Chapter 24
“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 with how loud he was saying it. “THE YOUNGEST CROSS GUILD MEMBER! 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 KNEW TWO OF THE PAST ROGER PIRATES HAD A KID TOGETHER! THE KID, A YOUNG MAN NAMED, RED, HAS GOTTEN HIS FIRST EVER BOUNTY OF 500,000,000 BERRIES! 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 splattered, 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, and he reread it even louder than last time. “THE YOUNGEST CROSS GUILD MEMBER! 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 KNEW TWO OF THE PAST ROGER PIRATES HAD A KID TOGETHER! THE KID, A YOUNG MAN NAMED, RED, HAS GOTTEN HIS FIRST EVER BOUNTY OF 500,000,000 BERRIES! THE NEWEST OF THE WORST GENERATION PIRATES, RED, THE STAR CROWNED CLOWN PRINCE!”
He finished with a dramatic flourish, watching as Shanks stared at him, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief.
The deck 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 bounty poster 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 heeled platform boots. Red had dark tan skin, vibrant red hair, and equally as vibrant blue eyes. On his right shoulder and back a swirling bright blue tattoo lay, a stark contrast to the dark tan of his skin. In the bounty poster he was smiling like a 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 balanced on the tip of the handle, while squatting… ‘how the actual fuck is he balancing like that?… 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 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, height, 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 deck remained silent as the crew of the Red Hair Pirates stared at their captain, trying to gauge his reaction. They had seen Shanks in many situations, from battles against powerful adversaries to moments of great victory, but they had never seen him look so lost. Yasopp, the ship’s sniper, broke the silence with a tentative chuckle. “Well, cap’n, I guess we know where Red gets his looks from!” The tension in the room eased slightly, and a few nervous chuckles echoed through the deck.
Shanks took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving the bounty poster. The realization that he had a son, a son with a bounty that large, shook him to his core. He had always known that his carefree pirate life would come with consequences, but this was something he had never anticipated. He had left Buggy behind, not knowing she was carrying his child, and now here was the result—a young man.
The rest of the crew looked on with a mix of astonishment and curiosity. Limejuice wal over and looked over Shanks shoulder, examining the poster. “He’s a spitting image of you, Cap’n, except for those eyes—he’s got Buggy’s blue peepers!” The comment brought more laughter to the tense air, but it was clear that everyone’s thoughts were racing.
Bonk Punch, the ship’s chef, clapped his meaty hands together. “Well, what’re we waiting for, Cap’n? Let’s get a move on and meet this lad! Maybe he’s got a taste for adventure like his ol’ man!” His enthusiasm was contagious, and Shanks felt a twinge of excitement. It had been years since he’d seen Buggy, and now there was a whole new chapter to their story waiting to unfold.
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. “Yeah,” Shanks said firmly, “We find Red, and I’ll meet him face to face.”
“No.” Benn said bluntly, smacking him on the back of the head with the newspaper that was now rolled up, “you need to go talk to Buggy, Shanks, not the boy. You two have a history that needs to be addressed before you go gallivanting around playing daddy to a kid that doesn’t know you from Adam.”
Shanks winced, rubbing the sore spot, but he knew Beckman was right. He had to talk to Buggy first, sort out what the hell had been happening for the past 19 years.
Shanks nodded, 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 them, 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. 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.
And Buggy was it alone, sbe was with someone, someone who was standing 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 and his crew watched, their mouths agape, as they realized the depth of Buggy’s relationship with the infamous swordsman. The sight was surreal, like watching a pair of mythical creatures engaging in a fiery dance in the heart of a volcano. Shanks felt a peculiar mix of shock, curiosity, and an unfamiliar pang of jealousy as he observed the two powerful pirates, their bounties combining to create a spectacle that could rival the most dramatic sunset. He had always known Buggy to be a charmer, but seeing her with Mihawk, his long-time friend, was something he had never anticipated.
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. The voice was soon follow by two smaller, a lot younger voices that were high-pitched and innocent voices that belonged to toddlers. “MOMMY’S KISSING PAPA! DADDY, MOMMY’S KISSING PAPA!” The two toddler voices giggled, as two toddlers, two boys, one no older than 2-years-old, and the other no older then 1-years-old ran out from further inside the Circus tent, and right up to Buggy and Mihawk, and clinging too Mihawks’ legs, jostling him slightly.
The two boys had their mother's slightly curly light blue hair, but one had Crocodile’s purple eyes, and the other had Mihawk’s yellow eyes. They were obviously Buggy’s, Crocodile’s, and Mihawk’s kids.
Buggy and Mihawk quickly broke away from their kiss, turning to look at the two toddlers with fond expressions, while the crew members of the Red Hair Pirates looked on with a mix of astonishment and bewilderment. The boys looked up at their fathers with a blend of innocence and mischief, as if they had just interrupted something they were not supposed to see. The tension in the air was palpable as Shanks tried to process what he was witnessing.
“Yeah, Mommy and Papa were kissing.” Buggy said nonchalantly, as she untangled herself from the aerial silks, her heels click clacking on the floor when she landed gracefully. She bent down to pick up her two young boys, one in each arm, and kissed their heads.