Goretober 2024

8~Werewolf~

TW: blood, self-harm(kinda)
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That devil fruit had made him feel powerful, like a rush of encouragement throughout his entire body; something that he found he needed. Devil fruits seemed to be all the rage, and many top marines and pirates possessed one, so it was safe to assume that the fruits meant business.

For his crew, for his friends - would it really be so bad if he ate one as well? Then, they could really count on him to do his part rather than run away all of the time.

Usopp had felt an obligation to eat that power fruit, but what he hadn't expected were the changes it would force upon his frail body...

*

It was a tremendous shift that shook him to his core. Usopp wasn't prepared for the agony that tore at his muscles and snapped his bones like twigs. His entire being was torn and sewn anew in minutes, but the suffering felt to have lasted hours.

He grew taller and larger, and dark fur sprouted out from his bloodied skin. Even as he bled, new blood rapidly took its place, burning fast in his pulsing veins. The boy's senses heightened drastically, and while it was true that he was now better in every way, his human mind was being suffocated; it drifted into the background whilst animalistic instincts reared to the forefront of his scattered thoughts.

Usopp wasn't feeling much like Usopp anymore, and this power only kept climbing to insane heights, but it had nothing to do with him. All he did was eat the fruit, and now he has lost control of his own body.

Fluffy ears had grown on his head, his face pulled outwards to form a snout, and a bushy tail sprung from his behind. He was hunched forwards, groaning and whining during this entire time.

After the agonizing transformation, old blood coating his thick fur, Usopp made his way to the Thousand Sunny. Three of his crewmates had devil fruits. They could help him through this. Maybe they struggled similarly when their powers first activated, and all will be fixed.

He grinned internally, patting himself on the back for such a brilliant, rational solution. Although, his worries were not completely snuffed, and they still lingered while he weaved between the trees.

The Straw Hats had docked on this island to restock their stores and to take a break, and Usopp had been on his way back to the ship after exploring the town. He opted for a different route that he believed to be shorter, straight through the forest, and that was when he stumbled upon it.

As the sun set, and the stars shone brighter in the darkening sky, he felt something change within him. Yes, his eyes were adjusting remarkably well at the lack of light, that was pretty cool, but now a strange urge was bristling his fur and forcing a low growl out deep from his throat.

Something wasn't right, and a bad feeling grew in the pit of his stomach.

*

The Straw Hat's were busy occupying themselves while they waited for Usopp. It was noted that he had been gone a long while, and Franky stated that the sniper had been ahead of him on the way back, but no one was keen to go out and find him.

"Maybe he got distracted by a really cool beetle," Luffy offered. Chopper shrunk further in on himself.

"M-maybe he got hurt and he needs our help!" Robin intervened the reindeer's imminent breakdown, and rubbed his back soothingly. Chopper snuggled in close with a quiet sniffle.

"Someone should go out and look for him, just to be on the safer side," Robin proposed calmly. Zoro sighed and got to his feet without complaint. It always fell to him anyways, so why bother lazing around and wasting time for them to say the inevitable.