"OH MY GOD! HAHAHAHA! I DON'T BELIEVE IT!"
That laughter was heard throughout a ship, a big proud ship in the middle of the big ocean that was the new world, and the laughter echoed over the wast empty waters as an entire pirate crew was having the laughter of their lives.
Shank the red haired ship, was a ship filled with people whom were simply the best at what they did.
Each and every crew member would be a deadly foe for any to face, yes even the cabin boy should be able to at least hold his own for a while against any of the seven war lords.
And then of course there were Shanks himself, one of the four emperors, one of the four most powerful pirates in the world.
Even an marine Admiral would think twice before facing him.
And for the most part, this crew just liked to have fun! What is the point of being free like pirates if you can't be Merry while you are at it?
And right now, they were having the laughter of their lives.
"THEY LITERATELY HIRED A CLOWN TO BE WAR LORD!" Yasopp, world class sniper, the best in the world, roared in laughter.
"He looks even dumber than I do" Lucky Roo chuckled before he took a big bite out of the meat in his hand.
"What the heck were they even thinking?!" Rockstar, the newest and youngest member of their crew snorted. Then smirked. "They must be pretty desperate huh?"
The source of their amusement was a news paper article, announcing the newest war lord, and the face that was splashed all over the front page was none other than a certain blue haired man with a big red clown nose to boost.
Buggy Clown…. Newest War Lord.
"At least all the other war lords would be a challenge." Rockstar rolled his eyes. "Personally I wouldn't really dare go up against Mihawk… This is a joke right."
"Oh so you are scared of Mihawk are you?" Yasopp smirked in a teasing voice.
"NO!" Rockstar exclaimed. "I am just saying, that guy can hold his own and doesn't really need to be a war lord. That man is doing the goverment a favour, this guy though." he stated as he held up the news paper. "I bet I could finish him off in ten minutes." he told.
While they had been laughing and pointing fingers a new man had entered the picture, a man with bright red hair, a pretty relaxed attitude, but you would be dumb to be fooled by it.
Over his eye there was a big scar and his left arm was missing, yet only a fool would think his missing arm meant anything at all when it came to this mans strength and resolve.
"What's that?" Shanks asked in a lazed mildly interested tone.
"Oh Captain!" Yasopp grinned. "Hey take a look at this, you'll like this one!" he laughed handing over the paper.
With a gracefull nod Shanks accapted and and calmly started to read, he took his good time as the crew members was sniggering, eagerly awaiting his reaction as his eyebrow slowly lifted an he looked up. "Oh I see." he commented. "So you think you can take Buggy down in ten minutes Rockstar?" he asked.
"Absolutely Captain." Rockstar smirked.
"Interesting." Shanks commented as if he was only mildly amused. "I shall remember to tell him that, I could use a good laugh seeing you being pushed into the ocean." he commented.
"Huh?" Rockstar blinked and the other burst out in laughter.
Shanks merely shruged as he laid back the news paper.
"No seriously Captain, you don't see the funny thing here?" Yasopp asked.
"Not at all." Shanks told. "So Buggy is using the government to his own advantage, it's just like him." he told. "He always knew how to get the best out of any situation." he told. "And how to get out of any deal being un top himself. To be fair people are not exactly making it hard for him, always underestimating him and all, still… an interesting development." he nodded thoughtfully. "It'll be worth keeping an eye on, I wonder what Buggy has in mind to do next."
Wide-eyed all the crew members looked at Shanks, gaping at him.
"Erh Captain." Lucky Roo finally dared to clear his throat. "You do realize this man doesn't have any actual credentials to speak off. Except being at the right place at the right time… He's kind of a joke."
At that Shanks smiled lightly at them, a warm smile and yet it made it run cold down all the crew members back as they all got a sudden urge to jump overboard.
"Just a fair warning, the next one that call Buggy a joke, wont be a part of this crew any longer." Shanks told in that light smile as his hand rested on his sword… and that was kind of warning enough.
Yasopp swallowed. "We apologize Captain." he told. "Please forgive us, we were just having a laugh." he told.
And Shanks nodded as his hand left his sword. "Buggy was my nakama long before I ever met any of you." he told now in a serious tone. "Nakamas do not turn their back to each other, remember that." he asked, and then finally offered them all a light smile and a courtly nod before he walked away.
"Captain, wait." Yasopp asked.
And Shanks stopped in his tracks turning his head. "Yes Yasopp?" he asked.
"Look, I can see that if you have to, you would stick your neck out for that guy. And I would follow you, without question. If you one day demand we'll go save him or something, i'll go." Yasopp assured. "Though… You really believe he would ever do the same for you?" he asked. "The thing he said about you in this newspaper is pretty nasty." he commented holding it up.
Amused Shanks looked at Yasopp. "Yasopp, there is more to my old friend Buggy than most realize." he told. "Even himself, you might want to look out for that one, before you know it his long term plan has suddenly flourished and you'll all be trapped by him, he's a dangerous opponent, I would not underestimate my old friend." he told in a last smile and finally walked away, closing the conversation for good.
Astounded the rest of the crew was left back and looked questionable at each other.
"Perhaps… we just shouldn't bring this up again." Yasopp suggested.
"I can agree to that." Rockstar sighed.
"What now?" Lucky Roo asked. "There's still nothing to do."
"Hey did I ever tell you about the time my Usopp climbed a hundred feet tall tree! Little tyke all by himself!" Yasopp exclaimed.
"YES YOU TOLD US!" Lucky Roo shouted. "And by the way, the first time you told the story that tree was only six feet! Then over time suddenly it became a hundred!"
"It really was a hundred!" Yasopp exclaimed angrily. "Nothing less could do it for the tyke! Of course not, that's my son!"
"If I am going to be bored i'll rather do it by myself than listening to that one more time." Lucky Roo murmured as he stood up and walked away, and so did the rest, none of them wanted to hear to any more of those god damn Usopp stories!
At another place with another crew, in a slightly different time. But not that far apart, they were at the Grand line, just bordering up to the new world and it was roughly at the same time.
The Buggy crew were still trying to get used to this new exsperience, they were new the crew belonging to a Captain whom was a war lord.
And not only that, he had hundreds of dedicated skilled followers now, though as they were the original Buggy pirates, that kind of made them the seniors.. the inner circle, of… all of this.
Only one person from all the people Buggy had brought from Impel down had become a part of their so called inner circle, the cowardly Mr. 3 with his wax devil fruit power, and he fit right in being just as nervous and confused as the rest of the original Buggy pirates.
The articles written about Buggy was something they went over again and again, and yet it never seemed to sink in.
"It can't be true, it just can't." Cabaji stated and Richie nodded. "Captain Buggy a part of Gol D Rogers crew?!" The swords man asked again. "Just… Why wouldn't he ever say anything?!" he asked.
"He really didn't strike me as such a big shot either when we escaped Impal down." Mr. 3 sighed deeply as he sat cross legged with the original crew. "But the way he reacted, it has to be true." And the big lion nodded again.
"But then again, it's that information alone that landed him the title of a war lord!" Mohji pointed out. "It certainly wouldn't be beneath our Captain to pull that kind of ploy!" he stated.
"Njah, his reaction seemed pretty real to me." Mr. 3 commented again.
"I JUST DON'T KNOW!" Cabaji exclaimed. "I mean seriously! We've been with him for what?! Some of us ten years and he never ever told!" he exclaimed. "He could have told!"
Mohji nodded. "We are his crew, he owe us!" he stated then silenced. "At least that."
Cabaji silenced. "You think we should ask him then?" he asked.
Mohji lightened up. "Excellent idea! You go ask him then!"
"What ME?!" Cabaji asked. "No way, Richie! You can do it!"
"UUUFFF!" The big Lion yelled as he hid his head under his paws.
Mr. 3 Lifted an eyebrow. "Are you seriously that scared of Buggy?" he asked.
"You don't know what he's actually capable of!" Cabaji shouted with tears falling down his eyes.
"Then again, he would never hurt us." Mohji told. "he might be a coward our Captain, but he has always looked after us." he told in a deep sigh. "He has even run back into danger for us…. Afraid as shit yet ran back for us. We are all terrible human beings in this crew, but that's why we need to stand together…."
"Are you seriouse?" Mr. 3 asked. "I mean, no offence, but Buggy never stroke me as the time to go back for his crew mates!"
At that Mohji amused shook his head. "He ones gave a marine the finger for my sake." he told.
"You're joking." Mr. 3 asked.
Cabaji smirked. "If there is something you need yo know about our Captain, it is that the one thing he hates the most is to be made fun off. That makes him angry, even makes him forget being scared." he told. "He does not tolerate anyone making fun of him, and he doesn't tolerate anyone making fun of his crew. That's why, that's what happened. Marines were poking fun of Mohji here and Buggy send a Mug Ball right into their faces." he smirked.
Mohji laughed amused. "They sure looked surprised... Then we had to run, they had brought cannons." he suddenly remembered in a blink.
"Good thing we all know how to run fast! Cabaji exclaimed, then exhaled deeply. "Let us ask him." he then stated. "Together."
And the rest nodded solemnly.
As it turned out though, to get Buggy alone was all of a sudden much more difficult than before, suddenly he was a busy man with lots of people wanting to talk to him, but finally a late afternoon they succeeded in approaching the clown Captain as he had taken a moment to simply just stand by the railing, looking a bit thoughtfull as he looked to the ocean.
Carefully the original Buggy pirates and Mr. 3 approached, before Mohji spoke carefully. "Captain."
Buggy turned around and actually grinned by the sight of them. "Ah guys!" he grinned. "Sorry I havn't been around a couple of days, phew those world goverment guys don't they know how to handle their own bloody buisness?" he asked in a annoyed voice. "We need to have some fun around here soon." he commented. "Put on a big act or something, with sake involved, how about that?" he asked.
Defeated they all looked at him and Buggy blinked.
"Hey what's this now?" Buggy asked. "Oh come on, you're the Buggy pirates! You're not supposed to look gloomy, you are a happy circus for petes sake!" he told.
"Sorry Captain." Cabaji spoke. "It's just…We've kind of been talking. About all of this and well… we just."
Suddenly Buggy blinked as he looked at them. "Something wrong?" he asked.
"No, I mean." Cabaji hesitated. "According to all of the papers, you are like a brother to red haired Shanks." he told. "And you always said you wanted to destroy him."
"Destroy him? Oh yes, one day i'll see that stupid smirk wiped off his face." Buggy stated in a snort. "Always thinking he is oh so good, that Shanks piss's me off!" he told.
"So you are not like brothers?" Mohji asked.
"That's the most stupid thing I have ever heard!" Buggy exclaimed. "Shanks is an idiot, you got that?" he asked. "The biggest idiot in the world and I don't care the least about him! NOT IN THE LEAST!" he yelled while tears fell down his eyes telling another story entirely.
Questioning the Buggy pirates looked at each other then back at him.
"So erhm…" Cabaji hesitated. "You did tell us you were on the same crew as red haired Shanks ones. But that that crew had been Gol D Rogers crew… you erh."
That made Buggy halt, and suddenly looked at them with much different eyes. "Ca.. Captain Roger?" he asked.
They were all silent as they looked exspectively at him.
At last Mohji cleared his throat and asked what they had all wanted to know. "So you actually really knew Gol D Roger to?"
Buggy blinked as he looked at them, in stunned silence, and then suddenly it was like the entire air changed, into a much more deep tone as Buggy spoke in a surprisingly quiet tone. "Yes." he breathed as he looked down. "I knew him." he told turning around, looking at the ocean with distant eyes.
Questioning the pirates looked at Buggy then at each other, at complete odds about what to do now… This sombre tone was very much unlike their captain.
Then at last a pirate found courage. "so… How… How was he?" he asked.
"Roger?" Buggy asked without moving from his position. "Roger was… How do you even begin on that." he sighed as he lowered his head. "I never met a man like Roger before that, or after." he told. "Not even as I were at Marine ford and could see all those fancy pants admirals and war lords all for myself, none of them hold a candle to Roger." he sighed. "He was.." he hesitated, holding the tongue on his teethe. "I never seen a person being so free." he then told. "Roger wasn't afraid of anything, he lived his life to the fullest and spend every second he had just being as alive as he could be. He would laugh at almost anything, even as we ran into a storm so massive that it threatened to swallow the ship, or faced the golden lion Shiki, or those marine admirals. All Roger would do, was to laugh and enjoy himself." he told in a half amused half sad reminisce smile. "And then barge right into battle with that big smile on his stupid face, making sure to be alive right here and now." he told in a warm reminisce smile, and then the smile faltered and became more sad. "To the last." he commented quietly. "That stupid old man, as he stood there in Lougetown and the blade was right over his head, his death so close by. That's when he decided to shout so loud about One Piece, and then laugh. Laugh in the face of death. Yet that is so typical Roger." Buggy sighed deeply. "Thinking back at it now. It would have been the only way for him to go out. A man like that wouldn't die a boring dead of old age in bed, no, not Roger." He shook his head. "Never Roger." he told before he turned to his crew, looking at them with such incredible eyes full of memories, which looked so completely out of place on this clown captain. "One Piece is real, trust my word on that." he told. "It's the greatest treasure in the entire world."
The pirates all gaped at him, gaped at Buggy.
"Do… Do you know where it is?" Cabaji asked.
At that, Buggy smirked.
"No… Way." Mr. 3 didn't even dare to whisper.
"But why don't you go after it then?! You could be the king of pirates!" Mohji exclaimed as Richie nodded furiously.
"Me the king of pirates?!" Buggy asked in a raised eyebrows, then hissed angrily. "Don't you ever suggest such a thing, that is Rogers title!" he told. "He inspired me, to live life to the fullest, to always search fortune! Just look at you pathetic lot, people always make fun of you, of us, TO HECK WITH THAT! We are living our life as we please with fun and adventures, being true to ourselves every day, and you lot owe that to Roger! He taught me that! And it would be soiling his memory to ever stop, don't you ever forget!" he demanded, but then silenced as he lowered his head and spoke in a much more quiet voice. "By the end of the day, I am no Roger." he told. "I would never be worthy to walk in his footsteps, I could never do that and not feel ashamed for even attempting such a thing." he told.
And all his pirates gaped, their eyes almost popped out of their skulls… this was their captain! The always boasting buggy saying words like this! It was so completely out of character that none of them even knew what to say. Buggy being the least bit humble that way… Well it was unheard of! … Maybe this one was a clone, that would make sense. At least more sense than this nonsense.
How-ever that's when Buggy grinned, rubbing his chin in such a familiar way. "See, that's why I decided to walk my own way, forge my own path." he smirked. "Why should I, the great Captain Buggy, forever be trapped in that mans shadow huh? And Shanks to?! That stupid Shanks actually came to me and begged me to be a part of his crew. For what I ask? So that arrogant self absorbed man could stamp on me and I could walk around in his shadow making him feel oh so great?" Buggy asked in a snort as he rolled his eyes. "Little sad Buggy big impressive oh so good Shanks needed to take pity on, PLEASE SPARE ME!" he yelled. "Pathetic!" Buggy stated as he spit on the ground. "No sir! I am better than that, I am my own legend now!" he laughed. "AHAHAHAHIHIHI!" he laughed loudly. "One Piece, whom needs it?" he asked. "It's stupid anyway." he told in a eye roll. "Trust me guy, you are not missing much." he told.
"Then… What is it?" Cabaji asked. "I mean, if you already know and it's not that special, you can tell right?" he asked.
"Tell you about the One Piece?" Buggy asked in a seemingly pleasant tone before that compleately changed and he shouted in a angry voice. "NOT ON YOUR LIFE!" he shouted so loudly that all the pirates jumped. "Would you really be so insolent to have me violate my late Captains last wish?!" he asked. "That someone should find One Piece, on their bloody own. Only the person to find One Piece on their very own would be in any way worthy!" he hissed dangerously. "What would that make me look like if I told you and then word just spread around so suddenly everyone knew?! The next one whom ever asks me such a stupid question again is going to get his throat slit open, AND I AM NOT KIDDING!" he shouted. "Now get out of here!" he demanded. "You asked your idiotic questions and I answered, that's more than you cowardly dogs even deserve you filth! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" he shouted. "And never bring any of this up again! That's an order!" he demanded.
"YES SIR!" They all shouted and scattered in each their direction across their ship, each to their own, each feeling like they had a lot to process right now.
Doing the evening though, Buggy came to them again, this time carrying a big barrel of Sake, just for the inner circle of the Buggy pirates to celebrate their new position, one single warning glance was enough to assure that NO ONE would ask him another question regarding Roger, Shanks or the One Piece.
But it was fine, the crew had gotten a new respect for their Captain already, not that they lacked respect deep down anyhow and they managed to have a fun evening filled with laughter, jokes and circus acts.
Only the future could tell what would be in store for the former members of the Gol D Roger crew… The few people left whom honestly knew about Raftel, about One Piece.
The great pirate emperor Shanks, the legendary Rayleigh no one even dared to touch, the doctor whom guarded reverse mountain with the great whale, Croco san… And the most unlikely one of all, a Clown Pirate most viewed as a joke.
Perhaps there were even more out there, hiding, waiting for their time to appear again… Who knows?