161. Dead Bones Brook

The Clowns hear a creepy singing voice from afar, but it just makes them curious. Buggy is excited when he hears that because he knows it is the one he has searching for, Brook.

"He's here," says Buggy excitedly.

"Is it the ghost? I will take my camera," says Deon before running inside to take his camera.

"Can we catch the ghost, I wonder," says Cricket.

They look in the voice's direction which is in front of them. The singing voice keeps getting clearer and it sang Bink's Sake. Soon, a big shadow appears from the front and they see a big and tattered ship coming.

"Mantis, stay on the ship while we get on that ghost ship. Let's go boys!" says Buggy as he jumps to the ghost ship that gets beside their ship.

Cricket & Deon follow him and jump to the ghost ship. They climb the ship and then feel someone is looking at them from above. So they look up and see a skeleton that has thick afro hair.

Buggy grins while the others are stunned seeing it. They never expect this kind of ghost to be the one that they'll find. Nonetheless, they keep climbing and finally get on the ship's deck.

The skeleton is standing in front of them with good posture. Brook is just like what Buggy remembers when the Straw Hats find him. Buggy looks on the floor and sees Brook's shadow is still there, so there's nothing to worry about.

"Yohohoho, welcome to my ship. Ah, please sit down. Ah, but I don't have any chair beside mine. Yohohoho," says Brook excitedly because it's his first time seeing humans in years.

"What a strange ghost," says Cricket.

*CLICK CLICK* Deon takes some pictures of Brook from every angle. Brook is posing like a normal person every time Deon clicks the camera button.

"Hey ghost, your poses are bad. Pose more like a scary ghost, not like a normal human. Here, like this," says Deon as he makes Brook pose like a haunting ghost.

Buggy and Cricket sweatdrop seeing Deon instructing a ghost to pose. Both Deon and Brook have a photo session for 5 minutes before they are finally satisfied. It makes Buggy & Cricket needs to wait, so they play a chess game because they find a chessboard on a table.

"You're done?" asks Buggy after Deon stops taking pictures.

"Yeah, that's a good photoshoot session. It seems I have a great passion for photography," says Deon satisfied.

"Sigh, whatever, just let me talk with this skeleton," says Buggy.

"Hey Captain, your turn," says Cricket while pointing at the chessboard.

"Play with him," says Buggy while pointing at Deon.

Cricket now plays with Deon while Buggy approaches Brook.

"Hey skeleton guy, you aren't a ghost, right?" asks Buggy so suddenly.

Cricket & Deon hear that and look at Buggy before Cricket says, "What are you saying, Captain? He is clearly a-"

"No, I am not a ghost," says Brook, cutting Cricket's words.

"Eh? Yo-you aren't?" asks Cricket in shock.

Deon is also shocked and looks at his camera sadly.

"Come on, just look at him. I mean you can touch him, he doesn't float, and he has a shadow. What part that makes you think he is a ghost?" asks Buggy while showing all those traits.

Cricket & Deon look at each other before saying, "The part that he is just a skeleton."

Buggy gets speechless for a moment before saying, "Let's ignore that part then. I mean it's not that strange if you think about the power that makes it possible."

"Devil fruit?!" asks Cricket in realization.

"That's right, this guy must be a devil fruit user. Maybe Skeleton Skeleton Fruit or something. Am I right, Skelly?" asks Buggy as if he doesn't know anything.

Brook looks at Buggy for a moment before he says, "You are correct, I am a devil fruit user. But it's not Skeleton Skeleton Fruit, it is-"

Suddenly, Mantis's voice cut his words, "OI, WILL YOU STAY THERE FOREVER? IT'S ALMOST LUNCHTIME."

"Ah, that's right. Hey, Skelly, let's eat something while we talk. You can leave your ship, right?" asks Buggy.

"Captain, you ask the wrong thing. Skelly, can you eat?" asks Deon.

"Yes, I can leave my ship, and I can eat. Yohohoho," says Brook happily.

Deon & Cricket now are confused about how this skeleton will eat. They can only imagine that the food will fall off Brook's empty stomach.

"By the way, what's your name? Ah, I am Buggy, nice to meet you," says Buggy.

"I am Cricket," says Cricket.

"Deon," says Deon.

"Yes, nice to meet you, my name is Brook. People called me Dead Bones Brook. I don't know who these people are though, YOHOHOHO," says Brook.

The Clowns sweatdrop at Brook's antique, but they don't mind it. The 4 of them then go to Little Hunter and meet with Mantis. She doesn't show any surprised reaction when seeing Brook and just acts normally.

They have lunch together while talking about themselves. Brook can see that they aren't vicious pirates, so he gets more open. He even tells them about how he becomes a living skeleton like this.

"Revive Revive Fruit? So that's what makes you can live again even as a skeleton. You can even eat and fart like normal people. Devil fruit is always mysterious," says Cricket.

"So you're really not a ghost," says Deon with a very disappointed expression.

"We-well, I'm sorry for that," says Brook while sweatdropping.

It's his first time seeing someone get disappointed in him for not being a ghost. Some people have seen him in the past and they all are frightened. Deon is the first one to get disappointed.

"Ignore him, he just wants to see a real ghost. Anyway, you said you were dead around 30 years ago. Do you by any chance know about a pirate crew? The crew's name is Rumbar Pirates," says Buggy so suddenly.

"Ru-Rumbar Pirates? Why are you asking about them?" asks Brook nervously.

"Well, one of my friends is searching for them. His name is Crocus, he is a doctor from Twin Peak. Some years ago he joined the crew where I became an apprentice to search for Rumbar Pirates. But even after we sail for years, we never find any clue about this crew."

"He has returned to Twin Peak, but I still want to help him. From your time of death, I assumed that you sailed when Rumbar Pirates were still active. So I thought that maybe you have heard about them. Sorry if it troubles you," says Buggy.

"No, it's fine. I am actually happy to hear what you've just said," says Brook with tears flowing down from his empty eye sockets.

The Clowns are confused but Buggy smiles in his heart because his plan seems to succeed. Brook bawls out and then starts to tell them his past story. The Clowns cry as they hear his story, even Buggy who knows it already, it's just too sad.

Buggy & co also tell Brook their story and goal as a pirate crew. Brook cries even harder when they say that they've met with Laboon. Although Buggy needs to apologize for scaring Laboon with his Conqueror Haki. Brook doesn't mind it though because Laboon was the wrong one.

"Then, what will you do now, Brook?" asks Buggy.

"Honestly, I don't know. Laboon is still waiting for us, so I need to fulfill our promise. But I can't do it alone," says Brook.

"It's simple then. You just need to go with us," says Cricket.

"Eh? What do you mean?" asks Brook.

"Brook, join my crew," says Buggy.

Brook looks at the Clowns and they all just smile at him. Then he looks at Buggy who looks back at him seriously.

"Are you sure that I can join your crew?" asks Brook.

"I am, so pick your choice now," says Buggy.

Brook gets silent for a moment before saying, "I'm in your care then, Captain."

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You can read up to 35+ chapters ahead of this fanfic novel & the other one on my Pa_treon page if you are interested.

Clicking that power stone/like also seem to be a good choice, hehe.

I've uploaded:

1. Chapter 185 of Fairy Tail: Sun Eater

2. Chapter 196 of Transcended as Lord Buggy

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