DigitalGuardian here with a possible new story. This is technically a trial-run to see if anyone has any interest in this story.

I just wanted to make a few things clear...

To my Brother, My Brother readers, I will have a chapter up soon! I'm in the revision process but I also have school finals over the next few days but I plan to have it up soon. (I must repeat soon, because it is important!)

About this story: I started writing this way because I was unsatisfied that we knew next to nothing about Brook's childhood and life before the Rumbar pirates. This story was my take on Brook's baby days. I took a lot of liberties to manipulate this story so it could take place in the New World. But currently in One Piece their pretty much hopping from one adventure to the next. I wrote this story with the thought that the Strawhat Pirates had finished up with Punk Hazard and currently sailing around so that's the setting I'm working with. Try and forgive that its not following the cannon line as closely. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, I write for fun, I do own the OCs

6/14/16

Chapter 1: The Musician

"My Grandmother once told me that music was supposed to bring joy and happiness to a person's life. Music will drive them forward, allow people to express themselves, and bring everyone closer together. Music brings harmony and love to every being in the world. It is the form in which any species can communicate with each other. The ultimate voice of the land and the seas.

A long time ago, my Grandmother knew a man who lived and breathed music.

He would hum as he walked, tapping his cane along the stone street. This man couldn't see and he wore dark glasses to hide his eyes. My Grandmother told me that the man didn't need to see with his eyes, no, he listened. Every sound around him painted a picture for the man.

Then the man vanished one day and the music followed after him.

That's why the island doesn't sound with song anymore. It's because that blind man, with his cane and violin, carried the music along and gave it life.

But the man left, so the music died too.

My Grandmother told me that this island; was once the center of music. Melodies rolled off the crescent hills and vibrated through the water.

But the music doesn't play like it used to.

My Grandmother still thinks the music will be return. One day, when the moon is high, the island's song would come from the waves of the ocean and be sung."

"YOHOHOHOHO!" laughed a running skeleton as he ran down a road. His destination was simple; he would go towards the sea and away from an angry mob that chased him. Beside him was a reindeer, with his blue backpack and big pink cap, running for his own life as well.

"GET THE DEMONS!" A man from the mob shouted and threw a pitchfork at the skeleton.

"AH! Not the afro!" The skeleton pleaded as he drew a sword from his cane. He redirected the pitchfork and quickly resumed running.

"Brook, this way!" Chopper, the reindeer, called. The two 'demons' bolted down a different street but found themselves at a dead end.

"Oh dear me," Brook murmured.

"This is bad, very, very, very, very bad!" Chopper screeched as he shrunk down to his smaller form and hid behind Brook's spindly legs, though his main body was still showing.

"Come now Chopper, allow me." Brook offered, holding out his hands. Chopper latched himself onto Brook as the mob entered the alley.

"THERE!"

"IT'S THE DEMONS!"

"I SEE THEM!"

"WE HAVE THEM!"

"KILL THEM!"

"DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY!"

"Yo-HO!"

Brook took one mighty leap and jumped up to the roof top even though Chopper weighed him down. The mob was displeased that their targets had escaped onto the roof. They threw whatever they could at the 'demons' before the twosome disappeared from sight. Chopper and Brook made their way across the roof tops and towards the sea where a ship was waiting for them.

Chopper wiped the sweat from his brow and gave relieved sigh. "That was close."

"Who knew this island was so superstitious. I nearly jumped out of my skin when those people said they wanted to burn us at a stake but I'm a merely bones so I don't have any skin, Yohoho! Skull Joke!" Brook announced, adding a little bounce to his step.

Chopper giggled a little. "You're really optimistic Brook."

If Brook could, he would be smiling at the little doctor. Their happy moment was broken when a villager spotted them and shouted to her companions and the chase continued. Brook and Chopper avoid the men and women up on the roof tops and made their way back down to the streets. Zigzagging down towards the water was their only strategy.

The two friends ducked inside of a shed and allowed their pursuers to unwittingly pass by them. Brook glanced out into the streets. He contemplated how they were going to get down to the docks, to the sea, to the Sunny.

"Brook! Check this out!" Chopper called from deeper within the shed.

Brook turned and if he had eyes, he was sure they would have sparkled with glee. "What brilliance, Chopper!"

Minutes later, Brook and Chopper were riding down the hill in an old cart. The air was filled with laughter and 'yohohohos' as the cart forced villagers to the sides of the road to avoid the wooden vehicle. Chopper screamed with delight as they went over a heave in the road causing the cart to take flight for a few seconds before crashing back into the ground.

"This is so much fun!" Chopper squealed, making sure to hold on tight to the side of the cart.

Brook laughed. "Tis the joy of living! Though I am already dead! YOHOHO!"

Much to his surprise, Brook was blinded by a heavy green object which had crashed into him.

"ZORO!" Chopper exclaimed as the swordsman got off of the stunned skeleton.

"Yoho," Brook laughed weakly. "Carefully Zoro, for I am merely bones."

Zoro grunted in his own form of an apology and examined the two with his one eye.

"Oi, why are you two fooling around? You were supposed to get supplies not have a cart ride through town." He scolded.

Brook sat up and brushed off his clothing, careful to keep his balance on the cart as it hit another bump.

"The locals didn't take to our appearance very warmly." He explained.

"Did you get the booze?" Zoro asked, completely discarding what Brook said.

Brook huffed, "How rude! And yes, yes we did."

"Good, let's go back to the ship." Zoro decided, folding his arms across his chest.

"WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO THAT!" Chopper exclaimed.

"Then what's taking you so long?" Zoro asked.

"WE'RE RUNNING FOR OUR LIVES!" Both Chopper and Brook shouted angrily.

At that moment, the cart ran head long into a guard rail. The speed force in the rear did not stop with the front. The back of the cart flipped over the front, flinging the three over the wall and down into a plaza, right on top of a crowd of people. The cart followed after them.

The crash was spectacular; the whole crowd of people was knocked off their feet. The cart splintered into hundreds of pieces. A stall was knocked over, sacks of flour burst creating a cloud of dust over the plaza.

Brook rose to his feet, making sure he still had the sack that held their supplies before looking around.

"Zoro! Chopper!"

Brook's exceptional acute hearing picked up on a soft whimper. The musician turned.

"Chop…"

Brook trailed off when he saw a young girl before him. Taking several steps towards the girl, something intrigued him. Her face was so familiar.

"Oh my, excuse me young miss, but I thought you were my…"

"Stay away!" The girl screamed. "Monster!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. Brook was sure he felt a pang to his heart though he had no heart.

He spoke softly. "Please calm down, I do not wish to…"

The girl screamed again, flinching away from the skeleton. Brook stood there frozen, unable to move a muscle which wasn't so hard since he had none.

"My moon… dear, dear little moon," Brook whispered under his breath. A strong hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Oi, Brook." Zoro stated. "We've got to run."

Brook didn't respond, only silently stared at the young girl. There was a tug on his leg from Chopper.

"Brook! Come on! The villagers are recovering!" he exclaimed.

Wordlessly, Brook turned and allowed his companions to drag him to the docks where the Mini Merry II was waiting for them. The three pirates quickly got into the boat and took off towards the larger ship awaiting their return.

Luffy was there on the deck, half hanging off the rail, waving to them. "OI! YOU GUUUYSSS!" he called.

"RAISE THE ANCHOR! WE HAVE TO LEAVE!" Chopper yelled back. Luffy cocked his head in curiosity but Nami got the message.

"Franky raise the anchor and take the wheel!" She ordered.

Franky gave her a mock salute. "Right Nami-sis!" And he ran off to do his duties. People were gathering at the shore and at the docks, cursing the pirates and their demons. Several villagers shot with bows or with guns.

"Usopp, open the port for them!" Nami ordered to their long nose.

Usopp nodded and yanked the lever, the side of the ship opened up allowing the Mini Merry to dock inside. Zoro got out of the boat and went up to the deck. Chopper was about to do the same when he noticed Brook just sitting in the boat with a very void look about him. Chopper scurried back over to his nakama and nudged him.

"Brook?"

"Oh Chopper, excuse me, I dozed off." Brook excused and got out of the boat. Chopper still stared at his friend expectantly.

"Brook."

"The others must be preparing to set off, we should join them." Brook said a little hastily and climbed the ladder. Chopper pouted a bit that he was brushed off so easily. The ship shook when something hit nearby, Chopper almost lost his footing.

"They're shooting cannons!" Chopper heard Usopp scream.

"Defend the ship we're almost out of range!" Nami shouted back as Chopper climbed up to the deck.

Luffy looked absolutely joyous as he sent several cannon balls back with his rubber body. Sanji and Zoro had already made it into a contest to see how many cannon balls that each of them could send back to shore. It didn't take long before the Sunny was out of the range of the canons' fire.

Luffy stretched contently.

"Yosh! I'm hungry! Sanji, food!" Luffy cheered running to the kitchen.

"Food!" Usopp echoed, forgetting his early fear about being shot by the cannons.

"Luffy! Don't go eating our dinner!" Sanji snapped as he trailed after Luffy. Everyone followed after leaving only Brook on deck. He stared back at the receding island in the distance.

"Yohoho." He chuckled a bit darkly. "What a surprise." He grabbed the sack that held the supplies and walked into the Sunny and went straight to the dining room. Every one of the Strawhats was settling down to eat. Brook handed the supplies to Sanji before taking a seat next to Luffy who was already piling the food onto his plate.

Once everything was dished out and "thanks" was said, the Strawhats dug into their meal with vitality. Brook ate a little more delicately than he usually did and he held back several laughs during the meal. He could almost feel Chopper drilling holes into his skull with that stare the little doctor had. Maybe he was acting a bit out of character, he didn't want Chopper to worry but Brook just couldn't help but to brood.

"Oi Brook," Sanji suddenly said. "You and Chopper hardly got any of the supplies I sent you out to get."

Brook gulped at Sanji's pissed off expression.

"It wasn't our fault! The villagers attack us before we could finish our shopping!" Chopper defended.

"Still we need that food if we're going to make it to the next island!" Sanji stated.

Nami took a sip of her drink. "Don't worry Sanji, there's an island no more than a day from here."

"Oh Nami-swaaannn! You're so resourceful~!" Sanji cooed.

"Isn't that the island that you told me was slightly unstable?" Robin inquired.

"Unstable!?" Usopp shouted.

Nami shook her head "Not that one," She held up her log pose. The needle on the far left was shaking just the slightest bit while the other two were coldly still.

"It's only shaking a bit so the island should be fine. It is an option but the closer island is that middle needle." Nami explained.

"Unstable?" Luffy echoed. Usopp dreaded the thoughts his captain was probably getting.

The sniper slammed his hands down on the table. "Unstable! That means it's going to be dangerous! Remember what happened on Punk Hazard! No more dangerous islands! I'm putting my foot down! I declare we go to the closer island!"

"Dangerous! So it's a bunch of fun!" Luffy figured.

"Sounds Super!" Franky complimented.

Tears ran down Usopp's face. "Nooooooooooo!"

"Does that island have a name?" Zoro asked.

Nami cupped her chin, trying to recall the name. "I suggest that we go to Makadeer island but the other… if I remember… it's Crescent Luna Island."

As soon as those words left those words left Nami's mouth, the sound of glass breaking echoed throughout the dining room. The strawhats stared at the musician. The broken tea cup was scattered out over a small area on the table. A pool of hot tea spread through the table cloth and dripped down the side onto the skeleton's slim leg.

"Brook-bro?" Franky questioned, an eyebrows rose up on his forehead. Brook didn't respond but simply stared at nothing.

Luffy leaned in close to his nakama. "Ooooi Brook!"

Brook still didn't say anything; finally he opened his jaw the slightest and laughed dryly. "Yohoho so Crescent Luna, my, my, I'm truly speechless." He murmured under his breath.

"Brook, are you okay?" Nami asked.

Brook's head jerked to attention. "Oh!? Oh my, did I doze off again? Yohohoho! I'm terribly sorry; I must not be getting enough sleep at night. But of course I'm already dead! Yohoho!" he laughed.

"You've been really quiet since you came back, as broody as a bat." Sanji confirmed.

"A bat? What a lame analogy, Ero-cook." Zoro drawled.

"SHUT IT, MOSS HEAD!"

"Do you know the island Brook?" Robin urged, her curiosity growing. Brook was silent, mulling over his words in his head.

"The simplest way to explain it… Crescent Luna is my home island." Brook stated bluntly. The air went dead still before chaos erupted from the crew's most boisterous members (Which is everyone besides Robin).

"EHHHHHH!?" They screamed, even Robin's smile broke into an expression of surprise.

"You're…. from the New World!" Franky exclaimed. "I thought you came from the Blues!"

"You're not wrong; my parents are from Crescent Luna but they traveled to the West Blue for a business trip while my mother was heavily pregnant. They had to put the return trip on hold because my due date neared to close. After I was born, we returned to Crescent Luna and that's where I grew up but I traveled to the West Blue through the Calm Belt when I was older." Brook explained.

"WHAA!? How did you avoid the Sea KINGS!" Luffy exclaimed.

"Quite simple, I was on a Marine Ship. Even back then, the Marines could cross the Calm Belt. My Father and I were once part of the Royal Guard, so I was on decent terms with Marines. A particular captain especially liked me so he was absolutely fine with letting me travel with him to the blues after I retired." Brook explained.

"If it's your home island, do you want to visit?" Chopper asked.

Brook was once again silent. "Now that is a good question… I should say yes but part of me hesitates." The crew stared at their musician, hoping that he would continue. Brook took his napkin and patted his teeth before farting. "Excuse me."

"THAT RUINED THE MOMENT!" Everyone besides Luffy and Robin screamed.

Brook ignored them and continued as if nothing had interrupted the conversation. "I suppose part of my troubles started back when I was drifting in that horrid mist. When you finally came I was so happy, I thought it was too good to be true. I began to believe that you all were a dream or figment of my imagination. As soon as you asked me to join your crew, I was certain that this was all a dream." He admitted.

Brook's crew hushed, content at hearing their skeleton out.

"Even though I'm only a skeleton now, it was not uncommon for me to have dreams as I waited for an opportunity to escape the mist. I often dreamed of my crew but I always knew I was dreaming because in the dreams I could clearly see everyone." This got a lot of questionable looks from his crewmates.

Brook continued. "In all miserable truths, I never actually knew what my fellow crewmembers looked like while they were alive. You see, one of the reasons why I left the Royal Guard is because, in an accident, I lost my ability to see."

"You can't see!?" Chopper explained.

"But you walk around completely normal!" Usopp pointed out.

"When I had them, my ears were always finely acute to even the slightest sounds. I was actually quite proficient in blind fighting even before my accident. So when I lost my sight it didn't take long for me to adapt. When I joined the Rumbar Pirates, I was still blind. Captain Yorki acted as my eyes, telling me how everything was, the lands, the early mornings, and, of course, the crew. But descriptions can only allow one to picture your comrades oh so much."

Brook tilted his head down. "When I revived once again, my old injuries were healed and my sight was returned. Deep down I had always regretted that I couldn't see my comrades but when finally regained my sight, all I saw was their bones."

Brook rested his head in his palms, remembering to horror of opening his nonexistent eyelids and seeing Don's skeleton lying beside him. When Brook traveled with Yorki, Don described himself in great detail to help Brook the 'best image' of him. Now Brook used that knowledge to recognize Don's dead body along with everyone else in the crew.

Brook let out a deep breath. "It was terrible but I was able to tell from what reality was and what was dream. Then you came, I thought possibly, I actually did meet some people out on that lonely sea but then the more and more I saw of you, the more I believed that I had created all of you from my imagination. Being in that fog for so long, I was beginning to lose hope. The more I saw you in action, I was sure I was in one of my dreams. But since you were all unfamiliar faces there was no way to discern my dreams and reality."

"But we're notta mystery." Luffy said cocking his head.

Nami frowned. It sounded like Brook went a little more insane then they had actually thought. Brook couldn't even tell that they were real and not figments with any way to figure out the difference. Nami wondered if Brook still believed if they weren't real. As if to quell her thoughts, Brook said.

"It took several months, but it was all of you who brought me back. In all my dreams with my crew, they were always happy moments, yet with you, I was faced happy moments but also terrible hardships. But through every hardship, you all pulled through, with you, taichou, at the lead. I knew then that this was my life and I was going to live it fully."

"Aw, you don't have to thank us!" Usopp chuckled. Franky was wiping away tears, nodded in agreement.

"You're nakama! My musician!" Luffy piped.

"Thank you, captain."

"But how does this all connect with Crescent Luna?" Zoro asked, taking a swing of his sake.

"I decided one night that I would focus on the future not on my past. Remember, I spent fifty years in the Florian Triangle. Most of my associates will be either dead or believe me to be dead. What is there for me to return to at my old home?"

"I see you point there. Truly from you past, you have nothing." Robin mused.

"Though… there is one place I would like to visit." Brook admitted. "Though time may have battered it, I'm sure it still stands." Brook was silent; he gripped his bony fists harder. Now he looked up at his captain.

"Luffy, may I visit my home island?"

Luffy's face stretched wide to accommodate for his huge smile. "Permission granted! I want to see your island! Nami!"

Nami nodded. "Hai, I'll chart our course."

Sanji lit his cigarette. "I'll have to manage our supplies until we get there." He stated aloud, thinking of traps to set in order stop Luffy tonight.

"I'm so happy, thank you everyone. Yohohoho!"

Zoro was seated up in the crow's nest, lifting his weights. He had watch duty but it didn't mean he was going to lounge around and do nothing. He could try a take a nap but Zoro had no doubt in his mind that the 'sea witch' would certainly get on his case. Zoro glanced out the window and down at the ship. A thin mist had settled over everything but Zoro could see a tall figure walking across the lawn.

It was their musician.

Brook leaned against the rail of the Sunny and stared out at the open sea. A least, what he could see through the mist.

Zoro placed down his weights, debating if he should go down. Brook could never sleep when there was fog in the night. On occasion, he would say something as if to reaffirm his convictions. Darkly, Zoro wondered how many nights, he had watched Brook internally debate if they were real or not. He had gotten so used to Brook's fog insomnia and had learned to leave him alone early on. Something was different now, Zoro now had a clue, he now understood that Brook could never sleep with the fog that reminded him too much of the Florian Triangle. All those years, trying not to become mad, trying to hold on to some semblance of hope, trying to fulfill his crew's promise, it can take a toll on a man's mind. Whatever Brook was thinking at this moment, Zoro knew it wasn't happy thoughts.

Deciding finally, Zoro climbed down from the crow's nest and approached Brook. The skeleton made no movement to express that he knew Zoro was there. Zoro highly doubted that Brook was completely unaware of everything around him. He stood just behind Brook to the skeleton's side.

"Brook."

Brook's head jerked up and he stared at the swordsman with his hollow eyes. "Zoro, forgive me I didn't notice you there."

"I'm on watch."

"Oh yes I forgot…. Terrible fog is it not? "

"Mmf."

Silence settled in between the two once again. Zoro sighed; their musician can be stubborn when he wanted to be.

"You're hesitant." Zoro prodded.

Brook stiffened before laughing. "Yohoho! Whatever do you mean?"

"You're acting way to joyful; you're neglecting to tell us something." Zoro rebuffed.

Brook chuckled. "How observant, but I must have expected this from the man who's going to be the world's greatest swordsman."

Zoro coughed, emphasizing that he was get impatient. Brook did not like the glare the swordsman was giving him.

Finally, the skeleton relented. "What if they can't stand me?" he half stated, half asked. Brook looked out over the water. "As Franky once kindly pointed out, my appearance is quite frightening to any who sees me. If I truly do have friends left, what will they think of me? Will they cower in fear and drive me away? This truly does pain me. Crescent Luna is still my home but what if I'm rejected? I wonder if I could bare such pain as seeing my family turn their backs to me."

Zoro was quiet; he placed his arms against the rails. "That doesn't sound like nakama if they abandon you just because of your looks." Zoro stated curtly and looked at Brook. "You always will have nakama, Brook. Right here on this ship, those bonds will never break. We'll always have your back, just like you have ours. Brook, you are strange-"

"How blunt," Brook remarked but he really didn't take offense.

"Shut it, I'm talking. You bring a lot of cheer to this ship; you music lifts the crew's spirit even in the hardest times and Luffy…." Zoro smirked. "Will always want to hear Bink's Sake."

"That was... well.. it sounded a bit cheesy... doesn't"

Zoro glared at him.

Brook chuckled. "But it's also very touching to my heart Zoro though I lack one. Yohohoho!"

Zoro's grin remained on his face even when Brook said his gag. "You should get some rest."

"Mmm, I think I'll stay out for quite a bit longer. I haven't seen my home in many decades." Brook replied. Though it went unsaid, Brook's message was clear.

"I want to see my island come over the horizon."

Zoro nodded. "I'll be in the crow's nest." He said and walked away.

"If you need anything, call."

Brook nodded. "Goodnight, Zoro." He said, resting his violin under his chin. The soft melody of Bink's Sake echoed all around the Thousand Sunny.

"Arigatou Mina."

What do you think?

DG