Legal notice: I do not own One Piece. It belongs to Eiichiro Oda. I was not paid to write this fan fiction. Enjoy Chapter 42

Her mind blanked, as completely empty as the eye sockets in the skeleton's skull. Chills ran down her spine when it turned her way. She couldn't move; her whole body was frozen to the deck. She was dimly aware of him reassuring her that she was safe. Then, she was surrounded by strength and warmth. A murmured growl in her ear made her a promise.

"I'm not going to let that skeleton harm you, Magina. I swear I'll keep you safe."

That was all it took to free her from her terror-induced paralysis. Sounds suddenly made sense again.

"Did you see that?" Luffy asked. "The skeleton was singing! Let's go! I want to see it again!"

Sanji glared at Zoro as he held her, "Wait a moment, Luffy."

Zoro gave her one last reassuring squeeze before he stood up. His warm, strong hand lifted her off the deck. He grabbed a handful of sticks and approached Nami, Chopper, and Usopp.

"Okay, we'll draw lots to determine who will go with Luffy."

Magina jumped back. This was one adventure she could do without! Nami, Usopp, and Chopper also protested.

"Eh?!"

They sounded as scared as she felt!

"Why? We can send whoever wants to actually go instead," Usopp argued.

"Right!" Nami chimed in," why are we drawing lots?"

Chopper agreed at first, but Zoro just nodded at the railing. Luffy, Franky, Robin, and Sanji looked ready to climb onboard the ghost ship. Zoro's head indicated the group.

"Are you sure that's how you want this to happen?"

Magina gulped nervously. The others blanched. Taking a chance and drawing lots would be better than staying here without any protection! In the end, they all drew lots to figure who the lucky two crew members who would go with Luffy were. Her fingers trembled a little when she reached for her stick. She almost collapsed in relief when she pulled out an unbroken one.

"No way!" Nami whimpered.

Nami and Sanji went with Luffy on a rowboat to the ghost ship. Zoro's calloused hands took hers once the boat was gone. He startted to warm her hands. They were still frozen to the touch.

"This doesn't happen often, siren, seeing you this terrified," Zoro commented.

"I-I'm f-fine," she argued.

Usopp chanted in a corner while Chopper tried to learn the words. Robin joined her and Zoro. The historian frowned at her. Magina's smile was grim, and she couldn't stop her teeth from chattering noisily.

"There's no need to pretend, Magina. Traditionally sailing callings, like your fishing background, have many superstitions and lore about certain mysteries. Tales of terrifying legends and blood-chilling oral historical accounts are the norm. I'm sure skeletons have a particular significance to your original environment. Would you be able to tell me what they're supposed to mean?"

Magina swallowed nervously and cleared her throat.

"Skeletons are death omens. And that ghost that I spotted earlier, they're said to predict doom."

"Wait," Zoro asked incredulously, "you thought you saw a ghost? Ghosts aren't real."

Magina thrust her chin in the air and clenched her jaw stubbornly. She knew what she saw; she didn't make it up!

"I really did see one over by the railing. Everyone else was too busy scaring Usopp to notice it!"

Just remembering the pale entity made her knees tremble. She didn't envy Nami her position on the exploration team. If she saw that skeleton again, it would be like facing Death itself. This crew had faced 'doom' multiple times already. While ghosts were still scary and facing a prediction of doom wasn't a great option; it was better than trying to stare down Death. Magina glanced at the ghost ship.

"Haven't they been gone a long time?" she asked worriedly.

"I don't think that you have to be that concerned, Fisher Girl," Franky said as he joined their group. "They're probably just exploring the ship. If there's any Beli lying around, you know that Nee-chan will want to bring it over. Besides, Curly Cook and Straw Hat are with her. They'll protect her. Tch. And I thought that I was extra SU-PER this week. Some people have all the luck!"

Magina elected to stay silent. Instead, she concentrated on Nami's melody. Moments later, Nami's scream echoed in her song. Magina winced at the shrill volume. Usopp's chanting intensified and Chopper whimpered fearfully.

"Hey, siren, are they okay or did the death omen get them?" Zoro murmured close by.

Magina looked up. Zoro's smug smirk irritated her. She elbowed him in the ribs.

"Don't joke about that! Anyway…" she continued after glaring at the swordsman, "they're okay."

In fact, it sounded like matters were quickly progressing. Luffy's song was amused. Sanji's was frustrated, but it was an irritation that the cook often had with Luffy or Zoro. And Nami, her fear was completely gone. The sudden shift to anger was heartening to hear, only there was a development that she heard that she didn't like.

"Uh-oh," she groaned.

"What's wrong now?" Zoro asked.

Magina grimaced. "It sounds like we're having company for dinner."

. . . . .. . . . . . . . .

"Hey, guys!" I brought him back with us! Isn't he cool!" Luffy grinned.

Magina managed not to shriek when the skeleton boarded the ship. His clothes were ragged but he certainly acted the gentleman. The skeleton even bowed and swept off his top hat.

"Good evening, everyone! I hope you are all doing well! Yo-ho-ho! I am the dead and skeletonized Brook!"

The majority of the crew turned and yelled at Luffy.

"Don't be stupid! What the heck is he?!"

Brook put a hand up to his jawbone, "Oh, my! Everyone's so harsh!"

Luffy laughed loudly. "Isn't he the funniest?"

Magina hid behind Zoro. This skeleton hadn't made any aggressive moves yet, but she couldn't help but be wary of him. He spotted Robin. She was glad that she stayed behind Zoro since Brook approached the historian.

"Oh, my! You are a beautiful lady. My eyes follow the beautiful ladies. I just have one question; may I be allowed to see your panties?"

Magina couldn't believe her ears. What kind of request was that? Nami's anger flared for a moment. She kicked the skeleton mercilessly in the head.

"Shut up, you Sexual Harassment Skeleton!"

Magina carefully stepped away from Zoro's shadow. He didn't seem overtly threatening, though his visage still terrified her.

"Stand back! Your evil will not be tolerated on this ship! Back!" Usopp brandished a huge cross and took a few steps forward.

Surprisingly, the skeleton backed up, retreating when Usopp advanced. Magina swallowed nervously. Was he evil after all?

"Oh, Usopp! It's working!" Chopper said excitedly.

Usopp grinned, "Of course, it is! These anti-evil talismans will repel any evil spirit!"

"An evil spirit? Where? Who?" Brook asked in alarm.

Chopper and Usopp glared angrily at the skeleton. "You!"

"Eh?!"

Magina breathed in deeply. She didn't know what to make of Brook. Was he as clueless as he acted? His empty sockets locked on her. She couldn't help her shiver when he quickly came to her side. He bowed.

"Oh, it seems that I missed a beautiful lady! By any chance, may I see your panties?"

Before she could react, Zoro punched him in the head.

"Quit asking that, you perverted skeleton! Next time you ask, you'll feel my blades," Zoro growled menacingly.

Luffy just laughed and laughed. "Isn't he funny? That's why I asked him to join the crew!"

She groaned and Zoro turned angrily to Luffy. "No, you did not! I didn't approve of that!"

He immediately rounded on Sanji and Nami.

"How did this happen? Don't you know why you went along with him? It was to prevent him from doing something stupid! Like asking a skeleton to join our crew!"

Nami and Sanji bent their heads. "We are ashamed," they answered together.

Magina understood why Zoro wanted to rant at them, but it wasn't entirely Sanji's or Nami's fault either. Luffy had a habit of asking anyone who was remotely interesting to be a part of his crew.

She tugged gently on Zoro's sleeve. "It's not really their fault, swordsman. You know how Luffy is."

Zoro first looked at her fingers on his sleeve. His gaze traveled up to her face. He sighed.

"Maybe you're right, but do you think that you'll be okay with a skeleton joining our crew?"

She couldn't quite control the tremor in her fingers. His growl was just a touch smug. Magina lifted her chin stubbornly.

"It's Luffy's decision. If it happens like that, then I'm sure that I'll get used to it." She paused for a long while, "Eventually."

Zoro snorted softly in disbelief. Magina clenched her jaw and willed herself to stop shaking. By the time that the skeleton stepped forward again, she had her body under control.

"Well, then. Shall we repair to the dining room and eat a meal together? I am quite famished," Brook asked.

Magina heard everyone's stab of irritation at the same time. She winced. Sometimes strong emotions still sliced her mind like thousands of dorsal fins, razor-sharp and brutal.

"You don't get to decide that!" the crew shouted.

Robin, who was mildly interested and Luffy, who practically doubled over with laughter, were the only exceptions to the angry reaction.

"He is so funny!" Luffy grinned.

Of course, as soon as Brook mentioned food, Luffy decided that it was time to eat. They filed into the dining room and sat around the table. It wasn't long before the aromas of grilled and seared octopi filled the room. Her mouth watered expectantly. It had been a long time since she had the rare treat. Magina was certainly going to feast tonight!

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Zoro did his best to swallow down his irritation. It wasn't easy. The skeleton was turning out to be on the same level of annoyance as his captain.

"This dining room is exquisite! Everything that I've seen about this ship has been breath-taking!" Brook commented.

Franky grinned with pride. "If nothing else, Skeleton, you have good taste! This ship is a masterpiece."

He didn't agree with Love Cook often but occasionally he had his moments.

"Don't be so friendly with him, Franky. After dinner, we're kicking him out."

"Ah," Brook sighed as he leaned his head on the table, "I must admit that I'm anticipating this greatly. It's been so long since I've had a homemade meal! I've been so hungry that my esophagus is hitting the back of my spine!"

He sat up straight in his chair as if he just realized something.

"Ah, but I don't have an esophagus! I just have bones because I'm a skeleton!"

His moronic captain laughed and clapped his hands.

Brook gestured with his arms, "Skull joke!"

Luffy copied the skeleton's pose. "Skull joke!"

Zoro elected to stay silent. The siren sat on his left, the farthest spot away from the animated bones. He sat like a shield between them. Not like he minded where he sat most of the time, but it was obvious that Magina was less tense if he was a physical barrier between the two of them. He glanced at her obliquely out of the corner of his eye. She was still pretending that she was fine.

"Oh, chef! I would really love for my beverage to be milk! And food, baby! Where is the food?!"

Luffy joined in the raucous demand for food moments later. Magina jumped in her chair at the loud voices. Love Cook got frustrated first. Zoro smirked. The cook had no discipline.

"Wait for your food quietly!" Sanji yelled.

Luffy again engaged the skeleton in conversation.

"So, Kroobunkle," he began.

"No, it's Brook. Brook. And now that I have introduced myself properly, may I know your name?"

"Me? I'm Luffy," his captain grinned.

Zoro wanted to smack their heads together.

"Just how little do you two know about each other?" he grumbled the question.

Luffy was obviously out of control. How many times had he invited someone without knowing any information about them at all? He thought that Chopper was the most recent addition. Luffy invited him because of his nose, or maybe it was because he was really a monster.

"It almost reminds me of how I joined. Luffy didn't ask me for my name either. He just called me 'nakama' and brought me onboard," Magina said quietly.

Zoro grunted in agreement. Luffy wasn't likely to change. Who knew what other strange beings they would find joining the crew next? Minutes later, Sanji came out with several different platters of octopus. He dug in ravenously, as did everyone else on the crew, including the siren. He glanced over to see a small frown on her face.

"Is the seared octopus not to your liking, Magina-san?" Sanji asked.

"No, that's not it. I guess it just wasn't what I was expecting. I can't put my fish hook in it. Maybe I thought there would be more spices or that it would be seared more…"

Magina's frown deepened for a moment before she turned and smiled politely at Sanji.

"I don't know what it was, it's still good."

The head of the table grew noisier. Sanji nodded. "Glad to hear it, Magina-san. You two, eat quietly!"

Zoro smiled smugly. The seared octopus that the siren described sounded a lot like his meal that he cooked for her. He wondered if how he cooked it was too much for her. Though she ate it happily enough. Zoro couldn't resist leaning in.

"If you liked the meal that much, all you need to do is ask. I'd cook it again for you," he murmured in her ear.

Magina looked up. Her startled wide-eyed expression made him grin. She blushed moments later. Now, they only needed to solve this issue with the skeleton. Luffy was too comfortable with him already and Brook wasn't making things easier. He could even hold a whole conversation when his captain's mouth was full.

"Just how can he understand what Luffy is saying?" he heard Nami mention under her breath.

Eventually, Usopp asked the question that everyone was thinking.

"What happened? How-?"

"Did I become just bones?" Brook supplied helpfully.

Zoro knew that there had to be some explanation. Real living skeletons didn't exist. They were just like ghosts. Magina shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Ah, yes. I suppose you would be very curious about my appearance," the skeleton continued. "I am a revived human."

Luffy's eyes shone in excitement. "A revived human?"

Brook then recounted his past. He was a pirate, but his crew got attacked and wiped out. He only escaped the same fate because he ate the Revive Fruit. His soul came back from the land of the dead but wandered the Florian Triangle because it was too foggy to see anything clearly. He couldn't find his body right away, and when he did find it, his body was already pearly, white bones.

Luffy laughed, "You got lost? You're an idiot, just like Zoro!"

"Oi!" he growled, "Watch it!"

Zoro was irritated. He never got lost. The real problem was that everywhere he went, people kept changing the layout on him! Islands, cities; it was like a world-wide conspiracy to keep him confused all the time!

Love Cook broke in, "Well, it looks like the Devil's Fruit did its job, but…"

"Isn't it more like a curse then? The fruit only worked once, and you'll have to spend the rest of your life unable to swim. That's a big deal for a sailor," Franky observed.

Brook laughed the question off, "Yes, I often had to bother my crewmates to take care of me."

Zoro grunted in response. Well, at least the aura of the crew, even Magina, was calming down.

"I've never heard of a skeleton with an afro before," he said the first thing that popped in his head.

"Oh, this?" Brook lightly squeezed the afro in question. "I've always had strong roots."

He kept his growl quiet. "That wasn't what I meant."

Usopp chuckled weakly on the couch, "Well, at least you're not a devil or a ghost. Right?"

"No!" the skeleton denied in a high-pitched voice. "I hate ghosts and spirits! I run away if I see any!"

Nami scoffed, bringing out a mirror, "You hate ghosts? Have you looked at yourself in a mirror lately? You're not exactly normal either!"

Brook shrieked and shielded his face from the mirror. "No! Put that away!"

Usopp and Chopper looked in the mirror.

"Eh?" the doctor asked in confusion.

"He has no reflection! He's a vampire!"

Zoro immediately reacted when Usopp yelled. He held the hilt of his katana and interposed his body in front of Magina's, ready to attack at the very instant the skeleton threatened her. Brook just calmly strode over to his chair and drank his tea. Love Cook finally broke the silence and asked what the hell was going on. Zoro kept his hand on the hilt of his katana, still prepared to strike.

"There's a logical explanation," the skeleton started, "but it would take too long to explain. To be continued…"

Hello all! I hope you enjoyed Chapter 42. No special notes this time around. I hope everyone is staying healthy and that your own creative projects are going well. We'll see you in two months!