"Who the heck is that?" Nami was the first to voice her thoughts as they stared down at the newcomer.

Luffy got up and cheerfully dusted off his hat, not even seeming to notice the boy. Sanji however, was not as easily distracted. "It...It looks like Usopp!" He gasped in surprise before flicking aside his newest cigarette and leaping at the boy.

---

Ushio struggled to catch his breath after being cornered by an odd group of strangers. All he'd been intending was to pick up some art supplies. He'd done all his chores, and his homework, and he hadn't even taken the shortcut across old Mr. Burnham's lawn! So why would this odd group of what his skittish, paranoid mind could only label as vicious pirates, want to kidnap him? It wasn't like his parents had any gold to pay a ransom.

"P-please, let me go! My parents don't have any gold; there'd be no point in holding me for ransom!" His eyes darted around desperately, looking around for anything that might help him escape.

"I could point out the rich side of town!" The instant Ushio blurted out the offer, he balked. How could he help these pirates, why get other people into the very situation he was in just then? However, at that moment, all he could focus on getting away from those criminals.

Sanji had his arms out to hug the newcomer, a goofy grin on his face as he was sure he was looking at Usopp once more. He forgot the fact that these days he'd been seeing Usopp in his cereal, the waves, even in the three naturally discarded strands of hair on his pillow that morning!

He stopped halfway towards 'Usopp' though; a frown on his face as he noticed how much the boy seemed to be freaking out. Didn't Usopp remember them? Not even Sanji? His heart constricted a bit at this, before he snapped himself out of it and crouched down at 'Usopp's' feet just as the boy offered to show them the rich side of town.

Nami sighed as she watched the scene in a bored manner, why couldn't Sanji just accept that Usopp was dead! If he drew too much of a crowd, she'd just disappear until it was safe for her and her cool, collected reputation to return. If not, she could just order Zolo to snap Sanji out of it. She knew Zolo wasn't the type of guy to do her bidding eagerly, but fortunately he still owed her twenty gold pieces from last month.

She was idly inspecting her manicured nails when a singe phrase pierced her daydream; "I could point out the rich side of town!"

Instantly snapping to attention, she shoved an unsuspecting Zolo aside and stormed up to the strange boy (ignoring Zolo's ranting and cussing).

"Where??" She demanded simply, her fiery gaze locking onto the boy's.

"W-what...?" Ushio was desperate to say the right thing, as this one looked like the meanest of the bunch of them, and he subconsciously identified her as the leader.

Nami groaned impatiently, she didn't have time for this! Spinning on her heel quickly she marched off to what she thought looked like a popular market place. She'd find the rich side of town if it was the last thing she did!

Luffy stood by himself, glancing this way and that and pretty much ignoring the conversation. 'Wow, that guy Sanji was talking to looked a lot like—'

"Ohh, a butterfly, how pretty!" Luffy grinned happily as he waved and greeted the butterfly. It started fluttering away, and he eagerly ran after it.

"Come back pretty butterfly!"

There was a groan from behind him, and Luffy knew Zolo was following him. How fun, now they could both play with the pretty butterfly!

"Gah, why did I choose to follow this idiot?" Zolo grumbled to himself as he tracked Luffy. "Can't let the silly kid get in trouble...again..."

He sighed patiently, his eyes locked on Luffy before allowing himself a small smile at the cheerfulness and innocence of their captain. Regardless of where the kid went, Zolo knew he would have to follow a few steps behind.

He didn't really mind.

Ushio was just recovering from the scare the girl had given him when he noted with surprise that two of the group had disappeared, and he was alone now but for the blond crouching before him. Ushio relaxed a little, allowing himself a shaky but hopeful sigh. He could get through this, there was only one of them now, and he looked kind enough.

Sanji couldn't believe what he was hearing; why was their sweet, upbeat Usopp so afraid of them; of him?

"Shh, shh, shh." Whispering in what he hoped was a soothing tone as he reached out a hand; running the backs of his fingers across the shaky teen's cheek before wisely pulling back. He blinked a few times, finally managing to pull himself form the madness and denial he'd been living in the past year and forcing himself to face reality.

He tilted his head to one side, his sapphire eyes narrowing in thought as he studied the boy before him.

He finally accepted what had happened to Usopp, and a part of him even understood that what had happened to the sharpshooter hadn't been his fault. A few moments ago he had been so sure this boy was Usopp, and that he had somehow survived the fall. Now, however, Sanji wasn't sure. Yeah, the boy looked a lot like Usopp, heck, they could have been twins! But faced with the knowledge of what had happened that night, all those months ago, he didn't know if it was possible for Usopp to still be alive in any form.

He pulled himself from his contemplation only to find he'd stood up somewhere along the line. He looked down at the terrified boy slowly, as if seeing him for the first time.

"What's your name kid?" He asked softly, the sadness and loss of the past year heavy in his voice.

"Ushio." Came the whispered reply.