(no subject)
This SOTU is different from the typical ones that people fill out because I'm mostly going to ramble about recent threads and events. It's wildly self-indulgent and likely not even remotely interesting to anyone besides possibly other One Piece characters. As such, it's very skippable.
Usopp was doing pretty well after I reapped into camp. People he knew were still here, there was a lot to do, camp's switched to a generally safer environment and all the Strawhats are in camp except for Chopper. Then Usopp found himself challenging Vegeta to a fight and it's kind of been a gradual slope downhill since.
There were two things that really prompted me to have Usopp challenge Vegeta. The first was that Usopp and Vegeta's interactions were becoming increasingly frustrating for Usopp, to the point where very quickly he would want to punch Vegeta in the face or walk away. The second was that I am not great at roleplaying action and fights. So in the interests of busting out of my comfort zone and to keep me from shutting down threads with Vegeta, Usopp asked Vegeta for a fight. There's not much to say about the fight itself besides that Vegeta's player is awesome and let me get away with some things and I think it went pretty well! However, it didn't go well for Usopp. See, he didn't expect to win but he did think that he'd be able to land a few good hits. The fact that he couldn't was pretty disappointing for him. Nothing that Usopp tried worked at all and it was a blow to his self-esteem.
After the fight, Usopp decided that he didn't want the other Strawhats and his friends in camp to know that he got pwned pretty badly, and by the worst jerk around. So to cover-up his injuries and get a little distance, he put on his Sogeking persona. With bandages on his arms, a cape around his shoulders and a mask on his face, it'd be hard to tell that he was in a fight if someone wasn't looking too closely. Plus, if Usopp's Sogeking, he can forget for a little bit that he had a terrible fight. And for the most part, everyone either bought the Sogeking persona or didn't push him on it. Well, everyone except for Zoro. Zoro, naturally, wanted to know why Usopp was messing around like that again and Usopp dealt with that by avoidance! Avoidance always works! Well, until you run into the person you're avoiding. (FYI, I realize that I played the situation a little hypocritically, considering how upset Usopp was when Robin stayed away from the Thousand Sunny, and that's just me forgetting things. Sorry!)
Zoro wasn't too happy but, in general, things went okay. Usopp realizes that he didn't handle the situation too well and Zoro was pissed at him, but Zoro didn't beat him up or anything AND Usopp still got to keep his fight with Vegeta a secret! So it's a win! Hurrah! And Zoro's probably the last person to push Usopp on this! Double hurrah! So the situation is pretty much resolved except...Usopp still lost horribly against Vegeta. They haven't talked since, besides Usopp stalking the fight between Vegeta and Neji. Usopp wants fight Vegeta again, if you can believe it. Like before, he knows there's no way that he can win against him but he wants to land a really good hit. He wants to see Vegeta look surprised and realize that maybe there's something to Usopp. However, Usopp won't try to fight Vegeta again until he's "leveled-up". This is why I did the running post last night and Usopp's asked Chie for some kicking lessons. He wants to improve and the two ways he can are by getting fast enough that no one can land a hit on him, thereby taking him out, or get passably okay at close-range fighting.
Not related to the above at all but still important, there's also the situation with Vanya. Usopp knows her best friend is Damian and that's fine! Except Damian's a huge jerk! But a logical jerk, unfortunately. They got in a bit of an argument and Damian pretty much stomped on Usopp's lying ping. Then when Usopp talked to Vanya about the argument, Vanya reminded Usopp that she LOATHES lying and was glad that Damian pushed her into doing the concert. And at that moment, Usopp realized that maybe he's not the best person to be friends with Vanya. Especially since she still doesn't seem to realize yet that he lies a lot! They aren't harmful lies, usually, but Usopp doesn't think that Vanya will draw an distinction and she will probably feel very hurt when she realizes. So, he's trying to avoid her without it look like he's avoiding her. Not easy to do, especially when Vanya's so sensitive to that sort of thing but he'll keep trying.
ALSO! The dragon thing! I know that it's not in-character to have Usopp scared of the dragons, considering how much he adores and gets along with giants. Chalk this one up to me making mistakes. However, this thread was Usopp's first interaction with them and it was not a very good first interaction. Usopp hated being reminded that he's a coward and that it disgusted such a prideful camper. As a result, he's pretty skittish around the Temeraire series dragons because he doesn't want them to yell at him and confirm that he's an awful coward. It's not that he's afraid that they'll hurt him, he can't really be since they're part of camp environment so much, but he's afraid they'll humiliate him. Toothless is an exception since Toothless can't talk. Usopp might be able to strike up a friendship with Perscitia, though. Time will tell!
Fortunately, Usopp's got lots of friendships and people to talk to in camp, so the above isn't constantly on his mind and preying on his self-esteem. Plus, there's lots to do! Things to build, running to run, fighting to learn, people to harass. I still love playing him with all my heart. Feel free to call me out on any of the above if you think I've reasoned it wrong.
Usopp was doing pretty well after I reapped into camp. People he knew were still here, there was a lot to do, camp's switched to a generally safer environment and all the Strawhats are in camp except for Chopper. Then Usopp found himself challenging Vegeta to a fight and it's kind of been a gradual slope downhill since.
There were two things that really prompted me to have Usopp challenge Vegeta. The first was that Usopp and Vegeta's interactions were becoming increasingly frustrating for Usopp, to the point where very quickly he would want to punch Vegeta in the face or walk away. The second was that I am not great at roleplaying action and fights. So in the interests of busting out of my comfort zone and to keep me from shutting down threads with Vegeta, Usopp asked Vegeta for a fight. There's not much to say about the fight itself besides that Vegeta's player is awesome and let me get away with some things and I think it went pretty well! However, it didn't go well for Usopp. See, he didn't expect to win but he did think that he'd be able to land a few good hits. The fact that he couldn't was pretty disappointing for him. Nothing that Usopp tried worked at all and it was a blow to his self-esteem.
After the fight, Usopp decided that he didn't want the other Strawhats and his friends in camp to know that he got pwned pretty badly, and by the worst jerk around. So to cover-up his injuries and get a little distance, he put on his Sogeking persona. With bandages on his arms, a cape around his shoulders and a mask on his face, it'd be hard to tell that he was in a fight if someone wasn't looking too closely. Plus, if Usopp's Sogeking, he can forget for a little bit that he had a terrible fight. And for the most part, everyone either bought the Sogeking persona or didn't push him on it. Well, everyone except for Zoro. Zoro, naturally, wanted to know why Usopp was messing around like that again and Usopp dealt with that by avoidance! Avoidance always works! Well, until you run into the person you're avoiding. (FYI, I realize that I played the situation a little hypocritically, considering how upset Usopp was when Robin stayed away from the Thousand Sunny, and that's just me forgetting things. Sorry!)
Zoro wasn't too happy but, in general, things went okay. Usopp realizes that he didn't handle the situation too well and Zoro was pissed at him, but Zoro didn't beat him up or anything AND Usopp still got to keep his fight with Vegeta a secret! So it's a win! Hurrah! And Zoro's probably the last person to push Usopp on this! Double hurrah! So the situation is pretty much resolved except...Usopp still lost horribly against Vegeta. They haven't talked since, besides Usopp stalking the fight between Vegeta and Neji. Usopp wants fight Vegeta again, if you can believe it. Like before, he knows there's no way that he can win against him but he wants to land a really good hit. He wants to see Vegeta look surprised and realize that maybe there's something to Usopp. However, Usopp won't try to fight Vegeta again until he's "leveled-up". This is why I did the running post last night and Usopp's asked Chie for some kicking lessons. He wants to improve and the two ways he can are by getting fast enough that no one can land a hit on him, thereby taking him out, or get passably okay at close-range fighting.
Not related to the above at all but still important, there's also the situation with Vanya. Usopp knows her best friend is Damian and that's fine! Except Damian's a huge jerk! But a logical jerk, unfortunately. They got in a bit of an argument and Damian pretty much stomped on Usopp's lying ping. Then when Usopp talked to Vanya about the argument, Vanya reminded Usopp that she LOATHES lying and was glad that Damian pushed her into doing the concert. And at that moment, Usopp realized that maybe he's not the best person to be friends with Vanya. Especially since she still doesn't seem to realize yet that he lies a lot! They aren't harmful lies, usually, but Usopp doesn't think that Vanya will draw an distinction and she will probably feel very hurt when she realizes. So, he's trying to avoid her without it look like he's avoiding her. Not easy to do, especially when Vanya's so sensitive to that sort of thing but he'll keep trying.
ALSO! The dragon thing! I know that it's not in-character to have Usopp scared of the dragons, considering how much he adores and gets along with giants. Chalk this one up to me making mistakes. However, this thread was Usopp's first interaction with them and it was not a very good first interaction. Usopp hated being reminded that he's a coward and that it disgusted such a prideful camper. As a result, he's pretty skittish around the Temeraire series dragons because he doesn't want them to yell at him and confirm that he's an awful coward. It's not that he's afraid that they'll hurt him, he can't really be since they're part of camp environment so much, but he's afraid they'll humiliate him. Toothless is an exception since Toothless can't talk. Usopp might be able to strike up a friendship with Perscitia, though. Time will tell!
Fortunately, Usopp's got lots of friendships and people to talk to in camp, so the above isn't constantly on his mind and preying on his self-esteem. Plus, there's lots to do! Things to build, running to run, fighting to learn, people to harass. I still love playing him with all my heart. Feel free to call me out on any of the above if you think I've reasoned it wrong.