The crew later returned to the Thousand Sunny after getting their fill of food at the bar… actually, Luffy got his fill. The others simply watched in awe as their captain almost ate a man after the simple customer had tried to snatch his meal from Luffy's hand. Sanji and Zoro were given the honor of pulling the now slobber covered man from the bottomless pit that was their captain. By the time the crew returned to the ship the lights of the crystals glowed softly through the darkness, leading them back to their ship. The water was completely still and only faint conversations and the sound of frogs or insects could be heard. It was completely peaceful. Nami stretched her arms over her head with a yawn as she climbed the stairs to her room. Robin followed behind as the boys walked off to the men's quarters. None of them would have to keep watch with so much security, which each and every one of the straw-hats adored.

"Good night guys!" Nami called down before walking away to her room. Robin waved to the boys and then followed, shutting the door behind her.

"GOOD NIGHT NAMI-SWAN, ROBIN CHWAN!!! IF YOU NEED ANYTHING JUST CALL FOR ME MY ANGELS!!" Zoro smacked Sanji over the head, but they were too tired to quarrel as the men retired to their quarters. Usopp quickly fell onto his bed with a sigh and rolled onto his side. He had a headache again, and the only thing that sounded appealing was sleep. Luffy leapt up into the bunk above Usopp with a smile before stretching his arm over to light switch, which he flicked off.

"Night guys!" Luffy said before burrowing underneath his sheets, fully content and excited for their next day in the guild.

"Night." The men replied before the room went silent. After a few minutes the snoring started and Usopp was left with the constant pounding on his skull.

Go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep! Usopp clutched the bounty of his father tightly as he shoved his face into the pillow. It'll be better in the morning… just go to sleep… go to sleep… go to sleep… go to… sleep… go…to…

I opened my eyes and saw a man with dreadlocks standing with a rifle… He was standing there… In front of me… between me and a man with guns…

What's going on?! STOP!! Don't do this!! PLEASE!!!

The man with the guns grew… His shadow looming over me and the man in front of me. His eyes were piercing… I couldn't breath. Long spikes fired from the guns and blocked out the sun. I couldn't move… The spikes screamed through the air… and plummeted into the man standing in front of me. Blood… blood… The spikes struck the ground after going through the man's body. My heart was racing. Tears filled my eyes.

NO~!!!!! PLEASE NO!!!!! WHY?!?!?! WHY COULDN'T I DO SOMETHING?!?!?!

Please wake up please wake up please wake up please wake up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My hands were covered in blood… I looked at the man at my knees… his body was ripped to shreds… his face was almost just like mine…Dad…The monster was laughing… I couldn't breath… I screamed but nothing came out…

DON'T LEAVE ME!!!!! DAD!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!! GET UP!!!!!!!!!

The spikes filled the air again… I was going to die…

WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Usopp felt a sudden pain hit him in the chest as he opened his eyes with a start. He was on the ground, hyperventilating, with figures moving towards him in the dark. There was a loud ringing in his ears as he scrambled away from a pair of hands coming at him from the shadows. His head hit his bunk but he quickly grabbed his kabuto, always knowing where it was for such occasions. His heart was about to practically explode out of his chest as he fumbled with the straps on his weapon. By the time he aimed two hands grabbed his arms and forced his back against the wall. Usopp was petrified. What the hell is going on?!?! Please make it stop!! Am I still stuck in a nightmare or something?!?! WAKE UP!!!

"OI!!! USOPP!!! SNAP OUT OF IT!!!" H-Huh? Usopp stopped struggling and looked at the person holding him back. S-S-Sanji?! "Calm down!! It's just me!!" Usopp realized he still had his kabuto aimed straight at his nakama's head as his eyes widened.

W-what the hell am I doing?! He thought as he let his weapon fall from his hands and Sanji released the sniper's arms slowly. The lights suddenly came on as Usopp shut his eyes tightly and then nervously opened them. He was on the ground, Sanji was on one knee in front of him, the others had gotten out of bed and were looking at their sniper worriedly. Usopp noticed then how much his body was shaking and sweat was running down his forehead. "G-guys…" Chopper walked over to Usopp quickly as Sanji stood up and gave the doctor some space. Chopper put his hoof to Usopp's clammy forehead and studied the sniper's face.

"Are you okay Usopp?!" Chopper asked anxiously. "You feel like you could have a fever! Are you feeling alright?" Usopp nodded… not exactly sure how he felt himself. Luffy leapt down from his bunk and landed next to Usopp. The captain put his hand on his shoulder, his face extremely serious. Usopp tried to shrug him away but the captain's grip stayed firm.

"It's okay. Just relax." Luffy said as he patted Usopp's shoulder and the sniper exhaled. Usopp nodded and Sanji stood up, lifting an unlit cigarette to his mouth.

"What the heck happened?" Franky asked from behind. "One minute you were yelling and then you slammed onto the floor! What did you--?"

"I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!!" Usopp barked back, surprised at his own tone… but what he saw… He just wanted to forget it. Never think about it again… Make it disappear. The room was silent and Usopp could feel the stares coming from his crew. "S-sorry…"

"You don't have to apologize." Usopp was surprised when he realized who was talking… Zoro. "You don't have to explain it to us if you don't want to. Some things don't ever have to be thought out a second time." Zoro said before lying back against the pillow on his bunk. Luffy smiled and nodded before standing, putting his hand out to Usopp who took it, still shaking. The sniper steadied himself against the wall and looked at his feet and then up at Luffy and Chopper with an embarrassed smile.

"Nobody's going to get any sleep anymore with me around." Usopp chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I beg to differ Usopp-san. Yohoho! I'm sure we could all sleep through a hurricane. YOHOHO!!!" The others laughed along with Brook as Usopp slowly moved towards the door.

"Okay, Usopp I need to check to make sure-!" Chopper turned to find the door closing quietly and Usopp no longer in the room. "Us-Usopp! Wait!" The doctor moved for the door but Luffy stopped him. The reindeer looked up at his captain with wide eyes. "Luffy! Usopp needs to relax with all of these things going on! He shouldn't just walk around alone!" Luffy looked at the door and then jumped back into his bunk, tilting his hat over his eyes.

"None of us can help him. I can tell he just needs to be alone for a while." The room once again fell silent as the men looked at each other and Sanji sat on his bunk, lighting the cigarette that now had teeth marks imprinted on the bud.

"He was scared… And not like normal… That was terror." Sanji said thoughtfully. "…He kept moaning dead… who do you think died?" The crew was clueless as they sat in the room, lost in their own questions and thoughts. Meanwhile Usopp continued to pace around in circles near a secluded area near the water. No way… It was just a nightmare and that's all it'll ever be… I don't care what I have to do… I will NEVER let that happen… I'll DIE BEFORE THAT HAPPENS!! Usopp fell onto the ground and stared at the giant crystal growing from the top of the dome, the light glittering softly from far above his head. He laid there until the first pirates started to come from their ships and the structures and buildings built into the walls. As he stood he looked behind him and saw the Sunny in the distance and Nami and Chopper looking for him over the railing of the ship. Then he noticed something else… A scratch on the radiant crystal next to him. He could tell it was made by a bullet. All he could think about was what the old man who had told him; that his dad had hit a radiant crystal back when he visited the guild after a bet. No way. That's way too ironic. Usopp walked back to the ship and quickly came up with a story to get his nakama off of his back about the incident.

"Well, you see I was fighting a huge sea king in this dream of mine. And, as amazing as it may sound, it was so huge and monstrous that even I was afraid…"


"IT'S HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!!!!!!!!"

Luffy stormed out of the galley, panting with a look of horror spread across his face. "WE'RE COMPLETELY OUT OF FOOD!!!!!!!!" Sanji walked out behind the captain and nodded to confirm Luffy's story.

"Yep. We're totally out. And unfortunately we can't buy food here. I checked last night and the entire guild is low on stock. I guess we're just going to have to go into town to get what we need." Sanji said as he took a drag from his cigarette.

"And I need more medicines!" Chopper said nervously. "If anything happens I don't have much to work with."

"Oh boy… That doesn't sound good." Usopp said as he boarded the ship. The crew stared at him, not saying anything but Usopp just smiled. "Stop giving me that look!!" Luffy ran over to his best friend and grabbed his shoulders.

"WE'RE OUT OF FOOD USOPP!!!!!" Luffy screamed in a panic.

"I know, I know!! EVERYONE heard you Luffy!" Usopp said which made the crew relax. They turned their attentions back to the issue at hand.

"Well. I guess that means that we'll just have to go up into that town outside of the guild." Nami said.

"U-um, if I may interject!" The crew was surprised as Okaku suddenly flopped onto the deck, his scales glittering.

"FISH!!!! GET IT SANJI!!!! COOK IT!!!!" Luffy instructed his cook before Nami came over and slammed her fist over his head. Robin stepped forward and wrapped a set of arms around her captain to make sure he stayed put.

"Good morning Okaku-san! Yoho!" Brook welcomed warmly.

"What's up rainbow fish-bro?" Franky asked.

"I must explain. You see, I heard that you were all going to go into the town correct?"

"Yes. We need a lot of supplies." Nami said. "And we-"

"You cannot do so." Okaku said bluntly as the crew looked at him with confusion.

"Why's that?" Usopp asked.

"Well… you see there is a rule in this guild that if you are to go into town you are not allowed to go with your entire crew, or even two people. One of you must go alone." The crew was surprised by the fish's rule.

"Why?" Robin asked, obviously intrigued.

"So many crews have been lost because the marines noticed them the moment they stepped into town. If two people go it is just as dangerous depending on how well known the visiting crew is. And with a world renowned crew like yours it is almost impossible for you all to go undetected. That is why only one person may go." The crew looked at each other wondering who would be the sad sap who had to go to get every item they would need to continue their journey.

"Usopp! You can go!" Luffy cheered and Usopp felt a chill run down his spine.

"M-m-m-m-m-me?!?! WHY ME?!?!" Usopp cried.

"You don't have a bounty yet so the marines won't notice you!!" Luffy said with a huge grin.

"Oh! That's a great idea Luffy!!" Chopper said happily. The crew slapped their foreheads at their captain and doctor.

Will they EVER understand?

"But they do have a point." Sanji said. "If Usopp goes he won't be detected as easily. As for the rest of us we're marked so bad a blind man could see us in a storm."

"Why don't YOU go Sanji? The marines won't notice YOU either!" Usopp said. Sanji immediately gave the sniper a swift kick over the head and then walked away, leaving Usopp writhing in pain on the ground. "But what if the marines get me?! What happens then?!" The crew had the same question and looked to Okaku.

"If you are captured then there is nothing we can do without sparking a war on this island. It would be up to your crew to rescue you but it would most likely be too late. And the guild would not get involved… Many have disappeared this way." Usopp felt sick to his stomach and tried to think of a way out of it… but nothing was in his brain but I do NOT want to die just for a few SUPPLIES~!!

"I'll go with him and just stay hidden." Zoro said, not wanting Usopp to go alone.

"No. Only one person may go. Even if you were to stay incredibly hidden the risk would be too great." The crew was silent once again, looking at their sniper who's knees were starting to knock together. Luffy was starting to rethink his idea.

"I don't want anyone to go if it means there's a chance that they could get captured!" The captain said.

"But… if we don't get all the things we need… then we won't be able to make it to the next island… It's almost a week away…" Nami said with nervous look to Usopp. The sniper and navigator looked at each other for a moment until Usopp sighed.

"Well… can't argue with that logic now can I?" The sniper stepped forward and swallowed hard. "Everybody make a list of what you need. I'm going to go into that town."


Usopp started preparing for his journey into the town as he made sure every bit of ammo he had was stuffed into his kabuto. He looked around his workshop thoughtfully, thinking everything through. Maybe this'll get my mind off of dad anyway. And as much as I don't want to admit it… I'm the only one who can do this. It's not as exciting as it was with Perona or anything… But this is important. I can't mess up or I'm dead. He then thought about what Okaku had said to him after the decision had been made. "When you return you have to be absolutely sure that you are not being followed or seen. The marines must not know the location of the guild." Usopp came up with the plan to use smoke stars but when he reached into his bag he almost shrieked. OH YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!! I'M OUT OF SMOKE STARS!!!

Just then there was a knock at the door that made Usopp jump. "C-come in." The door creaked open and quickly closed behind the visitor… "Nami! What's up?" Nami's fists were tight and shaking as she stepped forward.

"Don't go." She said quietly. "Please don't go out there. It's not that I don't believe that you can do something like this… but I can't see you get captured! None of us can! We'll find another way!" Nami pleaded.

"But you said it yourself! The next island is a week away! If I don't go then we won't have enough to get there. And you know Luffy. He'll probably eat the ship at this rate-!" Usopp turned and was surprised when Nami caught him in a hug. He could feel her heart beat against his chest and her arms were trembling.

"I just… I just don't want you to go… baka." Usopp was frozen for a minute as he tried to contemplate what he was supposed to do in such a situation. He then softly put his arms around her and smiled.

"I'll be okay. I promise I won't get in too much trouble."

"You swear to me that you won't get hurt…" There was a silence.

"I swear."

"Usopp!" Sanji called from up on deck. Usopp jumped away from Nami's hug, prepared for the cook to suddenly break into the room and kill him where he stood. "Okaku says you need to head out before the marines step up their enforcement around the perimeter! You'd better hurry!" Usopp felt his knees shaking again and Nami smiled.

"You'll be fine captain Usopp." She assured the sniper as he put his bag and kabuto on his back.

"I don't know. I think I caught I-don't-want-to-be-killed-by-marines-on-this-island-while-going-to-get-supplies disease." Nami chuckled and pulled on Usopp's wrist as the two walked from the workshop.

"It's too late now. And you had better keep your promise." Nami said.

"Okay…" I'll try…


YAWN!! Oh this is boring. A man tapped his foot against the wood of the small ship he was on. He sat up and looked around at the unending blue ocean. "How long can this take? Damn the captain and those bunch of free loaders for drinking EVERYTHING." He fingered his rifle and noticed two names he had carved on the wooden handle of the gun were starting to fade. He took out a knife and started to etch the letters back into the wood. The day dragged on at the same pace until he looked back out at the horizon and saw his destination coming into view. Storm clouds were also starting to gather just beyond the island and its tall peaks. Seagulls cawed over head as they drifted along with the ship and the spray of the ocean hit his face. "Okay. I'll go in, get out… Maybe I'll get a drink at the bar or something. I deserve SOMETHING for being the dang errand boy of this whole occasion." He could feel a few rain drops fall from the darkening sky as he pulled his hood over his head and put his long musket on his back. "Haven't been here in a while. I hope that whole war thing is just a rumor."


We'll be together, someday… I heard somedaymight be today…


Oh my goodness I haven't updated this in forever. Excuse my slacking. XD I've had ACT's, projects, prom, art shows, comics, and too many other things occupying my time to count. So, what'd you think of the chapter? The entire nightmare scene was really fun and Luffy freaking out because there wasn't any food was fun to write too. And aw, the part with Nami and Usopp turned out cuter than I intended it to. I love that pairing for some reason. (can you tell? XD) And now Usopp has to take his life in his own hands. 0-o Oh boy.

Hope you like the chapter! I'll try to get the next one out in a more decent amount of time. :)

PLEASE REVIEW!!!

(If you want to)