A couple of days has passed as the four sailed in the seas, heading towards their next destination. Nami frowned.
"There's no way we can get to the Grand Line with these conditions." She spoke in a serious tone. Zoro, Luffy, and Aya turned to her. Zoro was resting as he laid against the boat while Luffy was sitting at the front with his legs crossed, eating an apple.
"Your right. We need some meat." said Luffy as he finished his apple, eating the core.
"Yeah, and a little booze wouldn't hurt either." added Zoro.
"And some sweets! I wouldn't mind some sugar too!" said Aya, happily. "I need some energy." Luffy quickly turned to her with a horrified look on his face. "Absolutely not! You're not getting any. Do you remember what happened last time when you ate sugar! It was scary." He said, shuddering. Zoro raised an eyebrow.
"What happened?" He asked, as a small smirk appeared on his lips.
Luffy leaned in and whispered into his ear. "When Aya's hopped up on sugar, she becomes so hyper she's basically a sugar demon and hard to catch. One time she actually stripped off her clothes." Zoro's eyes widen in shock as he quickly looked at Aya as his cheeks turned red. It's bad enough keeping track of Luffy but he didn't need another energetic monster running around. "You're not getting any. Get something else, instead." He stammered, still blushing.
Aya pouted. "But I want sugar..." She said as she crossed her arms, puffing her cheeks angrily. Nami frowned as she tossed an apple into the air, catching it with her hand.
"That's not what I mean! The Grand Line's a dangerous place. We need more than beer and meat! There are other pirates who want the One Piece and they have way better ships than ours." She explained.
"You're right. We still need a crew. Like a cook and maybe even a musician to keep us entertained." said Luffy.
"A musician?" asked Zoro, laughing. Nami sighed as she reread her map. These three are driving her crazy.
"Lets see. If we head south, we should be able to reach a group of islands. It looks like we can get a ship and the supplies we need there, too." She explained.
Luffy's eyes sparkled as his mouth watered. "Whoooo-hooo! Fresh meat!" He cheered happily raising his hands into the air.
"Ton of booze, too." added Zoro.
"And sugar." Aya quickly pitched in. Zoro and Luffy quickly looked at her "No!" shouted the two of them.
"Is that all you three think about? What am I going to do with you?!" Nami sighed.
Meanwhile, on the island there was a tiny village known as Syrup Village. It was a quiet and peaceful town.
"RUN! PIRATES ARE COMING! PIRATES ARE COMING! RUN IF YOU WANT TO LIVE! THEY'LL BE HERE ANY MINUTE NOW!" a voice shouted. A slim man with black curly hair, tanned skin, and a very long nose, wearing brown overalls and checkered bandanna and boots ran through the village, screaming out loud.
"RUN! THEY'RE JUST OFF THE SHORE! THEIR BLOODLUST IS UNQUENCHABLE!" He shouted. The young man stopped and panted trying to catch his breath. After he regained his breath, the young man through his head back and laughed.
"Lie! Ha! Ha! Ha!" He laughed. A frying pan came flying towards him and hit the dark curly haired man on the head. He groaned as he held it in pain. "That hurt!"
The villagers came out of their homes glaring at the young man with an annoyed look on their faces.
"You little liar! You're not going to get away this time!" shouted a man, holding a broom as he climbed out the window of his home. Another man kicked open their door holding a broom as well.
"We've had enough!" Then another man burst open his door holding a frying pan.
"This little game is over!" Then all the doors of each house busted open as more people came out holding weapons, charging after the young man. The young man whole body shook with anticipation as the villagers advance closer towards him.
"Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it, wait for it." He mumbled. As they got closer, he immediately runs off, laughing in delight.
"Just try and catch me!" said the man as he ran towards the woods running deeper into it until he was out of the villagers' sights. The villagers followed after him, but they couldn't find him.
"As man, looks like he got away again!" said one of them.
"That boy has been causing nothing but trouble." said another villager. Soon, they gave up their search and went back to their homes. As the villagers walked off, high in the tree, sitting on a branch, was the young man. He snickered as he watched them leave. He leaned back, resting on the base of the tree feeling the gentle breeze of air blow through his hair and the sun warming him.
"Today, was a good day, again. I've helped add some excitement to this boring village."
"Hey, there he is!" shouted a voice. The long nosed man looked down to see two boys. One was a freckled boy with short spiky purple hair, wearing a red hat with a jolly roger on it. He was wearing a black sweater, a sash, light brown pants and dark brown shoes. The other boy had dark green hair which was shaped like a pepper. He was wearing a light green shirt with the same jolly roger on the front. He was also wearing a sash, dark blue pants, and dark shoes.
"The Usopp Pirates have arrived!" said Pepper as he raised his wooden sword.
"Pepper! Carrot! Is it just you guys? Where's Onion?" asked Usopp. Then suddenly the three heard a loud screech as they looked to see a kid came running towards them, screaming his lungs off. The boy had straight brown hair and glasses. He was wearing a yellow shirt with a blue jacket, a sash as well, dark brown pants and black shoes. He had a terrified look on his face.
"Ahhhh! They're here! They're here! They'll kill us all!" screamed Onion.
"It's Onion." said Carrot.
"I wonder what he's freaking out about?" asked Pepper.
"PIRATES ARE HERE! THERE'S A BOAT HEADING TOWARDS OUR VILLAGE!" screamed Onion as he ran up to them.
"Come on, quit playing." said Usopp with a disbelief look on his face.
"I'm not playing!" shouted Onion as he shook his head. "It's true! Pirates are really here!"
"I-it's for real?!" asked Usopp, nervously. Onion nodded his head. "Yes, it's for real. They're here! Then Usopp turned around and began to sprint off. "W-what? Gotta go!" He shouted.
"You chicken!" shouted the three boys at the same
"Actually, I'm sick. I don't feel good."
"You liar!"
"Sir, you always told us that you wanted to be a real pirate one day! Now's our chance!" asked Carrot. Usopp flinched. He had always wanted to be a pirate but to go against other pirates? Fight them? It's suicide!
"What's with you!? What kind of pirate is afraid of other pirates?!"
"I saw Buggy's flag!" said Onion. Usopp began to shake, nervously." B-Buggy the Clown?" He as nervously. The most crazy and bloodthirsty pirate on the seas. No way. There was no way that he was going to face him. "But, I only saw two tiny boats. And there were only four people! Two girls and two guys!" Onion continued. Usopp quickly turned around facing the three boys.
"Okay, men! Let's go and beat the crap out of those no-good pirates! We got a village to protect! Let's go, move out!" He shouted as he ran towards the shore.
"Sir!" Shouted the three boys As they followed after their captain.
As Usopp arrived at the shore, he and the three boys started setting up their plan. As they finished, Hello saw the two boats slowly approaching. He quickly told the three boys to hide as he took cover in the bushes. He pulled down his goggles to examine the pirates that were advancing closely towards the shore.
He saw a boy wearing a straw hat, a man with green moss colored hair carrying swords, a girl with orange colored hair. Then he turned his attention was drawn towards another girl with long black hair. He was taken back by her beauty as he stared at her sea foam colored green eyes. Usopp felt his heart started to skip a beat. It was like he was staring at a goddess of the sea.
The two boats made it to the island. Luffy, Nami, Zoro, and Aya climbed out and stretched their legs after being on the seas for a couple days. Luffy grinned widely as he stepped off. He could taste the meat already. His body began to shake with anticipation. Zoro yawned and stretched his arms.
"Ahhh!" said Zoro. "Feels good to be on dry land again." He was keeping a close watch on the straw hat captain, knowing that Luffy could run off.
"There's a town close by, right?" asked Aya. She saw a small narrow path that looked like a trail going up a rocky cliff.
"Yeah. But, it's a small one though." said Nami, rereading her map.
"Then that means there's meat here! Yay! Real food for once!" exclaimed Luffy.
"What do you mean real food?" asked Aya. "What about the fruit salad I fixed you?"
"No offense, Aya. But, your cooking, sucks." said Luffy. "Half of the fruits were smashed to a pulp." A vein appeared on Aya's head and she whacked Luffy on the side of his head with her fist.
"Fine then. Next time I won't cook for you even if you beg me to." said Aya.
"No! I'm sorry!"
"Too late." said Aya as she turned her back, looking away from her brother.
"You don't have to get all huffy about it. Why do you have to be so mean?" whined Luffy. He felt his stomach growling and rubbed it. "Man, I'm sooo hungry!"
"Quit thinking about food for once, will ya?!" hissed Nami, annoyed. Zoro yawned again until he heard a sudden rustle from within the bushes above them. He gripped his sword handle tightly, on alert.
"Careful. We're being watched." muttered Zoro. Luffy froze and widely looked around excitedly.
"Who? What? Where?! Is there any meat?!" He asked. Luffy walked closer to Zoro to see where he was looking at.
Suddenly, something launched out from the darkness of the woods, heading towards the group. "Look out!" yelled Zoro. He quickly moved out of the way as a small pellet landed near Luffy's feet. The more shot out from the bushes and Luffy dodged out of the way. Suddenly, flags were raised out from the bushes, surrounding the Straw hat pirates.
"Whoa! This is so coool!" Luffy laughed. His eyes darted around the area.
Then they heard someone laughing out loud above them. The four looked up and saw Usopp, holding onto a pirate flag he planted next to him. Luffy and Aya stared at him. "He reminds me of someone..." thought Aya to herself. She looked at the young man scanning his features until her eyes widen in recognition. "Could he be Yasopp's son?!"
"Ha! Ha! Ha! It was wrong of you pirates to show up in my village! I am the great Captain Usopp of the Usopp Pirates and me and my eighty-million men will take you out!" said Usopp. Nami rolled her eyes at his speech. Aya stared, unimpressed.
"Awesome!" exclaimed Luffy. Aya shook her head. Honestly, her brother can be so stupid sometimes. Then she looked up at Usopp and glared at him.
"Hey, you think we're buying this? Eighty-million men my ass!" shouted Aya. Usopp began to feel his confidence slowly slip away from him and soon panic began to flood through his entire body. He flinched from her gaze and stepped back, nervously.
"S-She knows?!" Stammered Usopp, nervously.
"What, he was lying?" asked Luffy, confused.
"Honestly, how dense can you be?" said Aya, shaking her head as she sighed.
"N-no matter! Eighty-million men ma have been an exaggeration, but I great men under my control!" said Usopp, trying not to panic. The flags began to wave and shake from the bushes. Aya smirked.
"Let me guess,...there's three of them, right?" She asked.
"AAHH! She knows!" screamed Pepper, Onion, and Carrot. They dropped the flags and ran away heading towards the village, leaving Usopp.
" Hey, where are you guys going?! Get back here!" Usopp called out desperately to them. He took a step back when he saw Nami step up and picked up the small pellet from Luffy's feet.
"A pirate using a slingshot, huh?" She mumbled to herself, examining the metal ball. "Now I've seen it all." Luffy laughed, a little impressed.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! That was pretty cool!" He giggled. His laugh only managed to anger Usopp and he growled.
"Shut your mouth or I'll shut it for you! I'm a proud man and I won't stand for it! This is your last warning. Now, you'll see why they call me proud Usopp! Not pushover Usopp. Is that clear?" Usopp pulled out his green slingshot and armed with a bullet and aimed it Luffy. The straw hat captain grinned. "You've already seen how good I am with this thing! So you know, I can rival any pistol!" Usopp continued. Luffy tipped his hat covering his eyes.
"Now that you've drawn your gun, are you willing..." He said coldly and lifted his head to reveal one eye, with a mischievous smirk on his lips. "To use it?" Usopp froze at his expression. "Guns aren't for threats, they're for action. Are you willing to risk your life?" Luffy continued. Zoro stared at the captain, surprised by his behavior then realized what he was doing and played along. He smirked and walked up to Luffy, pulling out one of his swords. Zoro gave Usopp a sinister look on his face.
"I can assure you, we're real pirates. Consider your next move very carefully."
Usopp began to sweat bullets uncontrollably. Then he dropped the metal ball and fell to his knees. "Man, real pirates are so cool. They have action to back up their words. You guys really are pirates." He moped, shaking his head. Luffy and Zoro looked at each other before the two of them laughed. Luffy bent over, giggling as he held his stomach.
"I stole those lines!" He laughed. Usopp looked at him confused and blinked. "Huh?"
"I stole those words from red-haired Shanks, a pirate I know." explained Luffy.
"What?! You know Red-Haired Shanks? You're lying, right?! You actually knew him!" asked Usopp in disbelief. Luffy smiled and nodded happily.
"Yep. And me and my sister also know your dad. His name is Yasopp, right?" He asked. Usopp gasped in shock at his father's name and lost his balance, falling off the cliff and landing on the ground.
Aya cringed. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah. I'm okay." Usopp groaned. "My old man's name is Yasopp. How do you know him?" He asked as he sat up.
"I'll tell you but, first, let's grab some meat. I'm starving." said Luffy. "Do you know where we can get something to eat?"
Usopp led the four to the restaurant in the village and ordered food.
"My sister and I met your dad when we were just little kids." said Luffy as he took a sip of his drink.
"Hold on, so my old man really know Shanks?" asked Usopp, excitedly. Luffy nodded and took at bite from his meat. "Know him? Last time we've saw him he was running around with Shanks' crew. They seemed like really good friends.
"I can't believe it. My old man sailing the seas with famous pirates!"
"Your dad talked about you constantly."
"It was kind of annoying, actually." added Aya.
Luffy made a mischievous grin. "Yeah, he would constantly try to ask Aya, trying to set up an arrange marriage between you two." He smirked. Usopp blush as he looked at Luffy stunned. Aya's mouth dropped and she looked at Luffy with a shocked look on her face. "Why did you have to tell him that part?!"
"Cause it's true." said Luffy as he blinked.
"But you didn't have to tell him THAT!" Luffy laughed as Aya hit him. He looked at Usopp. "Your dad was a hell of a sharp-shooter. He once told me that he could shoot off an antennae from an ant a mile away. He was a great pirate!"
"I sure am proud of my old chose a pirates life on the endless seas full of risks and real adventures." Usopp sighed happily.
"Then maybe you can help us?" asked Nami.
"Hm, what do you mean?" asked Usopp, turning to navigator.
"Do you know anyone in this village who can help provide us with a larger ship?" asked Nami.
"Sorry, no." Usopp said, sadly. "Well, it's a pretty small village, there's no way I can help you."
"What about that mansion?" asked Zoro. Usopp cringed. Zoro gestured outside the window, pointing towards a giant house. "On top of that hill over there?"
"Do you know them, Usopp?" asked Nami when she saw Usopp twitch. "Maybe they can help us get a ship."
"You stay away from there!" shouted Usopp, jumping to his feet.
Everyone looked at him surprised. Aya looked at him, confused. "Is there something wrong with that place?" She asked. Aya saw Usopp twitch again, then he turned to her, staring at her for a minute. He shook his head.
"I just realized I have something to do! I got to go!" He shouted as he took off running, leaving the group. "Don't worry about the bill. I've already talked with the owner his a good friend of mine, see ya!"
"I wonder why he was in such a hurry to get out of here?" asked Nami. Luffy, Aya and Zoro shrugged and continued eating their meals.
On top of the hill there was a mansion, that was heavily guarded. It had a large garden with flowers. Inside one of the rooms, there was a young girl sitting in her bed, hugging a pillow to her chest. She was slim, with very light skin and complexion as if she didn't go out much, and blond hair.
However, she wasn't alone in the room. Next to her was a man that stood in the farthest corner, watching her. He was slim and tall man with glasses and green-black hair that was neatly combed back. He also wore a black suit with two yellow garnishments on it over a white shirt and black tie and stripped shoes. He was her butler, Klahadore.
"You want to see him again, Miss Kaya?" Klahadore sighed.
"I like talking to him." said Kaya, softly. Klahadore sighed and readjusted his glasses.
"That man is without a doubt a chronic liar." He said. "He will do you no good."
"But, I-" Klahadore interrupted her. "Before your parents passed, they've entrusted me with your well-being." He said firmly as he readjusted his glasses, again. "I cannot go against their wishes." Kaya sighed and looked down sadly as she hugged the pillow to her chest.
"I leave your medicine right here. Please take it, Miss Kaya." said Klahadore as he placed a tied up package, sitting on the tray as he sat it on the desk. Then he walked out of the room.
"Killjoy." Mumbled Kaya, softly.
"Killjoy, indeed. But, my answer is still no. " said Klahadore as he left shutting the door.
Usopp managed to sneak past the guards as he used his secret passage, pulling out a piece of the hedge. He climbed through it and climbed up a tree that was next to Kaya's room. He tossed a small pebble at the window, catching the girl's attention.
She turned and saw and opened the widow, smiling, happy to see him.
"Usopp, you came!" She said.
"Of course, I did. You seem a little down, what's up?" said Usopp as he seated himself on the branch.
"I'm sorry, I want to treat you as a guest but Klahadore won't allow it." Kaya sighed, sadly. "He's not a bad person, though."
"Don't sweat it. I'm a brave warrior of the seas after all!" said Usopp as he waved her off, grinning. The two of them laughed.
"So what story are you going to tell me, today?" asked Kaya.
"Hmm...let's see. How about the time I fought a goldfish at the South Pole when I was only seven years old."
"A goldfish?" asked Kaya in disbelief.
"A giant goldfish!" Usopp told her. "I thought that I landed on an island but it wasn't an island, it was it's poop that I was stepping on." He said and gave Kaya a disgusted look, grinning. The two laughed enjoying their time together.
Back at the restaurant, Luffy, Zoro, Aya and Aya were enjoying their meals and drinks. But, just outside, three kids, Pepper, Onion and Carrot were watching them.
"That's them." confirmed Pepper.
"Let's go and save our captain!" hissed onion.
"THE USOPP PIRATES HAVE ARRIVED!" screamed the three of them as they kicked open the door of the restaurant. Luffy, Zoro, Aya, and Nami looked at them startled as they came in.
"Who are these kids?" asked Nami.
"Hey pirates! What did you do to our beloved captain, Usopp!?" shouted Pepper as he pointed his wooden sword towards them.
"Careful, brat. You could put your eye out with that thing." said Aya as she moved it away.
"Where is our captain?!" screamed Onion and Carrot in an demanding tone. Luffy took a sip of his drink, ignoring them.
"Ah! That meat was so good!" He sighed happily as rubbed his stomach.
"M-Meat?" The three kids stammered nervously as they huddled together.
"W-what have you done with our captain, you savages !?" asked Pepper as the three kids began to shake and sweat, nervously with dread. Zoro grinned enjoying the look on their faces as they were terrified.
"We ate him." He said sinisterly. The three boys screamed and looked at Nami terrified.
"Cannibals!"
"Why are you looking at me?!" yelled Nami as she slammed her fist down on Pepper's head, causing a bump. Zoro laughed, covering his eyes with his hand.
"You really had us going there." Pepper sighed in relief. The three boys led Luffy, Zoro, Nami and Aya to the mansion that was on top of the hill.
"Woah, this place is huge!" said Luffy as he looked at the mansion in awe.
"If you're looking for our captain, then this is the place he's going to be." said Onion.
"Why didn't he tell us that he knew them?" asked Aya.
"Because he's a liar." said Carrot.
"That's terrible!" scolded Nami.
"He's not a bad guy. He's great!" said Pepper.
"Yeah, he's awesome!" replied Onion.
"How's a liar awesome?" questioned Zoro.
"Well, Kaya, the girl who lives there is under a terrible depression ever since her parents died a year ago. So Captain Usopp tells her a special made up story to make her laugh and cheer her up." explained Pepper.
"Well, that's kind of nice of him." said Luffy, smiling.
"Yeah." said Onion, nodding.
"So when he tells her his stories, he makes her feel better?" asked Nami in disbelief. The three boys nodded their heads happily.
"Yeah."
"We should ask her for a ship!" suggested Luffy.
"It won't be easy. There's guards at the gates." explained Pepper. They all turned to see that Luffy was gone. They turned their heads back to see Luffy walking up towards the gates.
"I'll go ask her!" suggested Luffy.
"Luffy, you're not going to-!" shouted Zoro, before Luffy stretched his arms, grabbing the top of the fence.
"HE IS!" shouted Aya.
"Gum-Gum-" Luffy started.
"AAHH! He's a monster!" screamed the three boys as they watched in fear. No normal person could do that.
"ROCKET!" shouted Luffy. Zoro, Nami and Aya grabbed onto the straw hat captain. "NO, LUFFY!" shouted the three of them as they tried to stop him. But it was too late, as Luffy had launched all of them over the fence, sending them all flying into the sky, screaming.
"Then we threw a huge pinball down from the sky, scaring them away, that's how we won." said Usopp as he finished his story. Kaya clapped her hands, happily. Then she saw something in the sky.
"What's that?" She asked, pointing to the sky. Usopp turned around and looked up to see where she was pointing at to see Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Aya falling as they began to descend to fast, heading towards him.
"HEY!" Luffy called out. Usopp screamed in surprise as they all landed into the ground. Luckily, Nami and Aya had landed in the bushes, as it cushioned their landing. But, as for Zoro and Luffy, not to much. Zoro and Luffy had landed on the hard stone pathway face first. Zoro was groaning in pain as Luffy sat up, rubbing his head.
"That worked well." said Luffy, smiling.
"Yeah, real well!" shouted Nami, sarcastically as she glared angrily at the straw hat captain.
"We could've found another way in, idiot." added Aya. "Next time, say something before you decide to do something like that." She growled. Luffy smiled sheepishly.
"Oh my Goodness, are you okay?" asked Kaya, worried.
"Don't mind them, Kaya. They do this all the time. They're just new recruits." said Usopp, nervously.
"We only just met." commented Aya, smiling. Usopp turned to her. "Shut up!" He hissed softly. "Why are you even here?! I told you guys not to come!"
Luffy stood up looking at Kaya. "Actually, I came here to see you." He said, politely. "I wanted to ask you a favor."
"A favor? From me?" questioned Kaya as she blinked, confused.
"Uh-huh, I was wondering if there was any way you could help us get a boat-" But, before Luffy could finish, he was interrupted.
"You there! What do you think you are doing?!" A harsh voice called out. Everyone looked to see the butler walking towards them.
"Klahadore." whispered Kaya.
Klahadore glared at everyone, angrily. He readjusted his glasses. "Get out. I'll have you know that this is criminal trespassing." He said. Usopp flinched as he saw him and quickly hid out of his sight behind the tree as he walked up to the group. Aya glared at him. She didn't like this man, not one bit.
"Who the hell are you?" She asked.
