Sabotage

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Title: Sabotage
Rating: PG
Pairing: UsoLu-ish
Wordcount:296
Notes: Current manga arc, before/during ch.332. One-track mind - moi?



It comes to him as he's inspecting the dials, making sure none have cracked, rattling around with the junk in his bag. Luffy's not immune to everything; the burst of an impact dial will knock him far, when it's mass, not strength, that matters. Usopp will have to brace himself against the ground, and the damage of the backlash--he'll endure it. This is a man's duel and he'll do all he can to win. If he can get Luffy where he wants him, in the traps--

Or beyond them, he realizes, and it's like he was blind, but now all he can see in his head is that bay, with the sea all around. Send Luffy flying a little farther, and in the confusion of the dust he wouldn't have time to act before he hits the water. And then the battle is won, as easy as that, you think you're so strong, Luffy, but you can't even--

His face would be blue when they pulled him out, or else he wouldn't be at all, if they're too slow. It's not the thought of what the others would do, Zoro and everyone else; Usopp knows they must hate him already. Nor that it would be cheating; they're pirates, and the only fair fight is the one you win. And this would win. But in his head Usopp can see the cold waves, black in the night; can see himself diving into them, and finding nothing, no matter how long and hard he searches. He wants to throw up, wraps his arms around his shaking body and sits still for a while, before getting out paper to plot the dials' placement, calculating the right distance from the sea to make sure there are no close calls.

Comments

[lady-karasu.livejournal.com]

O_O I love that. I don't even know what else to say, thats just so... Ussop. I could see that happening in that chapter, too. ^_^

[bluepard.livejournal.com]

Way to take a too serious, too dark moment and instill it with fluffy cuteness. Of a sort. XD;

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

"fluffy cuteness"? ^^;; ...well, it's hard to keep things too dark in OP. Everyone tends naturally to gravitate toward teh cute.

[bluepard.livejournal.com]

Well, of a SORT. A very strange, possibly scary sort? ^^;

[ex-naye320.livejournal.com]

Awwww... Usopp love! <3 That was lovely - angsty and straight to the point of why I love One Piece & Usopp so very, very much. And you too, for writing this. ^_^

[inu-neko.livejournal.com]

Aaw, that's so sweet. ^_^ I can see Usopp doing that. Besides, in the OP universe, winning isn't killing the opponent. ^_^

[dethorats]

Must concur with everyone else. I can definitely picture Usopp thinking these kind of thoughts. Argh! Why couldn't Oda make us feel better by doing something like this? The man is evil. Thanks for making that fight seem a little less...antagonistic.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

The reason I wrote this is because I was commenting on a thread in my journal about the fight, and remarked that Usopp could've just blown Luffy into the water...and it really hit me that he didn't even try. Oda-sensei might've been implying something like this. Maybe. We can hope. ^^

[mei-yanohi.livejournal.com]

*gapes* Wow, do you have a way with words. You continue to take every proverbial cake in the ficcage world, X-Parrot. Keep your beautiful words coming.

BTW, can someone fill me in on the happenings of the most recent arc? I'm desperate to know what's going on, but I don't... Y_Y So please? Info?

[captainusoppu.livejournal.com]

Wow... I could see that happening. Sad but... legit. And well-written.