Usopp knew that he was an excellent storyteller, it came by the hand of being a prone liar (and sometimes those two adjectives overlapped each other), but when most of the people in Syrup Village never took him seriously about it or even seemed annoyed by it on the worst days, the long nosed boy only needed the smile of Kaya to make every bit of his made up adventures be worthy. With the poor girl constantly bedridden by her mysterious illness, Usopp's stories were her only getaway to feel some grasp of freedom and genuine happiness.

The tanned boy felt exactly like the hero he portrayed of himself in those stories each time the young heiress smiled, even if her creepy butler would always kick him away with the usual dismissing cruel words. So it almost seemed like a bad joke that he ended up stumbling with a bunch of pirates exactly the same day that he had awoken everyone with that lie like he did daily. There would be no way in hell that anyone at the village will listen to him, but he couldn't leave everyone and Kaya suffer the consequences of letting those people into Syrup.

While at first he was indeed terrified of the green-haired guy with three swords (who on earth used that many swords? What kind of monster was he? Call it a bit too overdo), he knew that a good lie was backed up by the confidence you managed to play into it, his trusty crewmates of the Usopp Pirates ready at his signal to make everything believable and working up until the auburn-haired girl only smirked and called him out in their setup with just a glance.

'So unfair!' He though in despair, not sure what to do now that the three kids ran off in fear once realizing they had been caught. He couldn't blame them, if Usopp was honest.

And with how things started, the curly boy still found himself a little baffled at how they all ended up eating together in the only restaurant of the village tended by an older man that rarely seemed bothered by strangers (probably already too senile to notice). The girl with the straw hat, Luffy, had immediately recognized him as Yasopp's son, telling him about how she had met him in her childhood along the rest of the Red-Hair Pirates, his constant stories about his son making her feel like she truly grew up alongside him. The long nosed teen wasn't sure if the young pirate noticed it, but it really left a giddy feeling on his gut knowing that his father thought of him daily.

But as much as they seemed friendly and easygoing, Usopp really felt uncomfortable at the idea of them getting close to his best friend, not really sure if the loud and blunt personality of Luffy would do Kaya any good.

God, he sounded like that damn Klahadore now.

The arrival of both Luffy and Zoro had been made on perfect timing, even if Usopp still felt the sting of the hit he received a few moments back. He hadn't expected that even by staying one day at this peaceful and unimportant island, the straw hat girl and her crew had decided to help them. Personal and selfish reasons or not, the gain they could get out of this was small in comparison at what they were doing for the people of his village (and Kaya) and he just couldn't think of anything that could express all the gratitude he felt.

The rest of the fight, while the curly teen wasn't yet too injured, had seemed like a weird blur.

Never in his life had Usopp met a monster like Luffy. It was ridiculous how a girl with such big pretty eyes and silly attitude could hold such immense strength to the point of bordering on the bizarre with just her two arms. The weird hypnotist, just as puzzled, was held on the verge of suffering a breakdown at how all the Kuro Pirates ended defeated, up until he managed to get the girl conked out half way in holding the figurehead of their ship to keep attacking them, her body squashed between the sand and the piece of their ship that she had ripped apart not a few seconds ago.

And what made everyone a bit nervous was that her companions didn't looked worried at all.

'Who are truly this people?!'

Nami seemed mostly annoyed (if a bit nervous) while Zoro took it as his call to take his captain's place on the fight against the two ridiculously dressed brothers that joined.

It wasn't until things started to look grim with the arrival of Kuro that the auburn-haired thief, still clutching her bleeding shoulder, dashed as fast as she could to literally kick the sleeping rubber girl right after helping the swordsman get his other two katanas back.

"Nami, why the hell did you kicked my face?!"

And the flying chakram aimed at the thief ended hitting Luffy square in the mouth. The long nosed boy could only stare in worry and surprise at the chain of events unfolding in that fight, but a deep relief seeping out of his bones once he realized that they had back up once again. The enemy pirates watching in horror how the curvy teen was not only very alive, but now held the preferred weapon of the hypnotist between her teeth with such force that she managed to shatter it (and Usopp decided to ignore the flushed faces of Zoro and some of the Kuro Pirates at the sight. He will NOT think about that), only a small cut gracing the corner of her lips at which she complained loudly as if she hadn't threw all her brute force against an entire crew of seasoned pirates.

They finally got the advantage, of that the sharpshooter was confident.

At least it was supposed to be like that till Kaya appeared, a gun aimed at the butler she used to view as her friend and protector for years.

Nami had seen the boiling hot rage that Luffy had felt when she fought Buggy. The clown had done plentiful of things that had managed to rile up the young pirate to her last bit of patience; tearing and stepping on her precious hat (her treasure) and slandering the name of someone that the rubber girl admired deeply were the main points on that regard. Back then, the usually cheery face of the black-haired teenager had been obscured by that burning rage that even Nami felt intimidated with only remembering it. When fighting Captain Kuro thought, the anger that Nami was being witness at that moment was one that actually could only be described as cold and silent.

It was obvious that Kuro was sure of his victory and he didn't hesitate in gloat about it, regarding Luffy as just a 'naïve idiot girl' even when she had been the one to punch him accurately in his annoying mug not a few moments back, Zoro and Usopp not anymore in sight to go save the heiress from the hypnotist and not looking back by Luffy's orders and intervention.

The overwhelming strength paired with the speed and flexibility of the straw hat girl served enough to put the other captain in tight corner, the blades of one of his gloves having been literally broken by the quick thinking of his opponent even in the heat of the battle but he still didn't seem to bend yet, Nami already guessing that he had a last trick under his sleeve if the fear expressed in the Kuro Pirates was enough guess.

It was obvious that winning meant more to the horrible man more than the wellbeing of his comrades, slashes flaying around without any direction as long as those managed to slice something. The absolute disregard of his crew along his weak stance towards his title as a pirate made something in the young dark-haired girl feel not only deeply offended and angry, but it also made her realize that this man didn't have any respect even for himself. He embodied what she despised and hated even more that he had the gall to call himself the captain.

He didn't deserved that position and Luffy was going to beat it into his head by force, figuratively and literally.

The fight could have ended better but at the end the straw hat girl had managed to make quite the absurd sight by kicking out the Kuro Pirates along their unconscious captain out of the island (the man having to bear the humiliation of losing thanks to a powerful head-butt). If Nami hadn't watched the whole ordeal, she wouldn't have believed it and now she had to add a third island on the list of places that Luffy had saved (Zoro already done his share on the story about the events back at Shells Town where he met the rubber girl and joined her when Nami asked about it out of boredom and curiosity). The pirate girl just didn't make sense to her at all, and the ginger-haired thief wasn't sure what to make out of Monkey D. Luffy anymore.

She found herself genuinely liking the young teen, even if their views about piracy seemed to derive on different directions. It made her wonder who was that person that got Luffy aspiring on such big dream as being the Pirate King.

They stayed at the shore in peaceful silence for a little longer (more for the sake to the rubber girl at the much needed rest) while waiting for the others to arrive. Zoro was strong even injured and both girls trusted him along Usopp to take care of the hypnotist to save Kaya. If anything, Nami felt more concerned at how the red vest of the pirate girl had been one slash away from being torn open from where her two buttons still held bravely, most of the damage from those claws done close to Luffy's bellybutton.

"Say… what made you so mad back there?" She inquired, not actually sure what to think anymore. With Buggy it had been understandable, but Kuro was a creep of a different type.

"I just hate them"

"Uh?" The girl didn't seem to be perturbed at all by the answer she gave at the red-haired thief, her eyes still on the blue sky.

"People like that guy…" There was a particular edge in her tone, not quite there but it gave more seriousness to her words. "It's wrong. That's not how you should treat your crew… your friends."

Maybe she didn't have a right to feel irritated about the girl's words, but a part of her just couldn't help the impatience at how blind the young captain could be about a pirate's nature.

Nami took the forgotten straw hat of the rubber teen and stared at it, twirling it on her finger in an idle manner while absorbing the full meaning of the sentence.

"Well, of course it's wrong. I don't know why you keep thinking that pirates are this sort of lovely things" A somber tone laced her next words, eyebrows furrowed in a faraway memory. "Captain Kuro is just your average sort of pirate. You are the weird one, if I'm honest."

Another long stretched silence came between them, sea and breeze making the only noise alongside some seagulls, and for a brief moment Nami let herself hope that maybe Luffy has finally let some sense sink into that thick skull of hers.

"Hmmm… I want meat!" She blurted out of the blue.

"YOU ARE IMPOSSIBLE!"

And this time the brown-eyed girl didn't feel an ounce of guilt when she shoved Luffy's straw hat fully on her face. Served her right.

The Going Merry was a beautiful ship; big, sturdy and equipped with everything they needed along some nice amount of supplies to last them enough (if they kept their glutton captain at bay, that is). Anyone could finally say that their pirate crew was starting to take shape with this farewell gift from their new friend and the recent addition of Usopp at the team.

Their new jolly roger proudly standing on their flags along their sail to show to the world.

Even with his cowardly tendencies and his habit on telling lies, Zoro has come to find Usopp as a nice addition to the team; another male to bring some equilibrium to the crew and to keep Luffy entertained with his wild tales or games. Both of them had the same age and energy, paired up with the fact that their captain knew the boy's father during her childhood, so they kept themselves busy and distracted enough to the relief of Nami and the swordsman, up until Luffy found they had a cannon and Usopp was just as eager to try it (clearly in an attempt to show off).

Seriously, it could only be their luck that in their first try at using the damn thing, they almost killed someone.

Crossing roads again with his old buddies, Yosaku and Johnny, had been indeed a surprise because what were the odds? Even if it was only the East Blue the expansion of ocean was still immense, no matter if they were bounty hunters, but of course their reunion had to be done by the worst possible circumstances.

As much as Nami irritated Zoro (and still didn't trust her), the red-haired witch had proved to be the brains of the crew, immediately saving Yosaku's life with just a quick examination and the easy solution. This whole situation, while rushed and odd, pointed a new needed addition to the ship to keep everyone alive and healthy (besides the obvious doctor they'll have to get too).

A cook was indeed necessary, and both bounty hunters had been very eager to pay up their help by telling them the best place where they could find their next crewmember. Luffy hadn't need to be told twice to set her mind right on the spot to their future destination, probably already finding the idea of going to a floating restaurant as a plus in the whole ordeal ("I'll stuff myself with all their food!" "You will not do such thing!").

"We also heard that the guy with the hawk-like eyes was around the area, the one you have been searching, Big Bro Zoro" Johnny told him, a bit more in private since this information was of the most importance to the swordsman considering his own dream. A feral grin almost spreading fully on his face at the idea that he could be closer to his goal than he actually thought.

It took them days to reach the Baratie, but said days were hell to the green-haired man. The first two days had been all fun and laughs watching the bounty hunter duo fail miserably at flirting with both the navigator and his captain. Nami simply ignored them most of the time (rolling her eyes at the cheesiest pick-up lines she ever heard) and only teased when she wanted the two idiots to do something for her; two slaves at her beck and call. Luffy, on the other hand, was hopelessly dense to the bounty hunters' attention.

Zoro admitted that it had been quite the laugh to see every attempt fly over her head, but then he started to get a bit irritated by the third day, the silly flirting now turning into gifts such as dishes of snacks or food (not very good, but decent enough) at which Luffy would eagerly wolf-down without a care to the world. Food was the trick to get his captain's full attention, he had discovered a long time ago, but paired with the cute "thanks!" and a praise to the nice meal, it was obvious that his old buddies were starting to prefer the idea of pleasing Luffy more than trying (and failing) to flirt with the navigator, who had already kicked them a few times so they could leave her alone so she could keep their ship on course.

Zoro huffed, already tired and with little patience to think too much about it. This can be future Zoro's problem, but now what he wanted was to take a nap, thrusting that if his captain desired for the two bounty hunters to stop, she'll easily deal with them like she did in the beginning with Johnny.

'But what if she doesn't want them to stop?'

The thought, as weird as it came, made the swordsman's scowl grow deeper.

Sanji could only think that he had died and somehow went straight to heaven, for there couldn't be any better explanation at the absolute goddess he had in front of him.

In the blur of events that was the problem with marine-jackass and the starving pirate that Patty had managed to deal with, he hardly realized that the person Zeff fell down with from the ceiling and forced to work at the Baratie, apparently, was this adorable and beautiful creature.

How could this delicate wild flower be the same one to destroy a portion of the restaurant with a cannonball? He just couldn't portrait such thing happening and a part of him was ready to go scream at the old geezer because this must be a misunderstanding, but watching the dark-haired beauty using the frilly apron and uniform exclusive to the waitresses of the Baratie had him almost falling down to the floor in reverence.

He felt tempted to go and cry in gratitude to the old man for such sight, even if he felt his heart thug in devastation at the thought of such small hands doing hard labor.

His sweet goddess looked enthralled in a conversation with the people sitting at one of the tables, two guys and another beautiful woman of auburn hair with a smirk a bit too devilish to come from such angelic face. Whatever they were talking it was obvious that it was upsetting to the straw hat lady, so Sanji decided that this was the perfect moment to sweep in and pay his adorations to both women.

With two roses between his fingers, he took with a soft caress each hand from the two beauties and bled his heart in poetry.

"Oh, I must thank this capricious ocean! For it has gifted me today with the sight of two heavenly and beautiful creatures, blessing my eyes even with all my unworthy presence!" He left one of the roses in the hand of a bewildered ginger-haired girl, while taking the other one from the straw hat lady in reverence and let his cheek rub in the back of said hand.

In his kneeled position, he hardly paid any attention to the long nosed teen and the moss-head guy (even if there was an obvious sudden heaviness around him, his scowl the most noticeable trait on his face), his whole devotion was solely dedicated to the sweet angels in front of him. The precious gem of sunset strands and chocolate eyes still seemed to be confused and surprised by his sudden approach, but the cute girl of midnight bangs just blinked in silence, her stare not giving away any apparent emotion.

The tense silence stretched among the table up until his stunning goddess suddenly bursts in a loud laughter, her free hand holding her belly with the force of her own glee and Sanji swore he could die right there and then by how cute this girl looked with such bright smile shining over his head.

"This guy is so weird and funny! I wanna keep him!" she said so casually, as if she was just trying to adopt a small little pet and, if Sanji could be honest, he didn't find the idea so bad.

So he just smirked with a love-struck expression and let the idea be entertained for a longer time.

"For you my precious gem of the sea, I would gladly be your slave and fool!"

And the scowl in the moss-head pirate darkened more in that instant.

Thank you for reading!