Below the obsidian temple, Chopper and Buggy were freaking out. The duo had stumbled upon each other in the abandoned village on the west side of the island and decided to work together until Chopper could get back to the Straw Hats. Buggy may also be in the race to find the One Piece, but he wasn't a monster. Chopper had been bawling and practically traumatized when Buggy found him in the village. He was reminded of how he was found by Shanks and Roger. Buggy had frowned and decided to help Chopper. Not out of the goodness of his heart, but because he was tired of hearing the crying. If anyone said it was because he wanted to do the right thing, Buggy would deny it.
The two stumbled upon the obsidian temple and fell into the catacombs beneath it. The tunnel system brought them to a large room beneath the temple, a room Chopper and Buggy wished they could unsee. The room had these large pods full of this strange liquid. In each pod was a different person with vine-like veins sticking into each person, taking small amounts of blood every couple hours.
Chopper had started wailing and crying upon seeing Sanji, Franky, Brook, and Jinbe in a few pods. Buggy hated Shanks, but he felt anger bubbling in his veins upon seeing every member of Shanks' crew in a pod. Even Alvida was in a pod. Buggy and Chopper also recognized the Heart Pirates in the pods on the farthest wall. Chopper hid in Buggy's cape and Buggy felt furious. Not even the marines in Impel Down had been this level of cruel and inhumane. Sure, they tortured people, but they didn't stuff them in pods like science experiments as far as Buggy knew.
"You shouldn't be here," Dracule Mihawk drawled as he walked into the room. His golden eyes narrowed, ice cold as he glared at Buggy and Chopper.
"YOU!?" Buggy screeched at Mihawk, eyes wide. "Hawkie, what the hell is this? How could you–" he jumped to conclusions, assuming Mihawk had something to do with why the Straw Hats, Heart Pirates, and Red Hair Pirates were in pods, slowly draining their blood.
Mihawk scowled at Buggy, eyes flashing angrily. "How dare you assume I had anything to do with this?" he snarled, Buggy clearly having touched a nerve. He grabbed Yoru and gripping the hilt tightly. His knuckles grew white as he moved past Buggy and slashed at the vines and chains above the pods, cutting them. "They'll regrow within a day but it gives them more time," he explained, frown deepening. He turned and returned to glaring at Buggy. "What the hell are all of you doing here?" he snapped.
Buggy was shaken out of his stupor. "Where is here?" he asked Mihawk. "What is all this and how do you know about it?" he yelled at Mihawk, for once not acting like a crazy selfish clown.
Mihawk sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I can't tell you. It's best you leave this place and don't come back. Let me deal with this," he ordered, walking past Buggy and Chopper. "If you follow the caves straight back you'll reach the barrier. Leave, get to the beach and get off this island."
Buggy's jaw dropped. "NO!" he shouted, stamping his food. He split his body so his upper half was looming over Mihawk. "You can't expect me to just leave things like this! You need to explain this!" Buggy's hands were gripping the collar of Mihawk's jacket. "What is going on!?"
Mihawk pried Buggy's hands off him and continued walking. "You don't know what you are getting into," Mihawk gritted his teeth. He grabbed Buggy's hair and began dragging him. "I'll bring you to the others and you all can leave together."
"Ack!" Buggy hissed in pain and struggled. "Hawkie! Don't–OW! Stop pulling my hair!" Buggy shouted as Chopper clinged to his cape. Mihawk ignored Buggy's complaints and pain as he trudged through the catacombs, coming to an opening by the large marble temple.
"Up you go. Meet with the others. Leave," Mihawk snapped, disappearing back into the dark tunnels. "MIHAWK!" Buggy's voice echoed through the tunnels and traveled up to the temple. But, Mihawk was gone. The clown put his body back together and huffed, glaring at the dark tunnels.
"Wahh! ROBIN!" Chopper cried, running into the marble temple when he caught a familiar scent. He latched onto Robin's leg and wailed.
"Chopper!" The remaining Straw Hat pirates exclaimed in unison. Robin bent down and wrapped her arms around Chopper, picking him up in a motherly way, resting him on her hip. Zoro had walked up to Chopper and put a hand on his head. Luffy hugged the trio and Nami frowned. "Why are you crying, Chopper?"
"Because he's terrified, why else, kiddos?" Buggy drawled, leaning against the temple's door. He grinned and waved at them. "Hello, kids!" he laughed, trying to push down the disgust and anger he felt. He refused to look at Shanks or even acknowledge him. For once, Buggy didn't know what to say to his old friend, especially after what he just saw.
"Buggy!?" Everyone exclaimed.
"Surprise!" Buggy did jazz hands. "I found the little deer in the village on the west side of the island. And I'm not a monster, so here you go. He's returned to you." Buggy pointed at the Straw Hats. "This does not mean we owe each other anything!"
"Why are Buggy and Chopper here?" Law asked Robin, not bothering to look at the clown Yonko. "We have two yonkos, four supernovas and half of the Mugiwaras, what could we all possibly have in common?"
"Don't forget Mihawk," Buggy smirked smugly. If Mihawk didn't want to be known on the island, too bad.
"Mihawk's here?" Zoro perked up. "Why?"
Robin frowned deeply. "It's not good," she murmured. "From what I've read, if we are here and our crews are missing, nothing good will be coming." She shivered, fear clouding her eyes. "There seems to be a ritual that happens every fifty years. It's not good. It only helps her get stronger."
"Gets who stronger? You're not making any sense!" Bonney snapped, looking anxious. "If you're going to explain something, explain it so we don't have to ask more questions." She paced the temple, fidgeting with her hands. A sense of unease fell upon the group.
"Robin," Shanks spoke up. "What can you tell us? It's best we know everything right now." He swallowed thickly, ignoring the guilt in his gut for not saying anything about his Haki or the vision. "I have some things I need to tell you as well."
