The tune from Brook's violin cut through the air and a loud groan of appreciation from the large whale sitting just off the rocky cape could be heard.
"Yohohohoho, yohohoho. Yohohohoho,yohohoho.
We'll deliver Bink's Sake, ocean's breeze shall guide the way.
Sailing forth atop the waves across the briny deep.
The evening sun is dancing high, painting circles in the sky,
As it sinks the songs of birds ring out across the sea."
"I'm surprised you still remember the words after all this time." Crocus commented, and Brook's bow paused on the instrument.
"Of course I remember," Brook said. "It's what kept me going all those years alone. The thought of singing it again for my dear friend Laboon."
Crocus laughed as Brook continued to play. The large whale seemed content to swim and listen to the skeleton play. The last note echoed over the water and Laboon dove into the water. Brook lowered his violin and watched the ripples.
"What happened to your first violin?" Crocus asked. "You seemed awfully proud of that one."
"I left it with Luffy," Brook said. "He always listened to my music, no matter what time it was. I remember one night, it was well past midnight, and I was out on deck playing. I thought everyone had been sleeping. It looked like everyone had been sleeping when I went out. But the next morning, he said that he liked the song I played, and wanted to hear it again."
"When I first met that brat, I thought they were all going to die before they reached the first island," Crocus said. "Instead, the brat became the Pirate King and created a big name for himself." The old man shook his head. "I don't believe half of the things you've told me."
"Ah, but they're true," Brook said. "I am glad that I was able to be a part of their adventures. It makes my heart so happy. Ah, even though I do not have a heart. Skull Joke! Yohohohoho!" He faltered. "Captain Luffy would always laugh at my jokes as well."
After a few months of staying with Crocus, Brook began to feel the longing of travel. Laboon was feeling it too, spending more and more time away from the Red Line. His loud wails brought Brook from his slumber one night, and he rose to see the large whale.
He was floating close to the cliff, and Brook reached out a hand, placing it on his head. The large Strawhat mark on his forehead reminded Brook of Luffy every time he saw it. "You want to leave this place?" Brook asked, and Laboon whistled in affirmation.
Brook looked over his shoulder, staring at the house built into the side of the cliff. Crocus was a good man, and Brook felt slightly guilty at his plans. He turned back to Laboon. "Do you remember the promise we made you 50 years ago?" Laboon whistled again. "When you were big, we would come back and take you on an adventure. Do you want to go?"
Laboon slapped his tail against the water and sank low enough into the water so that Brook could climb on top of his head. As soon as Brook gave him the go-ahead, Laboon swam away from Reverse Mountain, the Red Line, and Crocus.
The first island Brook stopped at had a large city. Brook directed Laboon behind the island and dismounted. Laboon dove as soon as Brook was safely on the island, exploring the innards of the Grand Line for the first time in his life. Brook wandered into the city, drawing many strange looks.
His first stop was a clothing store, and he picked out a high quality black cloak, the bottom of it decorated with small, white music notes. The teenager at the register seemed glad that he bought it, explaining that no one found his family's store worth coming into anymore. Brook assured him the brands were lovely before departing.
Laboon was still enjoying himself in the bay when Brook checked, so to kill time he set himself up in one corner of town square and played his violin. He started out playing some general sea shanties, drawing the attention of fishermen and many of the children wandering around. After gaining enough of an audience, he played his best song.
The first verse caught the attention of more people, and he continued on to his second.
"The hometown port is far behind, out of sight but not of mind,
Smiling by, our joyous songs shall boom towards the shore.
Waves crash and they lose their hold, on sprays of silver and of gold,
Pass us by on our way towards the ocean's hand."
By the third verse, children had started dancing, and it brought warmth to Brook's hollow chest. He ended on a high note, and people began tossing coins as Brook took off his top hat and bowed. He caught most of them in his hat, picking up the rest of them as the people dispersed.
One little boy didn't leave, and helped Brook pick up the money. "Thank you, little boy."
The boy grinned widely, and Brook noticed he was missing his two front teeth. "You look like Soul King."
Brook laughed, patting his head. "Don't tell anyone, alright?"
The boy nodded happily before running off and joining a woman, who began to scold him for running off. Brook returned to the rocky cape to wait for Laboon. He didn't have to wait long. Laboon's head rose from the water and he bobbed his head eagerly. Brook climbed up and pointed away from the island, "Lead the way."
Laboon complied, gliding through the water and leaving the island behind him. They stopped at several more along the way, Laboon content to explore the new waters. Brook spent his time ashore, entertaining the people who lived there.
He knew his music was powerful. When fighting he used it to distract the enemy or create illusions. But he realized he had another use for it. He could influence emotion. He first realized it when he took on the duty of keeping the spirits of his Rumbar Pirates up after they left their Captain. And then he used it again after Luffy died.
He didn't want to sound vain, but he realized that if he hadn't been there and had his music, the rest of the crew would have given up before reaching Raftel. Maybe that's why he kept playing. To make these complete strangers happy. To pass on his stories through songs.
Laboon seemed happy to travel with Brook, not following any log and using his instincts to move from island to island. Years passed. They came across a floating island one day, which startled Brook. He didn't know islands could do that. Laboon scared the few people lounging on the walkways surrounding the outside of the city as Brook jumped off and the whale vanished with a spray of water.
"Wha…?"
Brook bowed, "Greetings, my good man." He said, before waving and heading down the walkway.
He quickly realized he was in Water 7, Franky's home island. He followed his usual routine, finding the main city square and laying out his violin case to collect money. One particular man caught his attention. Dark blue hair and a laid back stance, he was standing near the back of the crowd. He seemed to have an air of authority about him, and when Brook finished he approached.
"That was very good. Do you take requests?"
"What song would it be?"
"Weeeelll, I don't really have one on mind. I was just wondering if you did."
"I do," Brook assured.
"Play me your favourite one." The man said. "My son loves listening to music."
"Your son?"
"Tom!" The man called. "Do you want to listen to this man's music?"
A small boy ran up at the man's call, a wide grin plastered to his face. "You're gonna play a song? I couldn't see the last one."
Brook nodded, "As long as you don't mind songs about pirates. Is that alright?" He addressed the question to the boy's father, who nodded.
"My brother is a pirate. I don't mind." He looked over his shoulder. "As long as my wife isn't around. She's an Ex-Marine. She wouldn't like that."
"Would she let me see her panties?" Brook questioned.
The man looked taken aback before adopting an inquisitive look. "She would probably hang you with your own intestines if you asked her that. And then sue you for sexual harassment."
Brook shivered and nodded before examining the little boy looking up at him eagerly. He looked just like his father, and Brook remembered his own daughter, her expression looking painfully similar to the one the little boy was wearing. He wondered how she fared after he left. She was still just a child, only seven years old, when he left. She'd be long since gone by now.
She would always look up with the same eager eyes when waiting for a song. A pang of loneliness stung him, and he clutched his bow a little tighter. He could make this child happy for today though.
"It's called Bink's Sake. An old sea shanty pirates would sing this when setting off."
The boy, Tom, never tore his eyes from Brook as he played the first two verses, drawing another crowd. These new people looked like construction workers.
"We'll deliver Bink's sake, causing trouble all the way,
The pirate's life upon the sea we've chosen one and all.
When it's time to rest our heads, the sea's our pillow and our beds,
We proudly bear the skull and bones upon our flags and sails."
When he finished the last three verses he allowed them to applaud before packing up and wandering the streets. Tom followed him for a while before running off down an alley and vanishing from Brook's sight.
He met Laboon the next morning, and they left the island. Years passed, and Brook managed to secure a ride to Fishman Island, on the terms Laboon would defend the ship if they were attacked.
Halfway down the lookout started screaming about a giant sea monster, and Brook looked out himself, only to see Surume.
"Do not worry," Brook reassured the Captain. "He is not a threat."
"Is that what you think?!" The Captain shouted, flailing his arms for emphasis. "That thing will swallow us whole!"
"He could," Brook agreed, "But he won't."
"THERE'S SOMETHING FOLLOWING IT!" The lookout shouted, drawing their attention again.
The Captain let out a stream of curses, madly ordering the members of his crew to prepare the cannons.
"I assure you, that creature will not be a threat."
"Shut the hell up and help us!"
Brook wandered to the edge and looked down. The coating made it hard to look directly beneath them, but he managed to make out the second creature following Surume. It looked like Shirahoshi.
Screams erupted as the Kraken reached them, the Captain shouting at Brook to make his whale attack the monster. But Brook did nothing as Surume's tentacles wrapped themselves around the galleon and one of his large eyes peered down onto the deck.
"We're going to die," The Captain whispered, panic evident on his face as he sunk to his knees beside Brook.
"Hello, Surume!" Brook called up to the monster. The Captain stared at Brook with the most dumbfounded expression anyone could muster up as Brook continued. "It's been a while since I've seen you. Is the Princess with you?"
"I'm here," A feminine voice said from the other side of the ship. Brook turned and bowed to the Mermaid Princess who was smiling brightly at him. "I didn't expect to see you on a ship like this."
The lookout stumbled backwards and fell from his perch in the crow's nest as the sudden appearance of the mermaid. The thump of him hitting the deck brought the Captain out of his stupor. He scrambled to his feet and pointed an accusing finger at Brook. "What's going on?!"
"Ah, allow me to introduce the two of you," Brook said. "Theo, this is Princess Shirahoshi, of Fishman Island. Princess, this is the Captain of this ship. I am traveling with them for the moment."
Shirahoshi giggled, "Father will be glad to have you. Is this your friend?" She nodded at Laboon, holding up her hand and placing it on Laboon's head. "He has Luffy's mark on his forehead."
"His name is Laboon," Brook told her. "Luffy ran into him just after he entered the Grand Line."
Shirahoshi's bright smile faded slightly, and she gently patted Laboon's head. "You must have made a good impression on him, Laboon." Shirahoshi said.
Laboon groaned in happiness as the Captain turned to Brook again. "You know her?"
"I've been here before," Brook said. "How is your older brother doing? How does he like being King?"
"He's doing great," Shirahoshi said, brightening up again. "He had a bit of trouble at first, but Father and Jimbei helped him."
"And what about you?" Brook asked. "How are you doing?"
"I'm happy too," Shirahoshi said. "I'm married now. In fact, Franky and his daughters were part of my wedding party. Usopp's been through too." Her smile wavered at Usopp's name. "We've come to guide you safely to the island."
"That is very kind," Brook said.
Shirahoshi swam ahead of them and led them to the island. The guards at the main gate saluted Brook when they spotted him. The Captain questioned one of the guards later, but didn't believe the claim that Brook helped save the island. He never voiced his accusations out loud though, because he and his crew were given rooms in the castle for being with Brook.
They left after their log pose reset, but Brook stayed. Laboon seemed to be much happier here than he had ever been at any of the islands they had visited or even on the open water. Brook was content to stay.
He stayed until Laboon vanished. He had heard reports of an Island Whale pod passing by, and Brook had told Laboon to go and find himself a family. It broke Brook's heart to see him go, but he knew Laboon would be happy. At least he was able to say goodbye to his friend this time.
He stayed in the Kingdom for a while longer, watching as Shirahoshi had children. King Fukuyoshi never had any heirs himself, so Shirahoshi's first born son became the next King. At the same time, a new pirate made herself known, calling herself Kuina. She captained the Angel Pirates. She took over the New World and her crew was the third one to reach Raftel. She died at the age of twenty seven, killed in battle with Vice Admiral Kale. She later went on to become Fleet Admiral, replacing Akainu when he retired.
Brook kept himself updated on the actions of the world, and more importantly, his friends. He collected two books. One of them was an atlas. It was drawn by a woman named Natalie, but the inscription caught his eye. To the end and back. We will make it. Followed by an X. He would recognize that saying anywhere. Nami would always say it when she felt discouraged.
The second one was a fiction story, but he knew the storyline. Robin must have been the one to write it.
He left the island without saying goodbye, and became a wanderer. It became a popular story to tell, the wandering musician. Some say he was a ghost haunting the ocean where he died. Others said he was the spirit of music. Very few said he was a bad omen, and their ship would sink. Brook never bothered to correct them.
Brook settled himself on a park bench next to an elderly gentleman and opened that morning's newspaper. He didn't know why he kept buying them. It was a waste of money, and his only source of income were his street performances. He had started his tradition to keep an eye on his friends' movements. But it had been over two hundred years since then, and they had all died.
An article on the second page caught his eye. The headline read 'Phoenix Industries is Flying High' above a picture of a familiar looking man. He wasn't far from the company's main headquarters, and decided to pay the CEO a visit.
It only took him a couple of days to reach the island by ship, and Brook made an appointment with the secretary.
"He's a very busy man," She said, handing Brook an appointment card with the date and time written on it. "You'll be able to meet him in a few weeks."
"Thank you," Brook said. "Ah, before I leave, may I see your panties?"
He was quickly thrown out by security. And she remembered him when he returned a few weeks later for his meeting. She didn't call security this time, but glowered as he signed himself in and was led to an extravagant elevator by an escort.
"This is very fancy," Brook commented.
"Much more than a man like you has seen before," The escort said, and Brook tugged at the hood of his old cloak self-consciously. "You're lucky the boss doesn't question those he meets with before the meetings."
Brook let out a 'Yoho!' before falling silent. They reached the top floor, and across from the elevator doors were another set of doors, a phoenix carved into the dark wood.
The escort knocked, and someone inside called out, "Come in!"
The two entered, the escort closing the door behind them and standing against it as Brook walked up to the desk. A head of blond hair was bent over the wood, and the man it belonged to looked up as Brook stopped in front of him. He glanced to the side, picking up a single sheet of paper.
"Brook?"
"That is me," Brook confirmed.
"Alright then," He said, placing the sheet to the side and giving Brook his full attention. "Why'd you want to meet with me?" He examined Brook. "I don't want to sound rude, but you don't look like someone wanting a share or to partner up. It's no to either of them anyway."
"That is not my intention," Brook said. "I am merely sating a curiosity of mine. Your name is Marco, correct?"
"It is. You're not a reporter, are you?" The escort took a step forward, his hand going to his belt. "If you are you can leave right now."
"I am not a reporter," Brook assured. He leaned on his cane slightly. "You are Marco the Phoenix?"
Marco tensed up slightly. "I am Marco of Phoenix Industries," He corrected, his voice steeled.
"Of course you are. Right now. May I ask you age?"
"Forty," It sounded rehearsed.
"That's a good age. I am two hundred and ninety seven." Brook replied.
"Benjamin, could you leave the room?" Marco asked, sounding strained. The escort nodded and left the room, the door clicking softly behind him.
Marco turned back to Brook, a surprisingly neutral expressing across his face. "Who are you?"
Brook lowered his hook, revealing his skeletal features. Marco jerked back in shock as he answered. "Humming Brook."
Marco forced a laugh, a hand coming up to cover his eyes as he shook his head. "A convincing costume."
"Former Acting Captain of the Rumbar Pirates." Brook continued, ignoring Marco's words. "And musician of the Strawhat Pirates."
Marco continued to shake his head. "What the hell are you going on about?"
"That is me," Brook answered. "And you are Marco the Phoenix. First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, and a friend of my friend, Chopper."
Marco stared at the skeleton in front of him for a long moment. "How old did you say you were again?"
"Two hundred and ninety seven," Brook answered.
"And you're a Strawhat?" Brook pushed his left sleeve up and revealed the X cut into the bone. Marco leaned down and opened a drawer, pulling out a frame. "And you knew Chopper?"
"I was surprised to hear he joined your crew," Brook said. "Was he happy?"
"I think so," Marco said, turning the frame around, revealing it to Brook. Brook took it and held it closer. He spotted Chopper right away, in the act of shouting something in triumph while holding the Whitebeard's flag above his head. "I know we could never truly replace Luffy and his first crew, but we made sure he was welcome."
"He looks happy," Brook said, handing the photograph back. "I wish I could have seen him again."
"He said the same thing about you guys," Marco told him. "He lived a good life. He saved so many of my crew. I don't know what I would have done without him."
"I still hope that one day I will join them in the afterlife," Brook said softly.
Marco nodded in agreement. "If you figure out a way, please tell me."
"You'll be the first," Brook promised.
Marco spotted the violin on his back as Brook turned around, "Hold on a minute. You said you were a musician."
"That is correct."
"Could you play something for me?" Marco asked. "Just… For old times' sake."
Brook didn't say anything, but slung his case off his shoulder. Placing it on Marco's desk, he pulled out his violin, the previously dark wood pale now from age. Several of the strings had rusted, but that didn't deter Brook from creating beautiful music.
He started on Bink's Sake, and Marco closed his eyes in reminiscence. He stayed quiet during the first three verses, but when Brook reached the fourth he had started to cry, tears silently trailing down his face.
"Raging in the far off sky, a violent storm at which we fly.
Beat the drums our merry ships shall dance atop the waves,
Don't let fear control your head, or you may find yourself dead,
So hold your ground, run no more, and greet the rising sun.
Yohohoho , yohohoho. Yohohoho, yohohoho
Yohohoho , yohohoho. Yohohoho, yohohoho."
"Thank you," Was all Marco said when Brook finished, and Brook let himself out.
Skypeia was discovered after flying machines called planes were invented, and the discovery of Roronoa Zoro's grave sent fanatics crazy. Transponder snails went out of fashion, environmentalists and animal rights activists winning the arguments and setting them all free. Weapons were banned from public use and concealment. The World Government fell, Mariejois was destroyed by the current generation of the Revolutionary Army, and Kingdoms created their own leadership. Four hundred years had passed since he had last seen any of his friends.
Brook wandered around the island. There seemed to be a festival going on. Several people complimented his costume, and Brook thanked them. "May I ask what kingdom this is?" He asked one of the vendors.
"It's Goa," She answered with a smile. "On Dawn Island."
"I am not from here. What is this festival about?"
"Oh, we have it once every ten years." The vendor said. "I'm not sure where the tradition came about, but it's been going on for the past four hundred years. We think it had something to do with the second Pirate King."
Brook laughed, "I think you're right. Thank you for that information."
"No problem, Skeleton-Man. Enjoy the festival!" She waved as he made his way up the road and towards the mountain. He stopped in front of a large building, labeled 'Museum'. This was where Luffy's grave should have been. Brook put a hand on his cane. If they demolished Luffy's grave, there was going to be hell to pay.
He walked in, finding it empty except for… A large glass case in the floor. Luffy's grave was safe inside that. He looked over to the reception desk, "Excuse me, miss," He said, catching the attention of the blond girl sitting there.
"Yo. You want to look around? It's free the week of the festival. Not that many people come here anyway." She pointed to another door. "The main exhibits are over that way."
"No, I just came to see this one," Brook said, pointing his cane at the grave.
"Just that?" The girl asked. "Well, I suppose I have no right to judge. I'm doing a thesis on the Great Pirate Age, and my main subject is the Pirate King that came from it. Monkey D. Luffy. So I have a bit more interest than other people."
"Ah. So you are a university student then."
"Yeah. I want to get my degree in history so I can run this place one day. Do you want to know anything?"
Brook laughed at her eager tone, "Sure. What do you have on… Dead Bones Brook?"
"Lemme see," She replied, and Brook heard the shuffling of papers. He walked closer and peered over the edge of the desk. "Here we go. Humming Brook. That's his real name. Was originally part of the Rumbar Pirates. Ate a Devil Fruit, but it's unknown which one. Then he vanishes from history until he joins up with the Strawhat Pirates years later. Had a daughter named Melody, who went on to have a daughter of her own. The daughter's name was Bachina. ( her up!) Unfortunately, his family history stops there. He also falls off the map after Strawhat became the Pirate King. No one knows what the hell happened to them. And then there's this," She pointed at the grave across the room. "It belongs to Strawhat. That much is obvious. And the memorabilia around it probably belongs to the members of his crew. So that means Strawhat was the first to die. But there's no body buried."
"That is a lot of information," Brook said. "I didn't know Melody had a child."
"You know about the Strawhats?" She asked, sounding impressed. "Wow. I've been called crazy, but it's my dream to find out all I can about them. One of the reasons I want to own this place is so that I can open up that case and see what's inside it. The locket there has been proven to be the One Piece. I don't know what happened to the rest of the treasure, but that locket is damn important. And I can see bulges in the ribbon around the hat. There's paper there, or pictures. Or something. And it drives me crazy looking at them every day. I just want to know what's inside!"
"You seem very enthusiastic about your work." Brook commented.
The girl blushed, "I'm a descendant of one of them," She said. "Zoro, the Pirate Hunter. My ancestor was his second daughter, Lidia. We actually found his grave up on Skypia, next to someone named Tashigi. Now, I did a bit of research on her as well, and I found out she went MIA on the day Roronoa Zoro escaped from the prison ship carrying him to Impel Down. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened."
"A descendant of Zoro, you say? Well, if you had said a descendant of Kuina, I would have to call you out on that."
"I know," She said. "Kuina was taken down by Admiral Kale before she could have any kids." She shook her head, "Shame."
"I agree," Brook said. "What do you know of… Nami?"
"Not much," She admitted. "Cat Burglar Nami. Formerly a member of the Arlong Pirates, but joined up with Strawhat after he took down the Fishman. She was the Navigator, and was very loyal, considering the person she called Captain took out her previous one. She went off the radar too, after Luffy became the Pirate King."
"You are very smart, but Strawhat liberated her from Arlong, who didn't care about her." Brook complimented. "May I ask your name?"
"Julia," She said. "Yours?"
"Brook." He introduced, bowing. "What about…"
"You seem to know all this already," Julia interrupted. "What do you know about Sogeking? He's the biggest mystery of them all. We know nothing about him. He was seen on Water 7, and nowhere else. It drives all the history students mad when our professor brings it up."
"I can answer that one," Brook said. "Usopp."
"Usopp?" Julia repeated skeptically. "The Emperor? He was active at the same time as the Pirate King. There's no way."
"Ah, but there is, my dear. You see, there's a secret kept by the Strawhat crew. Monkey D. Luffy died when he was twenty years old. The only reason people think he ruled that long was because not many people knew of his death."
Julia sighed, looking over at the grave, "That's a good theory, but you need proof to back it up."
"Do you have any copies of their wanted posters?"
"Sure," She said, spinning in her chair and opening a cabinet behind her. "We sell these in the gift shop. Exact replicas of their posters. Which ones do you want to see?"
"Usopp, Sogeking, and Luffy, if you please."
She grabbed out several sheets of laminated paper and laid them out in front of Brook. He turned them around to face her and began to explain.
"See Sogeking's mask here? The nose is cut into the mask, so his real one can fit through. The nose is not part of the mask. Of you look at the one left there at the grave you would see."
"That's what you think?" She asked. "There's been a lot of debate about that. Some say that one's a fake, and others say he was paying his respects to the King."
"And if you compare it to this poster of Usopp, you can see the shape of his nose and the shape of Sogeking's are identical."
She was silent for a moment, examining the pages. "You may be on to something here. Continue."
"Gladly, my dear. Look over here at Luffy's wanted poster." He pointed to the bottom left corner. "What do you see there?"
"A guy in a bandana. The back of his head to be precise."
"And look at the bandana Sogeking is wearing. As well as the one Usopp has on."
She fell silent again, her brow furrowed in concentration before jumping up and letting out a shriek. "HOLY SHIT! You're right! These people might be the same! Oh my god! I can't believe it! Where the hell did you learn this? What else do you know! OOOHHH! What about the reason Strawhat fought in the Marineford War, the War of the Best? As far as we know, he had no reason to help Whitebeard. They weren't allies or anything."
"The answer to that would be Portgas D. Ace."
"The one being executed, I know. But where's the connection?"
"Portgas D. Ace and Monkey D. Luffy were sworn brothers," Brook explained. "Luffy came to save him."
"That's an interesting theory. Do you have proof behind this one?"
"I believe looking into Monkey D. Garp's personal records might grace you with adoption papers."
"Have you seen them?"
"No, but I do know they exist. They have been hidden away so that the World Government and Navy will not be disgraced by the fact a Marine Vice Admiral raised Gold Roger's son."
"Gold Roger had a son?"
"The true name of Portgas D. Ace is Gol D. Ace." Brook said calmly. "It was public knowledge back then, so I wonder why it isn't now. I suppose I will have to stick with my earlier theory. The World Government is too full of pride. I always thought it would be their downfall. And as I watched through the years, I was right."
"How the hell do you know all of this, dude?" Julia asked, looking entranced.
"I shouldn't think you would believe me, my child."
"Why? Did you break the law or something getting this information?"
"Nothing of the sort," Brook said. "Well, I suppose I was an outlaw back in the day. But it isn't against the law to read the newspaper."
"What do you mean?"
"I am a wandering ghost," Brook replied. He bowed, "An immortal cursed to walk this land and sail the waters forever. I was once a part of Luffy's crew myself. He helped me retrieve my shadow from Gekko Moria by taking him down."
Julia held up her hand, "Wait… You're claiming to have been alive when they were?"
"Of course," Brook said with a light laugh. "I owe Luffy for helping my dream come true. Now, I may not be able to prove it to you for years, but this is what is written on the inside of that locket." He leaned forward, and despite her skepticism, Julia leaned in closer too. He whispered in her ear, and she pulled back with an amazed expression.
"Is that true?"
"Achieve your dream, open the One Piece, and find out." Brook said simply. "And I'll let you in on another secret. Roger was right. No matter what others way, he was one hundred percent correct. I lived it first hand, and I know him and my Captain thought alike. Maybe that's why he gave up his life for us." He scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"What do you mean?"
"Wait and find out," Brook replied. "I do not exist in this world. I was not meant to live in this time. You take what I told you and move forward. It's the one thing people can do."
He turned to leave, pulling his hood over his face as he turned his back to Julia.
"Wait skeleton dude!" She shouted, coming around the desk and grabbing his arm. She started slightly when all she grabbed was cloth and something hard underneath. There was no skin. "Wha…?"
Brook gently pulled his arm from her grasp, "I don't belong in this world. All I can hope to do is wait and hope I will join my comrades in the afterlife. Maybe I will stop by when this place is yours. Until then, I bid you farewell."
He left her staring after him with a baffled expression. He stayed in the town a few more days, until the festival ended. No one was able to tell him the origin of the celebration, but he enjoyed the sunlight on his face and being able to stay free of his hood without scaring the people around him.
He kept updated on the actions of the history department of the world, feeling proud when Julia's name grew when she delivered the theory of Sogeking's identity. The other ideas he hinted at quickly became popular as well. He watched an interview with her after her theory was made public. When she was asked how she came up with her theory, all she answered was 'A wandering ghost told me' with a mysterious smile, and Brook felt proud of this child.
He met her in front of Usopp's grave almost forty years later. She was the one who first recognized him, calling out "Hey, old skeleton man."
Brook looked over, his gazefalling on a blond haired woman in business attire. He walked over, bowing, "What may I do for you, my lady?"
"It's Julia," She said, and Brook rose from his bow.
"It's been years," Was all he said, and Julia smiled.
"What are you doing here?" Julia asked. "I honestly never expected to see you again."
"I was going to return," Brook assured. "But I can ask you the same question. What are you doing here?"
Julia shrugged, "Dunno. I suppose I'm wondering which one belonged to which pirate. I'm on this island on a business trip, but I don't know why I came here."
Brook looked out over the small gravesite. Most of the names had faded away, leaving behind nothing more than a grey tombstone. Brook opened the gate and walked in, stopping determinedly in front of a certain one. Julia followed him curiously, flashing a pass when a security guard tried to stop them.
"How did you do that?" Brook asked.
"Head of the History Department," Julia answered. "I've got access to all historical sites. What's this?"
Brook knelt down in front of the grave, his boney fingers tracing an almost indistinguishable mark. Julia joined him. "What is this?"
"Usopp's grave. He was executed here, you know."
"Yeah, I know. Are you sure?"
"Yes." Brook's voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. "I've found all of my former crewmate's graves. Zoro's is on Skypeia. Nami's is in Cocoyashi Village. Usopp's is here. Sanji's is at the base of Reverse Mountain. Chopper's is with the rest of the Whitebeard Pirates in the New World. Robin's is in New Ohara. Franky's is on the Maiden Island. And mine… I haven't chosen where mine will be yet."
Julia had pulled out a notebook and was scribbling furiously. "How do you know this is his though? The bodies are too far decomposed to examine properly. And they have nothing to identify who they were."
"This here," Brook said, gently grabbing her wrist and placing it over the faded X. "What is it?"
She frowned, curious crossing her face as she traced the shape. "It's an X. But none of them have anything other than the names of the pirates buried here."
"It wasn't put there by a Marine," Brook said. "It was a member of his crew."
"The Usopp Pirates split when their Captain was executed."
"Remember what I said last time we met? His previous crew. This was done by Cat Burglar Nami." Julia smiled, sitting back on her heels. Brook continued talking. "All of their graves have an X on them."
"How do you know? You found them all, right?"
"I am the one who marked the remaining ones." Brook answered. "Captain Luffy's already has one. I was there when Zoro cut it. Nami visited this grave after Usopp's death. And I traveled to the rest of them." He placed a hand on his cane, and Julia noticed the small indent near the top. Brook noticed her gaze and pulled the curved top slightly, revealing a glint of metal beneath it.
"It's illegal to carry around a weapon in public," Julia pointed out.
Brook just shrugged, "I've carried it since I was still alive. There's no chance I'm going to abandon it now."
"I suppose," Julia said, trailing off as she stood up and brushed the dirt on her knees away. Brook stood as well, and followed Julia out of the graveyard. "Can you tell me the truth?"
Brook looked over, "Why would you want to know that?"
"Because that's what I'm looking for now. The truth. What really happened. I've read all kinds of articles, I've dug through old records and exposed so many hidden secrets about the Great Pirate Era. I just want to know what to believe. You speak… Like the Strawhat Crew was a force for good, but they were notorious pirates. It doesn't make any sense."
Brook slung his violin case off of his shoulder, ignoring her question for the moment. He strung his bow and began to play a long forgotten melody. It brought back his memories of wandering. The first three verses caught the attention of the many people walking past, and when he started the fourth verse he had slipped to the past, singing to the Rumbar Pirates to wake them up in the mornings.
"We'll deliver Bink's Sake, all along its merry way,
Our journey shall take weeks and days but never feel too long.
Waving our goodbyes to friends, whom we'll never see again,
But don't despair for they'll be there forever in our dreams."
He drew a crowd, clapping when he finished. Julia clapped as well, "That tune sounds familiar."
"Bink's Sake," Brook said, collecting the coins people had tossed his way. Tucking them into a pocket, he replaced his violin and turned towards her. "A famous song back when I sailed with the Rumbar Pirates."
"My Mom would sing that to me," Julia said, a distant look to her eyes as she thought back. "When I was little."
"Zoro knew the song well. I'm would not be surprised if he sung it to his children. I'm sure it was passed on through Lidia."
"How well did you know him?"
"Not as well as the others, but he was still my friend. Despite his reputation, he takes care of those he loves. I know that he blamed himself for Luffy's death, so I'm glad he found happiness. I have tracked all of the Strawhat's movements after we went our separate ways."
Julia sighed, "After what you told me, I've been trying to track them down. We've been trying to find out of Strawhat really did die when he was only twenty, but we've come up with nothing so far."
"That's because there is no proof," Brook said. "We kept it a secret from the world. We made it seem like Luffy was ruling the seas. We did not tell many people, only those who knew him, or those who needed to know. And even the rumors that were created through our telling didn't go too far."
"There has to be something. Even finding the body and dating it to the time of death."
"Luffy drowned." Brook said softly. "There's no body. You could ask Marco, the CEO of Phoenix Incorporated. He knew the Strawhat's doctor."
"Marco? How would he know?"
"He's like me, but the eater of a more fortunate Devil Fruit."
Julia shook her head, "We've tried to get interviews with him before. He owns a lot of historical land, including the island with the gravesite of the Whitebeard Pirates, and refused to let us on it. I don't think he'd tell us anything."
"That sounds like the Phoenix." Brook sighed. "I can't help you any more than I already have. I do apologize, but unless you take my word for it, I cannot lead you forward."
Julia frowned in disappointment, running a hand through her blond hair. "I read what was in the locket, and looked through the trinkets around the grave. There's nothing there that would give my any clues to what happened."
Brook's boney fingers fiddled with the edge of his ratty old cloak, before pulling out a worn, square, sheet of paper. Most of the colours had faded, but it was still in a good enough condition to see who was in the picture. "This is us, Julia. On Raftel. You can't deny which island it is, because of how easy it is to get there now. And you can't deny who is in the picture. You can compare the faces to the wanted posters."
Julia couldn't utter a sound as she took it into her hands, treating it as though it was incredibly delicate. And it really was. Over four hundred years old, it was the last remaining copy of the eight that were originally made.
"Wha… What is this?" Her voice was barely a whisper as she cradled it, eyes rising to hide in her bangs and full of amazement.
"Your proof," Brook answered her in the same volume. "Make sure Luffy's legacy is a good one. He was a good man, and an even better friend. He gave his life to save the lives of his crewmembers."
When Julia looked up, he was gone. She never saw him again.
"We'll deliver Bink's sake, booming songs shall clear the way.
Adventure ho, we'll go while singing songs about the sea.
One day we'll meet Davey Jones, and on that day we'll turn to bones,
But 'till that day we'll wander in out never ending tale.
Yohohoho , yohohoho. Yohohoho, yohohoho
Yohohoho , yohohoho. Yohohoho, yohohoho."
Brook had no idea how much time had passed. Julia's discovery turned the world upside down, and when Luffy's name appeared in the newspapers once again Brook felt glad to be alive for the first time since his friends had died. Julia died, leaving behind the museum to her nephew, who tore it down and built a large mall complex in its place One night, not long after its construction, it mysteriously burned down. Devil Fruits all but vanished from the world and became an old myth.
Life moved on, the world continued to move forward for all those people around him. Marco, the supposed descendent of the creator of the company, vanished when Phoenix Incorporated ran aground. Brook watched everyone move around him as he sat against a building. He had no idea what had happened in their past. They had no idea what had happened in his past. He knew that the deaths of his friends had no influence on them. He was the only one who thought about them. He was the only one who was alive when they were. No one cared about his problems. No one cared about him. They were only preoccupied with themselves. He really wanted to see his friends again. The Rumbar Pirates. The Strawhat Pirates. Laboon. Crocus.
He opened his eyes one day, and was surprised to see sunlight instead of smog. Inhaling sharply in surprise, he smelled the sea. Salty droplets sprinkled his face, and he heard a loud groan followed by a splash of water. It sounded… It sounded like Laboon. Hesitantly, he looked around. Above him was a cerulean sky, dotted with small white puffs of clouds.
He blinked a few times, trying to make sense of his surroundings. Wasn't he in Water 7? Where was the smog?
Then it registered. He was blinking. He wasn't able to do that. He didn't have any skin.
Slowly, he raised a hand in front of his face and gasped as he saw tanned skin instead of white bone. He shot up, and heard a laugh. A painfully familiar laugh. A laugh he hadn't heard since…
He turned toward the sound, and his eyes widened comically as he saw who had made the sound. A bright red shirt. A straw hat. To his left, joyous music erupted from another ship. To his right, the Moby Dick sailed calmly, several people leaning over the railing with knowing smiles. Including a man with a head of wild blond hair. Laboon leapt from the water and crashed back down, sending a spray of water over the crew. The eight other members of the crew were there, smiling, dripping wet, and looking happy.
"We've been waiting for you," Luffy said with a welcoming smile, holding out his hand.
The adventures I had with the friends I made were worth more than the treasure waiting for us at the end.
-Gol D. Roger
I just found this on the One Piece sub-reddit. Makes me happy :) Thanks to whoever posted it.