Cabaji was getting ready inside his makeup room when he heard Gaggle bellow, "Cabaji! You go on in one minute! Get a move on!"

"I'll be right there, sir," he responded.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages, the Gaggle Circus is proud to present: the agility, daring, and skill of our beloved acrobat-"

As the ringmaster went on, Cabaji was already on his unicycle, prepared for his act.

"Cabaji!"

Cabaji rode through the cover, continuing until he reached the spotlight. Oh how the crowd cheered at the sight of him, he adored nothing more.

But some claps were made at closer distance than in the stands.

"Yes, yes, oughta be quite a show."

Cabaji grimaced as he recognized the voice. Turning his head, he found it was Mohji standing in front of him, sarcastically clapping.

"Mohji?!", he exclaimed at the lion tamer, "You've got some nerve coming back here!"

Gaggle ran out, fuming so much his face was turning red, "You runt! Where's my lion?!"

Mohji smirked maliciously, "Right behind you."

Gaggle rapidly went pale as he heard the lion's roar.

Mohji took in the fear on his ex-employer's face before uttering: "Kill, Ritchie."

The ringmaster had only a second to scream before Richie tackled him.

Cabaji watched in horror as the lion gnawed on Gaggle's throat. He rushed to intervene when suddenly a man with a huge red nose appeared in between them.

The big-nosed man wagged his finger at him, "Now, now, my dear fellow, it would be impolite the interrupt the cat in the middle of its meal."

"Who the hell are you?!", Cabaji yelled.

To which Big Nose smirked, "My name is Pirate captain Buggy. I believe you already know my first mate here."

Cabaji decided to stand his ground, brandishing his sword, "Out of my way. You're no match for my skills."

Buggy let out a chuckle, "Oh really?"

The acrobat rode forward, aiming to slice at the pirate's torso. He made his hit-in fact, better than he had hoped! Buggy was cut cleanly in half.

"What the-?!", Cabaji marveled at the sight. No blood exited from the body and Buggy's top half was floating in mid-air, with the pirate maintaining his smirk.

Buggy gloated, "You might as well give up now. No blade can harm me!"

Cabaji had to think fast, "How about fire?"

"Huh?", the confused Buggy responded.

"Cap'n, look out!", Mohji cried out on the sidelines.

Cabaji blew out a blast of fire, which Buggy barely dodged.

At this, Buggy was shaken, "Good lord…"

The acrobat regained his composure, now feeling he had a chance, "Not so smug now, are you?"

"Prepare for-", Cabaji was preparing to send out another blast when he felt a knife pressed against his throat. A knife carried by a floating hand.

Buggy smiled, "You were saying?", while, using his other hand, punched Cabaji off the unicycle, knocking him to the ground.

The pirate stood over his defeated enemy, "Well, I've got to admit you've got some skills. The kind I will need in my crew."

At this, both Mohji and Cabaji's eyes went up in shock.

The lion tamer sputtered, "Wait-cap'n, what are you saying?!"

His captain nonchalantly answered, "That I'm offering him a place in our crew for his talent, isn't it obvious?"

"You expect me to serve beside him?!"

"I expect you to do as I say-", Buggy glared at his tone, "as you swore to do! Or do I need to tell you what happens to those who break oaths to pirate captains?"

This pacified Mohji, "No, sir."

"Good," Buggy turned his attention back to the acrobat, "Now what do you say, Cabaji, will you join me?"

"Of course…", Cabaji quickly pondered his few options, looking at Gaggle's remains, he realized that his refusal would mean certain death, then at Buggy's outstretched hand, "Captain."

…

"Gentlemen, welcome to the Big Top!", Buggy held his hands up theatrically as he brought his new recruits aboard his ship.

"It's marvelous, Cap'n!"

"Yes, quite glorious, sir!"

Already, Mohji and Cabaji had taken to compete in who could butter Buggy up best.

Richie, already hungry again, called out for meat, which Mohji interpreted as, "Ya hear that, Cap'n? Richie likes it too!"

Buggy pointed out at the sea, "Now then, let's set sail!"

Both men saluted, "Yes, sir!"

Cabaji decided to speak up, "Um…Captain, can I ask you something?"

"Speak away."

"I have been wondering…between me and Mohji, which one outranks the other?"

Buggy contemplated this, "Hmmm…well, since Mohji joined first, I find it only fair to name him my first mate."

Mohji laughed and pointed at his rival, "Aha!"

Cabaji yelled back, "If you think that makes you superior to me, you're dreaming!"

Mohji replied with a haughty "Shut up, crewman!"

Cabaji turned to Buggy, "Wait, Captain, what does that make me?"

"Tell ya what, Cabaji, when we grow our numbers a bit, I'll make you my Chief of Staff."

"Chief of Staff, sir?"

"It means you'll serve as a buffer between me, Mohji and the lower-ranking crewmen, communicating my orders to them and the like."

Cabaji nodded, "Thank you, sir."

…

"So that's the story of how the Chief of Staff signed on," his story done, Clancy gulped down another cup of rum.

Kiso was soaking in the new information he had gained when he felt someone touch his shoulder, "Hey, kid."

He looked up to see it was a crewman, "Yes?", he asked.

The crewman gestured in the direction of Buggy, who was now sitting at a table with his two officers, "The cap'n wants to see ya."