Granted, Usopp probably got this so-called "Daddy the Father" pissed off, I felt bad. He was shaking in his boots in fear, a gun in his grasp. From the look on his face, he was probably wondering what the hell he was doing up there.

I couldn't blame him.

"What the hell are you doing!?" Argh! I swear, Nami wants me to go deaf by the time we make it to the Grand Line!

Usopp turned towards us. "Nami! Amie-chan!" He whimpered.

I grinned. "Hi, Usopp!" I said in a sing-song voice.

"Challenging Daddy the Father!" Nami snapped. "Are you stupid or what!?"

"Shut up!" Usopp snapped nervously. "It just turned out like this somehow! So shut up and watch!"

"Okay! Whatever you say!" I said happily.

"How can you be so cheerful!?" Nami snapped. "He's going to be killed!"

I grinned. "I have faith, Nami..." I said simply, looking towards her. "Faith that he'll either win..."

I then turned to them. "... Or run away."

Nami merely sighed, slouching over. "You make no sense...!"

"1!" Oo! It's starting!

Usopp looked like he was going to pass out as he took that first step. Poor guy must've been terrified. But I kinda figured that he was either going to do it, or he was going to use a smoke bomb of some kind and run away.

And as I predicted, he then turned, throwing a smoke bomb to the ground, and he started running. "THANKS AND GOODBYE!!"

Ah... predictable...

I gasped, though, as Daddy pulled turned and fired his gun, and Usopp froze, the gun flying right out of his hand.

When the smoke cleared completely, Usopp's body seemed to slacken and he fell to his hands and knees.

"Awesome, papa! You're so great!" The little girl said happily, rushing over to Daddy.

I frowned as I heard the crowd dissipate, leaving only Nami and myself. I felt bad for Usopp, then. He must've felt so embarrassed...

"I only shot the gun away..." I heard Daddy say.

The little girl then frowned, putting her little hands on her hips. "What's with you running away!? Coward! Weak bug! You couldn't even fight from the very beginning!"

I couldn't help but feel my brow twitch. Geez, what a rude little kid!

Usopp then turned sharply, crawling over. "I-I'm sorry! Please forgive me!" He said quickly. "In reality, that's the kind of man I am... Even if you take my life away, you'd gain nothing from it! O-Okay? Okay?"

Watching Usopp beg in front of that bratty kid made me frown even more.

I jumped as I saw Usopp jump back, and I gasped as I saw Daddy raise his gun.

"Wait!" I called, rushing over with Nami as we stood in-between them.

"Nami! Amie-chan!" Usopp then grinned warily. "Ah, yeah! If it's about money, she'll give you as much as you want! Please don't shoot, spare my life please!"

I sighed as Nami straightened herself, hands at her hips. "Why you..." I heard her grumble.

"Unfortunately, I have nothing to offer..." I muttered.

"Hiding behind women, eh?" Daddy said, and I swallowed. He looked just a tad intimidating up close.

"Er... Anyway..." I started, but yelped as Usopp pushed Nami and I out of the way. "Eh?"

"No, you're mistaken. Forget about what I said." Usopp said firmly. "They've got nothing to do with this. If you're going to shoot me, don't get them involved."

"Usopp..." I heard Nami mutter. For me, I merely gave him a wary look. I had no problems getting in the way. Besides, the worse that gun would do to me was give me a welt. And it would sting.

A lot.

"Please, I beg you..." Usopp said, shutting his eyes.

Daddy's eyes widened slightly. "Usopp? Kid, your name's Usopp?"

Usopp opened his eyes and raised his head, curious. "Y-Yeah."

"Do you know a man called Yasopp, of the Red-Haired Pirates?" Daddy asked him.

I blinked Yasopp? Usopp... Yasopp... wait...!

"Yasopp? That's my father's name..." Ah. Thought so. Usopp then blinked, as if surprised. "Have you met him?"

"I see... his son..." Daddy muttered.

I felt my eyes narrow. Something was going through this guy's head...

"Not a single word..." Daddy finally said. "I have never said a single word about that day to anyone... but for you, it'll be different..."

Oh boy... story time...

No offense, but some of these stories can get pretty boring...

Don't get me wrong, I listened. The whole Yasopp duel and how he spared him for his daughter, and how he didn't want him to end up like Yasopp instead, and that he did love Usopp. In a way, it was touching.

"A Marine elite that turns into a bounty hunter..." Nami said afterwards. "That's why..."

I grinned, ignoring the little girl. "Ah, but ain't this great, Usopp?" I said. "Your father sounds like an amazing guy! I mean, look! He beat Daddy! That, and it sounds like he cares about you very much!"

Nami grinned. "Yeah! And there's even a chance that we'll run into him on our adventures!"

We both stopped when Usopp raised his arm. I turned, and gasped as I saw tears in his eyes.

"Usopp..." I said softly.

"I understand how you feel..." Nami said.

"No! That's not why! It's not why I'm crying!" Usopp whimpered. He then looked back at Daddy again. "Is this normal? Telling the story of how you almost died?"

He lowered his head. "Telling such a story to a coward like me?" He said. He then stepped forward a bit. "You told me that to encourage me! A story that normal people would hide! Even though I'm so cowardly, you told it to me..."

He stepped back then, looking down. He then looked back up. "How my father leads his life..." He said. "Isn't that right?"

He then glared. "I can't stand being so weak and cowardly!" He snapped. He then looked at the little girl. "Carol, your father is a great warrior. A strong person can be found anywhere! But I've never seen a man as strong and kind as your papa!"

The little girl smiled slightly.

Usopp swallowed. "I... I can't lose like this...!" He then wiped his tears away. "If I don't gather up my courage, it'll be embarrassing for your papa."

His face turned firm. "Daddy, give me another chance for a duel, to put my life on the line! I won't try to back out this time!"

I felt my eyes widen. "Usopp..." He's getting a bit better at this courage thing...

After a pause, Daddy nodded. "All right. This time it'll be a true match." He said. "Choose the weapon you're most comfortable with."

Usopp nodded, opening his bag and pulling out his slingshot.

"Good." Daddy said. "With that... show me you can hit that weather vane."

And with that said, Daddy raised his gun, and I swallowed hard.

"If you miss..." Daddy said.

Usopp swallowed as well. "Yeah, you'll blow my head off. That's fine."

"Usopp!" Nami said in shock.

Usopp merely turned and stared down the weather vane. "This is a duel, where a man risks his life!"

I grinned as Usopp adjust his goggles. "You can do it, Usopp! I have faith in you!"

Usopp looked at me, then grinned, nodding, even though I heard him swallow hard.

When he finally pulled it back, I tensed, balling my hands into fists.

He can do this. He can do this no prob. No matter what that bratty kid says!

And then he released, and I couldn't help the gasp that escaped my mouth. Daddy stood there, shocked.

"Papa! Please! Don't shoot him!"

"How can I?" Daddy said, lowering his gun. "Usopp hit his target."

I beamed as Nami extended her telescope. She gasped in shock.

"He's right! He hit the jeweled crown!"

"Eeya! Usopp! I knew it!" I said, kneeling down next to him and hugging him. I let go after a short time, hand still on his shoulders. He merely laughed it off shakily.

"Superb skill, as expected from Yasopp's son." Daddy said. We all looked at him. "If you don't forget that courage, I'm sure that one day, you'll be come like your father. Go to the Grand Line. Yasopp will definitely be there."

"Daddy..." Usopp trailed off.

Carol then ran over to him, a strange set of goggles in her hand.

"Pretty good, ossan!" She said, handing them to him.

"This-!" Usopp started.

"It's fine!" Carol said, rushing after her father. "Farewell!"

I looked at the goggles. "Ooo! Those look so cool, Usopp!"

Usopp merely grinned, nodding.

Both Usopp and I stood as Nami spoke.

"Even after falling from grace..." She said. "He fights to protect his loved ones, eh?"

"I too will be a courageous man like Daddy!" Usopp said. "I will become a real warrior one day, and come face to face with my father!"

"Yosh!" I said happily. "That's the spirit, Usopp! Now, let's get going! We should be trying to find the others!"

"Ah, good!" Nami said. "Carrying all those clothes is tiring!"

"You didn't have to buy so many!" I said as we started to head over to our stuff. "And if ya want, I can carry our big bags, and you can carry our small ones."

Nami squealed. "Thank you, Amie-chan!" She said, running over to our stuff.

"You probably shouldn't have offered to do that..." Usopp muttered.

I sighed sadly. "I know, but what can I say..." I said, smiling. "I'm too nice for my own good sometimes..."

It was true. I've always been known to be too frickin' nice. It was how I was raised, I guess. Oh well.

"Eh? Ah! Amie-chan! I didn't notice you changed your clothes!" Usopp said grinning. "You look so cool!"

"Myaa! Thank yoooouuu!"