The Start of Something New

"Well look at you, all fancy in your uniform."

"Yorki-san!" Brook exclaimed, nearly falling out of his chair at a quaint outdoor harbor cafe as he twisted around to see his friend. It had been years since they had seen each other, Brook often being deployed with his convoy and Yorki getting work with a shipping company's security division, being out at sea just as often.

"Hey, Brook," Yorki greeted with a smile, giving a lazy salute as he took the seat across from Brook. "You're looking well," he said, taking in the changes in his friend, like all the new glittery pins and tassels that now adorned his friend's uniform. And if he wasn't mistaken, the jolly tree had gotten even taller since he'd last seen him at 18 years old.

"I could say the same of you," Brook said, taking a sip of tea and noticing Yorki's own changes, like the new tattoos on his chin and under his right eye.

Yorki ordered his own drink and food and they caught up with the events in each other's lives. Laughing at some of the more ridiculous situations they'd gotten into and commiserating over the tougher ones.

"Hey, Brook, you remember that day with the knee-pedal piano at Madam Gertrude's?" Yorki asked, voice casual, eyes intent.

Brook felt a shiver of anticipation go down his spine. "I believe so. You offered to try to beat up Leon-san for me beforehand and I almost missed the curfew getting back to the dorms since everyone kept me playing so late."

"Brooook," Yorki whined, pouting at his friend.

"Oh, did something else happen?" Brook pretended to think for a moment before a big smile broke out on his face. "Oh, yes! You offered to take me as your crew's musician when you got a ship."

"Exactly!" Yorki exclaimed, slapping the table. "And guess what I just did before I got here?"

"You didn't."

"Of course I did. I've got my ship, so you can call me Captain Yorki," the blonde proudly claimed, pointing his thumb to his chest.

"Yohohoho, and what's your plan Yorki-san?" Brook asked, amused.

"We're going to gather a crew and sail anywhere we want, do anything we want, because we'll be free as musicians of the sea!" Yorki exclaimed. "Just like I promised."

Brook felt a warmth settle in his chest. It wasn't like he exactly disliked his captaincy of the battle convoy, but the rules and regulations of military life could be suffocating. Some days it felt like music was the only thing in his life that wasn't dictated by someone else. He hadn't lost that childhood longing for freedom.

"I think before that, Captain Yorki, we'll need to get you looking like a proper captain!" Brook said with a wide smile, chuckling.

Yorki whooped and jumped up in excitement. "Great to have you aboard, Musician Brook! Welcome to the Rumbar Sailing Musicians!"

So they spent a few days getting enough crew members to man the mid-sized ship that Yorki had purchased before setting out to sea.

It was the start of something new and Brook never regretted it for a single moment.

Author's Note

So that's the start of the Rumbar Pirates, though they're not pirates yet (that's another story ;3) because I can't honestly see musicians starting as pirates right off the bat, nor someone who had a career fighting pirates suddenly switching to being one (for either of them). And of course this all ties back to the chapter We'll Be Free, Someday.