"So, you can talk to fish."

"Yep"

"And you can ask them things."

"Huhuh."

"And if you meet, let's say, a sea King and ask for directions, it would propose you to carry you on its back to where you wanna go."

"She did !" The infuriating boy grinned. Zoro stared, and stared.

What was even more so infuriating was that he was right. Indeed a sea King tried to attack them a few hours ago and while Zoro being the normal human being quickly grabbed for his swords, his companion joyfully waved at the 10-meter monster

Hi, I think we're lost. Care to tell us where's the next island ?

Zoro stared incredulously at the boy wondering if the tiny part of rational brain he probably had finally snapped, but then the giant sea monster nodded and showed them its back.

You can carry us ? Awesome !

And without any more warning, the sea snake roughly pushed the small boat unto his back and swiftly led them through the sea at an impressive speed.

"...Right." Zoro now managed to say because he really didn't care at this point. Crazy insane things wouldn't reach him anymore, he refused.

All he wanted was a fight. He would beat the brat. And if he didn't, he would fight him again until he did.
As simple as that.

So no, he wasn't going to ask how and why each time Luffy did the impossible.
He wasn't going to ask how he got this strong, or how he could stretch his arm. Neither he would ask why the marines looked for him but didn't have a bounty poster and he definitely wasn't going to ask how he could talk to fish.

but somehow he didn't need to.

"Mmh every one has a little secret. I ate the gomu gomu no fruit so I'm a rubber man. Marines wanna me 'cause...well, it's a secret again. They don't have a photograph of because I'm too awesome ! And I master conqueror haki so I can literally command animals." Luffy happily stated. The swordman stared long minutes.

No, Zoro swore, he was not going to ask how.

But that didn't reduce the want to throttle the straw hat boy any less.

Usopp is a man of reason. If something dangerous came close, hiding was the best choice. No because he was a coward, but because he is a sensible man who takes sensible actions.

If the stronger can hurt you, don't make them notice you. If they notice you, lie to them. That is his motto. Or at least is was.

That is why when a enormous sea monster dove toward his island Usopp didn't have any shame running from the beach to the forest nor hiding behind a bush. It was common sense.
Normal and rational common sense.

But then the monster disappeared, letting a small boat floating to the beach. Usopp still hid behind the bush.
He could make out some voices.

"...didn't know you could lie." A deep voice

"Eh ? I can't lie, why would you say that?" A familiar voice, Usopp frowned.

"You told the civilians you weren't a pirate." A wry deep voice.

Damn they are pirates Usopp gulped.

"Nah, I told them I was a wanderer. And that you were lost." A terribly amused familiar voice Usopp thought.

"Why you..! -Nevermind. Why did we go there if there was nothing you wanted ?"

"I had to see if a clown could remember an advice... Or if a pretty red head would make me a sandwich."

"There were no clown nor red head." The deep voice deadpanned.

"Mmmh maybe. Like maybe there is no one hiding behind the bush twenty feet in front of us."

...! That's my bush !

Ok, he had two possible steps now : run or stand. The best choice would be to run obviously-

No no no, he couldn't run. He wasn't a coward. After everything what happened to Kaya, to him, he couldn't let her down. She was so brave and he couldn't still lose to the the pirate from two years ago. He would show him-

So he stood ready to shoot whatever he could to the Pirate faces when-

-when he saw a striking straw hat on said grinning face.

"IT'S YOU !" He yelled with a shark face

It's a moonless night. No noise could be heard outside or inside. Perfectly calm moment.
And yet Kaya can't find her sleep, she stirs in her bed awake. Something bothers her.
But then there's a reason.

She opens her eyes and dark brown meets endless black.

"Hey." She greets him smiling.

"Hey" He replies with his characteristic grin.

They share a peaceful silence, none bother to break it. She knows why he's here and she can't stop it. Doesn't mean she isn't sad.

"You could wait until dawn" she says "keeping me company."

"Nah, I already spent too long here. I gotta go."

She hums. She will miss him so much. He who stole her butler, making her cry. Then he who cured her, made her laugh. Who kept her company for weeks while driving merry and her friend mad.
The self proclaimed pirate who told her stories of flying to drowned islands, the one who put an arm around her waist and made her fly.
The one who took her hand while they ran through the fields closely pursued by their friend as she laughed helplessly, the sun setting down.

The one who have such sad eyes, the same as her when she lost her parents, her world.
But said eyes always looking forward, giving her hope.
She will miss him so much.

But she won't restrain him. He's so free, so wild, so she won't take this happiness away.

"Usopp will be sad. You became his great friend, he even sees you as a rival." She slightly smiles.

"I know, he just challenged me on the way." He wryly answers and she giggles. Sounds like Usopp.

"He's not hurt too badly?"

"Nah, he'll be fine. He cried promising to get stronger, to become a great warrior of the seas. That we'll meet again." A small spark of amusement lightens inside her.

"He doesn't know you'll be back" she states her lips twitching upward.

"...How did you know ?" That I will come back ?

"You would worry to much letting him wandering on his own. I know you'll protect him. So when ?" She inquiries because she'll need to ground Usopp down.

"...around two years I guess." Something in her eases a little. Two years are long but manageable. She could work with that, especially with her new goal.

"I want to become a doctor." She reveals her chin high. "So one day I'll be able to patch you up, and we'll go on adventures."

He seems surprised, then gives her an impossible wide grin.

"I count on you then." He laughs (a Shishishi one) and she laughs alongside. She knows she won't be ready in two years, sometime she will. That is her objective.

Then the laugh fade away and two blank face face each other. Neither wants to say goodbye. So she smiles and-

"Let's meet again." She softly vows.

His face is still devoid of emotions but she feels something twist in him. She doesn't question it, she knows better.

"Yeah, let's meet again."

And with that the boy with the straw hat is gone.