The Clown, the Cat and the Liar (Part 1)
Nami told her story to the 3 men that were listening. How she needs money, how Bellemere was killed and how she is living for the past few years. Nami was already crying at this point as her hardships were now returning to her. Buggy is stone-faced and Zoro was just emotionless but was surprised to know that fishmen existed. But Luffy has a small but knowing smile. "So he's here, of course, he is." Nami looked at Luffy and at first, was offended that he was smiling but she realized that Luffy's smile wasn't a smile. It feels fake from her perspective. Luffy looked at her and offers, "Here's our deal, as long as you become my navigator until the end of my journey, I will help you with your problem. Besides, I have a problem with people from grandline being tyrants to the other seas." Nami was about to say something when Luffy pointed at Buggy and said "He's an exception, he was protecting the island. That was his hometown."
"Not that, *sob* you know Arlong?" Nami is sobbing while looking at Luffy. Luffy gave her a handkerchief to cry unto. "A friend of mine and he belonged to the same crew before he ran and went here to the east blue." Zoro was mildly surprise about that, "That Arlong sounded like he considers humans as trash, why was he in a crew with a friend of yours?" "My friend was also a fishman." Nami's face turned into disgust, "How can you be friends with something so horrible and disgusting?!?!" Luffy just smiles at her. You should know something, there are evil pirates as well as good ones, there are good marines, as well as evil ones. There is evil and good in everyone, the same goes for fishmen and the other lives of people in the world. As your captain, I want you to understand this fact otherwise, you wouldn't last a day in Grandline. And never disrespect nor insult my friend. If Arlong is "strong" (Luffy makes quotation marks with his hands) then my friend is a titan compared to him."
"Then how about you Luffy? How strong are you compared to this Arlong?" Zoro questions Luffy as he wants to know why Luffy is co nonchalant about this fishman that is believed to be 10 to 20 times stronger than a human. Luffy smiles and just shrugs at Zoro. "Before all of that, let's go to Syrup Island, I really do need to check up on someone there." Zoro just shrugged again, Luffy will tell them sooner or later, they just have to wait. All of then just returned back to their work, Nami with a hopeful look on her eyes.
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They finally arrived at Syrup Island. It was a beautiful day, the island was filled with forest. The houses scattered along the island and they get to a small river where the boat sailed through and docked close to the bank. "Buggy, why is this boat so beat up?" Luffy asked Buggy. Currently, they have sailed on the boat for a week and it almost sunk for more than 5 times. Three times from yesterday and another just before they reached the Island. Luffy thought it was his fault because when he was steering the ship, he hit a small island. But even after fixing it, it still sunk a little.
Buggy smiles with a hint of embarrassment, "We left in the dead of night while a little bit drunk. I took the ship that is easier to use and end up with this one. This ship is among the scrapyard. We use the scraps from those ships to make a new one or repair the damaged ones." "Oh, well, let's hope we can get a new one somewhere near," Luffy just shrugged it off. It wasn't the first time he sailed on a busted ship. He even had to sail on a raft for a month as a test from Shanks.
Before they set foot on land though, they heard a high pitched voice, "PIRATES!! TURN BACK AND SAIL AWAY!!" All of them turned to see a skinny guy. Brown overalls and a netted cap. He has a slingshot aimed at them and was ready to fire. "I AM CAPTAIN USSOP, YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY MY CREW OF 8 MILLION. SURRENDER NOW AND SAIL BACK OR WE WILL BE FORCED TO HARM YOU!". Luffy just laughs, he can recognize a lie from a master spy and here comes a guy with 8 million people. "WHAT'S FUNNY?!". "You're lying!" Luffy shouted back. "Gah! I've been found out!" Ussop made an exaggerated motion of surprise.
"You don't say that!" "We're doomed!" "Let's escape!" Three new voices came from the bush besides Ussop, there was a ruffling and three kids could be seen running away from them. Luffy just laughs, even more, Zoro had a chuckle and Nami and Buggy are just generally confused. "We surrender! Can you come down and take us to eat somewhere!?" Luffy shouted and asked Ussop. "Sure!". The other 3 members almost fell on the deck. 'We thought you wanted to harm us?!?!?'
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At a restaurant in the village, 5 people were talking and eating. The 4 pirates weren't as dangerous as Ussop thought they were at first. "So, how is Banchina?" When Luffy asked this question, Nami, Buggy, and Zoro had question marks above their heads and seemed confused. Ussop, however, seemed sad but nevertheless calm. "She died ten years ago." "I'm sorry," Luffy said. "If it's any consolation, you're dad left because he wanted to keep the both of you safe." Ussop looked at Luffy, "You knew my dad?" "Knew him? He was the best sniper I've seen in the world. Can shoot an ant's antenna from 100 meters without harming the rest of the body." Ussop's face showed pride, he himself wanted to be a sniper but he ignored that first and asks "What do you mean he left to keep us safe?"
Luffy looked at Ussop and told the story of the best sniper, how he was being recruited by different kinds of people and how he met the love of his life. Eventually retiring for her. But trouble still followed as one of his targets' family wanted him dead. He left so that his family will be safe. Hunted the ones who wanted his life and left to sail the sea. He eventually met a man with red-hair and started their adventure. The man sends his family money through different means just to avoid tracing it all back to him. "So my dad is with red-hair shanks?" Ussop was crying a river. He thought hey abandoned them for nothing. He thought that the money they were getting was coming from the kingdom but it was from his father. "Thank you for telling me." With a bit of tear still in them, Ussop's eyes have determination in them as he proclaims, "I'm going to be a brave man of the sea!!" "Good, wanna join my crew?" Ussop looks at Luffy and just says "Sure." "Do you know where we can get a boat?" "Maybe, there is a rich family here that may have a boat," Ussop has a sad smile on his face. "Well, it's just her though. Her parents died a few years ago and ever since then I'm telling her stories to keep her company. She has a weak body and I want to raise her spirits to at least make her happy. We have to be sneaky though, her butler hates me." Nami asked why and Ussop just shrugs. "Wanna go now? She'll be in her room studying right at this point." This time, it was Buggy who answered, "Let's go now, I wanna see the ship if there is one and see if we have to modify it while we're here."
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They went to a big mansion but instead of the front doors, they went to the side of it where a big tree is planted and Ussop climbed that and called out, "Kaya! I brought some friends!". A few moments later a beautiful girl with blond hair and pale skin comes to the window and opens it. "Ussop! Good day to you! You say you have friends?" Kaya then looks around and sees Luffy and his crew. "Hello! I'm Kaya!" Nami is surprised, Ussop told them that she has a weak body, but here she is with a loud voice and shiny personality. "Hello! I'm Nami, That's Buggy, Zoro and our captain Luffy," Nami was infected by the girl's attitude. The other 3 just nods towards her. Kaya gasped and just pointed at Buggy. Buggy the pirate is someone famous in east blue and is considered dangerous. Ussop noticed this and before she screamed, Ussop interrupted and said, "Don't worry kaya. THEY ARE UNDER CAPTAIN USSOP'S PIRATE CREW! HAHAHAHA!" Luffy and his crew forgot one crucial thing that they just realized now, Buggy was infamous as a tyrant. In actuality, he was helping the island. 'Problem for another day,' is what Luffy thought.
"What are you all doing here?!?" They all heard a shout from the entrance. They saw a man with a black suit and glasses. Luffy immediately recognized this man, but he thought that this man was already dead? Why is he here? Luffy as a habit checks the wanted list for the past decade in his free time. He looks at the wanted lists to see if there is a potential recruit or dangerous person. It was a habit he gained as the leader of the hunter divisions. Why the past decade though? Because like the situation now, wanted people trying to hide their identity and blending in the crowd. Some in hiding and some scheming.
Luffy wasn't reacting to it though. He wanted to know what will this guy though or what is he doing here. Lack of information and impulse is a bad thing when it comes to wanted people. "Tsk, the butler came," muttered Ussop. "Clahadore, don't, they're my guest." Said Kaya in a small voice. "Lady Kaya, these uncivilized people shouldn't come here. Especially that Ussop." He says while staring daggers at Ussop. "I heard a lot of things about you, a son of a pirate." "Clahadore! Don't talk like that!" Kaya screamed at her butler. "Don't bad mouth my father! He is a great pirate! A brave man of the sea!" "Oh yeah? Is that why he left you and your mother? A great man, he is like all of you, a filthy pirate."
Clahadore suddenly couldn't breathe. His knees buckled and his chest tightened. No one else felt it but Clahadore is now covered in a dangerous aura. Not from him but someone at the back. Luffy wasn't moving he just noticed it as well, he looked at the person emitting the aura. Buggy was pissed. Buggy's bloodlust is covering Clahadore and making him kneel with it. "Yassop is a great man, insult him again, and I'm going to kill you." The already scared Clahadore is now even more scared when he heard "you", two metal things are now on his neck. They see Buggy's upper body, flying above Clahadore and Buggy was resting 2 daggers on the poor butler's neck.