Summary:
Luffy wakes up in a hostile mood and seeks revenge for Gecko Moria taking his shadow. However, Franky calms him down as Zoro and Sanji also come to their senses. The trio wonder how they got back to the Thousand Sunny, and Zoro notices that he no longer has a shadow. Luffy is more upset that there is nothing left to eat, despite stuffing his face with a huge block of cheese. However, Sanji points out that they specifically left them non-perishable food. The trio is very disappointed; Zoro for letting his guard down, Luffy for having nothing to eat but cheese, and Sanji noticing that Nami is missing. Sanji gets upset with Usopp when he learns that Nami was taken from them and demands to know why they didn’t pursue the aggressor, who the person is and where he is. Usopp is quite intimidated by Sanji’s forcefulness, but still counters that Sanji needs to hear the whole story. Usopp discovers that there are two things he can’t afford not to get back; Nami and their shadows, though Luffy speaks with “food” as the third item.
Sanji becomes incredibly enraged that Nami is involved in the wedding, to the point where he appears to literally be on fire. Luffy mentions that Absalom must be brave to marry Nami and is also surprised that his shadow is in the giant. On the other hand, Zoro deduces that he must already know the zombies that have Luffy and Sanji’s shadows. While Chopper and Usopp freak out after learning that Moria is a Warlord, Luffy remembers meeting Zoro’s zombie. Zoro is curious about his zombie, but still confirms that they can get their shadows back by finding three zombies with them and feeding them salt. He praises the crew for being able to detect the zombie’s weakness. However, Franky clarifies that they learned about salt’s weakness and that they should look for their shadowless nakama thanks to Brook, much to Luffy’s delight. Franky explains that he was very rude to Brook at first and refused to acknowledge him ever since Luffy asked him to join the crew. The more Franky talked to him, the more he realized that even though Brook was just a skeleton, he was actually a real man. In a flashback when Brook saves Franky and Robin from Tararan, it is revealed that Franky is very harsh towards the skeleton about his appearance. He asks Brook if he realizes the reactions he will get from people who meet him even if he manages to get out of the Florian Triangle. Franky goes on to say that you can’t be friends with something so creepy and that Brook will surely die of shame. He says that his fate would be the same as all the years he spent in this sea, and since Brook described himself as incredibly sad, he personally would have given up on life a long time ago. Franky ends by asking Brook what promise he made to his crew so important. Brook explains that a long time ago, his crew left one of their nakama at a certain location with the promise that he would absolutely return. Their crew was destroyed at sea, and in order not to break that promise, Brook stayed on that ship for over fifty years after the crew died. Franky blurts out that he wasn’t even born fifty years ago and that the man couldn’t have waited that long. Brook explains that he’s well aware and their nakama had every right to leave, but if by some small chance they actually kept their promise, they must be incredibly lonely right now. They may think that the crew betrayed them, but if they were really waiting, they must have some very strong pent-up feelings. Brook reveals that the crew member they left behind was named Laboon. He explains that they definitely couldn’t get the whale through the dangers of their journey and that it must already be that big. Brook can’t help but feel like Laboon really believed in them all this time and was waiting for the day they would come back and play him their music. Brook doesn’t believe that Laboon would forgive them for their irresponsible death and that if he could he would yell at them that “Death is no excuse” as one man once said that they would absolutely come back. Robin and Franky are deeply moved by Brooke’s feelings.
Back in the present, Franky concludes his story by confirming that this is Brook’s reason for being on his ship for so long, but Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp all remember Laboon from their initial entry into the great line. Franky asks them for an explanation. Sanji complies and tells him the story of how they met Laboon on the Twin Capes: he was trying to break through the wall that divides the world’s seas and had been eagerly awaiting the return of a certain pirate crew for 50 years. Laboon heard that something had happened to the pirates, so he tried to break free and get to them. Sanji explains that Luffy finally convinced him not to act in such a suicidal way, but Laboon is definitely still waiting at the place. Usopp is amazed that the crew and Laboon have kept their promise for so many years, while Zoro is similarly shocked that Brook is one of the people Laboon has been waiting for all along.
Brook and Ryuma’s battle is in full swing, with the two warriors revealed to be in an intense swordsmanship exchange. Ryuma acknowledges that Brook has indeed gotten stronger over the past five years, but since they think alike, so has he. Brook manages to dodge Ryuma’s charge, but is impaled by the follow-up attack and sent flying back. As Brook lies on his back, Ryuma again admonishes him for trying to protect his afro. Brook gets up and attacks Ryuma with a flurry of punches as he wonders to himself if Laboon still remembers the crew. He jokes that it must be heartbreaking to think how Laboon feels right now, even though he no longer has a heart. When Ryuma again overpowers Brook in a swordsmanship exchange, Brook laments that their nakama have all died and that even he has lost the body and face that Laboon remembers. Ryuma makes more attempts to cut Brook’s afro, causing him to parry the sword strikes from his position on the ground as he begs him not to damage his hair. Brook complains that Laboon certainly wouldn’t recognize him now in his skeletal form, but remembers that his afro always made Laboon laugh. Brook is so determined to keep his current appearance until the very end as he comes to see Laboon at their promised place. Brook gets back to his feet to face Ryuma again, but is impaled through the diaphragm again.
Back on the Thousand Sunny, Franky is in tears over the Brook & Laboon story, much to the crew’s dismay. Luffy is overjoyed; considering that Brook is a musician, a talking skeleton, has an afro, has a funny laugh, and was Laboon’s nakama, Luffy is more determined than ever to have Brook join the team. Luffy asks if the crew has a problem with that, to which h