"Sheesh, Usopp, you look awful," Nami remarked as Usopp slumped over the table at breakfast, shadows under his eyes.
Robin frowned. "You couldn't get back to sleep?"
"No . . . I mean, yeah," Usopp mumbled, sitting up and shaking his head. "Couldn't sleep at all . . ."
"Try to take a nap today or something," Chopper exclaimed in worry. "You can use my office if you need to!"
"Yeah," Usopp said, propping his head up, his eyes darting nervously from Mirror Luffy to Mirror Zoro to Mirror Sanji.
"Well, some food should perk you right up," Mirror Sanji said, serving up the food and eyeing Usopp.
"Sanji, I want more," Mirror Luffy said cheerfully.
Mirror Sanji scowled. "You haven't even started on what you have, you rubber shit, finish that before you ask!"
"Aw," Mirror Luffy muttered. He started shoveling food into his mouth.
"Savor it!" Mirror Sanji snapped. He glanced at Usopp. "Seriously, Usopp, you have to eat something."
"Right! Yeah," Usopp said, jumping. He got started on his food with the others, though he took a rather long time to finish.
As breakfast ended and Usopp escaped to the deck (Mirror Luffy hanging close by), he spotted Mirror Sanji approaching Nami and tensed.
"What's wrong?" Mirror Luffy asked as Usopp opened his mouth. Usopp turned to him and he grinned.
"Sanji's just going to talk to Nami," Mirror Luffy continued, gripping Usopp's shoulder. "No need to say anything, right?"
His smile faded as he stared at Usopp. Usopp closed his mouth and nodded, shoulders tense.
"Awesome," Mirror Luffy said, the smile back.
"Nami-san," Mirror Sanji said, spinning hearts around her, "I'm going to the woods to find fruit to pick, and I would be the happiest man in the world if you accompanied me!"
Usopp's eyes widened, but with Mirror Luffy still grasping his shoulder, he could say nothing.
Nami eyed Mirror Sanji. "Sure," she said at last. "Who knows, we might find some treasure along the way."
"Oh, Nami-san, you're the only treasure in this world," Mirror Sanji sighed. She ignored his hand and leapt off the ship by herself.
Mirror Sanji smiled slyly at Mirror Luffy and Usopp before he leapt after Nami.
"Well, while they're gone, we can hang out here," Mirror Luffy said cheerfully. "Do you think Chopper will be up for a game?"
Usopp's breath was shaky as he stared warily at Mirror Luffy.
"Don't look like that," Mirror Luffy said, lowering his voice. "They'll be back before long."
"Hello, you two," Robin said, approaching.
"Hey, Robin!" Mirror Luffy said happily. "Usopp n' me were gonna play a game, except we don't know what we're gonna play. Do you wanna play with us? And also think of something to play?"
Robin smiled and shook her head. "I was just going to say I'd like to go explore those woods. I won't be gone long; just let anyone who asks know."
"Oh, okay!" Mirror Luffy said. For half a second, Robin's eyes flickered to Usopp, full of meaning, and gave him the tiniest nod. She turned and left the ship, heading quickly into the woods.
Usopp sighed in relief. Of course—Robin would keep Nami out of danger.
"Usopp, maybe we can play cards or something again," Mirror Luffy said. He grinned. "You know, something where I don't lose sight of you!"
"You don't have to . . . say that," Usopp whispered. "I get it."
"But I wanted to," Mirror Luffy said matter-of-factly. He walked with Usopp to find Chopper for a new game.
Last night
"So?" Mirror Zoro said as Mirror Sanji returned to the men's quarters from outside the kitchen. "What's going on?"
"Robin knows," Mirror Sanji muttered, taking care not to wake the others. "She believed Usopp all along."
"Should we get her to come with one of us?" Mirror Luffy mused, rubbing his chin.
"We should be careful," Mirror Zoro murmured. "She wouldn't go if one of us straight-up asked her, she's too smart for that . . ."
"She doesn't know that we know that she knows," Mirror Sanji said thoughtfully.
Mirror Luffy and Zoro stared at him.
"You wanna try that again?" Mirror Zoro said.
Mirror Sanji rolled his eyes. "She thinks we don't know she's aware. Using that . . . I can lure her into the woods."
"Oh, good idea," Mirror Luffy said, nodding. "You need help, or can you take care of it?"
"I should do it by myself," Mirror Sanji said. "If I play this right, we can kill two pretty birds with one stone . . ."
He turned to the door. "Shouldn't let them talk for too long. I'll go interrupt them, make it seem like I only just got there."
"Good luck," Mirror Zoro said. He and Luffy turned to go back to their beds while Mirror Sanji snuck out of the room.
Fear was the only thing keeping Usopp awake through three rounds of cards with Mirror Luffy and Chopper. He kept an eye on Mirror Luffy and occasionally turned his eyes skyward to where he knew Mirror Zoro was in the observatory, working out or—something.
Thumps on the deck made him and the other two turn around.
"We're back," Mirror Sanji announced. He shook his head. "Nothing edible on this damn island . . . not that we're short on food."
Usopp looked at the person behind him and sucked in a sharp breath. It was Nami—but the tattoo peeking out from under her sleeve was on the right side.
"Yeah," Mirror Nami said, eyeing Mirror Sanji as if annoyed. "And there wasn't any treasure, either."
"Who needs gold when you're around?" Mirror Sanji sighed happily.
"Gold's the stuff that puts food in our bellies and nice things around the ship!" Mirror Nami snapped, punching his shoulder. "Waste of time is what that was."
Mirror Luffy laughed. "Adventure's never a waste of time!"
Mirror Nami glared at him. "Not you, too!" she stalked off. "I'll be on the stern."
But as she went, she looked back at Usopp with a smile. Usopp quickly looked down, holding himself with a shiver.
"I'll start on lunch," Mirror Sanji said at last, heading to the kitchen.
It wasn't long before another thump made the three turn to the railing again. Robin had landed on the deck.
"Oh, you're back!" Mirror Luffy said cheerfully. "Did you find anything cool?"
"Nothing but the flora and fauna," Robin said regretfully. She waved at Usopp with her right hand, subtly showing the circular mark still there. Usopp sighed in relief.
"I did see a wild cat stalking a chipmunk," she added, looking at Usopp meaningfully. "I wanted to stop it, but it was too late. Neither of them saw me."
Usopp nodded slowly while Mirror Luffy frowned. "Huh?"
"Nothing," Robin said. She smiled at Chopper. "Chopper, do you want to read some stories in the library after lunch?"
"Yeah!" Chopper said, grinning.
"Usopp, you can come, too," Robin added with a look. "The library's comfy enough for a nap if you're still tired." She smiled teasingly. "I can read you a bedtime story."
Usopp nodded. "I don't need a b-bedtime story," he said, playing along, "but yeah, I'll join you guys."
Lunch passed with the usual noise, though Usopp was quiet, keeping an eye on Mirror Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and now Nami. Mirror Nami acted as Nami usually did, snapping at the others to keep their hands to themselves and ignoring Mirror Sanji's advances, but once in awhile she sent a sneaky smile Usopp's way, at which he would look down at his plate nervously.
Once lunch was over, Usopp fled to the library with Chopper before anyone could attach themselves to him.
"Usopp?" Chopper said as Usopp set him down safely among the shelves and sat down himself. "Is something wrong?"
Usopp hesitated. "Yeah," he said at last. "A bunch of things are wrong."
Chopper stared at him in worry. "What d'you mean?"
"We gotta wait for Robin," Usopp said. "Then we'll explain."
Robin eventually descended the ladder, followed closely by Franky and Brook.
"I thought it was time we tell them, too," she explained to Usopp.
"Yeah, you wanna tell us what's up now?" Franky said, scratching his head as he and Brook sat with Robin on the bench, close to where Usopp had grabbed Chopper like a security blanket. Chopper didn't seem to mind and rested against Usopp.
"Usopp?" Robin said, turning to him.
Usopp took a deep breath. "Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Sanji," he said shakily. "They've been . . . replaced, by . . . fake ones. Mirror versions."
"What?" Chopper cried. "But Sanji said that was a lie!"
"It's the truth," Robin said grimly. "Zoro's earrings and swords, Luffy's scar, Nami's tattoo, Sanji's eyebrow . . . they're all on the wrong sides."
"Sanji only said that because it wasn't the real Sanji," Usopp explained.
Chopper hugged Usopp. "But . . . then . . . ?"
"Shit, Bro, you were serious about that?" Franky said, leaning forward. "Sorry we didn't believe you."
Usopp shook his head. "I wouldn't . . . have believed me, either. It's okay."
"We really should put more trust in you," Brook remarked. "And we should have been more observant . . . I thought something was odd, but . . . I couldn't put my finger on it."
"What do they want?" Chopper whispered.
Usopp shrugged helplessly. "I dunno. To replace all of us? Luffy was first, and he took Zoro, and then they got Sanji . . ." he looked down. "I got away, but Sanji was . . . and now Nami is . . ."
"I've got this to make sure I can be told apart," Robin added, displaying her right palm. "As far as we know, those mirror versions don't know I'm aware."
"You went into the forest earlier, Robin-san, didn't you?" Brook said, leaning forward.
Robin nodded. "I saw the fake Sanji take care of Nami," she said regretfully. "I couldn't do anything . . . but after they were gone, I managed to talk to the real ones."
"In the mirror?" Usopp said.
Robin nodded. "I couldn't hear a thing they were saying, but it seems like smashing is the worst possible idea, so we'll have to scratch that off the list."
"Oh," Usopp sighed.
"Are they okay?" Chopper whimpered.
Robin smiled. "I think so. They were happy to see me, at least."
Chopper nodded.
"So . . . what now?" Franky said.
"I have an idea," Robin said. "Usopp, you'll stay here; it's safer. Meanwhile, Franky, Chopper, Brook, and I will go find the mirror. We'll spend some time there, see if we can't figure out how to free our friends."
"Okay," Usopp said quickly. "Yeah. Good plan."
Franky eyed Robin. "Sure," he said at last, standing. "Skeleton, deer-gorilla, come on."
"Reindeer," Chopper corrected absently, jumping out of Usopp's arms.
"I'll make sure the others don't see us," Robin said to Usopp, smiling. "Don't worry. We'll be back soon, and with any luck we'll have freed the others."
"Yeah," Usopp said, his smile full of hope. "Good luck . . ."
"You can probably take a nap if you need to," Robin added.
"Is that why you didn't sleep?" Chopper exclaimed in worry. "You were scared?"
Usopp hesitated, then abandoned any hope of showing bravado and nodded.
Chopper jumped back up and hugged him. "We're gonna free them!" he declared. "Don't worry!"
Usopp smiled again and hugged him back. "Be safe," he said as the four left the room.
But he was too on edge to even think about closing his eyes.