Ch.40 Ghost, Talking Animal, and Robot

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　Blue sky, seawaves, breezy wind. A lone boat following its course towards somewhere with its 3 peculiar passengers onboard.

　"Will . You . Stop . Poking my horn! Captain!" Rei raised to sit down after Luffy keeps poking his horns in bored manner.

　Luffy grinned as he laughed, "Hey! That horns of yours trully feels smooth to the touch! Hahahaha"

　Rei shook his head feeling peeved after Luffy action in the past few days, then he asked, "Anyway, what are you going to do now Luffy?"

　"Lets go to Grand Line!" Luffy declared without thinking.

　"With only two of us?"

　"Its three of us!" Said Luffy once more as he glanced towards Koby.

　"Hey! I won't join you guys! I only hitch the ride!" Refused Koby.

　Koby feels so dejected in the past few days, he was the one who steer the boat, finding the correct route and also clean up the boat. Sometimes Rei would helped him in setting up the sails but most of the time, Rei only spending his time by laying down on the deck and basking under the sun.

　As for Luffy? Other than eating he was always using a binocular to surveys the sea cheerfuly, and most of the time he would poking Rei's horn out of boredom.

　"That would be impossible with only two of us Luffy." Said Rei.

　Seeing Luffy tilted his head, Rei couldn't help but to continue, "You said you wanted to find crews right? Before we enter Grand Line, it would be best if we could find the crew here..."

　"And that too, someone who is willing to become a pirates." Koby added after he set the steering wheel, Then he joined the duo sitting on the deck.

　Koby suddenly remembered something, he took out a pendant from his pocket and gave it to Rei.

　"I think this is yours?" Koby asked.

　Rei reaction at first was surprised and his expressions turned gentler. Rei actualy noticed that he had lost Apis pendant when he was being held as captive. He regreted it so much back then, however he just didn't shows it on his face.

　"Thank you so much, this is my treasure..." Rei took the Milennial Dragon pendant from Koby's hand and with swift movements he tied his loose hair into long ponytail with it.

　"Treasure? Hey, my straw hat is also my treasure!" Luffy bragged as he took his straw hat from his back.

　Koby was confused, and asked, "Treasure? I thought treasure is something like gold, jewelry or money?"

　Luffy just laughed while Rei chuckled, "Koby, Treasures are in the eyes of its beholder."

　"Is that so?" Koby tried to reach Luffy's Straw hat only for his hand to be slapped away by the later!

　'Pak!'

　"Lu, Luffy....?" Koby stammered.

　"Don't touch my treasure!" Warned Luffy sternly, then he put his straw hat back.

　Seeing the awkward situation, Rei change the topic to ease the tensions. Rei knew how overprotective Luffy could be towards his straw hat.

　"Where do you get that Luffy?"

　Luffy finaly smiled, then he told everyone about how he got the straw hat.

　"Shanks gave it to me, he was an awesome guy. I decided to become pirate because of him!"

　"Shanks?"

　"Yeah! He's a pirate, i hope we can meet him again in future."

　Rei chuckled and Koby finaly sighed in relief seeing Luffy returned to his former cheerful self.

　"How about yours Rei?" Koby couldn't help but asked.

　Yet, Rei only smiled without answering. He just carresed the pendant hanging on his hair.

　"Okay, back to the topic about crew. So, what now?" Asked Rei distracting Koby from asking any further.

　"Finding someone who is willing to become a pirate isn't easy...." Koby sighed as he threw all of his question back.

　Rei nodded agreeing with Koby's. Then Luffy asked, "So? Just finding someone who is willing is good right? Then, Lets try to find them along the way!"

　Rei then asked, "Do you have any criteria for your crews Luffy?"

　"Cre-te-reia?" Asked Luffy back.

　"Is there something unique you wanted from the crews? Like their personality, Power, Ability?"

　Luffy frowned hard as if he was thinking hard about what kind of person he wanted to be in his crew, and in instant later his eyes gleamed.

　"I don't think i wants someone special, as long as they wanted to join my adventure its enough! but...."

　"But?" Rei raised his eyebrow waiting for Luffy.

　"...If we can have a musician! It will be the best!" Luffy stood up suddenly in passion.

　Rei and Koby were speechless hearing about Luffy's priority about his crews.

　Koby then explained to Luffy in quite details, "Luffy, before musician. I think there are more important positions you need to fill. First You need navigator, its jobs is to make sure your ship float or sink. So, its important.."

　"...You like to eat right? Then you need cook Luffy, a Chef onboard will be quite important to you." Added Rei.

　Luffy laughed as he pointed towards Rei and Koby, "Hey! Koby is capable to drive our boat! and Rei can cook! So its decided right?"

　Indeed, after they began their journey from Alvida's base. The one who set the boat's course was Koby. And as for Rei, he would cook a simple meal he knew off. After all, Rei realy didn't wants to eat his 'sawdust' if possible.

　Because of the Pirates fear towards him, they gave them a bigger boat complete with small Kitchen onboard, the Pirates also gave them so many provisions enough for a month journey rather than Rei's initial demand of a week's worth.

　Hearing Luffy, Koby suddenly stood up and exclaimed, "No way! I told you i won't become pirates!"

　"Indeed Luffy, don't force him." Rei added.

　Luffy sighed and asked, "Then, what do you want to do Koby? You don't want to be pirates right? So?"

　Koby stammered and hawed as he was feeling embarassed to say his piece, and yet Rei spoke first nonchalantly, "He wants to be Marine Luffy..."

　"RE, REI...!"

　"And he also wants to be an Admiral in future." Rei added as he smirked.

　Koby's face turned red immediately, and Luffy laughed, "Hahahahaha. Thats good dream Koby!"

　"Uwaaaaah! Its so embarassing!"

　The group joking and teasing each other for a while until Luffy made up his mind.

　"Okay then, we'll find the crew first. Navigator, Chef and most importantly Musician!"

　Rei and Koby smiled sheepesly as they heard Luffy continued, "...And i hope we'll get a talking animal and robot in future! Shishishishi..."

　'Ah, careful what you asking for, captain...' Thought Rei while he smiled in response to Luffy wishes. However, Rei was stunned as he saw Luffy turned towards him and spoke, "After all, I already get the Ghost to join me! Shishishi..."

　Rei smiled meaningfuly, then he asked, "Ghost?"

　Luffy grinned and explained, "Yeah Ghost! White skin, white hair, and horns. Do you know you looks like a Ghost, Rei?"

　Koby nodded at Luffy's description of Rei's. He also felt Rei's appearance was so much like a ghost.

　"Is that so?" Rei smiled as both Luffy and Koby nodded their head.

　"Anyway, any idea about our next crew?" Asked Rei once more. Seeing Luffy and Koby in confusions, Rei suggested, "....How about Roronoa Zoro?"

　"Roronoa Zoro? WAIT! YOU MEAN THAT NOTORIOUS PIRATE HUNTER? THE THREE-WIELDING SWORD DEMON?" Koby exclaimed spontaneously.

　Rei raised his eyebrow as he heard Koby mentioned Zoro while Luffy asked, "Pirate Hunter? who's that?"

　Koby explained, "Roronoa Zoro, He is known as Pirate Hunter, Three-wielding Swords Demon. Thats what everyone calls him. Luffy! Forget about him, he was someone who if people mentioned his name it could stop the crying child! Absolutely not! He's too dangerous!."

　 "Demon? After Ghost, we can recruit a demon? Shishishi, interesting! Let's recruit him then!" Luffy seems didn't mind any of Koby warning and explanations.

　"He's still human Luffy, its only his nickname..." Rei added.

　"You know him?" Asked Luffy.

　Rei glanced at the sky and answered, "I've met him before, quite strong and dependable."

　"Realy Rei? How does he looks like? Is it true that he has 3 heads and 6 arms?" asked Koby in trepidation.

　"Wow! Lets recruit him! He must be awesome!" Luffy exclaimed with gleaming eyes.

　Rei chuckled as he explained, "Hahaha, what kind of monster is that? No, he's normal like us."

　"I see, but his whereabouts are unknown." Koby frowned slightly.

　Rei sighed as he shook his head, "Maybe i know where he is now."

　"Where?" Asked Luffy and Koby in unison.

　"At this time, he might be in Shells Town." Rei said after pondered for a while.

　"Shells Town, Whats he doing there? Thats where 153rd Marine Branch is at right? I heard its commander is a nasty person." Koby frowned.

　Rei shrugged his shoulder with mischievous smirk, "Who knows?"

　"Well, what are we waiting for? Lets go! Set the course to shekk town Koby!" Luffy grinned as he couldn't wait to meet the infamous Pirate Hunter.

　Koby then helplessly adjusted the steering wheel after he determined the route using an East Blue map and a Compass. Shells town was only an island away from their current route.

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