Smile () One Piece Fanfic

Chapter 12

Chapter 12 - Stay a lie
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"Hey! Hi everybody!!" Usopp nonchalantly greeted back, turning towards all of us. He swiped his eyes among our form before stopping on the captain in fright.

"Eeeh!! How can you still be alive?!" The long-nosed teen shriek, his mouth hanging open.

"Still alive? I just woke up." Luffy replied as he stared at the lad like he was an idiot. Though, that didn't stop the sharpshooter from continuing to gawk at the captain.

"He was asleep the whole time," Piiman muttered.

I merely gazed around, noting how there still aren't many people in the are. Moreover, it seems a lot calmer than how a village should be if they found out that they're gonna be attacked.

"Captain! We heard about the pirates! We've got to warn everyone!" Piiman yelled, completely frightened for the village that he grew up in.

"Warn everybody...?" Usopp sweated. He looked lost for a second, his eyes glossing over like he was thinking back to something.

The liar gazed down, his face shadowed entirely. I frowned when a familiar wave of emptiness hit me once again. It startled me enough that I shakily took a step back. The emotion was a bit different from a moment ago, but it still affected me.

I took a few additional steps away from the long-nosed man. My heart clenched tightly as I sensed a rush of negativity envelops my entire being. The smile I have on vanished completely, replaced with a firm line instead.

My piercing eyes observed the teen in high alarm. My whole spirit ready and alert for something, however, I can't entirely comprehend what I'm waiting for.

Almost instantly, a hand grasped onto my shoulder, acting like a cold bucket of water that yanked me back to reality. I whipped my head towards the person who held onto me, promptly making eye contact with the guarded first mate.

Zoro glower at me, noticing how I calmed down a fraction as soon as his hand touched my shoulder. Although, that doesn't mean he didn't note how I was still in high alert.

Unexpectedly, the swordsman smacked the back of my skull. Enough to make me wince and move away from the bastard. It was an action that inflicted a handful of pain but it was nonetheless appreciated. The suddenness took my focus away from the sharpshooter.

"Wahahaha! What pirates?" Usopp laughed obnoxiously.

The three boys gazed at their captain in question. They looked piqued and entirely confused at the sudden laughter that the long-nosed teen has even with the predicament that they are in.

"Just like all the other times, of course, it was just a lie! I was just having my revenge on that butler by making up stories about him being a pirate!!" Usopp persisted on, a large grin visible on his face.

"Hmm?" Luffy frowned as he watched the still chuckling liar. The captain eyed him in confusion, although he didn't assert anything.

That seemed to caught Zoro and Nami's attention as well. However, just like the strawhat teen, they didn't make any motion to cease the sharpshooter.

I simply pulled a smile on my face, peering at the man as he tried to make everything a feeble tale. As much as it could have been one, it would be impossible since Luffy was the one who warned it to us. The captain isn't much of a liar, he's utterly honest. Whether that be a good thing or not, it would hang entirely on the situation.