Ghost onboard the Sunny?
"Meat," Luffy mumbled in his sleep. He licked his lips as inside his dream he ate meat after meat. His stomach rumbled. Sitting up drool ran down his chin. "I need meat."
Snores from Zoro, Franky, and Brook filled the men's quarters as Luffy slipped off his bunk and left the room. Opening the door the moonlight filled the room momentarily before he closed the door behind him.
"Hey, Luffy," Usopp greeted. "What are you doing up?"
"I need food," Luffy said.
"You know Sanji isn't going to like that," Usopp said. "Besides you know he locks the fridge."
"I'll figure out something," Luffy said before heading for the stairs.
"Suit yourself," Usopp said. "Just try to keep it down."
"I know." Luffy waved at him before entering into the kitchen. He looked across the dark kitchen. Leaving the lights off he moved over to the fridge. Grabbing the handle he tried to pull it open. It didn't budge. Leaning down he frowned at the lock that Sanji insisted on having when the Sunny was built. "Why did he have to do that? I need meat."
Luffy stood up. With his hands on his hips, he looked around the room for something he could use to try and pry the door open. First he grabbed a knife. He jammed it into the lock, trying to pick it. "Come on, you. Open up!"
Skittering of tiny feet across the floor caused Luffy to pause.
"Hm?" Luffy looked around the room. Seeing nothing he turned back to the fridge, but just as he turn something small and black shot across the room. He waited and watched. Nothing happened so he turned back to the fridge. Placing the knife into the lock he juggled it in a second attempt to get it open. With each passing second his frustration rose. "Come on! Let me in!"
The kitchen door creaked opened.
Luffy whipped around. The door, which was once closed upon his entering, was now opened. Leaving the knife and fridge behind he headed back outside. Usopp was still on the deck when he stepped outside. "Hey, Usopp. Who just left the kitchen?"
"Huh? What are you talking about? You just came out of the kitchen," Usopp said.
"No." Luffy shook his head. "Someone else came out before I did."
"Luffy, I think you're dreaming," Usopp said. A few seconds of silence allowed for a skittering sound to float between them. He shivered. "What was that?!"
"The person who came out of the kitchen before I did," Luffy said.
"What?! You were being serious?!" Usopp screamed. He aimed his kabuto and looked around the deck for the intruder.
"Weren't you and Chopper supposed to be watching the ship?" Luffy asked.
"Of course we've been watching the ship," Usopp said in an annoyed whisper. "We still are."
"Then how has someone gotten on the Sunny?" Luffy asked.
"I don't know!" Usopp said. "Let's go see Chopper. He's up on the garden deck."
Luffy nodded before the two headed upstairs.
"Hey, what are you two doing up here?" Chopper asked.
"Have you seen anyone on the ship?" Luffy asked.
"Just the crew." Chopper shook his head. "Why?"
"Someone snuck on the ship." Usopp looked around, Kabuto at the ready. He eyed the island they were docked at. The beach was empty.
"What?!" Chopper screamed.
"Someone was in the kitchen with me," Luffy said. "They just came out on the deck."
"Let's wake the others," Usopp said.
"Why? We can get find this person ourselves," Luffy said heading for the stairs again. "Let's go!"
Chopper and Usopp exchanged looks. A chilly wind brushed across them. Distant groaning lifted with the wind. They shivered and ran after their captain. "Wait for us!"
Reaching the deck they looked around. Usopp and Chopper walking right with Luffy as if the three of them were one person. Clouds rolled in, covering the ship in a dark shadow.
A blur skittered across the deck.
Usopp and Chopper screamed.
"There it goes!" Luffy charged after the blur.
"What is that thing?!" Usopp shrieked.
"We're going to die!" Chopper cried.
As the blur darted across the deck, Luffy followed it. He chased it up the stairs, around the helm, and back down the stairs. It ran up to the women's quarters.
"Gotcha!" Luffy said before diving at the blur. The blur darted away from Luffy, causing him to slam into the door of the women's quarters. He slid down the door, crumpling to the floor. "Ouch."
"There it goes!" Usopp screamed when the blur shot across the deck again.
"It's on the railing!" Chopper pointed up. The blur sat upon the railing just in front of the kitchen.
"Gum Gum Rocket!" Luffy shot himself across the deck. "I got you now!"
The blur leaped.
Luffy slammed into the wall. Standing up again, he looked over the railing while holding his red, throbbing face.
"I've got it!" Usopp dashed after the blur.
"It's so fast! What is it?! A ghost?!" Chopper asked.
"A ghost?!" Usopp screeched to a stop. "I don't want to fight a ghost! Someone help me!"
The door to the women's quarters flung open. It hit the wall with a whap. Following the bang was Nami's annoyed voice. She screamed, "What's going on out here?!"
Robin stepped out of the room.
The men's quarters door opened more slowly. Sanji was the first to step outside. "What's going on? Why are you all being so noisy?"
"There's a ghost on the ship!" Usopp screamed.
"What? Don't be stupid," Nami said.
"Why would a ghost be on a ship?" Franky asked.
"I'm a skeleton. And I'm on a ship." Brook laughed.
The blur shot across the deck.
"What was that?" Zoro asked.
"The ghost." Luffy jumped down to them. "I've been chasing it since I was in the kitchen."
"Why were you in the kitchen?" Sanji asked.
"No reason." Luffy twisted his lips to the side.
"You're such a bad liar! You were going to sneak food again, weren't you?!" Sanji grabbed the front of Luffy's shirt.
"I was not," Luffy said, lips still twisted.
"Don't lie to me! I know better than that!" Sanji shook him.
"Never mind that! What are we going to do about the ghost?!" Chopper asked.
The clouds rolled away. Moonlight poured down on the pirates and their ship. The darkness was pushed away.
"You mean that ghost?" Robin pointed to the blur now sitting on the railing.
"Hm?" Everyone turned their eyes to it.
"Is that a…" Usopp stared at the blur. The moonlight revealing it was nothing more than a raccoon. "That's what we've been scared of?"
"He sure looks mean!" Zoro laughed. "No wonder you had such a hard time dealing with it!"
"It must have snuck onboard the ship in search for food," Sanji said. "The island did look a little dry when we were there earlier today."
"Why didn't you smell it?" Usopp asked.
"I'm sorry." Tears leaked down Chopper's cheeks. "I was too scared."
"Aw, man." Luffy's arms slumped to his sides. "I was hoping it was a ghost. I wanted it to join the crew."
"Shut up, you idiot!" the crew, but Robin, screamed.