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Meeting the Vice Captain of the Pirate King, Silvers Rayleigh was a total surprise. Everyone’s jaws were on the floor seeing the man that was Gol D. Roger’s right hand man. Tears of pure disbelief at the legend offering to help them right now or just stunned wide eyed silence. It was such a surprise that the noise would’ve drowned out the small muttered comment Brook made as he ate.
“Gold Roger…I seem to remember a Rookie with that name long ago, but I’m not sure really”
It was just one spoken thought as the skeleton seemed to have a blurry memory resurface. It wasn’t supposed to actually be heard by Rayleigh. The old man glanced over to the skeleton after catching that sentence in the commotion over him.
“What…?” Rayleigh whispered. He stared at the skeleton for a bit longer in silence. He dug deeper into his mind for memories of his past. That hair, that voice…that scar!
Rayleigh suddenly jumped up and back out of his seat. It startled the rest of the crew, even Shakky. The man wasn’t one to be shocked for no reason. The Straw Hats eyes trailed over to Brook, the old Vice Captain’s wide eyes glued to their musician.
“It can’t be…” Rayleigh whispered. Brook looked up from his bowl of food now realizing he’s the center of attention now. His empty eye sockets locked onto the old man. The skeleton's jaw opens slightly letting out a small gasp.
“Ah! Now I remember why you look so familiar! You're the young man who tried to steal from me with your troublemaker friend. Rayleigh!” Brook chuckled. Rayleigh flinches at the confirmation. A shaky hand raises up to cover his mouth.
“Do you boys know any manners? It is rude to steal from a stranger”
“Wait what?!” Nami, Usopp, and Franky shout in unison.
“Brook, have you met Rayleigh before?” Robin asked, equally bewildered by this sudden new information about their crewmate
“Oh yes. Very skilled young man. He was with a friend too when he tried to swindle me of my own money. Rodney? Rodder? Oh what was his name…” Brook muttered.
“GOL D. ROGER?!?!?”
“Oh yes that was his name!” now everyone in the bar is absolutely speechless. They might only have had Brook on their team for roughly a week, but how has Brook not mentioned this before? Luffy goes on frequently about being the Pirate King and Roger is very infamous it seems impossible to not know about him. Shakky moved over to Rayleigh who was still dead silent.
“Are you okay Rayleigh?” she whispered. The man just kept staring at the skeleton.
“Run Rayleigh!”
“Leaving so soon? I thought you wanted my money!”
“I can’t believe it…” the old man muttered.
“No way you met the last Pirate King!?” Chopper shouted.
“Yes, oh my how could I forget that rascal. I guess my brain isn’t how it used to be, that is I don’t have a brain to begin with. Yohohoho!” the skeleton laughed, putting a hand over his ribs.
“Why didn’t you tell us then!” Usopp and Sanji shouted together. The skeleton just shrugged.
“You didn’t ask…?” a chorus of groans fill the bar. For being an already skilled swordsman and pirate, he sure is dense at times. Luffy jumped up from his seat right next to Brook. That bright light of child-like wonder was in his eyes.
“Tell us the story! Please Brook, pleaseeee” Luffy begged, inching closer to the skeleton.
“Yeah tell us how you met the Pirate King and his Vice Captain” Franky chimed in.
“It must’ve been quite the story” Robin added.
“Ah well-”
“C’mon you can’t hold out on us Brook” Sanji huffed.
“Tell us! Tell us!” Usopp and Chopper chanted.
“I would if I could my dear friends” Brook got up from his seat, his hands raised up in slight defeat. The Straw Hats made noises in disappointment. Sure stories of Roger have been passed down for ages, but it’s rare to find a person who can tell them with first hand experience/ Let alone have someone as a crew mate who met him too! This is a one in a million opportunity.
“How could you not? You just said you met them to us” Nami questioned.
“My memory of my past has been quite spotty since my 50 years of isolation. That day was so long ago I can barely remember what they were trying to steal” Brook explained. Well that made sense. Brook was almost technically 90 even though he died at 38. The skeleton also most likely lost a few screws being in alone out at sea for around 50 years.
“Aww man, I thought we’d get a cool story” Luffy pouted. A boney hand patted the top of the captain’s head. The captain looked up to see the warm gaze of his musician. Even with no eyes they held care and kindness in his sockets.
“If it comes back to me, I promise to share it with you all” Brook then looked over to where Rayleigh is. The man flinched at the sudden gaze.
“While I don’t remember much of our past encounter I knew you and your friend were something special” Brook smiled. The tension in Rayleigh eased a bit. The man he met all those years ago has changed quite a lot. It’s quite eerie in a way, but nice to see that he’s settled with a group of good people.
“Thank you sir” Rayleigh gave the other man a slight bow of respect.
“Oh none of that. I might be 90, but I’m 38 at heart” Brook chuckled. The skeleton then moved towards the exit door.
“I will get some fresh air before we explore more of Sabody. I’ll be back!” Brook waved his crew goodbye before he took his leave. Now it’s just the Straw Hats, Shakky, and Rayleigh. The moment will definitely go down as one of the many shocks to this team from Luffy’s dad being Dragon to Sanji’s whole weird supervillain family.
“Man who would’ve thought Brook met Roger” Sanji said, lighting up another cigarette, the last one fell out of his mouth when Brook first revealed that piece of his past.
“Well he is really old and seemed to be a semi-famous pirate” Nami commented. It was believable he might’ve crossed paths with the previous Pirate King.
“I’m as shocked as you all are” Rayleigh chuckled, sitting back down in his seat. The attention went back onto the old man.
“You must be really confused that he’s a skeleton then” Chopper said.
“It’s a loooong story bro” Franky laughed. The whole crew had assumed that the Vice Captain was shocked due to the fact that Brook was alive and a skeleton. Any person would be shocked to see a corpse talking and walking
“Oh no, not at all” Rayleigh shook his head, he’s seen weirder stuff before with how long he was at sea.
“I’m more shocked and surprised you have a former God Knight in training on your team”
…
“What?”
~~
Fire scorches the kingdom. Orange fills the night sky as buildings are being burnt down into nothing but ash. Screams of men, women, and children echo in the street. Roger and Rayleigh are not too far from the port. The two young men run like their life depends on it.
Roger is up in front leading Rayleigh. The blonde can’t believe what they witnessed in the town square. How could they do that to the king? How could they make his daughter watch? So many questions rose as memories of burning wood and flesh circled his mind. The wails of his daughter haunt his mind. But the burning question is why did Roger save that man who almost killed them.
Getting dragged by Roger was a lanky 20-something year old knight. His body battered from giving it his all in defending the now dead king of this kingdom. The man was loyal to a fault, so loyal his head became a target to the God Knights.
“We’re almost there! Hang on just a bit longer” Roger shouted. The man raises his head up weakly looking up at the boy.
“Leave me, let me die the failure I am…” the knight rasped. His voice dying like his soul did back in the square.
“Like hell I am! What do you take me for a heartless bastard like that guy who tried to kill you?” Roger snapped. The three got to the docks where their shitty small boat was. Rayleigh was instantly assessing the wounds of the knight while Roger was getting the boat ready to cast out. Armor was stripped away one by one to expose the damage to his dark brown skin. A stab to the chest, graze of the shoulder, a gash on his forehead that will most definitely scar, and oddly enough a gouged out chunk of flesh on his forearm. Before he starts to tend the wounds the knight’s shaky hand extends out to give the young man something. A sharp dagger kept in a holster on his boot.
“I apologize for potentially putting you through this, but if I am taken over by a demon don’t hesitate to slit my own throat” the knight coughed. Rayleigh said nothing. He took the dagger and put it beside him
Hours later the three were far away from the wrecked kingdom. The knight was bandaged up fully. He’d just have to rest up for the time being to heal those wounds fully.
“I thank you two deeply. I don’t know how to repay you” the knight kneels down in front of the two. He bows to sign his deep gratitude.
“Booze would be good…” Roger muttered.
“You don’t have to bow to us, Roger, while an idiot at times is a real generous person” Rayleigh told him. The bowing and knightly gestures were making him all awkward since they're just two dumb 17 year old's. The knight moves out of his kneel to sit himself down. A pained wince comes out of his lips.
“So what’s your name, knight?” Roger asked.
“Brook” the knight’s eyes were downcast to the floor. The weight of what happened just mere hours ago was still heavy on him. With how dedicated he was protecting the royals Rayleigh and Roger saw, it must’ve shattered his whole heart. Rayleigh saw it and Roger wasn’t gonna ignore that.
“Nice to meet you Brook” the young man extended his hand out to give him a handshake. The knight reluctantly took it.
“I’m sorry for what happened back then. You fought really well” Roger told him. Brook scoffed at those words.
“Young man I failed my one duty, to protect the royals” he muttered bitterly. It felt like him living was the greatest sin after he couldn’t save his king. To be granted the chance of a second life while the family you loved like it were your own dies is a cruel truth. Roger stays silent for a moment watching Brook’s expression morph into one that screams self hatred.
“What’s your dream?” Brook raises his head up to face the young boy.
“My dream is to find the One Piece. Ever since I was a kid I wanted to adventure out to find the impossible treasure. What’s your dream?” Brook paused in confusion at the sudden question. Dreams. Something people go starving or dying for. To dream was to wish for something unattainable in this world, he learned that young. It was stamped out the moment it started to materialize by adults afraid his dream would make him stray from reality. And yet that determination still lives on in this young man.
A prominent pause fills the ocean sounds surrounding them. Brook’s fists curl inward into a fist, his hand shaking from the unexpected emotion at the question. His lips quiver building up the strength to speak the dream to abandoned young.
“To be a musician and make others smile…”