Straw Hat's Guardian

Chapter Ten: The Straw Hats vs The Black Cat Pirates! Battle for the Village!

"The only way they are able to get to the village is through this slope.", the sniper informed the group as they walked up the long slope, "The rest of the shoreline is sheer cliff. They have to come through here. If we can fight them while they are funnel in that narrow pass. Their numbers won't mean anything and the village will be protected."

Lambo nodded, that sounds good. It gives them an advantage over the blood thirsty pirates. This way it could even the odds, their numbers narrowing in order to get through the slope as Usopp said.

"Alright. Sounds pretty easy.", Luffy said.

"Talking about it is, but victory depends on our strength.", Usopp states firmly, "What is it that you guys can do?"

"I cut."

"I stretch."

"I zap."

"I steal."

"I hide.", Usopp pops up.

"WELL THEN PULL IT TOGETHER AND FIGHT!!!", all four of them screamed while Luffy held Usopp in a head lock so he couldn't run away.

"I thought it'd be funny.", Usopp managed to choke out, "Come on, calm down!"

Suddenly, once released, Usopp perked up.

"Wait! I have an idea!", Usopp then ran off somewhere cheering like crazy.

"What the heck is he going on about?", Nami asked confused.

Luffy giggled, "I don't know, but he's weird."

Lambo deadpanned, "That's rich coming from you."

"Come on guys! I need help bringing the stuff back to the slope!", Usopp called back.

The others shared a look, Lambo just shrugged, Zoro sighed, while Luffy smiled.

"Shishishi, come on, let's go give him a hand.", Luffy said running up after the liar, "Hey! Wait up!"

"Might as well.", Zoro states uncaringly as he and Lambo ran up after their Captain, Nami close behind them.

By the time they managed to catch up, they found Usopp rummaging through a worn-down shack.

"What's with the shack?", Nami asked, observing the small structure judgmentally.

"It's not a shack! It's my super-secret hide out!", Usopp shouts back offendedly.

"Woah!", Luffy shouts in awe.

"But wouldn't us knowing make it no longer a secret?", Zoro asked with a raised brow, arms crossed.

Usopp pushed out a heavy looking barrel, panting heavily once it's outside the shack before running back inside.

"This is an exception!", Usopp calls out.

"Aren't you a little too old to have a hideout still?", Nami asked with a teasing smirk.

Luffy laughed pointing to a gasping Usopp, who has just managed to push out a second barrel.

"That's not important right now!", Usopp shouts with sharp teeth.

"I thought only little kids have hideouts.", Luffy laughs, holding his belly as he did so.

"Hey! I have a hideout!", Lambo protested defensively.

"Yeah, well, you're still a kid.", Zoro states with a smirk before placing a hand on top of Lambo's head, ruffling is hair as he did so, "Plus your short for your age, that makes you a little kid."