It was only a matter of time though, before what so often happened on the grand-line happened, eventually they were hit by a storm.

The crew were so used to it now though, that they all naturally fell into their spots doing a storm.

Franky would keep the helmet straight, Nami would navigate and tell what needed to be done, Robin would be tied to the railing keeping out a watchful eye, so she could use her powers to catch any-one whom might fall.

And the rest, the rest would usually be crawling around in the masts, securing the sails to Namis specific orders.

And one of those people were Usopp, whom even had become un-official team leader when-ever it was the masts that were concerned.

The others would turn to her for information about how precisely to tie up the sails or what knots to use.

No one had ever thought about it or questioned it, Usopp just had a flair for practical things like this.. it even seemed like Usopp herself had never even noticed that she was team-leader up there, otherwise she would surely have boosted about it.

But that was just typical Usopp, not realising when she was being honestly essential to the crew, then make up stories in the hopes of appearing more impressive than she were.

At the moment though, there was no time for such thoughts, and Usopp merely acted.

In dress, shoes and every-thing. "Sanji can you get the port side of this sail?" she asked.

"Hai!" Sanji nodded crawling to the assigned destination.

"Brook, take starboard!" Usopp instructed and the skeleton complied without any question.

When working under a storm, there was no thoughts, no current problems interfering, just acting to make sure the ship would take minimal damage, and make them keep going in the right direction.

"On three, pull together!" Usopp shouted standing up holding her own rope in the middle. Then shouted. "THREE!" and all three pulled as assigned.

"Phew." Usopp wiped her brow with her arm as she stood up straight on the mast in the rain, a thunderclap sounding behind her. The sails though, were secured for now. He dress was of cause ruined for good now, but Usopp felt good having done her bid on the ship for ones, glancing to her side she saw the rest of the crew in the mast being just fine, Luffy laughing above her as if a storm was nothing but a joy-ride, Zoro snorting, then Usopp glanced to her left and suddenly realise, Sanji was still there right beside her.

And he was starring, starring right at her, his soaked hair sticking to his face, his suit damp from the continuing rain.

And suddenly Usopp felt all of the blood raising to her face as she tried to pull down in her dress, her ruined dress that was now sticking even closer to her body due to the rain, then suddenly she slipped. "ARGH!" Usopp screamed, but was so busy holding down her dress she didn't even manage to grab a rope, which was easily childs play for her, the next moment she was falling down from the mast. "Heeelp!" Usopp shouted as she fell.

"USOPP!" Sanji yelled from above, and the next moment, the cook jumped down.

Before Usopp could even register what was going on, she felt herself being caught, and as she opened her tight squinted eyes again, she was looking up at Sanjis face, as Sanji stood on the deck holding Usopp in his arms.

In an instant, all the blood rushed to Usopp's face as she wide-eyed looked up at Sanji, her heart thumbing loudly, and she was in serious doubt whether the rushing in her inner ear come from the out-side wind or her blood rushing inside as she swallowed, feeling very very embarrassed.

Sanji as well looked wide-eyed down at Usopp.. for some time.. they just stood there, neither saying any-thing, both looking to be trapped in a state of shock.. that was until Sanjis face retrieved.

"What the hell was that about Usopp!?" Sanji exclaimed.

Usopp as well hissed. "Oh so I am not even allowed to trip now!?" she asked annoyed.

"You never trip from the mast!" Sanji hissed. "You are like a god damn monkey crawling around up there, so what the hell gives!?" he asked.

"These shoes are not as good as my boots, OKAY!?" Usopp asked annoyed.

"Then take them off!" Sanji exclaimed. "I don't even know why you wear that dress!?"

"So you don't want me to wear a dress?" Usopp asked. "What the hell is your deal!?" she asked.

"What is your deal Usopp?" Sanji returned. "You're walking around acting like a clown, and that's saying a lot when it's you!"

Usopp gaped at Sanji. "You're still on about this!? You still want me to just be a boy!?" she asked.

"You are not acting like you Usopp!" Sanji hissed. "You don't want to be a lady, you want to be a brave warrior of the sea! I don't know what the hell you are at, but you are never going to be Nami."

At that Usopp's eyes turned wet, and she started to struggle against Sanjis arms. "Put me down! Put me down!" she cried, struggling so much that Sanji nearly dropped her. Then at last managed to jump down. "Fine then! I didn't like this stupid dress any-way!" Usopp cried wiping her tears away with her arm. "It was all Namis stupid idea any-way! I'll just go be a boy then! IT FOR SURE IS MUCH EASIER" she shouted.

Sanji looked very very confused at the moment, fussing back and ford, looking like he was about to put his hands on Usopp's shoulders, but then changed his mind again, over and over in completely static movements, looking at a complete lost about what to do next.

Usopp was just wiping her eyes, then swallowed. "Any-thing else you want to say Sanji?" she asked quietly.

"Erhh…" Sanji swallowed in a dry throat.

"Fine." Usopp shrugged as she turned around and walked for the mens quarters. "Please don't disturb me the next five minutes, I'll be changing." She told, disappearing through the door.

Nami how-ever, glared at Sanji. "Nice Sanji, real nice. You certainly done it now."

"What did I do!?" Sanji asked confused.

"You're the only one on this entire ship whom minds that Usopp happens to be a woman!" Nami hissed. "Zoro don't mind, Luffy don't mind, Franky don't mind. So why do you!?" she asked.

"Well I…" Sanji swallowed, clearly looking very confused.

"Safe it." Nami hissed putting up a hand. "What-ever you have to say, it'll probably just sound stupid, I don't want to hear it." She told as she to walked for the mens quarters where Usopp would be.

As Nami entered the mens quarters, she wasn't to surprised to find the wet dress and shoes on the floor, and Usopp was sitting in her hammock in a pair of dry over-alls, drying her hair off with a towel.

"Usopp are you okay?" Nami asked carefully. "What a jerk him Sanji, that was stepping over the line."

Usopp exhaled. "No Nami, no it wasn't" she told, squeeshing her hair from water.

"What do you mean Usopp?" Nami asked.

"Well, he was right, it just said what he saw." Usopp told in a shrug. "Here's a thought Nami, I'm not like you, I am never going to be like you." She stated. "I never wanted to be a lady before, but I always wished to be a brave warrior of the sea." She exhaled. "Every-thing Sanji said. He was right."

Nami swallowed as she stood back against the door. "It's a bit early to give up isn't it?" she asked. "You've only been a woman for a few days."

"Nami please." Usopp tried.

"No, hear me out." Nami held up a hand. "I am sorry for the things I made you do, I made you act like a different person." She told. "When I first found out you were a girl, you told me you didn't care whether I call you 'he' or 'she' just as long as I wouldn't treat you any different. And the moment I get yo call you 'she' I do start to treat you different, I'm sorry." She offered.

"You only tried to help me." Usopp offered in a slight smile. "Nothing to forgive."

"But here's the thing." Nami stated as she looked up. "I don't see why you couldn't be a brave warrior of the sea and a lady, why must one thing exclude the other if you want both?" she asked.

"I don't know." Usopp exhaled.

"Didn't you like being pretty?" Nami asked.

"Well, it was different." Usopp admitted. "And well, maybe ones in a while.. on special occasions."

"Well there you go." Nami blinked. "And for what it's worth, I think you make a great woman after-all, even when you crawl around like a monkey in the mast doing a storm."

"Heh." Usopp laughed a little dryly as she looked up. "Thank you I guess."