As Nami laid back on her sacks of treasure, she made sure to keep her eyes to the map and not to the other boat. Not only so she could thoroughly study the chart of the Grand Line but to avoid reliving her discovery from that morning.
She did dare to peek and was pleasantly surprised. Luffy was explaining something to Kuina, as casual and friendly as ever while Makino was rooting around their supplies for something to eat.
"Well, at least he knows 'time and place…' Nami sighed before thinking back. In the past week, she made off with Alvida's treasure, cleaned out Morgan's safe and now she bagged a huge haul from Buggy the fricking Clown! The sacks behind her had to have well over fifteen million beris in cash and precious items, more than her entire last year and a half. And that was with leaving a few million behind in Orange Town so they could rebuild the blown-up buildings!
She looked at Luffy, a guy she would have passed on the street and most likely picked his pocket. A goofball who laughed at the stupidest things, a glutton who ate for ten every meal, and apparently a lover of ladies if last night was an idea. And yet this guy had walked through two wanted pirates and the most feared Marine captain around.
For the first time in ages, Nami saw a way out. This guy had barely flinched at anything. What were a few fishmen?
"…Earth to Nami!"
"GAH!" She slipped onto her back, sitting back up with a groan as Kuina looked at her.
"If you want to nap, we've got pillows and blankets. You don't need to use your treasure bags."
"Gee, thanks…"
"What's up, Nami?" Luffy asked.
"I need you to defeat an entire pirate crew of-!"
The words almost ran out her mouth, forcing Nami to clamp it shut. She noticed Luffy and both other women staring at her now.
"Ummm… Nothing?"
"Whatever…
"So, anyway, where are we heading next?" Makino asked, "Just because we have the chart of the Grand Line doesn't mean we should set out right away…"
"That's right," Nami agreed, navigation putting her mind at ease, "In these little boats, we wouldn't last a day. What we need is a proper pirate ship, both to better withstand the weather and so that others see us as easy pickings. Fortunately, I might know just the place…"
She stepped onto Luffy's boat, the captain eagerly watching behind her should as she unraveled one of her many charts on the East Blue. "Not too far from here are the Gecko Islands and the little town of Syrup Village. There's only one thing of note here: a mansion belonging to the owner of the most prolific shipping companies in this sea."
"Are you suggesting we pull off a raid?" Makino asked to her left, "Because that might be crossing too far into 'Morganeer' territory…"
Nami raised an eyebrow at that. Luffy answered, "The fake pirates who steal and kill for no reason."
"Ooooh. Well, trust me, we won't have to do anything like that. Because the current owner of the company died at sea several years ago, leaving behind a young lady who is only months away from formally inheriting the company. She's been so wrought with grief at her father's passing that's practically bedridden all day, hardly able to properly run the business."
"Where did you hear about all of this?" Kuina asked to her right, suspicious, "What, did you scope this place out already?"
"I gathered the intel but I never went. It seemed way too far out of the way and I'd still rather take money from scumbag pirates than a sick girl who just wants her father back. The real perk here is that this heiress is supposed to be quite generous and kind, as was her father. If we ask really nicely, and maybe leave out how we're pirates…"
"She can give us a ship!" Luffy cheered, "Nami, that's awesome! You're so smart!"
He wraps his arms around her shoulders, making the navigator's cheeks flush the color of her hair. She tries to ignore the swelling warmth in her stomach, or how both Kuina and Makino both flashed cheeky smiles at her. Nami just shot them both with a glare. Luffy might have been a great guy, but she would sooner jump overboard than join their little… posse. She would be a navigator, and that was it.
Over the next few days, Luffy began introducing everyone to Observation Haki. And to prove he was not spouting nonsense, he had Nami try to bean him with her bo staff while he was blindfolded. Several minutes of dodging later, an impressed Kuina and a winded Nami began their first bit of meditation to focus their willpower and harness this new ability.
Whenever they weren't doing that, life aboard Luffy's little ships was very casual. They told jokes and stories to pass the time. They ate from their provisions, with Luffy pouting whenever cut off and making the rest laugh. They shared drinks and acted as true companions. Nami couldn't remember the last time she had so much fun.
But whenever night came and the anchors were lowered, that was when she was truly conflicted. There was only a small bed on the inside the cabin of the fishing boat, a bit too short for Luffy to sleep on properly. He offered it to any of the women first, figuring he slept on the floor of a bandit hut for years. And, touched by his chivalry, his two lovers took turns dragging him inside for a night of pleasure.
Each time, Nami tried to drown out the noise. The moans of pleasure, the womanly screams and masculine grunts, and the rhythmic smacking of flesh on flesh that grew faster, louder and wilder by the minute. She couldn't help but start to wonder what it would be like… Luffy said he would do anything for her, after all…
Her only solace was that they were finished long before the night was over and she could still get some sleep. Now if only she didn't start having dreams about this…
It was almost a relief that they finally spotted the small chain of the landmasses that were the Gecko Islands, Nami directing them to one of two small inlets that were the only ways into the village. But as they pulled in, the navigator froze up when she spotted something else on the shoreline: another small tugboat with a bright blue paint job.
"Hm, I guess someone else is here," Makino shrugged, "Do you recognize it, Nami?"
"Yeah… And I have a bad feeling as to why she's here…"
The four pirates touched down and Nami was busy scanning the small town for any trace of this other visitor. The other three were pleasantly surprised by just how laidback and quiet this town was. Dirt roads, plenty of space between each cottage and very friendly locals who waved and greeted them. When Luffy asked for anywhere to eat, one of the villagers pointed them to the best (and only) restaurant in town.
And as they walked inside, Nami stopped and stared at the only customer inside. "Oh, great…"
"Nami?! Is that you?!" the other woman gawked, immediately getting the rest of the crew's attention. Her hair was a light purple and draped down to her shoulders, whipping around as she stood. The real attention grabber was her outfit, a tight black evening dress that highlighted a giftedly curvy body, a golden fringe skirt loving most of her long legs exposed.
The beautiful newcomer walked right up and hugged Nami tightly, a beaming smile on her face. "It's been so long! What have you been up to?"
"Oh, you know…" Nami sighed, nowhere near as enthusiastic, "Still working… Just trying to make ends meet…"
"Is this a friend of yours?" Makino asked, sensing just how uncomfortable Nami was. The redhead then stepped back.
"Everyone, this is Carina. She and I used to be… Partners, you could say."
"Oh, you don't have to make it sound so formal!" Carina insisted, still smiling as the pirate crew took the nearest table, "Nami and I were the best pair of hustlers in the whole East Blue! Everything from gambling halls to rich rubes in their mansions, no one in this whole sea was safe from us!"
"Yeah… Up until you ditched me."
Carina's grin faltered at that, noticing how the rest of the table now glared at her. "Well, um, I meant to check up on you but I didn't know which island you lived on… I asked and you refused to tell me."
Nami then flinched. Luffy was now looking very confused, only focusing on the lone employee of this establishment coming by to take their order. If she noticed anything about a bunch of people openly discussing their criminal pasts, she didn't say a word even as she brought out a plate of meat and potatoes for the rest and an entire roast chicken for Luffy some time later.
"Okay, so it's pretty clear you two have a long history," Makino summed up, "But what exactly are you here for, Carina?"
"Oh, just a little business…" Carina's eyes locked on the window, and the towering white and blue manor on the hill overlooking the town.
"Of course, you are," Nami sighed, "Look, normally I'd never tell another thief how to run her jobs."
"I'm sensing a but here…"
"We have business there," Luffy cut in, "We need to ask to girl there for a ship."
Carina looks at him, her eyes clearly running along his muscles before stopping at the determined look in his eyes. "I suppose that's a fair deal. I'll wait until you're all gone before making my move."
Luffy then happily dug into his food and the purplette retook her seat at the bar and finished her drink in peace. And while Makino and Kuina chatted like normal, Nami felt something in her gut. It couldn't be a coincidence that she ran into her ex-cohort for the first time in three years here, of all places. It was hunches that kept her alive so far, like the one that had her follow Luffy off the cruise ship.
But once they had all eaten and Carina made a point of heading back into town instead of towards the estate, the Straw Hats figured now was as good as any time to meet this heiress. Luffy led the way as they walked out of Syrup Village and towards the hill. The two-story house was not only large but of impeccable quality with a ten-foot-tall hedge surrounding the perimeter, a wrought iron gate up front and two guards in black suits monitoring the entrance.
As soon as they got within twenty feet of the front gate, one of the suits blocked their path. "State your business."
Makino moved to the front and gave the guard her winning smile. "Good morning, sir. We are here to negotiate with the lady of the house for a ship."
"With what money?"
"We left it back at our ship. You understand, I'm sure. Even in a sleepy town like this, it's best not to attract too much attention."
"Hmmm… Do you an appointment?"
"Unfortunately, we don't have a Transponder Snail."
"Then I'm sorry, but you all must leave then. The lady of the house is currently ill and doesn't have the constitution for unexpected arrivals."
He did at least hand them a business card with the number to call to make said appointment, but it was clear the crew was not getting in the official way.
Luffy, naturally, simply walked along the hedge wall until was figured the guard couldn't see him. With a single leap, he was over the hedge and touched down on the freshly cut lawn. He glanced up and noticed there was an open window. A quick look with Observation revealed someone in there, an aura with a sickly feel to it.
He leapt onto the tree above him and looked inside, seeing a young blonde woman reading a book as she sat under the covers. Her only clothing was a pale blue nightgown, her fair skin seemed a touch pale. And she was so engrossed in her book that she didn't even notice the pirate standing outside her window until a breeze blew in and caught her attention.
"Hm? AAAAAAH! Who are you?! How did you get in here?!"
"Sorry about that," he apologizes, bowing for good measure, "But I need to buy a ship from you and I don't know anywhere else to go."
"Huh? Buy a ship?" she repeats, completely caught off-guard by his polite demeanor that clashes with his rugged looks. When he stands up again, she's caught off-guard again by the honesty in his eyes.
"Yeah, we have plenty of money. I'm willing to talk, Miss…"
"…Kaya, my name is Kaya. And I'm sorry you were turned away but…"
"Stop right there! How did you get in here?!"
Luffy looked down and saw a tall man with black clothes, equally black hair that slicked back and a steely gaze behind his glasses. Kaya herself got up and looked out the window, gasping in surprise. "Klahadore, what are you doing?"
"I was about to ask this trespasser the same thing, Miss Kaya. I leave for ten minutes and there's some hooligan trying to barge into your quarters!"
"Who's this guy?" Luffy asked.
"I am the head butler of this house and Miss Kaya's caretaker," Klahadore answered, "And I suggest you leave right now before I have security drag you away."
"Klahadore, hold on!" Kaya protested, "He hasn't done anything wrong! He wants to buy a ship from me, that's all!"
"Oh, is that so? I don't remember scheduling any meetings for you today, or in the immediate future. You are far too unwell to conduct any sort of business as it is, let alone with some ruffian letting himself inside like a common criminal!"
"Okay, okay, sheesh," Luffy shrugged, "I'll go. It was nice meeting you, Kaya." He bowed once again, figuring that Makino taught him such manners for a reason, before walking past Klahadore. The pirate spared the butler a glance.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Klahadore headed into the front door, fixing his glasses with his wrist before huffing at Luffy as the pirate hopped over the gate again. The guards gasped in shock at how easily they were bypassed while Luffy brought the rest of the crew to an isolated spot along the main road to talk things over.
One quick recap later and Nami was rubbing her chin in thought. "This Klahadore seems awfully invested in Kaya's life."
"He's a hardass who takes his job way too seriously, so what?" Kuina asked, "I say we just meet with this girl and get it over with."
"Can we at least try to do things the easy way? Not all of us need to have life or death fights every day!"
"Now, now, I'm sure this butler is just protective of his employer," Makino assured before turning around, "Although is there something you'd like to add, Carina?"
"How'd you do that?" asked the black-clad thief, peeking from behind the tree a ways away in total shock.
"Crew secret," Nami blurted, "Now get out here. I know you, you'd never jump into a job blind."
Carina chuckled as she walked up to them, admitting that she was pegged. "Okay, yeah, I scoped the place out for a few days. Pretty consistently guarded, the gate and the hedge are pretty normal for big, fancy houses. But the real kicker is that butler… Everyday he goes around the village and not just for errands. And he always corrects his glasses the same way, with his wrist."
"There's something wrong with him," Luffy surmised, "He's hiding something big. I can tell."
"What, thanks to that 'crew secret?'"
"Yes," all four of them answered, shocking Carina. She especially looked at Nami.
"Wait, hold on a minute. You are on this crew?"
"Yes."
"Like, permanently?"
"Yes."
"Ms. 'I'd rather die than be a pirate?'"
"She has her reasons," Luffy said, "And she helped us out against Buggy the Clown, that's all that matters to me."
While Nami blushed a bit at that, Carina's jaw fell open. "You all fought Buggy the Clown?! And WON?!"
"No," Makino said, "Luffy here fought Buggy the Clown and won. We took care of the rest of his crew. Nami backed me up in particular, saved my life at least once with that staff of hers."
Now the lady thief was trying to stay standing up. These nobodies she's never heard of managed to topple one of the East Blue's heaviest hitters?! And somehow this chiseled hunk of a captain convinced Nami of all people to sign up?!
"Focus, Carina… You have a job to do, and it isn't getting into those shorts!"
"Yeah, I know it sounds ridiculous," Nami pointed out, "But this guy really is a different kind of pirate. He went after Buggy to get the chart I was after, and saved Kuina's life from a tyrannical jerk of a Marine captain."
Carina blinks several times, making sure that this is all really happening. And as if this day could not get any weirder, she turned and swore she saw a man walking backwards. As the others looked up to notice, Carina realized he wasn't walking so much as shuffling his feet forwards as he faced backwards to look like he was floating along.
The others all blinked too, especially as they noticed his dark blue coat and hat, heart-shaped glasses with red rims, and a goatee that was wrapped in some kind of colorful tube.
"Excuse me," he said as shuffled right past them. Carina shook her head in disbelief but she noticed Luffy was staring at the stranger intently.
"He's off too…" he noted, getting nods from the three women around him. Now Carina was getting annoyed, hands on her hips and wondering what the inside joke was. As the oddball of a man disappeared down the path, Luffy stood up saying he was taking a walk.
As the captain left, Carina turned to the girls. "Okay, what's with him?"
"Sorry, can't tell you," Kuina said flatly, pulling out her sword, "I'm gonna go train back by our ship."
The swordswoman left in the opposite direction, Makino following shortly after. That left Nami leaning against a fence along the path while Carina stood over her.
"Before you ask, no, I'm not helping you rob Kaya," the navigator said with her eyes closed, "Or telling you Luffy's secrets."
"Kind of like how you'd never tell me what you need one hundred million beris for?"
Nami's eyes shot open as she glared at Carina's curious face. "How do you know about that?"
"You talk in your sleep. And look, I want to get rich just as much as the next girl, but maybe it's time you drop that whole schtick already. Unless you want to buy your own island…"
Nami got to her feet and walked after Luffy, her eyes smoldering. Carina felt a twinge of guilt and decided she should apologize. It was just like their old jobs all over again. They would pull of a job, then get into arguments and fights over how to divvy up the loot. Nami was never happy with only half of the haul but Carina refused to budge. And so, one day, Carina left out the window while Nami was sleeping and let her take the fall from robbing some stuffy nobleman.
"And if it weren't for me taking all the cash, she'd be in jail right now…" she thought bitterly, knowingly painting Nami as a helpless accomplice while Carina took all the heat along with the treasure. She might be a crook, but she didn't want to see a fifteen-year-old girl getting thrown in a cell if she could help it.
Carina stops as she sees Nami and Luffy sitting under a tree overlooking the island's cliffs. For some reason, the redhead is curled up on herself like she's freezing cold while her captain sits nearby.
"Luffy… Did you mean what you said?"
"About what?"
"That you'd do anything for a friend?"
The captain turned aside and spotted Carina, her flinching in surprise. Seriously, how was he constantly able to pick up on her?
"Yeah, I did."
Nami was about to speak up when something apparently caught her attention below the ridge. Carina, curious as always, walked up to see for herself and gaped. The butler from the mansion and the backwards-walking man from the road were meeting with each other?
"I trust you were not followed, Jango?"
"Of course not, Captain. The crew is ready to commence the plan."
The pirate and the thieves got down on their stomachs to avoid being spotted as their listen in. The ladies' faces turned white as they overheard this Jango discuss a plot with the Klahadore… Or, as the other man called him, "Captain Kuro."
"But that's impossible!" Carina balked, "He was executed three years ago! I read all about it in the World Economy News! It made the front page!"
"Well, he's not lying," Luffy stated, "And he's pissed me off…"
They all overheard Kuro repeat his entire plan: to have his crew of Black Cat Pirates ransack the village the following morning with Jango hypnotizing Kaya into leaving her entire estate and fortune in her will… Before dying in a "tragic accident."
"Oh my god, that's despicable!" Nami almost gagged, "What kind of monster is he?!"
"He's a fake…"
Carina was about ask what Luffy meant before the straw-hatted man stood up and jumped straight off the cliff. The purplette shouted in alarm, making Kuro and Jango glance up just in time to see the other pirate barreling towards.
"WHAT THE?!" they both yelled as Luffy crashed down in front of them, the stone cracking under his feet.
"You, you're the trespasser from the mansion," Kuro remembered before turning in anger, "What happened to not being followed, Jango?!"
"I wasn't, I swear! I was facing the path the whole time and never saw him once!"
"I heard it all…" Luffy warned, "You're both going to leave Kaya alone."
"What is he doing?!" Carina whimpered, "He's making himself a target!"
"That's what he does," Nami told her, "Luffy doesn't run away from anything. And he hates asshole pirates like him."
"Oh, is that so?" Kuro challenged, adjusting his glasses again with a sneer, "What, do you intend to warn the villagers? They'll never believe an outsider like you."
Luffy raised his gaze, his black eyes piercing as a wave of force erupted from him. Jango collapsed dead on his back, foam leaking out of his mouth while Kuro fell to his knees in shock. Sweat matted his brow and his glasses fell off his face in the drop.
"The fuck?! He didn't even touch them!" Carina turned to Nami for an answer but her old partner was in total shock as well.
"Call off this plan."
Kuro got to his feet, dusting off his suit and realigning his lenses as he tried to hide the panic in his eyes. He had never felt something like that, and even the fabled "Man of a Thousand Plans" had no idea what that was. But seeing as this man had not even flinched since dropping close to ten stories, Kuro felt it was better to play it safe.
"…Very well. You have my word that no harm will befall Kaya."
Kuro then turned on his heel to leave, leaving Jango to eventually get back to the ship on his own. Luffy casually leapt back up the cliffside with Moonwalk, making Carina truly wonder what kind of black magic this man had.
"He's a total liar," he grumbled, "We need to stop him before he kills Kaya and the whole town."
He then turned to Carina, looking much kinder. "You, on the other hand, can leave here before anything happens."
"Take it," Nami warned her, "He's going to taking down that bastard down, and his entire crew. Being a pickpocket isn't going to help here."
"What, you managed to get lucky against some random thugs and you think you're a fighter now?"
"At least I don't ditch people in the middle of the night!" Nami yelled back, pointing into Carina's face, "You still haven't said sorry for that, you bitch!"
"Oh, I'm the bitch?! Really?!" Carina shouted right back, smacking Nami's hand away, "You're the one who has this insane goal! What the fuck could you need so much money for?!"
"That's for me to know! Now get out of my face before I shove my stuff between your legs!"
"Oh, what? You're not gonna sic your superpowered captain on me? I could have him eating out of my hands!"
And so Luffy watched as the two girls screamed like banshees and threw insult after insult at each other, bringing up every single mistake the other made over their two years as partners. From botching jobs to just low blows, Luffy walked along the path back towards his ship as Nami followed him with Carina following her. He just shrugged at the curious looks the villagers gave as they continued to point fingers and yell barbs at the other.
It was only when Luffy came within sight of his ships, and Carina's still beached nearby, that the argument stopped.
"Would you both shut up?!" Kuina yelled, bashing them both on the head with the handle of her katana, "I could hear you halfway across the island!"
"Sorry…" they both muttered, nursing their new smoking bumps before slowly standing up. Makino stood between them, a hand on each shoulder.
"Look, it's quite obvious you two parted on bad terms. I obviously can't know about every little thing that happened but you are both here now."
She then turned to Nami. "I do, however, know you are a tenacious and cunning girl who's needing help."
"Huh? Help? With what?"
"This goal you have."
Nami turned on Luffy, eyes wide in shock. "Whenever you want to tell me, I'm here. Okay?"
She shakily nodded, a nod from Luffy making her stomach flutter but not in panic for a change. Makino then went over to Carina, making her step back. "And Carina, you might be a career thief but we're hardly one to judge that. We don't blame you for wanting to leave."
Carina's mouth dropped. They were actually going to let her walk out in the clear, no strings attached? This had to be a con of their own. She turned to look at each pirate in turn, expecting a tell. No twitching eyes and their hands were all by their sides.
"I told you, Luffy isn't that kind of pirate," Nami reminded her, "If he says you can go, he won't try and stop you."
"Well… I do feel awful about all this…"
"Why? Aren't you a thief?"
"Hey! I was planning on breaking in to get some jewels! I'd never pillage a town, or slice the girl's throat!"
The others all nodded in approval, Nami looking particularly impressed until Carina walked up to her, eyes full of regret.
"…And even for my line of work, I've done things I'm not proud of… Including abandoning the only real partner I ever trusted. I'm sorry, Nami."
"Carina…" Nami could hardly say more, just grabbing ahold of her old friend with a fierce hug. The two stood there, embracing each other for a moment as the rest smiled before Carina stepped back.
"As nice as that is, right now we have a situation to deal with. That Kuro can't be allowed to get Kaya's money."
"Because that means you can't have it?" Kuina asked with a smirk. Carina just flipped her hair back, smiling without a hint of shame.
"In that case, I have a plan…" Nami said, an equally devious grin on her face before everyone huddled up. It was time for the Straw Hat Pirates to get to work.
Night began to fall on Syrup Village and the entire crew was informed on the devious pirate's plan. Since the rest of the crew was not attacking until dawn, the Peace-Main crew had only tonight to stop Kuro. Makino had spotted the pirate ship less than an hour away from the shore. She and Kuina would then guard that slope in case the buccaneers tried to invade early.
That left Luffy, Nami, and Carina surrounding the estate to catch Kuro. Luffy noted that most of the house seemed to be empty, a far cry from this morning where he could sense over a dozen people inside. The thieves knew it was a classic criminal tactic: send any witnesses off somewhere out of sight so there would be less obstacles in the way.
The veteran thieves were peeking in through the hedge, both watching the house through binoculars. Carina had traded in her evening dress for a simply black tee and shorts, figuring she needed something more practical for a job even if she wasn't robbing the place anymore. Each lady started along one side of the wall until they met up along the back side. With nothing to report, both peeked in and spotted the large window on the first floor.
"Must be some kind of drawing room," Nami noted, "There's an old guy with white hair and… little horns? Eh, he's just moving some things around."
"That's Merry," Carina remembered, "He's pretty much the other head of running things here. Unlike Kuro, he seems pretty legitimate."
"And speaking of that bastard…"
Carina looked in as well and saw the mastermind himself walk in, staring up at the moon with reverence. Both ladies watched as Merry chatted away before presenting a little wrapped box for him. They carefully read the older butler's lips and paled. It was the three-year anniversary of Kuro's arrival.
And their dread grew to revulsion as they watched Kuro take the present, a brand new set of glasses, and throw it to the ground before stomping on it. Merry was in shock before Kuro brought out some kind of gloves with each finger ending in a footlong blade and slashed the kindly servant across the chest.
"That's just sick!" Nami growled before putting her tools away, "We need to get him, now! Give me a boost up!"
Carina immediately complied, crouching down so Nami could eventually stand on her shoulders and then grab onto the top of the hedge. Thankfully the topiary was extremely dense so she could get a firm handhold and pull herself up to the top. She jumped inside and quickly pulled out the only thing in her bag of tricks – a brick.
"Catch this!" She chucked the masonry through the glass, forcing Kuro to dodge aside. He glanced outside and glared daggers at Nami.
"I saw everything, you psycho!" She even flipped him off before dashing away as fast as she could, urged on by Kuro's footsteps following close behind her. And such an obvious racket also got the attention of a certain young lady sleeping upstairs.
"Hm?" Kaya murmured, "What was that noise?"
"Psst!"
She turned aside to her still open window. "Ah! What are you doing back here?"
Luffy was once again standing on the tree branch, but he seemed on edge this time. "Come with me. You need to see something."
"Huh? Is this some kind of negotiation tactic?"
"No, it's to save your life." Luffy then leaped in, easily lifted Kaya into a bridal carry and then jumped back outside.
"Hey!"
"You'll thank me later!" He then hopped onto the roof of the house, making Kaya terrified that she was getting kidnapped. Except as they reached the front of the manor, Luffy stopped and Kaya noticed something else. A redheaded girl was running away from Klahadore?
"What are those things on his hands?" she wondered, considering how dangerous the bladed gloves looked. The heiress then saw another woman clad in all black picking the lock on the front gate.
"Huh? Where are the guards?!"
"Quick, this way!" Carina yelled as she pried the gate open for Nami to escape. The bespectacled butcher, however, was not going to let them escape. He seemed to disappear momentarily before reappearing just in front of Carina, making her holler in horror.
"Well, well, well. You're the nosy new woman around town I've been spotting. We really must stop running into each other like this."
He placed a knife under her chin, his other hand pointing five blades straight at Nami. "Both of you will follow me inside. Run or scream and I'll kill you where you stand."
"What is he doing?!" Kaya muttered, utterly terrified, "He can't just kill them! They're intruders at worst!"
"Just keep watching…"
As hard as it was, she listened to Luffy and watched as Kuro slowly led them to the front door. Nami looked up and spotted her captain, giving a slight nod before she disappeared into the abandoned house. Kaya was soon in Luffy's arms again as he jumped down and silently followed behind. The blonde was shocked to see none of the housekeepers going through the halls.
Kuro soon escorted Nami and Carina past a long dining table and into a set of double doors with windows peering in, the kitchen. Luffy then stopped a foot away, a finger over his lips as he looked at Kaya.
Now they could plainly hear everything said. "Well, what do you two miscreants have to say for yourselves?" Kuro demanded.
"We heard everything!" Carina said boldly, "On the cliffside, we heard you talking to that hypnotist. And you're not gonna kill Kaya for her money!"
Kuro let out a truly diabolical chuckle as he nudged his glasses up with his wrist, the blades only inches away from his face. "Is that so? Two women, one armed only with a basic brick, are going to stop me? Pray, how do you plan on doing that?"
"I don't know, how'd you fake your own death?" Nami asked pointedly, "I thought Captain Kuro was executed by the Navy years ago."
"Curse that idiot Jango… That was actually quite easy, with a hypnotist at your disposal. Simply find the crewmate on board with a passing resemblance to yourself, have him hypnotized into thinking he's Captain Kuro, and then find the only living Marine on board and brainwash him into being the 'brave hero' who defeated the feared pirate."
"What kind of a heartless monster are you?!" Carina yelled, "You can't just go around using people! Your own men aren't expendable!"
"Of course they are! Those barbarians only know pillaging and mayhem! Who do you think kept them in line? And that's exactly the reason for this whole plan. Once I have Kaya's fortune to myself, Captain Kuro will be truly dead and Klahadore will leave a life of peace and quiet."
"I'M SORRY, WHAT?!"
Kuro turned and gasped as none other that Kaya burst through the door, shaking in rage. "M-Miss Kaya?! What are you doing out of bed?!"
"Shut up, you liar!" she yelled, amazing the thieves with how loud she could be, "I heard everything! I can't believe you! My father saved your life, gave you a home! We've paid you well, offered benefits, I even custom-ordered a brand new pair of glasses for your anniversary today!"
"Which he smashed right before attacking Merry," Carina added.
"YOU WHAT?!"
"Now, Miss Kaya, please. You mustn't fall for some elaborate con."
"Oh yeah?! Are they the ones who ordered all the staff to leave?!"
Kuro flinched. He honestly was stuck. There was no way to talk his way out. Then his eyes caught sight of Luffy through the kitchen door and growled like an enraged dog.
"Get in here, pirate…"
Luffy did as told, glaring at Kuro even as the criminal's claws were poised to strike. "We've got you, Kuro. Leave now with your crew while you still can."
"You must think yourself clever, don't you?"
Kuro's feet seemed to blur together for a few minutes before he materialized behind Nami and Carina, his blade scraping along their necks. Kaya gasped in horror and Luffy's jaw tightened.
"Now, allow me to tell you what will actually happen. You and your entire crew either stand down or die just like the rest of this backwater village. And I get the peace and quiet I so rightfully deserve."
"Why?! Why do all of this?! Did all those years mean nothing to you?!"
The fiend's glare somehow grew even colder looking at Kaya. "Oh quite the opposite, it did mean something to me. It forced me to swallow my pride and serve an impudent child with a smile… That accident that befell your father was the first good news I'd received in ages."
She crumpled to the floor, feeling faint. Luffy gently took her in his arms, his own temper ready to boil over. "Let my friends go, or I'm gonna kick your ass."
"Take another step and your lady friends lose their necks…"
"You know, as much as I hate you, you did do one thing right."
Luffy's foot tapped the ground a dozen times in a second. "Shave."
He disappeared from sight, making Kuro blanch. "WHAT?!"
That was as far as Kuro got before he was grabbed by the throat and thrown into the kitchen wall, pots and pans clattering on top of him.
"Keep Kaya safe. I'll take care of this."
Carina didn't need to be told twice, taking the rich girl by the hand and leading back up to her room. Nami stayed behind just long enough to say, "Kick his ass, captain!"
"Of course!"
With some of his good cheer restored, Luffy turned to face Kuro as the latter stood up in front of the dented metal plating.
"Grr, how?! How do you know the Pussyfoot Maneuver?!"
Luffy could not help but chuckle. "Seriously? That's what you call it?"
"Answer me! I specifically developed this technique!"
Luffy's answer was to use Shave again, blitzing away before sending Kuro flying again with a punch. This time he was flung out of the kitchen and shakily stood up in the dining room.
"Just get out of here," Luffy ordered, "Your speed is the only thing you've got."
"Oh, you think so? I can't believe I'm resorting to this on a single impudent child, but I will not let three years of hard work go to waste!"
Kuro suddenly slumped forward as if dead on his feet. Luffy put his guard up instantly, his gut warning him. Then the ex-butler started swaying from side to side, his arms limp and his claws gleaming in the moonlight streaming in from the window.
"Out of the Back Attack!"
He disappeared in a puff of purple smoke, actually making Luffy flinch. He had to stretch his Observation in order to properly track him, before noticing lines of claw marks ripping into the walls and slicing several pieces of furniture. As more and more strikes missed him, though, the pirate shook his head in disappointment. The guy manages to actually outdo Shave… And makes the attack completely random.
"Tch. Iron Body."
Luffy clenched his muscles as hard as he could, needing to end this now before Kuro potentially sliced a load-bearing wall. And sure enough, the blitzing butler was knocked aside as his claws tried and failed to break Luffy's defense.
"Ugggh, what was that?" Kuro murmured, very obviously confused, "How? How did something stop me?"
"I did. Now stop messing around."
"Grr, you're damn lucky I missed you…!"
Kuro then looked down at one of his cat claws and felt the urge to vomit. All five blades were shattered, broken into dozens of fragments apiece. Then he looked up at Luffy and saw the gash running across his vest, yet the skin underneath was perfectly fine.
"H-H-How…? I…I…!"
"You're fast, I'll give you that."
Luffy once again shaved over before dropping a kick on Kuro's hand, laying against the floor in fear. The shyster screamed in pain as every bone was broken instantly along with the knives breaking into shards.
"…But for someone with so many plans, you sure can be stupid."
Kuro realized that his entire plan had long since gone belly-up, ever since he let this man live at the cliffside. He gibbered and begged for mercy, even crying for Miss Kaya to please save him as Luffy beat him into a bloody pulp.
A sinister red and black galleon with a giant black cat for a figurehead, was moored only a hundred feet from the shore, Jango being the first to reach land. It took him a while to notice three figures standing at the top of the slope leading into Syrup Village. Two ladies he'd never seen before stood on either side of the straw-hatted teen he and the captain ran into yesterday.
"What do you think you're doing?!" the hypnotist demanded, "We have a deadline to keep and Captain Kuro won't stomach one of his plans being derailed!"
"You're gonna have to go through us!" Luffy shouted back, "Turn around right now."
The rest of the Black Cat Pirates simply charged ahead, bellowing for blood and mayhem. Luffy, Makino and Kuina rushed down the cliff to meet them. The minute the two sides met, bodies started flying. Luffy disappeared with Shave, laying dozens of pirates flat in seconds. Makino knocked one especially burly buccaneer back with a burst from her hands, bowling over a dozen in the process. And Kuina lived up to her title as "pirate huntress" as her blade moved faster than the eye could see, sending any mark down to the floor in a groaning heap.
Jango could scarcely believe it. Not even five minutes and bunch of children were beating them! He ground his teeth until he noticed three more figures looking down from the cliffs. The purple-haired lady he barely saw yesterday, a redheaded woman he saw and some blonde girl in a bathrobe.
"Wait a minute… Isn't that Kaya?!"
"Yep!" the redhead taunted, "She wanted a front-row seat to you pirates getting your butts kicked!"
"Grr... Arrogant little brat…" Jango pulled out a small chakram from his coat pocket, "Take this!"
He threw the silver disk and it whizzed right towards them. Around halfway on its flight, though, a stretchy arm lashed out to grab the weapon.
"WHAT?!"
The man in the hat was in front of Jango in seconds, the very air around him shimmering in rage. His eyes looked out from under his hat to the trembling hypnotist, then to the weapon.
"You're gonna pay for that," Luffy said before crushing the metal in his grip like it was wet clay.
"Oh my…" Kaya gasped, "How did he move so fast?"
"Beats me," Carina shrugged, "But I knew there was something I liked about him the moment I saw him…"
Nami just rolled her eyes before looking back at the beatdown, her heart swelling as Luffy and the others tore through another infamous crew like they were child's play.
"He can do it…" she thought with relish, "He can help me… I finally found someone!"
As the fight started winding down, even the ship's guards proving helpless thanks to Makino and Kuina, Carina and Nami walked down from the cliff and started happily picking the pockets of every beaten black cat they saw. And the few who tried to grab onto them were met with either a bo staff to the face or a stomp between the legs.
Soon the only one left standing was Jango, blubbering in terror. "Y-You idiots! W-When Captain K-K-Kuro gets here, h-he'll kill us all!"
"Oh yeah?"
Luffy turned around and looked up at Kaya, the blonde girl nodding before reaching down to haul a burlap sack from behind her. She untied the rope binder the lip and reached down to pull out a badly beaten man…
"CAPTAIN KURO?!" the entire enemy crew yelled. Their fearless leader was barely even alive, almost no teeth left in his gaping maw, and every breath a scraping wheeze. Bits of broken glass were embedded in his face, and his impeccable black suit was stained with blood and tears from collar to cuff.
And Kaya's face was an ugly grimace, glaring at the man with pure hatred. "You see this?! Your plan is done! You will never have my money, you brute! And you will never hurt all of the innocent people here!"
She then turned to the crowd of pirates, all of them shocked by the presence she had despite her thin frame and sickly demeanor. "Now take your captain and get out of here!"
Kaya then threw the near-unconscious body off the cliff where it landed on the rocky ground with a thud. Jango rushed up to his captain, even yanking off his glasses.
"Captain?! What in blazes happened here?!"
"Jango…" Kuro said, barely a whisper, "Is that you?"
"Yes, Captain! Please, don't keel over yet! Tell us, how did this happen?! Did the Marines catch on?!"
"It was… That boy… In the straw hat…"
The whole crew flinched in terror, looking at Luffy again. This kid… Did that… To their captain?!
"You all are getting out of here right now," he ordered, "Before I do that to every last one of you."
Seeing how the plan was well and truly fucked, the Black Cats rushed away in a panicked haze. Jango and the pair of guards hauled the broken Captain Kuro on their shoulders before hurriedly raising anchor and sailing away from the Gecko Islands. Luffy kept watch until the galleon was only a blip on the horizon before turning around to face his crew with a smile.
"Alright, we did it! Great job, you two!"
"We couldn't have done it without you," Makino insisted, pecking him on the cheek. Kuina just crossed her amrs in satisfaction while Nami and Carina approached with a hefty sack held between them.
"Where'd you both get that?"
"Oh, like we were gonna pass up the opportunity to lighten up their storeroom!" Carina scoffed, "Those guys might be idiots, but they still had a haul!"
"And that's one thing we can always agree on," Nami chuckled, "Whenever Morganeers have treasure, it's our duty to take it!"
"I suppose that's quite fitting," Kaya said as she approached them, beaming in appreciation, "I can't begin to thank you all. If not for you then I and the entire village would be destroyed!"
"Don't sweat it," Luffy waved off, "But we do still need a ship."
"Say no more! As soon as Merry is fit again, we'll take care of that. Until then, you are all invited as my guests!"
The entire crew smiled at the thought of sleeping in a cushy mansion and getting a brief reprieve after their latest battle. After all, the real excitement would come once they got the ship.
And so, Carina shows up FAR earlier in the timeline and plays a little role in saving Syrup Village. Next time, some downtime before the crew gets their proper vessel and sets sail as a real crew!
Before signing off today, I do want to pose another question. I've gotten a few bits of feedback about the harem not being some people's cup of tea and I understand. With that in mind, would a brief warning before any adult scenes be appreciated or just get in the way?
And with that said, we're done here.