Insidiously Dependent

[penniless1.livejournal.com]

Hello all.  Insomnia sucks, so I decided to de-lurk. Enjoy!

Title: Insidiously Dependent
Word Count: 289
Character(s): Usopp (mainly, Luffy, and Sanji
Topic: Mental Illness
Media: fic
Spoiler(s): Alabasta Arc; Enies Lobby
Rating: R (for language)

It started off innocently.  It always does.

“I’m ok - I just need to be alone for a while,”

He was young, so some thought it was puberty.

He’d been alone for a long time, so some thought he’d forgotten.

[~]

“Don’t you ever go through my stuff again!  There are things in here - special works - you might break them!”

He was an artist, so they kept their hands off.

[~]

“Where is it?  I need it!  Fuck - here it is!  Now I’m gonna kick your ass!”

He was always insecure, so why not give him portable courage?

[~]

“Who are you?”

By the time he asked that question, it was almost too late.

“No, better yet...who am I?”

The user and the drug were already one and the same.

[~]

“That one is no more.  There is only....me, now.”

Luffy shook his head and cracked his knuckles ominously.

“You may be our friend, Sogeking, but you’re not nakama!  Give Usopp back!”

If you destroy a mask, who truly breaks?

“You don’t need cowards, Luffy-kun, you need real brave warriors of the sea!  Like me!”

The person behind the mask, or the one facing it?

“Can’t you see?  That’s my name on the bounty poster, not his!”

If you destroy a crutch, who truly falls?

“He hasn’t had any right here since Enies Lobby!  It’s all been my work - me, Sogeking!”

The one leaning, or the one supporting?

[~]

He wandered without his prop - aimless, uncomprehending.

Vulnerable.  Did you really do the right thing?

Will you even like the truth?

He was forceably surrounded by nakama and stuffed full of his own memories.

Made whole again.

Can you prevent it from happening?

[~]

Mirrors reflect glasses sitting squarely on his nose.
“Hello, Mr. Prince.”

[~~~]

Comments

[synvamp.livejournal.com]

I didn't get it at first, but reading the comments of others and re-reading, it all makes sense. I like that you have explored the dual personality of two of the strawhats - the idea of needing to be someone else. The drug analogy works really well here.

Nice work!

[penniless1.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Yeah, it was a bit roundabout, but Usopp didn't want to get straight to the point - denial, you see.