The sea breeze was warm, as the small boat sliced through the waves. The sun was hanging high in the cloudless sky. Cassandra leaned back lazily on the wooden deck, arms behind her head, while Luffy dozed in a half-sitting position, his straw hat covering his eyes. Nami sat cross-legged, busy inspecting a few gold coins she'd "liberated" from Buggy's hoard.
"Hey, Nami," Luffy said suddenly, grinning. "Wanna join my crew?"
She didn't even look up. "Still no."
"You'd be our navigator."
"I don't work with pirates."
"I'm not like other pirates!"
Cassandra smirked. "I am."
Nami shot her a glare. "Yeah, I noticed."
Cassandra just gave her a wink. "You'll join eventually. If my captain gets something in his head, he will make sure it happens."
Luffy laughed and Nami rolled her eyes.
The swordswoman gestured to herself with a dramatic flair, making Luffy laugh and Nami groan in frustration.
Land came into view before sunset. A gentle island with windmills and rolling green hills. White houses lined the edges of the shore and beyond the trees, a large hill with a single manor stood tall and pristine.
As the trio made landfall, they were greeted by a chaotic figure sprinting down a slope while screaming bloody murder.
"PIRATES!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!"
A lanky boy with dark curly hair and a hilariously long nose flailed his arms dramatically, yelling nonsense as he barreled through the town square. He wore brown overalls and a yellow sash, and his voice was like a saw on iron.
"What the hell…" Cassandra muttered. "Oh no it's him," she thought.
"Hhmm?" Luffy blinked.
Cassandra didn't say anything. She just stared at the boy, a slow frown spreading across her face. The most annoying liar in the East Blue appeared before them.
Usopp stopped after realizing no one was panicking and tried to act natural, laughing loudly and rubbing the back of his head.
"Ha ha! Just a joke! Gotta stay on your toes in case of a real pirate attack!"
Luffy burst out laughing. "He's funny!"
"He's a clown," Cassandra muttered.
"Why do you hate him already?" Nami asked.
"He's loud, he looks weak, and I've got a gut feeling. He's not worth our time."
Despite Cassandra's dislike, the group followed Usopp through town. He spoke of his "adventures" at sea, about battles with sea kings, daring escapes from Marine warships, and treasure hunts beyond imagination. Luffy listened with childlike awe, while Cassandra grew more irritated by the second.
Eventually Usopp invited them to the mansion on the hill, to meet a friend of his. Miss Kaya a wealthy heiress who'd been sick for years.
The mansion was impressive, with ivy climbing its stone walls and polished mahogany doors that opened into a vast, quiet hallway. Inside, the air smelled faintly of lavender and the furniture was tastefully antique.
Kaya greeted them from a lounge chair by the window. Her pale skin and frail appearance didn't hide her grace, as she smiled warmly, when Usopp bowed dramatically before her.
"These are my friends," Usopp said, puffing his chest. "They're fearsome pirates, but harmless as long as I'm around."
Kaya's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Well then, welcome, friends of Usopp."
Cassandra stayed quiet cringing at Usopps audacity, letting Nami and Luffy do the talking. Her eyes scanned the room, noting the fine tea set, the bookshelf full of literature and the painting of a large ship hanging above the fireplace.
Then the butler arrived.
He was tall, composed and cold-eyed. Klahadore stepped into the room. His movements were crisp, his gaze razor-sharp behind his small glasses.
He looked at Luffy, then Cassandra. His lip curled ever so slightly.
"Miss Kaya, you should not tire yourself with such… company."
Kaya frowned. "They're my guests, Klahadore."
"They are peasants. They should leave immidietly."
Cassandra narrowed her eyes. "You have a problem?"
"I do not speak to rubble."
Cassandra smiled dangerously. "Good. Then keep your mouth shut poser."
Luffy laughed. Nami smirked.
Usopp fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable.
Klahadore turned stiffly on his heel and left without another word. As the door shut behind him, Cassandra leaned toward Nami and whispered, "He's hiding something."
"Yeah, he's creepy," she said. "Creepy, cold, and fake. I don't like him."
Later that night, Cassandra wandered out into the forest behind the mansion, her instincts prickling. Something was off about Klahadore's presence, his disdain and the polished way he moved. It all reminded her of a predator in disguise.
Than it hit her. She pulled out some old bounty posters and found a similar face. Kuro captain of the Black Cat Pirates with a bounty of 16.000.000,- Berry.
"Right. The plot of this island was like that." Cassandra facepalmed. Her knowledge about One Piece got worse and worse over the years. Damn forgetful brain.
Cassandra stalked through the night, trying to find Kuro and sure enough, she wasn't alone.
From behind a tree, she spotted Usopp crouched low, eavesdropping on a conversation between Kuro and someone through a transponder snail. Kuro was resting on a tree stump.
Kuro's voice was unmistakable.
"Everything is in place. You will arrive at dawn, make the girl sign the papers and by midday the house will be mine."
Another, gruffer voice responded. "I will be ready captain. The money of this stupid girl will be ours."
Usopp gasped quietly. Cassandra stood silently behind him, until he turned around, eyes wide.
"You heard that too?" he whispered.
"Of course I did," Cassandra said. "I came here expecting trouble. Seems like I found it."
"We have to warn Kaya!"
"No. She trusts him and if we tell the villagers, they'll just laugh at you. They always do, right?"
Usopp looked down. "Yeah… but I have to tell everyone!"
He turned around and wanted to run into town. Even if no one would believe him, he had to warn them.
Usopp took one step and broke a twig on the ground, alarming Kuro.
Kuro turned to the two eavesdroppers and frowned. His former sophisticated look became sinister.
"It seems like I need to exterminate some rats," he said adjusting his glasses with the palm of his right hand.
Usopp swallowed hard with a loud gulp.
Cassandra turned to Kuro, eyes gleaming drawing Wado Ichimonji.
In the blink of an eye he vanished and appeared behind Usopp. Kuro didn't bring his signature bladed gauntlets that look like cat claws, but he could still strangle Usopp to death.
"Drop your weapons, or your friend here will die," he said with the cold look of a killer in his eyes.
What Kuro didn't anticipate, was the cruelty of a swordswoman, who doesn't like cowardly liars.