A Bird's Journey - A One Piece Fan Fiction About Soul King Brook (Hiatus)

Part 4: The Gift

Briefly back to Brook at the Docks...
She handed me something in a box. Apparently whatever it was, was meant to help remember her by once she had left with her brothers. According to her she had known me for years. I couldn't remember my time with her during those years but i did enjoy spending the last 8 and a half months with her as i got my strength back after being in a coma. Even if it was sometimes a little silly. I don't know why I was having trouble remembering her though.

As she was getting on the boat my father gifted her I felt the urge to open the gift she'd given me. I decided to open it up. Inside the tiny package was a gold beaded chain to attach to the sun glasses I started wearing recently. Underneath that the was a metal tag with an inscription saying let the music live on and this'll make those sunglasses look cooler. I chuckled a bit at the inscription.

So as they had already set off and I wanted to send them off proper I attached the chain to the one side of my glasses and ran to the end of the dock violin in hand and played a song that I felt I hadn't heard in a lifetime. Tears streamed down my face as I started to remember. The first time I saw her purple eyes looking with curiosity and joy at me for the first time. When she saved me from being a slave the first time from her kindness and power as a princess. The times I spent with her and her brothers, all 13 of them. Then the 7 years when it was just the 2 of us and she never made a sound but would tell me things with her eyes. I remembered it all. But I kept playing and hoped that she could hear what I felt in that song as I played. I played til the sun set and the ship was no where in sight. I wished her well whether we ever met again or not but hoped we would again.

Back in the present shortly after talking with the queen...
I was furious with that woman for what she'd done to me. Much less to Brook or Derek. She is honestly a madwoman. That woman will never accept me. Never have, never will. Won't even accept any of the choices that I've made. As easy as it would be to run away I'd just be giving her exactly what she wanted. My brothers will back me up no matter what. Definitely the ones that saw how off the rocker she is. I'll tell father that I'm going to bring back and have Derek as my retainer again. I won't take no for an answer.

So that's what I did. I go to the cabin that Gerome (Captain of the guards I mentioned before) used to stay when he came to visit and teach us. Close to Icy's grave. I leave for deep in the woods and arrive after some time with a big fish and some glazed ham. Icy's favorites. I sat down and talked to her for a bit left part of the raw fish and ham next to her grave and cooked and started to eat the rest hoping Derek would come out.

As I was taking a bite of the fish I heard rustling in the bush close by. Thinking it was Derek because I smelled him close by I yelled, "I brought you some food you pain in the butt." The rustling stopped and out came a 400 pound polar bear straight at me. He toppled me onto my back because I was so suprised. "Why of all the times to be shocked?" I heard a voice say.

Derek walks over to us and said to the bear I was his sister and I wasn't that bad. "He's Icy's son that went missing and was thought dead. His sisters were actually killed though in the kidnapping." Derek said. "He never got to know her like we did so before I was put in the dungeon I'd sneak off sometimes and tell him what I could remember. Since I've been gone so long is why he's all silent and moodier than he normally would be. But I'm guessing you want to bring me back?"

"I do but he'd probably never forgive you if you did. Why don't we bring him back with us? It'd be nice to have all the company we could get. Especially since our trio's down a man." I said with a brief sigh. Derek hugged me knowing that he had meant so much to me and now he was basically just gone. "So anyway does he have a name yet?"

"We'll talk about it later but no he doesn't. He goes by (long bear noise with a snort). Which can mean butt stratcher or grizzles. Pretty sure which one I would prefer to be called." Derek joked.

"So you're Butt Stratcher now Derek? How suiting. That leaves Grizzles for this guy." I retorted. "Now to convince him to come. Don't care what that woman has to say about it though. Hey, I know I just met you Grizzles and you have no reason to trust me right now but your mother was and always be dear to me even though I didn't know her as long as I would have wished. It's partly my fault she's dead but she'd want me to look out for you if she couldn't. So if you don't mind staying with us we'll tell you stories about your mother and visit often. Hey, if your sisters were here we'd take them too, we won't cage you or anything but you don't have to come either. We'll be leaving soon but you can follow us if you want to come."

So I wrapped up what I needed to to do and dragged Derek along. It took a bit of time before Grizzles came along and decided to follow. Derek decided he was going to walk normally and we all went back to the castle. When we arrived pretty much everyone was freaking out about a big old 17 year old, 400 pound polar bear following the princess around along with Derek. I simply told them Derek would be staying my retainer and Grizzles the bear was my guest.

My brothers were planning on setting sail except for Benjamin, because they felt restless and uncomfortable around our mother. They also thought I might make a pretty good queen someday. Grizzles also scared them a bit. They were also upset in the fact that they wouldn't get the chance to get to know Derek. The reason Ben was staying though was he had taken on an apprentice recently. She wasn't all that young either but she wanted to learn even though she was a little crazy. She had a thing with axes for some reason.

That woman was furious with me. I told her straight to her face, "I didn't drive them away this time you did. Get a hold of yourself. This is not how a queen is supposed act." Which upset her even more but she quickly recovered her composure. Then she left the room rather quickly.

For the next few years I learned all I could about the island, furthered my studies, mastered any weapon, take care of and train with Grizzles (also telling him stories). Also learned assasin skills and how to hide my emotions to a degree that even people close to me would have trouble. Derek stayed with me whenever he could but making sure to keep taking care of Grizzles. Then after 4 years I received an invitation to a masquerade party. It was for Brook to find a bride for his 18th birthday.