The two young men were sitting on the wooden deck, both of them dressed lightly. It was one of those nights when you didn't need anything else except a short sleeved t-shirt and Capri pants with sandals. The blue-haired man was wearing light brown pants, white shirt with dark brown stripes over his shoulder and a small hat covering his head. His fellow friend was wearing navy Capri pants with a white shirt with stripes, his head cover with a straw-hat. It was a warm summer night with a full moon. The warm summer breeze blew around them, while they talked with each other. They were having a feast, once again, during this time; you were not allowed to just sit around. You were supposed to have fun, and drink. You had to drink a lot! He was holding the thick liquor bottle in his left hand. He pressed the bottle to his lips and took a sip, smiling to himself as the sharp taste of the fiery liquor burned its way down his throat and into his stomach. The straw-hat boy heard laughter from the cabins. Good, he thought, they were having fun even without them. "…about the loot?" The boy next to him asked, he was caught off guard, unsure about the first part.
"Ah, you mean the Devil Fruit?" He turned his head towards the blue-haired boy, paying attention to him. He furrowed his blue eyebrows as he looked at him questioningly. The red-haired boy smiled, placing his liquor bottle on his knee. "There is a rumour that says that the fruit is the reincarnation of the ocean's devil." He said.
"It says that if you eat it, you'll be the owner of the Devil's power. However, you will be unable to swim. That is the price." The blue-haired boy raised his right eyebrows in evident scepticism and replied, "Anyone who eats it must be a fool." He paused and turned his head away from his friend, looking in front of him. He grinned, a devilish quirk of his mouth as his perfect plan ran through his mind. If I won't be able to swim, I wouldn't be able to get the treasure at the bottom of the sea, he thought to himself as he continued grinning. There was a silence for a moment. The red-haired boy was staring at the moon. The full moon as he broke the silence saying, "I also heard that it is possible to sell the Devil's fruit, for a hundred million beli." He looked at him shocked. His eyebrow twitched with excitement.
The next day, the boy with the red nose stood on the wooden deck, holding a weird shaped mahogany coloured fruit in his hand.
"I, Buggy the pirate, will now eat the Devil's fruit!" Holding the fruit in his left hand he raised it into the air, his right hand placed on his hip. He looked like an old fashioned hero from books. In front of him stood two older pirates, and three behind them, all of them grinning wildly.
"I really admire you young people, never thinking about the consequences." Said the tallest man with brown hair shaped into cat ears and a vertical scar over his left eye. His arms crossed on his chest and wide smile on his lips. The red nosed trickster stuffed the fruit into his mouth and chewed. "So, how does it feel like, Buggy?" Said one of the pirates in the crowd. "Do you feel anything strange?" Said the other one.
"N-No, nothing." Said Buggy as he moved his hands up and down his chest and stomach.
"Huh? Maybe it was a fake one." Someone yelled from the crowd, disappointed.
"Well, it was a myth anyway." Buggy grinned widely as he saw his crew members slowly walk away. When everything calmed down, and as the sun was going down, the young pirate was hiding in the skiff.
"Alright, everything went as planned. They never would've thought that the one I ate this morning was a fake one." He said to himself as he was holding the fruit close to himself, as if he was holding a golden egg. The oceans waves were lightly hitting the ship's freeboard. Few seagulls flying right above him, as if they were eyeing him.
"I should leave this ship before they find out anything." Said Buggy as he was squeezing the old treasure map in his right hand. "After I sell the Devil's Fruit and get the treasure, I will be finally able to form my own pirate crew." His eyes sparkled with joy; he already imagined himself and his new crew sailing on the ocean, stealing treasures. His eyes settled on his two treasures; he was grinning like an idiot.
"Hey Buggy!" He heard a familiar voice behind him; in a blink of an eye he pulled the fruit inside his mouth and the treasure map inside his shirt. His eyes were widening with shock. "What are you grumbling about?" Buggy looked behind him.
"Shanks don't scare me like that." He mumbled, looking at the red-haired boy.
"What happened to your face?" Shanks said, placing his left elbow on the wooden deck, crooking his head on the right side, questioning him. Buggy looked nervous and agitated as he heard those words. His forehead was beaded with sweat dots, he could feel the small beads of sweat roll down his face. Shanks sighed and turned on his heel.
"If you are stealing food, I recommend you to stop. You'll be scolded by the cook." He lifted his right hand and waved as he walked away. "That was close!" Buggy muttered as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, sighed.
"Oh by the way, just now, the captain sa—" Startled by the sudden noise, Buggy swallowed the fruit inside his mouth. His eyes wide open with terror. He was frustrated and angry — beyond angry. He yelled.
"Shanks! You…!" His mouth dropped open, his cheeks reddened and a vein popped out in his forehead. Buggy grabbed Shanks by his collar, Shanks' eyebrows curved up and he looked shocked, although he couldn't be as shocked as Buggy was.
"M-M-My…" He stuttered. Shanks' attention was brought away from furious Buggy by a flying paper above the water. "Hey, what is that flying over there?" He pointed at the paper with his index finger. Covered in sweat, his heart raced a mile a minute.
"M-My map…!" He screamed and without hesitation jumped into the water. Shanks leaned on the deck and looked at his friend as he jumped. "Hey, Buggy!" He called out his name. As the blue-haired boy reached the water, he immediately started to sink, he couldn't move his limbs. He was waved around in the water like a dead fish. So it was true, no way! He thought to himself as he was sinking.
"Buggy! What are you doing? Aren't you great at swimming?" When the water calmed down, there was no sign of bubbles coming up, Shanks felt his stomach fall.
"Buggy?!" He raised his voice and shouted. No response. Buggy was holding his breath for as long as he only could. This couldn't be his end, right? Without hesitation Shanks jumped into the water. "I'm coming! Buggy!" He yelled and dived into the water.
He hadn't seen the youngster sitting that quietly and listening to everything he said for years. Her eyes were closed as if she would be imagining everything he said, the corner of his lips lifted up in a smirk. She opened her eyes suddenly; it was almost wholly dark yet she could see him.
"Why did you stop?" She asked and sighed in disappointment. He wanted to blur our something harsh but instead he said, "Let's continue another time." And the man stood up, facing her. She stood up as well. The young woman was so happy she practically floated. Hearing stories about her father always made her happy, and proud. Buggy was about to leave the kitchen when she decided to run towards him and give him a brief hug.
"W-What are you doing?!" Buggy's form shuddered. He was caught off guard.
"What? I'm just grateful you shared your story with me. Why? I can't hug you?" She squeezed him, Buggy's lips left out a silent yelp and she giggled.
"In a way you are like him, I hate that thing in both of you." He growled and remained still for long enough to make his point and then left the room, slamming the door behind him. She giggled as she followed him.