Chapter 6

It had been some time since the trio left Orange Town. Luffy was eating fruit, Zoro was resting, and Nami was reading maps and coming to a conclusion.

"We cannot sail for the Grand Line like this." she said. "This crew, our provisions, and this ship are way too small."

"You're right." Luffy said with an apple in his mouth. "We need to get more food and strippers" Luffy

"And some booze." Zoro said.

"We need more than that, you morons. Why the hell would we need strippers

!" Nami screamed before she went back to the maps. "Anyway, we'll stop by a nearby island and try to get a better ship and supplies."

"What island?" Luffy asked as he ate apples.

"Let's see." Nami said as she checked some maps. "It's called Gecko Island."

"Finally some food"

"And booze."

'And strippers.

"Will you two shut up about that? Why the hell do want strippers" Nami screamed again.

"Can't a guy make a joke." Luffy

"When was the last time I went to a strip club." Luffy thought while laughing

"He is not making a joke." Nami and Zoro thought

It took awhile, but they landed at the northern side of the island. Luffy jumped onto the shore before Nami even got the boat onto the sand. Zoro stood up on the shore before stretching.

"Nice to be back on land." he said.

"Yeah. Now, to find a place with some meat." Luffy said with a smile. Nami just sighed, knowing he wasn't going to stop talking about food. Zoro agreed, stating they needed booze as well, but quickly went for his swords when he heard rustling in the bushes up on the hill.

We've got company." Zoro

Nami and Luffy looked up at the bushes where Zoro was looking. Luffy looked before he had to dodge whatever flew from the bushes. Nami hid behind the boats while stood Luffy his ground. When everything stopped, they all heard a laugh coming from up on the hill. They looked up to see a skinny young man with a long nose staring down at them with his arms crossed and a confident smile on his face with many pirate flags sticking up in the bushes behind him bearing the man's jolly roger.

"I am Usopp, leader of this island and of an invicible fleet of pirates. I am feared across the world as a monster known as CAPTAIN USOPP!" Usopp yelled out. "You must be fools to have tried to attack this island! If you don't get back into your boats now, my eighty million men will attack!" he screamed with his arms out wide. The trio on the shore just stared up at Usopp while he laughed.

"That's a lie." Nami said with a calm expression. Usopp looked down at her in fear at those words.

"She knows!" he yelled.

"Well, I do now." she said with a smug smile, causing Usopp to freak out how he was stupid for telling them it was a lie.

Alright, eighty million may have been a bit high, but I do have many men by my side!" he yelled as a few flags in the bushes waved around a bit. Nami smiled again as she pointed to the bushes "You mean those three?"

"AHH! SHE KNOWS!" screamed three little children from the bushes. They then dropped the flags and took off running on the verge of tears while Usopp screamed at them to not run. After they ran, Nami walked away from the boat and picked up one of Usopp's lead stars.

"Never seen a pirate who uses a slingshot." she said as Luffy laughed at Usopp's antics.

"Be quiet!" Usopp shouted as he aimed his slingshot at them. "I'm an expert with this thing!"

"Now that you've drawn your weapon, will you use it?" Luffy asked in a low tone, opening his eyes giving Usopp a serious look. Usopp just looked at look with fear in his eyes at his words. Zoro decided to have some fun as he flicked his blade out of the sheath a bit so Usopp could see the glint of the sword.

"The ones before you are real pirates. Careful, or the next move you make will be your last." he said as he gave a sinister looking grin towards Usopp. Usopp looked like he was going to wet him as he still had his slingshot aimed at Luffy. His whole body trembled before he dropped his weapon and fell to his knees in defeat as he let out a sigh.

Just like I thought. A real pirate's words have more impact." Usopp said as he looked at trio with a sad look. "Especially since they can back up their words." Luffy and Zoro looked at each other before laughing.

"I stole that." Luffy said as he continued laughing, causing Usopp to look at him confused. "I stole that from Shanks, a pirate I know."

"Wait, you mean Red Haired Shanks?" Usopp asked.

"Yeah. You're Usopp, Yasopp's kid right?" Luffy asked.

"Y-you know my dad?!" Usopp asked as he leaned over the edge of the cliff before falling down. He quickly got to his feet before asking if Luffy knew his father again.

"Yeah. But first, let's get some food."

Later

Usopp lead the three of them to a restuarant so that they could eat. While they did, Luffy told Usopp how he met his father. Usopp listened as Luffy told him about how his father went on and on about his kid, which is how he knew who Usopp was. He then went on about how excellent Yasopp's sniping was. How he never missed a shot, or how he said he could hit the antenna of an ant without hurting the rest. Usopp smiled as he listened to every word, glad to have heard something about his father after over a decade.

"Hey Usopp." Nami said after Luffy started eating again. "We weren't hoping to get a better ship. Know anyone who can help us?"

"Sorry, but we don't have anyone here who can help." Usopp said with a hint of a nervous tone.

"What about whoever's in that mansion on the hill?" Nami asked. "I saw it from earlier."

"Do not go there!" Usopp yelled as he stood up, shocking Nami and Zoro.  Usopp looked at them nervously before he grabbed his bag. "I uh...got somewhere to be. Everyone here knows me, so eat all you want. It's on me." he said as he walked out the door.

Wonder what's wrong with him?" Zoro asked. Luffy just shrugged before they went back to eating. After a few minutes of Luffy gorging himself, they were about to leave before the door burst open.

"The Usopp Pirates are here!" screamed the children who were with Usopp earlier. The trio looked back at them as they approached their table.

"Where's our Captain, you savages?!" screamed the one called Pepper, with Carrot and Onion right behind him.

"Ah, that was some good meat." Luffy said as he patted his belly, which caused the kids to look at him in horror.

"M-meat?"

"N-no way."

"These guys are cannibals."

Luffy smiled as Nami tried to hold in her giggles. Zoro looked at the kids with a dark smile as he leaned on the table.

"Your captain," he said as he gave a dark smirk "was eaten."

"AAAAHHHHH! CANNIBALS!" they screamed as they looked at Nami, who screamed back as to why they were looking at her as Luffy and Zoro laughed.

Nami tried to explain it was just a joke.

"B-but you s-s-said-" one of them said, which Zoro and Luffy laughed again. After a short chat about the food and Usopp with the restaurant owner, they all left toward the mansion, where the children said Usopp would be. As they walked, the children started laughing with Luffy.

You really got us good." they said as they continued to laugh. As they walked, Nami asked why Usopp would be at the mansion, to which they said was to lie. The children went on about how the owner, Kaya, has been sick for about a year when her parents died. How even though she had a lot of money, it didn't make her happy. They then went on about how Usopp went there to tell her stories to lift her spirits, along with what they liked about Usopp. Luffy smiled at that as they arrived at the gate of the mansion.

"We're here." Onion said. "The gate's locked though" Said before they were teleported by Luffy

"Sentan Hakuja." Luffy

Sentan Hakuja:A long, white piece of cloth is spun around to incorporate targets within its coils. As the cloth tightens, with a white flash, it teleports the targets to another location.



All except Luffy came crashing down next to a tree on the side of the house. Luffy was laughing at the landing of his companions Zoro walked with his face twitching , while Nami grumbled and rubbed her backside.

"

My word. Are you alright?" came a voice from the window next to the tree. They all looked up to see Usopp in the tree and Kaya in the window.

"Don't worry. We're okay." Luffy said with a smile.

"Maybe you are!" screamed Nami.

"Who are you all?" Kaya asked.

Oh them?" Usopp said with a slightly nervous tone. "They're just fans of mine who wanted to join the Usopp pirates."

"No. We're here to see you miss." Luffy said.

"Me? For what reason?"

"Well, we're hoping that-"

"What is the meaning of all this?!" came another voice. Everyone turned to see Klahadore, or Kuro, walking towards them with a sour expression.

"Klahadore." Kaya said.

"Out with you all. You're trespassing." he said as he adjusted his glasses with the palm of his hand.

"Klahadore, these people are-"

"Not now Miss Kaya. We'll talk after this rabble has left." he answered back before she finished. "Now all of you. Leave the grounds unless you have business with me."

"We don't have business with you." "We're here to talk to the lady of the house about lending us a ship." Luffy

"She is ill and cannot deal with the likes of you miscreants, so a ship is out of the question." he said as he looked up in the tree and spotted Usopp trying to hide. "USOPP!"

"Crap. He saw me." Usopp said as he looked down at the butler.

"What are you doing here? Trying to worm your way into Miss Kaya's good books to get at her fortune?" Kuro said with a bored expression.

"Khlahadore!" Kaya screamed at him while Usopp tried to get her to calm down.

"Of course you would. Only the son of a filthy pirate would make up a scheme like that." he said. Usopp glared down at Khlahadore.

What did you just say about my father?!" he screamed as he used a hook to jump down the tree and glared at him some more while trembling in rage.

"Calm down Usopp." Khlahadore said with a smug grin as he adjusted his glasses again before going on. "Why not just do what you do best and lie? Tell us how your father is a traveling salesman. Or that you're really adopted?"

"BASTARD!" Usopp screamed as he slugged Khlahadore right in the face, knocking him to the ground. Kaya and the kids stared in shock. Khlahadore sat up before spewing out Usopp's savage nature and insulting his father again.

"SHUT UP!" Usopp screamed before saying how he was proud of his old man and that he wasn't ashamed to be the son of a pirate. Luffy smiled at that while Khlahadore only grinned before insulting his father once again. Usopp was ready to punch him again, but stopped when Kaya begged him not to hit him anymore. Usopp listened as Khlahadore ordered them all out and to never come back. Usopp left in a huff, saying it was fine with him. After he left, the kids started yelling at Khlahadore for what he said about Usopp. Luffy kept quiet as they left after Khlahadore ordered them to leave again. After they walked out the gate, Luffy ran off to find Usopp. He slowed down when Usopp was in sight and sat down next to him.

"I want to be left alone Luffy." Usopp said as he looked out at the sea.

"Hey come on Usopp. Don't let that bastard butler get to ya. We both know your dad is a great guy." Luffy said, which got Usopp to smile and say how much he looked up to his old man and wanted to be like him. Luffy smiled before he asked if he would see Kaya again.

"I don't know." he said. "That stupid butler doesn't want me anywhere near her."

"Why not ask politely? He's right there." Luffy said as he pointed down the cliff they were on. Usopp looked down and spotted Khlahadore speaking to a strange man wearing heart shaped glasses. They both listened to them talk about how Khlahadore was Captain Kuro of the Black Cat pirates. How three years ago, he decided to kill Kaya to obtain her fortune after Jango hypnotized her to sign a will stating he would get everything should she die.

N-no way." Usopp said in a quiet and horrified voice. He couldn't believe what he heard.

"Well I could tell he was after her fortune." Luffy

"You could tell." Usopp

''He is obviously trying to get you out of Kaya's life by triggering you. " Luffy said before grabbing Usopp and flash stepping away.

Luffy met up Zoro, Nami, and the three kids.

"Luffy! Where'd you go earlier?" Nami demanded. Luffy then told them all about what he heard back at the cliffs with Usopp.

"WHAAAAT?!" screamed the kids. They couldn't believe what they had heard.

"So that butler is an ex Pirate Captain huh?" Zoro asked in a bored tone.

"And he's scheming to kill Kaya and take her fortune?" Nami asked.

"That's what they said." Luffy

"This is terrible!" one of the kids screamed.

"We gotta tell the village!"

"Look! It's Captain Usopp!"

All of them looked down the road to see Usopp's back to them as he stared at the village.

"Captain!" the kids screamed. Usopp jerked up a bit before he looked back at them smiling.

"Hey guys. What's going on?" he asked as he walked towards them.

"Captain! We heard everything!" screamed Pepper.

"That butler is gonna Kill Kaya!" yelled Carrot.

"We gotta warn everyone in the village." hollered Onion. Usopp had his head down the whole time before looking back up and laughing.

"Oh that? That was all lies." he said. The kids just stared as he continued. "I was just upset about that butler insulting my father, so I decided to get back at him by making all those lies up." he said with a laugh, which was joined in with the kids as they walked away. They didn't get far before they turned to Usopp and stated how disappointed they were in him and how they thought he was better than that before leaving. Usopp just watched with a sad expression. She noticed that he was wounded.

Later

The four of them were at the shore where Kuro and Jango were talking earlier as. Nami treated Usopp's wound. After she treated Usopp she asked Usopp why he lied to them. Usopp told them it was because all he did was lie. Everyone knew him as a liar, so no one believed him when he said pirates were coming as tears formed in his eyes. He then told them that it started off as to help someone he cared about years ago and he didn't stop since then, and how no one, not even Kaya believed him, and that one of her butlers shot at him.

"All I've ever done is lie. Why should they start believing me now?" he asked as tears rolled down his face.

"Because it's the truth." Zoro said. Luffy watched as a new resolve appeared in Usopp's eyes as he stated that this was his home. That even though they chased him and shot at him, he still loved this village, and that he would protect it. Zoro grinned at this. "Brave of you to send your men off while you fight alone."

"Just letting you all know, I call dibs on their treasure. Got it?" Nami said as Usopp looked at the three of them.

"Wha? You'll help me?" Usopp asked. "Why?"

"Because you said they're bad guys." Luffy said.

"And you look ready to piss yourself in fear." Zoro said with a smirk.

"Hey! I'm a brave warrior of the sea you know!" Usopp screamed as his legs shook. He hit his legs before admitting he was scared. "They're Kuro's men. Why wouldn't I be scared. Go away if you're helping out of pity!"

"We're not helping out of pity." Zoro said. "We're helping because your a man of honor."

We're not gonna stick our necks out because of pity." Luffy said.

"You guys..." Usopp said as he rubbed his tears away with his arm. "Alright. We have to get ready. They'll attack at dawn, so we have until they to prepare some traps." They all then walked back up the slope as Usopp said that they would attack from this shore. Luffy kept quiet about the other shore as Usopp spoke, asking what they were good at.

"Slicing."

"Also slicing."

"Stealing."

"Hiding."

"YOU'RE FIGHTING TOO, YOU ASSHOLE!" Zoro and Nami screamed at Usopp, who wheezed out that it was a joke.

'That's Usopp for ya." Luffy thought with a grin. They came back a bit later with barrels of oil, which they dumped down the slope.

"I get it." Nami said. "Since this slope is narrow, they'll have a hard time getting through with this oil trap."

"Of course. As long as we can funnel them, taking them out will be easy." Usopp said, feeling pride at his idea. "Now all we have to do is wait."

"Before they get here, there's something I need to ask you Luffy." Zoro said, getting everyone's attention. "How'd you survive that cannonball and that Axe?"

Cannonball?" Usopp asked.

"Axe?" Nami asked.

"I saw it both times. Right before you got hit, a blue aura covered your body. What exactly was that?" he asked in a serious tone. Luffy put his hand to his chin and looked up in thought.

"Hmm. How should I explain this? So that you mortals can understand.

"Did he just insult us." Usopp

To be continued