"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." Luffy said in a calm voice with his hat over his eyes. "We're here to talk to the lady of the house about lending us a ship."
"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 while Luffy just watched the evens happen once more. 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 where he remembered where Usopp would be. 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. He also couldn't believe that Luffy had appeared down there next to them when he was at the top of the cliff next to him a moment ago.
"Hey." Luffy said, getting both Kuro and Jango's attention.
"Wha? Who are you?" Jango asked.
"You're that straw hat kid from before." Kuro said as he adjusted his glasses. "What are you doing here?"
"Leave Kaya alone!" Luffy said in a serious tone. Kuro just narrowed his eyes.
"So, you heard our conversation?" he asked before looking at Jango. "Jango."
"Right." Jango said as he pulled out a ring and started to wave it back and forth in front of Luffy. "Watch the ring kid. When I count 1, 2, Jango, you'll walk into the ocean and drown. One...Two...Jan-guh!" was all he said before he fell on his back, foaming at the mouth and unconcious.
"What?!" Kuro said in a surprised voice before he felt a chill run up his spine. He looked back at Luffy, but noticed he was gone. He looked around more before he adjusted his glasses again, hoping to calm his nerves. He failed to notice Luffy was back at the top of the hill before Luffy turned and walked off to find his friends.
()()()()
After some walking, 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.