One Piece: The Deadly

The sun was setting on the Thousand Sunny, casting warm hues across the deck. The crew was relaxing after another day of sailing. Kikidori and Raiko were on opposite sides of the ship, still not speaking to each other, while the rest of the crew went about their usual routines.

Brook, the ever-cheerful skeleton, was strumming his violin when he noticed Ere'ana sitting quietly near the railing, reading one of Chopper's medical books. He strolled over to her with his signature grin, his bony hands tucked into his pockets.

"Yohohoho, Miss Ere'ana, you seem to be in good spirits today!" Brook said in his usual lively tone.

Ere'ana looked up from her book and smiled politely. "Oh, hello, Brook-san. I'm just studying some techniques that Chopper taught me."

"Such dedication at such a young age! Truly admirable," Brook said, bowing dramatically. Then, with a playful glint in his eye, he added, "Speaking of admiration… May I see your panties?"

The entire deck fell silent.

Ere'ana blinked, her face turning red as her mind tried to process what she had just heard. "H-Huh?"

Kikidori, who had been watching the scene from a distance, dropped his sword mid-swing. "WHAT?!"

Sanji stormed over, his face red with rage. "BROOK, YOU PERVERT! YOU CAN'T JUST ASK A LITTLE GIRL THAT!"

Brook held up his hands defensively. "Yohohoho! It's merely a joke! A long-standing habit, I assure you!"

Ere'ana, still blushing furiously, looked down at her lap. "I-I guess… it's okay…"

"WHAT?!" Kikidori shouted, running over. "No, it's not okay! What are you even saying?!"

Ere'ana shrugged nervously. "I mean… he's just curious, right? I don't want to be rude…"

"Being nice doesn't mean letting weird skeleton guys look at your underwear!" Kikidori said, standing protectively in front of her.

Luffy laughed loudly, oblivious to the awkward tension. "Brook, you're so funny!"

"IT'S NOT FUNNY!" Sanji and Kikidori yelled in unison.

Robin chuckled softly, sipping her tea. "Brook, you're quite bold, even for you."

Zoro smirked from where he was leaning against the mast. "This ship gets weirder every day."

Brook, realizing that he had gone a step too far, bowed deeply. "My sincerest apologies, Miss Ere'ana. I meant no harm."

Ere'ana nodded, still flustered but clearly relieved that the attention was shifting away from her. "It's okay, Brook-san… just don't ask me that again, okay?"

"Understood!" Brook said, straightening up. "I shall never ask you that again. Yohohoho!"

As the crew slowly went back to their activities, Kikidori sat next to Ere'ana, still fuming.

"Don't let anyone ask you weird stuff like that, okay?" Kikidori said, crossing his arms.

Ere'ana smiled shyly. "Okay, Kiki-san. Thanks for looking out for me."

Kikidori blushed slightly and looked away, muttering, "Yeah, well… someone's gotta do it."

From a distance, Robin and Nami exchanged knowing smiles, while Zoro muttered to himself, "Kids these days…"

End of Chapter 30