"DAMN THAT STUPID GORILLA!!!!" Nami and Kanji both looked around at the voice and smiled.

"Sounds like he's up!" Kanji chuckled as Nami sighed with relief.

"That baka's always making me worry." Nami said as she shook her head and the two went up to the infirmary. As they climbed the steps Usopp suddenly stormed out with Chopper following right on his heels.

"Wait Usopp!!! You shouldn't move!!!" The doctor said frantically, looking at the sniper's arm in a sling.

"But Chopper! There's no way I'm going to just let that bastard win because of a bum arm!!! I'm going to get ready for the finals against that stupid ape!!" Suddenly Chopper turned into his heavy form and grabbed Usopp by his shirt. The sniper stopped as the doctor held him back.

"As the doctor I say you're not going!" Usopp stopped as his shoulders fell.

"But Chopper…" The long nosed sniper whinned.

"I'm sorry Usopp! But you can't fight him!"

"Why not Chopper?" Nami asked as Chopper changed back to his normal form and looked back at Nami and Kanji.

"See, there's a problem with the nervous system in Usopp's arm." The sniper looked down at his boots as he brushed the ground with the toe of the shoe. Luffy raced over from the figurehead happily and almost tackled the sniper but Zoro stopped him in mid-leap and told him to be careful. The captain nodded and then walked over to Usopp as Chopper continued. "Four of the spikes went through major nerves connecting to his hand and through the rest of his arm. The loss of blood has also made the function of his arm fall to a minimum." By this time the entire crew was listening to the doctor carefully as Usopp sat down against the wall behind him, staring at his arm.

"So what's that mean little-bro?" Franky asked as he pushed his sunglasses up from his eyes.

"It means that if Usopp even moves the arm the wrong way… his arm could become paralyzed." The crew was shocked at the news. "And until those nerves heal it isn't safe to do anything with it." Usopp shook his head with frustration.

"I can't give up just like that!!" He said as he looked nervously at the large white cast wrapped around his shattered limb.

"What are you talking about baka?!" Sanji barked. "Would you rather lose a little tournament or never be able to move your arm again Long Nose?!"

"He does have a point Usopp-san." Brook said as Usopp clenched his fist.

"I know… but I don't want to just give in!! Especially not to Shoujuu!!"

"Baka!" Nami said as she walked closer to Usopp and looked him in the eye. She bent forward until their noses were about to touch and starred at Usopp's nervous eyes as the sniper leaned back. "A little contest isn't worth losing your arm!!" Usopp gritted his teeth when the pain came back but didn't let it be too obvious.

"B-But Nami… I can't let IT happen again!!" Nami froze, as she knew what he was talking about.

Water 7… He still can't forgive himself for that… "Th-that's not the point!! The money doesn't matter!!" The navigator said as the moment when she found Usopp after being mugged ran over in her head.

"Even so…" Usopp stood with a little wobble that he tried to push back from his mind. "I'm tired of everyone thinking I'm some long nosed poser!! If I'm a real sniper I've gotta go through to the end!!!" Kanji smiled and shook his head with disbelief. "You all know we don't stand a chance without money when we have our carnivorous nakama here!" Usopp pointed down at Luffy who was clapping his feet together. The crew all looked at him nervously as the captains' stomach roared ferociously and his nakama flinched.

Well… he's right about that…

"Come on guys!!" Usopp said reassuringly. "I'm the one who got hit in the head with a four ton bat!!" Kanji looked over at the sniper with surprise and looked at Nami who nodded to confirm Usopp's story. "I'm captain Usopp!!! I'm not going to let that gorilla beat me!!! And that's my decision!" Usopp's grin spread across his face with amusement at the looks his nakama were now giving him. None of them could believe what he was saying, and kept going over the fact that he could LOSE HIS ARM… but no matter what they said the sniper would not give up. Nami rubbed the temples of her forehead with a sigh.

He's always scared or freaking out but now he's too brave- or just too stupid- to just forfeit!!! "Hah…" Nami sighed after a few moments. "If you're going to do this then don't forget Chopper TOLD YOU SO when your arm stops moving."

"So I can do it?!" Usopp asked with excitement. Nami nodded in defeat as the sniper cheered and danced around with his captain. Zoro shook his head and decided it was time to take a nap.

"You can do it Usopp!!" Luffy cheered. "Do it for the meshi!!!!" Usopp laughed.

"Is that all you ever think about?" Usopp was surprised when his captain actually thought about it.

"Hmmmmmmmmmmm… No. I think about you guys too!!" Luffy said proudly as Usopp laughed and ruffled his captain's straw hat with his left hand before looking down thoughtfully at his arm.

"Yosh!! I need to go and practice!" Usopp carefully removed his arm from the sling and Chopper jumped. He circled the sniper nervously.

"Please be careful!! Don't do anything crazy!! You have to protect it!! AH! Don't move it like that!!! Usoooooopp!!!" The sniper patted the doctor's pinkish red hat before quickly departing and jumping off of the ship and onto the ground.

"See you guys in the winners circle!!!" He rushed off into the trees to avoid being caught when he could barely keep himself from screaming and his arm throbbed unbearably. "SHIT!!! That hurts!!!… I'm going to beat Shoujuu!! Keep that in mind Usopp!! Eyes on the--!!! OWWWWW!!!!"

Back on the ship Chopper was pacing nervously. "What if he hurts it MORE?! One wrong move and… AH!! Why is he so persistent?!" Chopper ran over and hugged Robin's leg tightly as the archeologist patted his hat kindly. Sanji came back out from the kitchen and leaned on the rail.

"Can't stop him now." The cook said as he took a drag from his cigarette.

"HOW CAN YOU BE SO CALM?!" Chopper cried frantically.

"Don't worry Chopper-san! I'm sure Usopp-san will be fine. YOHOHO!!"

"HOW DO YOU KNOW?!"

"Will you stop crying?" Zoro growled. "The stupid love cook is right for once."

"What was that Marimo?!"

"I'm sure he will be fine Doctor-san." Robin chuckled.

"Long nose bro can handle it little-bro." Franky laughed. As the reindeer gripped tighter to Robin's leg.

"Usopp can do it!" Luffy cheered. "For the meshi!!!"

"B-BUT--!!"

"Dinner's ready. So just come and get the last of our food." Sanji said as he walked back into the Galley with Luffy following just behind. Nami rubbed her arm after the others had all wandered into the Galley and looked over at Kanji.

"What if he does do something wrong?!" Nami said as she bit her lip.

"Want me to go after him? I'll make sure he'll be all right." Nami looked up at him with surprise.

"You will? Arigatou Kanji!"

"We snipers have to look out for each other right? Besides, that Shoujuu idiot might show up. And if he does I'll shoot the heck out of him."

"NAMI-SWAAAAAAAN!!!!!" Sanji raced out from the Galley with two plates in his hands and then looked over at Kanji with a twinge of jealousy. "Here." He handed Kanji the plates that had a good amount of food spread out nicely on each. "One's for you, the other's for the Long Nose… What're you waiting for? Ah, Nami-swan! Please come with me!! I have the prefect plate for you and Luffy can't get it because I kicked him into the freezer for trying to eat it."

"All right Sanji-kun. Arigatou Kanji. Meet us up in the stands later!" The two pirates started to walk away when Sanji looked back over his shoulder with a threatening expression. It left Kanji standing frozen, alone, on the deck for a minute before departing from the ship with one last look at the Thousand Sunny.

I miss those days…

1 hour and ten minutes until the Finals.

"OWWWW!" The rifle fell from Usopp's hand as he held his arm tenderly. He was winded from the sheer throbbing sensation that filled his limb and made him a tad dizzy. But he didn't stop. He grabbed the gun carefully from the grass and situated the gun back in his palm, covered in the thick cast. His fingers were still somewhat numb, but he was able to manipulate them when grasping the gun. He took a moment to collect himself again and looked at a small target in the distance that he had made from a log of wood and a bail of hay. He focused intently for a few seconds before he knew the shot was on target and put pressure on the trigger but jumped when the pain exploded through his arm like he had just been shot.

He screamed painfully as the bullet fired up into the air and he fell back on the ground. "GAAAAH!!!!" He laid back on the grass and looked up in the air at the blue sky that was turning orange and yellow from the west. "SHIT! What the heck am I gonna do?!"

"He told you to be careful." Usopp yelped at the voice as he spun around and saw Kanji smiling and holding two plates.

"K-Kanji!" The bullet Usopp had accidentally shot into the air fell back from the sky and smacked the long nosed sniper on the head with a metallic clank. Can anything else go wrong today?!

"Sorry. Didn't mean to surprise you! Just wanted to remind you about what your nakama told you." Kanji smiled and walked over to Usopp and sat down on the ground, handing him the plate.

"Here! You need to eat something." Usopp resituated his arm back into the sling and took the plate from Kanji with a grin.

"Arigatou Kanji!"

"I noticed there aren't any mushrooms on your plate. Did he forget to give you some or something?" Usopp chuckled.

"No way. I hate those things." The two ate for a few minutes before Usopp sighed and laid back onto the ground. "… I can't shoot." Kanji looked over at the long nose with concern. "I've been doing this for almost an hour. Now I can't even keep my aim straight! I thought I was finally going to be able to do something useful for the crew!!"

"…What are you talking about?"

"Hey, I don't say this to ANYONE… but I know I'm not the strongest one on the crew. I know, I know, the brave captain Usopp weak? It's crazy! But true… Nami and I are the only ones without some crazy power and it seems like the only thing I'm really good for is sniping and making weaponry. So what the heck am I supposed to do without sniping?! I can't take losing to that stupid ape!!"

"You're not weak if you ask me. You're in the Straw-Hat's crew right? And besides, it takes more strength to fight when you don't have an ability." Usopp looked up at the clouds for a second and thought about it.

"I… guess that makes sense… But I still can't lose… Not when I have a title I want to live up to."

"Your dad right?"

"Huh? How'd you know about that?"

"Nami. She said that you've been looking for him ever since you joined the crew. He's one hell of a sniper. No doubt about that. And by what I can see, if you keep fighting like you are, there's no doubt you'll meet up with your old man and give him something to be proud of." Usopp smiled excitedly at the thought of finally meeting Yasopp. "You sure you still want to compete? We don't want-!"

"I'm sure." Usopp said, full of determination. No matter what… I'm going to WIN!!

"… So, you ready to go and slam Shoujuu into the ground?" Kanji chuckled as he stood from the earth and straightened the long rifle strapped onto his back.

"HELL YEAH!!!" Kanji helped Usopp up when they noticed a strange sound filling the air in the distance. "… What's that?" Usopp asked looking back down towards the town.

"…Cheering?"

"… It's coming from the… field…"

"…Yeah…

"THIS IS IT!!! THE MOMENT WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!!!! THE FINAL ROUND IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The crowd cheered wildly as Kanji and Usopp looked at each other with shock.

"SHIT~~~~~~~~~!!!!!!!!!!! THE FINALS ARE STARTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Usopp quickly grabbed his gun from the ground and tightened the sling's strap before the two snipers raced into the trees. The foliage whizzed by as the long nosed sniper followed Kanji over every rock and bush towards the town.

"Can't be late! Can't be late!! Can't be late!!!" Usopp huffed as he held onto his stinging arm.

"How about we have that rematch now? I'll give you a head start!" Kanji panted as Usopp looked at him like he was insane.

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"OH! TO BAD!! Your head start time is up! RACE YOU!!!!!" Kanji sprinted ahead leaving Usopp in a dumbfounded state until he noticed that the dragon-tattooed sniper was challenging him to get there first… and winning!!

"W-WAIT A MINUTE!!!! THAT'S NOT FAIR!!!!!" Usopp laughed as he picked up the pace and came up behind Kanji with all of the strength he had. "YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DEFEAT ME DRAGON TATTOO!!!" Usopp barked with a Shoujuu impression.

"YOU'LL NEVER DEFEAT ME LONG NOSE!!!!!!!" Kanji yelled in his impersonation of the 'Golden Bullet'… This continued all the way to the town.

^-^ I had a lot of fun writing that final part!

You know, I had to touch on two huge things about Usopp's character… I think on major thing that is driving him to do his best is his quest to find his father Yasopp!! It just seems like that topic never comes up!! Also, people are always saying Usopp is the weakest in the crew… Oda-sama even admitted it… but I think he's really strong!! He might not be physically, but to keep up with his nakama and be able to fight the battles he does, takes a lot of strength.

…. Okay I'll stop my rant!

Next Time…

Kanji: "The Finals… the biggest event for us snipers… There's that stupid Shoujuu!!! I oughta--!!"

?: "Excuse me. This is the contest right?"

Kanji: "Huh? Yeah this is it. Who're you?"

?: "Just a traveler. Thanks kid!"

(Guy walks off)

Kanji: "… Um… Ok? GO USOPP!!!!!"

THE FINAL SHOWDOWN BEGINS!!!!

Usopp: CAN'T BE LATE~~~~~~!!!!!!!!!!!