Chapter XXII, The Funeral

The sky turned gloomy, grey, and absolutely depressing at the Plunder Island grave site where they erected a memorial epitaph in honor of Mrs. Marcelina Brinestoop. All of the members of the Plunder Island Naturalist Society, Vexen, Marluxia, and the naturalists' friends, family members, and some of the locals all attended the funeral of Plunder Island Naturalist Society leader.

Professor Brinestoop's widower husband and her children are there, but some of the kids are very apathic. Anwell Maverick is seen trying his hardest not to cry and be a man.

Lauretta was just solemn, there is no emotion in her face and not even tears are flowing down. Marluxia and Vexen just wore an emotionless expression; the older Nobody just wants to get back with the mission and assuming that he has no time for these 'petty' displays of remorse.

Uther clasp his hand into hers, but the rest of them are crying, dabbing their hankerchiefs, and sobbing.

"Now time to say a tribute for the late Dr. Brinestoop, participants step up."

Mr. Brinestoop just sighs, "I'll love you, my Sea Cucumber." He lays the cutlass, Pure Vortex Dancer, in front of the memorial. It was laid in a respectful way with the hilt almost touching the tombstone. Some of the Brinestoop kids said a "We'll miss ya, Mom." But actually it sounds more like "Good riddance." Apparently, the mother did not spend time with the children.

"My dearly beloved friend." It was Anwell Maverick's turn to speak. "I'll forever be grateful for you saving me from more ways than I can count, especially our time in the good ship, Gallbladder, where we first met in the quest for Big Whoop. Bid a 'Hello' to Professor Another in the big cloud lab of scientific scalleywags,…Bye."

Marluxia turn then came up, "Uh, Doctor, we hardly knew you. Bye."

During the funeral dinner, Marluxia seeks out Boris Gondor. "Boris, can I spare a few minutes with you?" The dinner complies of food that is mostly of tofu in the shape of meats that is usually in a lavish dinner.

"Sure, Dr. Thornberry." Boris says. "Shoot."

"Why is there an abundant of pirate paraphilia and décor, Dr. Gondor?"

"Oh, that's usually normal, Professor. What islands do you hail from? Everyone in Melee Tri-Island Community are pirates, except for a few merchants. I always believed that the man or woman I'm talking to are pirates, even the kids, their parents, and their parents' parents are salty scalleywags." Lauretta joins at her uncle at the table, she wore a black dress with sequences and the only thing that does not go well with the dress is her boots.

"Hi, Uncle Boris."

Vexen smirks at the scene. He is wondering how to get a heart sample from her.

Marluxia then asks, "Then why is Professor Maverick called 'Mad Scarf'?"

"Because he wears his lucky scarf most of the time, it is hard to imagine him without the scarlet scarf." The Plunder Islander explains.

That night when the two Nobodies return to their apartment, Marluxia then asks, "Vexen, I did not feel any remorse when I was there at the memorial service. Sorry if it, my little vocal tribute, was not par."

"No, Eleven, it is as expected. You do not have any remorse because you do not have any emotions; they got rob by the heartlesses."

"But Vexen, I can still feel my heart beating."

"I am talking about a metaphysical sense, Eleven. The heartlesses are supernatural beings like a ghost, when one transforms into a Nobody they become a being that has no traces of feelings yet with supernatural elemental powers. More will be explained in the reports and archives, especially in the libraries of the World That Never Was and Castle Oblivion."

Vexen awakens to hear Marluxia hugging his pillow chuckling in his sleep. "HHhmmmppphhfff, oh, Larxene, I'll be your pin cushion….I'm a masochist, stab me…You can do whatever…I'm here." The Chilly Academic rolls his eyes, he never had to be in pain when he was dating his wife a long time ago in Hollow Bastion.