franky x usopp

Noah sighed. “I suppose I could dose the church agents with a mild poison before they enter the ring, but that’s not a reliable or subtle method. I also believe the church has hired someone to rig the matches like I’ve been, though I suppose the barrier will also hinder them. I can do it, but it’ll mean putting myself in harm’s way. In which case, I need more incentive.”“Such as?”

Sarah wrapped her arms around his bicep, thick with muscle from lifting and working in his day-to-day job. She laced her fingers through the curly hairs on his arm, locking herself into her favourite position. Her face rested on the sleeve of his white work polo, the textured fabric rubbing against her cheek. She glanced up to her dad’s face, the light of the TV playing across his stubbled face and exhausted expression. He was barely paying attention, mostly zoning out after his long day. She nuzzled closer to him and breathed deeply. Besides being close to her dad, another reason Sarah loved these nightly cuddles was being able to smell her dad. Even after a long day of work, he never seemed to smell bad, and in fact it mostly enhanced his musk. It was hard to describe, but it was mostly smoky, with some savoury notes as well, something like a campfire meal she always thought. It was hearty and comforting to her and always made her feel better no matter what sort of day she had.

“Actually, it’s meant to mimic the effects of sunlight. UV light is what causes sunburns. Unfortunately, while easy to make, it’s not as effective as you might think. The light is too… artificial. It lacks the potency of real sunlight. I tested it numerous times while in Welindar, always trying to improve it, but it was never more than an irritant to the Profane and their parasites. It didn’t help that the lower-ranked fiends can endure the sunlight in exchange for their lesser strength. Even if it did hurt them, the damage was very minor. It was better to just stick with my regular weapons and magic, though I regret that it wasn’t in working condition when Lupin and I fought Kaisen. Perhaps it would have wounded him. These tralt jewels, on the other hand, are great for absorbing light and energy. Using these, I can capture true sunlight, augment it, and use it whenever I need.”