Happy Birthday Usopp!

In dedication to him, I have written a little one-shot.

Enjoy!


The crew sat around the ship in an unusually peaceful afternoon. Even Luffy, who would normally be trying to play, or demand meat, was relaxing on the Sunny's figurehead. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and feeling the calm serenity in the atmosphere, Usopp began drifting to sleep on a sunbathed patch of grass on the deck.

Suddenly, the sky began to darken, and large gray clouds started to swirl over head. Usopp's eyes snapped back open when a large chunk of hail landed on his stomach. "Oi Nami, it looks like a storm is coming,"

No one moved. It was as if they were statues. "…Guys?" Usopp stood up and rushed toward a sleeping swordsman. Rain began to shower the Sunny. He shook Zoro's shoulder. "Zoro, we're in trouble, wake up!"

He didn't wake. When the rain suddenly stopped, Usopp looked up at the sky. It had turned pitch black. He rushed to the edge of the ship and realized that the sea was just as dark.

"…G-guys! wake up!" Usopp gasped. He screamed when a large white skull appeared in front of their ship. "Yoho…."

"Brook! What are you doing?" Usopp yelled at the giant floating skull.

"Thanks for the meal," Brook said and opened his jaw wide. The ship began to slowly slide into the darkness of Brook's mouth.

Usopp awoke with a start when Luffy shook his shoulder.

"You alright Usopp?" Luffy asked

"… Ya, just a dream," Usopp replied shakily.

Luffy looked at him for a minute skeptically and went on, "Well, the thing is, you slept in so late, so I ate your breakfast…" Luffy admitted as if he were a toddler being punished.

"You ate my food?" Usopp shouted at him and got out of his hammock.

"Sorry Usopp…" He apologized.

The two walked out of the dark bedroom and onto the deck.

Usopp stared at the dark sky. "Luffy, what time is it?"

Luffy grinned. "About three a.m."

"Why-

"April fools!" Luffy sang and skipped around him.

Usopp sighed and started for the men's cabin. Luffy followed inside and went back to sleep in his own hammock.

'Why did Luffy have to do that? It is April Fools day, true, but it's also my birthday.' Usopp huffed.

'He must have just forgotten because it was so early in the morning.'

After his previous nightmare, it took a while for Usopp to fall back asleep. But with the gentle waves rocking the ship slowly, and the soft (for once) snoring of his fellow crewmates, he finally fell asleep.

The sun just barely started to rise when the rustle of others leaving the men's quarters woke Usopp.

He sat up in his hammock and stretched his arms and legs to wake them up. He left the sleeping quarters and approached the galley. Inside, Sanji was finishing up the final preparations for breakfast.

"Oh Usopp, I'm glad we're getting close to an island. All I had left were Mushrooms and some water," He informed the sniper. Usopp hunched his shoulders. Of all things, it had to be mushrooms.

Sanji walked over and placed his hand on Usopp's shoulder. "Hey, cheer up, April fools," he grinned. Usopp gave him a wry smile and waited. Sanji paused and walked back to his cooking.

'He forgot my birthday too.'

Usopp walked to the large table and waited for the rest of the crew to arrive.

Once the women were served and the rest of the crew managed to get their fill before the captain stole any of it, conversations began to stir up.

"Brook, you know what was weird, I had a dream last night that you ate the Thousand Sunny," Usopp laughed.

"Yoho, just as planned," Brook answered devilishly.

"What?" Usopp paused before taking a bite.

"I have been plotting to haunt your dreams, and it worked! Now I can scare you every night that you sleep," He chortled.

"You aren't serious?!" Usopp gaped.

"April fools!" He laughed.

Usopp sighed with relief. "Don't scare me like that,"

"Sorry Usopp-san,"

'I guess since Brook is new, he wouldn't remember my birthday, but what about the rest of them?'

The day continued, without anyone wishing Usopp a happy birthday. In fact, it seemed like they were trying to avoid him, save the occasional April Fools prank.

"Oi Usopp," Zoro said while he lied against the railing. Usopp looked down at him. "Your shoe's untied."

Usopp looked at his own foot and remembered he doesn't even have laces.

"April Fools," Zoro said nonchalantly and fell back to sleep.

Usopp had basically given up hope for at least one of his crewmates to remember his birthday.

"Nose-bro!" Franky approached Usopp with waterfalls of tears rolling down his face.

"What's wrong Franky?" Usopp asked with concern.

"I- I… I broke Kabuto!" Franky blubbered.

"Is it fixable?" Usopp asked.

"I don't think so…. I accidently burned it," Franky wailed.

Usopp tried hard not to scream at him. Even though it was April Fools day, Franky's crying looked very real.

"April Fools, bro!" Franky suddenly cheered.

Usopp didn't laugh. He didn't sigh in relief. Frankly, the tricks were getting old. Usopp simply walked away from Franky.

"Usopp, pirates are after you! They want to kill you! April fools!" Chopper joked. He didn't even give Usopp a chance to react.

"Nice try, Chopper. I would have been able to fight off that band of pirates if they were real anyway," Usopp bragged.

"Really Usopp? You're so cool!"

"Well no one can defeat the great Captain Usopp!"

Chopper's eyes sparkled.

"Longnose-kun, will you please come here?" Robin called from the library.

Usopp followed her voice up the stairs and into the Library. "What's up Robin?"

Robin grinned and walked behind Usopp and shut the door. Usopp's eyebrows lowered with unease.

"I need you to help me with something," Robin began. Usopp gulped.

"Cyborg-san spilled cola on many of my most treasured books, I need help to get him back," Her voice turned hostile.

"How would you get him back?" Usopp pressed nervously.

"I want to kill him," Robin whispered in his ear. Usopp yelped and jumped away from her.

Robin giggled. "April Fools,"

Usopp shoved his hands in his pockets and glowered. Robin noticed this, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just tired of the pranks is all, and no one remembered my birthday," He sighed.

"Who said we forgot," Robin grinned and walked away, leaving Usopp curious.

The ship finally docked on an island and Usopp and Zoro stayed behind to guard.

Several hours passed and Nami and Sanji came back with a few bags in hand.

"Usopp, I found an interesting store in town, it has a lot of different artillery and supplies," Nami informed.

"Where is it? That would definitely help me with supplies for my ammunition," Usopp asked. Nami gave him a general direction and they saw him off.

Once Usopp was out of ear shot, Nami turned to Sanji, "Okay Sanji, we have about three hours to set up his party."

The two nodded and Sanji entered the galley with his share of supplies to start baking a cake. Nami walked toward the crow's nest and called to Zoro to come down.

Eventually the rest of the crew came back to help out with preparations.

About four hours later, Usopp came back to the ship with a bag of supplies, but he looked frustrated.

He boarded the Sunny and noticed Nami sitting on the swing. "Oi Nami, there wasn't a shop was there? I looked all over the town and I didn't find anything like what you told me about. So I just bought eggs and hot sauce." He lifted the small bag he had in his hand.

"Sorry Usopp, April Fools! But here, I'll make it up to you, just follow me into the galley," She took his wrist and led him up the stairs. At the door, Nami opened it slowly. The room was completely dark. Usopp flipped the light switch and the room exploded with colors and decorations.

"Happy birthday, Usopp!" Each of the crew members shouted and sprang out of their hiding spots.

Usopp couldn't hide the wide smile on his face.

The galley was completely covered in streamers, confetti and balloons. There was a large cake set at the table that smelled irresistible. Luffy looked like he was using all of his will power not to dive into the cake.

"Thanks guys," was all Usopp could say. Nami nudged him toward the cake and Sanji lit several candles.

They sang the traditional song and applauded after Usopp blew the candles out. Nami slipped an envelope into Usopp's hand and gestured him to read it.

The envelope said it was from Kaya. Usopp opened it quickly and read the card that wished him a happy birthday.

'Everyone remembered after all….'

Hehe, of course they wouldn't forget!

Good boy Luffy, hold yourself back from the cake :3

Reviews are appreciated immensely!