Varin's eyes opened slowly, not with panic or the snap of battle instinct. He exhaled, breath low and even, the ghost of embers from the fire flickering in his vision. The world had settled into that deep, half-living quiet that comes just before dawn. He let his eyes adjust, letting the faint light of the moon stretch across the clearing. His sight wasn't perfect in the dark, but it was sharper than most, sharper still when the air was still, and every motion stood out like ripples across still water.
It didn't take him long to spot the source. Usopp. The long-nosed sharpshooter was pacing back and forth, his movements jittery, restless, though not fearful. His head kept turning toward Brogy and back again, and once, briefly, to Varin himself. In the silvery half-light, his expression was hard to read, but there was something in it that caught Varin off guard. Not suspicion. Not fear. Something closer to awe, hesitant, almost reverent, like a man who had just realized the old tales he told might be true after all.
Varin blinked, sitting up slightly, the moon throwing soft silver across his features. Brogy was still asleep, his massive frame rising and falling with the rhythm of distant thunder, each breath loud enough to stir the grass. Nami lay near the fire, one arm slung lazily across her chest, the faintest trace of exhaustion still softening her face.
For a moment, Varin just watched Usopp, curious. The night still hummed with the echo of stories shared hours ago, of warriors, gods, and the tree that bore cursed fruit. Maybe it was that story that kept the man awake, pacing circles in thought. Or maybe something else entirely.
Still, the way he looked, eyes darting between the sleeping giant and the wolf-born warrior by the fire, it was as though he stood in the presence of myths and didn't know how to breathe.
"Something botherin' ya, sniper?" Varin asked, voice low but cutting through the quiet.
Usopp jumped, nearly dropping whatever he was fiddling with. "Ah, Varin, you're awake! I guess I woke you up, huh? Heh… sorry about that."
"Not your fault," Varin muttered, pushing himself up, brushing bits of dirt and ash from his skin. "I never really sleep anyway. Trick I picked up back on the island."
Usopp hesitated. "...Right. The island. The one we found you on…" His voice trailed off, unsure if he should've mentioned it at all.
Varin gave him a look, head tilting just enough to make his point. "You gonna answer my question or keep pacin' like a lost chicken? Something botherin' ya?"
"Uhm…" Usopp stopped pacing, shifting on his feet. His mouth opened, closed, then opened again before he sighed. "Yeah, actually. But you have to promise not to laugh."
Varin smirked faintly, one brow lifting. "Aye, I can promise that. You look like this one's eatin' at ya. Wouldn't laugh even if you hadn't asked."
That seemed to catch Usopp off guard. He blinked, the words landing harder than he probably expected. He cleared his throat and crouched down, messing with the straps on one of his pouches, fidgeting like his hands didn't know what else to do.
"I feel like… not enough," he said, voice quieter this time. "I'm a coward. I'm weak. I can fix things halfway decent, and sometimes that's all I feel like I'm good for, ya know?" The words came fast, like he was trying to get them out before he could stop himself. "I lie to make myself sound braver, stronger, like I matter. But I'm not. I freeze when things get bad, I shake, I run I, " his breath hitched, and he dropped his gaze, voice barely above a whisper. "I'm worthless."
Varin didn't say anything at first. He just watched him. The moonlight cut through the treetops in thin silver lines, catching the edge of Usopp's face, the worry in his eyes. Somewhere in the distance, something howled, the sound low and rolling, then gone.
"I'm curious," Varin said after a moment, his tone calm, almost lazy, though his eyes were sharp. "Anyone on the crew ever actually tell you that? That you're worthless, I mean?"
He didn't wait for an answer, just leaned back against a nearby log and looked up at the moon through the branches. "Forget it for a second. You know why wolves sleep in packs? Why they make dens instead of wanderin' off on their own?"
Usopp looked confused at first, like Varin had just changed the subject completely. "Uh… because it's safer?" he guessed, rubbing the back of his neck, unsure if this was a trick question.
Varin nodded slowly. "Partly. Safety's a big thing, yeah. But it's not just that. Wolves ain't built to be alone. They hunt together, eat together, sleep together. The pack works because every single one of them's got a role. Doesn't matter if it's the alpha leading, or the runt keeping watch from the edge. You take one away, the whole thing gets weaker."
Usopp tilted his head. "So… you're saying I'm the runt?"
Varin huffed out a quiet chuckle. "I'm sayin you're part of the pack, idiot." He turned his head slightly, looking at Usopp with that sharp, steady look of his. "You think the captain'd let someone useless stick around? You think Zoro, Sanji, Nami, any of them would? You're scared, fine. But you still stand with 'em. You still fight when it counts, even if your hands are shakin. That's not weakness. That's courage that hurts."
Varin looked at him, a faint grin tugging at his lips. "You ain't a coward, Usopp. Far from it. You might run, you might cry, but when it comes down to it, you fight. You lie, sure, but that's a weapon same as any blade. Every trick, every scrap of wit, every ounce of fear, it's all just another edge if you know how to use it."
Before Usopp could even think of responding, Varin kept going, his gaze still fixed on the moon. "But I'll be straight with you, your answer wasn't what I expected. I was gonna say wolves travel in packs 'cause they're scared. Scared of something bigger, stronger, faster. Or maybe just scared of being alone in a world that don't care if they live or die. But that fear's what keeps 'em alive. It's what makes 'em fight harder, stick closer, bite deeper."
Usopp's voice cracked a little, the words rough around the edges. "I… I wanna be like you and Brogy. Brave, confident. Strong. You both talk about your homes, your people, like they were born to stand tall no matter what comes. It's like everything I ever dreamed of being just walked up and started talkin', but only to remind me I'll never get there."
Varin's grin faltered, the sharp humor draining from his face until only the quiet weight of truth remained. "Brogy, sure. He's the kind you can look up to." His voice was low, steady, the kind that didn't need to raise itself to carry meaning. "But me? You don't wanna be like me, Usopp. I promise you that."
"Why? I, if you don't mind me asking," Usopp said, his voice uncertain. He caught the change in Varin's face, the way the grin slipped away. It wasn't sad, exactly, just hollow, like someone who'd already made peace with something he shouldn't have.
"I'm broken," Varin said finally. His tone wasn't heavy or self-pitying, just flat, matter-of-fact. "I don't feel fear. Not 'cause I'm strong, or brave, or any of that crap people like to dress it up as." He looked over at Usopp, eyes faintly catching the moonlight. "Can you imagine eating the same thing every day for a year?"
Usopp hesitated, nodding slowly though he clearly didn't understand where the question was going. "Uh… sure, I guess? I mean, I'd probably go crazy after a week."
"Yeah," Varin said, voice low, distant. "You'd get bored of it. Sick of it. That's what happened to me." He leaned back, eyes drifting toward the moon half-hidden behind the trees. "I spent so long being afraid for my life on that frozen hellhole that one day, I just… got tired of it. Fear stopped meaning anything."
He let out a slow breath through his nose. "Thing is, fear's not bad. No matter what anyone tells you, it keeps you alive. It's supposed to."
Varin shook his head, brushing the thought aside like dust off his sleeve. "Enough about me. This was your issue, not mine," he said, voice steady but quieter now. "I've made my peace with all that. And either way, life's pretty damn good with you lot. One problem ain't gonna ruin that." He turned his head slightly, giving Usopp a faint, tired smile. "So, why don't you tell me the time you were most afraid?"
Usopp just stared at him for a long moment, the words caught somewhere between his chest and throat. He hadn't expected Varin to say it so plainly, to sound so sure of something that heavy. For a man who'd just confessed to feeling nothing, Varin looked almost… at peace. Like he'd long since stopped fighting the weight that used to crush him. The silence stretched, heavy and unmoving, until it felt like even the forest was holding its breath.
"Uh, uhm…" Usopp started, voice catching a little. "I guess it would be… the day I joined up with Luffy." He shifted, his gaze dropping to the dirt, to the faint marks their boots had left in the soil. "There was this pirate, Klahadore, he'd been pretending to be this girl's butler for years. Kaya. She was my best friend growing up. I'd tell her stories every day, about adventures, giants, treasure, all that stuff, all lies, but it didn't matter to her." He tried to smile, but it faltered almost instantly. "But when Luffy and the others showed up, that was when he finally dropped the act. He had a crew waiting, planned to kill her, blame it on them, and take everything she had. Because she trusted him most, she'd left it all to him in her will."
Usopp's voice grew quieter as he went on, the edges of the words rough and trembling. "I… thought she was going to die. And for once, I wasn't scared for me. Not for what would happen if I got caught, or beaten, or worse. I was scared for her. For what would happen if I wasn't there. If I ran." His hands clenched, fingers curling tight against the fabric of his pants. "I remember standing there, shaking, and thinking I couldn't do anything. All the stories I told, all that talk about being brave and strong, it was all fake. I wasn't a hero. I was just some idiot with a slingshot and too many lies."
He stopped there, eyes unfocused, staring past the trees like he was seeing something that wasn't there anymore. "But I still fought," he said finally, the words quiet but certain. "I didn't win. Not really. But I didn't run either."
Varin finally looked away from the treeline, eyes softer now, the sharp edge of his usual tone worn down to something almost gentle. "Sounds like you liked this girl," he said after a moment, voice calm but direct. "You left her for the pirate life?"
Usopp blinked, caught off guard again. He hesitated, his mouth opening, then closing. "It's not, " he started, but stopped himself, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, I mean… maybe. I don't know." He sighed, the air leaving him slow and uneven. "She was my best friend. She believed me, even when everyone else called me a liar. When I talked about giants or the sea or being a brave warrior, she listened like it was all real. Like I mattered."
He gave a small, humorless laugh. "But she was sick, real sick. And I couldn't do anything. I couldn't protect her from that. Not from the pirates, not from the sickness, nothing. I think… maybe that's why I left. Not to run away, but because staying there, pretending, it would've killed me."
Varin tilted his head slightly, studying him. There was something faintly sad in his eyes now, though his voice stayed steady. "So you left to chase the story you used to tell," he said quietly. "To make it real."
Usopp looked up at him then, the corners of his eyes bright with something that wasn't quite tears but close. "Yeah," he murmured. "I guess I did. But sometimes I wonder if I ever can. If someone like me can actually be what he says he is."
Varin didn't answer right away. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, gaze returning to the horizon. When he spoke again, it was low, almost thoughtful. "Everyone chases somethin'. Difference is, some run to it, others from it. You're still runnin' toward it, Usopp. That's the only part that matters."
Usopp's breath hitched quietly, his lips twitching into something that was almost a smile. He didn't trust his voice enough to reply, so he just nodded instead, the sound of the wind filling the space between them once more. The forest creaked faintly as it swayed, old trees whispering to each other in the dark.
Varin glanced his way, eyes still fixed somewhere past the canopy. "I wonder though," he said, voice low but even, "if this Khaladore had been her butler for years, her sickness might've been artificial. And if that's the case, she might be better now, aye?"
Usopp froze, the words hitting him like a spark in the dark. His head snapped toward Varin, eyes wide. "You… you really think so?"
Varin shrugged, a faint grin tugging at the edge of his mouth. "A man willing to stage her death to steal her fortune? Poisoning her to make her weak ain't far-fetched. You said she was sick for years, right? And the moment he's gone, she might've had a chance to actually get better. Odds aren't bad, if you ask me."
Usopp's eyes drifted down, the smallest, almost fragile smile spreading across his face. It wasn't loud or proud like his usual ones, it was quiet, the kind that barely made it past the weight in his chest. "I… never thought of that. Guess I just assumed she was gone. That… actually helps more than I thought it would."
Varin chuckled under his breath, leaning back again, arms crossing behind his head. "You think too much on what you lost," he said lazily. "Maybe it's time you start thinkin' about what might still be waitin' for you out there. Not everyone from your past is gone, Usopp. Some people got tougher when you weren't lookin'."
Usopp let out a soft laugh through his nose, shaky but real. "You're… weirdly good at this, you know that?"
Varin snorted, eyes half-closing. "Nah, I just talk too much when I can't sleep."
The silence that followed wasn't heavy anymore. It stretched easy between them, carried by the soft rhythm of the night. Somewhere off in the distance, a lone gull cried out toward the sea, and Usopp found himself smiling again, this time with something a little stronger behind it.
"What's the name of your island?" Varin asked after a long pause, his voice quieter now, almost thoughtful.
"Uh… Gecko Island," Usopp said, rubbing the back of his neck. "A little place called Syrup Village, in the East Blue."
Varin gave a low laugh, the sound rough and genuine. He reached over and clapped Usopp on the back, hard enough to make the sniper jolt forward a bit. "Could've guessed the East Blue part," he said, grinning. "We all kinda came from that blue."
He leaned back, tilting his head toward the stars. "Tell you what," Varin said, grin turning more wolfish now, though there was something warm behind it. "If I ever find myself in the East Blue again, I'll track down this island of yours. And that girl, Kaya, right? I'll ask if she wants to come join us, aye?"
Usopp's head snapped up, eyes wide. "W-wait, what? You'd do that?"
Varin chuckled, not looking at him. "Sure. Why not? You talk about her like she's got a fire in her. And if she's anything like you say, she's tougher than you think. Besides, every good crew needs someone who keeps the others from doin' anything stupid. That's a rare skill."
Usopp stared at him, mouth half open like he couldn't decide if the man was serious or not. He finally managed to laugh, a little shakily. "You're crazy, you know that? You don't even know her."
"Don't need to," Varin said, still watching the stars. "Anyone who kept a liar like you grounded for that long's worth meetin'. And if she's as strong as you make her sound, she'd fit right in with this crew. Maybe even knock some sense into me while she's at it."
Usopp smiled faintly, pulling his knees up and resting his chin on them. "She'd definitely do that. Probably yell at you for drinkin' too much first."
Varin grinned wider, eyes glinting faintly in the moonlight. "Then she'll get along with Nami just fine."
That made Usopp snort, trying not to laugh too loud. The sound echoed soft in the empty dark, fading into the rustle of leaves and the far-off crash of the sea. For a moment, everything felt lighter. No Baroque Works, no warlords, no monsters, just two crewmates under the stars, trading pieces of themselves in the quiet before the next storm.
"She's not a fighter though," Usopp said after a moment, voice low. "She was studying to be a doctor, but… she wouldn't be able to protect herself. If she came out here, she'd…" His throat tightened, and he shook his head. "I couldn't have her die because of me. Because of my feelings."
Varin turned his head slightly, looking at him through half-lidded eyes. "So what if she's not a fighter?" he said plainly. "Neither is Nami, and we keep her around, don't we? And she's got more bite than half the people I've met swingin' swords."
Usopp blinked, caught off guard, but Varin wasn't finished. "And besides, you said she's studyin' to be a doctor, right? Then we sure as hell could use someone like that. You can never have too many people who can patch up a crew that likes findin' trouble the way we do."
He leaned forward a bit, resting his elbows on his knees, voice dropping just slightly. "But you know what I really hear, Usopp? You've got another reason to get stronger. You want to keep her safe? Then you do it. You fight, you train, you learn. Doesn't matter if she can't protect herself; you protect her in her stead. That's what men like us do when we care about somethin'."
Usopp looked down, fingers gripping the edge of his pant leg. "You make it sound easy," he muttered.
Varin smiled, faint but honest. "It ain't. But nothin' worth doin' ever is. Every time you think you can't keep goin', remember her face. Remember what you're fightin' for. That kind of reason, it'll carry you through things that'd break most men."
Usopp was quiet again, the wind brushing through the clearing, carrying with it the faint smell of salt and wet earth. His chest felt tight, but not in the bad way, not like guilt or shame. It was something else. A warmth that came with knowing someone believed him capable of more than the coward he thought he was.
"Maybe you're right," he said finally, his voice small but steadier now.
Varin gave a low hum. "Course I am." He leaned back again, folding his arms behind his head. "You just keep that promise to yourself. Next time you're scared, next time you're shakin', you remember that doctor girl of yours, and you fight through it. That's what bravery really is, Usopp. Not bein' fearless, but fightin' anyway."
Usopp stared at him for a long moment, the words sinking in, then nodded slowly. "You're a strange guy, Varin."
Varin smirked, eyes closing. "Aye. But sometimes strange gets things done."
The two sat in silence after that, the jungle alive around them, but neither feeling alone. Above them, the stars still burned bright, and somewhere far off, a new day waited to rise.
Varin stayed where he was for a while, arms draped over his knees. The jungle around them whispered with life, unseen creatures calling to each other through the thick air, the rhythm of Little Garden's ancient pulse never truly resting.
He looked at Usopp again. The sniper's face, half-lit by the coals, looked younger in sleep, less the liar and dreamer, more the boy who still wanted to believe the world could be kind. His hand rested near the pouch of ammo by his side, fingers twitching slightly as if even in dreams he was still rehearsing for whatever came next.
Varin exhaled slow, almost a sigh. "Idiot," he muttered, the word not cruel, more like habit. "You'll sleep sittin' like that and wake up with a spine twisted like a rope."
He pushed himself up, brushing a stray leaf from his shoulder. The movement stirred the embers, and for a heartbeat the light grew stronger, glinting against the edge of his blade and the faint silver of his eyes. Brogy's snoring rolled steady in the background, a sound like distant thunder. Nami was still curled near the dead fire pit, one hand under her head, the other draped over her satchel, ready even in rest.
He glanced back once more. Usopp's head had slumped to the side, resting awkwardly against the log, a line of drool catching the firelight. Varin shook his head, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Not a babysitter," he muttered to himself, half-smirking. "If you wake up sore, that's on you."
The night stretched long and slow, the kind that asked nothing of anyone. Varin leaned his head back, eyes half-shut, listening to the jungle's heartbeat, the distant waves, the insects, the faint clatter of some unseen creature moving through the brush.
_ _ _ _ _
Morning came quick, dragging a low fog across the treetops that burned off slow beneath the rising sun. The air smelled of wet earth and sap, thick and alive. Somewhere off in the jungle, the ground shook with the heavy rhythm of pursuit, then a roar, the snap of bone, and silence.
Brogy returned not long after, laughter booming through the clearing. He carried something that looked halfway between a lizard and a bear, its hide scored with claw marks, its teeth still bared in death. "A fine breakfast beast!" he declared, voice echoing off the valley walls. He split it clean in two with one swing of his axe and set to work building a fire big enough to roast a ship on.
Varin had already been up before the sun. The campfire from the night before had burned out to ash, and the rest of the crew still slept while he moved toward the giant's home, the ribcage of some long-dead colossus jutting from the jungle floor like white mountains frozen mid-collapse.
Climbing it wasn't easy. The bones were slick with dew and time, the gaps between them wide enough to swallow a man whole. But the higher he went, the clearer the world became. From the top, Little Garden stretched in every direction like a forgotten dream, rolling forests, twin volcanoes crowned with drifting smoke, rivers that cut through the green like silver knives. It felt ancient, untouched, the kind of place where time moved slower and beasts never stopped growing.
For a long while, Varin just stood there, wind tugging at his skin. From up here, even Brogy looked small. The thought made him grin faintly. "Guess there's always a bigger monster," he muttered, then started his way back down.
By the time his boots hit the ground again, the camp was alive with noise and smoke. Brogy's laughter rolled like thunder as he turned the spit, the smell of roasting meat thick in the air. Near the edge of the clearing, Usopp stood beside him, hands waving as he spoke, voice carrying in bursts of nervous excitement.
"…and then, boom! The hammer snapped clean in half! But I still got the shot off anyway!" Usopp was saying, chest puffed just enough to make the story work.
Brogy threw his head back, laughing hard enough to shake the trees. "A warrior of great courage indeed! Even a broken weapon cannot stop the heart of a true fighter!"
Usopp beamed, cheeks red from equal parts pride and embarrassment.
Varin slowed as he approached, watching them from a short distance. The sight pulled something quiet out of him, something that felt a little like peace. After the weight of last night, seeing Usopp grinning up at the giant, shouting half-true stories with his whole chest, it made the world seem right again, if only for a moment.
He folded his arms, leaning against one of the fallen bones. "You makin' him believe you're the bravest man alive again, sniper?" he called, tone dry but not unkind.
Usopp turned, nearly tripping over himself in surprise. "V-Varin! I was just, uh, telling him about one of our past adventures!"
Varin smirked, eyes half-lidded. "Aye, I bet. You leave out the part where you nearly fainted first?"
Brogy's laughter doubled, a sound that filled the whole clearing. "You jest, little wolf! This one's got the spirit of a true warrior! Fear is the forge of courage!"
Varin lifted his chin slightly, amused. "Heh. Guess that makes me the anvil then."
The three of them fell into an easy rhythm after that. Brogy worked the spit with one hand, humming some booming, tuneless song while the meat crackled over the fire. Usopp sat close, eyes wide as he peppered the giant with questions. Varin stayed a little apart, quiet, half watching the trees and half listening to the talk roll between them.
"Hey, Brogy," Usopp said suddenly, curiosity winning out over nerves, "why are you on this island anyway? You've got this whole place to yourself, but... it doesn't seem like you'd stay put."
Brogy let out a deep laugh, the kind that made the bones of the old skeleton around them hum. "Why, you ask? Hah! I came here for battle, little warrior! A duel!"
Usopp blinked. "A duel? Why?"
The question made the giant pause. His grin didn't fade right away, but it faltered, just a little. He rubbed his beard, eyes drifting toward the volcano far off in the haze. "Why... hmm. That's strange."
He went quiet long enough for the fire to speak for him, wood snapping in the heat.
Then he laughed again, loud and unbothered. "I cannot even remember!"
Usopp nearly choked on his food. "Wait, you forgot? You've been fighting all this time and you don't even know why?!"
Brogy slapped his knee, the impact sending dust into the air. "Aye! That's right! But it matters not! When the volcano bellows, that means it's time to fight! And so I do!"
Usopp stared up at him, mouth hanging open. "You mean... You just keep doing it? Every time it erupts?"
Brogy grinned wide, proud as ever. "A warrior's duty ends only when the battle is done! Until then, the axe must never rest!"
Usopp muttered under his breath, "You giants are crazy..." then winced, realizing he'd said it aloud.
Brogy just laughed louder, like it was the best compliment in the world. "Hah! Perhaps, little warrior! But madness keeps the heart strong!"
The sound of it rolled across the clearing and into the trees, shaking birds loose from their roosts. Usopp smiled despite himself, rubbing the back of his neck. The world was stranger than he'd ever imagined, but there was something honest about it too.
"Honor's a big thing in our cultures, marksman," Varin said, his tone carrying the edge of amusement. "Sometimes even sense doesn't hold up to it."
Usopp glanced at him, half-smiling. "Guess so. Still seems kinda crazy, though."
Before Varin could answer, the ground trembled. A deep, shuddering rumble rippled through the soil, shaking the old bones of the giant skeleton around them. Birds took to the sky in a frantic storm of color, and the air grew hot, sudden and sharp.
Then, from far across the island, the volcano erupted.
A column of fire and smoke burst upward, painting the sky in molten red. The sound followed an instant later, a deafening roar that rolled over the island like a living thing.
Brogy rose to his full height, the ground cracking under his steps. His laughter faded, replaced by something steadier, older. He reached for his axe, the massive blade gleaming in the new light.
"The mountain calls!" he thundered, voice filled with a reverence that sent a chill down Usopp's spine. "The battle begins anew!"
Usopp stumbled back a step. "W-wait, what battle? Who are you fighting?"
Brogy only grinned, eyes bright with firelight. "A warrior never questions the call, little man. He answers it!"
He turned toward the jungle, every step shaking the earth, his laughter rolling behind him like thunder chasing the storm.
Usopp stared after him, wide-eyed. "He's really going? Just like that?"
Varin watched the giant's retreating form, the flames reflecting in his eyes. "Guess even a forgotten war still has to be fought."
The volcano rumbled again, louder this time, and the jungle seemed to breathe with it.
Somewhere out there, another roar answered Brogy's, deep, distant, and just as fierce.
Usopp swallowed hard, a single thought cutting through the noise.
There was more than one giant on this island.
And as the ground shook, the sound of Brogy's laughter faded into the storm.