After Them!:

-x-

"Look behind us," ordered Y/N as he chased after the Veggie-Pirates with Kaya on his back, "Is the Hypnotist still following us?"

"Nope, I don't see him," reported Onion as he chanced a glance back.

"Nobody can catch us in these woods," boasted Carrot.

"I'd feel safer if he wasn't chasing us at all," commented Y/N.

"Don't worry," said Onion. "We'll get you through the forest safely."

"It's the honor of Usopp's Pirates," added Pepper.

"I don't need you guys to protect me," Y/N told them, "I'm here to make sure you don't get killed."

"You four really shouldn't..." Kaya started to say from on Y/N's back.

"Do you hear that?" Y/N suddenly interrupted, "Duck."

The three Veggie-Pirates dove to the ground, while Y/N leapt to the side. SHUWAKAWAKA! A split second later one of Jango's hypno-rings came whizzing passed them. KRA-KRASH! THUD! The disk had sliced through a row of trees and had cut all of them down.

"YIKES!" shouted Carrot, the metal disk had passed right over his head.

"WHAT WAS THAT!?" yelled Pepper.

"It was one of that Hypnotist's hypno-rings," answered Y/N. "Not only do they hypnotize people, they're deadly weapons. Now stop screaming or he'll hear us."

"They're not here," commented Jango to himself, as he peered through the trees, in hopes of spotting something. "STOP HIDING YOU ROTTON BRATS! DON'T THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE ME!"

"It's him!" shrieked Onion, "He's not a typical traveling hypnotist after all!"

"What did I tell you about shouting?" questioned Y/N as he glanced over his shoulder.

All five of them were silent for the next few moments, then Y/N spoke, "Let's keep moving." The three boys nodded then led Y/N and Kaya deeper into the forest and through the trees.

"If you don't come out," Jango threatened through the trees, "Then I'll cut down this entire forest if I have to!"

-x-

KRA-KRASH! THUD!

"What's that sound?" asked Usopp after hearing something that sounded like trees being cut down.

"It's probably Jango finishing off your friends," answered Kuro. "Go see for yourself, though you may be too late."

"You'd better go and help them," Zoro said to Usopp.

"If you can," added Kuro.

"Why you!" snapped Usopp as he fought back up to his feet, "YOU LIVED IN THE SAME HOUSE AS HER FOR THREE YEARS! DON'T YOU HAVE AN OUNCE OF FEELING FOR HER!?"

"Not an ounce," replied Kuro. "As I said, Kaya was a pawn I needed to further my plan. When she dies, then I'll say my thanks."

"That irredeemable scoundrel," commented Zoro as he glared up the pass at Kuro.

"Who wants to redeem him?" asked Luffy.

"If I don't hurry they'll all be killed!" Usopp thought frantically, "I'll never let you win! There's not a second to lose!" Usopp slowly managed to struggle up to his feet, he was in a lot of pain and could barely sand but he needed to protect Kaya and his crew.

"You can move?" questioned Kuro as he watched the bloody and battered Usopp stagger up the pass. "Impressive. BUCHI!"

"I'LL SLICE HIM TO PIECES!" roared Buchi as he rushed at Usopp, but suddenly Butchie stopped and stood still, there was a sword blade positioned at his neck.

"Get out of my way," Zoro ordered the hypnotized cat, "I'M IN A HURRY!" WHOMP! Zoro suddenly grabbed Butchie then launched forwards driving the back of Buchi's head down to the ground.

Zoro quickly moved around so he was crouching on top of Buchi but still had the sword positioned at his neck, "You've caused enough trouble! Now if you stay down and shut up, I may let you live!"

FWUMP! Usopp who had been rushing up the pass collapsed to the ground, with his butt up in the air. He didn't have enough strength left, taking as stone mallet to the head can do that to you. "Usopp!" exclaimed Luffy in alarm.

"Oh no," said Usopp, mostly to himself, "My body can't move."

"You look ridiculous!" taunted Kuro, "But you're much safer on the ground. If you caught up with Jango he'd only kill you."

"Doesn't matter," snapped Usopp, "I'VE GOTTA PROTECT THOSE KIDS!"

Everyone stared at Usopp after his loud shout, and while Zoro was distracted Buchi managed push the swordsman off of him. SWAK! Buchi shot out one of his arms and lashed at Zoro, but the Swordsman blocked it. KA-WHAM! Zoro was sent flying backwards and crashed into the side of the cliff. Buchi growled in anger as he got back up to his feet.

"I'm their Captain, and they're my crew!" exclaimed Usopp, "I'm a Brave Warrior of the Sea! And I won't let you lay a finger on those kids! I love everyone in that village, AND I WON'T LET YOU KILL THEM!"

"Hahaha! Look at him, shouting threats with his rump in the air," laughed RP2. "He's worse than a dog!"

KRASH! A large chunk of rock from the cliff above the random pirate came crashing down, they had to leap out of the way to dodge it.

"Laugh at Usopp again and I'll kill you!" growled Luffy, who had punched the cliff to make the rock go crashing down. At that moment he really looked like he'd actually do it. That shut the random pirates up rather quickly.

Meanwhile Buchi leapt at Zoro, KLANG! Zoro got up the two swords he had in his hands and blocked Buchi's claws with them. "Hey Buchi!" snapped Zoro as he held back Buchi, "You already lost to me once, I told you already, stay out of my way! Are you deaf or just stupid!?"

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" shouted Zoro. THWACK! Zoro lashed out his leg and kicked Butchie in the face, sending him staggering backwards. With Buchi's guard broken Zoro surged forward and slashed him with his swords, SLISH! Zoro made two more gashes on Buchi's stomach and sent him flying up into the air.

Zoro put his three swords away then... FWUMP! Buchi came plummeting out of the sky and slammed down to the ground.

Even if Kuro was surprised his didn't show it, he just fixed his glasses with his palm. Usopp looked on in shock from his spot on the ground.

"But Buchi was hypnotized!" exclaimed RP4 in disbelief.

"Luffy, I'll carry Usopp and go after that Hypnotist," said Zoro as he sheathed his swords. "But Y/N probably finished the bastard off already. Got a problem with that?"

"Nope!" replied Luffy as Zoro lifted Usopp up onto his shoulder, "Just hurry up and go!"

"Sorry," apologized Usopp from on Zoro's shoulder, he didn't want to look weak by being carried.

"I'd be a lot faster if I was on my own," Zoro told Usopp, as he rushed up the pass, "But I don't know my way around that forest. So I need you to guide me. Otherwise I'd get lost."

"Hey you!" snapped Kuro as he got ready to attack the charging swordsman, "Who gave you permission to go up this slope?"

SHWOOM! "I DID!" yelled Luffy as he shot out his fist looking to punch Kuro in the face again. KRAK! The evil butler dodged the attack and Luffy ended up driving his fist into a tree and broke it in half. "GO ZORO!"

Zoro ran passed while Luffy shouted, "TAKE THIS BUTT-LER!" while throwing another punch at Kuro. SHWOO! Luffy missed because Kuro wasn't standing there any more. "Where did he go?" asked Luffy out loud.

Kuro appeared behind Luffy, SWASH! Kuro slashed his arm around looking to cut him with his claws, but Luffy dropped down onto his hands in time to dodge it. While still standing on his hands, Luffy lifted up his legs and brought them together, "GUM... GUM... SPEAR!" Luffy shot his legs out at Kuro like a giant missile, SHWOOM! Once again Kuro had disappeared and Luffy missed him.

"Hey he's disappeared again," commented Luffy as he got back onto his feet, "Oh well, Zoro made it up the slope." Luffy turned around and eventually spotted Kuro standing behind him.

"That kid's going at it with Captain Kuro!" exclaimed RP2, no one went against Captain Kuro and lived!

"Before we fight seriously, I have a question to ask," said Kuro as he stared at Luffy, "Why are you, an outsider, sticking your neck out for this village?"

"Because," answered Luffy, "There's someone in this village I don't want you to kill."

-x-

With the distraction Luffy had given them, Usopp and Zoro had managed to make it into the woods and were darting through the trees in an attempt to catch up with Jango.

"I told you to go east! East damn it!" shouted Usopp from Zoro's back, "I SAID GO EAST!"

"How do I know which way is east?" snapped Zoro, "Just say left or right!"

"Okay then turn around and face right!" yelled Usopp.

"You mean we're going backwards?" questioned Zoro.

-x-

"That's it?" asked Kuro as he kept his glaze on Luffy, "but is that really enough to die for?"

"It's good enough for me!" snapped Luffy as he and Kuro got into a fighting stances, "but I'M not gonna get killed!

-x-

KER-RASH! A cluster of trees fell to the ground and Jango walked through them in search of Kaya. "Now where did they run off to!?" Jango yelled out loud after slicing down some more trees. This was getting really annoying.

"I need to stop and fight him," Y/N thought to himself. "We can't keep running like this," Y/N said to Kaya and the Veggie-Pirates, "We have to do something."

"What?" asked Pepper.

"I want you guys to keep going with Kaya," Y/N instructed Carrot, Onion, and Pepper. "I'm going to stay here and fight Hypnofreak."

"You're going to fight him?" questioned Onion. "What if he hypnotizes you?"

"I won't let him," replied Y/N, "I can take him."

"You don't have to do this," Kaya told Y/N. "I don't want anyone getting hurt because of me."

"I made a promise to Usopp and I'm gonna keep it," Y/N assured her. "I'm gonna make sure nothing happens to you, and the only way to do that is to take out the hypnotist."

"But does it have to be you?" asked Kaya, as she glanced at the slash marks going across the one-eyed pirate's chest, "You're already hurt. Don't you think it would be safer to leave it to someone else?"

"I've had worse," replied Y/N. "Besides, when you're a pirate you have to be willing to put your life on the line when it's important. The four of you are important to Usopp, so I'll do everything I can to make sure you get out of this alive. Even if it means I won't."

"W-what do you want us to do?" asked Carrot timidly.

"I need you three to get Kaya as far away from here as possible," Y/N instructed the Veggie-Pirates. "Make sure she's safe and whatever you do, don't come back. You have to keep going no matter what you see, no matter what you hear. Even if you hear me screaming in pain and agony, you'll keep going, got it?"

"S-sure," stuttered Pepper.

"Just so we're perfectly clear," clarified Y/N. "If you see the hypnofreak, run. Don't try and fight him. If you see me, run faster. I could be hypnotized. I need to fight him alone, if you four are here he could use you against me."

"Don't worry, we'll make sure nothing happens to Miss. Kaya!" Pepper told Y/N.

"Come on Miss Kaya!" instructed Onion as he took Kaya's hand and started to lead her off into the woods.

But Kaya stopped before Usopp's Pirates could pull her off and turned to face Y/N, "Thank you," Kaya said, "This really isn't your fight. But you're still risking your life trying to save me and my village."

"With this pirate crew... it's kind of what we do," replied Y/N with a shrug. "But I haven't saved you yet, get going." Kaya followed the three Veggie-Pirates off into the forest.

"That takes care of them," commented Y/N.

KRASH! KRASH! Off in distance another group of trees were cut down. "Time to stop hiding. Now I need to be found."

-x-

Captain Kuro of the Thousand Plans

-x-

"Die!" shouted Kuro as he rushed at Luffy.

"Not today," replied Luffy as he reached his arms behind him.

"There they go!" announced RP3. This battle was finally getting started.

Luffy launched his arms out and grabbed onto Kuro's arms, then pulled himself forward while bringing his knees up into his chest. He was planning on kicking Kuro right in the face.

But before Luffy could follow up, Kuro spun around and flipped his arms, WHAM! Luffy went back-first into the ground and start tumbling away.

Luffy drove one of his hands into the ground and held himself up in the air with it then shouted "GUM... GUM... WHIP!" BWOING! Luffy launched out his rubber leg and whipped it around at Kuro.

Kuro jumped over Luffy's leg and dodged the attack but in a flash the Straw Hat Pirate was back on his feet, then he launched out his arm, "AND... PISTOL!" WHOMF! Luffy's arm rocketed forward looking to punch Kuro in the face while he was in mid air, FWOOM! But Luffy's fist just sailed through thin air because Kuro had disappeared again.

"He's standing on his arm!" RP2 exclaimed when Kuro reappeared.

"You bore me boy," said Kuro while balancing on Luffy's extended arm. Luffy grabbed onto his upper arm then yanked it back. "Stupid child," muttered Kuro as he ran along Luffy's arm towards him, THWAK! Kuro lashed out his leg and kicked Luffy in the face.

Luffy's straw hat was knocked off from the hit and he went tumbling down towards the bottom of the pass. WUMP! TUMP! BUMP! FWUMP! Luffy eventually stopped and sat up, his lip was bleeding.

"That Straw Hat kid was supposed to be really tough," RP2 said to the others.

"The kid is good but the Captain is better," replied RP1.

Luffy pulled himself up off of the ground, then noticed he was bleeding, "Darn," cursed Luffy, "I cut my lip."

"FINISH HIM CAPTAIN KURO!" cheered the random Black Cat Pirates.

"Yeah, murder him!" RP2 added, while the rest of the pirates started chanting, 'Kuro' over and over.

"NEVER CALL ME BY THAT NAME!" Kuro suddenly screamed at his former pirate crew. That shut them up rather quickly.

Luffy looked on in confusion, he didn't get while this butler-guy was yelling at his own crew.

"You still don't get it do you?" questioned Kuro as he glared at the random Black Cat Pirates. "This whole plan's purpose was to utterly do away with Captain Kuro!"

Kuro paused to fix his glasses before continuing, "Crafting a thousand plans for slobbering idiots with nothing but plunder on their minds... it tired me. And what did my hard work win me? The entire navy on my heels! I've been hunted by marines and spies and bounty hunters. I grew sick of the relentless harassment. So on that fateful day three years ago, I decided that I had to die!"

Being a typical evil villain, Kuro began telling Luffy his evil plan in its entirety since he was positive it would prevail. Three years ago, Kuro had a discussion with 'One Two' Jango, his First Mate at the time. He was getting tired of living a life as a criminal and being constantly chased by marines due to the 16,000,000 berries on his head. It was then that Kuro decided that he was going to quit being Captain Kuro. But Jango pointed out that since Kuro was a wanted man and that the marines would chase him until he died. Kuro decided that he was going to die and that Jango would take over as the Captain... but first he had to take care of the current marine attack.

Kuro got a row boat from his crew and sailed for the marine ship that had been firing on them all on his own. The cannon fire stopped as soon as Kuro reached the ship, and when the rest of his crew arrived, it became clear that Kuro had slaughtered everyone. There were dead marines and claw marks all over the ship. There was only one marine left alive, and that was one that he had particularly spared. The blond marine cried from Kuro to just kill him and be done with it, but Kuro kicked him in the jaw and broke it. Then told the marine: "You should be grateful. You're going to capture the infamous Captain Kuro."

Jango had taken one of the Black Cat Pirates that had black hair and classes and bore a slight resemblance of the Captain. Jango hypnotized the pirate to think that he was Kuro of a Thousand Plans and that he had slaughtered all the marines. Then Jango hypnotized the marine... and himself... into thinking that he had captured 'Kuro'. The Black Cat Pirates left Kuro's replacement tied to the mast and left the ship. The marine reinforcements arrived 'Kuro' was brought to a marine base in Shell Town and was executed by firing squad. The marine that had caught 'Kuro' had his broken jaw replaced with a metal one and had his slashed arm replaced with an axe. He eventually became known to the world as Marine Captain 'Axe-Arm' Morgan, the man who killed Kuro of a Thousand Plans. Captain Kuro was dead to the world.

The real Kuro was dropped off on the island he was currently on, and instructed Jango to come back in three years time. Kuro took the name Klahadore and spent the next three years working as a butler in Kaya's mansion and gained the trust off all the villagers. No one suspected anything when Kaya's parents died two years after Kuro arrived. Kaya was depressed by the loss of her parents and became sick and bed-ridden. She met Usopp and he did what he could to cheer he up but she stayed confined to her mansion.

Today, was the day that Kuro's plan was supposed to be completed. Jango and his crew would arrive, they'd charge up the pass – kill Usopp if he got in the way – and attack the village. They'd rough up the villagers but wouldn't kill them, then they'd charged Kaya's house. Jango was to hypnotize Kaya into writing her will and leaving her fortune to her butler Klahadore and then she would 'accidentally die' in the pirate attack. Kuro would be left with Kaya's money and Kaya's fortune and no one would suspect anything. Klahadore would have legally inherited money and would be well off for the rest of his life without having to worry about the marines coming after him. He'd have peace.

But things hadn't gone as planned. Luffy and his crew showed up. Usopp, Nami, and Y/N had stopped the pirates at the pass. Zoro and Y/N took on the crew's secret weapon: the Nyaban Brothers. Then Y/N and the Veggie Pirates took Kaya into the forest and were hiding her from Jango. Zoro had finished off the last Nyaban and took Usopp into the forest to provide backup for Y/N and Veggie Pirates. Y/N, Zoro, and Usopp were all in the forest looking to stop Jango and Kuro couldn't go to help him due to being caught up in a fight with Luffy at the pass.

The pirates hadn't reached the village and Kaya was still alive. The plan was going all wrong and it was angering Kuro greatly. His three year plan was being disrupted and ruined because of four teenagers that called themselves pirates. Kuro needed to get this rubber brat out of the way, then he'd take care of the rest of Luffy's crew. Jango would be left to hypnotize Kaya into leaving her will and the attack could still go on as planned with Kaya 'accidentally' dying in the process. Kuro wouldn't allow these nuisances to ruin his three-year plan. He was Kuro 'of a Thousand Plans' and he couldn't allow his final plan to fail. He HAD to beat this straw hat brat, he HAD to kill those three in the forest, Kaya HAD to write the will and she HAD to die. His plan COULDN'T fail!

"Can you understand that you brat!?" Kuro demanded, "There's no room for error in my three year plan!" Kuro then rushed at Luffy with his cat claws ready to strike, "MY PLANS NEVER FAIL!"

But Luffy suddenly reached down and tore a large chunk of rock out from the ground, then held it up in front of him. CHINK! Kuro kept charging and ended up imbedding the claws on his right arm into the rock.

"So stretching isn't your only talent," commented Kuro as he attempted to pull his claws out of the rock, only to find that they were wedged inside.

"Nope," replied Luffy, "I've been training to be a pirate!" Luffy suddenly spun to the side, KA-RACK! The five blades on Kuro's right hand broke clean off.

"HE BROKE THE CAPTAIN'S CAT CLAWS!" exclaimed RP4.

"You said you were tired," said Luffy as he brought back the rock, "If you don't want to become famous... THEN YOU SHOULDN'T BE A PIRATE!" WHAM! Luffy quickly swung his rock forward and connected with the side of Kuro's head, sending him crumbling down to the ground, and tumbling away.

"And if you wanna compare plans," continued Luffy, "MINE'S MUCH BIGGER!"

-x-

Pirate Crew:

-x-

"Now you only have five sword-claws left," Luffy pointed out to Kuro, who was laying flat on his back. WHAM! Luffy tossed the big rock with the five claws embedded in it off to the side so he could continue to fight the evil butt-ler.

"Blast him!" snapped RP3. "He broke the Captain's claws!"

Luffy smirked as Kuro got up off the ground. The rock's contact with Kuro's head had opened gash on the side of his face and blood was leaking out of it.

"Captain Kuro! You've still got the claws on your other hand!" called out RP2. "Slash him with those!"

"He just told us not to call him that!" scolded RP1.

"In the town he's called Klaha-something," said RP3.

"Let's call him Mr. Claw!" decided RP4.

"FINISH HIM MR. CLAW!" cheered the random pirates as well as the rest of the conscious Black Cat Pirates.

"SHUT UP!" snapped Kuro, "I'LL DEAL WITH YOU LATER! THAT GOES FOR JANGO TOO!"

Luffy looked on in surprise while RP4 shouted, "WHY US TOO!?"

"Wait!" exclaimed RP1, who had just been told by his former Captain that he, and the rest of the crew, were going to be killed. "Stop joking around Captain Kuro. It's not too late to attack the village, right? If Jango makes the girl write the will your plan will still succeed!"

"Don't worry your heads about my plan," Kuro told the random pirates, "If none of you lives to tell the tale, I can pin all the blame on you. I never intended to let any of you leave here alive. I can't let anyone live who knows my true identity."

"But that means he meant to kill us all along!" shrieked RP2.

"Of course," replied Kuro. "Even three years ago when I was still Captain Kuro, it was all part of my plan!"

"Are you stupid?" Luffy asked the random pirates. "What a bunch of dumb pirates."

"Dumb?" repeated Kuro. "Of course, pirates are society's cast-offs. Without a leader they're helpless. Their job was to shut up and follow my plan! Pirates should be faithful pawns of their Captain, they live by my command. They should have followed my plan no matter what sprang up to impede them. They should have died trying to fulfill my plan! THAT'S THE WAY OF THE PIRATE! A LITTLE BRAT LIKE YOU SHOULD JUST LEARN TO KEEP HIS SMART MOUTH SHUT!"

"Even if you were Captain with one hundred obedient men, you still wouldn't beat Usopp," Luffy stated, causing the random pirates to stop worrying about being killed and listen.

"What?" questioned Kuro. "Me, lose to a pretend pirate?"

"You will," replied Luffy.

"How amusing," commented Kuro, "DON'T GET COCKY JUST BECAUSE YOU BROKE MY CAT CLAWS! TELL ME, WHY WOULD I LOSE TO HIM!?" WHOOM! Kuro disappeared.

"Your brain," answered Luffy with a grin.

"What!?" demanded Kuro as he appeared behind Luffy.

"YOU DON'T KNOW THE TRUE MEANING OF BEING A PIRATE!" Luffy shouted as he shot his arm out behind him and swung it around, WHAK! Luffy connected with the side of Kuro's head and sent him flying into the side of the cliff. KRASH!

"He tracked one of the Captain Black Cat Maneuvers!" exclaimed RP3.

Luffy retracted his arm and when the dust settled Kuro was sitting on the ground looking pissed. "Now you've insulted me, if you want to talk about real pirates, let me show you just how terrifying a real pirate can be! I'll show you the ferocity of a pirate who has faced a thousand deaths!" Kuro slowly got back up and glared at Luffy. Then he hunched forward and started swinging his arms from side to side.

"That stance!" exclaimed RP1.

"Is he going to use that attack?" wondered RP2.

"That attack against one opponent!?" questioned RP3.

"It's the Out-of-the-Bag attack!" yelled RP2, "He's going to use the Out-of-the-Bag attack!"

"We shouldn't be standing here," realized RP1.

"We're in range!" shrieked RP3.

"He'll slaughter us too! He'll kill us all!" screamed RP4.

"Isn't that what he said earlier?!" panicked RP3.

Luffy glanced at the pirates in confusion, he didn't see what was so scary, the butler just had bad posture now.

"Please stop Captain Kuro!" begged RP3.

"Don't do it!" urged RP2.

"We'll do anything you want!" offered RP1.

"Please Captain Kuro!" pleaded RP4.

"What's going on?" wondered Luffy. "He's just swinging his arms back and forth."

Luffy was about to get his answer, Kuro stopped swinging his arms, his eye were blank and he shouted, "OUT-OF-THE-BAG ATTACK!" Kuro disappeared completely and a purple shockwave went down the pass passed Luffy and towards the pirates gathered at the bottom.

-x-

"Too bad," Nami commented to herself as she carried a sack of treasure out of the treasure room on the Black Cat Pirates' ship. "I though there would be more treasure here."

"I wonder how the fight's going," said Nami as she walked over to the railing and looked over it. "Why are they just standing around? Is the fight over?"

-x-

SLASH! One of the random pirates was slashed across the chest by an invisible blade, blood burst from the wound and he collapsed to the ground, crying in pain.

"It's begun!" shrieked RP3, who had been standing next to the pirate that had been slashed.

"What!?" questioned Luffy, "How did he get killed?"

SLASH! A pirate was slashed across the back and dropped down to his knees. KLANK! Five long cut appeared on the cliff wall beside Luffy, "He attacked the rock!"

SLISH! "AAAAAHHH!" Another one of the pirates screamed as he was cut down by nothing.

SLISH! SLISH! SLASH! The pirates were being slashed left and right, Kuro was killing everyone.

"CAPTAIN KURO PLEASE STOP!" pleaded RP4 who was practically crying. SLISH! SLOSH! The two pirates standing next to him were cut down before he even finished speaking.

"This is a blind attack using one of the Black Cat Maneuvers!" exclaimed RP1. "He's moving so fast he doesn't even know what he's attacking!

"In the past he's killed countless numbers of our own men with that move!" added RP2. SLASH! "AAAAHH!" RP2 was cut across the back and fell to the ground.

-x-

"What's going on down there!?" wondered Nami in alarm as she watched from up on the ship. "Why is everyone getting killed so suddenly!?"

-x-

Luffy just stared down the pass as the Black Cat Pirates were cut down one-by-one. He was staring so intently he didn't even notice when he got slashed near his collar bone.

SLISH! SLISH! SLASH! KLANK! SLOSH! The attacks kept coming, the Black Cat Pirates, Luffy, and parts of the pass were all cut by Kuro's attack. "Show yourself butler..." Luffy said to himself as one of his eyes started twitching. Blood was dripping down passed it from where his temple had been cut without him noticing.

"HOW COULD YOU ATTACK YOUR OWN CREW!?" hollered Luffy.

"Luffy?" questioned Nami, from up on the ship.

-x-

"Stop hiding you brats!" shouted Jango, but then he caught sight of Y/N who was leaning against a tree making no attempt to hide.

"Who's hiding?" asked Y/N. "I was waiting for you and I was starting to get bored. If you want to get to Kaya and those kids, you'll have to go through me."

"Have it your way then," replied Jango as he pulled out one of his hypno-disks and started swinging it side-to-side. "When I say, 'one, two, Jango' you will lead me to the girl. One... two... JANGO!"

Y/N stood up straight and slowly stepped away from the tree, Y/N held one of his arms up in front of him and showed Jango something... it was his middle finger.

"WHAT!?" shouted Jango in outrage. "I DIDN'T TELL YOU TO DO THAT!? WHY ISN'T MY HYPNOSIS WORKING!?"

A sly grin appeared on Y/N's face, "Hypnosis only works on the feeble-minded and those who believe in it. Since I am neither of those, you're gonna have to do better than that."

"FINE! I'LL JUST HAVE TO KILL YOU!" shouted Jango as threw two hypno-disks at Y/N. SHUWAKAWAKA!

But instead of running to move out of the way, Y/N drew Akaikyuuketsuki then charged forward. When the disks got close, Y/N jumped up and dove in between them, one disk whizzed over him, and the other soared underneath him.

Once the hypno-disks went passed, Y/N landed on the ground, then rushed at Jango. "Red Blade... LIGHTNING STRIKE!" Before Jango could blink, Y/N shot towards him and slashed his sword, SLISH! Y/N ended up behind Jango as the cut going from Jango's left shoulder to his right side opened and started bleeding.

"Unnngggg," Jango dropped down to his knees and held his hands over the wound.

"That was for Nami," said Y/N as he turned to face the hypnotist.

-x-

For Whom the Bell Tolls

-x-

"SHOW YOURSELF BUTLER!" hollered Luffy as he watched the random Black Cat Pirates yell in pain from the wounds their Captain had inflicted on them.

Luffy's voice had drawn the invisible Kuro towards him, because the next second, SHINK! Luffy was slashed across the stomach by Kuro's claws. Luffy ignored the pain and the blood, then reached out and grabbed... something. THOOM! Luffy quickly spun around and drove whatever he was holding down into the ground.

"Gotcha," said Luffy as he stared down at Kuro.

"Curse you!" snapped Kuro as he fought up off of the ground, "Why won't you just die? Instead of dying quickly my poor pawns are suffering." Down at the bottom of the pass was a cluster of bloody bodies. All of the Black Cat Pirates were wounded and on the ground, some where probably dead.

But Luffy didn't take his eyes off of Kuro, "You have something to say?" asked Kuro, not really caring.

"I do," answered Luffy as he cast a glance to the side and saw that his straw hat was safe on the ground where he had left it. "I'm never going to become a pirate like you."

"Don't worry you little fool," said Kuro as he pointed his five cat claws at Luffy's face. Luffy just continued to stare at Kuro, as if the blades weren't even there. "You could NEVER be like me! Anyway, I'm about to kill you!" Kuro backed away from Luffy and stood at the top of the pass, then he hunched forward and started swaying his arms back and forth again.

"I WON'T LET YOU!" yelled Luffy, SWAP! Luffy jumped at Kuro and latched onto him, wrapping his arms and legs around Kuro. "Now try your fancy footwork!" Where ever Kuro went, he would have to take Luffy with him. The Straw Hat Pirate had caught Captain Kuro.

-x-

Back in the forest, Jango had managed to get back up but blood was dripping from the wound going across his chest. "What's the matter kid? Don't think I can take a hit?" questioned Jango. "I'm a pirate, I'm worth nine million berries!" Jango took another hypno-ring and threw it at Y/N. SHUWAKAWAKA!

"Well... I was kind of hoping you couldn't," admitted Y/N, KLANK! He used two hands to swing his sword like a baseball bat and connected with the disk knocking it off to the side. Now that it was on the ground, it wouldn't go back to Jango.

"DIE!" yelled Jango as he threw pulled out a new hypno-disk and threw it at Y/N.

Y/N grinned and charged straight at Jango and the disk he had just thrown, showing no sign of slowing down or moving out of the way. When the disk got close, Y/N jumped up into the air, KLANK! Y/N drove the metal sole of his boot down onto the disk, then launched himself off of it and up into the branch of a tree overhead

Jango quickly reached into a pocket and pulled out two more hypno-disks and immediately threw the first one at Y/N. SHUWAKAWAKA! Y/N jumped up off of the tree branch he was on, then lunged for another one. But just as Y/N was landing on the new branch, Jango threw the second hypno-disk. SHUWAKAWAKA! It whizzed through the air, but didn't hit Y/N, SHUNK! The disk cut right through the tree connected to the branch Y/N had just landed on.

The tree went crashing down to the ground bringing Y/N down with it. KERASH!

Jango smiled at the wreckage and watched as Y/N slowly managed to free himself from the tree he was pinned under. His sword was buried under the tree somewhere. Jango aimed and threw another hypno-disk SHUWAKAWAKA! Y/N looked up and attempted to get out of the way, but his foot was caught. SLISH! Y/N moved to the side as much as he could, but the hypno-ring slashed straight through the side of his leg. "Unggggg..." Y/N let out a groan of pain and gritted his teeth as he dropped down to one knee.

"Now you'll hold still," taunted Jango as he walked up to Y/N and placed the edge of a hypno-disk at his neck.

-x-

"Did you hear something?" Zoro asked Usopp as he ran through the trees.

"It sounded like a tree falling," replied Usopp. "Hurry up! I think I see the hypnotist! Go that way!"

"He's got Y/N!" exclaimed Zoro in alarm. He tossed Usopp to the side and sprinted through the trees to help his crewmate.

-x-

"Crap, they've found me," Jango cursed to Y/N. "I'll have to finish you quick."

"Do your worst, freak!" spat Y/N, PTTOOOI! Then Y/N really did spit and spat right in Jango's face causing the Hypnotist to stagger backwards in surprise.

Jango glanced to the side and saw Zoro coming, "YOU'RE TOO LATE SWORDSMAN!" taunted Jango.

SLISH! Zoro jumped up and slashed a branch in front of him causing it to drop down to the ground.

Usopp reached into his weapons pouch and pulled out a familiar red ball that Y/N had given him four chapters ago.

"Here Usopp, take this, but save it for the Hypnotist if you can." Y/N handed the red ball to Usopp then turned to face the charging pirates.

"Perfect, that branch was in my way," commented Usopp as he loaded the Explosion Ball into his slingshot and pulled it back.

-x-

"Blast you, get off of me!" ordered Kuro who was still struggling to get Luffy off of him. But the Straw Hat Pirate wasn't letting go, he had his rubber arms and legs tightly wrapped around Kuro.

"Now your three year plan is a failure," Luffy said to Kuro.

"What!?" snapped Kuro.

"He's got the Captain," commented RP3.

"If he wins, doesn't that mean we don't get killed?" asked RP1, he glanced at the remaining pirates around him, then they started cheering, "GET HIM RUBBER BOY! KILL CAPTAIN KURO!"

But that only seemed to anger Luffy, BWOING! Straw Hat suddenly pulled his head back and stretched neck so his head was at the other end of the pass by the random Black Cat Pirates and the broken pirate ship.

"Who said you could root for me!?" demanded Luffy, "when this is over I'm gonna get you guys too!" With his neck still stretched Luffy suddenly shouted, "GUM... GUM..."

-x-

"SURE-KILL EXPLOSION BALL STAR!" shouted Usopp. CHEW! Usopp fired his slingshot and launched Y/N's Explosion Ball at Jango. KA-BOOOOOM! The red ball exploded in Jango's face and shattered his heart-shaped glasses causing the hypnotist to stagger backwards.

"Nice shot," commented Y/N as he pushed down with his good leg and surged up off of the ground.

-x-

"No... impossible!" exclaimed Kuro, "MY PLAN! MY PLAN CAN NOT FAIL!"

"...BELL!" SHWONK! Luffy's head launched forward and his thick skull smashed full force into Kuro's.

-x-

"JAVELIN KICK!" CRUNCH! Y/N lashed out his bad leg and ignored the painful jolt sent through it as he drove the steel bottom his boot into Jango's weird beard and chin.

THUD! Jango and Y/N went crashing to the ground, and at the same time an unconscious Kuro hit the ground with Luffy on top of him. Kuro and Jango were both defeated. The Straw Hat Pirates had won.

-x-

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!!!