It was a beautiful windy afternoon. The Straw Hats had just docked their ship at a deserted island and jumped ashore, trying to get some rest after their last big adventure. The air was crisp and salty, each breath stinging their throats. It had been quite a wonderfully normal day. Nothing particularly exciting had happened. All around their heads seagulls cawed, mixed with the sweet sounds of canaries chirping and

"Luffy! Get down from there!"

"Why? It's so cool up here!"

"LUFFY!"

"I'm coming! I'm coming!"

As Luffy slid down the cliff's edge, he started complaining. "Usopp, you're starting to sound like Nami!"

Usopp was sitting on a dark rock preparing his ammo in his bag. He shuddered. "I sure hope not!" he said.

Nami made her way over past a snoring Zoro and reading Robin. "What was that?!" Nami screamed as she bonked both of them on the head.

"Ow ow ow ow ow!" said Luffy. "What did I do?"

Nami just tossed her head and walked over to Sanji. "Hey, Sanji, do you think that you could make us dinner?"

"Of course, Nami-swan! I would looove to!" Sanji crooned.

"Food!" said Luffy happily. "Now, Sanji, now!"

"Wait your turn, baka! I must prepare dinner for my beautiful Nami-swan!"

Franky shouted for him to hurry from the ship. Nami grinned. "While he's doing that, Usopp, do you think that you could go into the forest and gather some wood for us, pretty please?"

Usopp suddenly dropped to the ground. "Oh no! I have somehow acquired can't-go-into-the-forest disease!

-Five Minutes Later-

Usopp rubbed his sore head as he made his way warily into the forest. "How did I get stuck with this? Just my luck. I have to go into the-" GULP- "creepy forest to gather wood." An owl hooted overhead. Usopp shivered. "I hate this forest," he thought, "it's way to suspicious to not have some huge evil monster in it." He made his way through the brush, clearing out all the dry logs in his path. He was grumbling and stacking for a few minutes, when suddenly- POP! A small noise came from the other side of the island, opposite of the Straw Hat crew, accompanied by a small flash of light.

"Ahahahahahrggg!" he shrieked. He threw down the wood and started running back toward the ship. Halfway there he faltered. What would the others say if he came back with no wood? They would ask him what happened, and he would have to say he was scared away by a little noise. Everyone would laugh at him! He wasn't about to be made a fool of! Nobody scares the Great Captain Usopp! He would just check it out, that's what he would do. And on his way back he would pick up the timber. No harm done and no one would be the wiser. "Heh heh." He gulped and moved ahead, into the darker and unknown blackness of the deep forest.

Where was he? He couldn't see a thing. Even the light of the moon had been drowned out by the thick tree leaves. Stumbling around in the dark was the worst idea he ever had. Why did he want to do this again? "Never mind that now," he thought, "I've got to get out of this forest! Maybe if I keep walking I'll find the shore." After stumbling around for another half hour, Usopp thought he could see light. "Yes! Almost there! And now, that I think about it, what was that little popping sound?" As he moved towards the light, he thought he saw something suspicious. Then he realized. That light wasn't moon light; it was the light of a torch. And someone he didn't know was holding it.

Usopp fell back a few steps, holding his mouth so he didn't scream. The man was about as tall as him, had average, if not lanky build, and had dirty yellowish dreadlocks hanging around his face. "Hold on a second," he thought, "this guy doesn't look like much of a threat. I'll just take out my Kabuto and shoot him if he notices me." He paused and thought for a moment. "You know," he murmured to himself, "I'm a wanted man. If he sees my face, he could recognize me and try to turn me in for my bounty. I need to cover my face." Usopp dug in his bag. "Perfect! My Sogeking mask! There's no way he could recognize me with this on!" Quickly slipping it on his head, he jumped out of the bushes and into the man's way.

The man jumped back in shock, dropping his torch. He reacted swiftly, and quick as a flash had his gun out. To counter, Usopp aimed his Kabuto at the stranger's chest. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" he said, his brave disguise voice contrasting with his slightly shaking knees.

"I could ask you the same thing," the man said, "I was here first, kid. And as far as I know, this island is uninhabited. What is a strange teenager doing in the middle of a forest on a deserted island?"

"I asked first!" said Usopp. "What is your name? What are you doing here?"

The man didn't lower his gun, and Usopp didn't lower his Kabuto. The man snorted. "You got some nerve for a little pipsqueak."

"Pipsqueak?!" What do you mean, pipsqueak? I'm about the same height as you!" Usopp did not like this man. Who did he think he was? How dare he make fun of the great Captain Usopp?

The man laughed. "Fine, fine, brat, I'll oblige, and I'll tell you my name."

"So, what is it?!" Usopp said. "And are you a bounty hunter?"

About to tell him his name, the man choked. "Bounty hunter? No way! No, sonny, I'm a pirate."

It was time for Usopp to choke. "A PIRATE?!" He cried. "There are other pirates on here?"

The man laughed hard. "Well, you've met me, so there is at least one. Wait a minute; did you say 'other'?" The strange man looked hard at him. "Are there other pirates on this island besides us?"

"Us?" Usopp jumped up. "How many are you?"

"Slow down, kid," the man said, "there are a whole crewful of us on one side of this island, but we aren't evil pirates, so don't get excited."

Usopp took in a deep breath. "What crew do you belong to?"

The man grinned. "Right to the point, then. I am a member of the Red-Haired Pirates!" Usopp's jaw dropped.

"Impressed, huh?" He smiled even wider.

"Hold the snail," Usopp thought, "My dad and Shanks are on that crew! You don't think-" The man was continuing.

"And my name is Yasopp, the lead sniper of the crew, and a good friend to the captain himself!"

Usopp could feel himself tipping over. The man- Yasopp, put away his gun and ran over to steady him. "Hold on, pipsqueak! I didn't think that it would shock you that badly! Stay awake!"

Usopp stumbled up and shook his head to clear it. This man- was his-

"Whoa!" Yasopp said. "A little uneven on your feet, junior? Well, at least I know that your weapon was for show. If you can't stand you can't shoot."

Usopp jumped up straight. "I can to shoot! You just surprised me!"

Yasopp grinned. "I suppose I should of known that it would've been a shock to hear that I was part of the Red-Haired pirates!"

Usopp was getting frustrated. "That wasn't it!" He said. "I just-"

Behind Yasopp, a giant creature raised its head out of the brush, huge jaws gleaming. It was posed to take a large chunk out of the man. Instinctively, Usopp raised his Kabuto to knock the creature down. Yasopp, thinking that Usopp was going to shoot at him, pulled out his gun and fired once, point blank, just as Usopp let go of the strings.

"Agh!" Usopp cried out, the bullet made its way in and out of his upper arm. The monster thudded to the ground behind Yasopp. Yasopp whirled around and took in the unconscious creature. Looking back at Usopp, he put two and two together. He suddenly ached. He felt terrible. He had just shot a kid who had been trying to help him. "Well," he thought, "I might as well bring him to the ship to get medical attention. I guess it's the least I can do." Yasopp yanked this unknown masked kid over his arm and started off toward the ship.