Chapter 14- Brook, the Skeleton Without a Shadow

I don't own One Piece

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Zoro had made the  decision to draw sticks on who goes with Luffy. As first I was supposed  to draw as well, until I made the valid reason that I had to go see the  ship up close, as the ships artist. Luffy immediately agreed with me,  saying he wanted to make sure I got all the details of the haunted ship.  With a condition from Zoro, I was allowed to go on the ship. Though, I  honestly doubt I can stop Luffy from doing something stupid, it's a  talent of his.

After drawing sticks it  was decided that Sanji and Nami would join Luffy and I. Nami was far  from thrilled, unlike the three of us. While Luffy and I were the first  to start climbing, Sanji following quickly after, Nami had yet to touch  the tattered rope on the haunted ship.

I looked down at Nami, a excited smile on my face. "Come on, Nami!"

Luffy looked down as well, "Yeah Nami! It would be a treasure ship! You like those!"

"This old ship won't  have any treasure!" She shouted angrily at Luffy, then turned to me. "I  will take my time! Not everyone is crazy like you, Katsu!"

I snorted and rolled my  eyes, when she started to climb I continued my way up. Sanji, who wasn't  far from Luffy and I, had hearts once again as eyes. "Don't worry,  Nami-swan! I'll protect you!"

Reaching the top, I  pulled my body over the edge of the ship. My toes curled against the  damp old rotten wood, not favoring the texture. Though, the details of  the ship went unnoticed as I saw a figure in front of us.

"What?" I muttered, hearing the others get on deck.

"Woah!" Luffy grinned, his eyes turning into stars.

The figure in front of us took a sip of tea, then stood up from his seated position. "Yohohohoho!" He laughed joyfully.

I blinked again, just to  be sure. When he didn't disappear I couldn't help but smirk. I had see a  few interesting things on my island, but never have I seen a skeleton  that is actually alive.

He removed his hat while bowing, "Hello, I'm Brook."

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After a bit of talking  with the skeleton, Luffy invited him into our pirate crew. Even more  surprisingly than having Luffy invite a alive skeleton into our crew,  the skeleton actually agreed. Brook wasn't even fazed at Nami punching  him at his strange request to see our panties.

It was while we were  exiting the ghost ship that I paused. "Ne, Nami?" I got Nami's attention  as Brook and Luffy climbed down the rope. She looked at me, "Didn't  Zoro tell us not to let Luffy do anything stupid?"

She paled and nodded, "He did."

I let out a breath, "Oh,  good. Somehow we managed that. I honestly was worried, since Luffy does  whatever he wants-" I was quickly cut off as Nami decided to hit me  over my head.

"Idiot! He did do something stupid!" She shouted.

I blinked, "He did?"

She groaned in frustration, "Did you miss him inviting that afro skeleton into our crew?!"

To this knowledge, I  pulled my eyebrows together in confusion. Nami, having it be her turn  now, went down the rope, eager to get back on the Sunny. I didn't  understand though. What was so bad about having a skeleton join the  crew?

Looking around the ghost  ship one more time I nodded to myself. There was going to be a lot of  sketching today. First I needed to draw that memory, then I would get to  drawing the newest adventure that was starting to unfold.

"Oi! Katsu, are you coming?" Luffy called.

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While the crew was  having dinner, Brook with the, I had excused myself. Any appetite I had  vanished with the memory I reminded myself to draw.

Luckily, the crew  appeared distracted with Brook to ask me any questions. The last time I  didn't join them for dinner everyone was on my case. Chopper thought I  was sick, convinced by Luffy; since apparently if you're not hungry  you're sick. Franky and Robin thought it was linked towards my memories  and tried to talk with me about it, it had absolutely nothing to do with  my memories at that time. Usopp and Nami simply thought I was homesick,  which they tried to 'cure'. Sanji, being the woman obsesser he is,  thought Zoro or one of the guys had upset me. While Zoro had not made a  big deal like everyone else, even at night I found he had been worried.  Since he had bluntly asked what the problem was while we did our watch.

However, unlike last  time, there was something wrong and I didn't want them all over me like  last time. While I loved the crew, and how much they cared, I also  needed time to myself.

Sitting down at the art  desk in my room, made by Franky after the last island, I pulled out my  sketchbook. Following the book was a set of pencils, each with a  different graphite. Flipping through the pages of the book, I stopped on  a blank one. Having already planned out the images, I split the page  four ways, for four main pinpoints of the memory.

The first image  consisted of a small child, me, tugging at the cape of a man, Shanks.  The child's eyes were filled with tears as her mouth was open asking a  question. Even now, my voice echoed through my head, asking where my  brother was.

The second image would  be Shanks kneeling down, pinching the sides of the child's cheeks to  form a smile. His own face pulled into a small smile, though there was  signs of pain lingering in the happiness he was showing.

The third image  consisted of a barrel as the main focal point. The child stood in front  of it, her back to the picture and head angled up at Shanks. Two men  stood on either side of the child, one was shanks as he explained the  barrel. The other man was a blond man, for some reason his name stuck  out to me. Yasopp, though I'm not sure why I can remember his name, and  not my birth name. Above Shanks's head I wrote the words 'Uncle', and  above the other man's head I wrote his name as well.

In the last picture I  planned to draw the barrel giving a signal and the panic across the  ship. The signal stuck in the air was the same symbol branded on my arm,  which lead me to believe this was when I was taken.

I was still working on  the rough sketch, which really only was drawing in the figures, when  screams came form the crew. I jumped, managing not to swipe my pencil  across the page. Sighing, I calmed down, realizing it was only Usopp,  Nami, and Chopper. The skeleton probably did something weird and it  freaked them out.

Shaking my head, I  continued with my sketching. Only to be interrupted once more, this time  by my own shriek.  My body fell backwards as I tried to get out of the  chair as something popped out in front of me.

A dull ache started at  the back of my head, where I had just hit the floor. With wide eyes I  scrambled up to find the thing that had appeared. My heard hammered in  my chest as I expected to find something, but found absolutely nothing.

Rubbing my forehead with  the heel of my hand I sighed. "Perhaps I need some air." I muttered,  standing up, "I swear I just saw a ghost."

Dusting myself off I  walked towards the door. Swinging it open I could head Luffy ordering  Brook to join our crew. A smile tugged on my lips as I walked up the  stairs onto the deck. I'm assuming he changed his mind on joining our  crew. Though I know Brook can try to refuse, but Luffy won't back off.  He'll join, whatever is holding him back will be released by Luffy.

Just as my feet hit the lush grass, a loud shriek echoed. "No! Ghost!" My body stiffened as I looked towards the kitchen.

"Gah! Something's there!" Chopper yelled, followed by the other crew members shouts.

"Evil be gone! Evil be gone!" Usopp chanted with Chopper's shrieks.

"Awesome!" Luffy shouted.

I blinked, "It... It was real?"

Just then the ship  started shaking, making me stumble into the railing. My breathing  stopped when I saw us being dragged into the gates of something, was  that a giant ship? My grip on the railing tightened as I tried to keep  balance.

The kitchen door opened as Brook ran out. "Come Look! They've blocked the path in front of you! This is what caused the tremor!"

The crew ran out. Each of them taking a spot next to the railing of the ship to study the giant opening wall in front of us. Water splashed as the wall opened, increasing my grip on the railing. I did not want to be fished out of the sea.

"What is that?" Luffy asked.

"H-Hey, did a sea monster gobble us up?" Usopp asked in a hushed tone.

I swallowed, my grip on the railing not loosening one but. Straightening my slouched posture, I let my eyes wonder up the wall. We weren't at an island, Nami would have told us. The only reason this could be here is if it was part of a ship, but why open it?

"It's the back of the gate." Brook muttered.

I glanced towards Brook, my assumption was correct then about it being a ship.

He turned around, "Which means..." The skeleton ran back through the kitchen, everyone following him. I paused, looking once more at the wall. Turning abruptly, I followed after my crew, where we ran to the back of the ship.

Brook turned to look at Luffy. "By any chance, did you pick up a drifting barrel while out at sea?"

I glanced at Luffy, who nodded. "We found one."

"I knew it! It was a trap." Brook said, making me roll my eyes. Obviously it was a trap. "They've been after your ship ever since then."

"I said we shouldn't have opened it." I muttered quietly to myself. Though, it could have just been the feeling I got from the memory that made me wary of opening the barrel.

Looking up I looked over the land in front of us. It was dark and foggy, giving an eerie chill as we laid our eyes on it. A torn down castle sat a little farther on the land, parts covered by fog. What kind of ship was this? It looked more like an island to me. I took a moment to study the image before me, later I needed to sketch this and I needed every detail.

"How'd an island get here?!" Luffy demanded. "We've been sitting here this whole time!"

"This is the ghost island that wanders the seas." Brook answered, "Thriller Bark."

I wrinkled my nose. Ghost weren't my favorite thing, especially when they jump out of no where. Yet, here we are, now stuck on a ghost island. This will be fun.

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End of Chapter 14! Hey guys! It's been forever since I've updated! I'm so so sorry! School has be super busy and tired. This semester I'm in the kitchen everyday from 6am to 1, then 3 our of the five days I have another class after that... I've had no time to write at all... However, I had some free time, more like I'm procrastinating my assignment for my creative writing class, so I decided to write a chapter! If I have time I'll post another chapter. I just wanted to thank you all for your support, and for being so patient with me!

Here's a few cake I've done this week and last week. Just to give you guys a little idea of what I do.

This is not edited.

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