"See, go with the vein, feel the wood, that's the most important thing of all." Franky told as he fitted a piece of wood for reparations of the sunny. "you cannot force the wood into an uncomfortable position, then it will break. Let the wood tell you what to do, don't try and tell it, got it?" he asked.
Usopp nodded very excited as his eyes were glued to Frankys hands and his work.
"Then have a go." Franky invited. "But remember."
"Patience and delegacy." Usopp whispered, with his tongue stuck out of his mouth, as he in deep, deep concentration, tried to work with the wood himself.
Ever since Franky had jointed the ship, Usopp had taken it upon himself to be the best assistant he could be, to help keeping this ship in a good condition, and Franky didn't mind at all, he liked the boy, he liked the company, and he enjoyed teaching what he had learned.
Best of all, Usopp was an excellent student! He picked up incredibly quickly, he was exited to work, he enjoyed it just as much as Franky did, he all-ready had deligacy, which should be obvious when you looked at all of Usopp's side protects.
Hell, when it came to creativity and inventiveness.. Franky hated to admit it, but Usopp was superior in that field.
No, all the boy had ever really lacked, was a tutor.
Thinking back Franky couldn't help but be amused about their awkward history.
He felt bad now, he remembered when they had taken Usopp's dear money, which was more than just money to him, it was his way to safe his beloved ship, whom Usopp had loved so much that the ship itself had revealed its very soul to Usopp, and spoken to him.
Such a rarity! That ship hadn't just been a ship, but a strong comrade and friend.
Then the little runt had met up at Frankys work-shop, with a determination to get his ship back, even though he was hopelessly outnumbered and out-matched.
That was the point, where Franky had unwillingly gained respect for the boy.
Obviously Usopp had been terriefied, but he had done what he felt was needed to be done any-way, not for selfish reasons, but just out of love for his ship and his pride.
Franky knew true courage when he saw it, and that was it.
That was why Franky hadn't been able to let Usopp go out again on his own, or let the boy just die such a meaningless dead.
He was stupid enough to do it, but Franky wouldn't let him.
Then that entire enies lobby accident had happened, Franky had ended up being in aw over the straw-hat crew.
How much they cared for each other, how strong a family they were.
And Usopp had been willing to go against all of that? For his ship? Clearly Usopp had been in pain back then, but done what he could to help his family any-way.
Ones again, all Franky saw was courage.
Not the lack of fear kind of courage, which had just as much to do with stupidity and no respect for death or hurt.
But real courage, where you defy your own feelings, defy your inner demons, defy you feelings of fright, and go all out in battle any-way.
Yes, Franky respected the boy a lot, he was only happy to become his tutor, that was what he had planned on all the way before enies lobby, when he had offered Usopp a place in their junk shop.
Funny how different Usopp now were back among his crew, it was like Franky was learning to know an entirely different Usopp here at the sunny.
A jokester whom ran around and laughed, as if he had no care in the world, talked big about his adventures, boosted about his abilities, some-times you could even get the sense he was down-right arrogant.
But Franky was willing to bet, all of that, the lies, the boosting, the carefree attitude.. it was all a mask.
It was a mask Usopp had created for himself, to appear as the great warrior he wanted to be, to look more sure than he felt, to pretend to be much more than he thought he was.
Which made Franky wonder.. what did Usopp really think of himself? Didn't he realise how much potential he had?
Apparently not, if he did he wouldn't have created such a mask, just like sogekings mask.
In a way Franky was glad he got to meet Usopp while the boy was on such a low-point, so he could learn to know the real Usopp before he encountered the mask, and tell the one from the other.
"Good job." Franky smiled at Usopp, then inspected the wood himself. "Why it's almost up to my own standards." He smirked.
Usopp grinned as he sat up on the table, his feet's dangling back and ford, as he dried his forehead with a piece of cloth. "Not bad for a first try?" Usopp asked.
"Well, this isn't your first try exactly is it?" Franky asked glancing up at Usopp. "You did make all of those amateurish repairs on Going Merry yourself didn't you?" he asked.
"Erh.." Usopp swallowed, then started to sweat.
"Oh don't sweat it Longnose-bro." Franky grinned. "You had no one to guide you, it would be weird if you did any better than that, you truly did your best." He assured.
"Heh." Usopp swallowed.
"I was practically raised doing this." Franky smirked. "Hell, the Shipwright who taught me was like a father to me." He admitted.
"Bet he was very proud of you." Usopp smiled happily as he sat like that on the table. "I mean, you are just so amazing!" he cheered.
"Ahh, haha." Franky waved Usopp away embarrassed. "It's nothing, but yeah. He always said that Iceburg and me would become the greatest Shipswrights in the world, as if he just knew."
Usopp sighed happily as he listened.
"What about your old man?" Franky asked returning to his work. "Surely he is very proud of you as well." He asked, hoping it would be a way to make Usopp slowly realised how great he truly was.
"Oh, I have no memory of my dad." Usopp told, and Franky blinked as he turned to Usopp. "I know he's out there though, he is Sniper on the red haired Shanks crew." He told in a grin. "And some-day I'll find him! Some day after I have become a great warrior of the sea."
For a moment Franky looked at Usopp. "Who did you grow up with then?" he asked.
"Well, my mom took care of me until I was seven." Usopp told. "Then she died, and well, from that point of I took care of myself." He grinned.
"How did you do that?" Franky asked.
"Oh you know, took odd jobs here and there, any-thing I could get my hands on." Usopp told. "Helped doing the harvest, went out fishing when one of the fishermens was sick, sweeped dung for the farmer when he was to tired, carried and chopped up firewood, washed dishes for the in when there was a party. All kinds of stuff like that." He told.
"Huh, explains your wide range of talents." Franky had to admit. "Wait a minute, you are telling me you lived like that as a seven year old?" he asked. "All alone, taking care of yourself?"
"Yeah." Usopp blinked, clearly surprised over Frankys surprised tone.
"So no one ever taught you any-thing, or praised you, or took a hand over you?" Franky asked. "Or helped you?"
"Well, I was kind of a trouble maker, so when the villagers did get to me, it was usually for a good spanking." Usopp laughed amused. "Then there was the Usopp pirates that I led! Eight thousand man!"
Franky only needed to give Usopp one look.
"Oh all-right, they were three plus me." Usopp muttered as he crossed his arms. "But we had a lot of fun together, those kids are still important to me!" he stated. "They were my family back then."
Franky nodded, then frowned. "How do you then feel, when you are so used to take care of every-thing yourself, that you can't any-more out here, that you are dependent on others?" he asked.
"Urh.." Usopp swallowed as he looked at Franky. "Well I.." he blushed looking down. "I guess it'll be okay when I am a warrior of the sea and can handle myself." He muttered ashamed. "I mean.. as long as I am not to big a burden to any-way."
"Usopp bro." Franky sighed defeated, before he reached down in a box under the work table to take a bottle of cola, before he opened it and handed it to Usopp, before he took one for himself. "Out here on the sea, we are all dependent on each other, there is no shame is that." He told. "Luffy is dependent on me to fix his ship, on Nami to find the way, on Sanji to cook his food, and you to pull his ass out of the fire when it counts." He grinned as he sat beside Usopp.
"Well I guess…" Usopp murmered holding his cola in his hands, looking down.
Franky rolled his eyes. "I saw it with my own eyes, I saw you saved him, why wont you take credit for that?" he asked annoyed.
"I don't know I just.." Usopp sighed deeply leaning his cheek in his hand. "I think back to when I and Luffy fought and I feel so awful." He finally admitted. "I don't even know why I did it.. I all-ready knew back then that Merry couldn't be saved, I just.. I was so angry with myself, that I couldn't even carry out one lousy little job, keeping the money safe. I felt like I failed every-one. Luffy.. Merry.. every-one. I thought.. I thought that the crew would be better off if they got rid of me." Then he drank a little cola.
Franky was trying.. really really trying, not to cry. But of cause he failed.
"I all-ready knew from the start." Usopp continued as if he had gone into a good pace, not even noticing that Franky was crying. "That the straw-hat crew was way out of my league, that I had to fight with every-thing I had, and push myself further than I could imagine, to be of good use. And I did, I really think I did my best.. but is my best even good enough for such a magnificent crew Franky? … Franky?" first then did Usopp turn his head and discover how much the cyborg was crying. "EEeehhh! Why are you turning into such an emotional wreck! That's ME whom is supposed to do that!" Usopp exclaimed.
"I'm sorry!" Franky wailed as he tried to wipe away his tears with the back of his hand. "It's just so sad! Longnose-bro, doing all what he can to be of use to his beloved family."
"Oi, oi. Stop it!" Usopp exclaimed. "You make it sound so noble when it really isn't!"
Finally Franky was done crying as he wiped his eyes, and drank his cola. "Man you are such a weird one Usopp, taking fully credit for things you didn't do, and wont acknowledge the credit for the things you actually did." He shook his head. "You should seriously try and get your head together soon." He stated.
"Heh." Usopp blushed as he looked down.
"Well Usopp, for what's it worth." Franky spoke as he shook his head. "I'm proud of you kid." He told as he placed a hand on Usopp's head, and ruffled up his hair in a very fatherly way. Before he walked towards the exit of the work-shop. "And I would be dammed if the rest of the crew aren't as well." He told.
Leaving a very stunned Usopp whom looked wide-eyed after Franky, then amused shook his head as he smiling looked down, and in silence drank the rest of his cola, trying to just take the moment in.