Episode 2: The Clown Emperor Appears! Enter Buggy the Clown!

(Coyler's note: Y'know my Uncle told me it was dumb to dive head first into writing a One Piece fanfic set after the events of the series since, at the time of writing this, the manga is currently on Chapter 1081, however with my infinite wisdom I realised that writing series with their own continuities is mad easy, especially for me! I've got a good feeling about this one, hopefully it's a series I can handle well with it being my first time writing an action-adventure. Pretty neato, right? Coyler, out!)


Wealth, Fame, Power. Monkey D. Luffy, King of the Pirates had finally achieved it all, his discovery of the legendary treasure One Piece sent millions of men home from the sea as the treasure hunt for Gol D. Roger's fortune came to a close. However not all were spurred to return to land, as for one new group of pirates, now was the time to return to call of the sea. Luffy may be the Pirate King, but that doesn't mean he can't be overthrown, right?


Now it's time to set sail! For a mystery! Dunno where we will go! Or what we're gonna see!

ONE PIECE!

Gotta find a good crew, and I'll work 'em to the bone! Just no time to rest, it's all mine and mine alone!

I've always believed, this is my destiny! To be the greatest pirate that the world has ever seen!

If you're NOT one our side, then you better run and hide! We'll defend 'till the end all of our friends! On that you can depend!

Now it's time to set sail! For a mystery! Dunno where we will go! Or what we're gonna see!

We will never give up! The ship or the hunt!

One Hope! One Dream! One Day!

ONE PIECE!


Loguetown! The birth place and death place of Gol D. Roger, Loguetown held a sense of excitement and suspense as the final stop for East Blue pirates who wished to enter the Grand Line. Though it's no longer the powerhouse it was in the past as essential place of interest, Loguetown is still seen by those in the East Blue as a must see hot spot for the men who still wish to continue a life of piracy. For Bellamy, Arlong, Hachi, Kuroobi and Chew, Loguetown isn't just a place to take on supplies, but is also where they will meet with a powerful ally who will aid them in their quest! However, despite it's reputation there are still enforcers of the law who stand against any form of piracy in the town, as our ragtag group of anti-heroes will soon find out!

"There it is boys!" Arlong called out as he stood on the giant nose of the Sawtooth, "Loguetown! Believe me when I say Bellamy, Buggy is one tough customer but for a human can be quite agreeable if you stay on his good side".

Bellamy folded his arms, "I've heard talk about this joker before, if I recall correctly he started out as a low level thug in the East Blue that Luffy managed to beat twice, then moved up the ranks by going from a basic crook to a Warlord to an Emperor. If he's as good I've heard and you say he is, this mission should be a snap".

"You're goddamn right!" Arlong cheered, slapping him on the back, "Hachi! Bring us in nice and slow! Kuroobi, prepare the anchor! Chew, go grab the mooring lines! Bellamy, I want you to give me a hand folding the sails when we land" he ordered, pointing at the different crew members as the drifted closer to land.

Gradually they approached an empty berth, with Hachi carefully navigating his way inside as Kuroobi tossed the anchor over the side. Dropping the gangway the group disembarked and followed Arlong to the meeting place. "Remember boys, don't stand out. I hear there's still a navy branch operating around these parts" Arlong pointed out, as he put on his fedora and tightened his shirt to cover up his tattoos.

Hachi raised a hand, "Oh! Oh! I got a question! Why do we gotta do that when we can beat anyone?". "It's just to avoid unwanted attention" said Chew, "If the navy catches onto us here they could potentially follow us into the Grand Line and be a pain in our asses for the entire trip *chew*". Hachi rubbed his chin, "OHHHHHH! Mhm, yep yep, that most definitely makes sense! Nobody will even know that we're here!". "Hey, are those fishmen?" said a bystander. "Woah, that's ARLONG THE SAWTOOTH!" exclaimed another. "Q-Quick! Call up the navy headquarters!" yelled a third.

Arlong face palmed, "Drat, looks like they're onto us. Come on lads, let's make this quick!" he yelled as the four ran off down the main street through the hoards of people.


[Gold Roger Bar]

"Honestly! How long do those bozos intend to keep us waiting!" sulked Alvida, as she swung back and forth on a stool. "They have us here for a reason Alvida" snapped Buggy, "Apparantely that sharkman has a new recruit he thinks will help us take out the Strawhats once and for all in a flashy manner!" declared Buggy, as the bartender poured him another drink, "Say, this stuff is top notch! What's it called, hmm?". The bartender pulled out a glass bottle, "It's a speciality homebrew I make, strawberry and apple cider" he smiled. Buggy downed his pint in one go, "We'll take your entire stock of this stuff!".

Light streaked across the walls and floor as the bar doors were pushed open. The Buggy Pirates turned to see who it was, when they saw the light be blocked out by a hulking figure. "Ah! You took your time getting here Arlong!" Buggy exclaimed, coughing as he waved away some smoke, "What took you so long, eh?".

"Buggy the Clown...and...Arlong? As in...Arlong the Sawtooth?" said the figure in the door, with a deep and gruff voice.

"Of course! That's you Arlong! Congratulations, you know you're own name!" laughed Cabaji. "But jeez! That's an awful lot of smoke! Did you get into a fight? or did someone try to cook you for lunch?" joked Mohji, with a cough.

While the pirates laughed, the figure did not, as he strode through the door with his giant leather boots. Smoke billowed through the flapping door as the pirates coughed profusely. "By God, what's up with all this smoke? Is there a fight going on outside?" spluttered Alvida.

"Hey barkeep, open a window already!" wheezed Buggy.

Coughing as well, the barkeeper stumbled to the wall and flung open a window which finally allowed the built up smoke to exit the cramped bar. As it cleared, Buggy and his crew looked over to the figure that they believed was Arlong. However they were in for quite a shock when they realised who it was. Instead of seeing the muscular sharkman giving his trademark sharp grin, it was a muscular man draped in a white jacket with a buzzcut and two giant cigars hanging from his mouth.

Everyone gasped at the sight, "A-A-A-ADMIRAL SMOKER!" they all exclaimed simultaneously.


[Main Town]

"Hey Arlong, we've been walking around here for two hours, where the hell are these jokers?!" Kuroobi snapped. The group had gone all over Loguetown to the usual pirate hotspots in search of Buggy and his crew, however their search had come up with nothing. Now tired and in need of munch they had stopped in at a local pub to load up on lunch.

"Maybe they went to the wrong town?" suggested Hachi, before he dramatically gasped, "OR MAYBE WE WENT TO THE WRONG TOWN!".

"Tch, that can't be!" Arlong scoffed, as he dug his teeth into a slab of roasted steak, "Stopping here in Loguetown has been a pirate tradition for decades dating back to Gold Roger, both Buggy and myself decided we'd meet here after recruiting Bellamy. If we haven't been able to find him now it means only two things" he explained, "One, we merely arrived early thanks to Hachi's sailing skills, or Two...they're under attack somewhere".

"Hmph, under attack? Pathetic humans unable to keep to their schedules and letting the navy get in their way" scoffed Chew.

"I thought the whole emperor thing protected pirates from the navy? Though if it didn't, why go after Buggy when he's apparently one of the most powerful men in the world?" asked Bellamy. "Buggy may be powerful, but he has his limits. His devil fruit power makes him immune to any kind of cutting or sword attack and let's him make his body parts float, however I can imagine the navy certainly has soldiers with their own devil fruits that could counter his abilities" replied Arlong.

"Well whatever kinda dumb fruit Buggy might be fighting, they'll NEVER be able to beat the raw power and determination OF THE FISHMEN!" Kuroobi exclaimed, hyping up the other three fishmen as they began roaring in triumph and pounding each other and themselves on the back, chest and head. The other diners silently picked up their tables and moved them while other diners slunk out the door and ran away. Bellamy had no real reaction, he just laughed and pulled out a newspaper, "Heh, you'd swear they were animals" he muttered to himself.


[Meanwhile]

"A-A-A-ADMIRAL SMOKER!" Buggy exclaimed, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. "In the flesh and in the smoke" Smoker grunted, "You know I received a tip-off that some pirates were running around town, fishmen to be specific, so imagine my surprise when I stop by for a drink before going fishing and come across you lot. Fascinating".

"W-We were just leaving" Cabaji stammered, stepping onto his unicycle.

Smoker whipped his jitte in the air and clanged it on the ground with a powerful stab, "Not so fast, there's no way I can just allow you to leave. You are still a pirates, correct? And you, you're still the leader of this 'team'. Isn't that right Buggy?".

Buggy nodded, a serious frown on his face, "You'd be correct to say that, there's nobody on this Earth who could possibly be flashy enough to lead the Buggy Pirates to certain victory! Believe me Smoker, if you intend to fight and arrest me and my men, you must have smoke for brains! THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN POSSIBLY WIN! I'LL DEFEAT YOU WITH FLASHILY IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE!" he cackled, with his comrades joining him in laughter.

Smoker sighed, "You may be an Emperor of the Sea, and maybe I don't have a high chance of beating you in combat...HOWEVER! IT STILL STANDS THAT I AM AN UPSTANDING FIVE-STAR ADMIRAL OF THE NAVY, I CANNOT IN GOOD FAITH ALLOW YOU TO FREELY WALK OUT OF HERE AND CONTINUE TO WREACK HAVOC ON THE OCEANS AND CIVILIANS OF THE WORLD!" he bellowed, "WHITE SPARK!".

Erupting into a cloud of smoke, the Buggy Pirates were trapped stumbling around and knocking into every possible thing and person in the room. It wasn't long before the dense smoke began to harden and solidify as the men were held up against the walls and in the air by Smoker's ginormous plumes of smoke.

"Heh, works every time" Smoker smirked in triumph, though this smirk quickly faded from his face when he performed a headcount. Mohji, Cabaji, Richie and Alvida were all ensnared in his ability, however Buggy was nowhere to be seen.

"Ha! Take that! You can never catch Captain Buggy with a dumb power like that!" cackled Cabaji. "You say that forgetting that I've got you all captured and helpless" growled Smoker as he walked over to the bar counter and looked over at the cowering server, "My apologies for the disturbance, hold onto some lager for me, I'll be back". Still holding onto the four pirates, Smoker marched out of the bar.

"What a pain. That's one band of hooligans taken care of, but it still leaves me with a group of fishmen out and about...could it be the former Warlord of the Sea Jinbe? I'm certain I heard mention of the infamous Arlong by Buggy, but I could have sworn that crook was still locked up. Could he have escaped or made bail without my knowing? And if he has gotten out, why is he attempting to make contact with an Emperor such as Buggy?" Smoker thought to himself as he walked through the town towards the navy operations building where he could detain the Buggy Pirates until given permission to take them to a more secure location.

Looking down from atop a building, Buggy watched as his crew was carried away by the hulking admiral. He clenched his fists in anger, "That smokey bastard! Had I been prepared for a fight with someone like him then it would have been easy! I always tend to forget my former enemies if I don't constantly fight them" he grumbled, as his parts returned and reassembled him back to normal. As he attempted to think of an incredible rescue, he heard a familiar voice coming from below. Poking his head over the side of the roof, he finally caught a glimpse of Bellamy, Arlong and the fishmen, as he had somehow managed to land directly on top of the bar the fishmen had gone to for their lunch.

"How are we gonna find him, hmm?" asked Chew, "Do you think he's just gonna fall out of the sky?" he snapped, as Buggy floated down behind him without a sound and tapped him on the shoulder. "Looking for me, eh?" Buggy grunted, as Chew and the others turned around. They jumped in surprise at seeing Buggy but were glad to see him.

"BUGGY! IT'S YOU! I KNEW WE COULD FIND YOU EVENTUALLY!" Hachi beamed, puffing out his chest. Buggy laughed, "Sorry for the wait boys! I came under a little fire at a local bar and...uh...we...the leading officers of my crew got arrested" he muttered quietly, sounding defeated as all five of the pirates in front of him dropped their jaws to floor in bamboozlement.

"HOW THE HELL DID THAT HAPPEN?! I THOUGHT YOU WERE SOME MIGHTY EMPEROR!" Bellamy yelled. "SHUT UP WHOEVERYOUARE! HOW WAS I TO KNOW THAT WE'D BE AMBUSHED BY ADMIRAL SMOKER?!" Buggy retorted.

Kuroobi gulped, "Woah now, did you say Admiral Smoker? As in the Smoker that's currently one of the biggest men in the entire navy who's defeated and locked up more pirates than any other navy officer in the world? THAT Admiral Smoker who has a Devil Fruit power?!". Buggy folded his arms, "Yep, that's one, the guy who's always got two cigars hanging from his gaping trap" he grumbled.

"Hmph, if your top crew members got snatched up by the navy, then what does that mean for us?" asked Bellamy, adjusting his sunglasses. Buggy turned to face him and began speaking, but upon realising he had no idea who Bellamy was, he proceeded to look him up and down and then turn his nose up, "Hmm, who's this eh? A friend of yours, Arlong?".

"This is that new guy I was telling you about, the spring human from the Dyed Goods Town that ran his own pirate group and sailed as a commander under Doflamingo" Arlong explained, placing a firm hand on Bellamy's shoulder. Buggy's eyes lit up, as his hands detached to pat Bellamy on the back and shake one his hands, "Pleasure to meet ya! I hear you're a guy who likes to get things done, AND FLASHILY TOO!" he grinned.

"Heh, yeah you'd be right to say that. It's been a while since I've been in a fight though, really my Spring-Spring Fruit powers have just been used for grabbing stuff around the house or jumping around town to make deliveries" Bellamy chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

"Don't worry about it, as long as you can throw a punch you'll be just fine" laughed Buggy, "Now, about what you said a minute ago; to be straight up and honest, I won't leave here to go on any kind of special flashy quest without my men. It may sound ridiculous, but I value them immensely" he explained. "So...what are you asking us to do Buggy?" Hachi asked, confused.

Buggy rolled his eyes, "It means that if you lads want my flashy help, we're gonna have to go to the other side of town, rough up Smoker, rough up his other officers and free my men. You do that and not only will the Buggy Pirates AND Buggy's Delivery have your back, but I will see to it that I also join you personally on your ship for your flashy adventure" he explained, extending a hand, "Do we have a deal?".

Arlong threw his head back and laughed, grabbing the clown's hand firmly and pumping it up and down, "OF COURSE IT'S A DEAL! EVEN WITH OUR SUPERIOR FISHMAN ABILITIES WE CAN'T DEFEAT STRAWHAT WITHOUT YOUR ASSITANCE!". Buggy flashed a grin of his perfect teeth, "PERFECT! Well then, what are we just standing around here for?" he asked, stomping his foot down on a table outside the bar and pointing in the direction of the naval headquarters down the main street on the opposite side of town, "LET'S GO AND RESCUE MY MEN WITH A FLASH!".


[Naval Headquarters]

"Hmm...got any threes?" asked Alvida, sliding the palm her hand up and down her cheek. "King me" said Mohji, tossing a card in the middle. Cabaji raised an eyebrow, "Dude we're playing poker". "Are we? Huh, I thought we were playing snap" Mohji muttered. A high pitched whine was heard as Richie sat against the prison cell wall playing a tune on a harmonica.

"Oi! Quiet down in there! You're throwing off my pace!" Smoker snapped, hitting the bars with his jitte. Cabaji walked over and leaned against the door bars, "Say, any chance you could tell when we're gonna get outta here?".

"Heh, it'll be a while before that happens. I've got some of my officers contacting law enforcement at Impel Down to discuss a more secure holding facility for you lot. As the leading officers of the Buggy Pirates and the Cross Guild Delivery you are most certainly all eligible for immediate imprisonment" Smoker explained, "If you wish for me to put in the word to lessen the harshness, you can always cooperate with myself and the Navy in order to help us locate Buggy the Clown, as well as Dracule Mihawk and the notorious Crocodile".

Alvida laughed uproariously, "Do you honestly think that the Great Beauty Alvida would be so gutless as to rat out her fellow comrades in order to save her own silky smooth skin?". Smoker folded his arms, "So you refuse to tell me how to find my targets in order to uphold trust and honour among your allies? Hmph, a respectable choice but not a smart one in the long run". Smoker pointed at the two guards, "I'm heading out on patrol. If I know Buggy he'll definitely hang around and concoct a way to rescue his crew as oppose to running away with his tail floating between his legs. Keep an eye on them, and don't let them out of your sight" he ordered, "I'm placing my upmost trust into you two, don't let me down". The guards both saluted, "Yes Sir, Admiral Smoker Sir!" they yelled simultaneously as he walked past them while lighting up another pair of cigars.

"You heard the admiral! Don't try anything funny or we'll be forced to light you up light birthday candles!" one of the guards exclaimed. "Oh no! As you can clearly see I'm quaking in my black leather boots!" Cabaji exclaimed sarcastically, getting a laugh from his crewmates. The guards however didn't pick up on the joke.

"Yeah you better be scared! 'Cuz Dan here has the greatest shot in all of the East Blue!" exclaimed the other guard, rubbing his cohort's shoulder. "That's nothing! Our guy Cabaji is a true God at all things acrobatic!" retorted Mohji, "It's true! If you've ever seen him on a unicycle you'd know too!". "Does he also own the big ass lion in the corner playing the spoons?" asked Ippo, the other guard, pointing at Richie. "Nah he's mine, that's Richie" said Mohji as he raised his hand, "He was our captain once y'know, it happened when me and Cabaji here fought for control of the Buggy Pirates after we thought Captain Buggy was killed by Monkey D. Luffy" he explained.

"Pah! The lion was you're captain?" Dan scoffed. "Only temporarily, we got kidnapped by a group of cannibals a few minutes after his promotion" Mohji explained, "Isn't that right Richie?". Richie blew a tune on his harmonica in response. "Huh...neat" Dan and Ippo muttered.


[Street]

"Alright boys, there it is. That right there is the only naval headquarters on the entire island, BUT it's probably loaded to the brim with navy soldiers" said Buggy, pointing at the large building, "If my hunch is correct, Smoker is probably in there too trying to get my crew to cough up vital information".

"Aren't you worried those humans will crumble under the pressure and spill anything important?" Arlong spat.

"No fear at all! My men may look like sloppy joe's who can't do shit, but they're iron fortresses of strength, knowledge, honour and flashy party tricks!" Buggy beamed. "If you say so man" replied Bellamy, "How are we gonna do this eh? Stealth mode or are we just gonna kick in their doors and dash?".

"YOU WON'T BE DOING ANYTHING, YOU OUTLAW HOOLIGANS!".

Turning around to see who was shouting at them, all but Arlong gulped upon seeing Smoker standing ominously on the other side of the main street as the sun set behind him, casting his ginormous shadow across the patch stone path.

"Ah, so you're the smokey bastard I've been hearing about" mused Arlong. "Indeed, and you're Arlong the Sawtooth, correct? The fishman who posted up residence here in the East Blue fifteen years ago and held an entire island hostage before getting your ass handed to you by the current King of the Pirates" grumbled Smoker. Arlong growled as he was reminded of his humiliating loss all those years ago, "You sure do know your history on me. Dare I say you're my biggest fan?".

"Tch, you make me laugh sharkman, I merely keep up to date with those who have a wanted level on their backs and pose a threat to the rest of society" snarked Smoker.

"SHAHAHAHAHA!" Arlong laughed loudly, throwing his head back, "Unless you haven't realised you stupid human, my bail debts have all been paid off! Can you really arrest me for crimes I've already paid the price for in the past and am yet to commit in the future?".

Smoker twirled his jitte and pointed it at the sharkman, "Word on the street is that you're attempting to put together a pirate crew once more. While I can't say for sure what exactly it is you intend to do, I do know I simply cannot allow myself to stand by and watch you usher in another reign of terror on the East Blue" he growled.

"Well in that case, sounds to me like you're looking to rumble? I assume you must have a death wish!" Arlong laughed. Buggy turned around, "Big Arms, Octopus, you come with me, the flashy Buggy and bust my men outta here!" he yelled. "Bellamy, looks like it's time to earn your keep...you'll fight alongside me!" smirked Arlong. "Got it, we'll be done in a snap!" nodded Bellamy. Hachi smiled, "Come on guys, we have to be quick!". "Gah, don't tell me what to do! I'M the Emperor here!" Buggy snapped.

"Splitting up, hmm? You know it's times like this I wish Tashigi were still around, instead she's off in the North Blue handling her own navy branch while I'm covering general patrol of every one of the Earth's seas" Smoker sighed, "However make no mistake! I WILL DEFEAT YOU BEFORE YOU'RE EVIL IS UNLEASHED ON THE WORLD ONCE MORE!" he declared. Arlong flashed his teeth, "We'll take you on if that's what you wish" he said, "SHAAAAAAARK! DAAAAAAAAARTS!".

Quick as a flash, Arlong shot forward like a torpedo towards the admiral, his sharp nose slicing through the air like a hot knife through butter. Turning his body into smoke in the nick of time, Smoker managed to dodge the attack as Arlong flew right through him and crashed into a wall causing people to scatter. Only his nose was stuck in the concrete, though thanks to Arlong's monster strength he was easily able to shatter the stones and free himself.

"Tch, I didn't expect him to be so quick. You're pretty fast for a big guy, you know that?" asked Smoker as he reformed his body back to normal.

"HE'S NOT THE ONE TO WORRY ABOUT!" shouted Bellamy, transforming his legs into springs as he began to bounce around the main street buildings.

Smoker eyes widened as he found himself looking at a new building every second, unable to keep up with Bellamy's increasing speed, "You gonna keep running or are you gonna come at me, eh kid?".

"SPRING! SNIIIIIPE!".

Rocketing off of a tower, Bellamy came flying in Smoker's direction from behind, his fists prepared to make a strike. Smoker glanced back to see his opponent rushing towards him, however he wasn't able to transform fast enough before Bellamy drove his spring loaded fists into the admiral's back and sending him careening into a store through the window. "SHAHAHAHA! THAT ALL YOU GOT?!" Arlong jeered, "I THOUGHT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE A BIG SCARY NAVY COMMANDER?!".

Rubble crashed to the ground and glass smashed as Smoker stood himself up again, the civilians inside the building had avoided being hurt as Smoker had used his ability to remove them from harm's way and take the hit instead. "Make no mistake sharkman, I was just testing the waters. Now you're gonna feel the force that allowed me to reach my position in the navy!" Smoker snapped, "WHITE BLOW!".

A cloud of smoke plumed into the air as it was shot towards Arlong. "Shit! Look out man!" Bellamy yelled, leaping off the side of a building to block the attack. Arlong raised an eyebrow in joy, "IS THAT REALLY ALL YOU CAN DO?! SHOOT A LITTLE STEAM?! SHAAAAAAARK! DAAAAAAAAARTS!".


[Navy Headquarters]

The walls rumbled as loud crashes and bangs could be heard from outside. Ippo held his cap on his head, "What in God's name is happening out there?". Dan snuck over to the window to peek outside, surprised and slightly terrified to see the ensuing battle between Arlong, Bellamy and Smoker.

"Holy shit! Admiral Smoker's fighting some dudes!" he exclaimed.

Alvida tipped her hat up, "Oh really now? Tell me, who could he possibly be going against that could make this much noise?" she mused.

Dan scratched his head, "Hmmmmmmmmm...I dunno, kinda looks a hench dude with some sunglasses n' weird legs aaaaaaaand a...walking shark?". Ippo sighed, "Man have you been drinking on the job again?". "I swear man I haven't! Honest!" Dan protested.

"Woahhhhhhh, did you say shark on land?" gasped Mohji, "Maybe it's a fishman! I hear those guys are wicked strong without even needing a Devil Fruit ability!".

"You don't think they'll come up here, do you?" Dan asked, nervously. Ippo placed a hand on his quivering shoulder, "Don't worry man, I'm sure we'll be fine".

Suddenly the doors were blown off their hinges, causing Ippo and Dan to duck for cover and point their shaky guns at the entrance way.

"GUESS WHO CAME TO RESCUE YOU!" Buggy yelled with gusto, puffing his chest. Cabji, Mohji and Richie all began to tear up as they clenched the bars of their cell and cried out, "CAPTAIN BUGGY! YOU CAME BACK FOR US!".

Buggy dusted off his clothes as Hachi tried to fix the doors and attach them to their hinges again. "Sorry about that! Guess I punched too hard!" Hachi smiled awkwardly. "Don't apologise you idiot, they're the enemy!" Kuroobi snapped, slapping Hachi on the back of his head.

"HEY WHAT THE FUCK MAN?! GET YOUR HANDS UP!" Ippo and Dan yelled simultaneously as they pointed their guns at the pirates. Kuroobi rolled his eyes and began walking over.

"H-HEY BACK IT UP MY GUY! W-WE'LL BLOW YOUR DAMN BRAINS OUT!" shouted Dan as the fishman grew closer. "H-HE REALLY MEANS IT! DAN IS THE BEST SHOOTER I-IN THE EAST BLUE!" added Ippo. Now standing an inch away, Kuroobi reached out for their weapons and crushed the barrels by bending backwards so that they faced Dan and Ippo directly in the face.

"O-Oh would you l-look at the time! I-I think it's time we c-clock out for the d-day!" stuttered Ippo. "R-R-R-Right behind you b-b-buddy!" agreed Dan, as the two guards vanished from the room by booking it out the door that Hachi had just finished fixing, leaving two perfectly shaped Dan and Ippo holes in the walls.

Buggy laughed and slapped his knee, "Talk about chickens, am I right? So much for being top of the line members of the navy" he chuckled as he unlocked and opened the cell door, "Sorry for the wait boys! But now feel free to thank me, your gloriously FLASHY Captain Buggy, for choosing to save you all instead of just running away!".

Mohji, Cabaji and Richie all cheered as they tossed their captain into the air and gave three cheers. "AW I NEVER GAVE UP HOPE EVEN FOR A SECOND CAPTAIN!" cheered Cabaji. "WE'D BE NOTHING WITHOUT YOUR FLASHY HEROISM CAPTAIN BUGGY!" added Mohji. Alvida could only find herself laughing, though she prided herself on being much more serious and level headed than the others in the Buggy Pirates and the Cross Guild, she always found herself enjoying the company of Buggy and his crew the most over Mihawk and Crocodile. "You took your time" she began, "But...thanks Buggy" she smiled.

Kuroobi scoffed, "I suppose we're just going to ignore me using my superior fishman determination to scare off those pathetic human guards?". Hachi patted his comrade on the back, "I thought you did great buddy, nice job on not killing them" he beamed.

"What's the situation, hmm? We heard from those guards that there's some kinda fight going on outside?" asked Cabaji, "And...uh...what's with those things?" he asked, pointing at the fishmen.

"Boys we've potentially got a whole new mission AND some new allies on our hands!" Buggy exclaimed, "Through MY infinitely bountiful wisdom, I have realised that with the age of piracy over and millions of pirates returning home, it means that every possible form of competition has given up on the sea now that the Strawhats have the One Piece! As such we'll be joining forces with the Arlong Pirates to flashily beat the shit outta that damn Strawhat AND BECOME THE FLASHIEST PIRATE KINGS THE WOLRD HAS EVER SEEN!" he shouted with a cackle, as his men cheered and whooped, "At the moment, the sharkman Arlong and his new recruit Bellamy are taking care of that smokey navy brute which will allow us to begin our journey!".

Alvida chuckled to herself, "I say, a very impressive plan Buggy, especially considering your track record of plans" she giggled. "I know" Buggy boasted, not realising what it was that she meant.

Hachi smacked all six of his hands together, "Alright guys, now that you're all free! We can go! NO WAIT! We have to help Arlong and Bellamy first! That's their names, right? OH YEAH IT TOTALLY IS! I remember them real clear!" he exclaimed, "I've been practising my Six Sword Octopus Style, so I can beat that smokey guy no problem I think! Oh wait, I forgot that I don't have any swords right now, oh well".


[Street Fight]

Arlong grasped at his neck as Smoker stood a few feet away, his left arm entirely made of smoke as he held the sharkman up in the air by his neck. "I told you before, I was just testing the waters before. You seem to rely entirely on brute force, something that fails horrendously against the abilities of Smoke-Smoke Fruit" Smoker explained, replacing his burnt out cigars with two fresh ones.

"Y-You bastard!" Arlong hissed, his pupils small and the white of his eyes bloodshot, "H-How DARE you put your hands on me...A MIGHTY SHARKMAN!" he roared as he clawed at Smoker's arm, doing no damage as his slashing fists just phased through.

"Attack all you want, you'll tire out eventually" Smoker sighed.

"BELLAMY! GIVE ME A HAND AND DO SOMETHING YOU IDIOT!" Arlong yelled at the spring man. "What am I supposed to do? Any attack I do will just phase through him! Watch!" Bellamy shouted back, throwing a punch as he arm extended like a spring and flew towards Smoker. It reached him, but as Smoker was prepared for the attack it passed right through his mid section, becoming stuck as Smoker solidified himself and prevented Bellamy from bringing his arm back. "See! That bitch just stole my hand!" Bellamy snapped in annoyance.

"I'm growing tired of this interaction now, hurry it up and surrender already" replied Smoker.

"Never!" Bellamy shouted, as an idea formulated in his mind. With his arm still trapped in Smoker's body, he turned his legs into springs and rocketed forward, also turning his free hand into a spring. Due to the trapped arm being lodged within him, Smoker realised he would be unable to avoid the oncoming attack, as to do so would not only allow Bellamy to free himself but could also potentially free Arlong too.

"SPRING! DEATH! KNOCK!".

"Shit, he's too close!" Smoker thought to himself, "Gotta split!". He began to dissolve into smoke, but not fast enough, as Bellamy's spring-loaded fist drove itself straight into the admiral's face, knocking out both of his cigar's and a tooth as it sent him flying into the fountain at the other end of the street and smashing it to pieces. Water flew into the air and splashed all over the floor as came down on top of Smoker, who lay on his back not moving.

Arlong had been dropped to the floor in the process, massaging his neck as he stood up. "For a human, I must admit you did quite well Bellamy" the sharkman humbly admitted, "Now quick! Let's kill him and get out of here!".

"Hey wait a second! I thought we weren't gonna kill anyone? Didn't Hachi say you'd be exiled from your home island if you were caught murdering humans again?" asked Bellamy.

Arlong growled as he remembered what he'd been told, knowing full well that Bellamy was right. "He'll be unconscious for a while but I can't say for sure how long" said Bellamy, "Let's make our exit before he wakes up, I doubt he'd come after us after a loss like this".

Arlong nodded, "Fine, fine, he'll be allowed to live...for now".

"HEY ARLONG! ARLONG! AAAAAAAAAAAARLOOOOOOOOOOONG!" Hachi called out from the window of the naval headquarters, "WEEEEEE GOOOOOOOT THEEEEEEEEM!" he cheered. "Hmph, good work Hachi! Head for the Sawtooth now! We leave immediately!".


With the fight over, the gang ran to the harbour where their ship was still waiting. Thankfully Buggy and his crew hadn't came the town on their personal vessel, instead using a small sailing ship to avoid detection. Running up the gangway, Bellamy dragged up the gangway as Arlong yanked up the anchor while Hachi manned the helm. As soon as Buggy had unfurled the sails, the Sawtooth lurched forward and caught the wind as they began to sail.

"Look at that boys! I say that's a job well done!" Buggy announced, "From one pirate to another, your help will be noted as greatly appreciated Arlong. Even with ME being the one to set you free from Impel Down, I'm still quite surprised at how willing you are to work with humans" he boasted.

"Of course, you're welcome. After all, we can't take out Strawhat without your assistance" replied Arlong. "You did great too Bellamy!" Hachi called out from the helm, "We saw it all from the window of the base! You totally knocked that smoke guy out with one punch!".

Buggy grinned, "Indeed! Impressive strength for someone who I hear has been retired from piracy for a few years!". Bellamy laughed, "Thanks guys, just glad I could be of help. I'm assuming that now I've properly earned my place at the table?".

"Your goddamn right!" Kuroobi cheered, slapping him on the back.

Alvida leaned against the mast in the middle of the deck, "So...tell me, Arlong. You have your ship, a crew and the backing of Buggy's empire. What now?".

Arlong smirked, "We've got everything in place now, of course we're finally ready to begin our mission!" he announced, "Hachi! Set a course for the Grand Line! We don't know where exactly Strawhat has set up shop, but I'll find him in one way or another!".

The group all raised a fist into the air and cheered, while Arlong stood on the Sawtooth's nose, threw his back and laughed maniacally. "Prepare yourselves" Alvida advised, "The age of pirates may be over, but the Grand Line is still riddled with top dog criminals with the same goal as us. Not that I'm worried, but I'm sure there's gonna be a few opponents who might us a run for our money".

"Who cares about that? If anyone tries to stop me, I'll take them out with a FLASH!" Buggy exclaimed, also getting cheers from Cabaji, Mohji and Richie.


"S-Sir! What are we gonna do?!" Ippo asked. He, Dan, and Smoker were all standing at the edge of the harbour as the Sawtooth sailed away over the horizon.

Smoker grumbled and stuck a cigar into his mouth, "We're gonna get after them, that's what. I'm not bound to the East Blue, I AM THE LAW OF THE NAVY!" he shouted, "Assemble a crew of the finest men and women the navy has in the East, South, West and North Blue and put in word in the HQ to give us the best ships we have at our disposal" he ordered.

Ippo and Dan both saluted, "Yes Sir, Admiral Smoker Sir!". Smoker thought for a moment, "While you're at it, put out word for a raise on the bounties of every pirate involved in the incident today. We take 'em back dead only, no exceptions" he grunted before turning away from the soldiers and looking out into the setting sun as it's light bounced off the ocean.

"You got lucky escaping, today you all live" Smoker thought to himself, as he inhaled his cigar, "But make no mistake, even if it kills me I WILL have your heads, for the sake of the innocent lives across the world".

{TO BE CONTINUED}


(Coyler's note: And so the journey can properly begin! Definitely gonna take a while to master writing the action, but for starting off I think it was handled nicely. Smoker is gonna be a pretty big character in the overall story, as he'll basically be serving as the main foil for Bellamy and The Bois. With the introduction of Buggy, he'll also be a main member of the gang alongside Bellamy and Arlong, so we got the big three all together. While everyone holds the belief that their quest will be incredibly easy, they'll definitely have to fight their way to the top if they wanna reach King Luffy, not just Smoker and the navy but some potential unknown Devil Fruit users too...spooky. Like always I hope you enjoyed this latest update! Remember to follow, favourite and review, after all I can't get better as a writer without epic feedback! Coyler, out!)