Change

Nami started finally speaking some sense to the two idiots that we can't just go to the Grand Line without a proper boat and crew and that we should check for a ship on the island near us. She also started asking me what else we would need for the Grand Line but I told her to wait until we are actually going there. After all, Logue Town would be the best place to get everything.

"It's been a while since I've stood on land." Zoro stretches as he enjoys the feel of a stable ground under his feet.

"That's because you were sleeping all the time!" "Not the point, Luffy." I retort at Luffy's antics.

"I just want to get a proper night's sleep for once. Can't sleep with all the noise and the movement of the boat. It just feels like I'm hearing more and more no matter how I try to calm myself."

I massage my temple as I sigh and lament my inability to get a proper rest. The nausea and nightmares from killing people doesn't help either. It never gets easy to see death but you just need to numb the pain somehow. Unfortunately, I don't know how now that I'm in this world.

Suddenly Zoro goes on alert. "Be careful. Someone is here."

"Where? Where, where, where, where?" Luffy starts looking around like a madman.

"Watch out!" Zoro shouts at Luffy and Luffy starts dodging incoming projectiles.

'You are immune to bullets...'

Then one after another numerous amounts of pirate flags start rising around us and Usopp jumps out.

"I am the leader of the great pirate crew that conquered this village, Usopp! Everyone praises me and addresses me as Captain Usopp! If you're thinking of attacking this village, you should just save your strength. Otherwise, my 80 million men will crush you like a bug!"

'Disgusting. What an unfortunate nose... Well, his mother's nose wasn't as long but it was sharper. Dunno which one is worse.' [Pinocchio has become a real boy.]

"INCREDIBLE!!" Luffy shouts in amazement while rest of us look at him like usual, like he is an idiot.

"It's a lie, right?" Nami casually says "Waa! I've been caught!" and Usopp starts panicking his ass off.

Nami starts revealing all of Usopp's tricks and his three minions that run away while Luffy laughs how funny he is.

Usopp starts ranting about how his slingshot skills are better than a pistol and Luffy says to "Bet your life on it." and how it's not a tool to scare people and gets threatening while Zoro joins on scaring Usopp. Eventually Usopp's legs give under him as he realizes that real pirates are more intimidating than he thought.

Luffy and Zoro start laughing and Luffy explains how he just repeated what Shanks told him. Then Luffy reveals that he figured that Usopp is Yasopp's son and then we get escorted to the village to eat and talk in detail.

"Say, Dravde... Have we met?" Usopp suddenly asks me and cold sweat start forming on my back.

"Hmm? Not that I could remember." I tilt my head and make it look like I'm thinking about it.

'Shit. He still remembers me.' [For a good damn reason.]

'I really shouldn't let him find out that I kicked his ass when he was a kid and kidnapped his mom. Who hopefully is fine...' [Crocus don't fail me!]

"Maybe someone similar since I haven't been in East Blue in years." [That doesn't help.]

We eventually get to the diner where Luffy starts talking about stories of Usopp's dad and what else he knows while we eat. After a while Nami starts asking about finding us a new ship. He starts saying that he doesn't know any in such a tiny village but Zoro and Nami notice the large mansion that can be seen on top of the hill. Usopp vehemently denies any need to go there and nervously slips away and leaves us eating in peace as some of us wonder what got into him.

""Usopp pirate group is here!"" The three little stooges get into the diner with a bang. The trio start asking what we did to Usopp only for Luffy to say "That was some good meat." with a bloated stomach and scaring the living hell out of them while Zoro joins on the joke and scares them to fainting while looking at Nami and screaming "ONIBABA!". We just laugh our asses of until they finally wake up and calm down.

The little runts eventually lead us to the mansion and tell us how Usopp comes over here to tell lies to Kaya to cheer her up since her parents are died. Luffy decides to forcefully intrude himself and tries to "Gomu Gomu..." inside while rest try to latch onto him to stop while I just stay behind.

"I'll wait you guys here." I say and wave at them.

"What do you mean!? Come help us, stop this idiot!" Nami shouts but.

"SORRY TO INTRUDE!" 'And off they go... They flew quite high...' [Mayday, mayday!]

*CRASH* 'Yep. Rough landing... as it's supposed to.' [Last time still feels weird.] I lay down on the grass and try to sleep away the fatigue while I still can. I eventually succumb to sleep but don't get to sleep that long since after a little while Nami wakes me up and tells me that we are going.

"Urgh. Can't a man get some sleep for once." I grumble as we make our way to the village and rest on a fence. Rest of the group start talking about where Luffy and Usopp is while I just lay down again and close my eyes but soon enough my rest is once again disturbed. The onion head runs this way shouting about a weird man walking backwards.

Eventually Jango gets to us while moonwalking the whole damn way.

"Hey. Who's the guy who called me weird? I don't look weird at all!" [Sharon!] 'He's not Ozzy!'

"No matter how you look at it, you look weird." Nami retorts as Jango poses.

"Shut up. I'm just a hypnotist passing by." And that opens the flood gates and the brats start asking that he shows his skills.

"What!? You must be joking! Why should I show my hypnotic skills to a bunch of strangers whom I just met?" He gets all super serious while admonishing the kids.

"Listen now, just stare into this ring." 'And he does it anyway... Might as well try myself.'

I sit down next to them and watch the ring too.

"After I say, "One, Two, Jango" you will fall asleep. Got it? Here I go..."

"One! Two! Jango!" All five of us fall asleep.

Nami uses her "gentle" methods to wake us up and I get up in amazement.

"I didn't expect that to actually work! Hey I'll give you a challenge do you dare to accept!?"

"I love singing but I'm tone deaf and a horrible singer. I want you to hypnotize me to become the best singer! Are you confident enough to do it!?" I issue a challenge to Jango just for funsies and with bit of hope.

"Bah! There is nothing I can't do with my hypnosis. After I say, "One, Two, Jango" you will become the greatest singer ever! Ready? One! Two! Jango!"

I get up and clear my throat like a professional and start singing.

"Hello, darkness my old friend. I've come to talk with you again.~" I start singing The Sound of Silence from beginning to the end and give everyone a bow.

*Applause* Everyone starts applauding me and telling me that it was great but there seemed to be something off.

"Ah, it's just my busted vocal cords. I said that I love singing so I sang too much when I was a kid." 'Heavy metal doesn't do anything good for the throat.' [I'm the Devil, I love metal~]

Then an idea hits me and I ask Jango once again. "How about turning me into the greatest actor?"

"Actor? Why do you want that?" Everyone looks at me in confusion.

"Well, I thought about asking about being a dancer to go along with singing but decided on actor the get the whole shebang, you know?"

"Uhyaa! A fellow with fine taste! Very well, this will be my last gift to you! After I say, "One, Two, Jango" you will become the greatest actor. Ready? One! Two! Jango!"

I start doing moonwalk with Jango and some more dance moves as I sing at the same time. We end with the Saturday Night Fever pose and then high five each other.

"Thank you, my friend. It was a miracle meeting you today. I hope all the well to you in the future." I shake Jango's hand with tears in my eyes.

"Uhyahyahya! Likewise, my friend! It is a miracle to meet a fellow man of culture such as you here." Jango says smiling happily back to me.

"Unfortunately, my business has been a bit delayed and I must hurry. 'Till we meet again!" And Jango keeps moonwalking away as I wave him goodbye.

"This is the first time I've seen you in such a good mood." Zoro remarks at my sudden change in attitude.

"Of course! Hehehe! This changes everything!" I grin at the group.

'This changes so much.' [Fake it till you make it] 'Exactly! I just need to act! Become what I'm not until I become it.'

'I will become strong... I... WILL... SURVIVE!'