One Piece (Love Story) [Part One]

Chapter Eighty Five [Rewritten]

-Chapter Eighty-Five-

"How cool!" Rongo excitedly exclaimed.

"And the only reason we were able to come out of all of those death-defying situations with our lives was because of my bravery and wisdom, and because of these great attributes, I am known as Captain Usopp!" Usopp boasted before suddenly being struck on top of the head by Zoro. "What was that for?!" he snapped.

"We're trying to eat here—say it, don't spray it" Zoro frowned, causing us all to burst out into small fits of laughter...laughter that was all too soon cut short by the sharp sound of glass shattering.

"Rapanui, please forgive me!" Henzo begged as he dropped to his knees. "I'm so ashamed of myself...I've spent the last fifty years of my life doing research, trying to find a way to get you all out of the Rainbow Mist and I finally found a way to get back inside. But because of my carelessness, we can't get out..." he choked as he slowly started to cry. "I'm a failure as a pirate professor, I'm ashamed—but I must ask you...please, if you know a way out, tell me!" he pleaded. "We must find a way back to Ruluka, then once we're out of here, we can return home together!"

"No...there's no way to get out of here" Rapanui finally confessed. "And even if there was, I still wouldn't tell any of you—I don't trust any of you at all! It's not like you've given me a real reason to..." he grumbled, averting his gaze.

"And you call yourselves friends" Usopp heavily sighed.

"What's that?!" Rapanui snapped.

"You can forget about us for a second, but the professor here is your friend, right? I mean, if you can't trust your friends, then who can you trust exactly?" Usopp asked.

"No one really, trust is one of the strongest foundations in any relationship" I said, harshly jabbing my fork into my food. "Without it, you're left with nothing more than these guilt-ridden and traumatic thoughts of what could have been that just end up eating away at you every second of the day—mocking you because you're stuck with them and it can't be helped..." I bitterly spat.

"Skylar?" Zoro quietly questioned as I owlishly blinked upon realizing that everyone was now looking at me.

"My, that was rather deep, Miss Swordswoman" Robin said, a curious look in her eyes.

"Ah...sorry, I got carried away..." I apologized with a sheepish smile. "Uh...anyways, continue..." I quickly waved, now desperately wanting their eyes off of me as I shrunk back into myself.

"Uh...well you can just stay out of this! You really expect me to believe this ridiculous story that fifty years have suddenly gone by?" Rapanui was the first one to speak up once he finally found his voice as he directed his attention back toward Usopp. Shaking his head and narrowing his gaze.

"Yes, I do" Usopp nodded, slowly turning his attention back to the child with a frown. "Because it doesn't matter how different he looks or how much time has passed—he once marched under the same flag as you, so he's still one of your friends, got that? While the color of the flag may fade, true friendship is forever you know" he proclaimed, quick to pick back up where he had left off...though I could see where he was still casting curious glances my way from the corner of his eye. Rapanui only growled in response, looking just about ready to snap before he was rudely cut off by the sound of a Transponder Snail going off.

"Oh, wait, that's me" Henzo said, retrieving the mini Transponder Snail from his coat pocket. "Yes, yes, I'm coming..." he irritably grumbled as it continued to ring. Before he could answer, Luffy suddenly snatched the snail out of his hands and answered it himself instead. "Hey!" he snapped.