Neko Pirate

5- Usopp the 'Pirate Captain'

5- Usopp the "Pirate Captain"

Mira

When the kids found out that I knew about them, they stiffened. "She found out!" They dropped their flags. "RUN!" and they left their captain behind. I held my stomach as I laughed.

"The looks on your faces! Priceless!" I composed myself quickly and fixed my hat. "Bakas."

"HEY!" Usopp shouted. "Don't run!" He looked back to us with fear etched into his face.

Nami bent down and picked up one of the bullets. "A pirate that uses pachinko*... I've never heard of such a thing." She showed it to me, a little black ball. I was able to fix my hat in its reflection.

"You're right." I agreed. "That is strange." Nami blew the dust off the pachinko and Luffy started laughing at "Pirate Usopp".

"You're quite an interesting fellow." He chuckled some more.

"Hey you!" Big lips shouted. Yes, he has really large lips. They're very funny to look at. "Don't laugh at me! I am a man of great pride!" I rolled my eyes as he reached into his bag for something. He pulled out a slingshot and loaded it with another pachinko and took aim. "Because of my great pride," Luffy just stood there with a calm expression. "Everyone calls me... Usopp the Proud!"

"Is that a lie too?" I asked, but he seemed to ignore me. Luffy pulled his fixed hat over his face.

"As you saw earlier," Usopp continued. "My skill with the pachinko is better than a pistol."

"Since you mentioned pistols..." Luffy said seriously. "Bet your life on it." A smug smirk was plastered to his face. I rolled my eyes for the millionth time. Here we go again. Usopp gasped at his smugness. He began to quiver with fear. Is he about to wet his pants? "It's not a tool to scare people."

Zoro caught on with what he was saying. "Hm!" He said with a smirk of his own. He clicked the hilt of his sword and it popped out about two inches, the sun glaring off of it. "This person who stands before you," Zoro called up to Usopp. "Is a real pirate."

Usopp looked ready to snap under the presure that was forming around him. Any minute now... I readied my katana. Anything can happen in these next few seconds. We watched Usopp, waiting for him to make his next move. The only thing you could hear was the rubber from his strings and the gurgling noises he made as he fought with his inner self. Luffy and Usopp seemed to be having a stand off as they looked each other in the eye, though Luffy's was half covered, his face set firm as he waited.

I yawned, growing bored of the situation. I took this time to survey the land with my eyes. The rest of the flags sat in the bushes and lightly flapped in the wind. The waves softly crashed into the shore. Given the situation we were in, all was peaceful. It could have been any other normal day if not for this encounter. My ears pricked up at the sound of something in the bushes, but the aura it gave off let me know it was just a field mouse. Mouse...

No! Focus. I noticed the flags fall over and closed my eyes. How I would love to go into the forest now... The sun was starting to grow harsh on my exposed skin from standing in one spot for so long. I took in a slow, deep breath, letting the green of the forest mix with the distant village smell and the ocean behind us. Just as slowly, I exhaled and opened my eyes. Usopp was scared. Zoro and Luffy were smug and Nami was waiting for something to happen. I was in the same boat as her as I waited for someone to break the silence, but I can be patient.

Sweat was pouring off of Usopp by now as he stood there, half in shade, half in the sun. Luffy repeated what he said earlier and Usopp became even more scared. Luffy's intense stare was making Usopp ever so closer to losing it and breaking down. The question was, when will it happen?