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

Part 7: The After Effects

I ran outside before anyone can see me start to cry. Honestly I've trained the last few years so no to feel these kinds of emotions. So that people like my mother can't keep hurting me. But it doesn't matter so much around my brothers. They may be a bunch of butts from time to time but I can always come up with a clever retort and say what's on my mind with them. They'll even have my back like they did to get me here all fancied up. I really do hate dresses though.

With Brook after he lost his memories of me I didn't know what to think or feel. All I knew was my friend is in there somewhere and I'm going to help him as he needs me not pushing him too fast physically or mentally. To hear him say those words tonight it both raised my spirits and brought me down. But not because of anything it had to do with him it was all on me.

I hadn't noticed it til now but I had been surrounded by the man from before on the balcony and some goons of some sort. Looked a bit beat up from the fall too. Nothing too major though maybe a broken bone or two. He started freaking out that nobody does that to Royalty to the North.

"Oh, really you're all a bunch of flirtatious jerks now? That can't handle a girl in a dress. I honestly don't care and who're the guys with you? I'm curious about that at least." I asked

"These 4 with me? They're all but one of my brothers. Because nobody messes with a Vinsmoke." He snarled.

I signaled Derek with a specific whistle that we created that can only be heard by a dragon (and some animals). Then I told him "Vinsmokes, sminsmokes."

Brook's Point of View...
I had no idea how to respond. I felt as though my own heart had been ripped out then handed to me. A few ladies swarmed me for a bit trying to comfort me but whatever they did wasn't working. They soon gave up and rejoined their friends. So I decided that I was going to step away for a few minutes and to process what just happened.

Once I was in a room not far from the ballroom I broke down crying. I honestly knew that she was hurting the time she stayed with us after I'd lost my memories. And all the other memories I regained I wasn't remembering her until she was literally sailing away. Then to expect her to love me after not seeing me for years. I didn't even give her a heads up and sprung it on her without any warning. At least I knew most of my men would have my back. Since I had taken over as the leader of our battle convoy and i had earned most of tgeir trust. Next I dried my tears and started to leave the room and head back to the party when I heard a weird noise that was extremely faint.

Then Derek came up to me and said, "You need to go after her know. She's in over her head and wants some help and it should be you. She has a tendency now more than ever to hide her feelings and she good at it. It's usually pretty hard to read her but I saw her let her guard down a bit with you on the balcony. That weird noise you probably heard was her signaling me to get help. Right now that's you. If you really want to know what's going on then you need to go after her. You should have manned up an done it when she ran away. But right now get your skinny butt out there."

So after a bit more convincing I went out there to find that she had taken 5 grown men by herself. I was surprised and impressed. Especially since she came to the party unarmed. Luckily they were all unconscious and not dead and except for some injuries and bruises they'd live. Unluckily though they were guests from the Vinsmoke family.

She was talking to a man who had their guards bring the brothers back to their ship. He kissed her on her hand then he took his leave. She said, "Took you long enough lizard breath." When she turned around and saw me she said, "Oh sorry I thought you were Derek. What can I do for you other than marry you to be clear."

"I came to help but looks like you took care of that. Now I'm wondering who that man was who was just here." I asked quizzically.

"That would be my fiancée." She said. "My mother arranged it if she was going to let me be queen and none of my brothers who can take the throne want it. That's why I told you I couldn't marry you."

I was confused, hurt and relieved all at the same time at that news. So I replied, "You could live a very relaxing life being married to a Vinsmoke." Honestly, I was having trouble keeping it together.

Sparhawk's Point of View...
His lip quivered just slightly as he said that. He was hurt and trying to keep it together. It was pretty cute to be honest. I told him, "Under any other circumstances I would have said yes in an instant to marry you."

Then Derek came up to us acting all innocent. I knew he was the one to tell Brook to come after me. So I said, " Took you long enough. And you can drop the act you know. I know you said something to get Brook out here." He admitted to it pretty quickly. Probably cause I started pulling his ears.

Brook spoke up. "You really think you'd be happy in a marriage like that. In a marriage set up with your mother to someone you barely knew."

My response was, "Possibly in time but probably not at first."

"Why don't you call it off. Then your brother Arrow can marry us since he's a Pirate Captain and it's still binding if we do it at sea. We can have the people closest to us be there to celebrate." He said trying to hide a smile.

"That sounds pretty good right about now." I said. "There's a few of problems with that though. One problem is my mother. To which I would say who gives a donkeys behind. Then another problem would be is if your father is well enough to be on a ship. And finally how the Vinsmokes would react."