Hey y'all, sorry for the delay. I contracted a flu over the weekend. If it wasn't for the fact that I had this chapter done a week ago. I don't think I would have been able to publish it today given how much correction and checking I do with each chapter. I started really slow in the beginning of this chapter but inspiration poured into my head when Luffy meats Buggy and couldn't stop myself!

Thanks you all for taking time to read and review this story, it really means a lot to me!

CrackPairingsRule: Glad posting on Monday worked out as intended!

AnimeFreak.25500: As always, I'm glad you have so much enthusiasm when reading the story. It truly humbles me (*´∀`*)

chimera629: While not as crazy as some like to write, I do have plans in mind that im not revealing yet.

Lightningblade49: I can wait to find out what's happening with Sanji lol and I won't give away anything with regards to whom travelled back!

Son of Whitebeard: me too!

ScarletRoofs: yeah I got the inspiration when Luffy used it on Buggy to escape Mihawk during Marine ford arc "Gomu gomu no scapegoat!"

LongPastMidnight: I would like to think that he just helped push such a massive structure back in its place instead of them having to rebuild another half after this one crumbles. Looks like the fire of youth burns passionately in you!

Arxhaelologist: planning to stick to the Monday idea, some parts of the story just need their time for character development, other than those parts, im planning to fly through.

Jennifer Wilson: You're awesome as ever! thanks for the tips btw. I tend to drift when I type and next thing I know I have this massive monstrosity of a paragraph without any punctuation lol. I'm slowly trying to find the best style in telling these story as you will see bellow. Hopefully it's always improving!

"You're really not trying to be subtle, are you?" Asked Zoro rhetorically. "That kinda display of power will definitely not go unnoticed by the marines."

"Think they'll send someone bad ass after us right off the bat?" Wondered Luffy out loud while grinning , he eyed Zoro for a comeback only to get a light chuckle. The two know fully well apart from a marine Admiral or above, they won't have any difficulty.

"Well we outstayed our visit as it is, lets go get us a clown and a navigator" laughed Luffy as he pumped his fists in the air, knowing fully well only Zoro understood what he meant.

"Luff-san.." Coby was lost for words. The man that inspired him by showing him how the vast the world can be is about to part ways with him. One question resounded in his head, he was going to be a marine while Luffy chose the life of a pirate. Will they ever be able to talk to each other casually like this again? The question haunted Coby but he couldn't bring himself to ask it in fear of losing Luffy.

"Oh Coby that's right," Luffy took out a small piece folded of paper from his pockets and tossed it to Coby.

"This should do more than enough to guarantee you getting in to the marines." Luffy seemed confident with that bold statement . "Show this note to Garp when you meet him and he will take care of you."

Coby examined the paper before reading its contents making sure he didn't miss anything. He remembered Luffy asking for a piece of paper to write a note. Little did Coby know that what Luffy was scribbling on that piece of paper back then was the gate way to his new life.

"Huh all it says in the note is 'hey gramps, this boy is Coby. I like him.' What will I do wi—WHAT! Garp is your grandpa?!" asked Coby with shaky hands not wanting to lose the note he had in his hands.

"Of course he is stupid, what else would he be?" replied Luffy so casually that Coby doubted if he was at fault for over reacting or if it was Luffy's nonchalant attitude about it. The trio failed to notice a row of marines marching out of the recently destroyed marine base.

"Attention!" screamed a dark skinned marine as he stood firm in his place giving salute to the straw hats, he was followed by a uniformed column of marines standing by his side mimicking him.

The dark skinned man also known as commander Ripper approached the straw hats after the salute to show gratitude. "We are eternally grateful for what you did when you saved us from that corrupt captain Morgan," stated Ripper.

It didn't go unnoticed by both straw hats how Ripper mentioned Morgan's name with a bitter scorn and distaste in his eyes.

"Destroying the marine base in the process was something we let slide due to the good deed you did outweighing the bad," he continued eyeing Zoro. "Adding to what your friend with the straw hat did…"

Ripper paused and stared at Luffy, lost in thought trying to appraise him using all of his years of experience as a marine. "When your friend here helped in starting the reconstruction, I was even more grateful."

He paused again and this time he winced as he stared down at the ground almost ashamed to stare back and meet their gaze.

'How can it be that we were suffering under a marine only to be saved by these rogue pirates.'

It was his job to be the savior not the opposite, Ripper had conflicting emotions swimming inside him. One thing he knew is that he was grateful for them to show up. Ripper let out a few breaths as he summed up the courage to bite the hand that saved him.

"I'm sorry, but given that we are marines and you are pirates, you have to leave this town." He finally said it and it feels worse than he thought. He wanted to punch his face in shame but he had to do what's best. He could already hear protests from the town folk, as they began to understand what was about to happen. The marines are kicking the hero and his friend that saved them.

"It's Okay, don't worry about it" reassured Luffy.

He threw his palms in the air to silence the town's folk that were slowly loosing their patience. He never really wanted to be a hero and was glad that Zoro was the one that took down Morgan.

"We are leaving right now any ways," he finished. He turned his back towards the marines and the protestors but before he moved on with his journey. He remembered he still had to attend to the main reason why he came to Shell's Town.

"Oh by the way, this pink haired boy used to be a chore boy for this petty pirate. He regretted that decision from day one and would like to become a marine."

Luffy pointed at Coby with his thumb from behind his back as he casually walked past the shocked pink haired boy, leaving him standing next to ripper in silence. Luffy didn't want to turn back, he knew facing Coby will cause the pink haired boy to start crying all over gain, not wanting to have any of that, given that this is going to the marine's first impression of him.

Ripper wasn't sure why Luffy was telling him this, his thought process was interrupted before he can start to guess why by what Luffy said next.

"I know how scary the marines are in their information gathering, hence why I gave you the heads up on his past .If you are truly thankful as you claim you are then take him in and contact HQ about me the moment you get the chance."

Luffy knew that those words would pierce through Ripper's conscience. He didn't like manipulating people this way, knowing fully well how much guilt ridden the marine commander must be feeling. It was the best option compared to what he did the last time this town was saved.

"Who are we to judge a person's life based on one innocent mistake, surely you must understand that?"

That was the final push that Ripper needed, his eyes finally held some conviction. He shifted his gaze back to Coby, trying to understand what the straw hat pirate saw in him.

"Roger!"

That was the reply Luffy was hoping to hear echo throught the town buildings a she walked through them. He noticed the look Zoro was giving him and couldn't help himself but smile in return.

"Spending time with Roger really changed you," mused Zoro as he matched his pace with Luffy, it wasn't a question, rather a statement. He was impressed with his captain's more mature approach.

"It sucks."

Luffy's previous charisma and serious demeanor were gone, now that he was finally alone with his most trusted friend and crewmate.

"What does?"

Zoro had different answers to the multiple interpretations to what Luffy meant. He knew the best way to find out the true answer was to simply ask.

"The food I ate was good but I really need Sanji, why couldn't he have been here instead of you,"

Luffy's pouting continued as his slouched shoulders sunk even more, something only a rubber man can do. This of course made the Swordsman flinch a bit in anger, knowing fully well his captain didn't mean anything personal by it.

"You haven't changed at all! You still only think about your damn stomach."

Zoro grabbed Luffy's rubber mouth and stretched it as far as he could not bothering to hold back in hopes to show how annoyed he was. He was angry at Luffy but his face couldn't help the smile he was now wearing.

Zoro didn't realize it until now, while Luffy's matureness had its perks, he felt much more at home with the old Luffy. Now that he finally realized it, a weight was lifted off his chest knowing that after all they have been through, Luffy still hasn't changed one bit.

"Ready for a witch as a crewmate?"

"More then ever Zoro!"

-x-

Luffy blinked a few times as he starred back at the circus show unfolding in front of him, literally, right in front of him. The Buggy pirates were each celebrating, from blowing fire mushrooms to rolling on massive balls while juggling swords or doing acrobatics in the air.

The one act that stood out the most however was the one Nami was about to perform. It was the finale as some of the Buggy pirates kept referring to it as.

It involved him sitting in a cage with a giant canon barrel facing him an arm's width away, Luffy found this moment awfully familiar as he recalled the series of events that led to this moment.

'How the hell did I end up here?'

Luffy blinked again in pure bafflement, his eyes were blank, staring past everything else as his brain was trying to make sense of the current predicament. Nami was a scary person and a true force to be reckoned with when it comes to manipulation.

Even with knowledge of this beforehand, having experienced this in a previous lifetime, he still managed to fall for it despite being reminded by Zoro explicitly.

'Do not get caught in the cage Luffy.'

Perched atop one of the rooftops of the houses, facing the bar Buggy's crew set camp on was none other than Zoro. He took a swig from a bottle he looted or as he liked to convince himself, a case that he 'saved from destruction' earlier. The swordsman watched the show below him intently not liking how things have played themselves; he couldn't help but face palm.

"You have gotten smarter my ass."

Zoro's bitter tone in his voice could be heard if it wasn't for the loud noise Buggy's crew was making. He glared holes into Buggy hoping the stupid devil fruit eating clown would self-combust any second.

"I literally warned you about Nami and getting tricked in the cage Luffy,"

Zoro couldn't help but mutter to himself as he took another swig from his bottle to shut himself up. He knew that Luffy probably couldn't hear him and that he was most likely talking to himself. It still seemed to help his frustration as he imagined himself lecturing an oblivious Luffy. His fingers were playing with his sword handles, itching to be unsheathed and bring down mayhem before this boring conflict drags on any longer, but he couldn't.

Zoro throughout his entire life never listened to anybody and does things only because he wanted do, the lives he saved were all on a whim. It just wasn't in his nature to follow anyone, naturally, there was an exception to that and that was his captain Monkey. D. Luffy.

He can't really understand why himself, but from the day he met Luffy the two had developed an unmentioned bond that was only strengthened with time.

'Zoro I want you to stay back and not reveal yourself.'

Those words kept repeating in his mind reminding him not to interfere, this of course only further annoyed the swordsman.

"Why the hell am I stuck here, idiot rubber," replied Zoro to the order that kept repeating in his head.

'Because, Nami is already afraid of me and if she sees you in your current state I don't think it would help convincing her to join. You're not exactly friendly looking!'

He remembered Luffy answering him when he has asked the same question earlier.

"Just blow buggy away and pick up Nami and let's go, I'm getting bored,"

He was talking to memories of what Luffy instructed him as if they were sentient and can reply back. He couldn't help but get riled up at Buggy's antics.

"Bastard has a really annoying fruit"

Zoro stared in silence at Buggy, the idiot had one of the scariest Devil fruits if used to it's full potential. Allowing him complete immunity from slash attacks, Haki imbued or not. He remembered how Black beard's commander of the second ship Shiliew struggled to harm buggy with his nodachi even though it was coated in Haki . Cutting away while Buggy was laughing like a mad man at his futile attempt. He never got the chance to try it himself but he doubt he could do any damage using his swords, his fists on the other hand…

"Look at me talking to myself."

He let out a sigh after emptying the second bottle.

"I'm glad that shitty cook isn't with me right now."

Nami's hands were shaking; she couldn't feel her fingertips nor her lips as the box of matches kept rattling in her hands. Her heartbeat was causing some discomfort as it kept rising, feeling it pulsate her head with every beat, Nami for the first time wasn't sure what to do.

In front of her was the idiotic boy, that seemed to have landed right in front of her when she was running away from Buggy's crew. The entire pirate crew was eagerly waiting for her to fire the canon and finish him off. No matter how tough the boy was even he wouldn't able to survive a canon ball pointblank, especially that special Buggy ball that levelled everything it is path.

Flashback

"Yo, my name is Luffy."

Luffy stretched his hand for a hand shake that he never got as the three idiots chasing Nami and the girl aforementioned were staring at him with a dumbfound expression.

"What's with the shocked faces, it's not like I dropped from the sky, shishishi"

Luffy couldn't help himself at that joke, he was hopping in the air ahead of Zoro as the two were racing to see who would get to land first.

He was too distracted grinning back at Zoro from above having won the race to notice the incoming cannonball that struck him.

He sensed Nami below him as he plummeted without regards to safety thanks to his rubber body. Luffy would have been dead numerous times if it wasn't for his rubber body's natural immunity to blunt force. It truly was the most suited devil fruit for him, something Roger kept reminding him.

'How is he not hurt?'

Nami blinked in confusion, she didn't recognize the person as first due to his sudden appearance, then it hit her. Her entire body was now covered in goose bumps as it dawned on her who was standing in front of her. It was the boy from earlier that took out an entire pirate crew without moving a finger. Nami was really intrigued by him, although her curiosity at the moment was override by her senses, screaming to flee as far away as possible from Luffy.

"Need some help?"

Luffy offered his assistance as he bored into Nami's eyes, not sure what's going on in her mind. If Luffy was worried, then his face didn't show it, he was anxious about not getting the same reaction as last time now that he confronted her.

The moment seemed to stretch forever as Nami was registering what Luffy was offering, she had to cast all her thoughts aside. Luffy on the other hand was worried that Nami will turn him down, he had faith in his nakama but there was still a lingering fear of loosing them before they even joined him. He couldn't fathom sailing the grand line with a different navigator. It was either Nami or no one else.

"Sure do boss, you can take care of these guys for me,"

Nami finally recovered from her shock as she mustered the courage to answer him. She had to keep a poker face for now and not show him how wary of him she was. She didn't notice Luffy letting out the air he was holding as his face relaxed to a more peaceful expression.

"Shishisi, should have said so already."

Luffy didn't leave any room for the three buggy pirates that just snapped out of their shock to react, he swiftly grabbed their heads and smashed them together knocking them out cold.

'I'm an idiot,' Luffy realized.

He should have never doubted Nami but he can finally breathe easier as things started to work out smoothly.

"Wow you are really strong, my name is Nami."

She lifted her hand with a slight shake as she introduced herself. Even though she had some doubts about the boy, Nami couldn't quite place her figure on what it was about him but she felt for some odd reason at peace around him.

END FLASHY BACK

"What wrong Nami?"

That's seemed to snap her out of her thoughts as buggy approached her with an all knowing grin.

"You didn't think it was that easy to just join my crew did you? Now finish off the boy flashily and let us enjoy the show."

"Do it Nami."

Luffy ordered Nami from his spot knowing fully well what the outcome would be. Be it a canon ball or a meteorite, nothing could harm him. He could sense how troubled Nami was. She was still frozen in her spot although the shaking seemed to have stopped, her emotions on the other hand were still a raging sea inside her.

" I'll just do it myself," yelled Buggy.

He snatched the matches from Nami, fully intending to finish Luffy and then deal with Nami.

"That straw hat brings back some really annoying memories, now die a flash-"

"Man I can't just stay here all day," Interrupted Luffy, "Zoro wont let me hear the end of it if I stay here any longer,"

He shot Zoro a grin from his spot, it wasn't noticed by anyone but Zoro who just shook his head from his place.

"Straw hat bastard, how dare you interrupt me. I was just about t-" Buggy yelled louder,annoyed at Luffy interrupting him but this time he couldn't finish his sentence as he saw what was happening.

Luffy grabbed the steel cage bars and bent them apart with plenty of room. The high pitched noise the bar screamed when bent indicated how thick and real the cage was, to Luffy it was nothing as he casually stepped out of it.

"There we go, much better," he dusted his pants and stretched his entire body while grinning oblivious to all the dropped jaws facing him.

"Y-you could have left this entire time!"

This time Nami was the one yelling as that seemed to finally do the trick to snap her out of her current state. She couldn't imagine how strong Luffy was after the display of raw strength he showed her just now.

"Nami, didn't you say that you were here to steel Buggy's treasure?"

Luffy had just asked out loud in a confused tone the one plan Nami did no want anyone knowing about. That didn't bode well with Buggy as he twitched on hearing what Nami was up to.

"Nami, you were planning to betray me?"

Buggy shrieked in shock while inching away from Nami. To Buggy Money and treasure was all he cared about, he didn't dream of adventure or friendship, in his eyes, being a pirate is all about stealing and finding treasure and riches the world had to offer.

"You idiot don't say that out loud," Yelled Nami losing any respect she had due to Luffy's blunt stupidity. What was more annoying to her though, was how indifferent Luffy was even after he should have realized his blunder. As much as she wanted to smack, she had other matter to attend to as suggested by Luffy now that the cat is out of the bag.

As soon as Nami left the rooftop in search of the hidden treasure that Buggy had stashed, Zoro appeared in blur the middle of the fray. All eyes were on locked onto the new arrival. Zoro had his left eye closed as placed his palm on one of his swords, ready to clear the entire area at the slightest provocation.

"If any of you wants his parents to loose a son then take a step forward."

That's all it took from Zoro to strike fear into every person in the vicinity.

"See this is why I didn't want you to be around Nami yet."

Luffy sighed from his place, much to Zoro's annoyance. His back was facing Zoro's as the two glared back at the pirate crew.

"The first thing that comes out of your mouth rendered everybody in fear, Zoro you meani!" Luffy stuck out his tongue after finally facing an indifferent Zoro.

"Can we hurry up, I'm so bored just being in this sea."

Zoro's unfazed response to Luffy's tease was all that his captain needed to know, it was time to get this over with. Ever since he woke up back in east blue everything has been boring to Zoro, even the booze was weak.

Luffy glanced at Zoro as they both shared a look before each nodding.

"Guess, I'll take care of Buggy"

Luffy jumped past the entire crew in a blur, heading straight to Buggy. The clown's years of experience in the sea didn't fail him as he watched Luffy effortlessly lunge at him. He grabbed him with an outstretched arm, yanking him from his place with great force as both captains flew past the buildings in the vicinity.

Zoro watched the flying figure of his captain disappear past a tall house as the rest of Buggy's crew were slowly piecing the picture of what just happened.

"Glad he is gone, cant stand that clown,"

It wasn't Buggy's annoying character that annoyed him the most it was his constant betrayal and redemption with his captain, Buggy had been an ally but an enemy as well throughout their lives on the Grand line. If it wasn't for his captain he would have gotten rid off him instantly and ended this once and for all.

Zoro unsheathed one of his swords and slashed the entire bar in half, effectively separating him and all the buggy pirates that ran away from him the moment their captain disappeared with Luffy. He eyed every pirate member who were all tensed and ready to beg for their lives the moment Zoro began to slaughter their crew Buggy crew braced themselves. They couldn't stand the intimidating silence ,wondering what Zoro is about to say next, as it could decide the fate of their very lives.

"Oy, any of you has any boose?"

-x-

Buggy tumbled on the ground rolling past Luffy as the two finally landed. Buggy immediately registered what had happened, surviving the grand line needed sharp wits and quick reflexes. Knowing your enemy was more important to him than bragging.

"You're not an ordinary brat you bastard." Snarled Buggy from his place as he sized up Luffy. The latter was calmly humming a tune as he dusted himself after crashing the landing.

In truth he never bothered to land properly mainly because it required effort he didn't want to exert, something that annoyed his entire crew whenever they flew with him.

'Just because you don't take damage doesn't mean we don't, you moron!'

He let out a chuckle remembering his full crew before finally facing Buggy.

"Yo Buggy, long time no see,"

Luffy cheerfully waved from his place as he waited for Buggy to get up and regain his composure. The idiot clown has been an ally and a pain at times throughout his journey.

He would always yell profanities at Luffy and claim him as his most hated enemy but both Captains shared the mutual respect to Roger, and that seemed enough to form a bond regardless if Buggy refused to acknowledge it's existence himself.

"Have we met before?" questioned Buggy. He was trying to remember if he had ever met this annoying brat.

"Although that straw hat of yours does rem-"

"it reminds you of Shank's hat because it's his Buggy,"

Luffy finished what Buggy was trying to say as he watched the shocked face on Buggy grow more focused.

"You bastard! That red haired idiot must have sent you after me, I'll kill you in a flashy death!"

"Nope no one sent me, I haven't been t the grand line yet!"

Buggy's cautious attitude was thrown out the window just by mentioning his old crewmate's name. His body was separated into separate pieces as they each floated around his head.

"Buggy," was all Luffy said before pausing and clutching his straw hat as he renewed his resolve again.

"I'm going to the Grand line to be the Pirate King, I'm also going to turn the world upside down so you better remember me!"

"You the Pirate King! HA!" Mocked Buggy "If you're the going to be that, then I'm going to GOD! You wouldn't even last an hour there kid,"

This strawhat brat was really annoying him. Furst he mentioned Shanks then he claims the title of pirate king. His cocky demeanor reminded of his late Captain.

'Were did all that bravado take him though.' Thought Buggy.

Before Buggy could do anything the air around him changed, it became heavy and suffocating, the buildings around them crackled from the tense atmosphere and sheer weight. A wave of killing intent swept through the area passing through Buggy and shocking him to his core.

'Did that brat just use conqueror's Haki?'

Buggy stopped in his tracks from attacking Luffy, he turned his gaze to meet Luffy's shadowed eyes. If it had been possible to see his eyes, anyone would have seen the determination and resolve that filled them. It was almost frightening. Looking back at him self, Buggy noticed the goose bumps all over his floating arm.

'No this is different.'

"Shishishi, just like I thought, you weren't on the same Ship as Shanks and Rayleigh-ossan by a mere coincident. You withstood all of that!"

Just as suddenly as the heavy atmosphere came, it disappeared. The only audible sound was Luffy's childish laughter and clapping hands.

"Kid, quit screwing with me,"

Buggy's mind was going through many different questions and uncertainties. One thing stayed clear in his head, surviving the Grandline wasn't just about quick wit and schemes. It was also knowing when you have to stop and retreat knowing that you have been outclassed.

"Tch I won't forget this straw hat bastard."

Buggy begrudgingly turned his floating head the other way as he decided to head back to his crew, he paused as he saw the rest of his body unfazed still facing Luffy. Why were his hands still pointing the daggers at Luffy? He looked down to see his legs shaking as well.

'Am I really that afraid?' he asked himself.

'No this wasn't fear' he realized. This was excitement!

"You seem to wanna run away but looks like your body still wants to fight me."

Luffy's words pierced right through Buggy as the idiot Clown gasped the air while widening his eyes in realization. Little did Luffy know that this was the moment he ignited a small flame inside the Ex-Roger apprentice.

This kid that came out of nowhere is bringing an old self that he buried on the day Roger he was executed, Buggy realized. The air about him was nostalgic, the way he talked and carried himself scared the hell out of him due to the striking resemblance of his now dead captain.

"I don't know why but I cant stop myself, my body is itching take your head, straw hat bastard!"

Buggy's eyes were filled with a mad glint, not denying what Luffy stated, his voice was heavy and shaking with emotions. No one exactly knew what was going inside Buggy's head during that moment of epiphany.

The two shared a moment of silence as they locked their gaze on each other. Each party was busy with their own thoughts before they both blinked and came to the realization that only one person is going to be standing after this.

Buggy launched himself in the air closing the gap between the two, he flew at Luffy full force knowing fully well that he will lose this encounter. Buggy was a manipulator and a planner, never a front line fighter. The two pirates were type mismatched from the beginning, not mentioning Buggy's lazy life all this time is finally started catching up to him.

It didn't take Luffy a second before he dodged both daggers out of pure reflex. He blocked the follow up knee attack with his right arm and flexed his left arm a moment later smashing it into Buggy's head, sending it straight into the tiled ground of Orange town.

A Small crater the size of Buggy's head formed. It had cracks all around it emanating from the source and reaching to some of the buildings that were close enough to the point of impact. Luffy didn't bother taunting Buggy after defeating him, the man was in a process of rebirth. Saying anymore would be pointless and more detrimental than anything he reckoned.

"In a few days I'll be stopping at Logue town before I head off to paradise," Stated Luffy as he walked away from Buggy's crushed form on the ground not bothering to glance back at the clown.

Buggy in the meantime was bordering consciousness as he allowed his body parts to connect again. He was in the middle of an identity crisis, after all that happened only one thought passed through his head as his body finally went limp giving away to the excruciating headache.

'That brat sure can pack a punch. I'll return it to you tenfold.'

Wow this turned out to be 5000 words, thanks to the wave of inspiration I got while typing the ending . A thousand more than I wanted, but I really didn't want to cut it off at such a good part. I don't know about you but after I typed out the ending and re-read it, it kind of gave me goose bumps lol.

Buggy should really have been a more bad ass role in the story, that's my opinion and I'm going to stick with it (~˘˘)~

I'm not saying I'm making Buggy OP, I just want his character to be more badass, he was on Roger's ship and been to the new World for crying out loud. One thing the manga does him justice is his resilience. I have future plans with him.

I Know some parts in the story seem slow but I need them to build character development. Don't worry, once I'm done, I'm planning to blaze though some parts.

Let me know what you thought of this chapter and the progression so far. What's your opinion of a more badass and less of a Joke Buggy? Reviews really cheer up and drive me to write more, whether they are good or bad.

Don't forgot to review and follow! *you know you want to

See Y'all next week

Void_Glitch