Nightshift 48: Courtyard

[usoppsenchou.livejournal.com]

[from here]

Landing, Usopp leaned over to pick up the weapon, looking around as he did to try and see if there were any more signs of trouble. It was a little eerie to be coming right back to this spot after what had happened, especially considering that Usopp didn't really remember the route he'd taken yesterday to get here. At least the fight on the other side seemed contained for the moment. Usopp had noticed a distinct pattern of violence in his life, and thought yesterday's dose ought to last him for more than a while. Then again, the hand-held lights and the moon weren't enough to illuminate the entire space, with too many shadows for it to really feel safe at all. Actually, it looked like a good place for ambushing people, particularly if you weren't worried at all about hurting them.

The shed itself was sitting temptingly quiet and alone, and Usopp was eager to head toward it as soon as Scourge followed. Somehow, it just felt safer to be indoors, even if it really seemed more dangerous for the patients there.

Comments

[damned-monsters.livejournal.com]

One of them wasn't listening to her. One of them refused to listen, still kept an attitude of hostility. The undine allowed a note of plaintiveness to enter the song as her other hand lifted to beckon as well, obviously including the other man in the invitation.

She only needed one of them, but if the other tried to stop his companion from approaching her, then she'd lose her meal completely. It was rare enough for likely prey to appear here that she didn't want to allow that to happen.

[usoppsenchou.livejournal.com]

Usopp paused for a moment at Scourge's words. There were plenty of stories about beautiful women in the sea leading sailors to their doom. Then again, there were also plenty of stories about giants eating people or fishmen being mindlessly violent, and most of that hadn't turned out to be true...

Besides, "She's calling us." Usopp knew Scouge wouldn't hear the words, but he hoped his expression would clear up his intentions as he stepped closer to the pond. He didn't reach back for a blade. She was small, not dangerous. She just needed something from them. Scourge's fighting tension was barely noticed at all.

[haplesstracker.livejournal.com]

"Usopp? Usopp, don't be stupid. I'll hit you," Scourge warned, grabbing Usopp by the shirt and tugging him back again. He waved the blade at the water organic. "And I'll hit you too. We're just moving along, you mind your business, we'll mind ours." This was all kinds of not right. Humans didn't live in water, they couldn't breath in there, and nothing else that lived in water could be good. They all remembered the 'Rumble turning into a tree' incident on that one planet he'd forgotten the name of, water people were never good news.

[damned-monsters.livejournal.com]

It wasn't supposed to happen like this, and frankly, the undine was starting to get annoyed. Just a hint of petulance entered her expression as she gestured again, this time a little more sharply, with a little more obvious impatience, though the song continued without pause. Fine. The grumpy one didn't have to come, then. She didn't want him anyway. Just so long as he left his friend for her, she didn't mind.

[usoppsenchou.livejournal.com]

Usopp finally snapped out of the little trance, shifting back at Scourge's threat and the undine's sulk and sharp gesture. He glanced between the two for a moment before focusing back on the undine, tightening the grip on the long, fairly useless slingshot he hadn't seen fit to stop carrying. "Okay, who are you, and what do you want?!"

Women who floated around in ponds singing and not talking just couldn't be good news. While Usopp had learned fishmen and mermaids and similar beings could be perfectly intelligent, nice people, he'd also learned they were like humans and could also be complete jerks, and wasn't about to get in the water with somebody acting suspicious.

"And why is a pirate facing a problem like this when he's trapped inland?!" Usopp added with a touch of indignation. It was going to be hard to fit this narrative in when he retold the daring tale. Maybe he could lie and say he met her on the ocean. He'd have to leave out the whole 'mesmerized' bit. That was just embarrassing. Luffy was the one who always got brainwashed, not Usopp.