The Adventures of Shanks and Buggy: Shanks and the Mermaid Girl

The Mysterious Island

The night was as still as the currents of the Calm Belts—save but for the deserted island upon which the crew of the Roger Pirates held their wild celebration. It was all thanks to the successful discovery of a great treasure belonging to one of the first pirates of the world—several chests full of jewels, gold and more importantly; a wealth of weaponry and a mysterious Devil Fruit.

The crew was ecstatic.

Music filled the air—harping, piping and strumming from the crew's musicians—accompanied by wild dancing, cheering and less than savory singing which had already set many a wild animal to flight.

Buggy stood just at the forest's periphery—a mischievous grin on his face as he clandestinely appraised the secret and mysterious map he and Shanks had found. He whispered silently to himself, "Gyahahaha... with this I'll definitely get my big break, now if only I could—"

"Oi Buggy! Whatcha doing?!" A voice thundered behind him. A voice which he recognized all too well. 

"Gaaah!" Buggy yelled, instantly throwing his hands up into the air in alarm, dropping the map in the process. It would have fallen to the ground had he not made a quick, last minute attempt to grab it from the air—tucking it beneath his shirt as he swiveled around quickly to face the voice's owner. "V-v-v-v-v-vice Captain! I erm... didn't hear you coming," he nervously said to Silvers Rayleigh.

Rayleigh scratched his head and leaned in close to Buggy, poking him in the chest with a finger as he took a swig from the large rum bottle he held in the other hand. "What's with you, eh? yelling all of a sudden, *hic!*," he narrowed his eyes and poked Buggy's chest again. "What's under there? and what are you *hic!* doing here in the forest? you should be on lookout duty." He took another swig and stared Buggy in the eyes.

Buggy's eyes widened. "I-it's, umm—I was umm—"

Rayleigh's eyes narrowed even more, a stern look dawning upon his less than sober face. "Buggy"—he furrowed his brows angrily—"Don't tell me that what you have under your shirt is—"

"Ack! N-no Vice Captain! It was Shanks' idea! he—"

" —paper to wipe your ass with!" Rayleigh pinched his nostrils closed with a forefinger and thumb. "Here of all places, too! Just get it over with and go back to looking out on the boat *hic!*" He then ambled off towards where the crew was celebrating—stumbling half-drunkenly as he engaged in the crew's raucous laughter, upon making it to the large bonfire they had built and danced around.

Buggy sighed with relief and wiped his forehead. It was a close call. He soon regained his composure and glanced around. "Where the hell is that red-haired jerk? he was supposed to... what the—" he halted his words upon sight of Shanks who came walking from the other side of the forest with several other crewmates, aiding in lifting a large boar which they had evidently hunted.

He folded his fists and frowned as the crew cheered and the cook immediately seized the captured creature—hoisting it away towards a large, boiling pot. "Of course he would do something like this," Buggy seethed. He then waited till Shanks had begun drinking with the others, and quickly separated his head from his neck using the power of his Bara Baro no Mi ability. Buggy wasted no time in sneakily moving towards the now partying pirate, gritting his teeth as he tried to avoid the stomping feet of the dancing crew. 

He hid himself behind a boulder where Shanks had been sitting and drinking copious amounts of rum with some of the crew, and the Captain himself. Buggy hovered and peeked at Shanks. "Shanks... hey Shanks... Pssst Shanks... SHANKS!" Buggy darted below the boulder as Gol D. Roger and Shanks both turned and looked his way. "Phew, that was close," he said, making an attempt to peek again.