York had been laughing the whole time. Barn was annoyed with the bird that had claimed the spot reserved for his hat, even though he did not have a hat yet.
York finally stopped his endless laughter and asked, "Barn, what sort of people do you think pirates are?" His suddenly serious expression baffled Barn. "Pirates? Murderers, arsonists, and thieves who commit every evil imaginable?" Barn answered without thinking. In his previous life, piracy had indeed been a brutal profession.
York opened his mouth, then swallowed the words he had prepared. He was clearly embarrassed now. "What about us, then? What do you think of pirates like us?"
"You're good people! Hehe!" Being told he was a good person without getting an actual answer left York feeling awkward. He suddenly stood up. "I think pirates are free, happy spirits who aren't bound by anything! I founded this crew because I dreamed of living freely and spreading joy together! We'd find companions who shared our dreams wherever we went, then sing, dance, and drink together! What do you think, Barn?"
Barn could not see York's face, but his words moved him all the same. He felt warmth in them. What an innocent man. He must be beaming right now. "That sounds great!" Caught up in York's enthusiasm, Barn smiled too.
"Join us, Barn! Let's chase freedom together!" York invited him with a smile.
As someone who had transmigrated, Barn naturally knew what would happen to York, and he could not help feeling sorry for him. York really was a good man!
"What are you talking about? Haven't I already come aboard?" Barn said. York froze for a moment. "Haha, haha, hahahaha! That's right! You're already one of my crew! Hahaha!"
"Hahahahahahaha!" Barn laughed along with him.
"Barn, get to know your new friend!" York reached out, took the little bird sleeping on Barn's head, and placed it in his palm. Barn cupped the bird in front of his face. "Little bird, we're companions now. How about I call you Fitz? I'm blind, so would you be my eyes from now on? Sorry for the trouble."
Fitz seemed to understand Barn's words. The bird actually nodded and chirped twice in agreement, then pecked Barn on the nose again...
"Ow!" Barn covered his nose again, while Fitz hopped back onto his head and settled down. "Haha!" York was laughing again.
"What are you laughing at?!" Barn snapped, his embarrassment turning to anger. York laughed even harder. "Hahahahahahaha!"
Much later, after hauling away all the gold on the island, the Rumbar Pirates set sail once more. This time, they had two new members: Barn, who was fishing, and the little bird Fitz, who was sneaking bites of his bait. Really, the bird was eating it quite openly, since Barn could not see anyway. Heaven only knew why Fitz liked fish bait despite being a bird.
"Barn! Come over here!" Mondo, the ship's doctor, called to him. He had recently been studying the Devil Fruits Brook and Barn had brought back. Barn put away his fishing rod and walked toward the crowd. Fitz fluttered onto his head and looked around, chirping now and then. Whenever the bird did, Barn would avoid the obstacles in his path, as though he understood what Fitz was saying. The two had already developed a tacit understanding. Barn sat down on a barrel, while Fitz kept looking around from atop his head like a proper sentry.
"Barn, I've spent the past few days carefully studying your Devil Fruit and Brook's. Yours is the Life Fruit. Someone had its power over a hundred years ago. Eating it will give you tremendous vitality, and any injury that isn't fatal will heal quickly." Mondo looked at Barn as he spoke, then turned to Brook. "Brook, yours is the Revive-Revive Fruit. But I've searched through a lot of material and haven't found any records of it. Whether you eat it is up to you."
Mondo pushed up the glasses perched on the bridge of his nose and spoke earnestly. Brook looked at Barn. "Well? Should we eat them?"
"Yes! Of course we should!" Barn answered at once. "Devil Fruits aren't something you can find just because you want one! Besides, there's no strongest fruit, only the strongest ability user. Develop its power well, and it'll make you strong. That's what really matters!" As he spoke, Barn picked up the Life Fruit and took a bite. His face instantly turned a dark purple. Seeing that Barn had eaten his, Brook stopped hesitating, picked up the Revive-Revive Fruit, and bit into it.
"Disgusting!"