Showdown! Twelve Shots to the Sniper King

by Aemillia

Set between Thriller Bark and Shabaody, the crew arrives at Pemmica Island. While there, Usopp has to save himself and his nakama, and faces a difficult choice as a marksman. Mature rating for violent content.

A/N: This is an Usopp-centric story set between the end of Thriller Bark and Shabaody Archipelago. It makes reference to Thriller Bark but does not include any of the events that happen in Shabaody or afterward. There are very vague implications of shonen-ai but they can be equally taken as nakamaship/hero worship rather than romantically. This story is unbeta-ed and has previously been posted to the Livejournal ZoSopp community as well as to my personal journal. I apologize for any spelling and grammatical errors that remain in the fic.

Disclaimer: Of course One Piece is the creation of Oda Eiichiro and belongs to him, as well as being licensed by multiple companies. I am making no profit from this work, I intend no harm, and the original characters, while my own, are fair game in the highly unlikely chance that anyone wants to use them (only fair since I am using Oda's).

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Silvery steel gleamed in the early morning sun, the light glinting off the pair of weapons and winking as if in promised death. Usopp stared down at the two six-shooters resting on the rough-hewn table and reached out with a fingertip that trembled only slightly to touch the chamber, the slender barrel. The polished ivory grips were smooth and cool against his palms when he lifted the revolvers and the weight was comfortable in his hands. He snapped his wrists, bringing the noses of the weapons up, and aimed at a maple tree about thirty yards distant. The balance was impeccable and the triggers were perfect, not too tight nor too easy as he squeezed out two rounds. Twin thunks and a pair of holes at eye level appeared in the trunk of the tree, the retort from the guns shattering the calm and sending a trio of sleepy crows loudly scolding into the crisp air. Ignoring the birds, Usopp stuck the revolvers into his sash and ambled over to the tree to examine his shots.

Precisely where he had aimed, the bullets had struck sure and true. Usopp reached up and tentatively poked a finger into one of the holes, his digit sliding in almost to his knuckle before he felt the still-hot end of the bullet. That was a good three inches deep into the hard wood of the maple and he exhaled slowly, a whisper of "And the Great Captain Usopp pierces the fearsome wood spirit's heart, felling the monster and making the forest once again safe for the lumberjacks" leaving his lips. A few chunks of bark, mostly charred and mashed into pulp, littered the base of the tree and Usopp sank down to his knees to examine the handful of chips. The bullets had entered the trunk cleanly, not leaving much collateral damage, but the depth they had reached had been quite impressive. Usopp brushed away the bits and cleared himself a spot. The maple's trunk was reassuringly sturdy as he leaned up against it and freed the revolvers from his waist. They looked good in his hands, dangerous, and he would be more than competent with them. That was what scared him: that, and failing his nakama.

Two days earlier, the Thousand Sunny had sailed up a broad, clear river, leaving the salty waters of the Grand Line temporarily behind. Pemmica Island was a relief after the dark terrors of Thriller Bark. The large island didn't have a specific climate type and was a mix of dense forests and open plains according to the scant information Nami had. Allegedly there was a good-sized town located inland along the river, its somewhat remote location making it an unappealing target for pirate raiders. With the denizens of Thriller Bark having made off with most of their supplies, the crew desperately needed to restock and Pemmica was well suited to the task. The island was a well-known exporter of fur and game along with – and to Luffy's delight – vast quantities of beef from the herds of cattle that roamed the plains. The Sunny had sailed without incident deep into the island's interior while the crew had enjoyed the shade from the trees lining the riverbank – normal trees that didn't reach out to grab the unwary. Sanji had Luffy, Franky, Usopp, and Chopper practicing their fresh water fishing, although without much success, and Zoro had snored in the dappled light, resting against Brooke as the skeleton played gentle sonatas for the ladies' entertainment. All had been proceeding peacefully until they'd run into a minor complication. They didn't have a map of Pemmica and the limited accounts Nami had didn't provide any clues either when the river unexpectedly branched off. There had been countless streams that had joined up with the river earlier, but as the Sunny sailed around a jut of land Nami had called for a stop.

The offshoot of the river that lay ahead of them was much wider and deeper than any of the streams they had passed before and it was certainly capable of being navigated the Sunny. The navigator had frowned and chewed her lower lip as she studied the currents and the surrounding landscape. There weren't any markers to indicate the way towards the town, much to Nami's vocal irritation, and finally she'd sighed and called the crew together. While they weren't in any immediate hurry, given Pemmica's size, the sorry state of their supplies, and their defeat of yet another shichibukai, staying too long in one place could be detrimental to their forward progress. The odds were, Nami had explained, fairly good that the town her books spoke of lay on the main part of the river. But it was possible that it lay off the branch. If they split up, they could cover more ground and save time. With the waver, it would be easy for one group to catch up to the other if a change in the Sunny's course was warranted.

Robin, being the only other person on the ship Nami trusted to handle so much of her precious money, agreed to travel up the branch. Should she find the town, she would begin to purchase the necessary supplies and hold them until the Sunny could arrive. The navigator had appointed Zoro and Usopp to go with her, much to Usopp's consternation. The sniper could handle the waver competently and it would be his job to find the Sunny should they find the town up the arm of the river. That in and of itself was rather frightening; the prospect of being entirely alone on a strange island with only the waver to save him should a ravening moose or evil marine captain suddenly appear. But Usopp objected even more to the swordsman's accompaniment. Zoro was still recovering from his mysterious injuries: the ones that he refused to explain despite the sniper's careful prodding, the ones that made Robin and Brooke and Sanji study him when they didn't think anyone else would notice, had made poor Chopper frantic and had put worry lines on the captain's face when he first beheld them. It didn't seem right to Usopp that a severely wounded man should be sent out to help protect Robin, to be there in case she should somehow fall into the water while the sniper was away. The swordsman didn't seem to care, though, and Nami never listened to Usopp's protests in any case. With the teams determined, a final plan was made. If Robin's group had not found the town within two days' time, they were to turn around and head back to wait for the Sunny at their present intersection. Crammed with some camping gear into the Mini Merry and with the waver in tow, they had set out from the Sunny to investigate the branch river.

Their stretch of river had been pretty much the same as the earlier span and, after forty minutes of staring at tree trunks and grassy banks and looking back to see Robin being engrossed in her book, Zoro had yawned and gingerly stretched. Usopp, busy manning the helm because no one was stupid enough to let the swordsman touch it and because Robin had immediately begun to read once she boarded their small craft, winced in sympathy at the pops and crackles coming from Zoro's joints but hid the expression when the other turned to study him.

"You gonna be good for a while?" he'd asked and Usopp had nodded even as he wondered what that meant. Zoro had twisted around in the small space, curling his legs so that one rested on the floor and the other was tucked up onto his seat, and then he'd lowered the rest of his body. His head came to rest against the sniper's lap without so much as a glance upwards for permission and Usopp had stiffened in surprise, then relaxed and gently placed a hand on top of short green hair. When Zoro started to snore, Robin had looked up and smiled that sylph-like half-smile that meant she was privately amused. But she said nothing and Usopp was much too busy steering and pretending that what he was doing was definitely NOT petting the swordsman's head to have noticed anyway.

They chugged upriver, propelled slowly against the current by the heat and power of the dial-fueled steam paddle wheel, and the lovely but rather monotonous landscape passed them by without any sign of human life. The shadows gradually deepened as the day wore on and finally Robin tapped Usopp on the shoulder and pointed to a low gravelly part of the river. It made a good docking spot and their two crafts were light enough that the cool water never even slopped over the tops of Usopp's boots as he got out to secure them. Zoro, blinking sleep out of his eyes and moving pretty slowly, had ignored the sniper's suggestions to take it easy and hefted the massive pack containing their supplies onto his shoulders. A trail of Robin's arms beckoned to them as soon as Usopp had finished hauling the waver up onto the rocky beach and tying up the Mini Merry and they followed the graceful limbs through a brief tangle of trees and bushes. The clearing was small but serviceable and it wasn't very far from their vessels. Sitting cross-legged on a log and nose still buried in her book, more of Robin's arms were busy making a fire ring and Usopp, careful never to venture out of visual range, gathered some wood. Zoro pitched Robin's pup tent, the one Sanji and Franky had insisted she take, and laid out a pair of sleeping bags around the opposite end of the fire pit. He seemed content to sprawl there, watching through half-lidded eyes as Usopp built up a healthy blaze and heated the food Sanji had sent with them.

Darkness fell swiftly in the forest and Usopp was grateful for the cheery light and warmth of their fire. He hadn't noticed the quiet on the river, occupied as he had been with watching for a town and ignoring the damp spot on his thigh from where Zoro's half-open mouth had rested. But in the night, alone with the two least talkative of his nakama, the still blackness felt oppressive. He couldn't keep his mouth from running, more or less holding a one-sided conversation with himself. Robin occasionally laughed or made some small noise of agreement but Zoro didn't even have the decency to grunt from time to time. It was embarrassing to be babbling like this, his growing nervousness at being in such a dark, thick, eerily quiet – where were the usual night noises from the nocturnal birds and the occasional snapping of twigs that typically made him think monsters were creeping near to surround the camp – wood causing his tongue to run away from his control. The fact that the last forest he had been in had been infested with zombies wasn't helping and Usopp's brain couldn't stop imagining what even worse horrors could be lurking around him just waiting for the right moment to carry him off and feast on his delicate flesh. Paranoia worked on him, making him edge closer to the fire and to where Zoro sat with his blades across his lap. His commentary and half-hearted stories gradually wore down in the face of his growing unease and lack of response and Robin finally yawned politely and excused herself. The flap of the pup tent was zipped halfway, isolating the older woman from them. Alone with Zoro, Usopp blinked and yawned himself, the faint sheen of water across his eyes making the swordsman waver and stretch in the orangish glow.

"I'll take first watch," he said, voice thick and rough from the day's disuse. And Usopp didn't have the energy to argue, not when the sleeping bag beneath him was warm and cocooning. Boots off, the sniper settled into the quilted fabric and surreptitiously kept one eye on the swordsman. Zoro had gone to dig a small pack out of their bags as soon as Usopp had lain down. Bandages and several small jars of ointment were inside, courtesy of Chopper, and as tired brown eyes secretly watched, Zoro began the tedious chore of tending to his wounds. His torso was a mess, still, and it was the deep, near-black bruising – the clearest sign of all of his internal damage – that made Usopp wince and look away rather than the few still-oozing gashes in his flesh. Hypnotic shadows flickered over the swordsman as he carefully rubbed in the pungent unguents and rewrapped his chest and Usopp could feel his eyes fluttering shut against his will. He struggled to stay awake, concern and a small remaining bit of fear driving him, but the play of light from the fire was mesmerizing and he finally drifted off with an image of flames painted on the inside of his eyelids.

The unmistakable retort of gunfire jolted Usopp out of uneasy dreams and he opened his eyes in time to dimly make out Zoro and his naked blades slicing through several bullets that had been aiming for his disheveled green head.

"What the hell?" the sniper shouted, fingers reaching for his nearby bag where his weapons were. Any reply was lost beneath another loud burst of weaponry. There was no time to panic, to think up avoidance diseases or try to bluff his way out, and Usopp acted instinctively, fight mode kicking in since flight was impossible. A hail of bullets screamed towards their little camp, directed towards the sullen glow of their banked fire and the taller shadow that was the swordsman. Silver flashed as Zoro spun, blades moving too fast to follow as he dealt with the deadly rain. Usopp hit the dirt, the pressure from the older pirate's attack and pure instinct pushing him low. The thick canvas strap of his bag was safely in his grip and he groped blindly for the clasp, digging around inside until his fingers bumped into the familiar form of his old slingshot. Choked, startled cries that came from the surrounding darkness signified Robin's entry into the fray and Usopp grinned as he grabbed a handful of lead stars. It might only be the three of them but even a single Straw-hat pirate was more than a match for the average bandit.

Edging up onto his elbows, the sniper squinted into the inky depths of the woods. It was hard to see, the wood growth limiting any moonlight, and their campfire was low and only helped to make them better targets. But a flash, then four more in quick succession, from a fired gun was all he needed and Usopp let his shot fly into the dark, followed it rapidly with another two. He could hear branches snap and the sniper could only hope it came from a felled body as he didn't have time to wait and see. More bullets came shrieking into their camp and he rolled away as some of them thudded into the grass only inches from where his face had been. Breathing hard, adrenaline pumping through his veins, Usopp rose into a crouch and fired back as best he could. There had to be a minimum of fifteen men still firing, if the amount of shots coming at him was any way to judge. Either that or their attackers had to have some sort of repeating gun in order to be getting so many shots off so quickly.

Another volley came their way and Usopp wasn't even conscious of dodging, only of returning fire at the shooters and he was sure he got at least two of them while a strangled shriek of "Devil User!" marked another of Robin's successes. A lull fell then, punctuated by a few exchanges of fire, but their enemies had gotten smart and were moving even as they squeezed off rounds. Zoro panted somewhere behind him, sliced ammunition scattered through their camp proof of his efforts.

"Smother the fire," came the low, growled command and Usopp twisted around to risk a glance at the swordsman. A ribbon of deep scarlet flowed down from one shoulder to soak into the hilt of his newest blade and dripped off of his wrist and several more dark spots were visible against his shirt. New or reopened injuries, it didn't really matter. Zoro was sweating heavily and Usopp could see the strain around his narrowed eyes and in the tight clench of his jaw around the white sword's hilt.

"Zoro, you al-"

"Get it out now!" the swordsman interrupted, jerking his head back towards the smoldering wood. "We're too damn visible."

Crawling over the pockmarked ground and feeling very vulnerable despite Zoro guarding his back, Usopp hastened to comply. Robin's cerulean eyes winked at him across the banked flame, the archaeologist having come halfway out of the pup tent in order to see better. Her brow was wrinkled in concentration and Usopp suspected she'd have an easier time spotting their attackers with her extra eyes once the fire wasn't putting out a glare into her original pair. He scrabbled at the ground, gathering a handful of dirt to throw on the burning wood. Dew-dampened soil crumbled between his fingers as he heaved it towards the flames and from the woods came a loud curse as a good fraction of their fire went out. As he was scratching up more, another gun went off, deeper and more hollow sounding than the earlier shots.

"Shit!"

Zoro darted past him, a blur of motion as he lifted a blade towards the sky. Metal grated on metal, sparks flying, and then the sword was torn from the swordsman's hand. The net landed on Robin as she struggled to get free of her tent, dropped her to the ground. She blanched, face gone ashen, and Usopp froze as he noticed the gray stones woven into every knotted intersection of steel cable and weighing down the ends. Zoro jerked and twisted his blade, yanking it free of the tangle, and Usopp scooted around what little remained of their fire to help. The net, so dangerous to Robin, was freakishly heavy and the long-nosed pirate tugged on it desperately, groaning as it barely moved. He hauled on the cables, throwing his weight into every pull, but it stubbornly clung to the ground, pinning Robin beneath it. The sudden flare of light was a shock and he flinched and desperately shoved at the metal rope, not daring to risk taking a look. Standing above him, Zoro blinked the dazzle from his eyes and counted. Nearly thirty torches surrounded them, Robin was out of commission, and his arm was getting weaker. It was time to be smart.

"Go," he ordered, nudging Usopp with the toe of his boot. The sniper gaped up at him, then out at the ring of fire that circled them. Running was madness and he didn't want to abandon his nakama. "Go," Zoro said again, risking a glance down at the wide eyes staring up at him. "Get to the waver and find Luffy. I'll clear you a path."

"But Z-Zoro," the sniper had started, feeling a familiar and unwelcome tremor enter his voice and shake down through his spine towards his knees.

"Now." His tone and the fierce look on his face brooked no argument and Usopp reluctantly nodded and edged away from Robin, fingers trailing over one of her trapped hands. He turned back towards the river and crouched, preparing to run for his very life. Zoro closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he too spun around. His swords flew forward, a hoarse shout of "Hawk Wave" leaving him. Usopp took off before the second syllable had escaped Zoro's throat, snatching his bag and then tearing pell-mell down the path that had been cleared for him. The force of Zoro's blow had flattened foliage and foe alike, creating a narrow aisle of opportunity. Barefoot and terrified, the sniper sprinted towards the river as gunshots echoed behind him and bullets whizzed past his body. Several close calls left burning grazes across his cheek, the back of his left calf and across his shoulders but he was fast enough that none of the gunshots ever fully connected. The sniper hit the gravel beach at a dead run, hurtling across the loose stones. Sheer momentum carried him to the waver and swept him stumbling with it out into the cold water.

Splashes in the river that weren't from any fish kept Usopp moving and he kicked the waver into gear and jetted out of shooting range. The dark night closed in around him as he gained distance and he slowed and then finally came to a halt as he caught his breath and tried to calm his pounding heart. Zoro had wanted him to go and find Luffy but the idea didn't sit well with Usopp. Their captain had to be at least eight or nine hours away even at top waver speed and return time would have to be added on top of that. It was too long, far too long for even Zoro to hold out given his injuries. And if their places had been switched, Usopp knew the swordsman would never have left, would have found a way to fight, to win. A shaking hand dipped into his bag and found his goggles. Usopp put them on and fiddled with the lenses, zeroing in on the flames converging towards a central spot that had to have been their campsite. Cautiously he nudged the waver back towards the gravel beach, angling to see back down the channel Zoro had cleared.

A shout caught and stuck in his throat, choking him, as he watched Zoro swerving and weaving almost drunkenly, his blades still fast but now Usopp could follow them as they moved. It was almost like a game now, as the torches and their shadowed bearers moved in, bullets fired in a leisurely fashion at the desperate swordsman. Finally three hit home all at once, two aimed right below his knees and a third that caused a ghastly spray of blood when it hit his chest. Zoro staggered but stood defiantly over the still-trapped Robin and the next bullet, Usopp feared, would go right between his eyes and be the end of him. He plunged a hand back into his bag and grabbed out the folded form of his Kabuto. Never before had he assembled the weapon so fast, the pieces sliding home in spite of his fear and his unstable footing. An incendiary went into the cradle and he drew back as best he could on the waver's limited platform. Even as he released, he could see the barrel of a gun rising up to be leveled at Zoro's head and Usopp closed his eyes and hoped.

The fireball seared through his closed eyelids, lighting up the forest night, and he could hear the confused shouts and a few scattered shots. Barely daring to look, Usopp gingerly opened his eyes and sought out a green head amongst all the chaos. Zoro still stood but his tips of his blades were lowered and there were two revolvers kissing his temples. Another gun was pointed at Robin's prone, captured form. Usopp swallowed thickly and reached one more time into his bag. The amplifier dial was surprisingly tiny and he gripped it tightly between his thumb and forefinger and took a deep breath before he raised it to his mouth.

"This is the Great Captain Usopp! You have just had a taste of my mighty power. If you don't want to be roasted alive, release my nakama and surrender!"

Heads shot up, including Zoro's, at the reverberating voice and nearly every eye in that corner of the forest turned towards the river. Usopp's knees were quaking and his insides felt like mush but he didn't let even a hint of a quiver enter into his tone as he spoke again. "That was just a warning shot. Next time I'll be sure to hit some of you. Now let them go and give yourselves up!"

It wasn't entirely a bluff. He had several more fire bombs in his bag and he could definitely hit the crowd but that would have put Zoro and Robin at risk too. And their attackers were apparently smart enough to figure that out for one of the figures holding a gun to Zoro's head cupped his free hand to his mouth and yelled.

"I don't think so. You wouldn't hurt your own. Otherwise you would have already used that attack against us."

Usopp drew himself up, subconsciously calling on the power he usually could only reach from behind a garish mask. "Unlike you bastards," he returned, "I have some honor. This is your last chance. Let them go!"

His adversary's shoulders shook and Usopp could only imagine that the man was laughing for he sounded amused as he hollered back a simple "NO!"

Put to the test, Usopp adjusted his goggles and calculated. He selected his ammunition, a much smaller fire star, and raised the amplifier again. "I warned you," he said, and then fired. Flames burst to life on a man at the edge of the tight knot of people, his pants burning while he screamed and dropped to the ground. He rolled and some of the other men gathered around him to help pat out the fire.

"If you do that again," came the newly serious voice of the figure who had spoken before, "I'll shoot him."

Zoro was impossible to see through the group that milled around the speaker, shielding him from Usopp's aim, and the sniper quailed. What could he do but return threat for threat? "I'll burn you all to death first," he claimed. "My nakama are strong enough that they'll survive."

"Ah," came the response. "But I can still shoot him before I'm roasted. It looks like we have a stalemate, oh great captain. What shall we do?"

Moisture threatened at the corners of his eyes and stress made him feel too hot, sweat dripping down his spine. Usopp clenched his teeth and dashed away the water that WAS NOT TEARS with the back of one hand. He had to say something, anything. Buy some time to come up with a plan but his usually clever brain was drawing a complete blank. He had disobeyed Zoro and now the swordsman had two guns to his head. An utterly useless failure, that's what he was. The despair that had been so useful in Thriller Bark swept through him again but this time there were no spirits to fight off other than the flagging one that was his own. Zoro was going to die and it would be all his fault. Usopp's knees buckled and he sank down on the waver, the small craft rocking from the motion. There had to be some was to save the swordsman and rescue Robin but he was too pathetic to think of it. Still, he had to do something and so he lifted the amplifying dial in front of his mouth once more.

"What do you want?" he asked, hoping he didn't sound as frightened and desperate as he felt. "You attacked us for some reason. Why?"

"This is my land. I don't need a reason. But if I had to have one, it would be money," the man shouted back. "But your friends don't seem to have any. I'll ransom them to you for 10,000 belies each assuming you have the purse, captain."

20,000 belies was far more money that Nami had entrusted Robin with and Usopp wondered where the older woman had hidden it if the bandits hadn't found it yet. It didn't matter though, for even if what they had had been enough, he didn't know where it was. "Not going to happen," Usopp retorted, trying to force affront into his tone. "Name something else."

"Well," the response came, the ringleader's loud drawling voice stretching out the word. "Your grumpy bleeding pal has three nice swords that look somewhat valuable. Maybe we'll take those inst-"

The words ended abruptly and for a too-tense moment Usopp held his breath and waited for the sound of gunfire. Zoro would never let his blades be taken in such a manner; he'd fight to the death first and that was what Usopp was afraid of. But the terrible retort of a fired revolver never came and Usopp nervously stood back up and eased the waver closer to try and get a better look. It was hard to tell between the nighttime darkness and the glare from the torches but it looked as if someone was bending down to speak with Robin. The archaeologist was still pinned like a butterfly to the grass by the heavy steel and seastone net but even though her powers and vitality were sapped, her mind was busy working. Zoro was nearby, two guns still firmly pressed to his temples, and the line of his jaw was rigid and angry despite the heavily bleeding wounds that covered his body. The swordsman was probably furious with him for not running off to find Luffy. Usopp cringed inwardly as the stern face turned to look out towards the river, the pistols following his movement. He was working up the nerve to shout out something witty about his opponent taking so long to finish a sentence when the figure kneeling next to Robin stood.

"Well, well, well. Not just a captain but a king as well. How very multi-talented." The note of amusement was back in the leader's voice and Usopp could only wonder what lines Robin had been feeding the bandit. He was supposed to be the liar and storyteller in the crew; it was about all he was good for now that Franky had joined. And Robin, he thought, had known just how many of his tales had been complete fabrications. What was she getting him into now?

"I tell you what," the man continued. "I wouldn't mind being able to add King of Snipers to my collection of titles. Some would say it's already mine. We'll have a duel, you and me, to decide the fate of your nakama. If you win, I'll let them go. And if I win, I'll figure out something to do with you all. Sell you to the slavers maybe or turn you over for the money if you turn out to have a price on your head. Of course we could both end up dead but that's how it goes. So what do you say to that, captain? Willing to break this stalemate?"

Usopp squared his shoulders and tightened his grip on his Kabuto. Robin, clever woman, had bought them a chance. And while he didn't have a lot of faith in himself, the long-nosed pirate was at least somewhat confident about his abilities as a sniper. After all, he was the one who'd burned the World Government's flag as it snapped and whipped in the wind over Enies Lobby. Soge King was WANTED, had a bounty of 30,000,000 beli, and he was the king of Sniper Island. He could rescue captured nakama with one hand tied behind his back.

His voice deepened, took on the more polite phrasing he used as his alter ego. "Soge King accepts your challenge." And then, slipping back into his usual voice, "Prepare to lose, bastard! My nakama are going free."

There was just one problem. A whine much louder than a mosquito shot hotly past his ear as he finished speaking and a trickle of wetness trailed down the shell in the aftermath. Usopp touched the warm liquid and raised trembling fingers to his eyes. A smear of red stained his fingertips and he was surprised to see just how close he had come to the gaggle of torches clustered around Robin and Zoro. He was back in range, albeit at the farthest edge, and he'd been hit. Soge King wouldn't have cared but that man, or at least what he believed made him into the sniper king, had been left behind on the Thousand Sunny. And his challenger was very very good.

"We'll see about that," the bandit leader said, voice low and dark with amusement as he blew smoke away from the tip of his gun. He flashed a toothy smile at the glaring swordsman who had been forced to watch him take aim and fire. "We'll just see."

A bit of shouted and dial-amplified negotiating followed and Usopp reluctantly agreed to accept the word of an enemy to finally settle the last aspect of their standoff. Zoro suddenly sinking to his knees as blood loss finally got to him provided more than enough incentive for Usopp to allow the leader of their attackers to set the place for their confrontation, and a promise of medical care for the swordsman was enough to coax him warily ashore. The waver was beached and the ropes on the Mini-Merry checked and then Usopp set his jaw and stepped into the lion's den. He kept his Kabuto loaded and ready and had shifted a handful of impact dials from his bag to his pockets as he stepped back in among the group, fear wisely keeping him tense and prepared for anything. But the leader, a taller man with a thick black mustache framing his upper lip and a stomach that was just starting to thicken with the onset of middle age, hadn't played him for a chump.

Zede, after introducing himself with a mocking flourish of a bow to the 'Sniper King,' had waved his hand and the guns were withdrawn from Zoro's head. The crowd of bandits drew back as he walked up to his nakama and Robin even flashed him a quick, pained smile and a wave of her fingertips through one of the openings in the net that still held her to the ground. Zoro was in pretty rough shape; he wasn't as bad as Usopp had seen before but considering the sniper had seen the older pirate's guts thanks to the wound Mihawk had dealt, being somewhat better off was a relative state for the swordsman. But his green eyes were still sharp, no sign of the pain he had to be feeling clouded them, and he favored Usopp with a long look before nodding once. "Good work," was all he said but it was enough to put a grin on Usopp's face as he slipped on his boots and hastily packed up what he could of their campsite.

Seastone cuffs closed over Robin's wrists once Usopp had finished tossing some bare clothing essentials and his dropped slingshot into a pack and shoved the rest of their things into the pup tent. Her wince went straight to the sniper's heart, memories of Enies Lobby no doubt running through her mind and his and probably Zoro's as well, but at least she was on her feet and the net – through the work of six very burly men – had been put away. They slung Zoro between them, a limp arm apiece over two pairs of slender shoulders, despite his protests that he could walk on his own and the offer of assistance from Zede. But the Straw-hats took care of their own. Robin might have been weakened by seastone and Usopp, now that the adrenaline had worn off and he could feel them, had some nasty gashes on the bottoms of his feet but if Zoro was bullheaded enough to manage to stand up again, they were stubborn enough to carry him. Surrounded by Zede and his crew, with his Kabuto acting more like a cane than a weapon, Usopp's nerves screamed at him for the risk but the sniper did his best to ignore the way the hair at the back of his neck stood completely on end. At least Zede seemed legitimately interested in their upcoming contest, as did his men. If he were just going to kill them all, he'd probably have done it already.

Torches lit their way through the surrounding woods as the trio of pirates moved farther and farther from the river and their vessels. Zede's men were in high spirits as they walked in pairs and groups of three through the dark forest, speaking with some excitement about the upcoming duel and favoring Usopp with glances ranging from dubious to pitying. It was getting to the sniper a bit. He was Soge King after all and not someone to be taken so lightly. Bristling under the repeated slights, he had just decided to open his mouth and proclaim his power when Zoro spoke softly. "Don't let being underestimated get to you. Use that to your advantage. An overconfident enemy goes down all the more swiftly."

Smart words from a man who had experience from both sides and Usopp could hear the fond smile in Robin's voice as she whispered her agreement. "Swordsman-san is wise. And Soge King will not lose his crown."

Faith had been in their words, a firm belief in his skills, and it gave Usopp something to occupy his attention aside from the speculation of Zede's men. They walked for about half an hour through the trees, going slow due to the wounds taken by Zoro and some of their opponents, but they couldn't have traveled more than half a mile when the woods began to thin and then ended at a broad plain of grass. It was almost a shock not to see the first rays of the sun breaking over the horizon for the night had seemed to last forever. But the half moon sat low in the sky and the multitudes of stars were dim and far away and Usopp could tell that morning was not far off. Another surprise waited for them on the plain. There were horses tethered at the edge of the forest and Zede ordered his crew to mount up, two men riding double to free up a pair of steeds. Robin was lifted onto one and Usopp gingerly settled into the saddle of the other as Zoro was hoisted up behind him. The liar had never ridden a horse before and the animal felt big and fast and powerful between his legs. For half a second he considered wheeling the beast around and bolting, Robin following after. Franky was clever; surely once they found the Thousand Sunny he could come up with a way to remove her seastone handcuffs. But the moment passed as the horse fell in line, docilely following its herd mates south along the tree line.

The horse moved with a gently rocking gait that was reminiscent of a ship and Usopp found his eyes threatening to close despite being in the midst of men who had been trying to kill him only a short time earlier. Zoro was warm at his back, though the sniper was doing his best to ignore the sticky wetness that plastered his overalls to his skin wherever the swordsman's chest pressed against him. One tan arm was slung around his waist, a thick skull lolled against his shoulder and soft, reassuringly steady breathing bathed his earlobe in moist heat. If he pretended, they could have been back on the Sunny, Zoro passed out against him after a long night of trying and failing to beat Nami at cards. But the truth was far too risky to try and escape so Usopp forced his eyelids to stay up as they rode on.

An hour passed and the first rays of the sun poked up over the far end of the immense field of grass. Thousands upon thousands of shaggy brown lumps dotted the plain ahead of them and Usopp almost didn't notice the vague form of a village among them. That was where Zede led them, another thirty minutes of riding as the sun rose and chased the shadows away from the sleepy cattle that were Pemmica's main export. The rough circle of tents and crude shacks turned out to be more of a semi-permanent camp than a village but it was clearly home to Zede and his men. All but five of them scattered off, heading for their beds, medical attention, or other chores while Zede and a small guard remained to deal with Usopp and his nakama. In the daylight, Zede was no less intimidating for Usopp could now watch the play of muscles in his forearms and the way his hands rested comfortably on the revolvers holstered at his waist. A puckered scar, like the kind left by a bullet, was visible beneath the collar of his homespun shirt and he had a gold tooth deep in his mouth that only became apparent when he laughed, as he did as he took in the bedraggled condition of the man he'd challenged.

"Sha ha ha," Zede chuckled as Usopp straightened and looked insulted. "I was going to do this today but you look like shit. It wouldn't be sporting to take the title of Sniper King from a man who looked like something a plains cur dragged in. And I promised your mate a doctor so we'll do this thing tomorrow." He turned to the sandy-haired man on his right. "Take them to Doc's. Tell that bastard to come bunk at my place once that lot's all patched up." Zede turned his horse and glanced back, tossing Usopp a fierce grin. "Come find me when you wake up, captain. We'll hammer out the rest of the details for our duel then."

Throat gone suddenly dry, Usopp stared as Zede galloped off, the turf flying up from beneath the hooves of his bay stallion. Zede was confident and sure of himself and it worked on Usopp, his composure frayed after the long, difficult night. He numbly turned his horse to follow the man assigned to take them to Doc's place and the other four guards boxed him and Robin in as they followed. Doc's place turned out to be a log cabin on the far end of the camp. It sat alongside a small stream that cut across the plain, disappeared into the forest and no doubt finally ended in the branch river they'd been sailing up. Doc, contrary to Usopp's expectations of a grizzled older man with a head of white hair, turned out to be a thin woman in her mid thirties who wore her black tresses swept back in a long braid. But she was indeed a doctor and she stood in her doorway with a deep frown as she watched Usopp and one of the men ease Zoro's unconscious form off the horse. She had them lay Zoro out on her bed and take off his swords and then she clucked her tongue as she glanced at Usopp.

"Yours or his?" she'd asked briskly, already turning back towards the swordsman.

"His," Robin had answered for him as Usopp just stood there blinking owlishly in confusion.

"Right. There's clean towels in the top cupboard and don't you dare use anything but that green soap or I'll shoot you myself, Zede be damned." She dismissed him with a finger pointing towards another door and then began muttering to herself as she pulled out a scissors to cut away Zoro's shirt. The sniper stood there, shaking slightly from exhaustion and stress, and Robin gently had to push him towards the bathroom, the chain between her handcuffs clinking with the motion.

"Go get cleaned up, Long-nose-kun. I'll keep an eye on things here."

He went and it was a testament to how shell-shocked he was that, as he peeled his overalls away, the sight of the fabric drenched in Zoro's blood only made him want to clean the rest of it off his back and out of his hair. The green soap was rough and gritty against his skin as he stood under the crude showerhead but it got rid of the dirt and gunpowder and scarlet stains that had covered his flesh. Dressed in clean boxers and a shirt – the only articles of his clothing he'd been able to pack in the rush back at their camp – he padded out of the bathroom and promptly stumbled onto the pallet Robin indicated. Doc was still muttering and doing things with needle and thread and tweezers and tiny sharp knives to Zoro but his chest continued to rise and fall with life so Usopp closed his eyes and promptly passed out. He slept for most of the day and barely stirred when, around noon, Doc finally finished with the swordsman and had a chance to see to his damaged feet.

The sun was just starting to consider going to bed when Usopp finally walked out of Doc's cabin wearing a borrowed pair of the woman's pants. Zoro had still been unconscious and he was newly covered in bandages but Robin, dark circles under her eyes a testament to the fact she hadn't slept yet, relayed Doc's news. While the woman had been astounded that Zoro was even alive – she'd removed nine bullets, two of which had lodged in his chest in tissue and organs still in the recovery stage from Thriller Bark and the rest had ended up in muscle or bone in various places – with the kinds of injuries that he'd had even prior to sailing to Pemmica, it became clear that the man was a fighter and fast healer. Rest, and no more injuries, would see him through. Robin had slipped onto the pallet he'd vacated, Zoro's swords propped up against the wall at the foot of it, and closed her eyes as he had left but Usopp knew she would stay alert. Reassured, although Usopp would have denied that he'd ever been worried, that the swordsman wasn't leaving the mortal world any time soon and that the archaeologist was hanging on, he'd set out with a grim sort of determination to find Zede.

A freckle-faced boy who couldn't have been but a year or two younger than Usopp himself was sitting on a stool out in front of Doc's house whittling. He dropped his carving and jumped up when the sniper emerged. Knife in hand, he'd jerked his head back in the direction of the center of the camp. "'m ta take ya ta Zede. Don't try nothin' or I'm ta stick ya and yell bloody murder 'til someone comes 'n shoots ya."

The youth fell silent after that, blue eyes suspicious even though Usopp nodded in understanding and spread his hands to show they were empty. His Kabuto was stowed in his bag safely at his waist and accessible in a pinch but he didn't want to antagonize the boy or Zede. He silently followed the boy past cooking fires and watchful stares, the smell of roasting meat strong in air and reminding him that he'd missed an entire day's worth of meals. Had the teenager been less hostile, the multitude of questions clamoring in his mind might have been asked. But there didn't seem to be any easy way to strike up a friendly conversation, not in the few minutes it took to walk towards the center of the camp. They stopped at the largest building Usopp had yet seen. The timber and stone structure looked more solid and permanent than the shacks and tents and the liar went through a massive pair of double doors that the boy wordlessly tugged open for him. Inside was a dirt floor along with a strong smell of hay and cattle. The empty room was immense, big enough to hold at least thirty horses and one hundred men comfortably. The sandy-haired man who had served as the pirates' escort to Doc's that morning waited at the opposite end of the space by another door. Dim light from a few windows and a single lantern hanging from the center ceiling beam lit Usopp's path as he trod across the floor, fear beginning to creep up his spine.

Mr. Sandy-hair didn't have anything to say either as he opened the door, and light, laughter, and the scent of dinner spilled out across the pirate. Usopp took a deep breath and urged his stomach to be quiet before he strode as confidently as he could manage to pretend through the doorway. Zede sat at the center of a long trestle table, a massive hearth with a smallish fire burning in it at his back. Doc sat to his right and an older man with a long gray beard and immense tanned bare biceps sat to his left. More men and a few women – only one of which was wearing anything Usopp would call remotely feminine – sat on both sides of the table. Platters of bones and a few remaining slabs of meat rested in three places and plates of rolls and some sort of roasted root vegetables were interspersed with gravy boats and butter. It was like a grand feast and Usopp very much felt like a peasant interloper before a lord, which he ruefully mused was probably Zede's intention. Intimidation was an effective weapon when it worked, which the sniper trying very hard to prevent. Zede was busy picking his teeth and talking to Doc as Usopp walked in and the slender toothpick bobbed up and down with every word he spoke as he looked up at his 'guest.'

"Ah, captain! Awake at last! Come and sit." Zede gestured expansively to the bare spot before him on the other side of the table and Usopp slowly sat down, very conscious of the door behind him. Before he could even open his mouth, a plate was pushed before him and Zede himself laded it with meat and cooked tubers and two rolls, and he handed Usopp a gravy boat with a flourish. "Eat first, captain. Eat and when your stomach's full, then we'll get down to business." He winked. "I learned long ago that a man drives a harder bargain on an empty belly but you look like you could use a good meal. I hope you won't hold my sense of hospitality against me."

Feeling very self-conscious and a little surreal, Usopp accepted his plate and began to eat quietly. He kept his ears open as he chewed juicy beef ribs and swallowed the hearty mashed vegetables. Camp gossip - talk of who had cheated whom at cards, whose horse had thrown a shoe, who someone named Curly Joe's latest conquest was – compromised most of the talk, interspersed here and there with speculation about Zede's intentions and comments on the long-nosed pirate's appearance and on his nakama. The impression Usopp got was that Zede's people were cattlemen. They roved the vast Pemmican plains with a particular herd of the semi-domesticated beasts, culling the weak, old, and sick and protecting the breeding stock. How they had even known about Usopp and his companions' camp, let alone why they'd attack, was still a mystery. As was what Zede ultimately intended with his talk of a duel, and Usopp couldn't finish his dinner as he thought about it. He pushed his plate away, sat back from the table and turned his attention to Zede.

Now that he wasn't close to dropping from sheer exhaustion, he could really study his opponent. Aside from the puckered scar, one that upon closer inspection was only a hair away from a thick blue vein in the man's neck, and the gold tooth, Zede had a sharp hawk's nose that was slightly crooked from a long-ago break and extremely bushy eyebrows. Smatterings of gray strands were visible in the short-cropped hair on his head but his mustache was still glossy and full and the stubble that attested to his skipping the day's shave was also dark. A fine network of wrinkles lined the corners of his eyes and his tanned hands were calloused with work. He had an ease about him, the relaxed air of a man familiar with command, and he finally focused piercing dark brown eyes on Usopp and returned the scrutiny.

"Well, captain," Zede said. "Shall we talk?"

That seemed to be a signal for chairs and benches scraped against the board floor as all but Doc and the older man who had been sitting at Zede's side rose and left. Usopp watched them go and tried to slow his racing pulse. Zede had fed him and had gone through the trouble of patching him up and taking him all the way here. It would have been stupid and wasteful for the man to kill him now.

"We agreed to a duel," Usopp said, pleased that he managed to keep the quaver out of his voice. "A manly battle of snipers, though I think it only fair to warn you that I hold the title of Sniper King after having earned it in a great conflict. Thousands have fallen before me. I would hate for you to be next."

"Sha ha. I would hate that too. But I'm pretty good myself and I've won my fair share of fights." Zede leaned back in his chair, hands disappearing below the tabletop. A second later he tossed two black revolvers onto the table, the metallic clatter making Usopp startle and jerk back before he could stop himself. "A duel, captain, is a serious matter here on Pemmica. Gun against gun. The man with the fastest hand, the sharpest sight, and the sternest constitution is the one who wins. The other, if he's lucky, loses an eye and some pride. Often he loses his life."

Usopp swallowed thickly as he stared at the guns. He knew the meaning of a duel. He'd watched Zoro lose one once with consequences that could have been fatal. And he'd met a man who'd dueled his father and been fortunate to come away with his life. His father had probably won lots of duels and, in order to become a brave warrior of the sea, he should start winning some as well. But more than just his own life and his own honor were at stake.

"I understand, sir." Usopp's hands were trembling and he wove them together, planted them on the table as he gazed levelly at Zede. "But my life is not my only wager. What of my nakama?"

"Call me Zede, captain. 'Sir' makes me feel old." Zede chuckled a bit as he spoke and then fixed Usopp with a stern look. "Captain, this duel is for our lives, the title you claim to hold of 'Sniper King,' and for the freedom of your companions. If I defeat you, I will gain your title and will be free to dispose of your friends as I see fit. Should you win, you will retain your title and you and your friends will be free to return to where we first met."

It didn't seem quite fair to Usopp that Zede should stand to have more to win and less to lose. Then again, the pirates had been in a pinch and Zoro in need of medical attention so becoming Zede's prisoners with the promise of a chance for the duel had been the best of several bad choices. The sniper grit his teeth as he mulled his opponent's conditions. There wasn't much he could see that he could do, but perhaps some persuasion towards Zede's conscience wouldn't hurt. After all, the man HAD provided Zoro with help and he had fed them and had not yet gone back on his word.

"Zede," Usopp began, his tone taking on the barest hint of wheedling. "Your conditions seem largely fair. However, you did attack us unprovoked, greatly damaging my nakama, and then induced us to come here by means of this duel. Is there no other way to fix this?"

"Hmph." It was Doc that snorted, a small grin hovering about the woman's lips as she studied Usopp. "What did I tell you? Another clever one, just like that devil's fruit user. He has a good point, Zede."

A flicker of hope flared to life in Usopp's breast. Perhaps he had an ally here in this camp after all. But Zede quickly smothered those tiny flames as he reached into a pocket and pulled out a creased bit of paper. He smoothed it out and dropped it on the table. There, on the cheap marine-issue paper, was Zoro's stern and bloody face over a bounty of 60,000,000 beli. It was his old one, the one he'd received after Alabasta, and all Usopp could assume was that Zede did not yet have a current batch of Wanted posters.

"So they weren't cattle rustlers. Nor thieves either, given that they didn't have any loot." Zede leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "But the sword lad is without a doubt Pirate Hunter Zoro. You're party to a Wanted pirate, captain, and traveling with a damned devil's fruit user as well. Your activities can only be assumed to be illegal. Lucky for you, I don't feel too friendly towards the World Government or you'd all be hauled downriver and thrown in jail."

"That's very generous of you," Usopp mumbled, disappointed that his tactics had been so easily thwarted.

"Look, captain." Zede turned and spit his toothpick into the fire and then turned back to grin at Usopp, his gold tooth winking in the light. "Me and my crew spend eleven months a year on these plains stuck with just each other, our horses, and those cattle for company. We have to fight off rustlers, wolves, snowstorms, and sometimes even damn marine contingents trying to confiscate what's rightfully ours. It's a hard life, though the money can be good, and we all get cursed tired of each other before the season's out. Entertainment, a spectacle, is what my boys crave and you've given me a chance to give it to 'em. I can't just give you your freedom, not with a bounty that high dropping into the palm of my hands. I win no matter what you decide to do and that's hard luck for you but it's the way it is. So you can either try to win your friends' freedom or you can just go rest up. It's long ride to jail and taking it in chains makes it feel even longer."

So that was it. He was stuck. Usopp's heart sank as he listened to Zede's words. If Zoro had been in better condition maybe they could have still tried to run away but that was going to be next to impossible with the swordsman nearly comatose and Robin incapacitated by seastone. The only way out would be if he, Usopp, could beat the self-assured man before him. Going to jail was not an option. It was possible there was more than one town on Pemmica and falling into marine hands without the rest of their nakama nearby was a stupid risk to take. If his father had been there, Usopp knew Yasopp would have won. Soge King would win too, for he was the king of all the snipers. But Usopp was alone and he could only rely on himself. Ignoring the sudden urge he had to vomit, Usopp squared his shoulders and returned Zede's grin toothily. "My luck will turn. I'll be keeping my title and you'll be releasing my friends."

"It will take more than just luck, captain." Zede reached out a hand and squeezed Usopp's fingers in a bone-crushing grip as they shook in agreement. "But I'll be happy to face your skills tomorrow. There's just one more thing…"

"And what's that?"

"No funny business. That fire-slinger's not going to be fair in a man's duel. The way of Pemmica is the six-shooter and drawing from the hip."

Usopp chewed his lip. Not fair again but protesting hadn't won him any points so far. Zede did have a point. Duels were usually fought with similar weapons and Kabuto was unique to the Grand Line. There was no way Zede would let him use it. Even though the fire-stars were specially designed ammo and could easily be replaced with lead shot, the weapon incorporated dials into its basic structure and drawing with it from the hip against a practiced marksman like Zede would have been incredibly foolhardy. But Zoro and Robin were counting on him. He still had to fight.

"I don't have any guns," he blurted out, fear that this would nullify the duel making him speak before he was finished thinking. "But I'm not backing down."

"Relax, captain." Zede picked up one of the revolvers by the barrel, offered the black wood handle to Usopp. "I assumed as much when you never used any during our earlier confrontation. You will be provided for."

The gun was a little large for the sniper's hand but its weight was comfortable and the balance fine. Usopp looked at it and then at Zede, unsure of the point the man was trying to make.

"Note the initials on the bottom of the barrel, captain."

Usopp did as he was told, turning the gun so that the gleaming oiled black steel could be seen clearly in the light. Engraved in the metal were a tiny, intertwined G and S.

"Gustavus Schmitt, finest hand-crafting gunsmith this side of the Red Line," Zede declared, sounding pleased. "And you have the honor of looking right at him." He clapped the bearded older man on the back. "Schmitty here just finished a new pair last week and you shall be the first to try them. Show the captain his guns, man."

Schmitt grunted, seemingly unmoved by the praise or by being ordered around. He bent down beneath the table and when he straightened again, he held two shining silver revolvers. Zede took one and the other was extended to Usopp. It had the same solid weight and impeccable balance but the ivory handles were a fraction smaller and fit into his grip perfectly. Usopp held the two guns up, studying them from every angle and even going so far as to spin the chambers. They were nearly identical but for color and a minute variation in size.

"So," Zede inquired. "Will these be an acceptable substitute, captain? Of course I'll give you some time with them tomorrow, a chance to practice for a bit before our duel. That would only be fair."

What else could he do but agree? Usopp nodded. "These will be fine."

"Excellent!" Zede brusquely reached out for the weapons and Usopp returned them, watching as the camp leader reholstered his guns and offered the silver ones back to Schmitt. "Schmitty will hold these for you until morning. No one will be able to tamper with them that way. You'll get them again when I send someone to take you to the practice range and I will give you at least four solid hours of practice. That should be enough for the King of Snipers, right?"

It was time for some blustery bravado, for he didn't have much else left. Usopp tilted his nose up, posing slightly. "More than enough for me. I'd be fine with just one…but I wouldn't presume to question your kindness."

"Very good, captain. Now then, I'll send someone round for you an hour after sun-up and we'll hold our duel over the lunch hour. It's straightforward. Two men, four guns, twelve shots each. Last man standing wins. You have my word that you and your friends will go free upon your victory. We square?"

Usopp was proud that he sounded confident as he replied, as if he was sure of his success. "We're square."

"Good. I'm going to have Doc here come back with you to check on her patient and you can bring back some chow for the lady. Get a good night's rest, captain. I expect nothing less than your best tomorrow."

That was his dismissal, for Zede pushed his chair back from the table and rose. He strode towards another door, hands resting on the butts of his guns, and Usopp finally let out the breath he'd been holding when Zede left the room. Doc favored him with a pitying look as she handed him a clean plate. "Gather something for your friend and for yourself if you think you'll have any appetite overnight."

Gold and crimson streaked the western edge of the sky as Usopp followed Doc back towards her cabin. Nearby the cattle called to each other with plaintive low cries and in the distance something else howled in response. The freckled boy was back out front of the small wooden house, practicing his rope-work on a saddle horn, and he glared at Usopp as the sniper passed. Robin sat up as soon as they entered and she took the food Usopp carried with undisguised eagerness. She ate and watched Doc check over Zoro's still-unconscious form while Usopp went into the bathroom and sat on the rim of the tub with a waste can in his lap. His dinner threatened to leave his stomach and his knees shook so hard the vibrations traveled down his shinbones and rattled his toes. A good night's rest seemed impossible but Robin coaxed him out and onto the pallet with a promise of hot chocolate. It was warm and comforting and she and Doc must have colluded to lace it with something because his eyelids were heavy by the time he drank the last drop. Usopp tried to glare at Robin as she tucked him in, bound wrists moving in small efficient tugs to smooth the blanket over him, but he was far too sleepy to do more than mumble incoherently at her as she smiled and whispered a fond "Sleep well, long-nose-kun." Usopp slept deeply and dreamlessly until dawn, when an errant sunbeam found its way in through Doc's window and landed on his face.

Keeping his eyes closed against the light and turning onto his side, the next thing the sniper noticed aside from the morning sun was the soft sound of snoring coming from Doc's bed. Careful squinting revealed the slow, steady movement of Zoro's chest and an accompanying inhale/exhale of air. The swordsman was asleep now, rather than unconscious, and his even quiet snores were reassuringly familiar. Robin slept too, her lower half sitting on Doc's high-backed chair and her upper half draped over the bed, her head near Zoro's knees. She'd have a stiff back when she woke but Usopp was glad that the older woman had finally gotten some rest. Perhaps Doc had tricked the archaeologist as easily as Usopp had been fooled. The sedative had done its work, though, and he felt well rested in spite of himself. He let his eyelids slip shut again, reveling in the warm light and the homey sounds of his sleeping nakama. The day and all of its corresponding stresses would start soon enough. For the time being, he let himself be at peace.

Knocking on Doc's door roused Usopp from a light doze and he tiptoed past a blinking Robin to answer it. Gustavus Schmitt stood there, the silver guns at his waist. He said nothing as Usopp whispered "give me a moment," but he let the sniper close the door. Usopp quietly pulled on overalls that bore only the faintest trace of blood. Someone must have washed them yesterday and he was grateful because facing Zede in a pair of boxers or once again wearing a woman's trousers would have been detrimental to his self-esteem. Double knots secured his boots and he shouldered his bag. Mustering a weak grin for Robin, he skimmed his fingers through Zoro's hair - his smile widening just a bit as the swordsman's snoring hitched for half a second - for good luck before he left. Zoro survived everything, and if all he had to do was be the last man standing then Usopp could be just as strong. "Don't get too comfortable," he told Robin, trying to summon a bright tone. "We'll be leaving after lunch."

"Mmm. I'll make sure swordsman-san doesn't eat your share."

"Thanks, Robin."

He could feel her gentle smile on his back as he walked out the door, the burden of her confidence and trust. It should have been heavy but for the time being Usopp felt light and free as he stepped into the sunshine. Perhaps it was a side effect of the sedative or maybe he really was starting to be more sure of himself…

Schmitt turned without a word once Usopp closed the door and headed around the back of Doc's cabin. A small footpath led through the knee-high grasses along the course of the stream and the gunsmith followed it towards the woods, Usopp in his wake. Questions and comments and babble and all sorts of words hovered on the tip of the tale-telling pirate's tongue. Silence had a tendency to make him nervous and the upcoming duel provided an abundance of extra fuel. But he kept his lips sealed as the older man remained as taciturn as the night before. The burble of the stream and the swish-swish of the grass against their pant legs and the high tuwhiiit of a solitary pheasant they disturbed gradually intruded on the cacophony of thoughts in Usopp's head. He let them in, soaking up the calm of a morning on the Pemmican plains. Schmitt's sudden grunt of "here" came as a surprise, Usopp drawing up short to keep from plowing into the man's broad back.

'Here' was the shooting range Zede had mentioned in passing the night before. The stream disappeared into the outskirts of the wood and somewhere deeper within ran the river. A willow tree along the stream's bank dripped leaves and a few roots into the water. A rough-hewn table and a pair of benches rested beneath strong, pliant branches. They were currently exposed to the pleasant morning sun but it was clear they'd be shaded during the heat of the day. Bald soil marked the shooter's box and a series of sod and wood targets as well as blazed trees receded in specific intervals back towards the forest. Schmitt stepped into the box and whipped one silver revolver out of the left holster. Almost faster than Usopp could follow the sound of a fired gun broke the stillness around them and puffs of dried grass and earth marked the impact of bullets as the gunsmith rapidly emptied all six chambers. The weapon was twirled once, out of habit it seemed rather than showing off, and then Schmitt re-holstered it and stepped back onto the grass.

"Ya know how to chamber 'em?" The gunsmith's voice was deep and gravelly and sounded like he didn't use it too often.

Usopp nodded. He may not have owned any guns himself but he knew how they worked.

"Here ya are, then." Thick fingers reached down to each holster and unsnapped the thick leather holders from a finely worked belt. Schmitt deposited the guns into Usopp's waiting hands and then dug into his pockets. Two heavy, lumpy bags came out and were added to the sniper's burden. "Ten sets a' rounds per gun. That oughtta do fer ya. I'll be back ta getcha in a coupla hours."

The gunsmith clapped Usopp on the shoulder, the brush of his graying beard surprisingly soft where it grazed the sniper's forearms. "Learn 'em well and treat 'em right and they'll do ya fine." Schmitt turned around and started to plod back up the trail, leaving Usopp all alone with his thoughts and the guns.

The pirate stood for a long moment in the pleasant sunshine just staring down at the revolvers in his hands and then he shook himself, a body jolt that started at the base of his spine and traveled all the way up to make his head wobble, clearing out the last remaining cobwebs of the night's sleep. His footsteps were nearly silent in the grass as the liar walked over to the willow. It felt good to set his burden down on the knotty tabletop, to sit down on a sturdy bench as his knees suddenly turned into jelly. The mindless task of reloading the one pistol took but a few moments, finished all too soon, and then Usopp had nothing to do but stare down at the loaded guns just waiting for him. The silvery metal winked in the morning light and it felt like he was being taunted. Unexpected moisture ran down his cheek and curved around his mouth. It tasted bitter on his tongue and he couldn't swallow past the taste.

A strange sensation of detachment flooded through him, as if he was experiencing the stresses of his body from a great distance. He was aware of every terrible sensation but none bothered him. Not the tremors that shook his shoulders nor the nervous quaking of his knees. Not the sharp bite of his fingernails into his palms or the way his jaw ached as he clenched his teeth. Not even the pulse he could feel thundering through him with every harsh breath, the tracks of tears as they leaked from his eyes and dripped off his chin. His body was afraid, was reacting to the pressure and the strain he'd been under for the past thirty hours, and it should have frightened him to be so weak. But he simply didn't have the ability to be bothered by anything else but the upcoming duel. Failure had always been his biggest fear. Usopp slumped down onto the table, burying his face in the crook of his elbow, and let himself cry. It had to come, this purging, and he had enough spirit left to choke out a sobbingly grateful laugh that at least there was no one around to see him brought so low.

Eventually the tears slowed and then ran out, leaving Usopp with gritty eyes and feeling drained but somewhat better. The water from the stream was cold and sweet as it trickled down his throat and he splashed some on his face.

"Brave warrior of the sea," he murmured as he gazed down at his wavering reflection. "The Great Captain Usopp. You can be that man. A great, brave warrior. You can be the hero for a change, the rescuer instead of the rescued. They're counting on you, Robin and Zoro, and it's about time to even the score."

How many times had the swordsman saved him? It had been Zoro who had cut the branch, giving him the chance to make the shot that had kept Kaya alive. And it had been Zoro on Whiskey Peak, saving them all even though Usopp had never been able to remember much about that night. On Drum, he'd appeared out of nowhere, tearing through the crowd of Walpol's soldiers as if they'd been paper and that had only been because he had wanted a coat. In spite of the handcuffs, he'd kept the sniper safe on Enies Lobby and although Usopp had never wanted to be a sword, in hindsight the experience hadn't been so bad. Whatever had come for them on Thriller Bark as they fought Oz, that terrible thing that left Zoro close to death, had been stopped by three swords and relentless determination. And even now, on Pemmica, the older pirate had taken nine bullets and fought like a man possessed, doing his best to keep his nakama alive. Every day Zoro showed him what it meant to be a man. And instead of feeling pathetic and useless in the face of Zoro's example, it was about damn time that he started learning from it instead.

Usopp got to his feet and wiped damp palms on his pant legs. He was still scared as hell about the upcoming duel but for the moment he didn't feel even the smallest urge to run away. Zede and he would fight and he would win. He had to, for his nakama and himself, and because he was a brilliant marksman. With Franky on board as the shipwright, shooting was the one area where he could truly excel within the crew and it was time to prove that to himself and to the world.

The well-oiled guns glistened with a dangerous beauty in the morning sunlight as Usopp walked back to the table. He reached out, hesitant at first, and touched the tip of his finger to a warm barrel, traced the curve of the trigger guard. Silver and white to Zede's black, the handles were polished ivory that was cooler than the metal. The holsters were easy to attach, settling on his hips and tugging down his sash as he slid the weapons inside. Carrying along the two bags of shot, the sniper walked back to the shooter's box and stepped inside. The bullets clacked together, metal on metal muffled by thick leather, as he put them aside on the ground and then Usopp straightened his stance and picked his target.

Getting the gun out of the holster quickly took him a try or three but the smooth motion necessary to accomplish it was quite simple once he figured it out. And shooting from the hip, as he found as he fired off three rounds from the pistol in his right hand, only necessitated a minor adjustment of his aim. Bits of chaff drifted down to the ground beneath the ten-yard target, all three shots hitting cleanly in the center. A smile finally graced his face as he whipped both guns out and squeezed the triggers. Four more shots rang out in quick succession as he hit four separate targets easily. Zede was right; Schmitt was a master craftsman and his work was of the highest order. Perfectly balanced and sized, not too tight or loose and almost entirely free of recoil despite the power he could feel each time he fired, the silver six-shooters would be more than adequate for his upcoming duel. Usopp squeezed off three more shots from the left pistol, watching as they slammed one after another dead center into the close ten-yard target, putting a hole all the way through it as the third bullet hit. The sniper whistled, impressed, and reholstered the guns as he walked out to check his shots.

Eight thick inches of tough sod had been carved out of the plains and placed upon a wooden A-frame to serve as a target. The soil was dry but was held together by a dense network of grass roots and it was firm beneath Usopp's poking finger. It was the accumulated effect of his shots all boring into the same spot that had finally punctured the target, the pirate concluded, along with the sheer power of the gun. That was impressive and intimidating at the same time and Usopp stood musing for a long while before the target, the morning calm resettling around him. Finally, brow furrowed in thought, he walked back to the shooter's box and checked his weapons. There was one shot left apiece in the chambers and he settled on a blazed maple about thirty yards distant. He snapped his wrists, the barrels coming up to chest height, and fired. The two bullets flew in tandem towards the tree and hit together, the sound of his shots echoed as a trio of sleepy crows took to the skies in raucous complaint.

Usopp ambled towards the maple, picking out the twin holes in the trunk right at eye level. He poked a fingertip in one, the digit sliding in nearly three inches up to his knuckle before he felt the hot end of the bullet. Three inches at twenty yards and into something much harder than sod. Only a few bits of bark and splinters of wood littered the ground, testament to the clean shots, and Usopp swept them away from the trunk before he sat down between the maple's roots. The guns fit snugly in his hands as he held them in his lap and studied the way his fingers wrapped around the grips, curled around the triggers. He could face Zede with them, could win with them. He could even be deadly with them.

Since following Luffy out into East Blue and then onto the Grand Line, Usopp had seen a lot of violence. He'd even seen his share of death. But he had never taken a life. Of all of his nakama, it was the two he was trying to save that had killed for sure. Three sharp blades, no matter how carefully wielded or how strong rubber punches and flaming kicks could be, were always more dangerous than flesh and bone. Zoro the bounty hunter, Usopp knew, had brought all but two of his catches in alive. But two had died from their wounds, as had a few of their lesser opponents. Death wasn't something the swordsman aimed for, even did his best to avoid, but he embraced it more closely than the rest of his nakama. Mihawk, the title of the world's greatest, both had a high probability of killing Zoro eventually and carried the equally strong possibility that he'd claim the lives of others along the way. And Robin had been alone and on the run for years and then had served directly under Crocodile. What she had done to prove herself to that megalomaniac she had never said, and Usopp didn't want to know. Her 'clutch' attack worked on a fine balance and she had snapped a spine once or twice when an opponent had been weaker than she'd expected. Perhaps that was why they were the silent members of Luffy's crew, the ones that seemed, in their own subtle ways, to be the most grateful for the crazy would-be Pirate King's bright entrance into their lives. Could he bear to join them, to carry that burden of death? Was he strong enough to risk their fates on his skills alone, to face Zede armed with anything less than deadly force? What would that make him as a man?

Usopp stared at the guns in his hands and thought of Robin's gentle smile and Zoro's sleeping face, of sad cerulean eyes and the lines that had found a way onto a nineteen year old face since the Going Merry had left Syrup Village. They believed in him, trusted him, and he could honor that by finally respecting himself and his abilities. It was easier as Soge King - to play a role that demanded success - but beneath the mask and the cape he was still Usopp and he could do this. Pemmica wasn't Thriller Bark and negative thinking wouldn't save the day. But he still could by relying on the one thing he really knew he could do well. His mind made up, the sniper rose from his seat at the foot of the maple and walked once more back to the table beneath the willow tree. He left the silver revolvers there, and their holsters, and as he stepped back into the shooter's box, he drew his trusty old slingshot out of his bag. It had been a while since he'd used it seriously - if he didn't count the few shots he'd gotten off two nights before – and his Kabuto had become his weapon of choice, but he knew intimately how the simple weapon worked. The bullets were shaped a little differently from his lead stars but as long as he loaded them properly they flew just as far and accurately.

The two leather bags of ammunition at his feet were emptied, sixty rounds soon used up as Usopp reacquainted himself with his earliest weapon. He dug them back out from the sod, not eight inches in but a respectable two or three depending on the targets' distance, and fired them again and again. Even the maple attested to his aim, bark chipped off and the wood beneath dented from the power of his slingshot. Usopp knew he could shoot fast enough and hard enough with bullets that were heavy enough to break bone, to knock a man unconscious. He probably couldn't kill Zede with his slingshot but he could still win. He only had to be the last man standing and that he could manage.

Schmitt came for him sooner than Usopp had expected. Time had passed him by as he'd found his strength and worked out his – admittedly limited – strategy. The gunsmith had snuck up on him and his rough question made Usopp jump nearly a foot off the ground and whip around, slingshot at the ready, before he realized what was going on.

"What's the matter with 'em?"

"Nothing." That was the truth. The guns were perfect; the flaws lay entirely with the sniper. "It's me that's the problem. I can't be comfortable with them."

"Hrumph." The older man snorted as he attached the holsters to his belt and filled them with silver metal. "It's yer funeral."

But Usopp could hear grudging understanding in the man's gruff tone and he nodded. "But it won't be Zede's."

The gunsmith shrugged and held out his hand. "Give 'er over. 's gotta pass inspection. Zede don't want no tricks."

His slingshot looked small and fragile in the gunsmith's large, calloused hand and Schmitt did indeed scrutinize the weapon as they walked slowly upstream towards the camp. Finally he handed it back. "That'll do." Silence settled over them again and Usopp fought to keep his thoughts from circling and spiraling into despair. He was nervous and afraid, rightfully so in his opinion of what qualified as sanity, but he felt surprisingly confident as well. He could do this. Not just for himself but for Robin and for Zoro. And with stakes that high, he had to win.

They passed Doc's cabin without stopping and made their way through the camp. Unlike the night before the dirt paths were completely empty and lifeless. It wasn't until they reached the far outskirts of the encampment that Usopp finally saw where all the people had gone. On horseback and on foot, it seemed as if the entire camp had lined up to face the plains. Zede had said he needed to provide a spectacle and everyone had come out to see it. As they neared, he could pick out Doc standing in the middle of the throng, Robin's tall form next to her and even Zoro's green head on the archaeologist's other side. The swordsman was awake and would be watching and Usopp, who had never had a moment of stage fright in his life, suddenly found his throat was dry and his palms were clammy. But he threw his shoulders back and held his head high as he followed Schmitt through the crowd. Bets were flying and Usopp briefly wondered if Nami would have wagered on him, what the odds were. Then he was clear and only a grassy stretch of ground and Schmitt's broad back lay between him and Zede.

Zede appeared relaxed and confident as he stood alone on the plain. In his homespun shirt, leather vest, and booted feet, he looked at home, comfortable in his surroundings. His hands rested on his guns and he wore a slight smile on his face as he watched the pirate sniper approach. The chief cattleman immediately noticed the revolvers at Schmitt's hips and he offered Usopp a raised eyebrow as the three of them drew together.

"What's wrong, captain? Not backing out of the duel, are you?"

Usopp shook his head. "No. But so far everything I've done as been on your terms. That stops now." Usopp threw his shoulders back and looked Zede square in the eye. "I have a condition of my own. If we're going to duel, I will only face you with this." He slipped his slingshot out of his back pocket and held it up. "Nothing tricky about this, Zede. It's just a normal slingshot. But I'm willing to bet my life and that of my nakama's that I'm as good with it as you are with your guns."

"Hmph." Usopp didn't miss the way Zede's dark eyes flickered up to Schmitt's face nor the way the gunsmith nodded ever so slightly. "Well I suppose if you're the all-powerful Sniper King, you're entitled to your eccentricities. But don't think this means I'll go easy on you. Honor is at stake here, captain, and I don't intend to lose any."

"Me either." The sniper's words came out with a vehemence that even surprised himself and Zede studied him closely, the older man's expression hardening at whatever he found there.

"No, I don't suppose you do. Very well, captain. Let's get this over with. Last man standing is declared Sniper King and gets the devil fruit woman and Pirate Hunter Zoro."

"Agreed."

A hush fell over the waiting crowd as Schmitt loaded Zede's revolvers, vanished as the gunsmith then counted out twelve bullets for Usopp. Voices rose in surprise and speculation and Usopp was tempted to risk a peek at his nakama but he decided against it. Once Schmitt was finished, the two men stood back to back. Zede's shoulders were a good three inches higher, and Usopp wasn't sure whether to curse the man's longer reach or be grateful he had the larger target. They walked for fifteen measured paces as the deep voice of the gunsmith counted them out, the bearded man also taking backward steps away from the combat grounds as he spoke. After fifteen, Schmitt paused and a palpable feeling of anticipation gathered on the plains. Usopp stood under the noonday sun, feeling the heat of it beat down on his head. Sweat rolled down his spine, his back tingling under the weight of so many eyes. In the distance he could see the cattle and the few unlucky souls on their horses who had to stay with the herd. A hawk wheeled high overhead, its lazy circle wide enough to encompass the plain and wood both. He felt like he could see everything, all the colors brighter in his heightened state, and he tried to sear the images into his mind. Later maybe he would paint it all, a reminder of this day.

His fingers twitched around the grip of his slingshot and the handful of bullets. Despite the beautiful scenery, the lengthening wait grew more and more intolerable. How long did Schmitt intend to drag things out? Was it a ploy by Zede to see if he would snap or to lull him into complacency? Usopp could feel his nerves stretching close to the breaking point and he steeled himself, ears alert for the final word that meant no return.

"Draw!"

At the sudden shouted signal, the world disappeared, narrowed down to a slim tunnel as Usopp pivoted and dropped to one knee, three shots leaving the cradle of his slingshot with a speed that was nearly impossible for eyes to follow. The air above his head vibrated as four bullets passed over it, each one getting progressively closer until the last skimmed his bandanna. Usopp rolled, not bothering to check and see if he'd reached his target, dirt and bits of grass spraying him as another three rounds chased after him and slammed into the ground. He didn't even have a chance now to be scared, to worry that his life was in danger. All that mattered was getting a bullet loaded and finding Zede, firing at him and putting an end to the match. On his second revolution the sniper opened his eyes and located Zede, kept them fixed on the cattleman's figure even as he readied another shot and turned again. As his right shoulder dug into the hard soil, Usopp pulled back and released. His fourth shot must have hit because Zede cursed and his next shot went wide. The sniper took the opportunity, tucking up his feet and springing forward in a somersault as soon as the earth was once again beneath his belly.

He came up shooting, popping up like a jackrabbit from the grass, but Zede was ready this time and the pirate's next two shots were dodged. Breathing raggedly, the two men warily eyed each other. The metal in his fist was warm, the bullet he carefully loaded into his slingshot heated by his racing pulse. Usopp kept a sharp eye on the cattleman's hands and on his face, the sniper's lips working silently as he counted. Zede had four rounds left by Usopp's calculation and he had six. Decent odds but the sniper had wanted to avoid just the sort of standoff he now found himself in. Without the element of surprise Zede had a slight advantage in speed, for Usopp's slingshot could not fire a bullet as fast as a gun. And he of course had a great advantage in power. But the pirate wasn't without his own resources.

Unscathed himself, he had managed to hit the cattleman. Twice from the look of things; once on the hand that had sent a shot wide and once across the cheek if the thread of blood trickling down to soak into Zede's mustache was any proof. But it would probably take a temple shot to knock the man out and that wasn't going to be easy. It all came down to who had quicker reflexes, better aim, the most skill in reading an opponent.

Dark eyes intent on Usopp, Zede raised the back of his injured hand to his cheek and wiped away the blood. It looked like an opening but the sniper didn't take the offering. He kept his attention on Zede's other gun and was ready as the cattleman lowered his newly reddened hand. Sidestepping neatly out of the bullet's path, Usopp returned fire with two shots of his own. The first was purposefully low while the second was more of a gamble as the pirate aimed high and to the left in the direction he figured Zede would go to dodge the first. He was right, for the initial shot was avoided as the older man jerked to the left. But Zede was faster than he'd figured and canny from prior experience, and the cattleman dropped his weight so that the second bullet whizzed over his head. A shot rang out as he fell and Usopp, though he'd already been in motion, felt a sudden searing pain in his right shoulder as the bullet slammed into him and became embedded in his shoulder blade.

A roar rose up from the crowd but Usopp didn't hear it, too busy fighting off a sudden wave of nausea and keeping his attention on Zede. Clear green and cerulean eyes watched him sway as he readied another bullet Doc, when she was able to tear herself away from the tableau, was surprised to see that neither Zoro nor Robin looked worried about the sniper. Usopp wasn't so calm but he managed to take another shot at his opponent as Zede tried to stand again, hitting the man in the leg and winning another spat curse for his efforts. Drawing back his arm for another follow-up shot was excruciating but Usopp couldn't afford to waste the opportunity as Zede rose and then staggered, his hit leg clearly in worse shape than he'd expected. But the cattleman hadn't been incapacitated in the least and he let momentum carry him clear of the sniper's shot, squeezing off a round in return. The only way to dodge it was to throw himself down and to the right and for a split second darkness washed over Usopp as he hit the ground with his injured shoulder. His teeth punctured his lip, copper washing over his tongue, as he held onto consciousness and he tried to roll and fire again. But the shot was errant, his aim off, and it missed Zede by a good two feet.

Usopp, feeling the blood soaking his overalls and coursing down his arm, forced himself to fight to his knees. Darkness seemed to close in on him as he stared across the wide plain. He had one shot left and so did his opponent. All Usopp could see as his vision dimmed was the grimace of determination on Zede's face as he struggled to lift his slingshot a final time. A black barrel was leveled at the kneeling sniper and a shot rang out even as Usopp fired and closed his eyes. Fire blazed across his cheek and his ear, a scorching kiss as hot metal grazed his flesh. The bullet continued its flight past his head and buried itself in the tough plains soil a few feet behind him. Usopp swayed, his grip on awareness slipping even as he fought harder to keep it. He couldn't pass out, couldn't lose to Zede. But his eyes refused to open, to let him check on his last shot, and his shoulder really really hurt and the blood pounding in his ears was so loud…

It took Zoro three tries to get the sniper to acknowledge him, the swordsman finally resorting to gently shaking Usopp to get his attention. "Oi, Usopp. You better say something or they're going to declare the duel a tie."

"Wh-what? Zoro?" His words felt funny coming out his mouth, his speech slurring and his tongue heavy and thick, but Usopp managed to open his eyes to the too-bright light.

"C'mon. Stand up." Strong hands slipped under his left arm and hauled him up, an arm swiftly coming around his waist to keep him upright and steady as Usopp leaned on the swordsman.

The crowd had surged forward after the final shots and they clustered around where the sniper had last seen Zede until Doc's voice finally loudly ordered everyone to step back. As the press receded, the woman was revealed as she knelt by the fallen cattleman, her hand just reaching up to carefully close his eyelids.

"He's out cold," she announced to the waiting throng of cattlemen. "And he'll have one hell of a headache when he wakes up. Schmitty?"

The gunsmith stood up from the cattleman's other side and cleared his throat. "The pirate wins. All conditions of th' wager belong to 'im."

Happy cries came from the successful gamblers in the crowd and Usopp, propped up by the swordsman, felt a profound sense of relief wash over him. He'd done it. He'd won. He had saved his nakama and he was still the Sniper King. His vision swam as the blackness threatened to swamp him and he could barely make out Robin as she walked towards him with a warm smile on her face. "Good job, long-nose-kun."

It was the perfect moment for some heroic posing and a statement about how easy it had been, how it was all in a day's work for the Great Captain Usopp, but he was much too tired and battered for that. He tried to smile, to wave a hand to the archaeologist but as he lifted it, his slingshot tumbled free from his weakening grip. His eyelids fluttered and he fell slack in the swordsman's hold and the last thing Usopp heard before he lost consciousness was Zoro's gruff murmur of thanks.

Dull throbbing in his shoulder finally pulled Usopp from the warm velvet darkness of sleep and he groaned softly as numerous lesser aches and pains woke with him. He hurt all over or so it seemed, every bit of his body taking revenge for his mistreatment of it. A quiet laugh reached his ears as he moaningly flexed his fingers and wiggled his toes just to make sure they were all still there.

"Good morning," Robin said, far too cheerfully for Usopp's taste as he grudgingly deigned to open his eyes. The now-familiar walls of Doc's cabin surrounded him but the perspective felt off somehow and it took him a moment to understand why. The softness of the mattress beneath him provided the answer as Usopp realized he was lying on the woman's bed rather than on the pallet on the floor.

"Good morning," he croaked as he slowly turned his head towards Robin's voice. His throat was dry and aching but the archaeologist, bless her, already had a glass of water in her hands. Usopp took it carefully, his arm feeling weak and protesting against the movement, but his hand was steady as he raised the glass to his lips. The water rehydrated his arid tongue and drizzled down his throat and by the time he had finished it, Usopp had started to feel a bit more like himself. He passed the glass back to Robin and it was only then that he realized she no longer wore seastone handcuffs. "Robin! You're free!"

The older woman smiled softly as she looked down at her wrists and then back at Usopp. "Yes. Thank you, long-nose-kun. The doctor removed them yesterday after she had treated you and Zede."

"Yesterday?"

"Mmm. I'm afraid swordsman-san ate your share of lunch after all. You have been asleep for close to twenty hours."

Twenty hours was quite a stretch and Usopp suspected a combination of stress and Doc's drugs had colluded to help keep him out for that long. It could also partially explain why he felt so stiff and sore. He eased up and back, supporting his weight with just his left hand when an attempt with his right sent an enormous stab of pain into his shoulder. As he sat up, one of Robin's extra hands propped a pillow behind him and he sank back into it gratefully. With his upper body free of the covers, he could now see the tight swaths of white bandages wrapped around his chest and his right shoulder and bicep, the arm somewhat pinned in place from above the elbow. Careful feeling with a fingertip revealed more bandages plastered to his cheek and around his ear. Robin watched him, privately amused as he checked over his left arm and then lifted up the blankets to peer beneath them.

"Doc-san removed the bullet from your shoulder and stitched up the hole. She had to widen it a bit in order to get the bullet out. It was stuck in your shoulder blade and she also had to remove a few tiny bone splinters from the impact site." Robin hid a smile behind her hand as Usopp's eyes went wide and he poked at his shoulder, hissing at the tenderness of his flesh. "You should have a full recovery in a few weeks and she thinks the graze on your face won't scar either."

Usopp nodded, secretly a little disappointed but relieved as well. "And Zede? I couldn't really see him for that last shot."

"Zede will be fine as well. He has a fractured leg, two broken bones in his hand, and a concussion but he was awake last night according to Doc-san."

"So I did it? I really knocked him out?"

"You did," Robin affirmed. "Your last shot hit him above his left eye and rendered him unconscious."

A wide grin spread across the sniper's face, hindered only by the wounds he'd inflicted on his lip that pulled uncomfortably. "The Great Captain Usopp is the Sniper King!"

Robin giggled and nodded. "You are indeed, long-nose-kun."

From behind her another voice spoke up. It was rough and groggy with sleep but unmistakably Zoro's. "That's been pretty damn obvious all along."

"Zoro!" Usopp craned his neck, trying to see around Robin to the swordsman. "I did it! I won!"

"I know," came the grumpy reply. "I was there. Now can I go back to sleep already?"

"I won," Usopp murmured again, this time to himself. "I really did it." For all that he had known he could win, a not inconsiderable part of him still had doubted. He was allowed to have doubts, for that was only human and Zoro and Luffy were monsters because they never seemed to have any, but this time he hadn't let them come true. He'd stood tall and strong and hadn't let his fears and worries take him over. His skills and determination had seen him through and he had won the day. Maybe that's what it really meant to be a man: to overcome one's fears and doubts and triumph in spite of them.

Warm fingers reached out and squeezed his hand and Usopp looked up and met Robin's bright eyes. "You did," she said softly. Then, louder, "We should leave as soon as you feel able. We are supposed to meet with everyone today and we're going to be late."

"Oh yeah." With all the craziness of the past few days, Usopp hadn't had time to really think about the rest of the Straw Hats and he grinned again in spite of his injured lip. Boy did he have a story for Luffy and Chopper when they got back. Of course it needed some work and he would definitely leave out the part about him crying but for a change it would be mostly true.

"D'you think they found the town?" he asked as Robin stood up from her chair and moved over to open the curtains. Light flooded the room and washed over a grouchy swordsman, Zoro throwing an arm over his eyes and turning over in a vain attempt to hide from it.

"I'm sure they found something interesting with captain-san along."

"Heh." Zoro grudgingly gave in and sat up. "I bet we've got the better story." He scrubbed his knuckles over his eyes and then directed a piercing look at Usopp. "I'm looking forward to hearing all the parts I missed."

"O-of course." Suddenly Usopp knew why Chopper always waggled around whenever he was praised despite his cursing and happy denials. Zoro listened to his stories – it was an acknowledgement the younger pirate had never expected to hear and it made something warm stir in his chest. And then the moment passed as Zoro spoke again.

"Dibs on the tub," he said as he stood and tossed his – via one of the cattlemen – shirt over Usopp's head.

"Hey!" But Zoro was already gone by the time the sniper wrestled the cloth off of his eyes and the sound of opened taps came from the bathroom. "Dammit, he always uses all the hot water."

Two hours later, freshly scrubbed and with the two men moving somewhat stiffly, the pirates paid a final call on cattleman Zede. As before, he was in the camp's biggest building, settled behind the long trestle table with Doc on one side and Gustavus Schmitt on the other, but this time there was a bit of space between him and the gunsmith as Zede had his broken leg propped up on a chair. He grinned broadly when Usopp entered the room and stretched forth his hand.

"Captain! Or should I say Sniper King? I'd stand up to greet you properly but as you can see I've been ordered to spend some time on my rump."

"Zede," Usopp returned as he debated which hand to use and finally very carefully shook with his right. "You can call me Usopp if you'd like."

"Usopp it is! Now then, there's lunch available if you want it but I understand you're in a bit of a hurry?"

"Yes," Robin answered. "Our crewmates will be expecting us today and we're going to be late."

"Sha ha ha! The last thing I need is more pirates coming here and showing me up!" Zede slapped the table as he laughed and then he beamed at the sniper. "Usopp. You did well. If I had to lose a duel, I'm glad it was to the man who is the Sniper King. I've got an escort for you and three horses waiting so if you're ready to leave, you may at any time."

Usopp nodded his thanks. "Then we'll go now." He turned and bowed his head to Doc and then to Schmitt. "Thank you, Doc, Schmitt, for everything." Finally, facing back to their leader, Usopp offered him a half-smile. "Good-bye Zede. It's been an…eye-opening experience."

"Ha! That it has. That it has."

They left the laughing cattleman behind and found their escort, the sandy-haired man again and another, younger man mounted on a black mare and leading a laden mule by a long rope. Robin's power came in handy getting Usopp onto his horse and the sniper was grateful that his mount seemed placid and unlikely to bolt. The ride back along the tree line was uneventful, and faster than their initial journey; all the scenery Usopp had missed the last time thanks to the dark of night revealed to be nothing but more rolling plains dotted with cattle and the endless stretch of woods as it followed the river. Repeated attempts to engage their escort in conversation proved futile and Usopp gave up finally when even the mule rolled an eye at his failures. He grew bored and sleepy and his shoulder ached and the sniper thought it wasn't fair that Zoro could fall asleep practically anywhere, the swordsman draped forward over his horse's neck and snoring faintly. Usopp was just starting to wonder if they'd missed the proper spot of forest when their escorts reined in.

The two men led them back through the woods, mule still curiously in tow, following signs that became clear to Usopp once he started to look. A broken twig, a small cluster of rocks, the trail had been marked well and he could even find traces of their nocturnal hike from three nights earlier in the form of rusty splotches on fallen leaves. Walking much faster than they had on the way out, the group made it to the small clearing in about ten minutes. The sniper was glad to see their campsite was still intact, Robin's pup tent lying where it had been collapsed under the weight of the steel and seastone net and his and Zoro's sleeping bags resting on the other side of the fire pit. Usopp left the swordsman and archaeologist to pack as he headed down to the river, relief flooding him when he saw both the Mini Merry and the waver still on the gravel beach. Their escort had followed him and, as he carefully inspected the Mini Merry, began to unpack the mule. Usopp watched in confusion as several large bag-like objects were removed and the sandy-haired man began to blow air into one. It slowly inflated as the sniper stared and finally had to ask.

"What are you doing?"

The younger man who'd accompanied them grinned and spoke up for the first time. "Boss heard from the pretty devil lady 'bout your captain and figgered you could use another reward fer winnin' seein' as we did kinda ambush ya. This here's gonna be a raft and the rest of the stuff on Mattie's some prime Pemmican beef you kin tow along behind ya."

"Thanks." He meant it too. Zede and his brand of honor had been a little hard to understand but Usopp was glad he'd met the man and his crew despite everything he'd gone through as a result. The Grand Line was always full of surprises and Pemmica, minus his shoulder wound and Zoro's nine new holes, had ultimately been a good one.

It didn't take the two cattlemen long to assemble the raft and test it and they soon unloaded the beef from the mule. "That's it fer us. Good luck to ya!" the younger man shouted, waving as he led Mattie the mule back into the woods.

Usopp watched until they were out of sight before he hopped on the raft, poking and prodding at the curious design and shifting his weight around until a slender arm and single eye appeared behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. A path of limbs pointed back to camp and Usopp reluctantly went. A pack was waiting for him, two more on Zoro's back, and the sniper tossed it over his left shoulder and gave the now-bare clearing a final glance. "We have everything?"

"Ah!" A startled expression crossed the archaeologist's face and was swiftly replaced by relief as Robin crossed her arms. A duplicate limb suddenly appeared halfway up a tall pine and dipped into a hollow in the trunk. When the hand reappeared, it was holding a small bag. Deftly playing catch with herself, Robin tossed it hand over hand until the bag landed safely in her real palm. "Navigator-san's money," she explained as she tucked it away and Zoro and Usopp both breathed a sigh of relief for a problem solved that they hadn't even known existed. That money would have come out of their hides after all.

Riding back down the river, waver and raft full of meat in tow, Usopp felt the last of his cares slip away. They'd survived quite the adventure even with Zoro as injured as he'd been – and still was now that he'd been shot nine times – and he'd been the one to save the day. They were even returning in triumph with all of Nami's money safe and plenty of meat too. Of course Luffy would probably eat most of it on sight. But the rest would still make a good feast and he could tell his story after dinner when his audience would be too stuffed to move away. He started planning, mentally listing points to 'improve' and how to make Zede even scarier than he'd been. The Mini Merry steamed on, floating swiftly downstream with the current, and Usopp's eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Next to him, Zoro's head was thrown back, his mouth open as he lightly snored. His shoulder looked incredibly more comfortable that the hard wood that Zoro was using as a pillow and the sniper gently laid his head down, mindful of the swordsman's wounds. Soon a louder, more whistling sort of snore began coming from the back seat of the small ship and from her spot at the helm Robin smiled.

The two younger pirates were still asleep when the Mini Merry rounded a bend in the tributary river and the Thousand Sunny came into view. Luffy jumped up from his perch on the figurehead when he saw them, waving and shouting as the rest of the crew gathered on deck. Hands gently stirred the sniper and swordsman awake as Robin pulled the Mini Merry alongside the much larger craft and the two teens blinked and stretched in that tentative way that only the convalescent have. Rubber limbs reached down to grab the waver and then the raft while Zoro and Usopp carried the rest of their things up the rope ladder and over the side. A loud cry of "MEEEEEEEEEAAAAATTTTTT!" greeted her nakama as they set foot on Sunny's grassy deck, the sound of it so familiar and happy that Robin couldn't help but grin as she docked the Mini Merry. By the time she came above deck, Sanji was busy fighting the captain off the store of beef and Chopper was running in circles around Zoro shrieking about "nine bullets wounds is not taking it easy, bastard!" while the swordsman tolerated patting hooves with wry bemusement. Usopp was busy declaiming at the top of the stairs, regaling Franky and Brooke with the highlights of their adventure, and Nami, as she walked up to hug the archaeologist and get her money, quietly asked if what the sniper was saying was even remotely true. Robin nodded and then, to Nami's surprise and Robin's knowing pleasure, Zoro spoke above the din.

"Yeah, Usopp saved the day. He's the real Sniper King."

And on the stairs Usopp flushed and privately decided that maybe it was time for his Wanted poster to have the real man behind the mask on it.