Finding Myself (One Piece Fanfic)

Chapter 13: Is that a Talking Skeleton?!

I don't own One Piece

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After Zoro's announcement, Luffy had stretched his arm out and dragged the floating item in. Meanwhile everyone had trickled to the deck, Zoro and I included.

Upon seeing the barrel I frowned, a small prickling tickling my head. Ignoring it I read the sign before deciding I would not touch the barrel.

"I bet it's treasure!" Luffy grinned.

"It's most likely sake or food." Nami smiled, walking up form the aquarium, Robin behind her.

Our captain tilted his head to the side. "Huh? How do you know?"

I answered for Nami, "The sign on the barrel. It's an offering to the sea god. People have a tendency to put sake, or food, in the barrel as an offering for a safe trip." Both females smiled at my knowledge, for once I wasn't the complete idiot. I didn't miss Sanji's swoon over my knowledge. I have yet to spend any real time with Sanji, he creeped me out a little.

"We should put it back in the sea then!" Usopp crossed his arms, nodding to himself.

"Or we drink it." Zoro smirked.

I shook my head at Zoro. "No. It's an offering. We shouldn't open it." There was a bad feeling behind this barrel.

"Ah, it's custom for people to drink the sake. It will be okay as long as we pray before and refill it after." Robin informed.

Zoro scoffed, "I don't pray to gods."

I shook my head, taking a step back. "And I don't want anything to do with that. We really shouldn't open it."

My words fell on deft ears, as Luffy cheered a quick, half-assed prayer, then popped off the top. To our horror, a bright red flair was sent in the air. My eyes widened as the prickling in the back of my head grew worse. Then my vision was replaced by another image. Something had triggered a memory.

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"Ne, ne, Shanks, where's Onii-chan?!" A girl, me, asked tugging at a tall man's leg. Seeing the red hair, I knew that man by now. A sadness sent through me, as well as a small panic.

The man knelt down to me, "Ah, don't worry. I had a friend of mine pick him up." He smiled and ruffled my hair.

I pouted, tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. "I'm not going to lose him too, am I? I don't to lose Onii-chan like Ka-san..."

He blinked, a small frown on his face. "Don't worry. He's in good hands, believe me. Mihawk won't let any harm come to him." He then pinched the sides of my cheeks. "Don't be sad, besides when we get him you'll get to meet the strongest swordsman in the world."

"Captain!" My attention was torn away from Shanks and onto a crew member. "Look what we found!"

Curiously, I walked with Shanks to see a barrel with a large sign on it. "Ne, what does this mean?" I questioned, pointing to the sign. "It's an offering?"

Shanks grinned, "Great find!" Looking at me he smiled and ruffled my hair once more. "Pirates and other sailors tend to leave a barrel full of sake at sea as an offering to the sea god, in hopes of safe travels. It's typically fine for us to drink the sake if we pray over it beforehand. After we drink it, we'll refill it and send it off."

I frowned, "Why take god's sake if we have our own? Does it bless us?"

Shanks shook his head, grinning. "Nope, but it sure tastes great!"

After thinking it over I grinned and held up my hand. "I wanna try it too! Thank you sea god!"

To this the whole crew laughed, Shanks included. Yasopp grinned, "Captain, she could just be your kid! Not only do you share looks, but you both love alcohol!"

I puffed out my cheeks, I didn't like them laughing like that. "We are related you know!" I crossed my arms. "But he's not my dad." I didn't know who my dad was, my mom never shared his identity with me.

Shanks chuckled, looking down at me. "You may live on a pirate ship now, but I'm not letting you drink. I don't think my sister would appreciate me giving you, or your brother, any alcohol at this age. Besides, your taste buds are too sensitiveness, the sake would burn them."

Being refused any sake, I pouted and crossed my arms. While Shanks gave the order to open it, I watched while planning an attempt to steal some. While my partner in crime wasn't here to help me, I bet I could manage to get at least a cup's worth of sake. Though, once the lid was opened, a bright flare was sent through the sky.

Even at the young age I was, I could feel the panic spreading around the crew. Shank's smiling face had quickly dropped into a serious frown, a look that I didn't see often. My own panic started when I heard one word.

"Marines!"

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Slowly the memory faded, and I found myself wrapped in Luffy's arms with my body dangling off the edge of the Sunny. My senses were still dull, as I was still hazy from the memory.

Waves crashed as a sudden storm clashed down on us. Salt water sprayed my face, dampening my hair. Nami barked orders as Luffy's arm brought me back to the ship.

"Katsu!" Luffy shouted, looking at me.

He set me down, where my legs gave out as a feeling of dread consumed me. We shouldn't take things so lightly, we shouldn't have opened that barrel. I don't know if I was talking in present tense or in the past though. While the crew scrambled to get us out of the storm, I couldn't find it in me to even move. It was as though I was still in a trance.

My mind was flooded with images, going over the memory over and over again. I had had a feeling that Shanks wasn't my father, but I didn't image he was my Uncle. Then, there was the feeling of missing someone, more accurately, my brother. I don't know what he looks like, or even his name, but I know I have a brother. One that I clearly cared deeply for.

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It wasn't until the we were out of the storm did I find myself falling out of the trance. Now, I sat under the tree on the deck. My sketchbook laid in my lap as I quickly sketched over the images in my head. The teasing of the crew members went unnoticed by me, it was usual for them to tease Usopp. Though, I stopped as a ghostly voice entered my hearing.

I blinked, lowering my book for a moment to stare out into the dark fog. The laughter from the crew died down as I walked to the rails of the ship, trying to find the source.

"Katsu?" Nami muttered.

"Don't you guys hear it?" I asked quietly.

"N-Not you too Katsu!" Usopp cried.

I quickly shushed him, "Listen!" They listened to me, allowing the ghostly voice to carry through the ship.

The other crew members walked to stand beside me as a ship came into view.  Each of us reacting out of shock of the person, or thing, on board.

"That..." I muttered, completely at a loss of words.

"Was that a..." Nami whimpered.

"A singing skeleton!" Usopp wailed. "It's a haunted ship!"

In response to the haunted ship, our captain grew stars in his eyes. "That's so cool! Let's go!"

Despite my need to draw that memory, this wasn't something you see everyday. As the ship's artist, I needed to see this in person!

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End of Chapter 13! It's not too long, but I think this was a good stopping point. So there was another memory in this chapter, and I formally introduced, sorta, Katsu's brother. What are your thoughts on this? Were you guys expecting Shanks to be Katsu's Uncle, or did I make that obvious from the start? I would love to hear what you all think!

This is not edited.