Their night had started nicely. Nami insisted on sailing their boats somewhere safer where her treasure couldn't be gotten to. Which meant Naruto and her went to do so and left the boats behind a tall rock nearby. They got out of their respective boats and started walking back to Zoro who had stayed at the slope to guard it. A nearby clone kept him company during that.
It was what happened next that was alarming.
The clones popped. One second they were there, then grunted in pain and were gone in puffs of smoke. Nami stared for a moment before starting to run. She reached Zoro within minutes, just a little out of breath.
"Did the clone here pop too?", she asked, concerned.
"It did…", Zoro agreed, eyes sweeping the forest, "I don't see any other clones either"
Nami chewed on her cheek for a second, "He said they dispel when they suffer damage. Do you think… it extends to his real body? He could be in danger!"
The swordsman grit his teeth, "He's a tough kid. Even if he's hurt, he got away"
The orangette clenched her fists and looked to the direction of the mansion. It was only a short while away, just a bit further from the village. She could make it there and back within twenty minutes. Dawn would come a little after that. There was no telling what she'd find at the mansion. If anything at all.
"He's twelve", she muttered, "Against a pirate captain. Why did I agree to this?"
"He's a fighter", Zoro reminded her, "That brat knows how to protect himself and how to hide"
And that was true but sometimes the opponent knew how to fight as well. The last she'd seen Naruto, and in his clones, the blond seemed distracted. Slow to react. He'd gotten knocked out at some point if what Luffy said was right. So it was likely he was fighting at a disadvantage. That wasn't helping her worry.
Zoro was in prime condition...
"...I'm going to check", she informed him, starting to run, "You hold them off if they come here!"
Ignoring Zoro's call, the navigator rushed up the path. She quieted her footfalls as well as she could, like years of stealing and sneaking around had taught her. It wasn't as quiet as Naruto. She hoped it had kept him safe.
He better be safe.
There was something gleaming ahead. She stopped at the field ways off from both the mansion and Syrup Village. It looked like… a pile of swords? Wait, no, there was a glove attached to the blades. She gasped as she realized Captain Kuro's weapons were supposed to be cat claws. This seemed to match that description.
Which meant Naruto had gotten him away from his weapon. She didn't know why she was surprised.
But… where was he? Or Kuro for that matter?
Nami froze as she heard a clang up ahead. There. On the other side of the field where the cliff was. A head popped over the hill, light glinting off round glasses. The cat burglar let out a quiet 'Eep!' sound as she picked up the glove, hiding it away from moonlight and running. She needed to get to Zoro or Luffy. As fast as she could.
There was no way she could win against Kuro by herself!
She just hoped Naruto was fine. At least this would draw the enemy away from him if he was there.
xXXx
Tamanegi couldn't sleep. He had too much on his mind, from the way his captain had acted to the events before that. It simply wasn't like Usopp to lie to hurt others because someone offended him or even hurt him. As far as Tamanegi knew anyway. Perhaps he hadn't known the older boy as well as he thought.
He turned under his sheets, a pronounced frown on his face but unseen in the dark. Moonlight shone through the window. It was halfway across his room. Morning would come soon and yet he'd only fallen to a fitful sleep and was lying wide awake now. He sighed, swinging his legs over the bed and walking near silently across the room, feet shuffling slightly.
The boy made it to the kitchen and climbed on a stool to get a glass, pouring some water in it and taking a sip. Movement from the window made him stop and curiously go look.
Moonlight was just enough to see a woman rush through the meadow outside. She looked familiar. Short hair and a skirt and- Oh, she was the one they thought was a witch that ate their captain. Tamanegi tilted his head.
Why is she run-, the thought cut off as someone else came to view, dark as night but five beams of metal glinting in moonlight.
They were hurrying after her but slower. Limping. Tamanegi gulped as he shifted enough for some light to be on his face. He too looked familiar. Too familiar. And those glasses confirmed it. It was Klahadore, the stupid butler.
With five swords.
His hands trembled, water sloshing to the floor as he hurriedly set the glass aside on the windowsill and rushed to the door to get his shoes. The noise he made clearly woke up her mom. Dad was a deep sleeper. But this was important! He couldn't let mom stop him! She wouldn't believe him if he-
"Tamanegi! What are you doing at the door?", his mom came to the door of the kitchen with her nightgown, "It's the middle of the night!"
He pulled his shoes on and took his jacket, "Sorry, mom. This is important! Usopp didn't lie after all and pirates are coming in the morning!"
"What-", her sentence cut off as Tamanegi rushed outside.
The members of the Usopp Pirates stuck together, and if he was right then their captain was out there. Fighting alone! He would need everyone he could. Piiman and Ninjin needed to know about this!
xXXx
Usopp alternated between looking at the slowly lightening horizon and glancing at a sleeping Naruto. He looked peaceful, except for the black strips tied around his midsection and around his arm with some red seeping through. Kaya was sitting next to him and tightening one of the bandages. She was sweaty and looked… fragile. Like she'd looked the first time he'd gone to her mansion to see her.
The pirate butler's betrayal seemed to have left an open wound in her well-being. That was to be expected, he guessed, if the man had taken care of her for three whole years without showing his true colors.
His eyes strayed to the young ninja again and he felt a surge of anger and fear at the boy's condition. The kid couldn't be too much older than his three little 9-year-old followers. He knew how to fight, that was a given with his speed, strength, and those clones… but Captain Kuro had done this to him. Usopp had thought the kid dead when Kuro knocked him out with such force and his skull had bounced from rock.
"Oi, Luffy…", he heard himself ask, eyes on the whiskered blond, "Isn't he a little too young to be a pirate?"
The pirate captain who didn't seem like a pirate captain glanced at him from the corner of his eye, expression the same neutral as it had been for the past twenty minutes. Since Naruto had fallen asleep.
"He made his own decision", the straw hat boy informed him before a light grin crossed his features, "It was much better he came with us then go on alone"
Usopp turned from the kid to the young man next to him, a small surge of respect in his chest. If Naruto's other choice was to sail the seas alone then… Well. The kid had seemed lonely. And these guys seemed strong enough they could protect him if needed.
"LUFFY!", a woman's voice rang through the forest and got both of them to turn back.
Nami was running towards them, expression panicked but determined. She ran like death itself was on her heels. Usopp blanched as he saw a shadow of a figure walking languidly behind her, calm and composed but fast like he was running. Death wasn't even that far off.
"Nami?", Luffy questioned, before his eyes found what Usopp was now pointing at fearfully, "Ah! The butler guy!"
The short haired woman reached them easily enough, panting just slightly, as she stopped next to Kaya and whirled to look behind her. Kuro was still walking towards them, though his pace was slower. Now that Usopp thought about it the butler was scruffed up. Like he'd been in a fight. His eyes drifted to Naruto, amazed.
Kuro adjusted his stupid glasses, five blades on his hand shining, "So this is where the rest of you interfering little pests have hidden"
Usopp let out a strangled gurgling noise, knees locking together at the sheer hostility those words emitted. Luffy stepped forward, just in front of all of them.
"It's useless, Usopp-kun. The plan is going to succeed", the butler's eyes drifted to a shaking Kaya, cold and calculating, "Your fortune will be mine after your unfortunate death"
"K- Klahadore…", her voice trembled, vulnerable, "You really aren't the Klahadore I knew…"
Merry's hand rested on the young mistress' shoulder, trying to comfort, even as he glared at his fellow butler. The man behind this evil plan ignored them as he looked down to the kid lying in front of her, dead to the world, and his eyes narrowed.
"How fitting", he mused, "that the thief would lead me to my newest headache so I can finally slaughter it"
Nami's eyes widened as she finally noticed Naruto's prone form. Then, Kuro disappeared. Luffy launched himself forward and struck at the previously empty space right on top of the ninja. Kuro's form flew to a tree at the opposite side of the road they were on. Luffy's straw hat shadowed his eyes as he cracked his knuckles.
"You won't touch them", the pirate captain vowed, a dark edge to his promise.
Kuro slowly rose from the ground, head twisting to the side as he rolled it to reduce impact induced stiffness. The glint of his round glasses hid his eyes.
"Curious. You saw through it", Captain Kuro stated, expression blank and yet somehow furious.
He disappeared again, this time towards Kaya who screamed in terror before Luffy was there again, blocking the hit with an elbow to Kuro's gut. Then, because Kuro dodged, he hit the man's right cheek with a grunt of frustration and launched him back back back with a stretching punch. Unfortunately he recovered quickly and was suddenly by Nami's side again. Luffy was also there.
The game of hit-and-miss didn't continue for long as Nami let out a gasp and the enemy pirate captain pulled his other sword glove on, having stolen it back from the thief.
"K- Kaya-ojousama, let's go while we still can", Merry breathed quietly, tugging his employer to her feet and bolting.
"Wait!", Usopp shouted, looking between their retreating backs and Naruto's unconscious form before Nami motioned for him to just go.
He nodded fearfully and ran after the two, getting Kaya to get on his back and running.
Nami took out her staff and settled in front of Naruto.
Luffy was positioned in front of them, standing his ground.
Kuro finished putting his glove in place. He lifted his head, glare clear in his eyebrows and mouth.
The battle was starting on another level. And Naruto was still sleeping through it.
xXXx
Usopp led Merry through the forest but honestly he wasn't sure where he should be going. So he just ran forward. Towards north. So maybe they could alert Zoro because the swordsman seemed competent and that would be protection. For Kaya and Merry. And himself.
Kaya was crying again. He could feel the tears on his shoulder where she'd buried her head.
"Hey", he said to gain her attention, "Have I ever told you about my dad?"
She sniffled and a hand lifted to dry some tears before placing it back around his neck. The young woman answered with a no. And so, for the first time in their acquaintance Usopp told tales that were true. About his childhood, of not really remembering his father but hearing stories from her mother. How he was why he learned to shoot with his slingshot. He told about learning Yasopp was in Red Haired Shanks' crew.
It was a distraction amongst the best of them. For Kaya to forget the traitor for a second. And for Usopp to just run and not worry.
Then there was a crack of a branch in front of them and all three of them yelped in fear and surprise.
"Haah? Usopp?", the green haired swordsman cocked an eyebrow at them, "What's going on?"
"Zoro!", the sharpshooter exhaled with clear relief, "Look, Naruto showed up at the other slope after his clones popped. Kuro had cut him up. Then Nami showed up with a stolen glove weapon and Kuro on her heels. And now Luffy is fighting him alone oh no-!", the fear he'd managed to push to the side came flooding in as he realized what had happened.
Zoro cut him off by taking his bandana and tying it around his head, a bloodthirsty smirk gracing his lips, "Right. I'm going there. You stay here and shout if there's trouble"
He started to run off except-
"THAT'S THE WRONG WAY!", Merry and Usopp yelled in sync, Kaya too exhausted to bother.
The swordsman stopped dead with an irritated glower, "Which way then?"
Three pointed fingers. He started that way and-
"Don't turn left! It's straight ahead!", Usopp stopped him.
When he turned so sharply to the right he faced them again Merry had enough and yelled at Usopp to take care of Kaya so he could guide this hopeless savior to where he was needed. This left Usopp and Kaya in the woods. Alone. Without protection from anyone.
Usopp looked to the direction Zoro had come from and realized the slope was right there. And he was alone here to protect it and Kaya. Only him.
At that moment, nobody could blame him for the trembling that made his knees knock together.
xXXx
Naruto snapped his eyes open, consciousness returning in a rush of confused clarity. Sounds of battle sounded to his right and he could feel his wounds throbbing. It was still much better than when he'd run from the mansion.
His headache had receded to almost normal levels.
The scene that greeted him both was and wasn't what he expected. Nami was standing in front of him with tense shoulders and staff tightly held in front of her. Beyond that was Luffy and a blur. His eyes immediately focused on it and he realized Kuro was moving fast. Cuts and felled trees were everywhere. Except their spot.
Not as fast as Bushy Brows, was his first thought.
Memories of green spandex and orange leg warmers and weight craters moved through his mind as he stared at the destruction, frozen. It looked like Kuro couldn't even see where he was striking. And Luffy couldn't concentrate on anything other than keeping his aimlessness away from his crew.
Well. That could stop now. Naruto carefully flexed his chakra and when that didn't give so much as a twinge he crossed his fingers and yelled the name of his signature technique. Many of his clones were instantly slaughtered but others dodged and struck back. Many formed a wall of physical chakra constructs around him and Nami.
"Kick his butt, Luffy!", he called out to his captain.
Luffy glanced back from the corner of his eye and Naruto saw part of the D-shaped grin that cut sharply across his face.
The very next moment Luffy struck out his fist and there was a crunch of glasses and facial structures shattering. Kuro went flying down the road and laid there, seemingly exhausted. Nami sighed in relief. Naruto would have too.
Except there were three stupid kids who decided it was a good idea to poke at a downed lion with pitchforks and shovels.
"This is for the village!"
"What have you done to Kaya-ojousama and Captain Usopp!?"
"Haaa! Take that!"
For a second the pirate didn't move. In that second Naruto had managed to run to the kids and tackled them to the ground. Three clones he left behind were cut to ribbons before popping in plumes of dispersing chakra. His wounds ached and he felt a warm trickle down his back. Blood.
Kuro was standing and Tamanegi, Ninjin, and Piiman whimpered at his unholy rage. Naruto eased himself up and in front of them, a forced grin on his face.
"This seems a bit familiar", he commented, "Should I snatch your glasses again?"
The poor things were so badly beaten that they barely hung on the man's face. Glass had spiderweb cracks and metal bent away from his ear. Kuro's eye twitched violently and his whole expression went from livid to unhinged.
"You… are a nuisance…", he seethed, nearly hissing, "...to the Plan!"
Naruto was ready to block and strike back. He was prepared to take a hit or two for the scared trio behind him. He wasn't ready for Kuro to up and disappear from his vision as he pushed his speed to its very limits.
Thump!
Luffy was standing behind him, in front of the kids, and two rubbery hands clutching the cat pirate's fingers together.
"No. No!", Kuro yanked at the unrelenting grip, a blade cutting at Luffy's hand as he tried to wiggle his thumb free, "I can't fail!"
And he pulled free from his gloves and left Luffy's arms twisted together by spinning in place. The younger captain yelped as two blades struck through one arm and made him stumble. Kuro cackled, disappearing again and this time Naruto did stop him from stomping on Piiman while getting a weapon. A shovel.
"Nami!", the ninja yelled in alarm as he realized where he was headed.
The navigator didn't have time to be alarmed. Kuro was already there with the edge of the shovel against her neck.
"I had hoped it wouldn't come to measures like this, but you have forced my hand", he spat at them, "Stop resisting or her life is forfeit!"
Luffy struggled free of the sword gloves, pulling the blades out of his skin with a furious snort. Then he paused. Naruto blinked and suppressed a grin.
Kuro interpreted it as surrender and smirked with his split lip, "Good. I knew you could see reason. Now-"
His sentence was cut off just like the shovel he was holding. Nami ducked out the instant his grip let up, spinning with her staff, and gaped up at Zoro holding Kuro at sword point.
"I think your plan is forfeit", their swordsman intoned.
"Shishishi! Great job, Zoro!"
Naruto sank to his knees to rest up from his sudden movements. He'd need a moment. Then he'd be fine to continue.
"C- Could you restrain him, Zoro-san?", Merry the butler asked warily as he poked his head out from behind a tree.
Just a few minutes later they had an unconscious Black Cat Pirate tied to a tree with loads of rope and weapons nowhere in sight. They were lucky Nami had the binds sequestered on her person. Naruto was missing the ninja wire that Sasuke always… used…
He missed his team.
The ninja turned to the horizon with a frown. He'd find them. No matter what. Then he registered what he was seeing and the promise was pushed away in place of shock.
"Hey, it's morning!", he exclaimed, "They're not here!"
Nami was the first to get it, "But that means… Usopp is out there alone!"
"What!?", Piiman, Tamanegi, and Ninjin yelled and immediately went to run to the northern slope.
Zoro grabbed their scruffs and pulled them back, "Don't be so hasty. You'd get in the way"
"But- Captain Usopp-"
Luffy crouched next to them with a big grin, "No point in worrying. I know he'll manage. And we're going to help him anyway"
"I'm going ahead! Somebody guard Kuro!", Naruto called out from the trees, ears trained on the sounds of yelling.
He didn't need to look back to know his crew was following. He still prepared to be the only one there for a good minute. After all, he was pretty fast when he wanted to be. And right now he wanted to be.
Hang in there Usopp!
xXXx
Sigh...
So, I tried to get Usopp's Arc done this chapter. Couldn't quite get there which is why things are left here. There's maybe four paragraphs written for the next chapter and I'm dreading writing it down... I might need ideas.
r/fanfiction Discord! Here I come! ...At some point.
Anyway, I hope you liked it! Thanks for all the kind reviews!