lawly

by footfungus

lawly

26. Chapter 26

Monkey D. Luffy is a boy with a straw hat, a pipe strapped to his back, and a fluffy monkey-themed blindfold over his eyes when he bursts open from a barrel and meets Koby, the Alvida's Pirates' unwilling cabin boy.

"Hehhh," Luffy hums, from atop the barrel of apples. "So, you don't really know what you wanna do either, so you're just staying here for now? You're so gutless! Shishishi!"

Koby whines, "come on, it's not easy, alright? I used to want to be a Marine, but…"

Luffy urges, "but?"

"Well… you've heard of The Marine Traitor, Garp, right?" he says, his voice waning into a sulk. "He was every marine hopeful's goal, until about five years ago when he defected out of nowhere… and betrayed just about everyone that ever looked up to him, including his longest and closest friend, the Fleet Admiral."

As he speaks, Luffy simply listens, crunching through the apple, core and all.

"It's just… it's still a mystery to this day why he did it, and it's been plaguing my mind since," Koby admits. "Until I find out why such a righteous man turned against the path of justice he dedicated decades of his life to… I don't know if I can confidently say I want to be a marine."

Koby turns back toward Luffy, expecting some mockery, expecting some dismissal.

Instead, Luffy smiles, warm and bright.

"You're a smart guy, Koby!" he says. "You know what, I think I like you!"

"U- Uhm," Koby peeks out over the corner of the door when the crewmembers prepare a boat for him, "I- I'm sorry, can you uh… tell Lady Alvida when she wakes up that I'm sorry…" he whimpers, "I went too far there. My head has cooled."

"Oh come on!" the Alvida pirates throw things at him, "you want us to die? No!"

"Own up to your words, dumbass!"

"Yeah, do you have any idea how upset she'll be when she wakes up," they groan, "who has to deal with this? US!"

"Aaah, I'm sorry!" Koby wails.

"Yeah, she's going to be so upset. How much work do you think it's going to be to cheer her up again? It's your fault if more cruises and fishers get raided this month, alright?"

Koby sighs longsufferingly.

"But no one else is going to hitch a ride to escape? For real?" he asks, "I thought… you know, everyone's afraid of her…"

"Afraid or not, it's worth it," they say.

Koby's surprised. They're always complaining about her attitude, mocking her appearance, and praying to the seas for Lady Alvida to not be angry— but when the opportunity comes to them, they don't take it.

They genuinely don't. They even roll their eyes at the idea.

"Lady Alvida may be a bit of an egomaniac and absolute brute, but her strength is the real deal," they say. "East Blue's been fragile these few years, especially with Garp the Hero's defection. Piracy's at an all-time fervor, and as small-timers ourselves, we won't survive if we don't ally ourselves with a decent name."

(After all, no one wanted to risk the Armada of Don Krieg, and Buggy is notorious for various other eccentric reasons. It's safest to go for Alvida, because she is neither immediately murderous, too attention seeking, nor is she a pushover.)

"We pirates have our way of surviving," they say. "We're weak, after all. This is just how people live, when they don't have the power to protect themselves."

And Koby feels his worldview widen, so much.

"I've been wondering… is that sleep mask you're wearing the popular 'Monkey Island' local product?" Koby asks, once they've set sail for Shells Town to find Roronoa Zoro.

"Oh!" Luffy carefully takes it off to reveal common black eyes, and Koby briefly wondered why he'd worn it to begin with. "Yeah, my grandpa said I'm not allowed to take it off for fights!"

"...what?"

What kind of spartan grandfather wants his grandson to fight battles on the sea… blindfolded?

"Isn't that, like, super rare? People still aren't actually sure if Monkey Island exists," Koby murmurs. "Also, it doesn't suit you at all. It's cute and fluffy. You'd think a pirate would go for 'cool' instead, right?"

"It's comfy, though!"

"Oh. Fair." Then, "wait, you're actually fighting blind?!"

"Yeah!" Luffy beams, lifting the blindfold up a little to reveal he's hiding nothing special underneath. "It's okay, I can see, it just hurts a little when I do so this makes it better. Maria's nanna made it for me!"

"Who's that— wait, so they're just very impractical sunglasses?"

"Yeah! Cool, right?"

"No?"

"You want to be a Marine?" Morgan mocks him, "as if. Someone as cowardly and pathetic and allies with pirates, like you, could only become a social embarrassment like Garp the Traitor!"

Morgan's axe swings and splices half the fence beyond him.

He points his axe forward.

"Give it up, you weakling! You'd have more honour dying right here as a tool for my prestige!" Morgan jeers. "Taking down a young upstart, and a poor young man he'd corrupted to his side— it's all for the sake of justice, and for the peace of my base."

Koby sees red.

There's a gun pointed at his head. Luffy's turned toward him, though his blindfold is still on, and Zoro curses, two steps away from helping.

But Koby isn't afraid.

He's angry. He's furious, the raw sour irritation bubbling in his chest and threatening to burst open as a scream, but only manifests as his nails biting into the skin of his palms.

This is only a Marine Captain in the corner of East Blue. Just one Captain, who's in over his head, with too much influence for his own good.

How much worse could it get inside the Grand Line, up on the Red Line, where people had more authority, more influence, and could cause more consequences ? Is this what Garp the Hero endured his entire decades of service? What could have been his last straw? He's afraid to know now.

He's afraid to know, but he's not afraid to say the words that follow.

"Luffy-san," Koby hollers, "I've decided now! I AM NOT GOING TO BECOME A MARINE!"

Helmeppo jerks back at the volume, startled.

"I wanted to be a marine because I thought they were heroes! I thought they were saviours, and I thought they were the allies of justice!" he shouts, tears brimming past his eyes and streaking down his face. "BUT THEY'VE CHANGED!"

They've changed.

They are no longer what Koby wants to be.

(And that hurts. That hurts so, so much.)

Koby had a dream— he truly, dearly had one. He wavers, finally picks up the courage— and here it ends, the rug abruptly pulled out from under him, never to be achieved.

Luffy's face pulls from neutrality into sheer rage. His fists clench so hard the veins show.

"Hah! Pathetic!" Helmeppo snorts, gun still hovering around Koby's head. "I've never seen someone wimpier than this!" His fingers in the trigger.

Koby squeezes his eyes shut, terrified.

Morgan guffaws. "Crying in the face of death, are you?"

"Don't laugh," Luffy's voice is cold.

His gaze is hidden under his blindfold, but the pressure he exuded was suffocating, so much that the marine soldiers surrounding them dropped their weapons, horrified, backing off in fear, and even Morgan tenses.

Helmeppo hasn't been able to stand up again.

"Don't you dare ," Luffy turns fully toward him, teeth grinding. "DON'T YOU DARE LAUGH AT HIS DREAM!"

What comes at Morgan isn't a fist.

It is a foot, straight up the metal jaw, denting it on the way upward and sending stars bursting through his vision as he's knocked back.

"Gomu Gomu no…"

And then, the extended foot comes plunging back down upon the back of Morgan's head, so hard it drives into the ground and reverberates as a quake through the entire island.

"AXE KICK!"

Koby cries.

He cries a lot that day, for his dream, for his disappointment, for Garp the Hero, who has never been understood and probably won't ever be.

He doesn't even know a thing about it, but he knows .

This is the reality of the world. The weak have their own way of surviving, but the strong, sometimes, even they can't survive on their power alone.

"You're such a crybaby," Luffy says.

"ShuutYUUUPP!" Koby wails, when Rika holds up the tissues for him again. "M'not crybabying!"

"That's not very convincing," says Roronoa Zoro, Luffy's first confirmed recruit, as he gorges on the food. "Come on now, eat a damn riceball, you'll dehydrate at this rate."

"It's sweet!" Rika contributes, very helpfully.

It's at the point where the second highest-ranking officer of the Marines, the Lieutenant, is on his knees bowing in apology in hopes the teenager would just stop crying so they can thank them all for defeating Morgan already.

"Honestly, though, that crater you left in the base will take a very long time to repair…"

"Ah, sorry," Luffy says, "you can call these guys. They can help."

Saying so, he hands the Lieutenant a business card sourced from absolutely nowhere. There's a Den Den Number on it.

"Monkey Island?" Zoro reads off the card.

"Monkey Island?" Koby repeats, hysterical at this point.

There's another yell of "MONKEY ISLAND?!" from the peanut gallery around them, and Luffy bursts out laughing.

"Wait, Luffy-san, are you… from Monkey Island?"

"Yeah!" he grins.

"WHAT?!"

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy!"

There's a pause.

Then, Koby shrieks, "as in MONKEY D. GARP?!"

Now everyone is shrieking.

"IS THIS GOING TO BE A TREND?!" Zoro yells, but his voice doesn't go over the hysterical chaos that's been set off throughout town.

"Helmeppo's been strangely quiet, I don't think he'll act up again," the Lieutenant says, when they sincerely thank the three for taking down Morgan. "We're waiting on orders from Headquarters, but I really think you guys should leave as soon as possible."

The East seas haven't been safe this past decade, and Marine Headquarters is vividly aware of it. There's no telling who would be sent down to this base to pick up the slack, but whoever it is, they will definitely make things harder for the crew to set sail toward the Grand Line.

"Okay!" Luffy beams, "ah, if you call the number tell them I said hi!"

The Lieutenant tips his hat. "Will do. Fair winds, young traveller—"

"Pirates!" Luffy interrupts, lifting his blindfold just a little to meet the man in th eyes and set a firm, confident smile in the face. "I'm going to be the King of the Pirates!"

The Lieutenant's surprised, but he smiles.

"Of course," he says.

He turns his gaze to Zoro.

"We can't apologize enough for the ordeal we've put you through," he says. "We won't ask for forgiveness," they don't deserve it. "But we thank you, all the same."

Zoro scoffs. "It's no big deal," he mutters. It was Morgan and Helmeppo he antagonized, after all. Not these soldiers. Even if they apologized, it would do no good to either of them.

Finally, attention is turned to Koby.

"So… young man," the Lieutenant addresses. "I'm sorry I don't have the power to do anything to make up for your dream," he says. "But what will you be doing, from now on?"

And Koby's put on the spot as all eyes turn to him.

(He was a cabin boy on a pirate ship, unwilling as that was… it'd be a rocky climb, regardless of what path he chooses from now on.)

He won't become a marine. He doesn't have the desire for it, anymore, and that leaves his path forward empty.

So instead, he turns to Luffy, catching the blindfold's eyes staring back at him and he laughs, filled with aspiration. He can't take that fluffy monkey eye mask seriously at all, and yet, he's never felt so confident, so empowered in his life.

Luffy is a pirate.

But in Koby's eyes, he's a hero.

(And Koby wants to be a hero, beyond anything else.)

So he turns fully to Luffy and bows his head. He doesn't regret, he doesn't hesitate, when the words leave his mouth next.

"Luffy-san!" he declares, loud and proud, "please let me join your crew! I'll be fine even as an apprentice or a cabin boy, I swear I'll make myself useful!"

And Luffy laughs. Unlike the laughter that's been thrown at him the past two years and today, it's not mockery, it's not in jest, and it doesn't diminish his declaration in any way.

Luffy plants and hand on his hat and the other stretches forward.

"Yeah, of course!" he says. "Come onboard, Koby! Welcome to the crew!"

Chapter 2: Romance Dawn #2: The Fool is a Card of New Beginnings.

Summary:

Roronoa Zoro doesn't quite understand what kind of captain he's been coerced to follow until he's on their little rowboat, one slightly sailworthy child between the three of them as they set off toward the most dangerous sea in the world.

Three boys on a boat. One way or another, they end up at Orange Island where the Buggy Pirates have made their base.

Chapter Text

Romance Dawn #2

The Fool is a Card of New Beginnings.

Roronoa Zoro doesn't quite understand what kind of captain he's been coerced to follow until he's on their little rowboat, one slightly sailworthy child between the three of them as they set off toward the most dangerous sea in the world.

Yeah, what the hell.

"I- It's okay!" Koby does not sound okay at all, "I can get us to the next town, at least! I hope we don't get into a storm, I hope we don't get into a storm, please don't let us get into a storm…"

Luffy laughs. "You're such a wimp, Koby! You know how to navigate, right? That's better than both of us already!"

"That's exactly the problem!" he wails.

"How on earth are you trying to be a pirate and not know how to sail?" Zoro sighs, Wado Ichimonji resting upon his shoulder.

"You too, you're the Demon of the East, but you don't even know where the east is."

"I don't even know why people call me that in the first place– and I do know where the east is! It's the side where I put my swords!"

"Oooh, that's a smart way to remember it!"

"NO!" Koby yelps, clutching the map and compass in desperation, "no, please! EAST AND RIGHT ARE DIFFERENT THINGS!"

When the boy in a joke of an eyewear and awfully civilian-looking hat showed up on the execution grounds with the offer to free him, Zoro honestly didn't think he was awake.

But the boy had been real, and serious, and he had freed him, and Zoro had agreed to join this crew.

He just didn't know yet, if his decision had been the right one.

Also, the fruit's kind of freaky.

"You think a lot huh, Zoro?"

Zoro jumps. He hadn't realized Luffy had been awake. Night watch is slow tonight, and Koby's sleeping soundly, using Luffy's lap as a pillow for any semblance of comfort on this hovering raft that can't even anchor itself for a night.

"That's fine," Luffy assures. "You're a good guy. I know so."

Zoro doesn't understand why this dumbass trusts him. But it feels nice to have an unconditional trust extended toward him with no preamble except their similar dreams forward— so Zoro believes it's only kind to give the same trust in return.

Luffy didn't laugh at his dream to become the World's Greatest Swordsman. Luffy didn't laugh at Koby, for his similarly unattainable dreams.

So Zoro respects him, and his declaration to become the King of the next era.

"Oh. The waves changed," Luffy says, lifting his blindfold from his eyes to rest it around Koby's face instead, when the wind blows. "This is going to change our course… maybe we should wake Koby up?"

Zoro frowns.

It's so dark out. Luffy claims to have no sailing knowledge at all, so how could he connect this breeze to a notable difference in the plan Koby's laid out for their next stop?

"Give the kid a break," Zoro says.

The kid's got enough on his plate just dealing with all the sailing work while Luffy and Zoro do the bare minimum of not make his work any harder than it has to be.

Luffy snickers. "True!" he pats Koby's hair so carefully, Koby nuzzle's into his stomach and drools, and Luffy takes the opportunity to loop the sleep mask around Koby's face before making fun of how dumb he looks with it.

"Koby's worked hard today, he can rest the night."

Koby will be whining tomorrow about being thrown off course, but Zoro and Luffy won't realize why that's a problem until Koby is hysterically crying at them about not being woken up to fix it. It takes more work to reroute, and Koby's lacking skills just aren't capable of confidently getting them back on track.

Even then, they'll let him sleep the next night long, and the next, too, even if it ends with them being cosmically off course and hungry and stranded.

Koby gets really mad at them for it, but they'll do it again.

"We need a navigator or I am going to lose my mind by the end of this week," Koby mirthfully reports, "please, Luffy, that's the next person we're recruiting, please ."

He's begging for mercy at this point.

Luffy giggles, "Sure! And then we'll get a cook and a musician too, I guess."

"You just listed some of the least important things ever!" Zoro points out. "Seriously, this pirate crew's already headed toward disaster." Then, softer and less serious, "I might have followed the wrong guy."

Koby nods miserably, "I want to say the same, but I've resigned to the fact that I'm the one supposed to get any rationality in here at this point. I think it's better for my mental health."

"Sheesh, if he gets sick and we get stranded for even longer it's going to be your fault!" Zoro groans, dumping his haramaki over Koby's form as the boy shivers and sneezes, his clothes strung up on his swords in hopes the sea breeze would dry it quickly.

Luffy snickers, "sorry, sorry!" he says, hand planted on his hat. His blindfold's around his neck after the hassle of trying to secure their things before they were all lost to the sea. "Thanks for getting it back for me, Koby!"

Koby sniffles, teeth chattering, "i-i-i-it. It's okay. No p-rob, blem, Luffy-san!"

The night winds really aren't good for any of them, and they're all exhausted from the long days out at sea with nothing around them. Their food's already run out, too.

"Seriously, this hat's my treasure!" Luffy beams.

"Then take better care of it," Zoro says with a fond sigh.

"Kind of a sh-shame it's a little worn out, though," Koby chuckles, trying his best to curl up small. "There were some stains around the corners, too. If we could find a hat restorer somewhere, they could find a way to make it stop falling apart as much."

"Eh?! No, I don't want anyone else touchin' it," Luffy says, clutching his hat, "it's okay like this!"

"It's going to crumble," Zoro says. "Even swords need to be maintained, valuable or not. Or it'll be unusable eventually."

Luffy's lips purse as he clutches his hat close. "But…"

Zoro really thinks he's made the wrong decision when Luffy grabs a bird, gets grabbed by said bird, and now they need to chase him through the damn ocean in hopes they don't lose him to the horizon.

"South! SOUTH!"

"WHAT THE FUCK IS SOUTH?!"

"UH! Behind you— six-o'clock, THERE!"

And then they get some shipwrecked survivors onto their rowboat to do the rowing for them. (They did try to hold Koby hostage for a second, but Zoro made sure they were well aware that that wasn't on the table.)

So now the three wayward pirates-turned-servants are now desperately rowing toward Orange Island, while Koby leans into Zoro's side (there isn't exactly much space left) with the map as they try to figure where Luffy could have gone.

"I'm quite sure Luffy-san headed toward Orange Island…" Koby sighs. "We already attacked them, and now we're walking straight into Buggy's territory, so we're going to walk into their trap either way… why do things have to be like this? He's the last person we'll want to antagonize in this sea!"

Zoro clicks his tongue in annoyance. "Maybe we should throw them offboard?"

"Oh! I have a better idea," Koby says, "hold them hostage! I heard Buggy the Clown cares very much for his crewmates so we can use them to barga— nevermind!" he whirls back around, "that's worse! We're going to die if we return you to your captain in anything but mint condition! Oh no!"

"Nah, the girl that screwed with us already got that part done. You're fucked either way."

Koby screams.

Zoro rolls his eyes, "don't be such a wimp, Koby. What's the big deal about this Clown guy, his bounty's pretty high for the East, but wasn't that Marine Captain Morgan also known for taking down a guy worth around that much?"

"You can't judge the strength of a pirate by their bounty number, Zoro-san!" Koby insists. "Especially not Buggy the Clown. In the prominent numbers of East Blue right now, Buggy the Clown is the only one whose name is well known, even outside of our sea!"

"What? Why's that?"

"...uh honestly, I don't know…" Koby glances toward the pirates, who also shake their heads. "I mean, he is known to have a devil fruit, like Luffy-san does, but…"

Zoro hums, satisfied. "Then there's nothing to worry about. Let's go."

Koby wails harder, "I'm the only one with rationality in this crew and I hate it!"

Zoro wants to say he's exasperated, but at this point, 'tired' is a more accurate word.

Luffy, still blindfolded, awkwardly smiles at him from the center of absolute carnage— well, there doesn't seem to be dead people, just a lot of unconscious bodies in the wake of a big brawl Zoro seems to have missed.

A girl– orange-haired, young, and out of place among the circus tents, looks up at Luffy in horror.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS, YOU FLASHY BASTARD?!"

The circus has been utterly ransacked, and, it seems Buggy the Clown has just returned to see . He looks marvellously pissed off, and Luffy can only turn to Zoro and Koby and chuckle.

"Oh, took you guys long enough!" he says. "Sorry, I started another fight! I'll be done soon, you guys can just wait there."

"Awh, I don't get to join?" Zoro whines, just for show, as he looks around warily.

Luffy had taken out dozens of them. Buggy has a rather big crew for such a small town base, and it's almost impressive how Luffy looks barely phased.

"L-Luffy-san, what are you thinking?!" Koby hollers. "You can't just— pick fights with anyone, do you know who you're fighting?!"

"I don't! That's your job, Koby!"

"THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU WAIT FOR MY ADVICE FIRST?!"

"Advice is meant to be heard, not listened to!"

"Don't smartass me— wait a minute. LUFFY-SAN, YOU KNOW HOW TO SMARTASS PEOPLE?"

Luffy laughs, interrupted only to swerve aside from a flying knife sent at him from behind. He spins aside, turning fully to Buggy, a scowl on his face.

Buggy's glare is set firmly on his face, brows knitted so tightly, a lesser man would have burned in place.

But Luffy doesn't. Luffy meets him in the eyes and challenges him, to fight further.

"Flashy bastard, cocky pieces of crap, one after another…" he snarls. "You dare mess with my crew in my absence and have the gall to flaunt and dally right before me!"

Luffy's face pulls neutral.

"You wench! First you steal my map and treasure, and now you bring more trouble!" Buggy snarls at the girl, who flinches sharply. "When I'm done, I'll be putting you brats' heads on a platter before the bay and see if any other upstarts try to mess with our crap again!"

From the moment he sees the clown, Zoro doesn't take him seriously.

How could anyone, honestly, when someone with a moniker and dedication to the name of a 'clown' tries to sell himself as intimidating? Zoro's not a kid, he's not afraid of these hijinks in any way.

(He regrets that very quickly, when a knife plunges into his back, and Luffy's calling him out in worry, and Koby gasps.

He'd heard that the guy had a devil fruit, but is there seriously a Devil Fruit that renders his prided swordsmanship so utterly helpless?

"Luffy-san's immune to projectiles, and Buggy's immune to blades!" Koby hisses, looping, Zoro's arm around his shoulder and looking around as warily as he can.

They can't even run away properly. Buggy's wearing a large cloak, and they have no idea if his other hand is attached or elsewhere. The bodies on the floor makes the counting of limbs very difficult.

"Hey, don't hurt my crew! You're fighting me!" Luffy yells.

"You started it, punk!" Buggy snaps back.

Luffy threw his head sharply aside to dodge a blade behind him, and Buggy's eyes widen. Luffy punch is thrown fast and long toward Buggy— but it's easily avoided as Buggy pulls his torso back, cloak fluttering high upward to obscure vision.

The cloth descends, and Buggy is gone.

Luffy jerks back as he realizes Buggy's head in right behind him— only to unwillingly trip right into a knife protruding from the ground, hidden in a piece of Buggy's torso hidden under the bodies at his feet.

He howls, losing his footing and sprawling into the ground— but before he can throw a punch in retaliation, he hesitates.

"Wha— what are you doing, Luffy?!" Zoro calls. Why's Luffy just staring down at the ground, dumbfounded? This is the perfect chance to aim for the nuts!

(Also, Nami's been strangely missing for a while now…)

Buggy simply sighs, body rejoining above Luffy.

His face isn't filled with anger anymore. There is neither hostility in his gait, in his tone, or in his words.

"What the hell, so you can use Haki," Buggy mutters. And Luffy's head abruptly jerks upward, as if he'd just noticed, exactly where Buggy stands. "No wonder you're wearing that stupid thing. Oversensitive Observation, huh? Who awakened you against your will, you flashy upstart?"

Luffy's head tilts in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

Buggy sighs, looking away.

"I guess it doesn't matter," he says. "You cover your eyes to give yourself a handicap before the battle, eh? You're growing too dependent on your Haki, too early in the game. Let me guess. You were trained by a marine."

"LUFFY-SAN, LOOK OUT!"

When Koby screams, Luffy is very alarmed— but he doesn't know, what he's supposed to look out for. His blindfold's over his eyes and it's too late to uncover them and find out.

Zoro sees it too, the hand behind Luffy, shooting forward with a blade right at his head— and Luffy doesn't react. Koby's letting him go and scrambling forward before Zoro can hold back the bleeding in his gut long enough to call out, too.

"BEHIND YOU!"

Luffy can usually see so much even through the blindfold, and yet, right now, he seems to see nothing at all.

Luffy gets shoved aside just in time for the blade to shred sharply upward, It misses the hat, and Koby's head is swerved into its place.

Everyone realizes what's going to happen, but no one, not even Buggy, could prevent what happened next.

"KOBY!"

"THIS IS YOUR FAULT!"

"YOU PICKED THE FIGHT FIRST!"

"YOU GUYS WERE CHASING NAMI! AND THEN YOUR CREW ATTACKED ME FIRST!"

"YEAH BECAUSE SHE STOLE OUR MAP AND TREASURE! WE'RE PIRATES, WE RETALIATE, THAT'S WHAT WE DO!"

"WHATEVER! LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO KOBY!"

"I WAS TRYING TO TEACH YOU A LESSON ON FUCKING LOOKING WHERE YOU'RE GOING! IT'S NOT MY FAULT HE JUMPED IN!"

"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO CUT HIS HEAD OPEN! YOU WERE AIMING FOR MY HAT!"

"YEAH BECAUSE THE HAT PISSED ME OFF! WHAT THE HELL IS A MONKEY D. DOING WITH THAT HAT?!"

"SHANKS GAVE IT TO ME!"

"ARGH I FUCKING KNEW IT, IT IS THAT HAT! GIVE IT TO ME, YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY TAKING SHIT CARE OF IT!"

"SHUT UP, IT'S MINE! AND YOU LITERALLY TRIED TO CUT IT JUST NOW!"

"IT BELONGS TO SHANKS! AND THAT HAT CAN TAKE A BEATING, JUST GIVE IT!"

"NEVER!"

"...uhm, guys," Koby tries, though Mohji is still carefully wrapping his head in bandages, "I'm okay…"

"YOU SIT DOWN WE'RE SCOLDING YOU LATER!" Luffy and Buggy scream at him in unison and Koby jerks upright with a squeak and a soft response of affirmation.

The Buggy Pirates, after Luffy and Buggy inevitably called a truce to treat Koby's injuries, revealed themselves to only be briefly knocked out and faking the unconsciousness thereafter to avoid the battle. And now, they're already starting to regather and recoup their losses.

"It's okay, we're used to losing fights," Mohji assures, "we're weak, kinda, and we don't have numbers to handle big fights either. We play dirty, we act pathetic, and we simply have fun and survive. That's what this circus troupe does."

"Captain Buggy! Cabaji's fighting Roronoa Zoro, help us stop him before he gets beat up!" someone hollers in the distance.

"Also, Mayor Boodle just dropped off some of the corn harvest for us, in case you wanna catch him," someone else calls.

Zoro sighs, sheathing his swords after defeating the unicyclist swordsman. They've already binded up his wound at the side, though it still hurts a little.

He looks around, and not a single one of them holds a grudge. They laugh, unhindered by the lost battle. They treat each others' wounds, brag about dumb scars, and balance highly upon bottles and balls, to make a show.

They're all clowns, simply livening up the party, fun and free. Sometimes it comes at the expense of a few nicks and crashes, but they smile on, in hopes the crowd around them laughs much louder than the pain rings in their heads.

And then, dumb and stumbling, foolish yet free and unbothered, they thrive.

(They aren't weak at all, despite how they look, despite how they claim.)

"Also, Nami seems to be setting off with our map and treasure right about now," says someone with a pair of binoculars. "She's stealing one of our ships too. Should we just let her go?"

Buggy spins around so quickly.

"WHAT? She has all our treasure, of course not! STOP HER— AGH, I'LL DO IT MYSELF!"

And then Buggy is grabbing his disembodied leg, and with a baseball pitch he yeets his feet into the town, as far as he can.

Luffy pries his eyes out of the blindfold just in time for the sharp wind of the impact of the throw to nearly take him off his feet.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU WENCH!"

Buggy jets off so quickly, pulled in by the momentum of his feet, and there's a very soft scream in the distance.

And then, Luffy realizes.

"WAIT, SHE'S MY NAVIGATOR!" he yells, "I NEED TO GO AFTER HER TOO!"

And then, Gomu Gomu no Rocket, spring and yank and shoot.

Zoro sighs, looking over to meet Koby in the eyes, who laughs nervously. Let's just hope Luffy doesn't sail off into the ever blues and turn this into yet another wild goose chase.

"You've got guts," Zoro says, as Koby prods at his now broken glasses, wondering if tape could salvage this.

"That's high praise," Koby says. "I just wasn't thinking. My body moved on its own, and… you know," he chuckles. "I just thought, Luffy-san really does treasure his hat, huh?"

Zoro sighs, resting a hand upon Wado Ichimonji.

"You did good," he says.

Koby's smile widens.

"Ah, while you're here, take one of these," Mohji says, holding up a handful of colourful, patterned bandannas. "I don't have enough bandages. We just got out of another battle and our stock's short, I closed the wound, so just cover up with one of these."

They're gaudy, lime green with daisies and beaming yellow with sunflowers.

Zoro stares at them incredulously.

"They're Orange Island local products… the Buggy Pirates actually have a trade monopoly for these, so don't be shy, take them all."

"Trade?!" Koby gawks.

"Yeah. Piracy itself is not very profitable in East Blue, you know?" Mohji shrugs the lime green bandanna around Koby's head as he whines in protest. "We're not just the weakest sea, we're also the sea with the greatest divide between the rich and poor. Gotta survive somehow in these conditions… also, how old are you? Why is a kid on a pirate ship?"

"I'm fifteen… and I'm a cabin boy…"

"You're a baby! OH my god you're a baby! GUYS THIS CREW HAS A BABY."

"Hey, Luffy-san's only seventeen!"

"OH MY GOD GUYS GO CALL CAPTAIN BACK! THE STRAW HAT KID IS ALSO BABY."

Chapter 3: Romance Dawn #3: Her Envy is borne of Poverty.

Summary:

Nami regrets trying to form an alliance with this weirdo the second she realizes he's a pirate. She regrets it very much.

Alas, she finds herself stuck with them, at the mercy of their charity, as she wades through risky turns each minute. But that's nothing new, and so, she soldiers on.

Notes:

Thank you everyone for reading! I did not expect so many people to read this! The comments made me so happy! I am going to try to meet as many of your expectations as I can, but no promises because I'm not very experienced as a writer, I'm just trying my best.

Also, I actually just realized that I never mentioned if Sabo or Luffy have slave brands! They do! Sabo has an additional number on him, but they all have the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon on their back, which is why Luffy wears a tank top instead of a vest. More secure. At least to me. It's just a small detail.

I forgot to mention, but I'm making Koby one age younger than in canon. It doesn't change much! I just feel it's appropriate for his appearance and role in the Strawhats now, I'll be doing the same for Marianne (Miss Goldenweek) as well when she comes back eventually maybe. Vivi will stay sixteen though.

I have something of a plan for who will join the crew for East Blue already and how they will get stronger. I hope they will grow on you when the story gets there.

For now, let's make our way past Orange Island into Syrup!

Some may have noticed I am writing in different perspectives each chapter, it is on purpose. Oda says Luffy is an act-before-thinker, but with the changes to his character I want to see how other people see Luffy, before writing a chapter of how he thinks now. Next chapter will be Usopp's perspective.

Chapter Text

Romance Dawn #3

Her Envy is borne of Poverty.

Nami regrets trying to form an alliance with this weirdo the second she realizes he's a pirate. She regrets it very much.

(She thought he was some big shot undercover, because he was hiding his face and all— but he wasn't.) He's just some upstart that's definitely way too dangerous for Nami to get involved with.

If he can beat opponents blindfolded, then Nami isn't about to risk her hand with him. He can definitely see more— she knows, she's risked her hand once trying for Chew's pearls and regretted it terribly— so it's a bad idea, through and through.

"You see, some yakuza have taken to conquering islands as of late," Nami says, hoping this information would distract him. "Piracy's so fervent, the land's not enough for even the landlubbers at this point… they're fighting for territory, trying to rise. If you're not looking for territory in the East, it's better you don't get involved and leave off to your Grand Line or whatever."

Luffy hums.

"I don't get any of that complicated stuff. So basically the people of this town got chased out?"

"Not really, they're in shelters right now to save energy, but once the repairs are done, they'll be moving back in," Nami says. "And the Clown Troupe, the Buggy Pirates, are shored at the Main's Peak, to prevent anyone else from trying for a while."

"Oh, so they're nice pirates?" Luffy peeks out of his blindfold, turning toward the direction Nami had pointed. There really is a colourful tent over there…

"As if! Pirates are never working for the good of the people or the civillians!" Nami scoffs. "The people are paying him a percentage of their harvest even now, and they have a monopoly on the trade of this island, meaning they're completely at Buggy's mercy in case anything happens!"

Luffy doesn't respond, which Nami sighs to, because it means he doesn't get it.

As if someone as naive and full of stupid dreams like 'Pirate King' at his age would understand, anyways. He's probably spent his whole life idolizing piracy and destruction, Nami isn't in a position to reason with him.

"You know, if you really want a navigator, I'll consider it… but on one condition."

Now Luffy turns toward her, responsive. "Really? What's it?"

Nami smirks, mischievously. It doesn't matter, because this kid's blindfolded, he won't know. How nice that she's only got to do half the acting job— ah, there's some nice rope.

"Well, Buggy's after me right now, since I stole his map to the Grand Line and a good amount of his treasure," she says. "He's not going to let us sail like this, so you gotta come with me and explain the situation to him. Is that good?"

She toys with it around her fingers, sitting on the table, swinging her legs. This guy's tough in a fight, but he's lanky and dumb, and she already knows his fruit with how he used it to take down the guys that touched his hat.

"Oh! That's a great idea! Since they just came off another battle, I can probably win even if things go wrong, right?" Luffy says, beaming.

"Yeah! And then we can sail safely, two birds with a stone," Nami matches his energy, delighted that he's a fool after all.

"It's a good idea!" Luffy continues, "if I don't manage to win, I guess you can just hand me over in exchange! Or, since you don't really like fighting, you'll probably skip the whole fighting part, cause it's just easier to hand me over immediately."

Nami freezes.

"Oh, but what happens to our deal, then?" Luffy realizes, belatedly. "And I don't like being tied up, so no thanks to that either!"

He laughs.

Luffy stands from the chair and away from the food, happily opening the windows. He didn't lift his blindfold, not even once. "Oh well, don't gotta worry about most of the details, you know what you're doing! So let's go!"

Nami suddenly really, really doesn't want to anymore.

What the fuck. What the fuck. What the fuck.

It's a shitshow.

She ditches him toward Buggy and tries to play her original plan out— pretend he's her boss and throw the pirates' attention to him instead— but it doesn't work at all.

Buggy's not around, and Nami thought this would be the right time. Without the leader, the grunts would simply hold off the decision, take in the prisoner, enjoy their time with a girl, and it'll be easy to slip away in the meantime.

What she doesn't expect is just how strong Luffy truly is.

The second they tried to take him in— Luffy had scowled. And, in a single swipe of an endlessly extending foot, he'd taken out a whole crowd in one fell swoop.

"I said," his voice is low. "I don't like being tied up. So, no thanks."

Nami can't believe this.

Luffy turns, ever so calmly. Toward her.

"Huh? Weird." He plants a hand on his hat. "I thought you'd be happy if we defeated them all and you got to run… but you're not running? What's wrong, Nami?"

This is bad.

This is very bad.

Nami has to get out of here, right now.

"Oh, took you guys long enough!" Luffy's attention shifts to two newcomers— Nami hisses, when she realizes who that is, Demon of the East, Pirate Hunter Zoro — "Sorry, I started another fight! I'll be done soon, you guys can just wait there."

"Awh, I don't get to join?"

They have a kid with them.

They're crazy. They're all— they're all impossible to reason with. Nami's bitten off way more than she can chew, and she needs to remove herself from this situation. He can't afford to be captured and used by another pirate crew right now.

There's no way this stubborn guy that needs a navigator is going to let her go if he gets her.

"NAMI, YOU'RE GOING TO BE MY NAVIGATOR, YOU CAN'T RUN— oh! There's my pipe!"

Nami has a second to shriek before Buggy the Clown is charging at him, Luffy is shooting toward Buggy, and they collide unceremoniously to crash right into the building beside the port.

At the loud noise, a dog sleeping by the door squawks, jerks awake, and starts barking in a reprimand for the insolent boys that caused damage.

"YOU FLASHY DUMBFUCK WHY DID YOU CRASH INTO ME?!"

"WHY WERE YOU IN MY WAY?!"

"I FLEW FIRST!"

"I FLEW SECOND!"

Luffy huffs, dusting himself off in a fit of annoyance, picking up what looked like a worn-out pipe around a shoulder harness, pulling it over him comfortingly like it belonged there. It really didn't. He has a fluffy sleep mask and a straw hat and denim shorts and it's all uncomfortably incoherent.

Nami wants to leave, but it's too late. She's already in Buggy's range.

There's only one thing she can do— jump into the sea and try to lose them– but that's suicide. But it's fine, right? She's lived with Fishmen, she's a decent swimmer—

"Hey, no jumping into the sea, that's dangerous!" Luffy yells, and Nami shrieks. How did he know?! Is he a mind-reader? That makes so much sense now. "And it's not fair! I can't swim!"

That's the point, Nami wants to retort, but Buggy has a hand on her treasure and she's whipping out her staff before she can think better of it, furiously whacking the gloves limbs like they were mice upon her gold.

"HANDS OFF!"

Buggy yelps, "it was mine to begin with! Get your own!"

"What do you think I'm doing?! Your treasure is probably also stolen anyways, give it up!"

"No, you first!" Buggy snaps, "and I'll have you know that gold is from the city's shares and taxes! My crew's actually pillaged gold is on the other damn side if you want to steal it instead!"

"That one is guarded triple and vaulted and it's tedious to move things out of there! And there's less gold anyways, I counted!"

"YOU BITCH YOU ACTUALLY WENT?!"

"I wanted to take it out, but you made it so it's impossible to get most of it out without a damn forklift! You're so stingy and impractical!"

"I'll show you 'stingy and impractical' when you meet a guy with a drill for a head that keeps his treasure under a million-layered iceberg!"

"What?" Nami's flummoxed.

"WHAT?!" Buggy's too furious to realize he didn't make any sense.

"Oh, Grandpa told me that story," Luffy speaks up, laughing, "his drill got destroyed and the treasure's stuck there now, right? It was super funny!"

"Yeah… don't laugh, it's a tragedy, you insensitive prick," Buggy sounds morose.

Nami similarly grimaces, nodding sagely. "Yeah, losing a lifetime's worth of treasure, in such an unfair way is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemies… stealing should be a tactical battle, you know."

Buggy pats her on the shoulder. "Yeah, at least if I lost it to Nami running off right now, I'd get mad at my own bad vigilance. Imagine losing it all and the treasure's just wasted! Money's meant to be used, you know."

"Oh uh," Luffy hesitates, "I am. Uh, sorry."

"As long as you understand," Nami says.

"Yes, yes, as long as you understand," Buggy says.

Nami turns to Buggy.

"So. Since we just had a moment of camaraderie, any chance you can just let me go now?"

Buggy sighs fondly, a smile on his face curling in amusement. "You know, Nami, you're a clever little burglar cat and I don't hate a little thief like that. You'll live, long, you'll live strong, I know it," he says.

Nami chuckles sheepishly, "you think so?"

"Of course," Buggy smiles approvingly, hand on her shoulder proud and firm. "But the answer is still fuck no. GIVE THAT TREASURE BACK!"

"Fine, at least give me the map to the Grand line, I'll go chase after stronger pirates there instead!" Nami argues, on her knees, getting lectured.

"Absolutely not!" Buggy yells, "you all don't got a snowball's chance in hell and— you guys barely have a damn rowboat! And if I'm hearing this right, you two buffoons lost your captain the moment you got into vicinity of another island! You can't do that!"

Zoro's very offended. He's leaning against the couch because Koby gets to lie on it.

"Oh come on, we found him," he says, "how were we supposed to predict this idiot would get carried off by a fucking bird?"

"...trust me," Buggy says, looking incredibly conflicted, "that's going to be a trend. Not even an unusual trend, it is going to be a daily thing. If you're the First Mate—"

"I'm not the— Koby, you joined first, right?" Zoro turns to the younger boy.

"Ah, yes, Zoro-san, but… the First Mate is the second-in-command, so it doesn't have to be the first to join," Koby says. "You're better for it."

"You don't even know what a First Mate is?!" Buggy groans.

"In my defense I was a Pirate Hunter up until a little less than a couple days ago I don't remember."

"How long were we on the sea.. I don't know," Koby says, "we don't have a logbook either. I don't know when's the last time we ate."

"I don't even know where to begin with how unprepared you are. I'm just speechless at this point."

"I don't care, I'm a thief, not a pirate!" Nami insists. "And unlike these buffoons, I've been fine on the seas thus far! For like, nine years!"

"I know what a First Mate is!" Luffy beams.

"Thank the seas for that!" Buggy throws his hands into the air.

"They're such a tiny crew, they don't need one," Mohji nudges his head toward his lion companion, "right, Richie boy? You can be the First Mate, I'm tired of this."

"Mohji!"

"Yes, yes, I'll go stop the party over there so we can line up the boys and do a crash course on pirate common sense, I know, I know…"

And so, a party begins.

Somehow.

"Ridiculous," Nami scorns. They're so carefree, even though the villagers gathered on the other end of the island are struggling to make ends meet and get their next shipment out, so their next month may be a little lighter.

They're working as hard as they can, and here the Buggy Pirates are, squandering it all in a party.

"...Shanks was going to hoist the colours over the New World if you didn't show up," Buggy says. "Thank me. East Blue wouldn't exist if I let that happen."

And Luffy bursts out laughing. "Awh man, I miss those guys!"

"But this just shows, no matter how flashy you get, there's still some stuff you can't take on," Buggy sighs, slumping over the rubble and the circus equipment with a mug of booze in his disconnected hand. "No one likes those stars on top of the wall. But if they were gone, it'd take too much effort than anyone could be bothered to expend, to keep the world working. And no one's about to volunteer."

Luffy hums, surprisingly quiet as he listens to the man's drunken tirade.

"Did you hear what happened to Big Man Ti?"

"Hmm? Oh, he's the guy that burned the big place, right?" Luffy says, "Grandpa said the Marines shot him."

Nami doesn't know what they're talking about.

(But if they're talking about a pirate, she's happy to hear they got what they deserved.)

"Yeah. After that, the Fishmen Pirates really went wild," Buggy says, and Nami can't stop the way her hands tremble. What are they talking about, she's now urgently in need to know what they're talking about. "Wherever you go in the East now, avoid Conomi Islands."

"Fruit and nuts Island?"

"I'll mark it down with a big red X on that map of East Blue," Buggy says, annoyed, and Koby gives a resigned sigh. "You do everything in your damn power to stop your captain from getting there."

"...I'll do my best," comes the very unmotivated call.

"Oh, X marks the spot," Zoro murmurs, still chugging from his mug, "is that our next destination?"

"NO!"

"But why?" Luffy asks.

Nami wants to know too. Her fists are clenched tight and her lips pulled firm. If Cabaji's noticed anything off about her attempt at obviously trying to swindle another drink, he hasn't said a thing.

"Do you know what the Fishmen Pirates did to that mark?" Buggy sets a hand on his chest, "they burned it into the mark of liberation, the Sun."

Luffy pauses of that.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, oh," Buggy says. "Not everyone with that mark comes from the same place as you… but they all live on with the same grudge as Big Man Ti. Remember that. Arlong, specifically, inherits his hatred toward humanity. So, it's better you never meet him, for both of your sakes."

They seem to be talking of someone who thinks and lives— thought and lived— like Arlong, and that thought petrifies Nami with fear. If there's someone out there that thinks the way Arlong does, and Arlong is simply the inheritor of his will… then how much worse would those on the Grand Line be?

Fishmen terrify her, and she can't possibly fathom someone greater than Arlong.

Luffy's face is even and unreadable.

Nami can't breathe as she waits for his answer.

"I see," it comes, simple and apathetic. "Okay, I get it. But no promises, okay? If he gets in my way, I'm going to punch him, whether we both like Big Man Ti or not."

Buggy chuckles.

"I should've known trying to convince a D's a fruitless endeavour. But now I can say I at least gave your poor crew a heads up," he gives Koby a sympathetic glance. "Try not to die doing it. I'm really not in the mood to try and stop another Old Era's hoisting of colours. The winds, they know how angry we are already."

Nami's blood runs cold.

If Luffy, too, inherits from the same man as Arlong…

…then he, too, must be evil.

"You better get a decent ship and crew before you head into the Grand Line, got it?!" Buggy warns, when they help the boys get restocked for their journey on. "And here, you, apprentice, cabin boy, here's a list."

"Eh? Me?"

Koby peruses the list. It's a general supplies list for a voyage, including necessary crewmembers for a decent sailing journey, akin to what Koby's seen the Quartermaster on Alvida's ship organize before.

"You're the apprentice, right? Then you handle the odd jobs and errands until you get people that can do it better," Buggy says.

"Oh! Oh, this is really helpful! Thank you, Buggy-san!"

"Don't thank me, usually it's the captain that's supposed to tell you this shit!" Buggy groans, "seriously, it's rough being an apprentice to a good-for-nothing captain with only passion and charisma to drive him forward, so good luck, you little brat."

Koby chuckles at that.

"It's fine. I like it like this," he says.

Buggy lips hitch into a smirk.

"Oh, I get it."

Then, both eyes turn to Zoro, who's staring skeptically.

"Don't expect me to wish you well. You'll be fine even if we threw you into the fires of hell," Buggy mutters.

"I don't need your empathy!" Zoro snarls.

"Also, mind the wound on your waist, you'll regret it if you take it easy."

"You're the one that stabbed me!"

"Yeah, yeah, have some whiskey, go."

Zoro stares at the rather expensive-looking bottle that's pushed into his hands with some apprehension. "...is this supposed to make up for it? It's working."

He's quite miserable with the fact that is it.

"You're welcome. I know how sword-wielding one-track-minded morons think," Buggy grins smugly. "Also, does that white sword have a name? It looks like it has a name."

"Swords have names?" The concept's utterly bizarre to him.

"Whatever you do, Don't name your son after it."

"What?"

Nami listens in beside them, and she squirms, uncomfortable.

(They spoke of piracy with such innocence and fascination that it made her sick to her stomach. They know nothing. They know nothing about how people have suffered under the hands of pirates, and thus, this disgusting role threads them together like boys on a dream cruise.)

(Nami hated it. Nami hated it so, so much.)

(But she had to survive, and thus, she said nothing, and allowed herself to be seen out of the island by Buggy's crew as they wish them a strong voyage ahead.)

(It's okay.)

(She's used to being treated like a pirate, anyways.)

"Ah, Nami, Namiii," Cabaji calls for her, and she jumps, turning to him with a feigned smile on her face, wondering with annoyance what he wants from her.

"Yes, sir?"

"Hahaha, let's not go that direction," he holds up a pouch in his hand toward her, and she takes it with confusion. "Here, some needles. And other stuff."

Her brow raises.

Inside, a row of needles and pins in varying sizes lined up, with thread and oddly-shaped picks between the many flaps and sections. There's even a cork opener in the mix, a small switchblade, and— a small screwdriver?

"You're a thief, aren't you?" he asks, rhetorical, "then you'll need those. I'm actually appalled you don't."

She's never seen such a well-supplied miniature toolkit before.

"...all I need is a hairpin," she insists. She doesn't want to owe a pirate nothing. "I don't need your charity."

Cabaji chuckles, "it's not charity, I'm just tossing out my old one for a better supply," he says, "the island locals tried to fix it for me but now it looks lame. Don't give it back. Offer it to Davy Jones instead, do the honours."

Nami scowls. "They fixed it for you and you're giving it away, you ungrateful dickhead?!" she can't believe how rude he is! "You utter pirates have no eye for the value of things at all, privileged arses!"

She wants to sock him in the face but decides against it.

She's been in dire need for quite a few of these tools, sometimes, and though she's always managed to improvise with tricking the way to the key somehow or the other, it'd be much easier if she had her own set. She's never been able to spare any money to afford her own, so this was… nice … she supposed.

"No take backs!" she declares, pinning it to her belt. The pouch's a little worn out compared to the tools, but some attempt at making it look nice was made, with the patterns of the Orange Island local fabric-dyeing present in its new protective cover. It fits well onto her hip, and she couldn't help but feel a little pleased by it.

It's homey, and made with care.

She'll take care of it, since the pirates won't.

("Wow, that's unusual," Mohji says, after a while. "You're being nice to a girl . We're not letting you live that down ever.")

("What can I say," Cabaji hums, "she reminds me of myself, a little.")

("Well, let's hope she's not too much like you," Buggy says, "cause one day she's going to reach too far into the wrong pocket and end up in some clusterfuck.")

(And Cabaji laughs. "You really think she hasn't already?" he snarks. "Plus, I still think it was the best mistake I made in my life, Captain.")

"He sure was nice, wasn't he?" Koby muses, as soon as they're far enough in the horizon they can't see the waving anymore.

"Yeah," Nami says, holding up a map. "Pretty dumb, too."

And then she pulls a wallet out of her skirt, along with several pure gold chains. Zoro opens the cabin door and gold spills out to the boat deck.

Koby's jaw drops. Zoro is flabbergasted.

Nami whips out a staff and bonks Zoro on the head— or tries to, anyways, Zoro dodges it— and she scowls. "No stealing!"

"You have no right to tell me that!" Zoro groans.

Luffy giggles, and Zoro whirls toward him, utterly in disbelief. He knew? Because there are plenty of things Luffy can't see, but there are also several things around that Haki cannot feel.

"Hey come on now, there's honour among pirates too, Luffy-san!" Koby chides, "Buggy-san helped us! Don't steal from him!"

"Nah, I'm still mad at him for cutting your head," Luffy says, reaching over and carefully taking his face in his hands, if only to squint at the bandages like he'll be able tot tell how the wound's healing over the layers. "At least it'll leave a cool scar! You got it strong and brave and proud!"

Koby falls silent.

Then, hiding a blush, he clears his throat and turns, pushing Luffy away in embarrassment.

"Okay then."

"It's okay?!" Zoro blurts.

"Captain's desires are absolute, Zoro-san!" Koby says, trying not to address the fact his cheeks are pink.

"Yeah!" Luffy grins. "Ah, but the gold is Nami's though, she can keep it," Luffy turns to her, and she jumps, touching her face as if she'd suddenly realized she looked disgruntled at the aspect of sharing. "I agreed she could keep all the gold if she did one condition."

Nami balks. "Right… you never named your condition…" She squirms back. "You know what, I might actually want to go back on that deal for a hot fucking second right now—"

"Huh? Why're you suddenly grossed out by me? What'd I do?"

"Can you stop reading my mind for a second, how are you even doing that?!"

"Ah right, my condition!" Luffy gets immediately distracted. "Let's go to an island with good food next! Nami can pay, right?"

"Wha— I'm paying for your food?!" Nami gasps. She had definitely not been thinking of that. "...uhm… you guys don't eat a lot, do you?"

Luffy doesn't answer. "Koby! Where are we going next? Oh right, Buggy said we're supposed to ask Nami that now. Nami, where are we going next?"

Somehow, three had become four.

"So who's this Shanks, anyways?" Zoro frowns. "You were talking to Buggy for quite a while about him."

Nami's fixing the hat now, trying to get the worst of the damage to decent condition, because she just can't bear to look at it.

"Shanks is the one that gave me this hat!" Luffy says, proudly. "I'm supposed to give it back to him when I become a great pirate!"

(Nami wonders if it's worth accidentally dropping the hat into the sea right now.)

And just as soon as her intrusive thoughts reach her head, the hat is snatched out of her hands and placed back on Luffy's head. Luffy's smile is tight, but he's pulled his blindfold back over his eyes.

"It's my treasure," he says.

Like a warning.

Nami puts her hands down, obediently returning the needle to her pouch. She doesn't protest. She doesn't try to test her luck.

(She isn't safe here. She has to remember that.)

"Then what about that pipe?" Zoro frowns. "You have so much stuff on you but you never use half of it. What's the point?"

"My pipe is important too!" Luffy says. "It's the coolest pipe in all of Monkey Island."

"It looks like you got it from a garbage dump."

"Exactly!"

"Can you even fight with it?" Zoro raises a brow. "But even if you could, I don't really see the point… you have no issues with range or anything."

Luffy snickers. "Yeah, but it's cool!"

"That's pointless. Doesn't it get in the way when you fight?"

"It does! It falls sometimes when I rocket too!"

"Then ditch it!"

"Don't wanna!"

"Oh come on, can't we keep it up for now? We're losing some good wind," Nami pouts.

"Absolutely not," Koby chides, untying the sail of Buggy the Clown and bunching them up in his arms. "We're going to enter the horizon view of the Gecko Isles soon. If they pin us down as pirates, they won't be welcoming, even if we dock off-pier."

Nami pouts. "Well, I've been fine thus far."

She also always infiltrates pirates and thieves anyways, or she uses the name of the flag to trick her way into their ranks, but she's not going to mention that.

"Because you're careful and quiet and quick. Now you're three men down on speed and much more eye-catching," Koby says. "It's okay, I'll teach you a trick I learned with the Alvida Pirates, you just flip it around and put it up the same way… ah, if it's double-sided, turning it upside down or crossing it out works too. It's best to just raise a white flag instead, though."

Nami begrudgingly accepts the advice. It might be advice from a pirate, but it's good advice, she'll admit. It's bad news for civilians that pirates are learning tricks to stay unsuspecting, but she'll take what she can.

She hates pirates. She'll never not hate pirates.

But this kid is fine. He's innocent. Just went through a lot of bad experiences, like her.

(Maybe he can still be taken out of this situation…)

(Maybe he can still get out of this, before he's lost too deep into this life of crime…)

"Nami," Luffy speaks up.

Nami flinches.

He's on the far other side of the boat, seemingly asleep with his straw hat over his head— and yet, nothing has missed his senses.

"Koby wants to be here," Luffy says.

Like he knows. Like he knows.

What utter nonsense.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Koby lifts his head, but Nami and Luffy are talking to each other and pay him no mind.

"You don't have to be so scared," Luffy says. "I don't want to be trapped anywhere either. If you really don't want to be here, then we'll find a new navigator on our next island… and you can go wherever you want. But are you sure about that?"

Nami pauses, unsure what he means.

Nami's survived alone thus far. She doesn't need any help, whether these nonsensical pirates are strong or not.

"I just want your treasure," she says. "I have no use for pirates that are penniless. I'll repay you for your help on the next island, with one meal. And then, I'm gone."

She doesn't think they will honour that promise.

"You insisted on me so much. Do you really think I'd believe your lie of letting me go?" she glares. "I'm not stupid. Why are you pretending to give me permission, I'm not running anywhere."

Is he trying to find something to use? Claim a traitor situation and give a reason to incite a fight, so he can claim her for good? Pirates are dirty bastards. If they want her skills… they would do anything to make her stay.

(But she'll be fine.)

She clutches the mark around her shoulder, hidden under her sleeve.

(Worst case scenario, there's no East Blue Pirate— no, there's no East Blue human that won't cower at the sight of this mark.)

And yet, Luffy smiles confidently.

"Let's do that then," he says. "I guess we're only sailing until the next island together. But don't take Koby away from his dream."

Nami scowls.

"...his dream?"

(Once upon a time, she, too, had childish dreams, true and free.)

Luffy grins. "He wants to be a hero!"

Her fists tighten over the map in her hands. "A pirate trying to be a hero? You've got it backwards," she scoffs.

"I agree," Luffy snickers. "Pirates, we're not heroes, you know. But, Koby doesn't think the same. His dream is to be a hero, as a pirate… so no one's allowed to tell him otherwise."

His eyes are cold and resolved as he turns to Nami.

"No one gets to tell him his dream is wrong."

Nami bites her bottom lip.

"How about useless? Stupid? Impossible?"

Luffy grins. "That's okay! Because if someone says that about your dream, it's your job to prove them wrong!"

Nami's eyes widen, lifting her head in surprise.

She hasn't seen this man's smile fall even once.

He must not have any worries in the world, she thinks. And she spites him. She spites him so, because she's so envious of his naivete, his innocence, and his strength— she's so envious, she could die.

Chapter 4: Syrup Village #1: The Boy who cries Pirate.

Summary:

In all conscience and good faith, Usopp's life had gone to shit. And there's nothing he can do about it.

There's no way Usopp can win against the Barto Club that has raided and taken over Syrup Village, and he's content being a worthless lackey for the rest of his life. (Kaya isn't fine with that at all, and she's going to ruin it for him.)

Chapter Text

Syrup Village #1:

The Boy who cries Pirate.

Syrup Village is a small place in the corner of Gecko Isles.

The only thing of value here would be a very out-of-the-way mansion, where a single girl lives with an abundance of inheritance after her parents' passing. But as the treasure of the village, the rather sizeable town would fight tooth and nail to protect her.

So, it's not a village anyone would think is worth pillaging. There just isn't much payoff for the effort required, and it would feel more like bullying a bunch of hamsters, rather than fruitful and fearsome pirating.

In this age of increasing piracy in East Blue, there was no self-respecting pirate that would spend their time on this island. There's no prestige to be earned, and the seas know prestige is important in these difficult times for seafarers.

(That's why they thought they would have been safe.)

(Even as Usopp ran around the town every day calling for pirates, pirates , they know it's all in good fun, in little real danger, and nothing true.)

(That's why the one time they didn't believe him when it counted— they were raided.)

"Is that all you've got today, you brat? You're so useless!"

"Are you makin' fun of us with this measly amount? You think this much is enough for us? HUH?"

"Ah, I get it now. He broke the wagon on the way and lost a lot of the supplies. What a dumbass!"

Usopp squeaks when his nose is grabbed and shaken, a mocking shove to the ground before the boot comes up an inch beside his face.

There's a deep sigh.

"Seriously, this village is useless. It's not all that rich either… You say you're a son of a pirate but is that a lie too, long-nosed doof?"

"Geez, we'll go talk to the villagers ourselves. How pathetic do ya gotta be, you wasted so much because you're such a weakling, have you no regard for the resources of mother nature, huh? You are a man of the sea and lost all respect for the land, eh?"

"You're such a joke, seriously! You've never even been out to sea yourself!"

It's not a lie. It's not a lie, and yet, Usopp can do nothing but whimper and tremble as a foot comes down on his shoulder and pins him to the ground.

But it's fine.

It's fine.

Just two days ago, the Barto Club stumbled into Syrup Village.

They were pissed. Clearly they had just lost a big battle somewhere else and came here for solace— and they wouldn't hesitate to raze some shops to get their way.

Honestly, the villagers would have been fine with a mutual understanding. Host these guys, give them some food, pay them taxes or whatever— it's not like they have protection in the off-shores, and it's much better than trying to fight them. Yakuza were known to have honour on the land, unlike pirates. If they could get on their good side, perhaps, things would be fine.

So, they naively thought.

But then, before any of that could even be initiated, Usopp had come out the blazing glory with a fleet of pirate flags, declared himself the captain of a fleet, boasted of his father's name, and demanded they leave—

—yeah, he got humbled very quickly.

"Oh please, please!" the mayor had done everything he could to try and save his own hide, "he's just our village troublemaker, dreaming of silly piracy, you know his kind. His father left the village so long ago and he's been coping. Please find it in yourself to forgive our idiot youngster."

The Barto Club had laughed.

They stepped on his hand and his dreams and his skills, and deservingly, Usopp was jeered at, crushed under their feet, and the villagers could do nothing to help them.

"Oh is that so?" Bartolomeo had guffawed. "Great Captain Usopp, huh?" he crouched down and patted Usopp on the head. "It's okay, Mayor! We'll give Great Captain Usopp a mighty deserving welcome!"

The smile promised hell.

(And the villagers that threw Usopp under the bus to survive, they did nothing but watch.)

Usopp had been angry. He had been so angry, so humiliated, he wanted to get up and cry and scream and throw explosives in their faces if only he could save just a little dignity, just a little pride. Just so they would stop spitting his father's great name in that terrible, terrible tone—

—but he wasn't strong enough.

"W- What are you doing?! Get off from Usopp-san!"

And then Kaya had shown up, and all fight instantly bled right out from him. Merry held her back, and Khlahadore scowled at the sight of the yakuza with no attempt to engage in a fight.

Khlahadore quelled the situation with an agreement of protection, and Kaya collapsed from the effort soon after with no fanfare— but Bartolomeo turned to Usopp with a knowing grin, and Usopp realized at that instant that his fate had been sealed.

They destroyed everything, his village's trust, his pride, his little meager strength. And then, they had also found his greatest weakness in Kaya.

"It's okay, little girlie! We're not bullying Usopp!" Bartolomeo grins, smug and wide. "We're friends, right? Just friends. And friends help each other out."

The smile haunts Usopp.

The promise of bloodshed rings in his ears unspoken but true. And Usopp doesn't know if it's his fear or his rationality speaking, but he knows he's utterly helpless.

"We'll get along swimmingly from now on, yeah, Usopp- san?"

In all conscience and good faith, Usopp's life had gone to shit. And there's nothing he can do about it.

"Hey everyone! We got some good dashi from the villagers! We can mix this in with Grammy's everything-stew recipe! It's a partaaay!"

"Woooah! AWESOME!"

"Bring out the big pots, bring out the big pots!"

Usopp sits outside the window as the group drinks and celebrates for the night in the town hall.

Apparently, today's the birthday of their grandma or something, so they're all dressed formally and celebrating over Den Den Mushi.

It's a strange sight, these usually colourful delinquents dressed in prim black, gathered a big room with low tables set up neatly in a row for everyone. They sit, and hold their cups to the boss on a higher seat. They cheer to the honour of their leader, and they eat, paying respects to the chef and the host, before toasting loudly to a noisy night ahead.

Pirates, at least as Usopp's heard, would be throwing a chaotic party, disorganised, rambunctious, and nonsensical. But in Yakuza, the honour toward the leader comes before anything else. They still have a similar amount of fun, they still make a mess of the place— but it's controlled, with all honour and humility to the leader.

It's not bad.

Pirates and Yakuza, they both hold value in their tradition and hierarchy. Maybe they're not all that different, in the end.

(Well, what would Usopp know? He's neither a pirate nor a yakuza, he's barely either and he can only pretend to know.)

"Ah, Usopp! Found ya, found ya," Gambia kicks the door open, drunk. His clothes are all dishevelled, an utter waste of such formal wear— but he hooks an arm around Usopp's shoulders and drags him in. "Let's introduce you to Grandma!"

Usopp doesn't like it here.

They look down on him, destroy everything he stands for, and they don't care for him. He's their punching bag, as far as they care.

But he also sees how much they love each other, a family in all but blood. They care for each other, and when the villagers offered, they gave back their protection, with surprising honour. They are selfish punks that only care for their own, but their definition of 'their own' expands quickly with each territory they claim.

They are terrible, horrible people, Usopp doesn't want to think otherwise.

But he knows, at its very core, that they are a family of their own.

(If he's unable to escape from this situation, maybe, cruelly, he can find a way to survive here… he'll never be free, he'll never be a true dreamer again, but he can still live.)

(Maybe that's enough…?)

"PIRATES! PIRATES!"

Usopp curses when Tamanegi runs up to him while he's trying to water the plants. The Barto Club had made the Town Hall their newest base, and the plants apparently from their hometown all require quite fond care. He's up for the task, and it's his only reprieve of the day outside of miscellaneous gopher duties.

"Shh!" he hisses at him, spotting the other two of the Veggie Trio scampering from a distance. "What do you brats think you're doing, I told you not to cry pirate!"

"No it's for real!"

"What? I'm not falling for any lies!" Usopp insists.

"Oh hey Usopp, your kids are noisy today again eh?" Gambia says, sticking his head out the window.

"No seriously! We didn't notice until they came ashore because the sail was inside out but! It's BUGGY'S FLAG!"

"WHAT?"

And now suddenly there are ten more Yakuza sticking their heads out the window.

"Stop it! Wait not!" Usopp holds his hands out to shield his kids, desperate, "you idiots, you know they've got beef with the Clown Pirates, don't come up with a lie as ridiculous as—!"

"It's NOT A LIE!"

"Tamanegi!" Usopp chastises.

"Why aren't you believing me, Captain?!" Tamanegi yells, frustrated.

"Yeah, we really saw what we saw! It's just two small ships, but it's really a black flag!"

"What kind of pirate hides their sails?! And they shouldn't know the Barto Club is here, so tell me, what reason do they even have to come ashore on this side?" Usopp reasons. He really doesn't want his kids to face any consequences for trying to trick the guys. Seriously they should've run this through him before going for it.

"Now, now, Usopp, don't be so hard on them."

Usopp freezes.

He thought Bartolomeo didn't wake up until two in the afternoon.

Bartolomeo cackles, a hand on Usopp's shoulders. "Let's all go see these pirates , shall we? Lead the way, kiddos!"

Usopp feels dread creep up his spine.

"Y- Yeah!" Tamanegi spins on his feet, "this way, Boss Barto!"

Bartolomeo pats Usopp on the shoulder twice as his goons step up, following after the unsuspecting trio of kids.

"Oh right, Eatery Aunt Meshi told me to go to her place to get some grub for the day," Bartolomeo turns to Usopp. "Go do it for me, Usopp."

"Ah… yeah," Usopp doesn't have a choice. "Will do, boss."

He's afraid. For the kids.

If there aren't any pirates there— they're in for hell. He's seen Bartolomeo tie someone by the feet and throw them in the sea for less. And Usopp doesn't know what he can do to ensure the kids make it out of a situation like that alive.

Ah please, god.

Please, may there be a ship with a black flag coming by.

Not at all for the first time in all of Usopp's life, he prayed so desperately, so desperately, for there to be pirates at the shore.

God always disappoints Usopp.

But maybe, maybe just this once…

…just this once…

Usopp stumbles hesitantly to the eatery, pulling his wrist warmers down on the new bruise, tightening the straps of the gardening gloves around his wrists. He affixes the cap over his head, hoping the band-aid doesn't show through the edge of his ears.

And then, he takes a breath.

Puts on a grin.

"Hey, Aunt Meshi! I'm here again!" brightly, charging right in.

The grimace that instantly adorns her expressions is expected, but Usopp doesn't let his features fall for even a second. He doesn't glance toward the customers— there's a full table today, uniquely enough. It's not even lunch hour.

There's a click of the tongue as the moody mother lifts her head from her guests, tucking her hands inside her apron before openly scowling at him.

"It's on the counter. Take it and go," her tone is curt.

And her eyes don't leave him for a second. Usopp reaches for the huge pot on the counter obediently. He doesn't reach for anything else, because he knows she would react fiercely if he tried anything.

She no longer trusts him.

That's fair.

He glances toward her customers— and his eyes widen.

(What is Kaya doing here?)

Kaya's been going out often lately. Khlahadore kicks up a fuss every time, but it's only made her desire to escape even stronger. The villagers have taken to indulging her nowadays, especially since she's taken special interest in visitors as of late.

They're always looking out for her, Usopp isn't needed anymore.

She's in long, boyish pants today, though her button-up hides no notes of her prestige. She turns away from him, resting a hand on her chin and facing the opposite direction, bu there's no mistaking that canary yellow hair. Usopp has already seen her, and no one's missing her bare feet dusted with soil.

In front of her are people Usopp has never seen before.

A boy with a straw hat, a character blindfold over his eyes— a young lady around Kaya's age, but her hair's bright orange as she frowns at him skeptically, putting her figure between them like a challenge. There's a younger boy, with pink hair and a colourful bandanna around his head, clearly glancing around nervously.

And then, a green-haired man with three swords. (A bounty hunter. Roronoa Zoro, who doesn't know him?)

(No… Tamanegi said there were two small ships. Maybe they're the ones that came from that ship… it would explain the flipped sail.)

(Kaya's in danger if she stays with them. The Barto Club are out for blood.)

But Usopp doesn't move.

All four of those strangers are staring at him with apprehension, unfriendly gazes because everyone in this building is clearly not comfortable with him around the store. Kaya is blatantly turned away from him, as if that could prevent any discovery.

Usopp knows that under Aunt Meshi's apron is a hidden kitchen knife. He knows most of the villagers have taken to carrying weapons like that nowadays.

He doesn't want to be at its mercy.

So he hums, opening the lid to the smell of amazing beef stew.

"Woah, it smells good! I'm sure the guys will be happy with all this, thanks, Aunt Meshi!"

And then he closes it, picks it up by the handles, and obediently leaves.

(He is just the gopher of the local ruling. Kaya may be the lady of the most prestigious mansion, but she's paying them a monthly pension to keep the town safe. He no longer has anything to do with her, and she wants nothing to do with him.)

(That's the way it should be.)

Usopp does not mention anything when he gets back. His face is solemn, and he can't help it, but that's normal.

He's always solemn when visiting the village, the Barto Club know that. They know he's now a reject of the village, and they know it crushes him more each day to live with that fact.

Instead, Usopp heads to the mansion.

He can't help Kaya directly, but at the very least, he can inform Khlahadore where his ward has gone, and he will take her home.

(Sometimes, Usopp wonders why Kaya can't just be an obedient little girl, stay home, stay safe, and do nothing. She didn't have much health to compromise, either, so why is she being reckless?)

(It would put him at ease if she would just stop being selfish like this.)

(She is his hostage, and running wild just gives the Barto club so much more reason to make Usopp's life worse than it needs to be.)

(Ah, his ribs ache today again.)

"There's been a change of plans, but we'll manage," Khlahadore says.

There is another ship in the further port, the one the Veggie Trio do not frequent, and Usopp is mortified to see an outlooking member of Barto Club dead in a nearby cavern.

"The Barto Club are jokes, if we use the right tactics," he says. "They rule with fear and violence. We fight on the sea. We've fought infinitely larger-scale battles than they ever."

Pirates do not care for honour.

That is one thing they will always have against Yakuza.

"We strike in at dawn. Gather the old crew," Khlahadore says. "We'll take advantage of the chaos, kill everyone including the lady in the mansion, and take the opportunity to seize the inheritance. With the Yakuza messing things up even more, it'll be twice as easy."

Usopp holds his breath.

His fists close over the soil under him.

(Ah, this cannot be happening. This can't be true.)

(There is nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing , absolutely nothing Usopp can do about anything and he hates it he hates it he hates himself so so much.)

(Why?)

(Why is he always put in these situations?)

(God knows he can do nothing about them. This is just fate's way of tormenting him, over and over, about his own helplessness.)

(Oh god, whatever I've done in a past life to deserve such punishment, please forgive me. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm so worthless. I know that so vividly I can't handle it anymore.)

"Hey, you're Usopp, aren't you?"

He jumps.

The boy with the straw hat is now behind him, and Usopp doesn't believe how he hasn't noticed him the whole time. He'd followed, all the way to Kaya's mansion.

The boy lifts the blindfold and grins.

"You're Yasopp's kid, right?"

Oh.

Oh .

Maybe a week ago, Usopp would be filled with joy. Maybe a week ago, Usopp would be excited. Now, Usopp is only spiteful. Conflicted. And so, so disappointed. In himself, mostly.

"Yeah," he mutters, bitter. "Hilarious, right?"

He's heard enough of it.

His father's name has only been a source of shame and ridicule ever since the Barto Club landed on this island. Usopp can't even handle hearing that name again.

His father is a great pirate. He is a failure. A gopher boy of a land-lubbing yakuza. He gets kicked around every day like a pathetic weakling, and he just lets it happen.

He's heard enough.

"Who's being mean to you? You're sad," he says. "Yasopp always said you'd be proud and confident. What happened?"

What happened?

He got too big a head and got humbled real fucking fast, that's what happened.

"It's none of your business," he mutters. "You get out of here before the Barto Club find you. And don't you dare drag Kaya into any of your nonsense."

In response, the straw-hat pirate grins.

"Oh, so it's these Barto Club guys!" he beams. "And I can't do that. Kaya already agreed to join my crew!"

And everything stops.

Everything stops.

Usopp sees red as this impertinent pirate grins like he'd done such a good deed, hand held firmly across his hat, smile wide and smug and toothy, without a care in the world.

"Oh, but she had a condition," he reveals. "She said she'd only come if you came too! So come on, Usopp! Join my join, Yasopp told me how good a shot you were, you can be my gunner, how about it?"

Usopp can't hear a thing.

This guy.

This guy, too.

He wants to take Kaya away from the home and safety and peace Kaya deserves. The poor, sickly girl in the mansion, she deserves nothing but the best, most wonderful things. Her parents are dead. She has no one. She's lonely.

Why are you taking her away from her home?

(Usopp's trying so hard to protect her, so why, from the Barto Club to these nameless pirates, why are they trying so hard to take her away from guaranteed safety?)

(Why can't they understand Kaya's sick ?)

"You."

Usopp is reaching for his collar before he can think better of it, brows squirming into a glare, throat roaring into a growl.

"Don't you dare touch Kaya!"

(Why can't Usopp protect a single, single, single fucking thing in his life?)

(Why is he so weak ?)

The boy in a straw hat looks him right in the eye, and Usopp does not understand why they are so blank, so emotionless, and why his grip on Usopp's hand is gentle.

"Kaya wants to come. You want to come too. I know," he says. "Join my crew, Usopp. I'll set you free, so join my pirate crew, Usopp! Let's go out to sea together!"

Chapter 5: Syrup Village #2: Lady Listener never Doubts.

Summary:

Kaya is a flightless bird, kept in a cage her whole life.

Just once, she wants to know what it looks like beyond that horizon. It's hard to remember with her current upbringing and frail constitution, but the love for the sea is in her blood, just like it had been in her parents' before they died in the oceans they adored.

Chapter Text

Syrup Village #2:

Lady Listener never Doubts.

Kaya despises her own weaknesses.

Her legs don't walk for long, her head is always heavy, and there's little she can do in a day outside of reading. The overcast that hangs over her head darkens each day Usopp fails to show up at her windowside.

"Lady Kaya, I'm begging at this point— please, cease this. You're reckless. The townsfolk may look out for you, but there is always a chance they will not find you in time if you collapse," Khlahadore says. "You require constant supervision. It causes trouble for the nurses, for the dietician, and for me and Sir Merry if anything were to happen outside of this building without immediate notice. Your constitution could fail from even a minor fall, and not all symptoms show up immediately—"

"I know already!" Kaya finally snaps, throwing her pillow at him, though, it does nothing and doesn't quite reach as high as she'd wanted it to. That was a weighted pillow, and that's just how physically inept she is from years of bedrest.

Khlahadore lets loose a disappointed sigh.

"I'm only thinking the best for you, Lady Kaya," he pleads. "Your parents left me with your wellbeing. It breaks my heart to see a man like Usopp tear you down like this."

Kaya's fists clench over her sheets.

"If you truly did feel sorry for me, you would help Usopp."

Khlahadore says nothing.

Because she already knows the answer. Usopp is not his ward, Usopp is not worth anything to him. And he is, at the end of the day, nothing to Kaya as well.

(And that, beyond anything, drives her to her feet, day after day, in search of something between them that could be worth something.)

Usopp always told stories of wondrous adventures. Islands more fantastical than anything Kaya could ever dream of, discoveries she could never come to know in this room, trapped under these white sheets, wearing this plain and empty dress.

To her, Usopp is colour itself in this monochromatic world.

And Kaya can't help but crave more, and more, and more.

Her parents were filled with wanderlust, so much wanderlust, their journeys took them to the seas over and over, until the day they failed to return. But anyone that knew her parents would tell her that they regret nothing about where they died, just how they died, leaving her alone.

Her parents are children of the far, unventured seas.

Kaya knows she is a child of the seas too, and she loved Usopp for bringing that much-needed fill to her window, so she could experience the wonders her feet couldn't bring her to.

So there's a day she sneaks out.

And she finds Usopp under someone's feet.

Bartolomeo the Cannibal, a notorious yakuza making his name in East Blue, has just declared Syrup Village his newest hideout.

"I had been planning on being civil," Bartolomeo says, a snark grin on his face. "You're going to let me be civil, brave captain Usopp?"

Bartolomeo stomps on those confident words. Breaks those wonderful lies under his feet, and spits on them.

Usopp's arm bends in the wrong direction and his face is flat in the dirt. He's unmoving.

Kaya rushes forward.

"LET GO OF HIM!"

And the boy of her adventures crumbles and she can't do a thing about it. Her heart rate rises. Her mind whirls. Everything spins and it hurts and it hurts and she can't breathe.

She clutches her cardigan to her chest and pleads.

"Let go of Usopp-san!"

"Don't, Lady Kaya! It's too dangerous! What exactly do you think you can do here?"

Don't hurt him.

Don't hurt him.

She has heard stories of yakuza. How fearsome they are. How dangerous they could be. How they cut their fingers as penance and marks of sincerity, how they shoot people in the head for so much as standing in their way.

(Pirates, too.)

(But Usopp has always painted piracy so wonderfully, Kaya does not know it yet.)

She is afraid of many things, because she has never truly seen any of them before.

Merry warns her of the dangers of the world. Over and over. Khlahadore only cites curses and believes the worst, because he has seen the cruelest of reality and humanity and he doesn't want her to go through that.

Kaya has lived so long only knowing those stories.

So she craves Usopp's stories, for they are bright and full of wonder.

Now, Usopp will fall prey to those terrifying, terrifying stories.

"LET GO OF HIM!"

Miserably, Kaya can do nothing as black spots relentlessly cloud her vision and her feet lose their strength and she needs to move she needs to save him—

—but she's never capable of anything.

Kaya sneaks out again.

And again.

And again.

She ditches her dresses for pants. Wears her father's belts, her mother's button-ups, and ties her hair up how Merry used to do for her when she wasn't bedridden, up in a ponytail, the only way her mother liked to wear her own.

The town has moved on.

They have accepted Bartolomeo, given him the town hall building for solace, and daily to weekly offerings for their continued protection. It sends bandits away from them and pirates never dock anyways, it was better to let them live.

If Khlahadore hadn't discussed the terms so well, they would be giving more. Bartolomeo would have demanded twice as much alms, but it worked out.

"Just give us this kid to play with," Bartolomeo had suggested, an arm over Usopp's shoulders as his eyes ran to anyone, anyone, anyone , but no one met his eyes.

Bartolomeo hated pirates.

As far as this town is concerned, the only person connected to any pirate in Syrup Village is Usopp, whose father is so notorious and yet his mother no one remembers is dead.

This hatred can start and end with Usopp.

It's convenient. Of course they should take advantage of it.

"Take him," Khlahadore had benevolently offered, though Kaya hears the villagers dramatize that the poor butler had been biting back tears and did so with a heavy heart. "But do not kill him. Or Lady Kaya will be so saddened."

Lady Kaya had been saddened, so saddened, she could not get out of bed the next number of days.

(Because now she knew she had no one who truly cared for what she wanted.)

From there they coexist. It's not difficult.

But Usopp is their doormat, and the town no longer hears his calls for pirates near the docks again. They scowl when he crosses the road. They leave his house untouched to gather dust and never check on him again, not even to ask their local live-alone teenager if his food is sufficient for the month, or if he wanted to join the fishers to cast the nets for the dawn.

No one cares for Usopp, because his suffering allows everyone to continue to live in oblivion. And when it comes to the life of everyone or the life of the town's notorious troublemaker, it's not a hard choice.

Sure, they regret it and feel sorry for him, but in a town like this where peace is the norm and no one has much experience against such difficulties, it's hard for anyone to volunteer to be next on the chopping board.

Kaya sees it all, and step by step her feet grow stronger, her heart beats faster, and her blood burns with resolve.

She doesn't know what she can do.

The only thing she can do, as usual, is wait. Wait, for someone to drop by outside her window, and bring the world to her once more.

"Kaya! Kaya, you can't be here!" Tamanegi hisses.

"Why? What happened?"

She's been hanging out with the Usopp Pirates recently. The villagers frown upon them using that title so proudly, Usopp included, but they dismiss it as children being too young to understand. Even the Barto Club laugh it off.

(Kaya despises those yakuza, but strangely enough, they are tolerant, almost dear, to children. At the very least, they won't treat these kids like they did Usopp just for idolizing pirates.)

They come to the pier, but someone is in sight.

Two small ships.

"Pirates!" she exclaims, with excitement.

"YEAH!" Tamanegi echoes, though in a hissy whisper-shout and an upside-down cheer. "Pirates are here! Look, the flag!"

"That's the Buggy Pirates!" Ninjin contributes. "I know it, it's the big red nose!"

"Plus the Barto Club guys have been stabbing its picture in the town hall a while," Piiman adds, holding up a half-shredded flag poster.

That's… all things considered, awful. But it's good!

If they're pirates, then surely, they are their only hope. They are the pirates Usopp used to crave and wait for, they are the pirates that the town were so sure would neve show beyond the horizon.

They are pirates.

And if they are good people, if they are the embodiment of Usopp's gallant tales of adventure— then surely, they can bring the adventure to them once more, to remind them just what they've lost.

Surely, they can bring the love of the sea back to Usopp.

Kaya has waited, day after day at this pier, watching the sea for them. She will not let this opportunity be missed.

"Please save Usopp-san."

She bows, low and earnest.

The four pirates before her are baffled, and she understands well. She is naive, she is unreasonable— why would they? But she says it anyway.

She bribes them with an offer of food, and in exchange, she asks only one favour.

"The Barto Club hates pirates. So, you need to leave as soon as possible," she says. "Please. When you go, take Usopp with you. He belongs out there, in the sea, with aloof you. He's the son of a pirate, and it's not fair he's being chained to the ground this way."

They listen to her story.

Nami is a sympathetic girl, and it's clear she's the nicest. She comforts Kaya as she speaks, and though her eyes twinkled differently upon learning Kaya's got money, her emotions for her situation as genuine.

Zoro is cold, but his serious expression speaks for his charisma like a soldier, like a knight. It's hard not to trust him.

Koby is young, naive, and honestly, Kaya likes him best. They feel in the same place, emotionally, and when his eyes fill with tears at her story it's clear he's soaking in every bit of information with genuinity that the other, more war-torn fellows don't know for. If no one else, she can trust him, and because he trusts these pirates, she knows they will treat even Usopp right.

Luffy is the most difficult to read. He's simple to the allure of food, but holds himself with shoulders strength and confident.

It reminds her of Usopp. He doesn't seem like much of a leader upon first glance, but he has the spirit of someone that wills others to follow. He smiles at Kaya and her heart flutters with assurance. He doesn't seem that strong, but it's fine. Pirates are about being free, not about being powerful.

Pirates are about doing whatever you want, whether you are capable or not.

(Kaya has never seen the world, so her heart only speaks from within the bars of her birdcage, but she wants to trust these unfettered instincts of hers. It's the only thing her parents have left for her, and she wants to use them to save Usopp, just like Usopp did for her so long ago.)

(Set Usopp free to sea.)

(He deserves to be free.)

Luffy engulfs the food on the table easily. He lifts the blindfold for just a second to level Kaya with a thoughtful eye— and he watches her as she continues her story, trying to convince them.

"So… so please… I know it's unreasonable of me, and I know, you guys don't know Usopp at all, but… he's a good person. He's the most precious person to me," Kaya says. "I'll give you anything you want in my power. Money, food, anything, even a ship. Just… take him away from here. Please. Let him go toward the sea, like he's always wanted to be."

She's not eloquent. That's always been Usopp's thing. She's clumsy, and maybe a little long-winded, but they listen to the end. She won't ask them to defeat Barto Club or anything of that sort— just take the boy, and leave safely, with no fanfare. That's all she asks.

And Luffy watches her expressions, like he's enjoying the most endearing, heartwarming story in the world.

He grins, lifting his blindfold all the way, and setting down the rest of his meat.

"Sure!" his agreement comes with a content sigh from Zoro and a resolved cheer from Koby. Nami nods firmly, never having the intention to refuse at all.

But what he says next makes Kaya stop.

"Then, we'll beat up those bastards for you and get Usopp on our crew."

Huh? Wait, no—

"You can repay us by giving us a ship, and after this you're coming along too!"

Huh?

"Wait, what's with that?" Nami protests, clearly offended. "You're kidnapping this sweet girl into your pirate business? In a ship full of boys? You disgusting—"

"Huh? We're not only boys, you're here."

"You know what I mean!"

"I don't—? Ohhhh, oh! I think I do get it now!" Luffy says, brightly, "but wait, what does being a girl have to do with it?"

"Huh?" Koby's baffled. "I mean—" he's bright red, "uhm. N- Nami-san, Luffy isn't really… knowledgeable about these things. I don't think you have to worry about him on that front…"

"Well there are two other male creatures here that do —"

"I won't!"

"I'm gay!"

"And more might show up! I can't leave her alone with you! I can't let you destroy this poor girl's purity!"

"But Kaya's super nice!" Luffy says, before anyone can decipher literally anything of that interaction, "you're weak, but that doesn't matter. 'Cause anyone who wants to be free, should be!"

Ah, Kaya thinks.

She's been seen through, so easily.

"I can't," she says, when Nami and Koby take her to wander around the city for supplies. "I really appreciate Captain Luffy being so thoughtful of me… but I'm so weak. I can't handle sea travel, I've never been on long boat trips before… only to Baratie, at most."

She can't say she's terrified of the sea, even though it took her parents away from her.

To her, the sea is freedom.

Everlasting, unrelenting wonder. She craves the view beyond the horizon so dearly, but she is a bird whose wings only go so far.

"It's fine!" Koby says, picking up the bag of groceries. "I'm weak too, though, maybe not frail, like you, but I'm not strong."

His smile is wide and bright.

"But Luffy-san is part of Monkey Island. Have you heard of Monkey Island?"

(Have you heard?)

Kaya can't help but lean in, interested.

"No, I haven't. What is it?"

And Nami listens, too.

Monkey Island is the former Marine Hero, Monkey D. Garp's legacy. He threw aside his name as the Fist for Justice, the Hero, and became an outlaw. He betrayed the marines, and then began raiding government facilities.

It's rumoured he's become a spearhead of the Revolutionary Army, but that's simply speculation. No one knows why he did it all out of nowhere.

But then, a number of years ago, Monkey Island emerged. Apparently, it's a fantastical Mirage Island, full of people who all claim to have been saved by him. They're all strong, strange monsters of humanity— some have more than two arms, some don't quite look human at all, but they're all full of heart, and they work construction and create merchandise. They spread joy and freedom like elves to every island they visit, and yet, no one knows where Monkey Island is.

They all cite the same thing.

"Anyone who wants to be free, should be!"

It is a place where anyone can live warm and safe.

"It's okay! I admire you so much, Kaya-san!" Koby says. "When I was under the captivity of Alvida, I couldn't even fathom trying to escape or save anyone! I just watched other people suffer because I didn't want to get hurt, too."

She doesn't blame him. He's so young, and he must have been terrified.

"You're so brave, Kaya-san! That's why, I admire you!"

He beams, and Kaya is filled with an emotion she's never quite felt before— a feeling of accomplishment, a sense of confidence , bursting through. She's being thanked, and she's been useful. He calls her worthy of praise, because she has achieved something after all.

"Plus," Koby says, "if you ever get tired walking or anything, I can carry you on my back! I'm used to carrying the load during land stops, and you'll be so much lighter than any of that!"

Kaya bows her head once more, to Luffy and Zoro, who had been waiting by the fence for her answer.

"If you would willingly take such a burden like me along, I would be honoured. I can provide some monetary compensation, and even a caravel, for our travels! I want to see the world that I've only heard about. I've only ever heard stories so magical, it's hard for anyone to believe they're true."

And she's enthralled.

She doesn't want to go anywhere without Usopp.

"Please allow me to join your crew! Take me and Usopp-san out to sea together. I want to see these fantasies and dreams become reality in front of my eyes!"

Zoro's grin is wide and proud, reflected only twice as bright on Koby's face. Even Nami had to relent a very endeared smile at her declaration.

And Luffy stands before her, hand extended.

"Keep your eyes wide open, then!" he says, when Kaya takes his hand in both of hers, "because I'm going to make one of those dreams reality, right now."

How strange.

It's like Luffy always knows exactly what Kaya wants.

She takes Luffy's hands.

"I'll be in your care, Captain."

"You're staying?" Zoro asks, once Luffy has hurried off to elsewhere, and Koby's going to walk Kaya home.

Nami sighs. "Like I said. I'm not leaving that girl with you guys."

"...but Koby's fine?"

"...yeah. Koby's alright."

Kaya knows things will be alright.

So when she wakes up from a nightmare of Khlahadore killing her, she initially thinks her own paranoia, her own impatience, is driving her thoughts to difficult places.

She hadn't considered how she will tell Khlahadore and Merry that she's oging to leave. How is she going to convince them to give them a ship to sial out? Merry may coddle her, but Khlahadore would be opposed to it, especially if told it's to Usopp's benefit.

That's right.

She has to do the stealing herself. In secret.

Then if they question why the ship is missing, they can just say Usopp stole it and ran, it's a perfect coverup, isn't it?

(What about her disappearance? How is she oging to pack and go without them ever noticing? She will just have to do it… it'll be fine. SHe's snuck out so much so far and Khlahadore always seems to be a step too late to stop her. She's always a step ahead of Khlahadore. She'll be fine! Merry's even more of a ditz, she can definitely pull this off!)

"Milady."

A small packed bag, and an open window in the moonlight. It's just past late dinnertime, no one should be coming in now… and yet.

She's been caught red-handed.

And Khlahadore fixes his glasses in his usual unique way, and Kaya wonders if that's by design. It's just the right way to fix those glasses without the claws getting in the way.

"May I inquire where you're going?"

Kaya doesn't think of an excuse. She can't, too focused on the streaking, bright crimson sheen, dripping down those claws.

"...Khlahadore, is that blood?"

Khlahadore steps into the room. It's definitely blood. It's dripping all over the carpets. There's a lot of it. Whose—

"Where," he emphasizes, "do you think you're going? You can't leave just yet."

Kaya turns around, but the multiple blades close around her neck, firm against skin, and she freezes.

Why is Khlahadore trying to kill her?

"I… I'm sorry. I know I've been ignoring your warnings of the dangers, but…" she doesn't know how to believe this, doesn't want to, so she forces a terrified laugh full of denial in her heart, "but isn't this going too far for discipline, Khlahadore?"

He's never edged on the lane of genuine abuse before. He's always been overprotective, not physically strict.

But this is… this is like an assassination attempt.

Why do you look like you've wielded those weapons your whole life, Khlahadore? Aren't you the butler my parents trusted with my life? Aren't you the poor, injured sailor that I begged my parents to save so long ago and you decided to dedicate your servitude ot me henceforth? Aren't you?

"I know you're not too daft, Milady," Khalahdore says, curt and cold. "Come now. I need you to write a will for me."

"...a will?"

She turns around.

He's smiling, and his gaze is evil .

"That you will pass all your family inheritance, including all of your possessions and titles, to me ," he says. "Specifically, if anything… unexpected ever happens to you. Such as some pirates raiding the town and just happening to kill every member of this mansion except for a butler that just happened to be away the morning of the siege."

Oh. Tomorrow is Khlahadore's turn to go for morning groceries in Gecko Town, isn't it?

Kaya's always dreamed of seeing so much, but somehow, right now, she's realizing for the first time in her life that she's blind.

Chapter 6: Syrup Village #3: Swear on the Name of Barto.

Summary:

Yakuza are territorial, like beasts. Bartolomeo is a beast no one welcomes, but he denies entrance to other predators because they are his. Doesn't matter if they regard him as their protector or not- he has simply settled down in this new place, and those who don't adapt will be removed from his presence.

So now, as long as Usopp is his lackey, his gopher— Usopp is something he must protect, too.

Notes:

Penultimate Chapter of Syrup Village arc! Unexpected Bartolomeo POV makes an appearance. The next Usopp POV will wrap everything up.

Chapter Text

Syrup Village #3:

Swear on the Name of Barto.

"There's definitely a ship here with a Buggy flag, but the pirates are gone."

"Woah! There's so much gold onboard!"

Bartolomeo has an arm slung over Tamanegi's trembling shoulders as his men inspect the two boats that had come ashore.

This isn't good.

If there were pirates on the island, things might get tricky. Visitors usually don't come by this side of the Gecko Isles, so it'll be easy to weed them out… but surely, the utter audacity of a Buggy pirate landing out here…

"I- I swear they were here! I swear!" Tamanegi pleads, near tears, definitely on the verge of wetting his pants, tears and snot running down his cheeks, "we weren't lying we swear! "

Bartolomeo sighs, patting him on the head. Tamanegi squeaks instead of being assured, but well, that's pretty normal.

"Yes, yes, we believe you," he says. "Where's your other pals? We'll post guards around for a bit more, there may be more coming if this group doesn't return."

If the Buggy Pirates are looking to chase them down to fight, then this must only be an advance squad. He'll kill the ones on this island as a warning, and they'll be prepared for any future attacks—

—no, something's strange. The Buggy Pirates probably hate them just as much, but there's no reason for them to give chase to the Barto Club to begin with.

Sure, pirates don't exactly have an end to their greed and they don't usually see sense in their actions either, but there's no reason for Buggy to be cautious as to send just a handful of people to scout. Much less with this much of their coveted gold.

And even less so would they be so amateurish as to leave their boat unattended with their so precious gold.

Is this bait?

"Tamanegi! Tamanegi!"

Ninjin leaps in and squeaks at the sight of the adults here. He stands up straight at attention with a salute like a soldier, shrieking.

"There's a weird guy at the other shore! Weird guy at other shore sir! Walking backwards and everything he's very weird! Sir!"

Huh?

"Liar!" Tamanegi says. "I'm not falling for it!"

"Why would I lie when Mister Romeo is here?!" Ninjin's hysterical, and Bartolomeo is currently reeling at the fact that they call him Mister Romeo , "He's got heart-shaped glasses and a weird mushroom at his chin!"

"Liar!"

"I'm not lying!"

Bartolomeo sighs. How does Usopp usually handle his kids? He can't even focus. Alas, kicking children will put him on granny's naughty kids list, so maybe he'll just shove them onto the ground and call it a day.

"Gambia! Clean up down there, and grab all the gold to bring back to the town hall," he hollers, "I'm going somewhere with the kids."

"A'ight, Boss!"

They walk in on Jango hypnotizing Piiman and himself at the same time. They're both asleep in the middle of the road now.

"Okay," Bartolomeo deems, tauting some rope. "Tamanegi-kun, Ninjin-kun, go find a nice hill. I'm going to tie this guy up and you are going to use him as a sled until he tells us the fuck he's doing here."

Bartolomeo's fun gets cut short when Usopp emerges from the woodworks with a monkey— wait, that's a human— looped and literally tied to him, limbs ribbon-knotted and all. Wait, what?

"B- Bartolomeo!" Usopp's flustered, absolutely appalled to see him there.

"What the— hey you!" Bartolomeo bristles, "what the hell are you?! Hands off our lackey!"

"Ah, it's okay, Bartolomeo sir!" Usopp struggles to collect as much of this neverending all-limbs from around him to his back, even though the eerily-blindfolded creature easily pops right into some vaguely-human shape and steps forward, fixing the position of his straw hat.

"So, you're Bartolomeo?"

Eyes covered, the boy approaches him, confrontationally. Well, Bartolomeo isn't one to turn down a challenge so upfront.

"And you're from the Buggy Pirates?"

"Nah, but I'm a pirate, too," he says. "Are you bullying that guy?"

That guy? Bartolomeo frowns. What a cold captain… (wouldn't be a surprise, this is a pirate after all.)

"I've never met that guy before, but I don't like bullies."

Bartolomeo pauses.

"If that guy's not from your ship, then where'd he come from?"

He doesn't trust this guy. If he's willing to throw aside a comrade and pretend not to know him without any concern for his well-being, then Bartolomeo's got absolutely no respect for him.

"L- Luffy! Stop it!" Usopp suddenly calls out. "I told you already, I don't need your help! Even if you fight him right now, I'm not going to join your dumb crew!"

Wait.

What?

"You're trying to pillage my gopher?! You've got some guts doing that in our territory!" Bartolomeo snaps.

Meanwhile, the kids (all three are awake now,) lug a still-unconscious Jango up the hill by the torso-ropes, completely absorbed into playing their new sled from Uncle Romeo.

"I'm not stealing your gofer I am taking my gunner!" Luffy insists.

"I am not anyone's anything!" Usopp groans. "Leave me alone!"

"See?!" Bartolomeo slings an arm around Usopp and drags him back, "he doesn't want to go with you pirate lowlives, you no-name piece of shit! Are you looking down on the Barto Club, huh? You think you can steal anything from us?!"

"He's obviously not happy being stuck on land!" Luffy yells, "don't you know that if he stays on land for so long his legs will turn to jelly?! It's a pirate thing!"

"Don't lie!"

"It's true! Grandpa told me that!"

"WHAT? Holy shit I need to ask Grammy now about that," Bartolomeo gawks. "But seriously?! Oh no Usopp, you can't run our errands if your legs turn to jelly!"

"YEAH! SO GIVE HIM TO ME!" Luffy yells. "I promised I'd bring him into my crew!"

"No, get your own lackey!" Bartolomeo snaps.

"He's not a lackey!"

"He's MY lackey so he is a lackey!"

"Oh. Oh, that makes sense," Luffy rewinds at the new understanding. "Okay, give me your lackey so he can become my gunner!"

Bartolomeo explodes. "And I said no! For fuck's sake this conversation never ends! You're so fucking annoying!"

"No, YOU!"

"BRAT!"

Honestly, Usopp doesn't know how he got into this situation— he'd only run this way because this is where he'd heard Khlahadore's pirate goons are coming— and he honestly doesn't want to decipher any of this two-braincells conversation happening over him. He's never been this damn popular in his life and of course it's for horrible reasons.

"Look, like, can I offer my opinion?"

They turn to him, willing to listen.

"So, I just learned that the town's most trusted butler is a death row pirate that's been undercover to steal Kaya's inheritance, so I don't have enough fucks, patience, or rationality for this nonsense right now," Usopp says.

He's honestly surprised they spared him a moment to actually talk. They're listening very intently right now so Usopp decides it's wiser to keep talking.

"My point is, if he comes by and wreaks havoc and starts killing the Barto Club, I can't join either of you because I know I'll be the scapegoat for this incident and probably the Marines will get involved and arrest me and I'll die," Usopp says. "Because you know. I am the most popular punching bag of Syrup Village."

He averts his eyes when Luffy starts looking like he's going to pat him on the shoulder in sympathy.

Usopp recovers from his negativity for a second to keep talking. "Anyways, can we move this stupid argument until we're done dealing with evil glasses butler? Like, we can do a coin toss or something when it's all over. If I'm not dead by then."

They're both utterly silent.

Then a gear in Bartolomeo's head finally turns, "...Khlaha-fuckface is a what?"

Luffy, however, sincerely asks, "what's a coin toss?"

Clearly, they both tried their best to listen to his spiel.

So, Bartolomeo somehow learns that they're not part of the Buggy Pirates. Luffy quite vehemently insists they actually stole Buggy's treasure (and Nami is halfway through destroying the Barto Club Town Hall by the time they all make it back there because GIVE ME BACK MY TREASURE) and are at some odds with him.

Nami's luggage also includes a lot of bounty posters, which is where they find an old poster of KURO with the ever-so-infamous butler on it. Gambia, at some point apparently, went stalking Roronoa Zoro and they found the dead body of one of their friends posted to guard an opposing pier.

And well, that sets everything on track. Motives given, grudges riled.

Roronoa Zoro is getting drunk with Gambia, because they don't know how to read the mood. Koby is talking with Grammy on the Den Den Mushi and Grammy adores the kid so much everyone instantly wants to adopt the child. Unfortunately Luffy wins the arm wrestling contest with their strongest man and adoption is off the table.

Yeah, quite a bonding session. Looks like Yakuza and Pirates have something in common after all. Utter lack of sense.

"Don't get me wrong, you pirate," Bartolomeo says, when they've settled the night with a strategy meeting. "We may have similar interests, but we have no intentions to enlist the help of a pirate in defending our territory. You keep out of this."

Luffy beams, "oh, okay then!" he says, getting up. "Then, let's go! Kaya promised us a boat to let us go as soon as possible. Usopp, let's go!"

"You're not taking Usopp! Put him down!"

Bartolomeo honestly suspected that girl would pull some shit like this someday, but he'll just shove that to the back of his mind for now. Kaya's rich as fuck, she can do whatever she wants. The most common punishment for lover-related betrayal in the clan would be to swear fealty to Bartolomeo forever, but… honestly, if that frail little girl can pull a stunt like that off he might just let it happen out of admiration…

But that's besides the point!

"Hold on! I did say I'd go along with both of you, whoever you agree on, but I'm not leaving with the pirates still coming!"

Usopp stands firm. He really wants to fight Khlahadore, despite everything.

"That's what I don't get," Bartolomeo groans. "Usopp, you gain nothing by staying here! Why aren't you jumping for damn joy about this offer of a pirate coming to take you away, huh? You son of a deadbeat, what sort of roundabout joke are you trying to pull?"

It would honestly be so much easier to focus on this situation and keep Usopp here if the teen himself didn't want to stay. Seriously, is he an idiot? Is this stockholm? Why is he insisting on staying here, now Bartolomeo has to begrudgingly team up with Strawhat instead of vehemently fighting him.

"I'm not doing this for you, Bartolomeo!" Usopp insists. "But if Khlahadore attacks the village tomorrow, everyone will die!"

"And why do you even care about them? They ditched you the second I threatened them! Clearly they sold you to Satan for a damn corn chip!" Bartolomeo snaps. "You're not making any damn sense, you just want these pirates to interfere with us so you can run off in the middle of it, don't you?"

"That's not it!" Usopp raises his voice, even louder.

Bartolomeo holds out a hand, stopping his group from taking it as a sign of aggression.

Usopp stands up, and his face is full of rage. He hasn't shown such genuine anger, such genuine courage as to yell at Bartolomeo before. Of course, he's in for a damn beating when this is done— but Barto wants to see it.

It's the first time Usopp has ever wanted something enough to defy Bartolomeo for it.

And well, he wanted to hear it.

(Yakuza are territorial, like beasts. Bartolomeo, if anything, treasures those he claims. He protects this town in an obligation. He allows the children to run naively as they should. He is a beast no one welcomes, but he denies entrance to other predators because they are his . Doesn't matter if they regard him as their protector or not. He has simply settled down, and those who don't adapt will become collateral.)

(And now, as long as Usopp is his lackey, his gopher— Usopp is something he must protect, too.)

"Well yeah , they did it to survive, and I don't forgive them for it!" Usopp declares, "but this is still the town I grew up in! I like this village, even if you couldn't care less about it! Why do I need any other reason not to want it to be destroyed?!"

Usopp jumps, when he realizes the room is silent and staring at him.

Bartolomeo, too, is staring, and Usopp flinches, a familiar wave of fear overtaking him as he steps back, lips tumbling out what's almost an apology, backing out of his spiel in hopes of making up for it, in hope of avoiding punishment.

Bartolomeo sighs.

"What, so you can be a man after all," he rolls his eyes. "How the fuck am I supposed to bully you after a declaration like that?"

And that's all Bartolomeo needs to know, unfortunately.

He stands at the top of the hill, and the Black Cat Pirates are already there, grinning smugly at their welcoming party.

Bartolomeo sighs. He's had the pirates go off to find Kaya, since they're obviously too outnumbered and not to be trusted with this part of the plan. Usopp's the only one that knows how to sneak into Kaya's mansion, so unfortunately, he's on that side of the operations too.

Well, whatever. Bartolomeo's much more comfortable protecting his territory with his men, after all. He'll deal with the onshore pirates later. For now, who better for stealing a mistress than pirates?

"Alright, we're not waking up any of the villagers for this. We don't have time, anyways," Bartolomeo says. "We're cleaning up these pirates before breakfast. Got it, boys?!"

"YEAH!"

Bartolomeo kicks the stake they've planted at the top of the hill, where they'd hung Jango out like some crucifixion display. The Black Cats gasp at the sight.

"Now listen, you stupid pirates! If you want this stupid guy back, you beg on your damn knees!"

Bartolomeo has always been expected to protect everyone. When no one stood up in their hometown, which was rife with pirate takeovers— he had to be the one to start.

No one else would do it. Not the adults, definitely, so the kids and elderly were just at the mercy of these pirate attacks over and over. He fought back, started the Barto Club, and put on airs, faked it until he made it.

People started following him . It didn't matter if most of the Barto Club was older than him— he was the strongest, he was the boss. He had to be dependable, because everyone was weak and useless and honestly, Bartolomeo preferred it that way.

So he doesn't expect anything of anyone. He only depends on himself.

(Because the moment he gets consumed by the reality around him, everything else will crumble too. Nothing would have ever been without him, and thus, without him, nothing will remain. So, Bartolomeo must never fall.)

Bartolomeo must always be the strongest, even if he isn't.

Honestly, when he first saw Usopp, the laughter that cracked out of him was ironic at first, then jeering that followed.

(Ah, look at this pathetic fellow, trying so hard to be strong.)

(Now, which will win? My well-adorned mask fused into my skin, or yours, which you've barely learned how to breathe through?)

Bartolomeo wanted to see him grow.

(Because oh, how he hated the sight of his own pathetic self.)

"It's much past sunrise. Please don't tell me you idiots have been only playing with these despicable bandits this whole time?"

Ah.

Someone frees Jango— slicing open Bartolomeo's back, along with several Black Cat Pirates in rather lethal areas in the process— and then, Jango hypnotizes his crew to become stronger.

Kuro shows up with Kaya by the hair, Usopp's blood on his sword. And he has just cut down half of his own crew in the pursuit of progress.

"You just killed some of them," Bartolomeo says, in disbelief. They had all been fighting so hard for him , and yet.

Kuro scoffs. "And?"

Wow. What kind of captain— ah right, pirate scum. They don't give a rat's ass about their own crew.

"B- Bartolomeo-san!" Kaya wails, cringing as the grip in her hair tightens. "Usopp-san, he—!"

Bartolomeo would snarl at her, if not for the sword that finds its way into his gut.

Where the fuck are the pirates? Apparently, they got lost on the way to the mansion, and lost again back down to the pier. Ah, he knew he couldn't rely on motherfucking pirates to get anything done.

But then again, Bartolomeo, who lost so pathetically, is pretty useless too.

"Alright! We got through the most stubborn one!" the pirates declare, raising their swords. "We're going into the village, Black Cats! Time to RAID!"

Honestly, thank the devils Usopp decided to fucking show up there.

"LET GO OF HER!"

Usopp's arm is shredded to pieces. But he still holds his slingshot with those trembling, agonizing limbs, and fires his exploding pachinko one after another, after another.

Kuro sighs, and a single swing of his clawed hands—

— takes two of Usopp's fingers right off, along with the top of his trusted slingshot.

The howl of pain and the terrified cry from Kaya is something Bartolomeo hated, oh so hated to hear.

He became a Yakuza boss to become stronger than he really was. He ruled with fear and notoriety, because he didn't want any of the weak to ever have to suffer and cry and bleed like this again.

Didn't matter if Kaya hated him and Usopp was just his little gopher ostracised by the town. Didn't matter if they were his playthings. Didn't matter if both of them wanted to be pirates the second Bartolomeo's out of the picture. He didn't become a boss to fuss over the dumb details like this.

He just wanted to protect . Right now, they were his , and Kuro is stepping all over Bartolomeo's hard work and pride.

Ah, what kind of Yakuza would he be without pride?

"Haven't you had enough?" Kuro steps forward to Usopp, who's on his knees. "Playing pirate like this to the bitter end… your lowlife father forgot about you, so what's the point? No one will mourn you if you're gone. It was the same with your mother, wasn't it?"

The blades come around Usopp's neck.

They don't slice just yet.

Usopp lifts his head, through tear-streaked eyes, red-bitten lips, and he spits on Kuro's shoes.

"My father loved my mother," he hisses, voice laboured with agony, but his will burning bright in those eyes as he stared straight at Kuro with all the hatred in his eyes. "The only thing I'm ashamed of is my own weakness and incapability to live up to his name. My father was a proud pirate, and I am proud to call myself his son!"

Kuro sighs deeply.

"I see. Then die with your worthless pride."

Worthless pride?

Bartolomeo watches, and nothing but resolve fills him. Usopp is prepared to die, for the measly pride in his heart. The same pride Bartolomeo stepped all over— and yet, Usopp still holds onto it, even if it's all shattered and muddied. He holds that dirty pride no matter what anyone says, and only blames himself.

His pride is not wrong. His pride is not worthless. Usopp has never allowed his pride to be worthless.

Ah, he's so damn cool, what the fuck?

And here Bartolomeo is, dying and feeling sorry for his own pride.

"Goodbye, Usopp," Kuro says. "I will remember you as a fool."

"NO!"

Kaya tears free. Kuro had her grasped by the hair, tactfully between the blades of his claws, just so , so it would only be a struggle from cutting her skull open.

But she breaks free with a resolve.

Her arms force open the blade with gouges through her arms hitting bone. The last blade she could pull away takes half her hair along with Kuro's hand apart from her scalp— but she hardly notices it as she dives for Usopp.

Kuro is so caught off guard by that reckless action, and the abrupt understanding that his hostage cannot die—

–that he lets it happen, and his blades slice Kaya's back open instead of Usopp's neck.

They collapse on the ground, just two paces away, and Kuro stumbles back in shock, unable to comprehend the utmost blunder he's made.

Bartolomeo bursts out laughing.

He stands corrected. They're both so stupid and fucking cool, aren't they?

"You… how can you still stand?!" Kuro wheels on Bartolomeo as he staggers to his feet, wrenching the blade out of his gut before swinging his blood from it and pointing it toward Kuro, eyes burning with resolve . Kuro's voice comes out in sputters, "you should be dead!"

Dead?

As if. His dying will isn't going to be 'wow, those kids are cooler than me'.

Actually no, that works fine.

'Damn, am I really going to die while those kids are cooler than me? And I'm still calling myself the Boss? Go crawl in a hole, you idiot!'

Yeah, that's fine.

"You probably don't know, since you're just pirate scum." Bartolomeo grins. "On sea, the moment you lose your footing, your chances of fighting are gone. But here on land, the ground is always beneath us. It's always supporting us. It's always on our side. On sea, you can run, anywhere you go. But land, it doesn't extend forever. So we've got nowhere to run."

He steps forward.

He doesn't care that the rest of the Black Cats have him surrounded. His sword will never reach Kuro.

"That's why, for us bandits, for us Yakuza …" Bartolomeo's vision is blurring, but honestly, that doesn't matter. "We give our lives to protect this land we're standing on. We die to protect it! Don't for a second think your petty regard for human lives has any standing on our resolve to die in victory!"

Someone giggles.

"Well said!"

A foot swings out of the greenery, crashing right into Kuro's face.

"Three-sword style…" A glint of green dashes down the hill, and swipes up Bartolomeo's surroundings with a whirlwind of sharp, piercing gusts— "TATSUMAKI!"

Luffy uses Kuro's face as a launching pad into a— all things considered, very elegant— somersault, landing feet apart right over Kaya and Usopp's fallen figures.

Kaya lifts her head weakly, face streaked with tears, bursting out at the edges. She wails, and Usopp is in much the same state, carefully clutching the barely uninjured parts of her back in a sort of hug.

"Captain," Kaya cries.

"...Luffy," Usopp says, much weaker.

Luffy pulls up his blindfold and giggles. He doesn't look at Kuro, who's fuming. He only glances toward Usopp and Kaya with assurance.

And then, he turns fully to Bartolomeo.

"I knew I should've' looked at you sooner," Luffy says. "Your eyes are pretty, Romeo! I still don't like them, but they're pretty cool!"

Huh?

Bartolomeo's sword drops to his side.

It's all he can do to exasperatedly yell, "WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU ACTING COOL WHEN YOU SHOWED UP SO FUCKING LATE, YOU PIECE OF SHIT! YOU WANNA DIE RIGHT FUCKING NOW?! I'LL KILL YOU AFTER THIS!"

Luffy only laughs, boisterously.

Chapter 7: Syrup Village #4: Song of Unsung Braves.

Summary:

Usopp will become a brave warrior of the seas.

In every story of a hero, there is a villain, a victim, and of course, there is collateral damage. And only the winners may decide the casting of the story.

Sometimes, the brave warrior isn't the hero. All that matters is that this story goes down as a wonderful piece, a book that starts somewhere and ends somewhere else. In the end, the only thing that matters in a story is how fulfilling it is, isn't it?

Notes:

And so we close the Syrup Village arc! Hope you enjoy!

Chapter Text

Syrup Village #4:

Song of Unsung Braves.

Usopp honestly thought his life had gone to shit. The rubber boy showing up to give him a bizarre proposition? Yeah, he didn't think it could get any worse.

He wanted to see it as a spark of hope, but realistically, it was anything but. There was no way this no-name teenager could win against an entire Yakuza family on their home grounds.

(Even if he can, that's objectively the worst case scenario. Imagine the retaliation that could occur! And once Luffy leaves, Syrup Village ends up in shambles all over again!)

So yeah, Usopp needs to have nothing to do with Monkey D. Luffy.

"But why?" Luffy whines, "if it's that Lomeo-romeo guy that's in the way, I'll beat him up for you! Kaya asked me that too. I can win! It's what I do!"

Monkey Island, it's in his name— infamous liberators, a semi-revolutionary organisation founded by Monkey D. Garp, former Marine Hero and Vice Admiral. Honestly Usopp didn't think that old rumour was true until this very second.

(But is this kid really someone strong enough to warrant that kind of notoriety?)

It doesn't matter.

Usopp is fine. He doesn't need to be saved.

"That's what everyone thinks at first!" Luffy beams. He pulls his blindfold up, and he laughs. "But all of them, you see, have that same look in their eyes. We're all scared of punishment if we fail, but we all want to be free!"

Luffy stares Usopp so thoroughly with his eyes, Usopp immediately averts his gaze, uncomfortable.

(Usopp's such an embarrassing ditz, too. How could he have said that out loud?)

( Did he say that out loud?)

"It's okay!" Luffy says, a hand at his chest. "I'll save you. I'll burn everything down and set you free."

"Wha—"

"Everyone only needs to know that Monkey D. Luffy did it!" he grins. "All 'Usopp' has to do is run, and hide, and no one will ever know you were here. Isn't that amazing?"

He speaks, like it's the most amazing thing in the world.

Usopp doesn't understand why Luffy speaks of his soon-to-be feats so reverently.

"...please… don't burn anything down," is the only thing Usopp can reliably say at the moment, "like, that's the exact opposite of what I want."

Luffy twinkles with amusement. "Okay! I'll beat up Romeo without burning anything then! I can do that. It's more like Maria's thing, but I watched her a lot so I can definitely do it too!"

"Wait wait wait wait wait—!"

Kaya would be fine for a while longer, Usopp reckons. Kuro can't kill her too soon, and the most dangerous thing happening now would be if the Black Cats realized their cover's been blown. That would be dangerous.

So, it would be better if Kaya's still not in the know, and she goes back to her mansion as normal. Then she won't act suspicious and trigger Kuro's skeptic senses, and they'll have more time to plan their counterattack.

So, Usopp naively allows Kaya to go home on her own.

She can stay unaware. It's safer for her that way.

(Usopp hasn't realized yet, just how frustrating it is to be in Kaya's position. To never be allowed to know things, to never be more than just a princess in a tower, waiting for her prince.)

(Usopp's stories are about a brave warrior that can do anything, because that's who he wants to be. From a helpless, cowardly worm, he wants to be more.)

(Kaya, however, fancied childish fairy tales, perusing the colourful pages depicting the princesses, because she wanted to be anything except them.)

(Alas. Usopp brings the world to her window, but in reality, Usopp's just as caging to Kaya as Khlahadore is.)

By the time Usopp manages to collect himself— and the very disorganized, chaotic, and ultimately frustratingly aimless pirate buffoons—

"Seriously! What is wrong with you guys' senses of direction!"

"My sense of direction is fine!" Zoro yells, the worst lie he's ever told.

"Huh? Isn't a mansion like, supposed to be big and pretty and high and tall and sharp colourful roofs and fancy gold decorations and all?" Luffy asks, upside down, knee hooked over a branch. "That's why I'm climbing stuff. I can't see anything. No guards or anything either."

"Kaya's house is on a hill it is walkable with normal roads, there is literally a paved trail toward it," Usopp is so, so exhausted, "and of course we're not building the mansion at the highest spot here. That's just asking for natural disasters to take it! And are you thinking of a palace?!"

"I don't see any paved trails!"

"You're standing on it!" Usopp has to resist the urge to bash his head against the wall.

"This isn't ' paved!' It doesn't move!"

"What?"

"Aren't mansions and palaces and castles just another fancy word for a big building?" Luffy says. "All rich people's big buildings are just the same, right?"

"Luffy, I'm a country bumpkin. We're in the sticks. Please."

Usopp turns, beseechingly, toward Koby and Nami— only to remember that they've gone on ahead back to Usopp's place to hide their treasure (Nami) and offerings of goodwill from the Barto Club (Koby).

So the second their navigator is gone, all direction is gone. And since the cabin boy isn't here to pick up the pieces, they're all a mess, too.

Usopp gives up.

"Fine! I'm going myself and you guys can catch up later!"

"Wha– hey, Usopp! Only you know how to get into the mansion!"

"Don't just leave us here!"

Usopp has never relied on anyone, anyways. He knew from the beginning that he was not as much of a leader or a people-person as he pretended to be. And he has always known that if he wanted something done, reliably and with as much importance laid upon the mission— he would have to do it himself.

He didn't trust these pirates to save Kaya, anyways.

And that brings him pathetically scrambling to the mansion all alone, where Kaya sits at her desk, terrified, Kuro looming right over her figure.

He doesn't think before he leaps, and he's spotted before he even fully gets on the tree to Kaya's window. The frazzled look on Usopp's face hides no secrets.

"Oh, so you've found out already."

Kuro stares out the window, and sighs deeply.

"You're such a naive buffoon."

(Ah, Usopp really can never do anything right, can he?)

Roronoa Zoro cleans up dozens of pirates in a mere second. Koby hustles out of the cliffside, breathing heavily, and Nami is in much the same state.

"Oh my god I am never going on a wild goose chase for Zoro ever again," Koby sobs.

"Think of me ," Nami cries, "I had to hunt for Luffy . He found his way to a job at the local cafe. While we were fighting a war. Apparently asking for directions got him distracted."

"Oh seas, my days ahead are grim."

Luffy pulls his blindfold back down.

"Nami, Koby, take care of Kaya and Usopp," Luffy calls, and they quickly snap out of their spiel to rush over. "And Zoro, that ship."

Zoro had pulled his bandanna off, but his attention turns to the pirate ship in the distance.

"That thing?"

"Yeah," Luffy says, "I need you to destroy it."

Zoro hums, reaching for his swords as Bartolomeo gawks. "Dude, that's a galleon! It's much bigger than the ship you guys were promised, you know? Why are you asking a swordsman to do this?"

"Zoro, can't do it?"

"Don't speak for me, Luffy. I've never tried to take something that big apart before, but I'll do it."

"Okay then!"

Usopp admired them. He admired them so much. They charged ahead, brazen and shameless. They run toward challenges with no abandon, and here Usopp is cowering and failing and miserably.

He couldn't even protect Kaya.

Her hair scattered around him in piece, sheared to the scalp leaving a bleeding would penned from the crown of her forehead to the edge of her ear. Their blood mixed as he pressed against it, hoping he pressure aided by his glove would staunch. It would heal ugly, he knew, but she was slowly growing cold as she clung to him and Nami couldn't tear that cleaner cloth apart a bit quicker.

"Usopp-san! Give me your hand, hurry!" Koby's working quickly, too, ripping loops out of his bandanna to serve as makeshift ties. "Your fingers!"

Ah, Usopp's in danger of dying of blood loss, too.

So he accepts the treatment.

"Gambia, I need your blood pack!" Nami hollers. "I know you have them to pretend to be injured! Hand it over, it's universal donor blood, right?!"

"How did you even know that?!"

"Just hurry up and hand it the damn hell over!"

They're so capable.

What did Usopp even achieve, showing up to try and fight today?

Ah, he's so tired of not being able to do anything but speak big words about everything he couldn't be.

"...you're not pathetic, Usopp."

Usopp pauses.

Kaya's awake. Her eyes bleary, her fingers clingy bloody to his overalls, her eyes affixed on him brimmed with tears, her nose scrunched with only such pure sadness he almost felt guilty.

"You came for me, and you've always been there for me," she says. "So what if you're not strong enough? I'm not either."

She sobs into his chest, ignoring the treatment Nami so desperately wants to give her because to her, this point is more important than that.

"Even if no one else does, I think you're the bravest warrior in the world. And I want to continue seeing the world with you. Isn't that enough?"

Those words struck, like a single blooming orchid among wild daisies.

Ah, Usopp has been such an idiot.

He never needed to be the son of a great pirate, a conqueror of the seas with men under his command. He never needed to prove himself to the people that never cared about him to begin with.

To Kaya, he's the bravest warrior of the seas.

He's the knight to the single dearest princess in the world. How could he covet praise from anyone but his most precious?

What more could he ask for than her adoration?

Usopp watches, as the ship in the distance sinks, bit by bit. Zoro comes back groaning about not being able to cut it cleanly, but it sank before he could try again.

Luffy simply laughs at him, dodging Kuro's attacks with ease before launching out a whip foot at him. He pauses briefly when Kuro's stray attack guts through one of his fallen pirates, and his smile falls instantly.

Kuro takes that chance to lunge for him, and Luffy swerves aside, but not far enough to avoid the sonic wisps that escape the blade's trajectory.

Luffy's cheek splits open, and his lips purse unpleasantly.

Kuro's on his last ropes.

"Those guys can't fight anymore. Don't hurt them." Luffy says. His tone is dry.

Kuro scoffs. "One after another of you. Those useless maggots are in the way!" Kuro snaps. "They've failed to prove their value, so why do they matter any longer? Once I'm done with this, I was always planning to get rid of them. I'm just taking out the trash a little early."

Luffy's face pulls tight.

Usopp sees the way Luffy's shoulders tense, his fists tremble.

"...Trash?"

It's a voice so soft, so whispered, Usopp only read it in those lips and didn't hear it.

"You're scrapping them, even though they only ever did what you asked them to do?"

If Lufyf's eyes weren't hidden by the blindfold, Usopp wondered how they looked. But maybe it's better he doesn't. Because now, he sees not a strong, dancing monkey who lets no borders of logic restrain him— now, he sees a child befitting that colourful blindfold over his eyes.

He sees a teenager, barely an adult, the same age as him—

—just trying to become something he's not, because how else can they survive in this cruel, dangerous world?

(And Usopp's doubts cleared, so immediately, it was as if the clouds had split apart in a bursting wave.)

(Oh.)

(He's not the only pathetic one.)

"Precisely," Kuro says. "I picked them out of the garbage to begin with. They live because of my mercy, because of my… benevolence , so they have no right to complain if I decide I'm no longer interested in stringing old cans around."

Luffy lips shiver.

Like he can't believe what he's hearing.

"After all, I just want to come clean and stop being a pirate anymore," Kuro says. "I just want to live in peace. Think about it. They've done nothing but let me down, over and over again. Isn't it their greatest joy, that if they die, they can finally be useful to me, their saviour, their captain?"

Luffy's teeth grit.

"If you're the captain—!"

"Then take care of your weaker subordinates, you piece of shit!" Bartolomeo shouts. "A leader exists to protect his men! A leader exists so people who are willing to serve him will gather at his feet! So what the fuck are you doing?!"

Luffy turns toward Bartolomeo, just as shocked as Kuro is to hear him shout again.

Bartolomeo's sitting down at this point, his men fighting fervently against the surviving Black Cats, only two by his side to treat his wounds.

His outburst made even the Black Cats pause.

And he wasn't done.

"They followed you because they admired your strength!" Bartolomeo shouts. "They gave you your loyalty, so the least you can fucking do is give them something to be proud of! If you can't even do that, what kind of man are you?!"

Usopp hated Bartolomeo.

But in that moment, he only felt so, so much respect for the man that had forced him under his wing. For the first time in his months of hell, he felt so much pride for this leader he scorned with all his heart.

(Was Bartolomeo always so cool?)

Kuro rolls his eyes. "I've had enough of your silly, idealistic, childish—!"

He shreds the earth.

"When will you realize the world doesn't revolve around your reckless bravado? Not everyone wants to live in danger? Some people live their whole lives craving for peace and never get it!"

Luffy turns to Kuro once again, and this time, there's a smile on his face. This time, when Luffy dodges, it's elegant. He spins, like a dancer, and somersaults, with grace.

And he lands, extended appendages clutching Kuro's shoulders, before spiralling into a weave as he flips and lands on his feet. He screwed arms unwind to send Kuro into the air in endless loops.

"Sorry!" Luffy says. "I get it now!"

Kuro slams, hard and painful, into the ground, shattering the earth under him. The horrified silence that permeates the hill makes all battle seize.

And Luffy's arms lapsed right back toward him. He lifts his blindfold to find Kuro staring in the borders of consciousness, wide and feral, at him. Unable to move.

"You were running away somewhere too, weren't you? Sorry," Luffy giggles, crouching down beside him. "Should have told me earlier, then. And you really shouldn't have tried to hurt Kaya and Usopp, they're going to be in my crew, you know!"

Luffy's smile is warm.

"You know, if you want to run, Monkey Island is always there for everyone!"

Kuro's eyes widen even more.

"...Is this some kind of joke?"

His voice is grit and hollow. Furious. And his fingers twitch, even as the blades were shattered on his gloves.

But that didn't matter. Luffy was so close to him, he didn't need more than the start of the blade. He lunged for Luffy, hand grasping the boy's neck with those broken blades closing over the boy's throat—

—but Luffy doesn't react.

His eyes continue to bore into Kuro's calm and forgiving . Even as the blades carve into his neckline. He does'nt panic, doesn't smile, doesn't try to negotiate.

"Are you trying to fuck with me?!" Kuro snaps. "You ruin my dreams, and you have the gall to— mock me! Mock me like this?! I don't need your fucking joke of a charity case! I am Captain Kuro, and I don't accept your pity! I don't need your help, I am the man with a Thousand Plans and the only man that I could ever trust is myself! "

He's furious.

Eyes burning with a hatred that years, and years, and years of lonesomeness burned into his very soul.

Kuro is a man that cannot trust others.

He is a leader that has only been able to trust himself, because he is the only capable man. He doesn't care for others, and no one has ever cared for him. Just as he has been used by others, he simply uses others in turn. He didn't enter the world of piracy of his own will, and all he ever wanted was to leave it.

He has loneliness whipped into his very soul, and he would rather die than ever submit to a young pirate seeing him as a charity case.

(And Luffy looks into his eyes and sighs, sadly.)

"Are you sure?"

Kuro thinks the question Luffy asks is for him. Of course he's sure. Kuro will wrench this brat's head from his torso and— and one day, he'll find a way to be free again. He will earn his freedom on his own one day. One day.

—no.

The question hadn't been for him.

"Yeah."

Kuro lifts his head abruptly to find Usopp, a pistol gun in his uninjured right hand. Usopp's eyes are firm, with the same sadness and pity in Luffy's eyes.

The pistol is pointed right at Kuro.

(He needs to dodge.)

(Just throw his head backward, duck down, anything… but his body won't move. The world spins. His body's past so many limits. He can't even squeeze his clawed hands on his body's throat, he no longer knows up from down or left from right.)

The trigger pulls.

"I'm sure."

The bullet embeds into the middle of Kuro's forehead, blowing him backward, quiet, and lifeless, and in just an instant, all is gone.

Luffy sits up, slowly. And he turns to Usopp, eyes loaded with sympathy.

"You can't go back anymore, after that, you know."

Usopp nods, holding the gun in both his hands. Feeling the weight of it. Feeling the weight of the tool, of the life, of the blood in his hands.

And Usopp resolves himself firmly.

"I know."

Kuro is dead.

And Usopp killed him.

(He couldn't watch it anymore.)

(He couldn't watch a man break down like that. Not Khlahadore, who was always the picture of perfection, composure, and will.)

(Usopp wouldn't be able to live with himself. It was one thing for Bartolomeo to be stripped of the hatred Usopp felt toward him to become something strong and powerful.)

(It was just so much more devastating to watch Khlahadore, of whom Usopp hated with all his heart, strip himself away to reveal the broken, vulnerable, and ultimately desperate man that lay hidden underneath that mask.)

(Usopp knows, even through his clumsily crafted mask, that Kuro should die as the terrible, terrible man he is. He should die as the mask of a Thousand Plans, the Black Cat of whom was a respected, cruel leader until the very end.)

(Kuro cannot die as a broken man who simply wished for peace so much that he no longer knew how to get it. It would be much too sad. And who, on earth, would Usopp direct this hatred to?)

(Every story needs a villain. Every story needs a hero.)

( Please be the villain of my story, Usopp pleads, selfishly. Because that is what you deserve. You are malicious and terrifying, and that is how I want you memorialized in the story of the brave warrior of the seas.)

(Please, do not be just another victim in this cruel world. You deserve more than such a pathetic title. Please, let me continue to hate you.)

(Please, do not let your actions have meaning. Please, do not allow me to understand you.)

(Please, for me, do not be human .)

Usopp lowers his gun.

And turns to Kaya, who sobs dearly into Nami's chest. She doesn't look up. She sees only one glance at the dead body of the man that once meant the world to him, and she mourns, who what he once meant to her.

He doesn't deserve to be grieved so dearly. Not with her tears.

But emotions, they are strange things, so just today, they won't talk about it. So these are meaningless tears, and such passing details need not be recorded in a story where tears should never be shed for grief.

"...it's over," Usopp says.

Kaya nods.

It really is.

The commotion draws the village.

"What have you— Usopp?"

"Khlahadore!"

"It can't be— who are these—"

"How could it be?!"

"Bartolomeo, are you alright?!"

"Kaya— oh my god! Kaya! KAYA!"

When they see Khlahadore dead, Bartolomeo injured, and Usopp standing proudly upon the top of the hill with a gun in his hand— the conclusion they draw is the first worst case scenario they could think of. It's only made worse by the barely conscious, heavily bleeding Kaya cradled in the arms of a woman they all knew was a stranger and pirate .

"Usopp! How dare you!"

"Did you— did you kill Khlahadore?!"

"Let go of Kaya, you fiend!"

"How dare you— how dare you, after all this village has done for you after your mother died!"

The Veggie Trio show up and gasp. Someone draws them away, this isn't a sight for children. Usopp spins around toward the crowd, pulling Nami and Kaya behind him, and Koby scrambles.

"Wait, this isn't what you think it is!" Koby insists. "It's a misunderstanding, Usopp-san didn't—!"

"Then why is Khalahadore dead? Why did Usopp shoot him?!"

"He gathered you pirate fiends here to retaliate against Bartolomeo, didn't he? I knew he would do something like this one day!"

"Why can't you understand, Usopp, that we are happy here?!"

"We are happy under Bartolomeo's protection here and we are sick of you destroying it for us !What have you ever done for us other than consistently causing trouble?!"

"We should have chased out your pirate scum toward the seas earlier! You're just as much a scum as that pirate trash that left your mother to die alone!"

Usopp doesn't say a thing.

Koby explodes. Nami gasps. "How could you say such a thing?!" Nami snarls. "Even if he is a troublemaker, how is it his fault what his father did?!"

"That's probably not even true!" Koby yells. "I'm sure there was a reason for that too–!"

"Shut up, you pirates! LET GO OF KAYA!"

"How dare you do that to Merry! Merry has been nothing but kind to you!"

People are surrounding them. Tending to Bartolomeo, and his fallen men. Surrounding them with pickaxes, guns, spears. Torches, and fire.

"You're worn down now! We can defeat you!"

"We're going to capture you and turn you in to the marines like the horrible disgusting criminal you are!"

Usopp says nothing.

Koby shrinks further toward Usopp, and Nami cradles Kaya close. Kaya doesn't have the strength, tears steadily flowing down her cheeks as she whimpers out an explanation she can't manage to force into coherence. Zoro and Luffy level Usopp with a firm, meaningful glance—

—and Usopp's eyes are shadowed with hurt .

He bites down on his lip. He has to make a decision.

Bartolomeo makes it for him.

"Stop it, all of you!" Bartolomeo yells.

His voice is loud and booming, and the area stops, to listen. He nurses his wounds with so much weight, and yet, his composure never falters, his authority never wanes.

"You're all right! Usopp planned all this. Tried to usurp my authority here, tried to win against me!" he grins, and Luffy blanches with horror at the man's audacity to betray them.

Bartolomeo stands up.

"But these guys are strong! I'm sorry to say this but I'm so pathetic and weak that I can't win, we can't win, and I don't want any of you getting hurt for me any more!"

His expressions scrunch up, sadly.

"Khalahadore, you know, he protected me," he says, mournfully in such a magnificent tirade, Luffy stood there flabbergasted at how his truth and words didn't match. "So please, none of you get hurt any more. I've had enough!"

He points straight at Usopp.

And Usopp understands.

"Tell us, Usopp, what do you want from us?!" he demands. "What will it take, for you to leave Syrup Village alone forever, to stop hurting any more of us?!"

His eyes meet Usopp's, so firmly, so resolutely, and loaded with so many meanings Usopp needed a moment to take it all in.

(Ah, his life the past few months may have been absolute shit, but maybe he didn't need to break from this hell, after all. Maybe he can move forward, with powerful steps instead, not running away, but being shoved forward with blessings.)

Usopp's face couldn't be controlled. It bloomed, into such a wide and happy grin, tears sprung from his eyes and his nose watered.

"GET ME A SHIP!"

Usopp demands, loud and clear.

Smiling with teeth, he raised his arms demonstratively, and affixed a foot on a rock and demanded of the peasant around him with a bravado that was squeezed through the pulsating pain in his shorn fingers, but he just spoke louder.

"I'm bringing Kyaa with me, no complaints!" he roars, to horrified gasps. "Prepare the ship at Kaya's home with enough supplies to last me a month! And move all the gold from the Barto Club to it as well. Don't you dare play any funny games, because—"

And he takes a deep breath.

He glances toward Zoro and Luffy, the former of which chuckles in amusement while the latter laughs approvingly. Nami sighed in fondness and Koby shone with excitement. Kaya's terrified expression wanes away into a gentle smile.

"—if you don't listen to my demands, me and my four Elite Braves will raze this town to the ground and leave nothing alive! My name is Captain Usopp, and you will rue the day you've all crossed me!"

Usopp grin grows, and grows.

Bartolomeo's feigned misery twitches a moment into a smile, but he hides it quickly.

Usopp's eyes meet Ninjin's, and his grin softens into a meaningful, and so, so liberated smile. He sees the moment Tamanegi and Piiman join him,a nd when they see the expression on Usopp's face, their anger and confusion melt away into surprise, and then, into tears.

Tears of relief.

They hold back their tears and sniffles and then, they salute. It's clumsy, because the adults usher them away quickly, not understanding their reactions as anything other than devastation for someone they once respected.

And that's how it should stay.

Usopp yells, loud and clear. "And of course, you're treating all our wounds before you treat the Barto Club's, got it?! We're setting sail as soon as possible!"

Usopp's sendoff is disastrous and marred with pain, but he has no right to mourn it. He will simply leave as a villain in Bartolomeo's story, and Syrup Village will recover with a scar they will grow stronger toward.

As for the true story of the blood on this hill, they will remain simply a song of unsung braves forevermore