A/N: Last chapter of the Thriller Bark arc... next arc... well... let's just say it wasn't in the manga but it still happened none the less...

Chapter 317: Welp, We Have a Skeleton Now

After getting over the initial shock of how easily Brook joined (the only two that were easier were Robin who practically demanded to join, and Hinata thanks to a childhood promise) they celebrated by tossing him into the air.

It was indeed a happy day for the crew.

"He's so light!" said Chopper.

"Well I'm all bones." Said Brook.

"It's so funny!" laughed Luffy.

"Yeah… funny." Said Nami with a sweat drop.

"It's going to be livelier than usual." Said Isaribi.

"Is just be or does this crew attract a lot weird people?" asked Ino.

"At least Fu isn't that bad." Said Nami, "At least I think…"

"I don't know what's going on but congratulations." Said Lola.

"Thanks…" said Nami with a small sweat drop.

As they celebrated Brook thought about Laboon.

After he did that he decided to finally properly introduce himself to his crew.

"Take a look at this." Said Brook taking out a wanted poster.

"A wanted poster?" asked Ino.

"You're a wanted man?" asked Sanji.

This wasn't too much of a shock for them… after all he was a pirate.

"Wait… wasn't he a pirate before Gold Roger?" asked Naruto.

Sakura shushed him.

"I'm sorry I didn't properly introduce myself earlier but I am dead bones Brook, a wanted man." Said Brook, "My nickname is the "humming swordsman" Brook, I have a bounty of 33 million, Long Ago, I was the leader of a certain Kingdom's battle convoy. After that I severed with the Rumbar Pirates as their musician swordsman then later stepped in as captain. From this day forth, I pledge my life to the captain of the Sweat Hat Pirates, Luffy. And I promise not to burden your crew."

Luffy smiled.

"Don't worry, I'll push my bones hard and do my best!" laughed Brook.

"All right this call for another toast!" cheered Luffy.

"This time for Fu too!" cheered Naruto.

"Oh yeah! We didn't toast for Fu!" said Luffy.

And so over the course of the next couple days, rested, relaxed, fixed stuff added new beds to the bedrooms. Also fixing up the Rumbar pirates' old ship.

This wasn't much work for Franky as after all he was able to whip of a bridge in 10 seconds.

He and Usopp also build a very nice gravestone for Brook's late crew as Brook could and shouldn't store their bones on the ship.

"Thank you so much Franky! You two Usopp." Aid Brook, "It's a fine memorial."

"I picked the flowers." Said Chopper.

"There was no way I could store that many bones on the Lion ship." Said Brook.

"Just call her the Thousand Sunny." Said Franky.

"Thriller Bark originally came from the West Blue." Said Brook, "That's where our home land was… perhaps they will finally rest in peace of it's soil."

They all left Brook to be alone.

However Zoro evidently joined him and they talked.

"I was allowed to join your crew." Said Brook.

"Is that so? Bad luck!" said Zoro.

"What?" asked Brook.

"Our crew is a handful." Said Zoro.

"I heard, but I don't care I will give you my blood, sweat and tears… but I don't' have nay so how about bones?" he asked with a laugh.

And so they began to pack up.

"All right!" cheered Luffy, "Zoro's finally up! Time to set Sail onto our next adventure."

"It's a shame Zoro missed the show…" said Kiba.

"Don't call it that." Muttered Sasuke.

"I took some pictures… I'll be happy to show him." Said Ino.

"Ino!" yelled Sasuke who didn't know about the pictures.

"I'm not getting rid of them." Said Ino.

"Wow… you're more perverted than Sanji." Said Kiba with a sweat drop and Akamaru barked in agreement.

Meanwhile Zoro started to take off the bandages.

"Zoro don't take off the bandages!" said Chopper.

"But I can't move with them on." Muttered Zoro.

"That's that point!" yelled Sakura, "Put them back on…"

Zoro looked at Sakura who glared at him.

"Fine…" muttered Zoro.

"You guys can use Brook's old ship." Said Franky informing Lola about the ship, "I fixed it up."

"Thank you guys… you all did so much for me that I don't think we'll ever be able to repay you. So I will offer myself as bride." Said Lola.

"You're a gem but I'm afraid I'm just too Super." Said Franky.

"I'm sorry we have to see you go, but can't you stay for a couple days." Said one of Lola's crewmembers.

"No can do!" yelled Luffy, "We have to get to Fishman Island! I can't wait to see what it's like!"

"I'm going to flirt with a beautiful mermaid!" cheered Sanji.

"Do you think they're let us take a peek at their panties?" asked Brook.

"Hey that's a stupid question!" yelled one of Lola's crew members, "Mermaid don't wear panties."

Blood shot from their noses.

Sanji and Brook began to cheer about Mermaid.

"What perverts." Muttered Ino.

"Hypocrite." Muttered Kiba and Sasuke.

"Wait aren't mermaid fish from the waist down?" asked Robin, but her question was ignore .

"How come you know so much?" asked Usopp.

"We passed through on the way here." Said one of Lola's crewmembers, "Fishman Island is the best."

"You guys went through the new world?" asked Nami.

"Oh we're from the new world." Said Lola, "My mom's a pirate too."

That was when she took out a piece of paper and ripped part of it off.

"I want you to have this, this is my momma's Vivre Card. It's quite precious to me but since you and me are like sisters." Said Lola.

"Paper?" asked Nami as one of Lola's crew ember was shocked at this.

"Oh I've heard of those." Said Isaribi.

"What is it?" asked Nami.

"You don't know what a Vivre Card is?" asked Lola.

"It's only in the New World, remember." Said one of Lola's crewmembers.

Lola began to explain that it a special shop in the new world takes nail clippings and mixes them with paper. They're very special in that they can't be destroyed. But they can tear and the torn pieces will always be drawn together. She went showed them by place a piece, which began to move towards her mother.

It's also called Life Paper.

"Wow! That's amazing… so many strange things in the new world." Said Chopper.

"How do you know about them?" asked Nami.

"I don't want to talk about it." Muttered Isaribi.

That was code for something to with her transformation into a fish hybrid.

"Pretty Handy huh…" said Lola, "I'll sign it so that it will vouch for me, if you get into a pinch go to Momma and tell her I'm doing okay."

"Hey didn't Ace gave you something like that?" asked Naruto.

"I was thinking the same thing." Said Luffy.

"Oh yeah…" said Nami.

"So that's what he meant." Said Luffy taking it out, it looked like it was burn a little and a bit smaller.

"Let me take a look at it." Said Lola.

Luffy showed it her and Lola noticed the marks and size as well.

"This is without doubt Life Paper… but there's something I didn't tell you. It's allow reflected the life force the owner… is the person dear to you?" asked Lola.

"He's our older brother." Said Naruto.

"That's right." Said Luffy.

"I'm sorry but this person's life is about to be extinguished." Said Lola.

Sometime later they began to set sail and bid farewell to Lola's crew and the other former victim of Thriller Bark.

As they did Nami looked at Naruto and Luffy were talking.

"So are you two sure?" asked Nami, "That we shouldn't go to look for him?"

"It's fine." Said Naruto.

"Luffy it's okay if we take a detour." Said Brook, "At this point, a little thing doesn't matter to me or Laboon. "To live" "To reunite" that's what's important."

"Hey it wouldn't be that bad besides it would nice be to meet some of your family." Said Fu.

Everyone began to agree with the detail.

No really its all right… Even if he's in a pinch he doesn't want us to worry." Said Luffy.

"If we go help him he'll just complain." Said Naruto.

"Besides we're rivals in the big picture." Laughed Luffy.

"Ace has his own adventures." Said Naruto.

"That and he can kick so much more ass than you guys were kids." Said Kyubi.

"I heard that it just shows him in a weakened state, but it will grow again if he gets better." assured Sanji.

"Oh yeah Zoro you were asleep the whole time." Said Luffy.

"Don't worry I showed Zoro Ino's pictures… he didn't miss anything involving Sasuke." Said Naruto.

"Seriously?" asked Sasuke.

"I wasn't talking about that." Said Luffy.

"All right!" cheered Usopp knowing what Luffy was talking about, "Let's celebrate our new crew mates."

And so they toasted for both Fu and Brook.

But little did they know that they would end up taking a detour, a very, very different one…

Next Time: The crew discovered something really bad is going on in the East Blue. And deicide maybe it's for the best to put their journey on hold to find out what's going on. However they meet a pirate with a flying ship... who is he? Find out next time!

A/N: That's right... the next arc... Strong World.