Ch 12 Kuro falls and Usopp joins the crew

Luffy and Alex watch as even more of the pirates fall down dead.

Alex: " Where the hell is he?"

More claw marks appear across Luffy's chest, blood spurting from the wounds. Luffy reaches out and grabs onto the nearly invisible Kuro's shirt, using all his strength, Luffy slams Kuro into the ground with enough force to crack it.

Luffy: " Gotcha!"

Kuro stands up, glaring at Luffy and Alex.

Kuro: " Curse you! Why won't the two of you just die?"

Kuro: " Look at this. It's all the fault of you two. Instead of dying quickly, my poor pawns are suffering."

Pirates: " Curse you.... No more.... It hurts!!"

Kuro: " You have something to say?"

Alex: " Your nothing more than a piece of shit."

Luffy: " I do."

Luffy: " I'm never going to become a pirate like you."

Kuro: " Don't worry, little fool. You could never be like me!!"

Kuro: " Any way.... I'm about to kill."

Alex: " Not today!!" He appears behind Kuro and wraps his arms around his neck, restraining him.

Alex: " Now try your fancy foot work!!"

Kuro: " Blast you! Let go of me!!!"

Pirates: " He's got captain Kuro.... If he wins, does that mean we don't get croaked?"

Pirates: " Yeah! Get him, Nitro guy!!!!! Kill Cap'n Kuro!!!!!"

Alex: " Shut the hell up, you damn bastards!!! I'm coming for you next!!!"

Alex: " Now, Luffy!!!!"

Luffy stretches his arm a great distance behind him.

Kuro: " No impossible! My plan..... My plan..... My plan cannot fail!!!!!"

Luffy: " Gum gum....." He releases the tension on his stretched out arm and it flies forwards.

Alex: " It's over, Kuro!!"

Luffy: " Pistol!!!!" His fist slams right into Kuro's face, sending him and Alex flying back into the wall, knocking them both out.

Pirates: " They trounced Kuro!!!! Who are you guys!?"

Luffy: " I'm Monkey D. Luffy!!! You think I'd let a pirate who gave up his name and quit the sea beat me!!!!"

Luffy: " A real pirate would die before he'd do either of those things!"

Luffy: " You'd better all remember that name. 'Cause someday... I'm gonna be the King of the Pirates!!!!"

Pirates: " Is he addled?"

Luffy: " Take your garbage with you!!!" He yells, grabbing Kuro and throwing him at the Black Cat Pirates.

Luffy: " And don't ever come back!!!!" He yells as the pirates grab Kuro and retreat to their ship, just as Nami is leaving it with a large sack of treasure. The pirates sail away.

Luffy sways on his feet and falls over, but he never hits the ground as Nami catches him.

Nami: " Good job."

Nami sets Luffy down on the ground, and Alex walks over sitting next to the two.

Alex: " Ugh, oooowwww. I should've thought that through more."

Nami: " So even the mighty Luffy faints from blood loss. What made you guys so mad?"

Nami: " I don't think I've ever heard you yell that many cuss words in one battle, not even against Buggy." She says to Alex.

Luffy: " I hate 'em. They're no good!"

Nami: " Well, they are pirates. Whadja expect?"

Luffy: " A steak would be nice."

Nami: " Of course...."

Alex: " Y'know, I could go for something to eat."

Usopp runs out of the forest, up to the three, Zoro with him.

Usopp: " Thanks!! I owe you guys."

Usopp: " Without you I couldn't have saved the village."

Zoro: " What are you talking about? It was all you. You made me."

Luffy: " Me to."

Alex: " I probably would've saved the village regardless if you were here or not."

Nami: " Who cares about the village? We got the treasure." She states, hugging her large sack of stolen treasure.

Usopp: " Having survived all this..... I've made a decision."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later, at the local restaurant the crew sits around a table, eating their fill. Luffy reaches down his throat and pulls out a fish bone.

Luffy: " Whew! I got it out!"

Zoro: " Hmph, you need to work on your fish bone eating technique."

Nami: " I've got news for you two. Normal people don't eat this part." She states, holding up a fish bone.

Alex: " Hey, Nami?"

Nami: " Yeah?"

Alex: " Think you can fix this?" He holds the pieces of his Jabot out to Nami.

Nami: " Uhhhh, no. It's literally in pieces."

Alex: " Well, I guess I'll just have to get a new one. And probably a new shirt and coat." He states, looking down at his damaged clothes.

Zoro: " The food's gone. Shall we go?"

Luffy: " I guess."

The four get up to leave, but the front door opens and in walks Kaya.

Kaya: " I found you!"

Luffy: " Hi, Miss Kaya!"

Nami: " Shouldn't you be recuperating?" She asks, as Kaya walks over.

Kaya: " I'll be fine."

Kaya: " My illness for the past year..... was caused by the shock and sadness of losing both my parents. Usopp brought my spirits up.... but I can't depend on others forever."

Kaya: " Anyway, you four need a ship. Isn't that right!?"

Luffy: " Are you gonna give us a ship?!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Straw Hat crew stand in front of a big ship with a lamb head on the front. With them is Kaya and Merry, Kaya's butler.

Zoro: " Wow..."

Nami: " A caravel!"

Luffy: " Wow!"

Alex: " Looks like a really good ship."

Merry: " Behold! She's not the newest model. But I designed her myself. She's a caravel, with a jib and a central stern rudder. I present you..... The Merry Go!"

Merry: " Are you the ones who helped Usopp chase away the Black Cat Pirates? I thought you'd be taller...."

Luffy: " You're really going to give us this ship!?"

Kaya: " Yes, please take it."

Merry: " I'll explain the rigging. First, regarding the adjustment of the yard with the clew garnet....." He starts explaining to Luffy.

Alex: " You're wasting your breath. Talk to me and Nami, we'll be the ones sailing it."

Luffy: " What a great ship!!"

Kaya: " I've stocked it with everything you might need at sea."

Luffy: " Thank you! You're sure adding insult to injury, Miss Kaya!!"

Alex: " Luffy, that's not the right saying."

They all hear a loud screaming as Usopp comes rolling down the hill, large bag on his back.

Usopp: " Stop meeee!!!"

Kaya: " It's Usopp!"

Luffy: " What's he up to now?"

Zoro: " We should stop him, he might damage our ship."

Luffy and Zoro put a foot up each, stopping Usopp dead in his tracks.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kaya: " So, Usopp, you really are going off to sea."

Usopp: " I am. I have to act before my resolve weakens. Don't try to stop me."

Kaya: " I won't. I had a feeling this would happen."

Usopp: " Oh..... Well, you couldn't stop me anyway."

Usopp: " When I come back... I'll have even taller tales to tell you, only they'll be true!!"

Kaya: " Good. I'll look forward to it."

Alex, Luffy, Zoro, and Nami board their new ship. Alex prepares it to set sail.

Usopp: " You guys take care. See you around." He says to the Straw Hat crew.

Luffy: " Why?"

Usopp: " Huh? Why? That's not very friendly. Since we're all pirates, we might cross paths someday."

Alex: " Get the hell on Usopp. It's gonna take more than me and Nami to sail this thing. And I don't think either Zoro or Luffy know how to sail a dinghy, let alone this thing."

Zoro: " Hey!!" He glares at Alex.

Usopp: " Huh?"

Luffy: " We're a team, aren't we?"

Usopp: " What..."

Usopp: " Yeah!!! Can I be the captain?"

Luffy: " No way!! I'm the captain!!!"

They set sail, and on the way, the five toast to their victory over Kuro and the Black Cat Pirates, as well as to a new crew mate and a new ship. The Straw Hat's continue on their journey with Alex behind the ship's helm.