Zoro is a fucking idiot, and Usopp should 've known that.

(He should 've fucking known.)

He honestly didn 't see-- if Usopp remembered right, this was Kuroobi-- Kuroobi 's attack coming, so by the time Johnny shoved him aside, Zoro called out, and a clash of flesh was heard--

'ZORO-ANIKI! '

Usopp realizes a little too late what 's going on, and Zoro 's pained howl reaches his ears. Green fills his vision, and anger erupts.

( 'Zoro! ' Usopp yells-- but no, it 's too late for him. He 's surrounded, and though Zoro can handle a crowd of marines on his own-- the rest of them can 't come with. They 'll have to leave him behind., they 'll have to go without him.)

(They haven 't seen so much blood on him since Thriller Bark.)

And for a moment, they were there again. In that battlefield, protected by their strongest, running for their lives, total burdens,

weak, weak, weak

.

One step back for balance.