, and a standard black tie. "You should not be so trusting to new people. Especially given their friends with Usopp here."
"Klahadore." Usopp said with a low growl.
"I will ask nicely for you all to leave the premises and never return." Klahadore said, pushing his glasses up. His entire tone was monotone, but the annoyance was heard in his voice. "You've already broken in here, it would be a shame to have the guards waste their time with trash like yourselves."
"Who does this guy think he is?" Zoro asked, not liking this guy at all.
"Klahadore, please. It's perfectly okay." Kaya said, though there was a hint of reluctance in her voice. "They're friends of Usopp and you know he's-"
"That he's nothing more than a Liar. Worse than that, the son of a pirate who believes his father will come home." Klahadore mocked openly. It was clear to everyone that it easily got under Usopp's skin. "Honestly, why must you continue to bother Lady Kaya? Is it for her money? I wouldn't be surprised with that bloodline of yours."
"That's not even remotely true!" Usopp yelled, getting angry.
"Klahadore! Apologize this instant!" Kaya yelled, displeased with how he was acting.
"I will not." Klahadore said, his gaze focused on Usopp. "I'm merely speaking the truth. All Usopp is, is a boy who desperately wishes for his deadbeat father to return. Perhaps he will...upon washing up the shore dead. He's no doubt dead by now."
"Why you-" Usopp was about to say something until Luffy spoke up.
"That's not true." Luffy said, giving the man a stare. While it wasn't a glare, it put the man off to see the boy look so serious all of a sudden. "Yasopp is alive and well. He also talked about Usopp all the time when he was on my island."
"Don't forget he's also sailing under Red-Haired Shanks' flag as well, Luffy." Zoro said, giving the man a smirk.
"Oh, right. He's also sailing under Shanks' flag too." Luffy added on, making sweat start to bead on Klahadore's head. Usopp however could only smile upon seeing the butler's face while also thankful for his new friend's interference. "Don't talk like you know Usopp's dad."
However Klahadore was far from done.
"Do you think that proves anything? In the end, Pirates are all the same. Rotten pieces of trash who only care for themselves." Klahadore said, managing to regain his composure. "Usopp is a prime example of this trash, his lies and antics being a plague on the villagers. He is nothing more than a waste. Clearly his father saw that upon leaving him and his dead mother."
Usopp looked like he was gonna sprint and punch the butler. Luffy, Zoro and even Nami looked like they would have supported him.
"How utterly disgusting!" Rukido's voice boomed out, halting any action. His visor seemed to have gained a glare as he stepped towards the butler with his hands behind his back. "Back talking, insulting, going against your mistress' commands. This is beyond disrespectful, what kind of butler are you?"
"E-excuse me?" Klahadore stuttered out, not expecting that kind of response.
"You heard me. A butler's job is to be a manservant to the household that they've been so kindly employed by." Rukido explained, his glance fierce as he stopped right in front of the man. "It is also your job to treat any and all guests with utter respect so long as they are approved. To do so otherwise is an insult to not us, but to Lady Kaya as a whole! Through your words alone, you have painted a bad image on Lady Kaya! Had I not met her before I would have rightfully assumed so!"
"You're not guests, you're trespassers." Klahadore argued, a glare settling on his face. "All the while, prancing around with the town fool!"
"That so-called fool is Kaya's friend. And our trespassing on this land has already been excused by Lady Kaya herself. This is highly unprofessional for a butler." Rukido retorted back, not backing down for a moment. Klahadore was growling behind his teeth, no doubt getting agitated. "If butlers cannot exhibit professionalism that leaves their masters in a good light, then they are no better than pirates." Klahadore seemed to freeze at those words, not going unnoticed by Zoro or Nami. "Am I right?"
"...Yes. You are right in that manner." Klahadore said through gritted teeth. He then slowly bowed to them, his expression never changing. "Forgive me for my lack of tact. It has been...an off day."
'Yeah right.' Nearly everyone there thought. He was far from sorry and it showed as he stood back up straight. If anything he seemed more angry than before. It was at this moment where Usopp took the chance to look at Kaya.
She looked like she was getting pale, maybe feeling a form of anxiety coming up or maybe she was getting sick at the conversation itself. If there's one thing Usopp knew about Kaya, it was that she hated conflict for the longest time. Now she was at the center of it and it was making her uncomfortable. Either way, Usopp knew he had to put a stop to it.
"Hey guy, why don't we come back later?" Usopp suggested, getting their attention. No doubt surprised by what he was asking. "I mean, Merry isn't here anyway and I don't want to take up Kaya's time either."
"Huh? But why?" Luffy asked, confused.
"I just said why." Usopp said with a deadpan expression. He took a quick glance at Kaya to see how she was doing. She seemed to be doing a little better, but could tell there was a tense energy in the air. "Besides you guys haven't seen the rest of the town yet! You probably need to think of some kind of back up plan if things don't work out."
"I guess you have a point." Nami said, taking her own glance at Kaya. It was clear that she is currently uncomfortable right now.
"We should get more supplies anyway." Zoro said, remembering their lack of booze overall.
"That means a lot of meat." Luffy said, thoughtfully. Though he did send a sour look towards Klahadore's direction, which didn't go unnoticed. "I guess we can come back later."
"I suppose we should leave." Rukido said, an eye smile appearing on his visor.
"Would you like me to guide you out?" Klahadore offered, a bit forced on his part.
"No, we can leave ourselves." Luffy said, still wanting to knock the teeth out the guy's mouth. The only reason he wasn't right now was because the guy wasn't worth it now. One by one, the crew made their way back over the wall with Usopp being the last. He turned to look at Kaya, who still seemed uncomfortable.
'...I can't believe I'm about to do this.' Usopp managed to swallow his pride and put on a smile. "Hey, Klahadore!"
"Yes, Usopp?" The Butler seemed annoyed still, but was being a bit respectful.
"I...I forgive you for what you said." Usopp said, internal dying at his own words.
"I see...Thank you, Usopp." Klahadore managed to say through gritted teeth. Seemed like this was hard for him too. "I will try to be more respectful upon your return here."
"No problem. Don't mention it, really." Usopp said before turning over to Kaya and waving at her. "I'll be back with another amazing tale of the great Captain Usopp!"
With that he jumped over the wall and ran to catch up with the group, hoping he had done it all right. In a way he succeeded, but not the way he would have liked.
'Oh Usopp...' Kaya trailed off in thought with a sad frown. Her worries were now directed to her friend, knowing that he had hated what Klahadore had said. She wished he had stayed so they could talk.
"Lady Kaya." She jumped upon hearing her Butler's voice. "Forgive me for my attitude. It was disrespectful beyond belief and before you as well. I will do better, I assure you."
"Thank you, Klahadore." Kaya said, giving him a weak smile. She was still very displeased with him, but she could forgive him.
"For my Lady, anything." Klahadore said before standing up straight. "Though I will need to head into the Village. There were a few things I had forgotten to place on Merry's list and they are quite crucial."
"I see. Be back soon." Kaya said, watching him leave before retreating into her room.
Once out of sight, a growl escaped Klahadore's mouth.
'Damn those brats. I should kill them for their disrespect.' Klahadore thought before forcing himself to regain composure. 'No matter. My plan will be complete nonetheless and none shall stand in my way.' He walked towards the gate with a sinister smirk on his face. 'Soon I'll be truly free and left in peace. Once and for all.'
(Syrup Island, Beachside)(Much Later)
Usopp was sitting off the side of a clift and looking down at a beachside. He watched as the seas rolled in with nothing in sight for anyone to see. He let out a sigh and closed his eyes.
"Hey whatcha doing here?" Usopp opened his eyes and turned his head to see Luffy and Nami approaching him. The Rubberman was just finishing off a stick of meat on it, having another one in hand. Nami seemed disturbed by that and Usopp couldn't blame "You disappeared after we left the manor."
"Sorry about that. I needed some time to cool down." Usopp admitted as they sat down next to him. "Where's the others?"
"Don't know. Zoro wandered off when we weren't looking and Rukido said he wanted to explore around the island." Nami said, admitley more worried for Zoro than Rukido. She didn't know why, but she felt like the swordsman was gonna get lost. "So what's bothering you? Is that what Butler said?"
"I wanted to punch that guy." Luffy said simply.
"Yeah, me too. But I'm glad I didn't, it would have made Kaya feel worse than she already did." Usopp said, his smile weak.
"She doesn't like seeing fights does she?" Nami asked with Usopp nodding.
"Not in the slightest. She really doesn't like things like that and I almost made things worse." Usopp said with a sigh. "Doesn't mean I don't wanna knock Klahadore off his feet."
"Just be glad that you didn't. That guy was practically asking for it and I mean that literally." Nami said with a frown. He was clearly goading Usopp to attack him so that he would look bad in front of Kaya. "But at least he backed down and with a little hit to his pride I bet."
"Yeah, I just wish it wasn't in front of Kaya. She didn't like seeing that, even if it was true." Usopp said.
"Oh, that's why you had us leave." Luffy said, finally catching on. Nami could only sigh, but didn't hit him.
"Yeah, but...gah, I forgave him for what he said." Usopp said, looking down.
"EH! SERIOUSLY!" Luffy exclaimed in surprise. Even Nami was a little shocked by it. "WHY?!"
"I didn't really forgive him. I lied." Usopp said, a frown coming on his face. "How could I? All the things he's said...it just hurt."
"What does it matter what that guy says? It's not like he knows Yasopp at all!" Luffy declared, still a bit angry.
"But I didn't know him either. At least, not until you told me." Usopp said. "Before you told me, I...I thought he had forgotten about me. About mom. But you pretty much cheered me up with all those things he said about me." Usopp seemed a little sheepish at this, a smile finally coming back on. "Trust me, you have no idea how refreshing it is to know he's still out there and that he cares!"
"...It must have been rough on you being here by yourself." Nami said, getting a nod from Usopp.
"At first, but then I met Kaya. She looked as lonely as I was and I didn't want anyone else to feel that way. So I made up stories to tell her everyday and she loved them all." Usopp said, letting out a laugh. "I guess that's why I lied to Klahadore. I didn't want her to feel sad for any reason, least of all for me."
"That's really sweet of you, you know?" Nami said, punching his shoulder.
"Heh, thanks." Usopp said, rubbing it.
"...I still think it would have been easier to punch him." Luffy admitted with them sighing. Then he asked something that caught Usopp's attention. "Hey, wanna hear more about Yasopp?"
"Of course! Come on, tell me some more about him!" Usopp said excitedly. Nami could only smile as she listened to the tale.
'He was worried about him.' Nami thought while looking at the laughing Rubberman. She could tell that Luffy was worried about how Usopp felt about the insults sent his and his father's way. Yet he managed to pull him back with stories about his father. Usopp looked more like a child than Luffy did when it came to his old man. 'He just keeps getting better and better. It's a shame that he's so set on being a pirate...right?'
Nami suddenly felt a little queasy upon thinking about it before shaking it off. Pirates were bad by default, especially to her, but Luffy...Luffy wasn't another Pirate. He was goofy, idioctic and very energetic. Yet he was also kind to people in his own Luffy way and could get oddly passionate when it came to things he loved. After hearing his tale on Shanks and how he saved his life, she knew that there were a rare few just like Luffy.
Now if only the good outweighed the bad.
'Still, I don't know why he wants to be Pirate King. He really doesn't seem the type that's in it for the treasure.' Nami thought with a frown. Becoming a pirate was one thing, but going for the title of Pirate King was a whole different matter.
She planned on asking him until they heard voices below. They looked down, surprised to see Klahadore down there, but with another man as well.
He was a skinny, Sandy Blonde haired man with a striped, beard-like growth on his chin while having pale skin. He was wearing flamboyant clothes, most notable the red, heart-shaped glasses that covered his eyes and the large blue fedora over his head.
"Is the crew ready, Jango?" Klahadore asked.
"Of course! The Black-Cat Pirates are always ready to help you, Captain Kuro." Jango said before he was harshly slammed up against the clift.
"I will tell you this once more. Do not call me by that name." Klahadore, No. Kuro had said, a murderous glare settled on his face. "By the time that girl is dead and this village in ruins, I will be able to fully abandon that name for good."
"I-I know sir." Jango said, a large amount of sweat coming down his face. "Do you still require my ability for the girl's inheritance?"
"Unfortunately so. It'll be the only way to get my name on her will." Kuro said while pushing up his glasses. It didn't take long for the others to realize exactly what they were talking about.
'T-that bastard wants Kaya's money!' Usopp gripped his palms so tight that blood drew from them.
"The morning after tomorrow. That's when you will take the crew and eliminate all the villagers. I don't want to see one person left alive." Kuro said, a dark gleam growing in his eye.
"Anything for you, Captain." Jango said, more than happy to please. Kuro sighed in annoyance, but didn't act on it.
'I knew he was shifty, but to be a pirate!' Nami thought, anger coming as quick.
"HEY! BASTARDS!" Luffy boomed out, making them both pale. "I STILL OWE YOU A PUNCH, BUTT-GUY!"
"Butt-Guy?" Jango muttered, wondering what his Captain had been doing here.
"Usopp. Seems like you and friends heard my little plan." Kuro said, giving a smirk up at them.
"Don't waste your time on them, Captain! Leave them to me!" Jango then proceeded to take out a pendulum and swing it in place. "Upon hearing my words, you shall fall asleep. One, Two, Jango!"
"..."
"..."
"...Zzzzz."
"IT WORKED ON YOU!" Nami and Usopp yelled upon seeing Luffy fall asleep. However upon seeing him begin to fall forward, Nami grabbed him by his arm and barely stopped him from falling.
"C-come on! Let's get out of here!" Usopp yelled, helping her pickup the sleeping Luffy. They ran off while Kuro remained in place, his smirk never fading.
"Seems like your ability has improved." Kuro praised. However upon turning to his subordinate, his smirk faded upon seeing Jango sleeping as well. "And it seems like you fall for it as well. WAKE UP!"
"GAH!" Jango yelped upon getting punched.
"Head back to the crew and get ready." Kuro commanded as he began to walk away.
"What about those brats? Won't they tell the village?" Jango questioned. To his surprise, Kuro snorted.
"And why would they believe them? I'm the Butler of the dearly beloved Kaya while Usopp is nothing more than trash. His constant lying is his downfall and it will show." Kuro explained, not stopping his step. He himself had been spreading rumors of Usopp's pirate blood beining to take over and how he constantly bothered the mistress. "My plan is still intact, now go. I want you all ready for the raid."
"Yes sir!" Jango said before heading off on his way. Kuro could only shake his head at this before moving on.
(Syrup Island, Forest)
"Tch. So that's what that butler had planned? Now I really want to cut him up." Zoro grumbled. Nami and Usopp made it back with a still sleeping Luffy in tow. They had managed to come across Zoro, who had been complaining about someone switching signs for paths. "Thought that weirdo was out of place here."
"I have to tell the Villagers!" Usopp exclaimed, angry tears coming through. They may have been harsh lately, but they were still the people who cared for him!
"Hold it!" Nami yelled, grabbing his arm. "Didn't you say that you lie everyday? What makes you think that they'll listen this time?"
"She has a point." Zoro said. Usopp however ripped himself out of Nami's grip with a glare.
"It doesn't mean I can just stand here and do nothing!" Usopp yelled, before turning to run off. However he was instantly greeted with Rukido standing right infront of them. "YIPE! WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?!"
"Around and about." Rukido said, the eye smile never leaving his visor. He walked past them and stopped in front of the sleeping Luffy. "Hey, food's ready."
"REALLY!" Luffy snapped awake at that while everyone, minus Zoro, gawked at him. "Huh? What happened?"
"You got tricked by that weird guy's attack." Nami explained simply. It didn't take long for Luffy to remember and got back up with a glare.
"That's right! Now I have two people to beat up!" Luffy declared.
"More than that, a whole Pirate Crew." Nami said, but not worried. After seeing them in action, she had a good bet on things going well if they were forced to fight.
"Hey! We still need to tell the village!" Usopp said, looking to run off again.
"And what exactly? All you'll do is get ignored in the belief that it's another lie." Rukido said, still not bothered. "In the end, you'll only end up getting yourself hurt or worse. They won't take our word for it either, we're outsiders and friends with you. Kuro took his time with his plan, earning the trust of everyone here."
"Wait...you knew?" Usopp questioned, giving the masked man a glare.
"I had a feeling upon seeing his face, but after doing some digging around and adding in what you heard, confirmed who he really is." Rukido said, pulling out an old wanted poster. "Captain of the Black-Cat Pirates; Kuro of a Thousand Plans. A solid Sixteen Million to his name."
"Where'd you find that?" Zoro questioned.
"Amongst his things. I suppose he didn't think to burn it." Rukido explained before continuing. "The strange thing is that this bounty was completed and considered captured. By the former Marine Captain, Axe-Hand Morgan."
"That idiot?" Zoro muttered. He remembered seeing an ugly statue of the idiot being made before smirking when Luffy destroyed the thing.
"How'd they make a mistake like that?" Nami questioned.
"No clue." Rukido admitted with a shrug. Then he turned to Luffy. "So Captain, what do you want to do?"
"Isn't it obvious? I wanna kick his ass!" Luffy declared, shocking Usopp. He didn't think he would be willing to fight the man still, but now he looked more fired up to do so. "He made fun of both Yasopp and Usopp, then he wanted to kill that nice girl too!"
"Looks like we're fighting then. Shocker." Zoro said, fully expecting this. The grin on his face showed he was all for it.
"It's not like we could leave knowing we could have done something to help." Nami said, more than confident in their power houses. "Plus they're bound to have some treasure on their ship too!"
"I'd be lying if I said I would be okay with leaving this be. I'm glad we get to snip this plan before it comes to be." Rukido said, sounding oddly happy about it.
"Y-you guys." Usopp felt the tears coming and didn't bother to stop them. They were all willing to help him despite only knowing him for a short period. Wiping his eyes, he couldn't help but share his happiness. "You're the best. All of you!"
All of them smiled at that.
"Yosh! Let's go beat that Butler up!" Luffy declared only to be pulled back by Rukido.
"Easy there, Captain. We should come up with a plan." The Masked Man said.
"Eh? We just gotta beat him up and his crew when they come." Luffy said, as if it were the simplest thing.
"As true as that might be, it won't make us look that good. Or rather it would make Usopp look like a bad person to Kaya." Rukido explained, getting a jump from the long nosed liar. "While I don't mind beating him up, we should make sure that Kaya understands exactly who Kuro is before taking him down. For Usopp's sake."
"...You're right." Luffy said with a pout.
"Don't worry. If all goes well then you get to punch Kuro outcold." Rukido said, changing Luffy's frown upside down.
"You have a plan then?" Nami said, hopefully.
"Somewhat, it depends if Usopp is willing to do anything to help." Rukido said, turning to the man in question.
"Of course! I'll do anything if it means helping Kaya and the Village!" Usopp declared with a puffed up chest. He was still very clearly scared, but was willing to stand in the way of the incoming pirates. "Just tell me what you need the great Captain Usopp for!"
"I just need you to stand still." Rukido said, confusing the Liar.
"Eh? Why-"
The last thing he saw was a fist slamming into his face.
(Gecko Islands, Black-Cat Pirates Hideout)
Jango could only breath as his rowboat made it to the shore. He needed to report back to the crew about the plan their Captain had set up. Pulling the boat onto land, he fell on his back and let out a tired breath.
"You look a little tired there, friend. Need a hand."
"Ah, thank you." Jango said before blinking. He sat up straight and moved to pull out a knife only to find a barrel of a gun pointing at him. "Urk?!"
"Now, now, no need to be so rude." Jango got a good look at the man. He was a fairly well built man with tan skin, ashy blonde hair that was tied in a ponytail and onyx colored eyes. He was wearing a black and orange combat vest with several holsters on it, a white undershirt underneath, torn black pants and black combat boots. "I only need to know something."
"W-what do you want?" Jango asked, fearful of his life.
"Before that, your crew is still very much alive. A little hurt, but alive nonetheless." The man said, a wide grin settling on his face. "My name's Icon. I'm here tonight due to tracking down a certain target of mine."
"D-do you mean..." Jango trailed off only to see Icon shake his head.
"No, not your Captain. His bounty is...small compared to who I want." Icon said with a laugh. He didn't seem to care about the fact that Kuro was very much alive. "Now, you see I'm hunting down a boy with a Straw-Hat."
"Straw-Hat..." Jango muttered before his eyes lit up in recognition. "H-he's on Syrup Island right now!"
"That's good. It'll make capturing him easier." Icon said, letting out a sigh. "I was worried that we'd need to chase him across the East Blue, but I lucked out thanks to you."
"What do you want that brat for anyway? He's a nobody." Jango said, confused on the whole matter.
"He's a nobody who beat Buggy the Clown, my original target. However he went missing, but the boy will make due as a substitute." Icon explained, a smirk coming on. "As for why I want him. He carries a Devil Fruit, one that my people will want."
"...Wait...your..." Jango gasped out while Icon pulled his weapon away.
"That's right, I'm a Devil Hunter you see and I want what that boy has." Icon said, putting away his gun. He helped Jango onto his feet, who stumbled a little bit. "Now I have an offer for you. I know of your plan and may require your assistance in ensuring that the boy's allies don't come after us. If the rumors are true, the Roronoa Zoro is with him as well and that'll spell trouble for us."
"B-but we don't have the power to face the likes of him!" Jango said horrified.
"Don't you worry, just do as I say and we'll all come out fine." Icon said, wrapping an arm around the man. "I'll even make sure that you'll get some extra help in your Captain's plan.
Jango could only stop in thought. The Devil Hunters came from a land known as Kage, one of many Kingdoms that were part of the World Government. Made up of several different tribes, bringing together a set of skills that made them into the Kingdom they were today. These guys specialized in hunting Devil Fruit users, so he knew that he and his crew were safe. Not to mention they were extremely wealthy thanks to years of service to the WG as a whole. There were a few who stayed out of their Kingdom and worked independently as well, Icon being a clear example if he was willing to work with a Pirate Crew.
His thoughts went to his Captain and how happy he would be if his plan was secured.
"...Alright then! For Captain Kuro!" Jango yelled with a wide smile. Icon matched it and shook his hand, eager to get started.
That Devil Fruit was as good as his now.
(Chapter End)
A/N: So a few notable changes throughout the Chapter and a major one at the very end. I was thinking of keeping it as a surprise, but I didn't think anyone would like that. I also gave a very brief summary on Kage and the Devil Hunters, so I won't bore you with a long list of details. I'll be going into them later and much more as more info is revealed in certain chapters.
I don't have much else to add on this chapter. Well, I hope you've enjoyed it, that you come back for more and that you have a great day overall. Until next we meet.
Reviews
HyenaMan: The idea of an ex-agent of the world government is incredibly interesting. I can't wait for the next chapter.
Answer: Yeah, I was really thinking hard on how to make him like and this idea came to mind. Eitherway, I'm glad that it's getting well received. So far.
Messiah of authors: Him, knowing the six powers must mean that he was either part of CP9 or he was trained with somebody who had who could do those. Anyway, I'm super excited. So an ex world government agent that's interesting.
Answer: I had to think of something good to add an OC to One Piece and it was the best out of other ideas I've had in the past. Still, glad you like it so far.
