(A/N: A new arc begins! Since the Straw Hat events in episodes 68/69 are so brief, they're part of the Little Garden arc here! Enjoy!)

Chapter 1: Luffy vs. Karoo! Usopp Comes to Terms with his Feelings!

It had been a couple days since the crew left Whisky Peak with Vivi, and so far, everything was smooth sailing. Until... "Oh!" Nami perked up while outside with Vivi, when the sails stopped moving. "The wind stopped again. "Just when we should be rushing straight for Little Garden, too. We're temporarily stopped again."

"Time is running out as we speak too," Vivi remarked.

"Don't worry," Nami assured, "I know we need to get to Alabasta as soon as possible, but-"

"Alright!" Luffy exclaimed enthusiastically. "Let's fish! Fish!" Karoo cheered with him, before they joined Usopp on the railing.

"Hey, anyone seen the bait?" Sanji asked around, and held up an empty bucket.

"Bait?" Luffy came over. "Oh, the stuff in there? I ate it."

"You ate it?!" All that was left for bait was a measly grub. "Those were bugs, you know!"

Luffy grabbed it out, and stuck it in his mouth. "Yeah? They taste good!"

"Don't eat stuff like that!" Usopp scolded.

"Now what?!" Sanji exclaimed angrily. "We can't fish, now that you've eaten our bait!"

"Use this, then!" Luffy held up a brown fuzzball.

"We can't catch anything with that!" Sanji yelled.

"Really We can't?" He pointed to Karoo. "Then how about him?"

"Oh, that sounds okay," Sanji obliged, to Karoo's terror.

He attempted to make a run for it, with Luffy and Sanji chasing after him around the mast. "Hey, you! Come here!"

"Get back here, bait!"

"Dammit, you guys!" Zoro yelled after having his nap interrupted by Karoo trampling him. "Knock it off!"

Nami sighed in exasperation. "But can't you guys be a little worried, at least?!" She scolded, making the chase stop.

Luffy had his arms around the duck's neck. "Worried about what?"

"Oh!" Sanji gushed. "Nami-san is lovely when she's angry too!"

She laid her hand on her forehead in frustration. "Honestly now!"

"But it's strange," Vivi commented, "For someone with a 30 million berry bounty, he doesn't seem that terrible of a person at all."

"Yeah, it might be hard to imagine, but he's beaten many big names. Arlong, the Fishman who was bent on ruling the East Blue; Pirate Fleet Commodore Don Krieg; Captain Kuro, an unknown pirate notorious for his cunning methods."

"You forgot one," Zoro reminded, "A Marine freak who wields a huge axe-hand."

"Oh! Axe-Hand Morgan!"

"Axe-Hand Morgan?" Vivi was surprised. "I've heard of him before. I heard he's a Marine captain who's feared in the East Blue for his overwhelming domination. You're saying he beat even him?!"

During the struggle to tie Karoo up, Luffy couldn't help but overhear. "Oh! The old axe-hand guy! That reminds me, I wonder what that guy with him is up to now." While he was distracted, Karoo managed to slip away. "I wonder if he's still at that Marine base."

"Who's "he"?" Nami asked.

"Yeah! His name's Koby! He's my friend!"

Venus descended from the bedroom, now in a new outfit with high plaits. "Hey Vivi, can I take Karoo for a short ride?"

"If he's okay with it, I am," Vivi grinned, "His reins and saddle are in the cabin.

"Okay, thanks! I'll ask him!" She trotted down the stairs, and grabbed them out; oblivious to the newly continuing struggle with the sniper, she approached the duck. "Karoo, can I ride for a little bit, please?"

Usopp became so distracted by her presence, he loosened his grip on their intended bait, allowing him time to slip away. "Okay, here we go. Tha- oh!" She managed to put his reins and saddle on him, but her gratitude was cut off by him frantically flipping her onto his back with his beak, resulting in her sitting backwards, and started running all around the ship to avoid the guys. "AAH! Help!" She screamed through his quacking. "Vivi, help!"

"Karoo, slow down!" Vivi scolded, but went unnoticed. "She's sitting backwards!"

She struggled to hold on by his feathers, but managed to turn herself around, and pulled the reins back; she let out a sigh of relief when he slowed down. "Okay, I'm good now!" She beamed.

Luffy ran up to the sniper, and noticed the duck was gone. "Hey, where's our bait?"

"Venus-chan's riding Karoo," Usopp replied, and watched wistfully, as the ride slowed to a steady walk, "We'll wait until she's done."

"Agreed," Sanji nodded.

"But I'm hungry! I want fish!" Luffy whined. "And he's our only bait!"

"Well, whose fault is that?" Usopp sneered, and quickly returned to watching.

"Yeah, if you hadn't eaten our other bait, we would have fish by now," Sanji scolded.

Usopp quickly tuned them out, as he watched the young witch. The way the sun shined down on her green hair, and ivory skin; she sure was beautiful. "Hey, Ve-!" He slapped his hand over Luffy's mouth, before she could notice him calling for her.

"Just let her finish!"

"Fine," He sulked, as Usopp returned to watching, er, more like admiring.

After a while of scaling the decks, and gazing at the ocean, Venus decided to end her joyride. "Okay Karoo, I'll let you rest now. Thanks for the ride." She began to lift one leg to disembark; but one look at Luffy's grin of anticipation made him throw her back on. "Oh! You want to keep going?" She giggled. "Okay then! Cool with me!"

Luffy sneered at him behind her back, as the ride continued. "She'll have to get off sometime, y'know."

"You like giving rides, huh?" Venus cooed, as she petted his feathers. "You're very good at it."

Usopp watched dreamily, with his elbow on the railing. "She's so sweet," He swooned, "And so cute."

Sanji smirked in his direction. "My friend, you truly have been bitten by the love bug."

"What? N-no, I haven't."

The cook rolled his eyes at Usopp's denial. "I was there to hear everything yesterday, dumbass. I won't tell Venus-chan, but I can tell you like her. Trust me; I'm an expert at these things."

"Sanji-"

"I know that look when I see it. You're smitten, and you know it, moron."

With a little hum, Usopp went back to admiring her silently. "You oughta be getting tired by now, so I'll let you go." Luffy grinned widely again, leading the duck to, yet again, hoist her back up. "Karoo!" She laughed. "We gotta stop sometime; I hate to tire you out."

Luffy sulked in frustration. "He's a clever bastard."

Later on, after a couple more attempts to end the ride, Venus was still at it. Involuntarily. No matter what, anytime she went to step down, he would force her back up. What was up with him? "Karoo, I'm getting hungry," She groaned, "Don't you need a break?"

Luffy glared daggers, as his stomach growled with famishment. When Karoo taunted him with akanbe, he had enough. "That's it! I'm not waiting any longer! Ride's over!" He stretched his arms forward, grabbed Karoo's legs, and yanked him over.

Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one suffering from his recklessness; Venus flew off of his back, and with a scream of terror, she fell into the ocean! "Idiot!" Sanji shouted, as the sniper made a mad beeline to the railing where she had fallen. "She can't swim!"

"Sorry!" Luffy called out while tying up the large duck.

"Venus-chan!"

Zoro ran up, and stopped the sniper from jumping overboard. "Stay here! I'll get her!" He dove in, and seconds later, reemerged with the young witch, still conscious, over his shoulder. He wrung the water from his shirt, as she coughed and caught her breath. "Hey Luffy, quit being so reckless!"

"Don't worry, Venus!" Luffy successfully wrangled Karoo. "We'll have fish in no time!"

She glared at him, as she wrung out her braids, one at a time. "Great."

"Karoo!" Vivi screamed in terror.

Sitting on the upper level ledge later that day, Usopp looked through a telescope out to the vast ocean. "Ah! I can see... a million Little Garden residents are out to greet Captain Usopp! The girls' high-pitched cheers, kisses being blown all over the place! Really, I'm so popular, that it's almost a crime. Don't fall in love with me, Mademoiselle; it's not my fault if you get burned."

Zoro grabbed an apple from the barrel, and walked away while taking a bite. "Are you stupid or what?"

"Stupid?!" Usopp began angrily kicking the wall. "Hey, I heard that, Zoro!"

"Cut it out!" Nami scolded from inside the cabin. "Keep it down, you guys!"

"Hey," Venus approached him curiously, "You see Little Garden already?"

"Not yet, Venus-chan," He grinned sheepishly, "Just predicting our arrival."

"Ah," She smirked, oblivious to his blushing, "Excited to get there, huh?"

"I-I suppose," He stammered nervously; and it wasn't just from the island's ominous possibilities. Venus looked so cute; her hair was in low twintails under a witch hat with a large bow. She was in a clean outfit after drying off from her former ocean plummet.

"No need to be scared," She assured, "I'll ward off anything that comes for you." She pumped her fist in determination.

He smiled down at her, as he set the telescope down. "Thanks, V." He then pumped out his chest with a proud smirk. "But Captain Usopp shall return the favor too!"

She giggled in her fingers. "Much appreciated, tough guy." She raised a brow when he peered into the window, but shot back up before anyone could see him. "Is Sanji almost done in there?"

"Possibly."

"Oh, cool!"

"Seriously..." After yelling at Usopp, Nami turned back to Vivi. "Sorry about that. So...?"

"Oh yeah, so it's like I was just saying," Vivi pointed to the map, "There aren't any islands, but it's easy to hit reefs due to elevated coral."

"I see. Thanks, that was helpful."

"You're welcome." She sniffed the air with a smile. "Wow, it smells good."

"Yeah," Nami agreed, as the witch joined them.

Sanji approached them with three platters each holding desserts for them. "Thanks for waiting. This is today's dessert, Tarte aux Poires. Bon appetit."

The girls, plus Usopp, admired his creations. "Wow! It looks delicious!" Nami and Vivi sneered at the intruder upon noticing his presence.

"Hey!" Venus grinned brightly at him.

"Yours is over there!" Sanji exclaimed angrily, pointing to his right.

"Hmm? Okay!" He ran to the platter with eagerness.

"Geez," He grumbled, then realized their captain was nowhere to be seen, "Hmm? Where's Luffy?"

"Oh, I asked him to draw water earlier," Nami replied, "Venus and I want to take a shower."

"Together?!" He beamed with excitement. Venus' eye widened at that; no way was she doing that! Not in a million years!

"No! Separately!" Nami snapped, then regained her composure. "I think he's at the water-drawing machine."

"No wonder he's been quiet." On cue, a huge quake rumbled all over the ship, startling Nami into spitting out her tea. "Or not."

"Ahhh, that scared me." Luffy emerged from the room. "That thing is dangerous!"

Everyone crowded outside to investigate. "What? What happened?" Nami asked.

"Ahh! Luffy!" Usopp exclaimed at the damaged exercise bike. "Why'd you have to break it?!"

"I was just trying to draw the water faster," Luffy defended himself, as he was pushed aside by the sniper.

"Oh, boy. The belt's been burned and broken."

"Yeah. I wonder what happened."

Nami jumped down behind him, and swung a punch to his head. "It's because of your ridiculous strength! Geez..."

"Can't it be fixed?" Vivi asked.

A disgruntled Usopp shut the door. "Well, we have to get materials from somewhere."

"Maybe Little Garden will have something?" Venus suggested.

Nami turned to Luffy with a sneer. "In any case, I probably shouldn't ask him to do anything. Usopp, could you get water from the other water-drawing machine for me?"

"Yeah..." Usopp brushed his hands off absently, before realizing what he just agreed to. "What?! Nami! Have you ever considered doing it yourself?!"

Luffy perked up at a certain scene wafting in the air, and looked at the upper deck. "I smell food!"

"And you," Usopp leaned in to the captain's face, "Show a little more remorse!"

"I'm sorry. But there's another one, so what's the big deal?"

"Saying something like that shows you're not sorry!"

"Shut up! I can't sleep!" Zoro complained.

Vivi noticed something up in the sky. "Nami-san, look."

Nami looked up to see a seagull perched on the mast. "Oh, the newspaper courier." It swooped down to deliver the paper, before flying off.

"That stupid Nami," Usopp grumbled, as he pedaled the water machine still intact under the right-side stairs, "Making me do all the hard work."

He looked up when a short-statured, hat-wearing shadow was cast in from outside. Venus. "How're you doing in here?" She asked genuinely.

"Been better," He mumbled, "Why do I get roped into these things?"

She rolled her eye in distaste, and leaned on the doorframe. "Nami's just lazy."

"Yeah. Not much we can do to change that."

"Do you want to take a break? I can cover for you."

"Oh, I couldn't ask for that," He nervously turned her down.

She frowned with sympathy. "Are you sure? I hate that you're having to do it all."

"It's fine, really," He assured, "I don't like it, but it's the way it is. Really, I'm fine." The last thing he wanted was for Nami to tear into her. And for what? For defending him out of her kind soul? If he had to exhaust himself working the water to keep Venus from suffering the brunt of Nami's wrath, then so be it.

"Well, if you're really sure," She reluctantly gave in, "I'm gonna go eat. I'll come back later, though."

"Thanks." After nodding, she walked off to join the others.

He smiled to himself through his pedaling.

She was so sweet.

By now, everyone, sans Usopp, was gathered in the kitchen. "At any rate, I can't believe they deliver the morning paper at snack time," Nami remarked, paying no mind to Venus' stink eye.

"That can't be helped, since we're traveling in the Grand Line," Vivi pointed out, "We should feel lucky that we still get news."

"I guess you're right," Nami smiled sheepishly. As she read, she tensed up at one particular thing.

"Did something catch your eye?" Vivi asked.

"What? Ah, no, not really," She tried to hide the story she was reading.

"I see." Nami expected her to press on for more information, but to her relief, that didn't happen.

However... "Ah!" A full-cheeked Luffy leaned into her personal space.

"Wh-what is it?"

"Here! Zoro, look!"

"Hm?" He looked up from sipping his tea.

"What? This is just a picture of the Marines."

"Yeah, but the guy in this picture isn't just anyone." Luffy pointed to a photo featuring two young recruits hugging each other in fear.

Zoro perked up at that. "Hm? Hey, it's Koby!"

"See?!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly.

"Koby...? That friend you were talking about the other day?" Nami asked.

"Yep! So what does it say?"

"What does it say? Let's see," She looked closely, "Vice-Admiral Garp's warship has arrived at Marine headquarters. The picture was taken right after they crossed over Reverse Mountain. Just as expected, Vice-Admiral Garp had a relaxed, imposed look; however, there were some young Marines whose faces were frozen with fear."

"Whoa... so Koby has entered the Grand Line," Luffy remarked.

"It said Marine headquarters," Zoro pointed out, "Not so bad."

"No matter what people say, he's a man who'll be a Marine mayor."

"Why would he want to become a mayor? Officer! A Marine Officer!"

"Yeah, that's the one."

"I see... so he's trying hard too."

"Be right back," Venus exited the room, smuggling some food on her platter, and made a beeline for the water work bike. She wasn't that hungry anyway, and Usopp needed to eat. She arrived at where he was, and tapped on the doorframe. "Knock-knock."

"Venus-chan?"

"Here, I brought you lunch."

"Oh, thanks," He smiled through his sweaty work, "I didn't think Sanji made anything for me, considering I'm still in here."

She glanced down at the food in her hands. "Well, he didn't," She confessed, "This is part of mine."

"What?! But I couldn't-!"

"You need to keep your strength," She gently lectured, as she entered the room, "And one of the best ways is to eat. You can't skip meals with this task." She held the tray between the handlebars. "It'll help you. Please?"

He sighed, and felt himself cave. "Okay, if you really insist. Thanks, V." He finally stopped pedaling, and began helping himself.

"I do appreciate you providing water," Venus said.

"Well, it's a pleasure." 'Providing for you,' he added mentally, as he ate.

That night, Nami was unable to sleep, so with the newspaper in hand, she sneaked out of bed, and tiptoed past Vivi. She shuddered at Venus, hair down and nightgown-clad, deeply asleep with Burton laid out on her scalp. Why did she have to have a tarantula, of all things? And why couldn't she keep him in his cage? Shaking her head, she quietly stashed the newspaper in a drawer, and turned to a sleeping Vivi. She only hoped they wouldn't get to Alabasta too late.

"Alright! Let's go!" Luffy exclaimed... in his sleep. The boys were sprawled out in fishnet hammocks, all in deep slumber. "Little Garden..."

"Yeah!" Usopp, Zoro, and Sanji cheered in their sleep.

Just then, Usopp's mind started to wander from their destination, to one of his crewmates.

Venus.

More specifically, like last night, the realization he had about her recently, when leaving Whisky Peak.

"You have a crush on her!"

"SHH! I do not!"

"Do too! It's cute!"

"It's not cute!"

"Everyone can see it."

"Does your heart flutter around her?"

"Well, y-yeah, but-"

"And you find her cute?

"Yes, but-"

"You want to be around her all the time?"

"Yes, now let's-"

"You want to hold her? Kiss her?"

"... W-well-"

"Ha! That settles it!"

He then started to think about yesterday; the exchanges between them where her consideration for him shone through.

"Excited to get there, huh?"

"I-I suppose."

"No need to be scared. I'll scare off anything that comes for you."

"Thanks, V. But Captain Usopp shall return the favor too!"

"Much appreciated, tough guy."

"Do you want to take a break? I can cover for you."

"Oh, I couldn't ask for that."

"Are you sure? I hate that you're having to do it all."

"Here, I brought you lunch."

"Oh, thanks. I didn't think Sanji made anything for me, considering I'm still in here."

"Well, he didn't. This is part of mine."

"What?! But I couldn't-!"

"You need to keep your strength. And one of the best ways is to eat. You can't skip meals with this task. It'll help you. Please?"

"Okay, if you really insist. Thanks, V."

"I do appreciate you providing water."

Oh yeah.

It was true.

Last night, he tried to push the possibility away, but there was no denying it.

He definitely has a crush on her.

(A/N: And there you have it! Usopp accepted his feelings! One Piece overall belongs to Eiichiro Oda, while Venus, and most of the events here, belong to me! I just took the SHP events, and filled in the gaps!)