Under the lighthouse at Twin Capes.
Everyone was sprawled out on the grass, panting heavily after the ordeal.
"Whew… we're alive…"
The moment the melody of "Binks' Brew" echoed through the whale's belly, Laboon had finally calmed down. The crew took the chance to escape and return to the open sea.
Nami crouched in front of Laboon, explaining everything about Brook.
Laboon widened its eyes, glancing at Nami, then at Crocus. When Crocus gave a confirming nod, the whale let out a long, trembling cry.
"Uuuuuuuu…"
Then, with a splash, it dove deep into the water — determined to swim into the Grand Line, to find the friend it had been waiting for nearly fifty years.
"Wait, Laboon!" Crocus hurried to stop it. "Give me a little time to pack! I'll come with you!"
"Eh?" Nami pouted. "I thought you and Laboon were going to travel with us!"
(Perfect! The ship's short a doctor — maybe I can rope the old man in first!)
"What nonsense. I have a ship," Crocus sighed, palm to his forehead. "Little girl, we've barely met! Don't act so heartbroken, it looks fake. Besides, Laboon's headed straight for the Florian Triangle, that's not your route. You think it's going to wait around for you?"
"Guess not…" Nami pouted again. Knowing she couldn't trick the old man, she sniffed, wiped her fake tears, and instantly looked fine again.
Crocus couldn't even look at her, turning away in silence.
Now that he thought about it…
That boy, Shanu, mentioned the Florian Triangle. Isn't that territory of one of the Seven Warlords, Gecko Moria?
Could it be Brook got his shadow stolen by Moria and has been trapped there since? That would make sense.
But that also made things difficult — this old body of his might not handle it well.
Frowning, Crocus went into his cabin, rummaged around, and pulled out a slightly trembling piece of paper.
"Is that… a Vivre Card?" Nami leaned in curiously. "I've read about them, but this is the first time I've actually seen one! Whose is it, old man?"
"He's been retired for many years… better not say."
Crocus shook his head. "But he's a powerful man. I'll go find him first — it's been a long time since we met. Maybe he can help me with this."
If that man was willing to lend a hand, recovering Brook's shadow might really be possible.
Still, the old man couldn't help but wonder — that song earlier… where had it come from?
"Ah, that?"
Shanu lifted what looked like a conch shell. "Found it two years ago — probably fell from Skypiea. It's a Tone Dial, and it had 'Binks' Brew' stored in it."
"You were the one playing that?!" Crocus nearly collapsed. "Why didn't you say something earlier? I thought it was a ghost in Laboon's stomach! I've been living with that whale for decades — scared me half to death!"
"You didn't ask," Shanu replied, rolling his eyes and pocketing the conch.
(Of course, it wasn't really from Skypiea. He'd bought it years ago — 100 points from the system store.)
— It looked like a Tone Dial, but it was really a One Piece Edition MP3 player.
With over 100,000 built-in songs and a powerful speaker system, the volume was enough to make an entire village think there was an earthquake.
Back then, Shanu used to listen to music after training to relax.
This time, it was a spur-of-the-moment idea. He remembered that "Binks' Brew," the song Brook played for Laboon, might calm the whale.
If it hadn't worked, well… the next track on the playlist was "Love Theme from TIGA."
(You know, just in case — Skypiea tech is advanced. If Enel can fly to the moon, an MP3's nothing special.)
He crouched beside the water, patting Laboon's head. The whale, realizing Shanu was the one who'd told it about Brook, stayed still, letting him pet it.
But the earlier self-destructive headbutts had taken their toll — Laboon suddenly clenched its jaw, feeling something loose. With a muffled crack, it spat out several broken teeth.
Shanu, acting fast before anyone noticed, grabbed one and immediately offered it up for sacrifice.
[You have offered Laboon's tooth — gained 400 points.]
Four hundred?! That high?
And it actually worked!
Shanu grinned — remembering the Sea King and Moo Moo from before.
If he'd known, he'd have collected more "samples."
Still, those two combined were nothing compared to Laboon. He was rich now, no need to bother.
"Hey! Old man!"
He turned around — Nojiko and Nami had cornered Crocus, peppering him with questions like excited children.
"Old man, where exactly is Raftel?"
"Don't remember."
"Does the One Piece really exist?"
"More or less."
"What treasure did Roger hide?"
"Not hidden — found."
"Argh! I knew you'd say that! Fine, what about gossip then? You'll tell us that, right?"
"That I can do."
"Roger's mustache — or was that his nose hair?"
"..." Crocus's temple twitched. "You're asking me that? You've got a chef on your ship with the same mustache! Ask him!"
"Hey, mine's clearly a mustache, damn it!" Zeff's angry voice boomed from outside. "Just because I forgot the salt when I cooked for you last time doesn't mean you can hold a grudge forever, you old coot!"
…
Shanu chuckled at the noise, lying back on the grass again, crossing his legs and gazing up at the upside-down mountain.
Before long, Crocus came over, a heavy pack on his back.
"Shanu," the old man said seriously, "your crew's a wild bunch — except that quiet girl with the black ponytail — but still, you saved Laboon. You helped me, too."
"I don't like owing favors. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Well… maybe."
Shanu thought for a moment. "I like collecting relics from legendary people as souvenirs. Since you were Roger's doctor… do you have, uh, I dunno — Roger's kidney? Maybe one of Oden's oden skewers?"
"Of course not!"
Crocus's face darkened instantly. Now I understand why his crew's like that.
"I'm a doctor, not a black-market butcher!"
(And what the hell is Oden's oden supposed to mean?!)
"…Still, your request's not that hard."
Crocus rummaged inside and pulled out a worn-out straw hat. "Jabba visited two years ago and forgot to take this. I'll probably never see him again, so take it as a gift."
"Jabba?!"
Roger's right-hand man, Rayleigh's equal — the guy who stirred the seas with a toothpick?
What a haul!
Shanu's eyes lit up. He sat up straight, taking the hat with both hands.
"Of course, that little souvenir doesn't settle the debt completely," Crocus said. "So, I'll give you a real repayment — a warning."
"A warning?"
Shanu frowned and turned toward the Curtainfall.
The ship looked fine — Adam Wood hull intact, survived Reverse Mountain and a whale's stomach without a scratch.
"Not the ship," Crocus said quietly. "Someone on it."
The old man's eyes narrowed. "I thought that person was one of your crew. But when I asked that Nami girl, she said there are only five people and one dog — and they're all here. So whoever's been staying aboard… must be an intruder."
"Someone else… on the ship?!"
Everyone froze, alarmed. Ignoring Gin's indignant howls, they drew their weapons instantly — surrounding the Curtainfall from every direction.