Lightly the shadows of plants fell on Usopp's face, the sun emerged on and warmed his skin.

It was a simply deal really, Usopp had promised to eat his broth without complaint, and his crew-mates would let him get out-side to enjoy the sun.

And after Usopp had finished his broth as promised, he had now been helped out-side, where he could lie in his garden, he glanced up at the tall plant in front of him, it looked finely kempt, which was a little odd.

"Robin and Nami have taken good care of your plants." Luffy grinned as he sat down on his knees over Usopp. "So don't worry about them."

Usopp glanced up, where he faced a couple of belches, looking ready to burst open.. they would have to be harvested and soon.

Then the seed needed to be carefully removed from the belch, and hung up to dry in a warm room, then be feeded with Usopp's special invented fertilizer for instant growth upon harsh impact. It was a slow process to make this special pop-green bullets, but the slow rhythm of things was some-thing Usopp had found himself enjoying.

Working with plants, had made him relax in a complete new way, different from when he was even drawing… he enjoyed planting them, keeping them strong, finding the right bugs for the plants, harvesting, work with them. Lighty Usopp smiled.

"What is it?" Luffy asked.

"I just.." Usopp sighed. "It's a bit funny I should become the straw-hat botanist, that is honestly the last thing I had imagined becoming.. who have ever heard of a brave warrior whom is a botanist?" he asked.

"If more botanists made huge awesome man eating plants appear instantly, I'm sure it would be a lot more normal." Luffy laughed as he laid down on his back next to Usopp. "Beside you were a sniper first! Sogeking may call himself the sniper king, but I swear, you are at least as good as he was!" he proclaimed. "You're the real sniper king, your shooting is awesome!"

Usopp smiled a little amused, then his smile faltered.

"Hm?" Luffy blinked turning around to look at Usopp.

"Even awesomer than my dads?" Usopp asked quietly.

"Well, different." Luffy pointed out. "He couldn't make big fire-birds or man-eating plants. You way is a lot more fun."

"You think he would like what I can do?" Usopp asked.

"HE WILL LOVE IT!" Luffy exclaimed.

Then Usopp frowned as he turned away, looking away from Luffy.

"Oi! Yasopp is going to see what you can do." Luffy stated. "You are going to get better, and then meet him some-day when we run into Shank's crew." He told firmly.

Usopp didn't answer, just kept laying with his back to Luffy.

"Oi, I Havn't given you permission to give up." Luffy stated as he slapped Usopp lightly on the cheek, same way as Usopp would slap Luffy when Luffy was being stupid.

"So we all need your permission to die?" Usopp asked in a rash hoarse voice.

"Yeah." Luffy responded promptly. "And I have not given you permission to die, if you disobey me, I shall be very cross!"

That made a dry chuckle come out of Usopp's mouth as he rolled to his back, though soon, that little laugh turned into a cough, and Usopp crumbled together as he coughed into his hands, harshly.

"Oi, oi Usopp!" Luffy exclaimed as he tried to help the sniper up in sitting position, slapping him hardly on the back, as Usopp coughed.

Then Usopp looked up, he looked ridiculously pale, his eyes were sat firmly on the railing in front of them, then in a surprisingly showcase of strength, Usopp managed to get up on his legs, and stumbled towards the railing, just in time to lean over, another big cough came, and then the vomiting.

The porridge from the night prior, the broth he had eaten an hour ago, it all seemed to come back up.

Immediately Luffy came to his snipers side and supported him as he yelled. "OI! OIIII CHOPPER!" as he wrapped around Usopp, whom still leaned over the railing, coughing.

And finally, Usopp collapsed, hanging over the railing with a dead look in his eyes, looking more like a rag-doll than a human being, as Chopper came running with Nami and Franky right at his heels.

"What's going on!?" Chopper asked.

Luffy turned to the three, looking very pale. "We.. we were just laying and talking!" Luffy exclaimed. "Then he coughed and.. and it all came up!"

"He vomited?" Nami asked, and took a look at Usopp, that seemed to be all she needed for confirmation as her face wrinkled in lightly disgust.

"Here, let me help." Franky offered as he placed himself behind Usopp, and then helped, easily lowering the sniper down in laying position on the deck, where Usopp gasped for air.

And Chopper sighed deeply. "And he had just managed to eat to." He mumbled.

"What does this mean!?" Luffy asked concerned. "Is he okay!? What can I do!?"

"It's not unexpected really." Chopper admitted. "Usopp over exerted himself, and his body ejected the food to safe the energy that would have been used on digesting, to keep him going." He mumbled. "Trouble just is, he needs to energy from digesting to keep on going. Simply, he did to much. Franky would you mind carrying him back to the infirmary?" he asked.

The cyborg shook his head, and easily picked up the sniper in his two massive hands, then surprised looked down at the sniper. "He's so light." Franky commented. "He didn't use to be this light!" he told.

"He has barely eaten for the past two or three weeks while he has been ill." Chopper told. "To combat the illness he is burning of reserves quicker than he normally would, I wouldn't be surprised if his body has started to eat his muscles by now, he barely had any fat on him to begin with." He pointed out.

"So we need to feed him more food right?" Luffy asked. "He'll be all-right right? Just give him food!?"

"Not right now." Chopper shook his head. "Let his body settles down, in an hour though. Luffy give him a bowl of broth and make sure he eats it!"

"HAI!" Luffy exclaimed. "Even if it kills him, he will eat every last little drop!"

"Well.. Maybe don't go that far." Chopper pointed out. "We don't want him vomiting again if we can avoid it."

Usopp groaned as he turned his head, looking at them from where he laid in Frankys massive hands. "noooo." He groaned.

"Sorry Usopp, you are going to have to eat." Chopper told, and Usopp groaned.

"Come on Usopp-bro." Franky sighed. "Let me get you to the bathroom so you can rinse your mouth." He asked. "Puking is never fun."

"Make it stooop." Usopp complained as Franky carefully walked away with the sniper.

"I would if I could." Franky sighed. "Believe me, I would." He told.


As promised, and hour later, Luffy tried to feed the sniper again, but it didn't go to well, as Sanji stepped in to have a look Luffy turned to the cook, with a lost look on his face. "Sanji.." Luffy swallowed. "Usopp wont eat again, why wont he eat?" he asked.

Sanji glanced at the sniper, Usopp looked horrible as he laid in the bed, breathing in rasp breaths, sweat rolling down his forehead, his skin a weird pale colour, in spite of his dark skin tone.

His eyes were closed shut and his forehead in a frown, as he breathed in his rasp breaths.

"Usopp! WAKE UP!" Luffy shouted right into the snipers face. "EAT BAKA! EAT!" he demanded stuffing the spoon towards Usopp's mouth, but as Usopp wasn't awake, it only resulted in the broth spilling out and down on the pillow.

"Luffy stop." Sanji asked placing a firm hand on Luffys shoulder. "You'll only waste food and strangle Usopp that way."

"But." Luffy turned to Sanji."Chopper told me Usopp should eat after an hour, that's now."

"He'll eat when he wakes up, even if I have to force him." Sanji replied. "Go out and take some fresh air, I'll keep an eye on him while you are gone." Sanji promised.

With watering eyes Luffy looked at Sanji, then he sniffed as he put the bowl with broth on the night-stand, stood up, and walked out with his back to Sanji, closing the door after him.

"Oi." Sanji sighed deeply dropping down in the chair beside Usopp's bed. "What a bother." He mumbled reaching for his cigarettes pulling one out.

Then he glanced at the sniper.. Usopp really looked bad, really really bad. Sanji swallowed, an nauseating feeling crawling up his spine.

"You shitty ass Sniper." Sanji hissed. "I can't believe this! After all those things we have been through! Going to the grand-line, Skypia, Enies Lobby, Thriller Bark, Saboday, two years apart, fisherman island, the new world, punk hazard. You survived all of that shit, and even became so much stronger, and now it's a fucking illness that's taking you down?" he asked. "Fuck this shit!" he cursed kicking at the bed foot. "It's not right! Dammit, it's not right!" he stated, before he fell down on a chair, taking some staggered breaths, as he covered his eyes, then took out his cigarette with one hand, blowing out a cloud of smoke.

"Look Usopp.. I never told you, because.. well it's a little embarrassing but. Some-how I've always felt so proud of you." Sanji exhaled. "I never had any siblings on my own, hell, I grew up being the youngest for miles and miles around, people always helping me along, giving me motivational speeches. I just wanted to help you, and I guess.. I saw you kind of like the little-brother I never had, I had to help a long.. Even more so than Luffy or even Chopper. You're so damn irresponsible you know." Sanji sniffed, whisking away a tear. "How can I help you Usopp? Huh?" he asked. "That's the trouble with you! It's so damn difficult to help you when you wont let us in! I just want to help you shithead!" Sanji hissed. Then lowered his head. "You certainly have a nack for making me feel absolutely powerless." He murmered. "Fuck." He then muttered.

"Look, I am terrible at saying this to men.. at the barratie where I grew up, you were either tough, or you would get kicked down to the bottom of the food-chain. And I guess being the only child there, I developed a kind of attitude problem with all the men there. It was the norm for us to fight each other and call each other names. If you went soft, the others would call you things. So I am only going to say this ones, you hear me?" he asked, then took in a deep breath, and finally exclaimed. "I love you bro." he quickly spat out, as if to just get over with it. Then took in a deep breath. "you know, as a friend, a close family member a.." then he exhaled deeply. "A brother." He finally admitted, then reached out and laid a hand over Usopp's glammy hand. "I was really impressed when you returned after two years, I honestly never thought you would manage to come on top after Enies Lobby, and be you know.. heal. I never felt as useless as I did being stuck with you at Enies lobby, but there you were after two years on your own, stronger than ever, having beaten that demon of yours for good. So really, this is just another fight you have to overcome, one out of many." He stated removing his hand, as he stood up. "If you loose this battle, I swear to god I'll kill you." He at last mumbled, standing with his hands in his pockets. "I'll kick your ass to the end of the world, you hear me?" he asked.

But of cause Usopp didn't answer, just continued in those raspy breaths of his, sweat continued to fall down his tendrils.