Okay, here goes. I got this idea last night doing dishes...constructive criticism very much appreciated. :) And yes, this has nothing to do with Naruto. I blame writing bugs :)

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, nor do I claim to. I don't want it, thanks, just it's characters to torture...

Her words hung in the air, filling the silence.

"Please," she whispered.

Usopp looked away from her, unsure. Her blood was smeared on the ground beside him, still leaking from her. Coating the grass a ghoulish, bright red. Losing so much...

I can't, he thought. How could he, anyway? It was immoral, insane.

"Usopp, please!" she cried. "Can't you see I'm hurting? I'm going to die anyway-"

"No you're not, Kaya!" Usopp roared, "I won't let you!"

"No," she murmured. Then, stronger, "No! Usopp, this isn't one of your fairy tales! I-I'm going to die. Now. Soon. Eventually..." Kaya took a shuddering breath, closing her eyes. She had lost too much blood already, and her head felt dizzy. "Please... just... it hurts."

She opened her eyes again, staring at him, in pain. Her pale, blond hair falling into her eyes and tousled around her head, caked in blood. He resisted the urge to grab her hand, to stroke her face and tell her everything was alright. But even Usopp, the great captain of the sea, couldn't pretend his way out of this horror.

He felt something hard and cold brush his hand. A knife. He connected his eyes with her deep, beautiful brown ones and took a sharp intake of breath. He clutched the knife gently in his hands.

"Alright," he caved, "just... one more story."

"Usopp... please..."

"One upon a time there was a beautiful girl named Kaya, who lived on a small island." He raised the knife to his chest. "She was the most beautiful..." he whispered to himself. "One day, a mob of giant, angry assassins attacked her island and threatened everything that was precious to her... they captured Usopp, her life long friend. After a hard, long, and daring fight, Kaya won back her friend, and brought him to safety. The cost was her life..." Usopp paused. "But... but it's okay. Because we still love her. And... she's always gonna still be with us..."

Usopp felt her grab his hand and squeeze it oh so gently.

"There's... one problem... with your story," Kaya managed. "I-I didn't get you free. You're still captured... here. With me."

Usopp set his dark face to stone. "What's a story, Kaya, unless it has a happier ending?"

"It's okay, Usopp. You can let me go," she said with a weak smile.

He nodded slowly, his black hair bobbing up and down. "I...I..." he blinked back his tears quickly, before she could see. Biting his lip, focus on the pain. "I promise... your death will not be in vain!"

"I know."

Her last words were drowned out by his scream. His hands clenched the knife that plummeted towards her heart.

He couldn't do it, he just couldn't, how could he kill her? How could he not?

So much pain... she was in so much pain...

Steel flashed, his scream mingled with hers...

And she breathed no more.