Chapter Text
It takes Kaya way too long to gather her surroundings. One minute she's dizzy, deciding it probably best to head to bed early and the next she's in the middle of the sea. She's able to gather enough info to realize that she's on a ship, one with a grassy deck apparently, but everywhere else is water, water, and more water, so Kaya finds herself quickly becoming overwhelmed.
That is until a long, slender arm goes stretching by her head, and she shrieks, scrambling backwards several steps until she eventually lands on the ground. Her brows furrow when she hears an old yet familiar "Shishishi!" and she looks up in astonishment to see Luffy bounding past her through the air.
Huh. Okay. Somehow, someway, she is with the Strawhats. Which meant-
"Usopp!" she calls out, her heart swelling when she sees him come bounding around the corner, chasing after a catapulting Luffy.
She can’t help the tears brimming her eyes; she hasn't received a letter from Usopp in over two years and here he was, alive and well and apparently playing tag with his captain.
"Usopp!" she calls again, trying to get his attention. She releases a tiny huff of a laugh as he bounds up the stairs instead, effectively tagging Luffy before darting off in the other direction with the utmost glee on his face, finally racing towards her. She feels a similar expression tugging at her own lips, delighted to see that he's just as excited to see her as she is him. Too happy, with the speed he was running at with no indication of slowing down.
"Usopp?" she tries again, a little worried and now rapidly contemplating on whether or not she should move out of his way because he's still running full speed right in her direction. However, she can’t bring herself to budge so she takes a deep breath and steels herself for the impact, resigning towards just being tackl-
Oh. Oh, he just went through her.
Wait. What?
She looks down at her hands in horror and watches as she re-mineralizes right before her very eyes. But that can’t be right—Kaya doesn’t have a devil fruit that can cause something like this; she can swim. So what-
Oh. It takes Luffy shooting straight through her next to realize what is happening, what is going on. She feels a little silly for not grasping it sooner since Usopp has told her this exact story so many times.
"I can't wait until I meet my dad," he says, looking up at the stars in the sky on this particular night while Kaya leaned out the window, looking out at the stars in his eyes.
"I mean, yeah, I know I won't be able to actually see her with her being gone and everything. But, if I can just sit by my parents and tell them both that their son became a brave warrior of the sea like I always said I would, I think that would be more than enough."
"How do you know she's with your dad? What if she's here with you instead?" Kaya asks, curiously and Usopp huffs out a small laugh.
"Man, I wish. Then she could watch me go on my adventures firsthand. But everyone knows that you become a guardian angel for your soulmate when you die."
Kaya looks down at her still-shimmering transparent hands and then back up as the realization fully dawns on her. Kaya isn't really here right now; she's just dead.
The first thing Kaya notices during her stay with the Strawhats is how, uh, lively the crew is. She's only been here two days but she has managed to observe the generally rowdy atmosphere of the ship, a large part Usopp himself contributes to. If he's not participating in loud and rambunctious games with Luffy and Chopper, he can be found working on noisy projects with Franky, garishly gossiping with Nami and Robin, putting on a rather exhilarating performance with Brook, or, if he's bored enough, instigating a fight between Zoro and Sanji.
Today is different though. There's an eerie sort of quietness among the ship, a sort of tension in the air, an idea that something is brewing but nobody is aware of what. All Kaya knows is that something has to give because the air is starting to get a bit too thick to inhale and even her breathing is starting to shallow (even though she's already dead. Ugh; dead joke). She glances over at Usopp.
Whenever times were tough, she could always count on him to ease the mood with a story. However, when she looks over at him now, she realizes that Usopp may actually be the source of the change in atmosphere.
He's…out of it. He's holding his tools in his hands while a bunch of loose materials are scattered around him as if he were working on a project. But his eyes…they're staring out at the sea, unfocused. He doesn't even seem to be lost in thought, just…lost, period—it's unnerving. Kaya peeks around and notices the other members sharing the same look of concern she is towards him, and it's Brook that finally bites the bullet.
"Mr. Usopp? Is everything okay today?" Usopp jerks out of his trance, tools falling to the ground and further scattering the loose screws, bolts, and spare parts surrounding him. Usopp sits still for a moment, simply observing the mess he made with no indication of movement to amend it. Eventually, he slowly slides his gaze away, turning his head to peer up at Brook. All of this still very eerie.
"Hmm?" he hums and even Brook seems a little put off, his gaping mouth expressing what his empty sockets can not.
"Nothing just…you seemed rather out of it; eyes far away—although I don't have any eyes to see with." His usually boisterous laugh comes out more as a nervous chuckle, but the joke is enough to finally, finally break this awful tension that's been building all morning. Usopp blinks a few times, and a little bit of life returns to him as he grins sheepishly up at Brook.
"Sorry, man. Just…" His brows furrow as he tries to supply an answer. Eventually, he just gives up. "Sorry."
"Hmm. Maybe a song to help lift the mood a little?" Brook suggests, instead. "Any requests?" Usopp shrugs.
"You always know what's best; you pick." And, like always, Brook chooses correctly, going off into a light, yet jaunty tune that has Chopper and Luffy coming over to clap and sing along. Usopp chuckles and joins in as well, and Kaya finally releases the breath she's been holding.
It's not until later on that night that she finds out what was going on with Usopp.
Usopp is in his factory cleaning away his supplies when Franky approaches him.
"Hey, Lil Bro," Franky greets, clapping a hand down on his shoulder. "Wanna talk about what was going through your mind earlier today?"
Kaya likes that about Franky: no beating around the bush. And Usopp knows better than to pussyfoot around Franky during a head-on confrontation because he just sighs, flopping down onto the sofa in dejection.
"You ever feel like…like things are going too well?" Usopp asks and Franky mulls over it for a moment, moving over to sit down beside him.
"I tend to just take my blessings in stride whenever I can get them," Franky replies, opening up his stomach (yes, his stomach; he stores his cooler in there) to pull out two colas. He hands one to Usopp and he takes it, opening it but fiddling with the lid instead of actually drinking it. Franky notices and raises an eyebrow. "I'm guessing you're someone that takes them with a grain of salt, though, huh?" Usopp releases a sharp laugh, but there's no humor in it. Then he just sighs.
"To be honest, I'm not really sure what was going on with me today," he admits. "It feels like there's a shoe waiting to drop, a big one at that, and I'm the only one that can feel it coming." Franky ponders over this, managing to drink half his cola in just one swallow.
"Maybe you’re the target," Franky replies casually, and Usopp squawks, turning on him.
"Why would you say that?" he all but whimpers and Franky grins, ruffling the curly one's hair before downing the rest of his cola. He lets loose a satisfied sigh before answering:
"Because you have nothing to worry about, Nose Bro. I'll catch that shoe before it hits you, and if I can't, Chopper and the rest of us will all be here to patch you back up if it does any real damage."
Usopp grumbles something about "Why can't we just not throw shoes at people in the first place?" but for the first time since this all started up, he visibly relaxes, shoulders unwinding as he leans back into the sofa. Franky hadn't said exactly what he wanted to hear, but he did say exactly what he needed. Kaya likes that about him too.
Usopp is less spacey after his conversation with Franky, but that doesn't make him any less jumpy. That's to be expected: Usopp is always already a bit on edge, always on the lookout for a bullet yet to have been shot—it's what keeps him ready, keeps him safe. However, a bit of harmless jolting here and there is one thing, actually shrieking out loud and dropping whatever is in his hands (paint brushes, power tools, Chopper) at the sound of the usual pots and pans clanging in the galley while Sanji starts prepping for dinner is a completely different thing. Which is why Robin simply grabs his arm and eerily suggests (more so states) "Your presence in the aquarium would be most appreciated right now," and drags him downstairs with her despite his numerous attempts at protesting.
Once there, Robin sits back down on the couch next to an already open book, patting the empty spot beside her. Usopp sighs but yields anyway, plopping down with a grunt. Kaya hasn't had the chance to observe the why yet, but she has learned that most of the Strawhats know not to go against Robin when she finally puts her foot down, and, right now, Kaya considers it firmly put down.
"Have you noticed the new friend in the aquarium today?" Robin asks simply, and Usopp raises an eyebrow, turning towards the tank with Kaya leaning over his shoulder to observe as well. It takes a moment for them to find it, Usopp spotting it paddling around at the top of the tank first. Kaya is only tipped off to his awareness through the almost comical widening of his eyes, hair whipping around as he turns from the bug to Robin to the bug to Robin again.
"Is that a whirligig beetle?" he asks, voice teeming with excitement, and Robin nods, a small smile brandishing her face.
"It is—Luffy found it earlier. He wanted to show you himself, but he may have lost a few fishing poles in the process of trying to retrieve it and may be working on paying off a debt to Nami now. However-" Robin turns to pick up her book, opening back to the page she left off on. "He asked me to show you instead. Would you like to hear more about it from this encyclopedia I found in the library?" Usopp nods enthusiastically, and Kaya lets loose a soft laugh.
She remembers when Usopp used to come running to her with various insects and stories and fun facts to tell about them. She tried to be enthusiastic as well but…they were bugs. She's glad Usopp has more people to better share his interests in such topics, people that are thankfully no longer her.
Usopp settles in beside Robin, sitting backwards with his legs pulled up so he can face the tank and admire the beetle while she reads about it aloud. Well, tries to read: he keeps interrupting her sentences to fill in with his own knowledge about the specimen. Robin doesn't seem to mind at all though, and they sit there for a long while, ping-ponging knowledge off of each other such as "How the hell did Luffy even find it? Aren't they typically found in freshwater sources?" and "Yes, but because they primarily resort above water they can survive in oceanic locations on the off chance of being displaced." Kaya sits down at the table in front of them, resting her head down on top of her arms, and closes her eyes, content with just listening to them.
Eventually, Sanji comes down to announce dinner, but before he can open his mouth to even utter a word, a hand is blooming from his chest to cover his mouth. His eyes widen but immediately soften when he sees Robin tilt her head towards the now dozing Usopp, who had at some point turned to lay down across the sofa, back pressed against Robin's side. Robin releases him after Sanji gives a short, curt nod in understanding, mouthing "I'll put your plates away for later," before taking his leave. They fall back into a comfortable silence, Robin reading alone to herself while a spare, bloomed hand soothingly runs through Usopp's curls.
The peace is slightly disturbed again a moment later when Franky clambers down the stairs as quietly as he can, although with his form, it's not very quiet at all. Robin shoots him a glare, but, thankfully, Usopp remains asleep. Franky just sheepishly holds up a few blankets and tries his best to tiptoe over to them to lay one across the sleeping boy. Then he squeezes into the remaining empty space beside Robin and lays a bigger blanket over the two of them. Robin shoots him a look, and Franky just replies with a cheesy grin. She rolls her eyes at him but shifts to get more comfortable, leaning against Franky while taking great care not to displace Usopp. She blooms a mouth on Franky's neck close to his ear and continues reading quietly to him this time, and Franky simply closes his eyes and listens.
Kaya stares in awe at the scene before her, and she's hit with the sudden wish that she was a bit more like Usopp, that she had his artistic talents so she could at least capture this moment for him. She remembers the one time she was able to give him a proper tour of the mansion back home, the longing look he shared towards Kaya's family portrait. They always bonded over that mutual feeling of being a child with parents gone too soon, but, looking at the portrait painted before her, she's pleased he managed to find new figures to look after him.
Meeting Chopper, on the other hand, is different from the others. Kaya has been getting to know the Strawhats one by one by following Usopp around and watching their interactions with him. But Chopper? Kaya is not afraid to admit that she sometimes (oftentimes) leaves Usopp just to hang out with Chopper if the two aren't already together.
She can't help it: Chopper is the absolute cutest! His adorable appearance, quirky dances, and admirable determination have Kaya squealing in glee almost daily in his presence, but her favorite moments by far are when she's with him while he's in the medical bay studying, leaning over his shoulder to read along with him. It's those moments where she feels most like herself.
Kaya really hasn't had the chance to mourn her own death and old life, but in these instances, she feels glimpses of it pierce through her heart. She should probably feel envious, as her medical journey ended far too early, but…well, it's Chopper. Instead, she takes an abnormal amount of pride in knowing that Usopp has such a skilled doctor on his crew, and ignores that gnawing feeling of what could have been if they had a Chopper in Syrup when it was Usopp's mom, her parents, and then, finally, herself. She wanted to be that for her village but…well. So maybe she is a bit envious, but at least she doesn’t have to worry about Usopp falling towards the same fate.
Unfortunately, that doesn't necessarily mean that Usopp is in the clear though, that he's completely safe from any other disasters. Kaya is hanging with Chopper again when the dreaded shoe finally drops.
Coincidentally enough, Chopper is reviewing his notes from his last mental health check-up with Usopp.
"I'm going to need to schedule another one soon," he mutters to himself. "His anxiety has been getting worse ever since that one day on deck. Disturbed sleeping pattern, increased restlessness. I need to figure out the cause and see if I have anything that can help him." Chopper sighs, long and tired.
It's been a week now and Usopp has been doing better but in spurts and mainly only when another crew member intercepts him. When left to his own devices, he's depressed, paranoid, and just so anxious. No one knows what this aforementioned shoe is, but it's enough to have Usopp on the absolute edge, and it's leaking out into the other crew members in the form of extreme concern for him. Even Kaya's starting to dread this premonitioned fate Usopp is so strung up about, and she recalls a story where Usopp boasted about being a prophet, and that when the end is near, he would be the first one to share the news of the world's impending doom.
"Uh, don't you think this story is kind of depressing?" Kaya suggests nervously, and Usopp stands tall on the tree branch, puffing his chest out.
"Fear not, dear Kaya! As long as we're together, we'll be just fine as I, the Great Captain Usopp, will protect you 'til the end!!" Kaya rolls her eyes, ignoring her rapidly heating face to try to act nonchalant at the declaration.
"And what if we end up separated anyways?" she queries but sobers almost immediately after. "I mean, I'm already sick. What if I-"
"Hey, don't start that up again," Usopp says, frowning down at Kaya. "I meant it when I said that we'll be together 'til the end you know. Have a bit more faith, yeah?" Kaya nods mutely, blinking back a few tears.
"And besides: how could this world even continue without its beautiful, shining angel of a princess?" Usopp coos and Kaya groans, annoyed but face flushed. She always hated when Usopp called her-
"Oh my God!" Kaya shouts, immediately slamming herself out of her memory. The shoe. The shoe. She finally knows what it is.
And just like divine clockwork, there's a commotion outside. Nami's loud cry of "Usopp!" rings throughout the ship, and it has Chopper and Kaya rushing out in an instant.
Usopp is down on the deck, on all fours, with all of the Strawhats scrambling over to surround him.
"What's going on? Is he alright?" Chopper barks out, shoving his way through the crowd while Kaya simply shifts straight through them.
Zoro is kneeling down in front of him, Nami leaning over him, and they're both softly encouraging Usopp to "Breathe, Usopp. Just breathe." Usopp is doubled over, fist clenched shut as he gasps for breath, and it seems like everyone on the deck is all holding theirs as they wait for him to catch his. After a few, infinitely long minutes of watching him struggle, of hearing their gentle words of encouragement, his breathing finally returns to a steady, labored pace—everyone else's does as well.
Usopp blinks a few times and unclenches his fists, flexing his fingers out. Kaya, along with Zoro, notices a crumpled sheet of paper peeking out from between his fingers, and Zoro reaches out, gently prying it from his hand. He hands it back to Nami to observe, focusing first on Usopp, who is now openly crying and biting his trembling lip so hard blood is starting to drip down onto the deck.
There is a gasp and then a name, her name: “Kaya.” Nami doesn’t need to elaborate any further the way Usopp immediately lets out a low, keening wail before descending into a barrage of heart-wrenching sobs.
For as much as Usopp cries, no one seems entirely sure of what to do at the moment. There's a difference between crying in fear and crying in pain, and it's obvious the others are just as unprepared to see this side of Usopp as Kaya is. Even Chopper, the great doctor that he is, the doctor that can cure almost every illness is frozen in fear, ears twitching restlessly as he worries over something to do, something to help his hurting friend. Unfortunately, there is currently no bandage that you can slap on, no medicine that can be prescribed to heal a grieving soul.
So they watch, Zoro and Robin kneeling down to rub soothing circles onto Usopp's back; Nami leaning into Sanji for support, with her biting her lip and him gritting his teeth; Chopper holding back tears as best as he can; and Franky and Brook placing a steadying hand on the shoulder of the stiff captain, straw hat pulled low to cover his face.
And Kaya, who's supposed to be Usopp's guardian angel, who's supposed to be able to offer some sort of comfort, to do something, anything, can only sit back and watch as her soulmate cries out for her, heart leaking all over the floor of the deck. And for the first time ever, she wishes that she wasn't his soulmate, that the soulmate system didn't exist at all, because nothing hurts more than having to witness his pain and not be able to heal it.