"Man, I'm hungry."

"Then you shouldn't have eaten all our food! I wish I had some more booze though."

"Grrr."

"You and Shiro shouldn't have drank it then."

"Who knew a lion would be such a good drinking partner."

Luffy, Zoro and Shiro had been out at sea for a whole 2 days in a cramped boat. Luffy of course had eaten their food on the first day, and Zoro with the help of the white lion Shiro had drunk everything they had. Now they were drifting hungry and thirsty.

"Hey Luffy what's with the pipe?" Zoro asked, trying not to think about his empty stomach. Luffy grabbed the said pipe and held it fondly. "It's a keepsake from when I was a kid. I used to fight with it." Luffy said, twirling it around a few times before he set it back down, and as he was doing it something caught his eye.

"Hey look, a bird! Maybe we can eat it." Zoro looked at the bird and how high it was. "But how are we gonna get it down here?" He asked and he watched as Luffy got ready to use his rocket move using the mast.

"Like this."

"GUM GUM ROCKET!"

Luffy flew into the skies at high speeds. But instead of landing on the bird he somehow landed in its beak. "HELLLLLLP!" He screamed as the bird started to fly away with him. Zoro started to row as fast as he could to keep up with him.

"You dumbass, how the hell did you get caught!" He said.

"Help help!"

Zoro heard voices from the water and he saw three people stranded in the ocean. "I'm not stopping so grab on if you can!" He said. The three people did as he said and when they got in he could see they were dressed like clowns like they were in a circus. They pulled swords from their hips and pointed them at Zoro.

"We are members of the great buggy pirates, now hand over this boat to u-." The three were interrupted by the sound of growling from behind them. They turned to see Shiro, who had his claws digging into the wood. A few seconds later the three were rowing in place of Zoro with numerous scratches on their form.

"You're a pretty good crew mate, Shiro." Zoro said with a big smile, rubbing the lion on the head.

Meanwhile with Luffy he was over a town of some kind and just when he got loose of the bird's beak it was shot by a cannonball. The bird either died on impact or was knocked out but either way Luffy was failing from the sky. He screamed as the ground grew closer and closer.

"Oh wait I'm rubber I'll be fine." He said and his fear turned into excitement.

CRASH!

Luffy landed on a concrete road and made a small crater. "Man, that was fun." He said as he dusted himself off. When the smoke from his landing cleared he was able to take in his surroundings and he was in a peculiar situation. He was smack dab in the middle of an orange haired girl and three clowns with swords. Luffy didn't know what was going on but the girl walked up to him with a big smile. Luffy thought she looked familiar.

"Boss, it's so good to see you. I'll leave them to you okay." She said and then ran away. Luffy stood confused looking around like a duck that had lost its way.

"What just happened?" One of the guys asked. "It doesn't matter, we have her boss now." another said and all three of them attacked Luffy. But in seconds they were on the ground and Luffy was left standing.

"What was their problem?"

"Wow you're really strong, you beat them all in seconds." Luffy heard the voice of the girl call out to him. He looked to where he knew she was and saw her watching him from a rooftop. "You're the girl who set me up." Luffy didn't have any hostility in his voice as he spoke to her. Luffy could finally get a good look at her. She was a pretty girl with short orange hair. She wore a two tone white and blue shirt and a brown skirt and boots. Her smile was almost that of a cat's and her eyes held the same mischief.

"Yeah sorry about that. But you're not hurt so no harm no foul right. I'm Nami, a thief who steals from pirates, want to team up?"

"Nah I'm good." Luffy said as he walked away, barely paying the girl any mind. She looked shocked he turned her down so easily. She jumped from the roof and landed behind him with grace. "Wait at least hear me out, I think with your brawn and my brain we can really get some big rewards." She said, trying to get Luffy to see her way.

"Like I said, I'm not interested." Luffy said but then he grabbed his stomach in pain. Moments later he fell to his knees. "I forgot how hungry I am." The girl flashed a cheshire smile behind him as she got an idea.

"Come with me I can get you some food." She said and Luffy's eyes grew stars in them. "Really thanks!"

He followed her to an empty house where she pulled out what seemed to be leftovers from the day before. Not that Luffy minded though, he dug into the food like it was made by the finest chief in the world.

"That was good, thanks. You live here yourself?" Luffy asked, looking around the empty home. "No, everyone in this town is hiding because of the buggy pirates. Their captain is a psycho who loves bombs, so everyone ran away in fear of being blown away. I'm just staying in this house for a while." Nami explained.

"Oh so you're a common thief then not a pirate thief." Luffy said, picking his nose.

"No way! I'm just burrowing this stuff. But that's not the point here, the point is I stole a map of the Grand line from Buggy. I'm gonna steal some treasure from him then I'll go to the Grand line and steal even more. So what do you say? Want to team up and earn a lot?" Luffy looked at her like he was evaluating the girl and it made her slightly uncomfortable.

"Do you know how to navigate?" He asked. Nami took on a cocky and confident aura at the mention of navigation.

"Of course, I'm the best damn navigator in the east blue."

"That's great, then you can join my crew since we're going to the Grand line too." Luffy said with an excited smile. "Though I don't know where they are right now." Luffy said with a hand on his chin in contemplation. He didn't notice the dark and disgusted look on Nami's face.

"Your crew? So you're a pirate then?" She asked. "Yep, I just started a few days ago. If you come on as my navigator I'll have three crew members." Luffy said with a small excited laugh.

"No way! I hate pirates, the only things I love are tangerines and money." Luffy grew disappointed. "Ahh come on, it'll be fun, we'll travel all around the world and have lots of adventures!" He said with enthusiasm.

"No! Pirates took someone very dear to me. I'll never be one!" She said with hot anger.

"I see well that's too bad. Is that why you want treasure so bad?" He asked her.

"I need 100,000,000 beri to buy a village. That's my goal."

"That's like a lot."

"I know but I'm almost there." Nami said with an air of melancholy.

"Well good luck I got to go." Luffy said as he got up to leave. "Wait, I'll join you if you do something for me." Nami said. She had an all too innocent smile on her face as Luffy turned to her with hope in his eyes.

"Really what is it?"

"Just come with me to buggy that's all." Luffy didn't look suspicious in the slightest and Nami laughed internally at his stupidity.

"Nah, that just sounds like another set up, plus my crew just got here so I gotta go." He said simply and walked out the door leaving a gobsmacked Nami in the house. Nami stood there for a few minutes before she booted out the door after Luffy.

"Wait, you can't just turn me down like that!" She said as she caught up to him.

"Why not? Besides, I'm not interested in this boogy guy." Luffy said, walking down the street carefree. "It's buggy!" Nami screamed. Nami had one more idea to get Luffy on her side. She pulled her shirt down just a little to show her chest and leaned forward a little to make them bigger.

"You wouldn't leave a pretty girl like me all by herself would you." Luffy looked back at her and took in her pose and Nami thought she had him.

"Yeah you're pretty alright." He said as he kept walking. Nami fell over in shock. 'No one has been able to resist my sexy routine like that.'

Nami gave up on trying to convince him and just decided to follow the boy. He was strong, maybe she could still use him, there had to be something he wanted. Something she could take advantage of.

"Heyyyy! Zoro! Shiro!" Luffy yelled when he spotted his two crew mates. Zoro was just getting off their boat and Shiro wasn't far behind. Nami looked up to see his crew only to freeze. There was a green haired man with three swords and the other was…

"A LION!"

She screamed in shock and Luffy looked at her confused. "Why is everyone so surprised to see Shiro all the time?" Zoro shook his head at him while the lion seemed to shrug his shoulders.

"Well people don't usually walk around with a lion as a companion." Zoro said.

"But he's nice." Luffy said as he petted the lion. "Rawr." Shiro agreed, seemingly smiling and reveling in Luffy's touch. Zoro eyed the shocked girl behind his captain. "Hey Luffy, who's the girl?" He asked.

"She's Nami, I wanted her to be our navigator but she hates pirates. Now she wants me to fight some pirate named booger." Luffy explained.

"It's Buggy!" Nami said before she was able to recognize the green haired swordsman. "Aren't you the pirate hunter?" She asked.

"I'm a pirate now and this is my captain." Zoro said pointing at Luffy.

"How did you-" Nami started to ask another question but she was interrupted.

BOOM!

In the midst of their conversation a huge explosion destroyed an entire row of buildings. "That was a hell of an explosion." Zoro whistled in amazement.

"Yeah that was Buggy, he's been blowing up the town ever since he got here." Nami explained.

"Is that why you want Luffy to beat him?" Zoro asked. "No, I want his treasure. I'm a thief who steals from pirates." Nami said.

"Hey Nami I've got an idea, how about you become my temporary navigator?" Luffy proposed to her.

"Your temporary navigator?"

"Yep I need a navigator for my next destination and you want this treasure so how about we team up for now." Nami thought about it, it sounded like a good deal. And he didn't say anything about splitting the treasure.

"Ok then deal." She said with a big smile.

"Yeah! I got a navigator!" Luffy screams excitedly.

"TEMPORARY NAVIGATOR!" Nami corrected heatedly. "I still hate pirates, I'm doing this for the treasure only." She said and Luffy just looked at her with a smile. She didn't like that smile. Something about it told her he was different from other pirates she's met.

After that they started to follow Nami to where Buggy was. "So what's this buggy guy look like?" Zoro asked, wanting to know about their enemy. Nami pulled out a wanted poster and handed it to him. Luffy peaked his head over his shoulder to see too.

"Whoa he's got a big nose!" He said, breaking out into laughter. Zoro couldn't help but laugh with his captain and whatever Shiro was doing was clearly a laugh if the tears were anything to go by.

"You three are idiots!" Nami screamed at them. Her teeth somehow grew sharper in her mouth with her anger. "Buggy is a real ruthless guy, they even say he has some weird power." Nami explained trying to make them see this was dangerous.

"What's that smell?" Luffy asked, not paying attention to her.

"Were you even listening to me!?"

"Smells like smoke." Zoro added. Luffy didn't even say anything he just took off down the street. "Let's check it out!" He said after he was already around the corner. It didn't take long for the group to catch up with Luffy and when they did they saw him standing in front of a burning building. As they got closer they saw an old man and a small dog crying in front of the building.

"Luffy what happened?" Zoro asked.

"Don't know. Hey old man, what happened?" The old man who was dressed in some form of armor looked emotionally distressed. "The buggy pirates. That beast tamer's lion destroyed the shop and Shushu fought him." He explained and Nami seemed very surprised at that fact.

"Why would a dog fight a lion?!"

"This store was his old Master's. He left and told Shushu to protect it."

"So he abandoned him?" Zoro was disgusted by the act.

"No, he died. But Shushu didn't care. He's been protecting this shop waiting for him to return. It was the only thing he had left of him. It was his treasure and those pirate's destroyed it!" The old man explained to them. Nami looked like she was about to cry while Zoro and Luffy's eyes were shadowed.

"Let's go Zoro, Shiro."

"Rawr!"

The air that Luffy and his crew had was dangerous and the old man and Nami could see it. Nami didn't understand why they seemed so angry. They were pirates, they didn't feel sympathy.

"Hey those pirate's are that way!"

"I know." Luffy said.

"Luffy, what's the plan here?" Nami asked and Luffy looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Plan? We're gonna kick their ass." Nami hit her forehead in frustration.

"Luffy, this guy has at least 50 crew mates and you have 1 guy and a lion."

"Numbers don't matter. Because I'm strong." Luffy said and just as Nami was gonna hit him over the head he opened his mouth again.

"HEY BIG NOSE!" Luffy screamed.

"Are you crazy he hates anybody talking about his nose!"

"Who the hell just said that!"

They all looked up to see a man dressed as a clown with a long cape. His outfit had an assortment of colors and his hair was blue. He had clown makeup on and like Luffy said a huge red nose. Five knives popped from his wrist and he held them each between his fingers. He eyed the group below him with a bloodthirsty glare.

"Who are you bastards?!"

"We're pirates. Now Come down here so I can kick your ass big nose!" Buggy eyes looked like they were dyed red in anger. "Prepare the Buggy ball!" The clown captain screams. The others sat there and watched as they loaded a large cannonball into an even larger cannon.

"So your goodbyes you flashy idiots! FIRE!" The cannonball was fired and Zoro and Nami bolted behind buildings but Luffy and Shiro just stood there. Luffy took a deep breath and his body started to rapidly expand until he had a huge stomach.

"Gum Gum Balloon!"

He said and caught the cannon ball with his inflated stomach. Everyone watched with ludicrous expressions as he shot the cannon ball back at the pirates.

BOOM!

The cannonball demolished the building killing many of the buggy pirates on impact. Zoro and Nami came from hiding and Zoro had an embarrassed look on his face. "Hey warn me next time you're making me look weak." He said, his bandana already tied around his head for battle.

"Shishishi, sorry." Luffy said laughing

"What are you?!" Nami asked fearfully.

"I'm a rubber man." Luffy said stretching his skin and Nami looked like her skin was crawling.

"You bastards!" Buggy's voice interrupted them and he appeared holding two of his own men up as shields. "You've caused me a great deal of shame. Mohji! Cabaji!"

Two people appeared from behind Buggy. Well two people and a giant lion appeared from behind Buggy. "I am the vice captain of the Buggy pirates. Beast tamer Mohji. And this is Richie." One of them announced. He seemed to be wearing a wig of some kind that looked like sheep fur. While he wore a similar item to cover his chest. He wore blue pants and animal style shoes as he rode a large yellow and pink lion.

Luffy's eyes narrowed slightly but Shiro stepped toward before he could. "You want to fight them Shiro?"

"Grrrr." The lion responded.

"I am Cabaji, the chief of staff of the buggy pirates." Cabaji rode a unicycle and he used a cutlass as a weapon. His black hair was in a ponytail with a long bang hanging in the front. He wore an open blue vest and black pants and shoes of the same color. His most unique feature was his plaid scarf.

Shiro was the first to make a move, he took off at highspeeds and swiped a claw across the lion. It roars in pain and lashes out with a paw swipe that landed on Shiro. The white lion flew through the air and crashed into a building.

CRASH!

The building fell down on top of the white lion and Mohji laughed. "That's one down." He said as Buggy and Cabaji joined in. But surprisingly so did Luffy. "Shiro isn't that weak." He said. In an instant a white blur crashed into Richie. The other lion's eyes went white from the impact and everyone heard the cracking of ribs. Riche and Mohji flew through multiple buildings before they stopped and when they did they didn't get back up.

"Seems like our beast is higher on the food chain than yours." Zoro had a prideful smirk on his face as Shiro stood beside them once more.

"Die!"

Cabaji sped from his position and tried to impale Luffy with his sword but Zoro blocked it with a sword of his own. "You're fighting me pal." Zoro said as he lashed out with a slash. Cabaji in a show of balance was able to jump out of the way on his unicycle. "Your Roronoa Zoro right. The Pirate Hunter."

"I don't do that anymore, I'm a pirate now." Zoro said, slightly frustrated with his reputation. "Well either way my name will get a boost if I kill someone like you."

"Yeah, if." Zoro said with a challenging smile as he equipped himself with his swords. The two clashed in the middle of the street. Zoro had a clear upper hand.

"You're not making any headway on boosting your name." Zoro said as he slashed across the chest of Cabaji. The acrobat jumped back in pain.

"ACROBAT TECHNIQUE FLAME BALL"

He said and fire flew from his mouth that Zoro easily dodged. "I'm gonna finish this now."

Zoro got into a crouched position while he crossed his swords. He dashed across the street at high speeds and appeared behind Cabaji.

"Onigiri!"

Cabaji had three big slashes across his chest as he fell to the ground in a pull of blood. Zoro came to stand behind Luffy the same as Shiro did as they started down a befuddled Buggy the clown. "Mohji! Cabaji!" They ignored his shocked stance.

"Where did the girl go?" Zoro asked.

"She's taking the treasure." "Luffy said.

"Welp, I guess you're up, captain."

"Shishishi, yep leave it to me!"

"I'm gonna kill you Straw hat!"

"Try it!" Luffy said as he ran to Buggy with his fist stretched behind him. Luffy used gum gum pistol but Buggy's body separated by the torso and he dodged the attack.

"What the!" Luffy said in shock as his opponent got behind him.

"CHOP CHOP CANNON!"

Buggy announced and his hand shot from his arm. Luffy with his back still turned, flipped over the attack and narrowly dodged the knives between the fingers. When Luffy was able to see Buggy he was shocked. Buggy's upper body was separated from his lower half, he watched as his hand reattached to his arm.

"You're not the only one with powers here. I ate the chop chop fruit making me a chop human. I can never be cut again!" He said before he attacked again.

"Chop Chop Wheel!"

Baldes sprouted from his shoes and he kicked his legs off and they flew at Luffy in the form of a bladed wheel. Luffy was able to catch the legs mid motion to everyone's amazement and he threw them away from him. Buggy didn't let up though and shot his hand off again and Luffy caught that too.

"That won't work." Luffy said but buggy had a mischievous smile on his face.

"Separate." Buggy said and his hand separated again and it escaped Luffy's hold. He was able to avoid getting cut but his hat didn't escape. The knives made a cut on the edge of the hat. When Luffy saw that he started to radiate anger.

"Nobody touches my hat and gets away with it! You're gonna die!" He said and Buggy laughed at him. "Is it that important?"

"It's my treasure."

"Treasure? Treasure is gold and jewels. Not studid straw hats. That kind of talk reminds me of that stupid red haired bastard." Buggy said and Luffy was surprised.

"You know shanks?"

"Of course I know him, we used to be in the same crew. He's the one who took away my ability to swim." Buggy said as he told Luffy how he had found a devil fruit to sell but shanks scared him and he ate it.

"Tell me did you get that hat from him?" Buggy asked. Behind Luffy his hand was floating ready to strike. "Yeah I did that's why it's important."

"Well if it's important… protect it better!" Buggy said and his hand shot towards the hat. But Luffy was ready; he grabbed the float hand and squeezed hard enough to crush the bones in it. Buggy screamed in pain and fell to the ground in pain.

"I'm done with your tricks." Luffy said with a murderous glare. He charged Buggy with both his arms stretched behind him.

"Gum Gum Bazooka!"

Luffy's two palms slammed into Buggy with amazing force and just like Alvida he sent him flying into the distance.

"Captain!" His crew screamed. They gathered up Mohji and Cabaji and fled the island in search of their captain.

"Well that was let down." Zoro said from his position. "Yeah I thought they would be stronger." Luffy added.

"Rawr." Shiro said.

"What do you mean a let down? I got at least 10 million beri and a grand line map! This was great. Now help me, this treasure is pretty heavy." Nami said as she rubbed her cheek against the bag. As they were walking away something caught Luffy's eye and he smiled. He ran and picked it up.

"Luffy, come on!"

"I'm coming."

They walked back to their shop and they saw the dog still sitting in front of his destroyed shop. "Aww he's still here." Nami sympathized. Luffy walked up to him and placed something in front of him. "Sorry this is all I could get. I know you fought bravely for this place. You should be proud." Luffy said and Nami could see Luffy handed him a single box of dog food. She looked absolutely stunned that he would do something like that just for a dog.

'This guy really isn't normal.'

Zoro smiled with pride. He was gaining more respect for Luffy everyday. "Welp lets go guys."

"So where do you want to go?" Nami asked Luffy.

"I think it's a place called lizard Island." Luffy said, thinking hard about his past. "Do you mean the gecko islands?" Nami questioned.

"Yeah that's it! There's a place called syrup village there."

"Ok but I don't know why you would want to go there."

"Shishishi." Nami just looks at him strangely but charted a course all the same. They had been out at sea for a few hours now. Their boats were tied together so they could use them both. "It shouldn't take us more than a day from our position." Nami said

"Great! We can stock up on meat!"

"And booze."

"Rawr!"

"Is that all you idiots think about!?" Nami said, shaking her head in aspersion. "In any case, hopefully we can get a ship from this place."

Just like Nami said a day later they were parking their boats on the beach of the gecko islands. "Land finally!" Luffy said as he jumped on the beach. Shiro and Zoro were right behind him stretching out the bones in their bodies.

"I'm glad to have space again. The witch is right Luffy, we need a bigger boat."

"Rawr."

SMACK!

"Who the hell are you calling a witch!" Nami said, hitting Zoro over the head. "You're not really helping your case."

SMACK!

Luffy just laughed as he watched Nami smack his swordsman. Zoro abruptly took on a serious stance and held his sword at the ready. "Careful someone's watching us." He said watching the cliffside.

"Yeah I know." Luffy said, not nervous at all. Without the sound of a gun multiple bullets were shot at Luffy's feet. The rubber man didn't move, he just kept his eyes on the cliff. A man appeared on the cliff holding a slingshot and many pirate flags sprung from the bushes.

"I am the great Captain Usopp! I advise you pirates to leave or me and my 80 thousand men will kill you." The now identified Usopp said. The shooter was wearing brown overalls with no shirt underneath and light brown boots. His hair was curly and he had the longest nose any of them had ever seen. In his hands was the weapon used to fire the bullets. It was a small green sling shot. His threat may have been effective if his legs weren't shaking.

"You only have three here. Are the others nearby?" Luffy asked seriously, looking around for the others. "No you idiot, he's lying!" Nami said and Usopp jumped.

"Aaaa she knows!" Child-like voices reverberated from the bushes before flags dropped. "Hey don't run!" Usopp turned his eyes on Luffy and the others with a serious glare. He drew back the string on his slingshot and held it there.

"You've already seen how good I am with this thing. I can match anyone with a pistol." Luffy's hat shadowed his eyes and he had a mischievous smile on his face.

"Now that you've drawn your pistol are you willing to use it?" He said with a threatening tone. "Guns aren't for threats, they're for actions. Are you willing to risk your life?" Zoro saw what his captain was doing and showed the blade of one of his swords. While Shiro bared his fangs with a thundering growl.

"I assure you, you're dealing with real pirates. Choose your next action carefully." Zoro said with a bloodthirsty smile. The tension on the beach was palpable as everyone waited for the captain to make his next move. Usopp sighed and dropped his slingshot.

"Words from real pirates carry a different weight." He said as he fell to his knees.

"Shishishi. You're Yassop's son right?"

In his surprise of hearing his father's name, Usopp fell from the cliff and landed right in front of Shiro. He backed away quickly when he felt the lion blow air in his face. Usopp shook himself together and stood up. "How do you know my dad?" He asked Luffy.

"Let's talk over some food I'm hungry."

"Wow so my old man is on a famous pirate crew huh." Usopp said in amazement. The sniper had taken them to one of the only diners in the village. Luffy has his face stuffed with food while Zoro was gulping down alcohol. And Shiro was doing both.

"Yep he was Shanks's number one sniper. He used to tell me all about his son back home, I've heard enough about you to make my ears bleed." Luffy said, and Usopp seemed to be lost in thought.

"I'm proud of my old man. Leaping into a pirate's life on the endless sea." Usopp said in a longing tone.

"Say Usopp, do you know where we can get a ship around here?" Luffy asked, patting his inflated stomach.

"A ship? Nah I don't know anyone. Maybe the mistress has one but she's sick." Usopp explained.

"Sick?" Nami questioned.

"Yeah it happened about a year ago, her parents died from a sickness leaving her with the mansion and all it's riches. But it left her depressed and bed ridden. I guess even money can't save you from pain." Usopp said with a fargone look on his face while Nami seemed to sympathize with the girl. Usopp looked at the clock and got up to leave but he paused mid way.

"Hey I could take you to meet the mistress right now if you want?" He said, sounding kinda nervous about it.

"That would be great, thanks Usopp." Luffy said as he got up and the others followed.

"Just don't make a scene, her butler is kind of an asshole."

"Well that went horribly." Nami said.

"He tells us not to make a scene and he goes and punches the butler." Zoro added with a frustrated shake of his head.

"Well he was right that butler is an asshole. It was like he wanted Usopp to punch him with all that stuff he was saying." Nami said disgustedly. She's met a lot of stuck up people before but that guy took the cake.

"Hey where's Luffy?" Nami asked, not seeing the rubber pirate. Zoro laid down in the shade of a tree getting ready to take a nap. "He went after Usopp."

"That idiot. We need to make a plan for a ship."

"I found you!"

"AAAAAAAA!"

Luffy just appeared in front of Usopp who was resting on a cliff side. This was his favorite spot on the island, from here he could see the vast ocean. Smell the salt in the air, in a way it made him feel closer to his dad.

"Why'd you run off?" Luffy said as he sat down next to Usopp.

"To be alone but that's not happening." Usopp said. They sat in silence for a few seconds before Usopp broke it. "I can't believe that butler, talking bad about my dad like that."

"Yeah, I don't like that guy."

"I may have my qualms about him not being there for my mom but I'm proud that he was brave enough to choose a life on the sea. And that butler tried to step on it." Usopp had fire in his heart as he said this.

"Hey Usopp, you want to join my crew?" Luffy asked abruptly. Usopp froze on the spoon and looked at Luffy in bewilderment. "Wha- what!" Luffy laughed in his face.

"Do you want to join my crew?"

"But why would you want a guy like me on your crew? You heard the butler. I'm just a liar." Usopp said in a depressed manner.

"You mean that butler." Usopp's eyes shifted to the shore and he laid eyes on the butler Chlawhadore and a strange man. The butler was a tall man with slick black hair and glasses. While the other man was of similar height with long blonde hair and heart shaped glasses.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Usopp leaned over the edge and Luffy did the same.

"Don't know but that guy he's with sure is weird." Luffy commented. Usopp motioned for him to be quiet so they could listen in.

"Jango, I remember telling you to be inconspicuous. Not to sleep in the middle of the road." The air the butler gave off was different from when they saw him at the mansion. He now stood with a level of authority he didn't have before.

"Don't worry captain Kuro, I've mastered the way of the chameleon." The man named Jango accentuated his words with dance moves.

"I told you not to call me that. Kuro of a thousand plans is dead." Luffy could feel the blood lust rolling off the man from his position on the cliff. Next to him Usopp was shaking from the cold feeling he got.

"Are the preparations complete?" Kuro asked.

"Yes we can begin at any time. Operation murder the mistress is a go." Jango said dancing in his announcement. Luffy and Usopp's eyes widened several sizes when their ears caught those words. "Murder Kaya?" Usopp whispered fearfully.

"Good then tomorrow morning you will attack from the North shore and I can finally be rid of this farce and have the lady's peaceful life for myself." Kuro said with a sadistic smile that seemed to scare jango. Usopp and Luffy watched as the two pirates walked away from the shore.

Usopp immediately hopped to his feet and Luffy watched as he freaked out over what he just saw. "We have to go warm everyone? I have to tell Kaya!"

"Are you sure?" Luffy asked seriously. Usopp looked at him like he was crazy. "Of course I'm sure! Didn't you hear they were going to kill Kaya." Usopp said, outraged.

"But will they believe you, after all you are a liar." Usopp's anger dissipated for a few seconds and he thought about what Luffy said. He was a liar, a day didn't go by where he didn't tell at least one lie or make up a story. But…

"That's true but I'll never forgive myself if I don't try!" He said and ran off into the town. Luffy watched him go with a big smile on his face.

"Shishishi, he really is a cool guy."

Luffy made his way back to where his crew was and he was greeted by Nami. Zoro and Shiro were sleeping under a tree. "Luffy there you are, we were just going to look for you." She said.

"Guys get ready for a fight." Zoro and Shiro woke up instantly at his words. Luffy had an excited smile on his face as he looked at them. "Luffy, what are you talking about?"

"That butler is a pirate named Kuro and he wants to kill Kaya. He's bringing his crew tomorrow morning." Luffy explained, shocking everyone. Zoro grabbed his sword with a bloodthirsty smile.

"Well it seems like tomorrow is gonna be fun."

Nearly an hour later when the sun was setting Usopp finally showed up. He was walking with an air of depression around him. His left arm was bleeding and his eyes seemed not to focus on anything.

"They didn't believe me. I guess to them, even to Kaya I'm just some liar." He said as he stood in front of Luffy and the others.

"What are you gonna do then?" Luffy asked.

"Even though they shot at me, and chased me with broom sticks, I still love this village. So I'm gonna fight for it!" Usopp's aura in this moment was that of a true warrior.

"I won't ask you to help but-" He was cut off by Zoro.

"Do you even need to ask? We're in."

"But you don't even know these people, why would you risk your life for them?" Usopp said befuddled. Luffy laughed a little with his eyes shadowed by his hat. "You think we're risking our lives for the village. We're doing this because of your courage."

"You'll still fight even though you're scared. That's commendable." Zoro said.

"Rawr!" Shiro agreed with them.

"Forget that. If pirates really are coming, that means they have treasure!" Nami said with money signs in her eyes.

"You really are a witch." Zoro said while Luffy laughed.

"Are you sure about this Luffy I could've sworn they said the other side." Usopp said.

"Trust me they're coming from this way." Luffy said as he looked out into the vast ocean. Ussop had taken them to where Kuro and Jango discussed their plan as he was sure that's where they would attack from. But Luffy insisted that the pirates were coming from the other side. When they asked him how he knew he just said he felt it. The others decided to trust him though they were skeptical.

"Ok everythings done." Usopp just finished laying an entire barrel of oil on the slope. "Where did you get a barrel of oil from?" Nami asked.

"A trickster never reveals his tricks Nami." Usopp said.

"He stole it from that restaurant." Luffy said with a small laugh as he rested on Shiro. "Aaa how did you know?!"

"Shiro saw you." Luffy said. "Stupid cat." Shiro growled at the long nose sniper and he hid behind Nami. "Eeee eat her first!"

BAM!

"Don't hide behind me!"

"Shishishi." Luffy laughed at them as Usopp sat down away from Nami and the lion. He reached into his bag and pulled out a pistol, a revolver to be exact, peaking everyone's interest. It was a simple silver color with a wooden handle, the make was a gun none of them had ever seen.

"I thought you used a slingshot?" Zoro asked. Usopp held the gun in his hand like it was the first time ever. "I do but this is in case I have to…" Usopp pauses with a look of dread on his face. "Kill someone." Zoro finished for him. Usopp nodded with a gulp. Luffy lowered his hat over his eyes as he stared at the night sky.

"My dad left it to me. I've never actually fired it at anyone before." Usopp explained and his hand shook.

"Are you scared?" Zoro asked him.

"Of course I am! What if I freeze up and can't pull the trigger?"

"Killing doesn't make you a bad guy Usopp." Luffy spoke for the first time in what felt like hours to them. "Yeah but taking a life is…" Usopp said with a shaky voice.

"Killing doesn't make you a bad guy. It's what you kill for. So ask yourself what would you kill for." Luffy spoke powerfully, this was the first time any of them had heard him this serious. His words held weight and for all of them they were something to think about. What would they kill for? Even Zoro, someone who's taken many lives on his path to be the greatest swordsman, thought about his reasons. Though he didn't find fault in them. He looked at his captain with admiration and a slight smile. 'I think I really found a guy worth following. Maybe he'll lead me to you Kuina.'

Nami was in her head as well. While his words made her see him in a new light they only reaffirmed her belief in her goals. She would do anything for that village. Even if it meant doing things she didn't like to people that she did. She looked at Luffy with guilt in her eyes but also appreciation. 'I wouldn't have minded being your navigator Luffy.' She thought with a smile.

Usopp was the most affected by the young captain's words. What would he kill for? He looked down at the gun in his hand, the only thing he had connecting him to his father. He looked behind him at the forest where his village slept peacefully not knowing the danger on the horizon. He gripped the gun tightly in his hands and his eyes burned with resolve. He knew what he would kill for.

'For Kaya, for the village, and for my dream.'

"Thanks Luffy." Usopp said with clear resolve in his voice.

"Shishishi."

"Hey the suns coming up." Nami said with nervous anticipation. Luffy stood up with a smile on his face as Zoro and Shiro stood on his sides.

"Let's kick some ass!"

"ROARRRRRRRRR!"