I rather be training right now then stuck in a car with dart brow and Brook.
I looked out my window at the other houses, they all looked dull and monotonous. A few curtains were pulled closed as we passed. There was a still silence surrounding the car as it slicked done the street. It was erie how quiet it got when no one was talking.
Now that I thought about it I still hadn't seen a single person since we got here. As if this was a ghost town only consisting of me, Usopp, the idiot cook, and Brook. But technically it was still our first day, and even if no one greeted us with smiling welcomes it didn't mean they weren't here.
"Looks like not everyone here is as social as you Brook." I voiced without averting my eyes form the dreary sight.
"Yah, what's up with that?" Sanji threw in. "I want to meet some of the neighbors."
Love cook's code for "I want to meet some hot babes".
"Yohohoho, their all just a bit shy is all. . ." He shifted uncomfortably in the back seat making the leather groan.
Right.
It was only 2:30 and it was already starting to get dark. Fog was creeping its way into the streets and around houses, so the imposing building we pulled up to was just the icing on the cake to a bad horror film.
Sanji parked across the street from the "club" we listened to the car whir down as Brook got out.
The building looked like it was a gothic church ounce upon a time, now it was painted purple and black with the intention of looking like a creepy castle and failing miserably. In front there was a flashing red sign that read "Thriller Bark." And where there should have been a door there were two huge red lips in a wide toothy grin. This place was a freak show!
compared to the rest of the neighborhood, this place stood out like Luffy on a diet.
Sanji gaped at the tasteless castle for a minute before looking at me, snorting, and getting out of the car too.
I stayed put, there was no way I was going in some crap wannabe haunted mansion.
The idiot tapped on the glass to get my attention.
"Get out."
"No."
"Get out!"
"No!"
"If you don't get your ass out of the car and into that building, I will do it myself!" He said bending down so our eyes could meet.
"I'd like to see you try shit cook!" I glared back just as intensely.
"How would you like to see my try to shove my fo-"
"Guys?"
"What?" We both yelled at Brook.
"She's here."
"Who?"
I looked past them at the entrance, the cracked red lips were parting, the lower one sank down into a trap door making the building look sorta like a ventriloquist dummy. A girl walked out and was coming down the front steps. She was a mixture of pink, red, white, and black; she looked like she should be in a fucking circus.
Great the fun house came with its own freaking clown. She was pigeon toed, had bright red lipstick, and heavy black makeup around her big ass eyes.
She walked up to the car. "You must be the new guys. Sanji and Zoro right?" I wasn't surprised that she already knew our names.
"Yes we are, and may I have the pleasure of knowing what your lovely name might be?" Sanji swooned, getting over our glaring contest pretty fast.
Of course the perverted jerk would flirt with her, she may have looked weird, but she still had tits.
"Horo-horo-horo, it's Perona. I'll be showing you boys around." Oh great, the circus freak was our tour guide for the haunted mansion.
Brook 'Ahmmed' but she didn't even bat an eyelash in his direction. He started fiddling with his cane looking awkward.
I didn't feel sorry for him.
I got out of the car, there was no point in arguing any longer, she had already seen her prey.
She sized me up.
"Horo-horo-horo, you two will do nicely." She said more to herself then us.
She was pissing me off already.
"Come on, follow me." She turned on her heal, flipping her long pink hair behind her and striding back towards the club.
I reluctantly followed.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Okay calm down Usopp, its okay, this isn't a big deal, just walk in there say hi to everyone, then sit, relax, and enjoy the movies, it's as simple as that.
"Come on Usopp! We're watching the pirates!" Luffy always called Pirates of the Caribbean "the pirates".
I already knew we were going to watch all three movies, he's made us watch them a million and one times; we knew every part by heart. It was sorta like a New Years tradition that we've been doing ever since the first one came out.
Zoro would say he was William because he knew how to handle a sword, Nami would say she was Elizabeth because she was meant to play the beautiful female lead, Sanji would get mad at this of course because that meant Zoro and Nami would end up together in the end, and Luffy always said he was Jack Sparrow because he was the captain and he was cool. Sanji would get mad at that too and ask who he was then, and we would say "The guy with the fake eye because we don't know if you got a real eye since your covering it up all the time!" And we would all laugh every time his part came on.
I couldn't help but smile thinking back to that. But Sanji and Zoro said last year was their last time doing it because they were too old now and had other things they had to do. I wonder if Nami would say that this year.
Luffy ran back into the living room and I followed. I scanned the room, the cream colored sectional was in the corner, the flat screen across from it ready and waiting to be watched, the movies stacked on the coffee table in the center of the room, and my three friends, but no Kaya.
A wave of disappointment, that I wasn't expecting, immediately hit me. I thought I would be more relieved then anything, but I guess I would rather be anxious and nervous around her then relaxed and comfortable thinking about her the whole time. It's funny how I've known her for so long but even now every time I see her it's like Romeo and Juliet's first meeting at the great ball.
"I thought you said everyone was here except Chopper." I asked Luffy.
Did she change plans at the last minute?
Luffy jumped on the couch and got a sock from Nami who spilled her drink on her shirt.
"Owwwww sorrrrry!" He rubbed his bruised eye.
"Yah everyone's here, Kaya's in the kitchen." Vivi answered instead, while putting her glass down and handing Nami a napkin.
that scared excited feeling rushed back.
Just then Kaya came around the corner carrying a bowl of chips. She looked as beautiful as always. She was just wearing a simple long orange skirt and plain white blouse, but she looked stunning. I immediately felt stupid for wearing my overalls, I probably looked like a little kid.
"Hi Usopp." She said with her so sweet smile, and I swear my heart stopped for a minute.
"Oh, ah, hi Kaya." I smiled back but was casual about it. I didn't know what to do with my hands so I stuck them in my pockets. I walked over to couch threw my bag down and sat next to Luffy. Kaya set the bowl on the coffee table and sat beside Vivi.
"Usopp, why don't you sit next to Kaya?"
"Hehe, what, you don't want to sit next to me anymore Luffy?" I smiled trying to play it cool.
"Yah, but don't you like her?"
At that moment I wanted to make Luffy's left eye match his right! Obviously he didn't know what being discrete was.
Everyone looked at me. At that moment I wished I was back home, or I guess now back at the empty house, hell even at school just anywhere but here.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I don't know what I was expecting, but it sure wasn't this. It actually looked . . . good.
There was a huge LED dance floor that looked to be about 50 x 50. It was nine steps lower then the rest of the floor so it was sectioned off from the booths and tables that lined the animal print walls. There was a bar on one side of the room and a big stage in back.
It did not look this big from outside.
"Like what you see?" I looked down at pinky. She was smiling like she knew exactly what I was thinking.
Sanji actually voiced it. "This place sure looks a lot different on the inside...it's actually cool."
"We take great pride in this place, it's one of the best in the country, only a select few know about it- very private, that's why we need some good bodyguards around to protect the VIP guests." She walked down the steps and across the dance floor. Sanji and I followed while Brook trailed behind.
There was a huge scaffolding overhead with fluorescence and spot lights attached to it, and a huge trap door in the center carved into the ceiling, but I couldn't tell what for.
No music was on, no flashing lights, no party goers, and the curtains to the stage were still closed off. There were a couple people walking around, most likely employees getting ready for the reopening for the new year.
Well at least there was a bar, maybe I could get some free booze for working here. I glanced over at the bartender. He was a blond man chewing a cigar wiping down the counter and scowling at us like we were the reason he had this fucking job.
One women stopped and looked at us, I watched her out of the corner of my eye she started walking down the stairs in our direction. She seemed intent on getting to us. Perona started talking again.
"We have a very high recommendation, but you can't be blabbing-"
Ignoring her, I turned my focus back to the women, she was already down the stairs on our right and about fifteen feet away when a round man with boney arms grabbed her shoulder turned her around and whispered something in her ear, he made her walk with him back up the stairs and up on stage behind the curtain. I acted like I didn't see it but I would defiantly find out what was going on with that later.
Sanji must have seen the women too because he seemed a bit flustered but he wasn't saying anything. He lit another cigaret and started messing with the car keys in his pocket. He felt the tension too, but he kept on flirting with pinky to distract himself.
"So Zoro what do YOU think of this place?" She said wrapping her god damn arm around mine.
"It's fine."
"Just fine?"
"Yah, just fine." I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction.
She pouted and unwrapped her arm.
"Fine, come on." She walked ahead of us, Sanji gave me a look; I ignored him.
We finally got across the dance floor, went up the small flight, past a crimson curtain in back, and stopped at a very big heavy steel door.
She turned around and looked past us. "Bart stay out here, play with your piano or something I don't care just don't be seen. He's angry with you right now."
Bitch was worse then Nami.
Brook sighed and did as he was told walking around a corner and out of sight, the girl turned around, took a key out of her bra and opened the massive door. She pushed it open. It was pitch black I couldn't see a single thing from where we were but I could tell someone was sitting in there watching, waiting.
"Go on." She gestured for us to go in.
"Why don't you go first?" I challenged.
"Because I have stuff to do. Don't worry, it's not like he'll snap your heads off." She said smiling at us before walking away laughing her horrible laugh till she was out of sight.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I rolled my eyes as I observed the poor buffoons making fools of themselves in the name of love. Really, they were so stupid, it's no wonder I make so much money off of them.
"W-what Luffy?" Usopp said looking like the two idiots who acted like his dads just caught him jerking off.
Seriously Luffy is so STUPID! Sometimes I wonder how he even remembers to breath!
Poor Usopp, he must be so embarrassed. I'll help him out now and get the money later.
"Luffy, can you show me where the dip is in the kitchen?"
"It's in th-"
"Now!"
He got up and I excused myself. When we got in there I smacked him a good one. Maybe if I hit him hard enough I could knock some of the stupid out.
"Luffy why did you say that!"
"Owwwwwwwwwww whhhhhhat?"
"That Usopp likes Kaya!"
"Why not? Doesn't he?"
"Yes Luffy, that's why you don't say anything, he's going to be embarrassed he needs to tell her himself!"
"So why doesn't he just stop being embarrassed and do it already?"
"Because he's - ugggh never mind you still wont understand. Just don't say anything else okay?"
"Yah yah."
"Now go get the dip!"
Ace walked in then and picked up the car keys off the counter top.
"Ace, where are you going?" Luffy said as he pulled out a bag of beef jerky from the pantry, instead of getting the dip.
"I'm going out with some friends. I don't want to spend my birthday with you rug rats."
"Hey, we're more fun then you old farts." He now had three pieces of visible beef jerky sticking out of his mouth.
"Old farts, huh? I'm almost Ace's age." I said.
"Your old too Nami- you should go with him."
"You know your not exactly twelve Luffy-even though I can't tell most of the time!"
He turned back to Ace. "You're not even supposed to be going out your still grounded."
"Who cares what the old man says! I'm an adult-he can't ground me...and besides what horrible monster would keep his own grandson at home on his birthday?" With that Ace said a 'don't choke while I'm gone squirt' to Luffy and a good-bye to the rest of us.
I heard something interesting in what had just been said, so I turned back to the five year old.
"Luffy, what was that about Ace being grounded?" I said in the nicest voice I could muster while watching him stuff dried meat down his throat as fast as he could.
"Oooo ant eol anmyun (you can't tell anyone)." I was able to understand that from years of practice.
I nodded my head.
He swallowed what was left in the bag before continuing. "You know how he got kicked out of col-"
"Yah!"
Ooh this was going to be juicy.
"Well you know how he's a pyrocractor."
"You mean pyromaniac."
"Yah that, well he burned down his dorm room."
"Oh my gosh."
"Yah so they kicked him out and grandpa got really mad saying how it was a disgrace for such a well known officer in the police force to have such a screw up for a grandson."
"That's horrible."
"Yah so grandpa grounded him and said he was sending him to boot camp in a month. And if he messed up one more time he was going to find a way to put him jail, and they haven't talked since."
I noticed Luffy had jelly, meat bits, and cracker crumbs all over his face by now.
"How awful, poor Ace."
I stored the information for later use.
Luffy finally got the dip and we went back into the living room to find Usopp and Kaya actually sitting next to each other. Everyone seemed happy and Chopper had finally arrived, I smiled to myself and started the movie.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I was sorry we had to leave the lady so soon. Although she was a bit. . .peculiar, but when you thought about it the whole place was kinda offbeat.
When we walked into the room I could only see an outline of an odd looking person and a desk, but as soon as we were in, the heavy door slammed shut and the room became pitch black.
"Sorry about the lights. I'm more comfortable in the dark. Please, take a seat, make yourselves at home." The person said in a high squeaky voice.
What a shitty weirdo.
I fumbled around for a chair. Zoro walked up and pulled one out as if he practiced walking in dark rooms all the time. Damn bastard.
When I was finally seated they flicked a desk lamp on and pointed it towards us, like in those interrogation scenes in movies, I had to shield my eyes for a moment before I adjusted, still squinting a little. I still couldn't completely see what they looked like. All I could tell from the reflected light was that they had an abnormally long neck, a high collar, and they were round around the middle. No women could be that ugly so it had to be a man. I couldn't see his face, but I could feel him glaring down at us.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I immediately hated this guy- he was giving off so many bad vibes, not even Sanji could miss them. Did he really want me to have another job this bad?
"well aren't you two a handsome pair; that's good with customers." The weird guy said, scrutinizing us under the glaring light.
"So we've heard." I answered back glaring up at where his eyes should be.
"Feisty also...so when would you two like to start?" The odd man said in his squeaky high pitched voice, as he rested his nonexistent chin on his entwined claw-like hands.
"Oh no it's just him I already have a job." Sanji spoke up.
"Oh, is that so?" You didn't have to see his face to know he was sneering. I felt Sanji tense. "Sanji was it? May I ask what it is you do?"
"Im the sous chef at my foster fathers restaurant."
"Ohh...a chef...we don't have a good one of those...Are you sure you don't want to come work down here? It's closer to home and we could really use one, we could work out a nice little agreement." He said, rubbing his claw like fingers on the smooth wooden desk.
"We're just here for me." I shot, wanting him to leave Sanji out of this.
I could tell the cook was getting agitated and probably would have said something to me about staying out of people's conversations, but the creeper start speaking again.
"Fine Zoro." The man said turning his focus on me. "You want to be one of my bouncers?"
Fuck no.
"Yah."
I wasn't just doing this to please Sanji anymore I needed to know what Brook and this odd man were up to and why they were involving us. We could always try to find a new place to live, but who knows how long that would take? Besides I never run away. From anything.
"Good good, isn't there another one of you? Dose he also have a job?"
"He's still in school, so he won't be working here either." I spat. Sanji put a warning hand on my shoulder, I shrugged it off.
I don't know why I was going into battle instinct but this guy was just rubbing me in all the wrong ways.
"Well that's disappointing." His wide toothy grin came more into focus as he leaned in. "I have some business to attend to right now, come by tomorrow. My assistant, you've already met, Perona will explain everything to you-hours, pay, uniform etc."
"Is that it? You just say okay and I'm in? No background checks or references? You don't know anything about me."
I wasn't too sure about the last line though.
"Well, Brook finally has some roommates. He's been lonely for awhile now I just wanted to give you guys a nice gesture, sort of a welcome to the community and a good reason to stay. Besides you seem like you can be trusted. Is there any reason I should worry?" He said the last line an octave lower then his usual squeak leaning forward just enough so I could see his eyes shadowed over in darkness along with all his sharp teeth.
I suppressed a shudder and Sanji gave me a look that said I don't like this asshole any more then you, but oh well, suck it up don't be an ass.
"No. I'll come by tomorrow, thank you, bye."
Sanji got up and I followed, but the freak said something as our backs were turned.
"Sanji." We both stopped, I gazed at the shadows we were casting on the steel door and the smoke from Sanji's cigaret as it traveled up the wall back into the darkness. "I'd like you to reconsider my offer, I'll give you a week to think it over. And Zoro," My shadow shifted as I turned my head slightly, "...you should also think about fixing that mouth before something happens to it."
The fucker was threatening me!
I couldn't stand another moment in there. I opened the door and pushed Sanji out closely following as the room filled with his disgusting laughter.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Wow, he seriously is a freaking weirdo. I don't even have to have a week to think it over. I know right now I'd never take this job. A nameless strange man who sits in dark rooms is not someone I would want to work for. I don't even know if I want Zoro working for this guy, but Zoro's a big boy, he can handle himself. And even though that guy's a major douche, I rather Zoro work for one then get killed by one.
I looked at Zoro to see how he was taking this, but he avoided my gaze so I decided to wait till later to ask.
I wanted to get out of this club as fast as possible. We turned a corner wanting to walk around the dance floor instead of through it. The stage was on the other side of the wall, a piano next to it. Brook was sitting at it staring at the keys. He looked lost.
"Uh hay Brook, we're going to go now, can you tell me if there are any grocery and furniture stores around here?" I asked.
It took him awhile to stop staring at the keys and look at us " ...Yah, around the corner on the left, there's a store that looks like a mansion, it sells both food and furniture."
"Huh?"
A mansion?
"He said the mansion around the corner sells food and furniture idiot."
"I heard him dumb ass!"
Stupid moss head.
"It's just one block down this way," He said pointing behind him. "you can't miss it."
"Okay, thanks Brook. Do you want me to drop you off at the house?"
"No, I'll stay till my shift ends. Bye guys."
"Okay bye Brook." I was reluctant to leave with him looking like that but we had a lot of shopping to do today, I had to go back to work tomorrow and Zoro was starting his first day, so we had to get the essentials ASAP.
"I have work tomorrow, and it looks like you do too, so we have to do most of the shopping today."
"Fine."
I looked around for the woman with the short blond hair who was trying to get to us when we first came in but she wasn't around. Which was too bad since she was such a fair creature. She probably wanted to personally welcome me to the neighborhood with open arms and just couldn't contain herself, if only that odd looking man hadn't pulled her away. I wonder what that was all about.
We got to the front entrance and waited as the stupid bottom lip to the weird door sunk into the floor. We stepped over the huge trap door and walked to the car.
As we got in and buckled up the world seemed to hush and all was silent, it seemed even the movements we made were tuned out. It was a little too quite for my liking so I decided to list off the things we needed. "First we need some food, I don't particularly like the refrigerator we have now, but it will have to do. Some mattresses, thicker blankets, and pillows, we need new light bulbs-ours have been out for who knows how long." I glanced over at Zoro he was frowning harder then usual, which meant he was actually using the gray matter in between his ears. "We should make a list, grab that notepad in the back, there's a pen in the glovebox."
He drifted out of his musings and reached in the back for the notebook, popped open the glovebox and took the pen out ready to write.
"What are we going for first?" He mumbled.
Since I didn't know the area yet I turned on the GPS, it was a gift from Zoro for my last birthday, ironic I know, but he's oblivious to his own faults. Anyways, it came in handy once in a while. Brook said I couldn't miss the mansion, but it wouldn't hurt to have it on, and maybe it would show us were some other stores around here were.
I tapped it and the screen blinked on.
I kept pressing buttons but it kept going back and forth between streets. I fiddled with the device a little longer before giving up.
Shitty thing, he probably got it out the dumpster.
"Im still waiting here idiot." He said impatiently.
"Sorry, we'll need beds, couches, a coffee table, night stands, chai-"
"I thought we were just getting the essentials."
"Well since the stores so close, we can get everything in one go. That way we won't have to come back."
I hope they do next day deliveries.
"And we should probably get the food last."
He wrote one thing. I looked over at the tablet BOOZE was written in big capital letters.
"That's not food dumbass!"
"Well, if you want me to work at that freak show, I'm going to have to be pretty boozed up so I won't fulfill my desire to kill you in your sleep."
I just rolled my eyes, fine, let the brute have his cheep poison. I'd rather him be done in by that anyways.
I drove down to the corner and made a left.
The streets were so quite around here. I listened intently for just the slightest sound, but all I could hear was the hum of the motor and the soft sound our breathing, Jesus, any quieter and I'd probably be able to hear our heart beats. I saw the mansion and parked the car.
I got out and looked around, we were still in the neighborhood because there were houses everywhere.
"Notice anything off about this place?" Zoro said, as he got out too and leaned against the car with his arms crossed looking up at the mansion.
Well, there was no question. This place was a bit odd. I hadn't seen a single person here besides Brook and the people at the club, no cars parked in any of the driveways or streets, and all the stores were located in the neighborhood. They could be like modern Mormons though, wanting to just stay in their little community away from the outside world. I didn't think much of it since we just moved here, but still, you had to see, or at least hear, someone. It was like a small town that was just a bit too quite.
I stomped out my finished cigaret and lit another, inhaling deeply before letting it all out. I stuck my hands in my pockets before walking up to the gate not answering Zoro's question, but that said it all. He pushed off the car and followed me inside.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Today was a good day, I got to sit next to Kaya, and I forgot all about being nervous after the movie started. Good thing everyone knows Luffy doesn't know what he's talking about half the time or I would have been done for.
I subconsciously walked down to the bus stop as I watched the sun dip behind the mountains in the distance. When it arrived I paid the fair and found a nice seat in the middle next to a window. I knew the bus ride back would be long so I let my mind drift back to when I first moved out here.
I had just moved to Gecko city on Syrup street. I'd recently become a foster child due to my father leaving early on and my mother dyeing soon after. The foster home wasn't very welcoming, there were too many kids and only one care taker so she was always crabby but you were fine as long as you weren't seen or heard, which was actually very hard for me. I had to share a room with two other guy who weren't the nicest people either. I was also just going into the fifth grade so I was kinda overwhelmed with all the changes at once. It was really hard the first couple of months but I found a nice park near the school and started going there every chance I got.
One Saturday I was lying in the grass looking up at the clouds wondering if this was going to be my life from now on, then I heard a squeak I looked back at the playground someone had gotten on one of the swings. It was a small girl with blond shoulder length hair wearing a simple orange dress. I was surprised to see someone here this early, no one usually came up here until ten. A man in a suit with curly hair who looked like he had horns, but were most likely fake, sat on a bench and watcher her. I watched them for a while but she didn't swing she just sat there looking down at the circles she was making in the sand with her feet. She looked kinda sad.
I got up and walked over to sit on the swing next to her. "Hi." I said. She looked up at me and nodded her head before looking back down at her feet. I started swinging. "You know your supposed to go back and forth on these things." I said kicking my legs so I could go higher. She didn't look at me. I stopped and thought about what else to say. "Or if thats not your style you can swing side to side." That didn't work though cause I hit my head on the pole next the swing. "Well maybe not that, but you can spin around." I wound it up and let it go, but it spun so fast I fell off and got a face full of sand. I tried five more swinging styles only known to the masters of the playground but they all ended up in disaster. "Well I guess all you CAN do is swing back and forth." I heard her laugh and I looked over at her. She was trying not to but her cheeks were red from holding it in and I started laughing at her face and at myself for messing up so many times and she laughed right along with me.
"Im Usopp." I said after we were out of breath from laughing so much.
She smiled. "Im Kaya."
We sat on those swings the whole day. The butler guy watching us merrily the whole time. I would tell her story after story of all my daring adventures as a brave warrior, and she loved them all. I felt great! No one liked my stories they all thought I was being childish or stupid, but not her. She didn't look sad at all anymore and I felt good knowing that was because of me. Of course we couldn't stay like that forever though. The man with the fake horns said they had to go. I grew sad thinking what if this was the only time we got to see each other ever. But before she left she said, "Can we meet here again next Saturday?" All I could do was nod my head. I walked home happy for the first time ever that day.
It became a ritual pretty soon, we would meet every Saturday and talk all day and act out some of my adventure stories. I learned that she was also an orphan but was being raised by her butler Klahadore in a mansion about a block away. I was surprised she was rich because she didn't act like a snob and she didn't dress very fancy but that only made me like her more.
At some point she brought Merry Jr., her other butlers son who lived with his mother, he looked a lot like his dad and also had the fake horns even though he insisted they were real, but he was really cool so it was okay. We became close fast and we would all play together until it was dark enough to see the stars. She invited me over to her mansion once but Klahadore didn't like me very much and wasn't afraid to show it either. It didn't bother me much though as long as I still got to see Kaya I was okay I just didn't go around to her house any more after that.
By the time we were in high school we were best friends all three of us we did everything together. I finally told Merry the feelings I had for kaya and if I should tell her. He said it was obvious that I had been in love with her ever since he came into the picture, and would be surprised if she didn't already know but he encouraged me to go for it. I was going to too but thats when I met Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Sanji. Luffy was in our grade but Zoro, Sanji, and Nami were all higher ups and were actually really cool, Im still baffled as of how I got in their group, but I did and they were great. But they were a little too great. They were all cool, and strong, and brave and I was…not. I couldn't confess to her then, not after she saw how much cooler other guys out there were. So I promised myself, I wouldn't tell her until I really became the brave warrior I made myself out to be in all those stories. And hope to goodness that no man would beat me to it.
A couple of years past and I was still same ol' scardy cat Usopp while everyone else was just getting more awesome. Merry kept encouraging me and cheering me on but it was really hard to just change. Things started going really bad at home, enough so where I had to spend the night at the others houses more often then was appropriate. They were all worried about me so finally when Sanji and Zoro turned eighteen and graduated they adopted me. They don't like to use that term though, instead they say they gave me my freedom and I started living with them when they got their first apartment.
Everyone grew closer and happier then ever before, we were like one big family. And even though I was the happiest I had ever been I still wasn't any cooler, and more guys were starting to see just how beautiful Kaya really was. I still don't know why non of them went for it though.
Soon Chopper and Vivi came to the school and Luffy recruited them into our little gang. Robin was the archeologist who worked at the museum where my first job was, I still don't understand how she got in our group. Then she started dating Franky and we all loved him from the start. Right after Franky joined though Merry became really sick and died just a couple of months ago. After that I broke down for a while and that messed me up real bad. I became uncool, lying, scardy cat Usopp all over again and now I have to start back at square one.
"Fluorine Triangle!" The bus driver called. I was snapped out of my musings feeling a little down after thinking about the last events.
Way to get out of your happy mood Usopp.
I got my stuff and got off. I started walking down to Devil Sea.
It was like eight, so I wasn't surprised it was dark already and of course it was foggy too. It was actually really freaky...
It was different somehow then normal streets, besides the creep factor, but I couldn't think of it right off hand. I walked down the street; I was pretty sure was mine. We were down, lets see, one...two...three...four houses. There weren't any lights on downstairs or upstairs, so I figured no one was home yet.
"Damn I don't have a key."
I walked up the steps and sat down on the landing by our door. I took my phone out and called Sanji.
ring . . . ring. . . rin-
"Hello?"
"Sanji, Im home and I don't have a key. Where are you guys?"
"Oh Usopp, we're about done shopping now, there's a furniture store right around the corner lucky huh? I'll make spare keys and then we'll come home."
"Okay...hurry."
I put my phone back in my pocket.
Man it was cold.
I looked around. Well at least from what I could see through the fog, I listened to the crash of the waves behind me. Then it hit me-I knew what was wrong with this street! There were no lights on, in any of the houses, and it was only eight. No noise, movement, or anything-the only light source was from an old lamp post across the street. Talk about horror movie creepy.
I hugged my backpack closer to me and took my phone back out. I tried distracting myself by sending Luffy a text.
What are you doing? send.
I waited for a reply.
Eating dinner cant talk. He wrote back.
"Fshooo, okay how about Chopper."
Hay Chopper! send.
I waited for him to reply but he's almost always so busy that it takes him at least an hour before he actually dose.
Maybe I should text Ka-
clump clump clump
What was that?
clump clump
I heard footsteps and they were really close, really, really close. I looked around, but I was on the landing, no one was close to me, no one was under the landing, no one was outside.
No one was outside. . .
clump clump clump
It was the sound of boots on hard wood floor.
The sound was coming from inside our apartment!
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A/N: First I would like to Apologize about how late this is I know Im horrible T_T 'post once a week' my ass. I will really try not to have you wait that long again but Im sure having it out every week like I said before is way out of the question. My very awesome Beta GekoMoriaShadowLord Im sure you all know who she is by now is still helping my out on this, thank you guuurl :D. Constructive criticism and reviews are very welcome ~ :)
PS: I do not hate Perona or Moria or any other One Piece character, so don't think that because Im writing it like this, I just got to make them seem pretty despicable.