"So, this is what you brought back from that ship? A skeleton?" Nami asked, as she and the others huddled together, staring nervously at the tall, bony figure.
"Hahaha... Don't be so nervous, everyone. I'm Brook—just bones after death! Nice to meet you!" Brook, the skeleton, said with a bow, tipping his hat in a gentlemanly manner.
"It's... it's really a skeleton, and it's... alive!" Chopper stammered, lying on the ground, eyes wide with fear.
Kai, watching the scene from the side, couldn't help but smirk. Look at how scared this cute little reindeer is!
Usopp, legs trembling, pointed a cross at Brook. "Begone, evil spirit! Begone!" he shouted.
Brook froze, startled by the gesture, and took a few cautious steps back.
Seeing this, Usopp and Chopper's faces lit up in surprise.
"It's working, Usopp!" Chopper cheered.
"Of course it is! This is a full set of ghost-repelling gear! Even the King of Evil Spirits would think twice before messing with me!" Usopp said proudly.
"Oh, really? That's amazing!" Chopper's eyes sparkled in admiration as he hid behind Usopp. "Then I'll count on you to protect me!"
"Leave it to me!" Usopp boasted.
Meanwhile, Brook, still looking around nervously, asked, "Where's the evil spirit? I'm a little scared myself."
Usopp and Chopper: (•́へ•́╬) Who else could it be but you?!
"Hahaha, this is getting interesting! I knew bringing you on board was a great idea!" Luffy laughed.
"WHAT?!" Nami, Usopp, and Chopper rushed to Luffy, grabbing him by the collar and shaking him violently.
"You want him to be our crewmate?! Who would agree to that?! Can you stop making decisions without asking us?!"
Luffy blinked, confused. "What's the problem? Don't you think he's fun?"
Who wouldn't want a talking skeleton with an afro? Luffy thought to himself, completely oblivious.
"WHO would find that interesting? He's terrifying!" the trio roared back.
"Oh, come on, everyone! Let's calm down," Brook suggested as he strolled towards the ship's entrance. "How about we head inside and have a meal to settle our nerves?"
"WHY ARE YOU THE ONE MAKING DECISIONS?!" they all shouted.
——
"So, is this the Brook that Kai mentioned before? The one who turned into a skeleton?" Nami asked, tapping her fingers on the table.
"That's right," Brook confirmed.
"So... you became like this because of the Yomi Yomi no Mi?" Nami continued.
"Indeed, miss. You've got it," Brook nodded.
"But that fruit sounds useless! It only works after you die, and then you just turn into a skeleton?! Who would want a power like that?"
"Well... it wasn't the fruit itself that made me a skeleton," Brook began. "When I died, the Yomi Yomi no Mi brought my soul back from the afterlife, but as you can see, I was stuck in this foggy sea. It took me a year to find my ship again, and by the time I did... well, my body had decayed."
Everyone: "So... you became a skeleton?"
"Exactly!" Brook replied cheerfully. "It was quite a shock at first! Though, as you can see... I don't have any eyeballs left, yohohohoho!"
"So, are you human or a ghost now?" Usopp asked, his fear slowly fading.
"I'm... a skeleton, I suppose."
Everyone: ...
"Please don't mention ghosts! I'm absolutely terrified of them!" Brook said, shivering dramatically.
At that moment, Usopp's fear seemed to vanish as he found an unexpected kinship with the skeleton. "You too? I'm scared of ghosts as well! Especially vampires!"
"But vampires don't have shadows, right? Even though you're a skeleton, you still have—" Usopp paused mid-sentence as something dawned on him. He stared at Brook's feet and gasped.
(⊙o⊙)...
"AHHHHH!!!" Usopp's scream echoed through the ship.
In the cabin, Usopp stumbled back, trembling, and hid behind Kai. "You... you... you don't have a shadow!"
"What?!" Everyone turned their gaze to Brook's feet, and sure enough, there was no shadow beneath him.
Suddenly, the atmosphere grew tense again, with Zoro instinctively half-drawing his sword.
"Uh..." Brook remained silent for a moment, then casually sat down and took a sip of coffee. "Ahh~ That's refreshing."
(•́へ•́╬)!
"Now's not the time to relax!" Sanji snapped.
Brook, unbothered, continued. "I've been drifting in this sea for so long, I've lost track of the years. Me being a skeleton and losing my shadow are two separate issues. My shadow was stolen by a man a few years ago."
"Stolen? Someone can steal your shadow?" Luffy asked, curious.
"Indeed," Brook nodded. "And once your shadow is gone, you can't go anywhere with sunlight. If you're exposed to the sun..."
"What happens?" everyone asked, holding their breath.
"You'll turn to ashes."
!!!
The crew's faces filled with horror.
"Wait, so you'll... die?" Robin asked, her tone serious.
"Turning to ashes usually means you're dead," Kai added dryly.
"I've seen it with my own eyes—people without shadows being burned away by sunlight. It's truly terrifying," Brook said with a shiver. He then looked at Luffy. "That's why I told you earlier—I can't leave this sea. Without my shadow, I'll die if I step into sunlight."
"But... can't we just help you get it back?" Luffy suggested, his face lighting up with determination.
"You... you would really do that for me?" Brook stared at Luffy in disbelief.
"Of course! We're friends now, right?" Luffy grinned.
Brook smiled but hesitated. "You're a kind soul, but I can't let you risk your life for me. The man who took my shadow... he's incredibly powerful. I can't let you face him on my behalf."
"So, who is he?" Robin asked.
Brook lowered his gaze. "I'm sorry... I can't say."
"Gecko Moria," Kai said quietly, cutting through the silence.
-------------------------------
Power Stones would be appreciated if you liked the story.