Chapter Eleven

After leaving the Captain, I didn't know what to do. I was still adjusting and sailing around without a destination. I guess finding a new ship and crewmembers wasn't easy as I thought. I looked towards the approaching island. Guess this is the place where I'll start my adventure from here.

I docked the boat and looked around the ship yard. A noble's ship was few blocks away from mine. Stealing is a great start. I jumped on the deck. I knew there was no one on the ship. Thank god for haki.

I took in sight of the ship. It was quite luxury as I passed the hallway. There was some disturbing frames of woman and men with their atrocious dressing. I came upon a room. It had gold designs on it. Jackpot. I opened it and I was not the only one occupying the room. I cringed when I looked at his conditions. He was covered in rags and dirt. Shackles where attached to his hands and feet. From the bruises, it was tightly bound. He was blindfolded and a chain was attached from his neck to the bed. Curious thing was that he was calmly sitting cross-legged. He had a strange skin colour. A Fisherman.

He looked towards me when I stepped into the room. I ignored him as I searched for jewels and money.

"Who are you?" I looked at him, "Your footsteps are different from the bastard." He croaked. He looked pale and unhealthy. Looks like his master was keeping him starved.

"Just a passing passenger." I answered. "So how did you end up as a slave?" he glared at me for a while and stayed silent.

I found a bag of expensive jewels and turned towards the door. "Well it was a pleasure- "

"I gave up myself for a kid. There was some pirates attacking a village. I was strong enough to beat them but the bastard played dirty. He took a kid hostage. So I made a deal. And now here I am, a slave." He sighted. There was no hint of any deceit or lies in his words. I grinned.

"You look like a nice person." I removed the blindfold. He blinked few times to adjust his sight. "Join my crew."

He stared. I didn't waver my grin. But after a while, doubts started to come.

"Okay."

"I swear I'll take of you and my future nakama and we'll have lots of adventure and I'll give all my booze to you and-and wait, what?" I didn't think it would be this easy.

"Can you take off this cuffs?" he brought his hands towards me. I narrowed my eyes in suspicion.

"How do I know you won't escape when I open this chains?"

He looked at me calmly. "I swear I'll join your crew but if you hurt anybody without a reason, I'll leave you." He replied. He looked at me tiredly but honest and conviction was in his tone.

I sensed some people coming towards the ship. I covered my hands in haki and grabbed the collar. He widened his eyes and protested.

"Wait no! Don't-" I easily destroyed it. A small smoke came from it. He looked at me, holding his neck. I broke all shackles and swung him over my shoulder. I ran towards the dock and returned towards my boat. I put him down.

"How did you do that?" He asked me, surprised. "The black thing and how in the world did you carry me as if I was feather?" I grinned at him.

"Training." I answered. He looked at me, flabbergasted. "Stop it. You're going to make me blush." I teased him. He immediately stopped and looked away. I crunched my face in disgust.

"You need a bath." He snorted. "Medicine and food too." I threw a cloak towards him. He catched it and gave me a questioned look.

"Wear it. We don't want the nobles to recognize you." He nodded. After that, we booked a motel. I told him to shower while I shop some clothes for him. After a shower and fresh clothes, he looked decent. He had black hair and eyes. Tiger-like stripes covered the back of his arms. His gills were between his shoulders and neck. He was inches taller and muscular than me. I brought some simple shirts and pants for him.

"Hey. Do you have any injuries on you?" I asked him. He shrugged. "Some scars and bruises. Nothing serious."

"Show me." I pulled out the first aid kit. He gave me his hands. I put some medicine over it and bandaged it. Later, we sat at a bar, enjoying a hot meal.

"So you're the first one who didn't point out my nose." I began to talk after some time in silence.

"It's not a big deal besides I have seen much weirder things on grand line." He shrugged. "Why did you save me? You don't even know me." he cleaned his plate and looked towards me. Thankfully, colour returned to his face.

"I am Buggy. What's your name?" I pushed my hands towards him. He grasped my hand and shook it firmly. "Toshiro."

"Well now we know each other." I smiled at him. He deadpanned. "That doesn't work that way." It dropped my smile.

I looked at him, determinedly. "You look like a nice and strong person so I thought it would be awesome to have you as my first mate. So what daya say?"

He bellowed with laughter and grinned at me. "I never meet a crazy kid like you who asked a fishman to be his first mate. You got some guts there, pal."

"Hey, I'm fifteen! I'm not a kid anymore. You look like your only three years older than me." Frustrated by my height and structure. I looked skinny compared to him. Spurt growth please come quick.

"I'm actually eight years older than you." He smirked. Maybe it was mistake taking him as my crewmember. "As for your answer, sure. I have been travelling alone for a few years. I won't mind being a pirate. Captain."

I teared up slightly and declared. "I swear as your Captain, I won't let any harm come to you and my future nakama."

He sweatdropped and patted my back, awkwardly. "Uh sure, Captain. I think I can handle few enemies on my own."

"So what's your next plan?" I rubbed off my tears.

"Well I have to gather more crewmembers and a ship too." I sheepishly rubbed my head. He looked at me, unimpressed and grabbed his head. "This is going to be hard."


It's been a three week with Toshiro. I learned a lot from him. He was from fishman island. And he also had a black belt in fishman karate. I sparred with few times and he proved to be a powerful enemy but I easily beat him because of my strength and little bit of haki. I had already started to train his haki. I was quite smug when he covered only the tips of his finger in haki. But to a slam towards my head stopped me from snickering.

We currently sailing an enemy ship which we borrowed from them. I was disappointed when I couldn't find a second member. Sure Toshiro was cool but after some time, it got boring. Sigh. Nothing to do.

"HEY! CAPTAIN!" I jerked and went towards the dock. I saw Toshiro with a spyglass pointing towards the sea. I went up and looked at where he was pointing at. There was stranded boat. I aimed my hand towards it and fired. It caught the boat and brought it to the ship.

"Your Devil fruit is so strange." Toshiro stated. I pulled my tongue towards him. "Your just jealous of super fabulous and powerful me." he rolled his eyes. "Keep dreaming kid."

*BANG*

I stopped the bullet with my hand before it had the chance to pierce Toshiro's head. How dare them or should I say he. I looked into the damaged boat. A man stepped up. He was wearing a cowboy hat with blue shirt and short trousers. The hat covered his eyes and a pony held his blonde hair behind.

"Tell me one reason why shouldn't I kill you now?"

Toshiro shivered when he looked at his Captain. It promised excruciating pain and death. It was odd seeing such a chilling expression on his young face. I mean weeks ago, he was acting like a brat but now it's as if I was meeting another boy. So this is what he meant protecting his nakama. I wonder what the Captain went through his childhood to have this kind of look. He looked back at the intruder.

"Woah. Woah. Slow down." He pulled up his hands to show us no harm. "I'm sorry. It just you guys have the same flag that attacked my boat."

I narrowed my eyes at him but Toshiro gave me a signal. Fine. I let him aboard the ship.