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Chapter: On Stage?
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As soon as the music played, I felt nostalgia wash over me. Despite having all the music on the watch, I don't have the music from One piece. And it is totally different to hear 'Bink's sake' played by Brook's crew.
"Yohoho~ho~, yo~ho~hoho~" Brook sang along, playing a worn-out piano which is maintained and somehow works. The music spread in this gloomy Florian Triangle, bringing some warmth to it.
After listening for a while, I sang along to Brook's surprise, and slowly the voices & music in the Dial got reduced. Only Brook & I know the reason since he was present during the recording while I saw them on the screen.
Even though I'm sad while hearing Brook die, I didn't expect that I would open the floodgate. To my embarrassment, my face is covered with tears from pink-dominant eyes.
'Shit! Something is wrong with me,' I confirmed after noticing my emotions are out of my control.
I wiped my eyes before Brook was relieved from his stupor, then clapped to praise his performance. "Brook, that's awesome. You can become the best performer," I praised, waking him from the stupor.
"Yohohoho! you are embarrassing me Grim-san," Brook rubbed his afro bashfully.
"No! I'm serious. You can become a great star, with millions of fans, crazy to hear your music," I expressed what I know from the future.
"Yohohoho! I am so happy if you think like that. I feel so cool even though I don't have skin, Yohohoho," Brook laughed happily.
'What is being cool has to do with the skin? I always act cool, I thought, not knowing that whenever 'I' try to act cool, some mysterious force will destroy it every time.
"But Grim-san, no one wants to listen to a living skeleton," Brook disparages himself.
I sighed 'Oh! He needs to be locked in the cage and spectated by others for him to realize that he is star material,' thinking.
"Grim-SAN, did you think something rude about me?" Brook fumed.
"Er-… No!" I lied.
"Yohoho! I'm hurt," Brook clutched his chest, falling dramatically.
I rolled my eyes. "You don't have 'heart' to get it hurt," I blurted, surprising us both.
"Yohohoho, Grim-san, that's my part," Brook replied, depressed.
"Anyway, are you willing to bet about you becoming a popular Star?" I challenged him.
Brook stood silent, "Yohohoho! as a gentleman, I will accept the challenge," Brook accepted, thinking it is simply for fun.
"Hehehe, you will regret it 'Soul King' Brook," I smiled serenely, thinking of all the experiments I can think of with his weird body. If Scyther saw this smile, he will disappear for three days.
Unknown to his misery, Brook didn't look at my expression but was frozen upon hearing that name. "Grim-san, are you referring to me?" Brook stuttered in surprise.
"Yeah, think about how the audience cheer using this name as you enter the stage," I hinted already began a plan to win this bet.
Brook stood silently imagining being on stage with colorful lights flashing and the fans were yelling, 'Soul King! Soul King! Soul King!' he can clearly hear it. But it is I, whispering it in his non-existent ear, trying to brainwash him with various Lamp dials placed around to look like a stage.
'I need to win this bet for science,' I cheered, looking at Brook's body with a pink glint in my eyes.
Brook shivered, unknown whether it was because of me or his thoughts. "Yohohoho! I get goosebumps thinking about it. Ah! But I don't have a skin, yohohoho," Brook cheered, thinking about it.
"But I still take my stand, Grim-san," Brook replied resolutely. *Tch* I clicked my tongue at the failure.
"I can't become a star since I have a promise to fulfill," Brook explained his reason, reminding me of my previous question.
"Ah! Don't worry, Laboon is fine," I blurted out as Brook looked in shock.
"How did you know, Grim-san? Is he alright? How big is he? Yohoho," Brook asked a series of questions anxiously, totally believing me. 'At least doubt me, asshole,' I sighed.
"Because I said so. If I tell, he is fine, then he is," I stopped his rant sternly, despite knowing I'm heartless, I can't tell him how I know about it. It is not time yet.
Brook fell silent. "I will believe if you say so, yohoho," he replied. I got weirded out by how he trusts me whom he has just met.
"Don't worry, didn't you say there is a lighthouse keeper? He will take care of Laboon," I comforted him as my eyes slightly returned to normal.
"Yohohoho, it's Crocus-san," Brook laughed, remembering him.
"I must thank him from my bottom of my heart when I met him," Brook replied seriously without his skull joke.
I picked up my backpack and examined how it works. "We will get out using this," I declared, pressing the switch on it. *cluck* *clank* *puff* the bag spews clouds, transforming into a broken glider since it is split in half while falling.
"Yohoho! I can't believe what I'm seeing even though I don't have eyes," Brook cried in shock at the glider. I noticed the clouds are not as dense as before, so I need to increase their density.
"This is one of its forms and I need to repair it for riding in water," I informed, explaining about it while learning about it myself.
"So once I finish it we can leave," I went on as Brook became silent.
"What are you going to do after?" I scrutinized Brook as he became silent.
"Are you going to meet Laboon straight away or meet him after going around Grand line like 'promised'?" I emphasized the last part.
Even though I want him to meet with Laboon, I don't want it to happen right away. I know it is cruel, but he is necessary for Straw Hats and I don't know what consequence there will be for meeting him now.
I won't mind destroying the storyline, but I don't want to change it completely and reduce my advantage of future knowledge. I hope 'past me' had not done anything serious, just my presence alone will bring many changes. Only after reading the Logbook will I know the things 'I' have done.
'If I drop him on Drum Island along with Chopper, then he can join Straw Hats earlier,' I planned stupidly, not realizing it will also change the entire storyline.
As I saw Brook struggling, "You don't have to choose now, there is a lot of time," I comforted him of his anxiousness. Then looked at all the mechanical parts in the bag. 'Let's upgrade it while repairing it,' I decided, glancing at the backpack.
"Oi! Brook!" I called as he is staring in silence.
"Soul King!" I yelled, breaking him out of his thoughts. "Ah! Don't worry ladies and gentlemen, I will Encore. Yohohoho!" Brook yelled, tipping his hat.
I stared at him in shock; "Yo-ho-ho!" Brook laughed hollowly after realizing his surroundings and seeing me glaring.
"Asshole! You are daydreaming about being a Star," I accused him. "Here, I thought you were anxious," I yelled angrily as he rubbed his head in embarrassment.
"Grim-san, you must ignore these small details, yohohoho!" Brook laughed, but I know he is doing this to divert his mind. "Like hell…" I started bickering with him.
"Oh! It seems I will be staying here. Do you mind?" I asked Brook after shamelessly claiming a room.
"Yohohoho! I'm extremely delighted," Brook expressed, not minding me.
As I unpacked my things, "Ah~ It's Fun~ It's Fun~ I have so much Fun~" Brook sang, jumping around. "Ah~ It's Fun~ It's Fun~ Since I'm not alone~" he sang happily as I laugh at his crazy antics.
"Grim-san, look at my 45-degree technique," Brook called leaning against the wall in 45'. I laughed at that even though I didn't feel it funny 'Curse the weird personality shift', I grumbled but naively joined him. So my crazy stay began with Brook, along with my new personality shifts.
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