Chapter 23
Basically one day Shanks finds out the real reason why Buggy hates him.
The reason Shanks thanks Buggy hate him is because A) he was the reason why Buggy accidentally ended up eating a Devil fruit, and The main reason why Shanks thanks Buggy hate him is because Shanks had left off one his own adventures risen to become a powerful Yonko very, very very quickly, while Buggy remain In East Blue and ended up staying significantly weaker, until recently where Buggy’s bounty shot up from 15,000,000 to 3,189,000,000 and Buggy became a warlord and then an emperor of the sea.
The real reason why Buggy hates Shanks is because before Shanks left off on his own adventure Buggy and Shanks had sex and Shanks ended up getting Buggy pregnant and Shanks and Buggy have never seen each other since.
Shanks doesn’t even know he Buggy was pregnant, nor the fact he has a son named Red.
Shanks never knew his son existed.
Shanks has never met his son a day in either of their lives.
The only reason why Shanks finds out he has a son is because Red gets his first ever bounty poster of 500,000,000 and A newspaper stating he’s the newest member of the Strawhat Pirates and Shanks and his crew the Red haired pirates see it.
Red looks like he’s 6 ‘7, with nape length curly vibrant red hair, dark tan skin, equally vibrant blue eyes and a swirling blue and purple tattoo on his shoulder and back.
Red looks like the spinning image of shanks except Red has Buggy’s blue eyes.
Red is 19-years-old
Buggy looks like she’s 4 ‘11, with long knee length slightly curly light blue hair, Big bright blue eyes.
Sense Buggy is known as The Star Clown Princess Buggy’s whole aesthetic is like clowns and circuses and all the stuff that has to deal with clowns.
Buggy’s clothes are seemed after really, really really cute cutesy clown clothes.
Buggy is the definition of a cute girl.
Buggy is so so so so so so cute
Buggy is so so so so so so so pretty.
Buggy is as pretty as a picture.
Buggy called Crocodile Puddin’
Buggy called Mihawk Sugar
Buggy Town will periodically have an Bananawani lounging around, but they mostly lounge around the circus tent that cross skill uses as their base.
Bananawani are giant crocodiles. They are so fierce that they even prey on Sea Kings and are to date the Sea Kings' only known natural predator.
Bananawani’s can get up to 100-to-500 feet big and crocodile owns 30 of them.
All of Bananawani’s are overly extremely extremely massively overprotective of Crocodile, because he’s their owner, and the other cross Guild higher up members.
Bananawani are so dangerous and so strong they hunt sea Kings. Bananawani’s are the only predator Sea King have because of how strong and deadly they are.
Bananawani’s are the only natural predators of sea kings.
Salamander is the son of Crocodile and Buggy.
Raven is the son of Mihawk and Buggy.
Salamander is 2-years-old
Raven is 1-years-old
Crocodile, Mihawk, and Buggy are all dating each other.
Both Buggy and Shanks have known Monkey D. Garp since they 5-years-old.
Garp took care of them for a little while and made sure they were okay after Gol D. Roger’s execution when Buggy and Shanks were 15-years-old so he sees them as kind of like his pseudo-son and Pseudo-daughter, so he also sees their kids as his grandkid.
Both Buggy and Shanks were part of The Roger Pirates from the ages of 5 to 15-years-old.
“SHANKS!” Beckman’s Voice echoed through the entire Red force ship as he screamed his captain’s name at the top of his lungs. And let’s just say he doesn’t sound very happy with Shanks… at all. He sounds quite… angry actually.
Shanks stumbles out of his cabin onto the deck of his ship The Red force, his eyes still half-closed with sleep. He’s not one to get up early unless there’s a good reason, like finding a new island to plunder or a sea beast to challenge. “What is it, Beck?” he groans, rubbing the sleep out of his left eye. His hair looked like a bird had decided to build a nest in it, and his clothes were rumpled from his restless slumber.
Shanks was the last one up as usual, and Beckman decided here and now he was not gonna save his captain from embarrassment, so, he started reading the daily news newspaper article. He started reading it very very loudly, nearly a yell how loud he was saying it. “THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE STRAWHAT PIRATES! THE SON OF THE EX-WATLORD, AND CURRENTLY ONE OF THE NEW EMPERORS OF THE SEA, THE STAR CLOWN PRINCESS BUGGY THE CLOWN AND THE CAPTAIN OF THE RED-HAIRED PIRATES AND EMPERORS OF THE SEA RED-HAIRED SHANKS HIMSELF, WHO KNOW TWO OF THE PAST ROGER PIRATES HAD A KID TOGETHER! THE KID, A YOUNG MAN NAMED, RED, HAS JOINED THE STRAWHAT PIRATES AND HAS GOTTEN HIS FIRST EVER BOUNTY OF 500,000,000! THE NEWEST OF THE WORST GENERATION PIRATES, RED, THE STAR CROWNED CLOWN PRINCE!”
The moment those words hit Shanks’ ears, his eyes shot wide open, and he felt like he had just been dunked in a barrel of ice-cold water. “What the hell did you just say?” he roared, his voice echoing through the ship.
Beckman glared at him for a second before flapping the newspaper in front of him dramatically, giving everyone a show that he was reading the newspaper as be reread it even louder then last time. “THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE STRAWHAT PIRATES! THE SON OF THE EX-WATLORD, AND CURRENTLY ONE OF THE NEW EMPERORS OF THE SEA, THE STAR CLOWN PRINCESS BUGGY THE CLOWN AND THE CAPTANIN OF THE RED-HAIRED PIRATES AND EMPERORS OF THE SEA RED-HAIRED SHANKS HIMSELF, HOW KNOW TWO OF THE PAST ROGER PIRATES HAD A KID TOGETHER! THE KID, A YOUNG MAN NAMED, RED, HAS JOINED THE STRAWHAT PIRATES AND HAS GOTTEN HIS FIRST EVER BOUNTY OF 500,000,000! THE NEWEST OF THE WORST GENERATION PIRATES, RED, THE STAR CROWNED CLOWN PRINCE!” He finished with a dramatic flourish, watching as Shanks stared at the him, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief.
The room was dead silent, the only sound being the gentle creaks of the ship as it swayed in the waves. Shanks sat up slowly, his mind racing as he took the the bounty poster the Beckman was waving at him. His eyes scanned the wanted poster.
The Picture on the bounty poster was of a shirtless muscular young man, Red. His torso and chest was bare, except for the smudges of white face paint that trailed down his collarbones, shoulders and chest. The white handprints and finger smudges that adorned his body looked like they were reaching for his heart, and gave him a wild untamed look. his face was completely covered in white face paint with intricate purple swirls. In the bounty poster Red was in a pair of baggy, low rise, Sky blue pants with White clouds on them that were slung dangerously low, and healed platform boots. Red had dark tan skin, vibrant red hair, and equally as a vibrant blue eyes. On his right shoulder and back a swirling bright blue tattoo lay, a start contrast to the dark tan of his skin. In the bounty poster he was smiling like madman, as he somehow, precariously balanced on the Tip of a handle of a giant ax that was bigger than Red’s entire body, that was also precariously standing straight up as Red balance on the tip of the handle, while squatting. In the bounty poster Red was using his right hand to shield his eyes from the sun as he watched the chaos of a fight around him. He had a look of pure excitement in his eyes, and a hint of something darker, something that looked like enjoyment of the chaos that was happening around him.
Shanks felt his heart racing as he studied the image of Red. He saw his own features in the young man's face, the same strong jaw and sharp cheekbones, but the blue eyes, the playful clown makeup, and clothes were all Buggy. It was like someone just took himself and Buggy and just threw them into a mixer, and BOOM! A kid with Shanks Color scheme, features, hight, but swapped Buggy all over came out.
"B-Buggy..." Shanks stammers, his mind racing back to their past adventures. "It can't be..." He whispers to himself, the weight of his words sinking in. The last time he saw her was over 19 years ago, just before he set sail to pursue his own path as a pirate. The night they shared was filled with laughter, camaraderie, and a bit too much rum. He had no idea she was carrying his child.
The crew of the Red Hair Pirates exchange glances, the tension palpable in the air. They know their captain as a man of honor and loyalty, and this revelation could rock the very foundation of their trust in him. Lucky Roux, the burly, seasoned pirate, is the first to speak up. "Well, cap'n, I guess congratulations are in order. Did ya know 'bout this?" He tries to lighten the mood, but the gravity of the situation hangs heavy.
“No…” Shanks managed to murmur, his eyes still glued to the newspaper article, the words swimming in a sea of disbelief. He had always known that his past with Buggy was a tumultuous one, filled with adventure and friendship, but this... this was something entirely different. He had never thought that their time together could have led to this.
The crew remained silent, watching their captain carefully. They had seen Shanks face down the most fearsome pirates and marines, but this was a kind of battle they had never witnessed before. Yasopp, his old comrade and the ship's sniper, stepped forward, a look of concern etched on his face. “Shanks, what do we do now?”
Shanks took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. He had always been a man of action, not one to dwell on the past, but this was something he couldn’t ignore. He had a son out there, a son with a bounty on his head, a son who didn’t even know him. The thought filled him with a mix of fear and excitement. “We find him,” Shanks said firmly, his eyes meeting Yasopp’s. “We find Red, and I’ll meet him face to face.”
“No.” Benn said bluntly, “you need to go talk to Buggy, Shanks, not the boy. You two have history that needs to be addressed before you go gallivanting around playing daddy to a kid that doesn’t know you.” The deck was dead quiet, all eyes on Shanks, who was still trying to process the revelation.
Shanks nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. He knew that he couldn’t just barge into his son’s life without first facing the woman he left behind. He had to deal with the consequences of his past actions. “You’re right, Benn. We need to find Buggy first. The Cross Guild... we’ll head to Buggy Town.”
The crew of the Red Hair Pirates sprang into action, preparing the ship for departure. Shanks’ mind raced with thoughts of the past and the future, the weight of his decisions pressing down on him like an anchor. As the ship sliced through the waves towards Buggy Town, Shanks couldn’t help but feel a twinge of excitement mixed with anxiety. What would Buggy say when she saw him again? Would she be angry? Would she want anything to do with him?
Buggy Town grew closer on the horizon, its vibrant colors standing out like a beacon amidst the sea. The Cross Guild’s Jolly Roger fluttered proudly atop the town’s main flagpole, a stark reminder of the power that awaited them. The town looked like a carnival had collided with a pirate stronghold, a whirlwind of clown motifs and maritime might.
As the Red Force docked, Shanks stepped onto the shore with his crew in tow. The townsfolk buzzed with excitement at the sight of the legendary pirate, whispering about the Four Emperors and the potential alliances forming.
The journey to the Cross Guild headquarters was filled with anticipation and nervous glances. Shanks had not seen Buggy in nearly two decades, and the last time they were together was not under the best of circumstances. The memory of their parting still lingered in the air, a silent thundercloud that threatened to rain down on their reunion.
As they approached the grand absolutely fucking ginormous Circus tent that served as the guild’s base, the air grew tense. The townsfolk eyed then, but didn’t pay them any mind as they continued on with their day.
The Cross Guild headquarters was a sight to behold. The tent was so large it looked like it could swallow the entire town. It was a blend of opulent and macabre, with gold and velvet everywhere and the occasional skull decoration peeking out from the curtains.
But the Red haired pirates stopped in their tracks when they got to the entrance of the Circus tent, flap of the tent flapping in the wind slightly and saw, well, Buggy, yeah, they were expecting to see her.
But it’s what she was doing, or rather what she was doing with a person.
Buggy was hanging upside down from aerial silks, The fabric of the aerial silks wrapped around her body, highlighting every curve, as someone stood beside her, and she was kissing that someone. No, not just someone, but it as Dracule Mihawk, The world‘s greatest swordsman, the man whose very name sent shivers down the spines of the bravest sailors. Buggy was hanging upside down, cradling Mihawk’s face, kissing him, and he was kissing her back, his hands tangled in her hair.
Shanks' jaw hit the ground.
The sight before him was nothing short of surreal. Buggy, his former crewmate and the mother of his unbeknownst son, was entangled with none other than Dracule Mihawk, the man whose name alone could silence a room full of pirates. The world's greatest swordsman, whose legend was matched only by his terrifying reputation, was kissing Buggy with a passion that could be felt from where Shanks and his crew were standing. The shock was palpable, as the crew of the Red Hair Pirates exchanged wide-eyed glances, unable to believe the scene unfolding before them.
Shanks felt a mix of emotions surge through him. Surprise at the intimate display, confusion at the alliance between his friend and the woman he had once shared a brief but significant moment with, and a peculiar sting of jealousy that he had not anticipated. The realization that Buggy had moved on and found love with one of the most powerful men in the world was both sobering and disconcerting. He had always known she was beautiful and charming, but to think she could capture the heart of a man like Mihawk was something he had never considered.
Before shanks could even think about saying something a loud Sharp Wolf whistle echoed from further inside the tent. “Look what we got here!” A deep, rumbling, soothingly-relaxed voice with a heavy and thick Egyptian called out, the voice filled with amusement.
Buggy chuckled, breaking the kiss with Mihawk and turning to head to where the voice came from. “What? Do you wanna kiss too, Puddin’?” She had holding her hands out, and making grab hands as she made kissy noises.
The owner of the voice, Crocodile, emerged from further inside the tent, his jet-black hair and purple eyes gleaming in the dim light. He was a towering figure, a stark contrast to the more diminutive form of the Star Clown. His tall, muscular frame was adorned in a silk black button up, an emerald green male corset that cinched his waist sexally. The male corset had darker shiny designs to look like crocodile scales, flared black dress pants, heeled black crocodile skin dress shoes. He had a black tie on that looked like it was made out of real black alligator skin. And an alligator skin belt with a quite large pure gold crocodile shaped belt buckle, with emeralds as the crocodile's eyes. He had a shit ton of jewelry, Gold, silver, Diamond, and jeweled rings, bracelets, necklaces, every goddamn piercing you could get in your ears, both side of his nostrils were double pierced, and he had a septum piercing, he had 1 inch stretched ears, and Chunk Snakebite piercings made out of gold, he had angel fangs piercing, Two matching Monroe piercings beside the angel fangs, surface under his right eye and dermal under the left eye, dimple piercings, and Golden and diamond studded fang grills. And Crocodile had make up on, he didn’t just have on make up he had on messy make, a deep sparkling Emerald green eyeshadow was under his bottom lash line that faded into black that went around his eyes like eyeliner, With a bit of smudged and messy eyeliner and pointed bottom lashes. And to finish the look he had on an open long fur coat.
"Buggy, darling, you have guests," Crocodile purred, his gaze flicking over to Shanks and his crew.
Buggy flailed slightly, her head snapping to the side to try to see who their guests were, swinging slightly from where she was still hanging upside down from the aerial silks. Her expression dropped into one of annoyance, and she let out an annoyed, grown as soon as she saw Shanks and his crew. “What do you want, Shanks?”
Shanks took a moment to take in the sight of Buggy. He felt a twinge of something he couldn’t quite place. Jealously? Regret? Surprise? “We need to talk, Buggy. In private, if you don’t mind?”
Buggy glared at him, her expression a mix of suspicion, annoyance, and curiosity as she untangled herself from the aerial silks, revealing her outfit. She was dressed in a vibrant Cerulean leotard, the deep blue hugging her body in a way that highlighted her curves, with a playful U-shaped V-cut at the neckline, and high hip cut outs. The ruffled hips showcased her red and white striped hip-length sock on one leg, contrasting with the pink and red thigh-high on the other, and yellow roughly ankle socks over top of them. She had on one yellow platform heel and one Blue platform heel. The short red puff sleeves fluttered as she moved, the Black and white striped fingerless gloves stretching up to meet them and a yellow bow with the blue sapphire gem that adorned her neck. Her long, light blue hair was pulled into two high pigtails, secured with matching yellow ribbons, making her look like a living doll in a clown costume.
"Alright," she said with a dramatic sigh, "If it's that important, fine. But make it quick. I've got a meeting with my Puddin' and Sugar." She flicked her hair over her shoulder and Kissed Mihawk one last time before turning on her heels, walking further into the circus tent.
Shanks followed her, feeling like he was stepping into a surreal clown world, the bright colors and whimsical decorations seemingly mocking the gravity of the situation. Inside, the tent was vast, with tall ceilings held up by thick wooden poles adorned with streamers and balloons. The smell of popcorn and cotton candy filled the air, mixing with the faint scent of the sea that permeated every corner of the island. Buggy let him to some empty room and close the door behind them.
The room was dimly lit, with a single spotlight shining down on a round table covered with various knickknacks and half-eaten snacks. Buggy leaned against the table, her hands on her hips, and looked up at Shanks with a coy smile. "Alright, Shanks, spill it," she said, her voice a mix of annoyance and challenge. "What's so important that you had to come all the way here?"
Shanks took a deep breath, his hand tightening around the newspaper clipping in his pocket. "It's about Red," he began, his eyes searching hers for any hint of understanding. "I know he's my son."
“Well, I guessed that. I would be pretty pissed off if you didn’t connect the dots when you saw the daily news the other day.” Buggy’s tone was a strange mix of casual and sarcastic. “Garp went all out when he got his first bounty poster, and that article. Luffy told me he even he cried a bit. Something about another one of his ‘grandkids’ turning into a criminal and not a marine like him or something, I don’t know.”
Shanks’ eyes widened in shock, trying to process everything. The revelation of his own child, the child’s involvement with the Strawhat Pirates, and now the knowledge that Garp had known all along. The weight of his past was crushing him, and the walls of the private room seemed to be closing in. He took a deep breath and finally spoke, "Buggy, why didn't you tell me?"
Buggy eyed him. “It’s not like you made it easy for me.” She said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Every time I saw you, you were either blackout drunk, in the middle of a fight, ignoring whatever I was trying to say to you because you were trying to get ready to leave for a new ‘adventure’, or you were already gone again. I even had Garp try to tell you but you anytime he saw you, and Luffy, I even had Luffy try and tell you anytime she saw you… were too busy doing… whatever the hell you were doing at that point in time. And every time I tried to follow you, you were always one step ahead of me. Besides, I had my own shit to deal with, It’s not like I could just follow you to the ends of the Earth. I had to take care of my crew, I had to raise a kid, and a whole bunch of other shit.”
Shanks felt his heart drop to his stomach. The woman he had known for so long, the one he had once shared such a deep bond with, had gone through all this alone. And she had done it all while he was off chasing his own dreams, completely oblivious to the consequences of his actions.
"I'm sorry, Buggy." He said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I never knew... I never knew any of this was happening. If I had, I would have come back sooner."