Kaya 's dad is a very cool guy. Usopp can't for the life of him remember ever interacting with this man in his past life, but he's a very nice person.

He hasn't had a proper father figure in his life (Yasopp, well... he's certainly an admirable role model and aspiration-- but as a father? That's a title of pride Usopp allows him to wear, but in terms of actually being a

dad

, he fails,) but Usopp think this is the closest he'll ever have to a real one.

(Jinbei was always honorary dad, though. Nothing's changing that.)

Usopp finds himself on a ship. Kaya's dad's business ship-- a decently-sized caravel, just a little bigger than the Going Merry had been. Usopp can't actually see the ship-- he can walk along it, but he can't do it too often, lest he get in the way of the workers-- but if there 's something his Haki has always been good for, it was seeing things like this.

It 's a very well-loved ship.

Usopp almost wonders where this ship went after Kaya 's dad died last time ' was it demolished? Merry (the butler) had built Merry (the ship) for Kaya's personal use in the future-- perhaps it had been a replacement, because they couldn't bear to keep this one around after her father's death.

'So! Usopp-san, there 's this new Sea Restaurant out, and my dad says he wants to bring us out there, you too! '

Usopp pauses in his thread.

'...pardon? '

-

It 's less awkward than he thought, intruding on this family dinner table like this.

(He can 't remember the last time he had anything like this with Yasopp or Banchina. It 's bitter, just a bit sour, but so, so sweet. He 'll have to thank Kaya 's parents later, when he's no longer overwhelmed by the sheer gratitude and unending urge to cry.)

Merry 's staying home to look after Khlahadore, so only a couple of servants and a few fishermen came along to sail the boat. This was as much a business trip as it was a casual outing. Of course, Kaya 's dad paid for all the meals as they partied in the Baratie, eating hearty meals.

Being hired by Kaya's dad was such a nice place to work.

'Here you go. '

Usopp flinches slightly at the

voice

beside him.

Kaya 's mom had ordered just anything for him, because he can 't read the menu-- but Usopp still feels nervous. He 's been feeling Sanji 's small, weak, but so familiar presence since they arrived, and it 's taking all he has to distract himself from it.

Not yet. It 's not time yet.

He can 't. Shouldn 't.

There 's no reason nor logical way for him to suddenly wrap this waiter in a hug and cry on his shoulder. They 're not there yet. 'But that voice,

oh god, that voice.

"Usopp-san, are you alright? ' Kaya asks.

Usopp nods, 'I- ' he swallows, 'I 'll try my best! ' Then he fumbles around for the fork, feels around again for the plate-- yes, he 's gone through what 's where before the food arrived. It 's just carbonara, it should be easy enough to eat '

His hand knocks against the glass, and sends it toppling down the table. He yelps, and Kaya squeaks when the water splashes onto her dress.

'Oh no! I 'm so sorry, Kaya! '

Kaya chuckles a little, and Usopp sees (is that Kaya 's mom or dad?) move over, chastising them slightly and moving towards them, probably to dab at the damp spot. He's quickly assured that it's alright, a hand coming up to rub warmly at his arm.

Next, Kaya's mom carefully takes Usopp's hands in hers-- and leads him through it. He gets used to it quickly, and by the middle of the meal he can do it by himself.

It had just been water.

But instantly, Usopp feels reality crash down on him.

He 's being an

inconvenience

. He can 't see, and this-- this is a

disability

.

A physically restricting, genuinely assistance-required-- disability. And it hurts, to have spent so long adapting only to find out there are still things you couldn't do properly. 'He 's legally classified as disabled, and ' and for the first time outside of Syrup, he 's really seeing how this sets him apart from everyone else around him.

Being blind is fine if you 're locked onto land, full of help.

But if you 're planning to become a great warrior of the sea, being blind takes you a few hundred miles behind an average person from the very beginning.

Usopp may have years of experience ahead of him, but his blindness is an undeniable handicap-- something no one, no skill, can truly, fully replace.

-

-

'Admiral Fujitora, sir. '

Usopp still had his eyes back then.

Nervous, undercover, a (sort of) rookie in the revolutionary 's new ranks and he just didn 't want to pass up this chance. He'd found the man coincidentally. They'd passed each other by, and their thoughts lingered 'just enough for Usopp to approach the man by the shores later to strike up a sort of conversation, merely to reminisce.

'Former, ' of course, the man already knew Usopp was there. They 've faced off a handful of times before then (usually from afar,) up until Fujitora defected and retired and Luffy 's execution was scheduled. Now, they were just an awkward pair of war veterans that no longer had a reason to fight each other. 'What brings you here, God? '

Usopp can 't help but cringe at the nickname. Fujitora had been there when Usopp was (absurdly, no matter how many times he reflects on it) declared divine amongst a whole town of people, and he never let him live it down.

'Have you grown tired of the world? ' Fujitora asks, sensing Usopp 's internal conflict before the words even escape the younger man. 'Have you seen too much? '

Usopp wants to nod.

He doesn 't.

I

nstead, he closes his fists and lets his breath go out slow.

Fujitora looks out toward the sea, as if he could see the magnificent blue waves, ripples delicate and dainty.

(The sea never seems to change, even as the world crumbles around it.

The strongest material in this world is not diamond, it 's not vearth-- it 's the sea. Diamonds shatter, the earth fissure, but the sea--

it sustains.)

'I have, ' Usopp admits. 'I needed to see the world, purest and ugliest and sharpest and I had to know everything. It 's been hard. '

Fujitora listens.

'But now that my captain is gone, I find myself ' I just wonder, ' Usopp says, 'if I can finally will myself to stop looking. '

Fujitora smiles.

'It just takes courage, God, ' he says, and Usopp sighs. 'I 'm sure the bravest warrior of the seas has a lot of that to spare, does he not? '

'I 've never been brave, ' Usopp tells him.

Fujitora laughs. 'Sure you are, God! '

Usopp groans, 'stop calling me that,

please

! '

-

It 's nighttime.

Sailing in the dark is dangerous, even for the East Blue. So it's not rare for late customers of the Baratie to dock for the night against the restaurant. That's what Kaya's dad decided they would do tonight.

Usopp clicks his tongue once, taps his stick twice on the wooden walkway. He takes one step forward, clicks twice-- taps once. Taps once more, and then takes three steps forward.

The cycle repeats.

Slowly, step by step, bit by bit, he makes his way to the restaurant.

It scares him, the idea of walking on this narrow woodway with the sea around him and nothing but darkness. Colour can 't calm him, can 't assure him. On misstep, and he'll be in the sea-- and blind, he won't know where to swim to reach the top-- he won't even know which way was up.

But he braves it.

He braves it, holding his breath at intervals and taking all the time he needs-- because he 's scared he won 't be enough for Luffy when he comes.

He can 't take this slow and steady. He needs to do scary things if he wants to be good enough when Luffy gets here.

He only has a handful of years left. Will it be enough? (Will any amount of years be enough? Usopp can't help but think a whole lifetime won't be enough. He's so scared of being weak-- and yet, his mind only reminds himself of what he can't do.)

(It's a stupid thing, this anxiety.)

He finally makes it to the steps. He climbs up, and leans against the railing, breathing out a sigh of relief.

'You sure do some dangerous things, little beansprout. '

Usopp squeaks, jumping slightly and--

shit shit shit where 's his walking stick??

'I 've got it, I 've got it, ' and oh. That 's Zeff, standing too close to him now, a hand at the boy 's shoulder and the other pressing the walking stick back to his chest.

Usopp had been so focused on walking, trying to sense the soulless surroundings, that he forgot to sense for humans in the area.

Man, he needs to work on that.

'So beansprout, what are you doing out of your ship at this hour? It 's ' ' Zeff pauses slightly, 'four in the morning. Have your parents not told you it 's dangerous to walk around like this, at this hour? '

Usopp hums, nodding. 'I just ' wanted to practice. ' Because Zeff won 't accept 'I wanted to go to the toilet ' or equal bullshit as an excuse. Nor the smartass information that he does not in fact have parents. 'Walking, I mean. '

He can hear Zeff make a longsuffering noise.

Zeff mutters something about

starved eggplants trying to cook all over again

, and ruffles Usopp 's hair. 'Be less suicidal about it, could you? I don 't wanna wake up to floating kid bodies around my restaurant. '

Usopp nods obediently. He wisely doesn 't say more.

He calms down a little, letting his Observation spread out comfortably again-- and he 's surprised to find an extra voice near him. 'He only turns slightly toward the side, trying to ascertain if someone is truly there-- and it 's enough to make Zeff wary.

'What is it? '

Usopp doesn 't know how to deny sensing something, so he says, 'oh uh, I thought I heard something. Might be the wind. '

He can feel Zeff 's skeptical gaze on him. Or maybe that 's just Usopp 's anxiety peaking.

Zeff steps away for a bit-- Usopp notices how Zeff 's footsteps are uneven, one making a sharper sound than the other, and he remembers the peg leg he sports. Usopp completely forgot that little detail about the old chef.

'This. '

Zeff brings the second voice nearer to Usopp.

Usopp reckons it 's not human or animal,

it 's not strong enough for that and it isn 't making any noise. So what could it be?

He frowns, trying to figure it out with just the vague information he has in hand-- but it doesn't come to him.

Zeff answers for him.

'Is my logbook. '

Usopp swears internally.

Inanimate objects aren 't supposed to have voices, but Usopp 's Observation Haki is a special sort of sensitive. In the same way Katakuri could see into the future and Coby could hear hearts in his heart, Usopp can occasionally feel the spirits of beloved relics.

And

ohhh no, no

.

Accidentally letting Zeff know he 's got Haki is one thing. Making him realize Usopp had

special

Haki is a totally Mihawk-level

oh shit

situation.

'Beansprout, ' Zeff says, and Usopp imagines a smirk on his face. 'You 're special, I 'll tell you. Even in the Grand Line, people like you are rare as rocking horse crap. '

Usopp swears internally one more time.

'Tell me, little blind beansprout, ' Zeff raises the logbook to his side, and Usopp makes the mistake of following the book upwards. Zeff makes a snort. 'Honestly. Can you hear this book 's voice? '

Usopp 's totally screwed, isn 't he?

-

-

Being stuck on a marine ship with a metal arm, in hindsight, is a hell Nami did not expect to sign up for.

This would be the first time she 's out on sea for so long with this arm (and not in the future), so the disuse and the sea breeze was just so much harder to deal with.

Shame, because if there 's anything Nami loves, it 's her namesake, the waves.

Coupled with the binder (she secures one on one of the islands after getting her pay and allowance) and the bandages at her arm covering her Arlong mark (maybe she could find a shoulder brace to hide it, she 'll need one to lessen the strain from her opposing arm anyways), her life is a mix of suffocating to stifling to trying her best with a little too many secrets.

Maybe she should have picked one identity and stuck with it, because now she 's like an awfully planned character with too many subplots that aren 't going to be addressed.

She 's not sure how long she can keep this up, so yeah, she 's gonna have to jump ship soon.

One problem.

'Hey, Namizo-kun! Wanna go train with me? '

Tashigi, the sweet little swords-master woman that Nami adores as an empathetic Marine officer, is right now, barely a Petty Officer. She already has her long sword at this point in time, though it 's too long to strap to her side so she usually has it strapped to her back.

And, like a magic power, she instantly knew Nami(zo) was female.

Apparently, most people thought Tashigi was instead a 'Takashi', even without the Officer actually trying to do so. She had short hair, had a deeper voice than normal girls, and well, as children, no one can quite tell with just actions.

And Tashigi doesn 't even

notice

it herself, so she never corrects them. She just thinks they 're clumsy with her name.

Nami almost feels stupid. Maybe if she acted tomboyish enough like Tashigi did, people would have naturally mistaken her for a boy without all the extra effort.

Nami(zo) is honestly filled with admiration and seething jealousy.

'Sorry, Tashigi-chan, ' she says in her practiced male voice, 'I 'm done with my chores today, so I need to do some maintenance in the mechanic 's wing. '

Tashigi blinks. 'On your arm? '

Nami(zo) nods. 'On my arm. The sea breeze isn 't good for it, y 'know? '

-

Wearing just the binder, Nami slowly screws off each outer cover of her arm, setting them aside on the dry towel.

Tashigi is sitting precisely five feet away, staring.

'It must be hard, needing to do that every day, ' Tashigi says.

Nami shrugs, 'you get used to it. '

Tashigi is silent for a moment.

Then, 'hey, Namizo-kun. Should I ' crossdress too? '

Nami 's grip on the screw slips, and the screwdriver falls. She picks it back up, scowling at the other girl. 'You 're still on about what Captain Gorilla said? I told you to ignore him, didn 't I? '

'Uh, ' Tashigi sputters, 'Namizo-kun, he 's a Captain. You can 't call him Gorilla like that ' '

'He 's a gorilla if he thinks your goddamn gender has anything to do with being a swordsman, ' Nami says, sharp and firm. 'You 're a girl, right? And you want to be a girl? You know you 're a girl? Then you 're a girl and screw whoever the fuck says otherwise. '

(Where did Nami get all this swearing from? Probably Sanji.)

Tashigi goes silent.

Nami pats down the metal parts on the towel, and sets to put them back together.

'Namizo-kun, ' Tashigi says, and Nami lifts her head. 'Do you really think a girl can become the greatest swordman in the world? '

Nami looks at her.

'I 've seen you do it once, I 'm sure you can do it again. '

She doesn 't answer any more of Tashigi 's questions after that.

-

-

Zoro died before Tashigi got her final rematch in.

As undeserving and frustrating as it was, it didn't change the fact that following the death of Legendary Swordsman Roronoa Zoro-- the strongest swordsman in the world was Marine Vice Admiral, Tashigi of the Autumn Rain.

She always hated that this was how she got the title.

So she never used it.

Never called herself the Greatest Swordsman in the world even though she had yearned for the title. People still sent her name high and soaring across the seas, and she hated every moment of it.

Ironic, isn 't it?

She wanted nothing more than to be acknowledged, back then. But when she finally was-- she wanted 'nothing more than to discard that recognition.

-

-

Paradise is as rigorous as Nami remembers.

They quickly found out how much navigation knowledge she sported, so she was quickly promoted form cabin boy to glorified sailing boy. This gave her better access and more time in chambers with information flowing.

Nami works chores on every Marine Base they land on, and almost too casually, she always slips into the primary communications office.

Everyone in there is so busy, they don 't notice her coming in, assuming she 's here to collect documents or receive reports for whatsoever reason.

'...New bounty for... '

'Promotion... transfer to G-7 ' '

'...Mock Town, just ' taken care of ' '

'SOS! Transfer this call to ' '

'...Whiskey Peak, again? No ' '

She acts casual-- pretends to look through the records, as if she's sifting for a name.

Take one down. Flip a few pages. Sigh. Flip front to back again. Look disappointed.

Koala and Robin drilled this simply investigation go-to into her plenty of times. She can almost hear them guide her through the process of acting subtle, and focusing all her energy into her ears.

That 's it.

Stay calm and casual, look troubled, but not troubled enough to be called on.

Be quiet, but only as quiet as a nervous new recruit should be.

'Trouble in Arabasta ' no, it 's ' '

'...Finally nearing Sabaody, that rookie ' '

'They say... take down Whitebeard, of all people. '

Nami closes the shelf, and pauses.

'Bound to be trouble in the future. The starting bounty is ' '

Nami walks back toward the door, but not before she looks back to see the bounty poster the two marines are talking about.

'...the Mera-mera no Mi, so he 's 'Fire Fist ' Ace. '

Bingo.