Buggy and Shanks stood eagerly on the island's coast, awaiting the arrival of their crew. They were filled with anticipation, eager to learn if their comrades had successfully reached the final island. Buggy, however, knew the outcome but decided to keep it a secret to preserve Shanks' excitement.
After hours of waiting, a massive ship appeared on the horizon. As it drew nearer, Buggy's excitement grew, for it was none other than the legendary Oro Jackson. Finally, the ship reached the coast, and the crew peered down at Buggy and Shanks from the railings. At the forefront stood Gol D. Roger himself, accompanied by Silvers Rayleigh, Scooper Gaban, and Kozuki Oden.
Buggy and Shanks were thrilled to see their captain and crew, each for their own reasons. They couldn't contain their excitement and rushed towards Roger, leaping into his arms. Buggy even climbed onto Roger's shoulder and perched there.
"CAPTAIN!" Buggy and Shanks exclaimed in unison.
"Hahahaha, you two are as lively as ever, huh? Have you recovered, Buggy?" Roger chuckled.
"Of course, Captain. I only had a fever for three days. That's why I insisted on coming here. I heal quickly," Buggy replied.
"Three days is quite a long time for a fever to subside," Crocus interjected with a sweatdrop.
Buggy averted his gaze, feeling slightly embarrassed. Shanks chimed in, "He also slept for an entire day before recovering."
"SHUT UP, SHANKS! DON'T TELL THEM ABOUT THAT!" Buggy protested.
"You see? If we take you on our journeys, you'll only get worse," Rayleigh remarked.
"Tch," Buggy grumbled.
The crew didn't linger on the island for long. They swiftly restocked their supplies, knowing that news of their success would soon spread, prompting the World Government to send the Marines after them. They had to depart promptly.
As the crew sailed away from the island, they celebrated their triumph in reaching the elusive island that had remained hidden for 800 years. They eagerly awaited Buggy and Shanks' arrival before indulging in a grand celebration.
Buggy contemplated asking about the treasure they had discovered on Laugh Tale but decided against it. He resolved to uncover the world's mysteries on his own. That was his chosen path.
The crew reveled in a joyous party that lasted for hours, losing themselves in the festivities. Buggy relished the experience, as he had never been a part of such a lively celebration. In the past, he had been too reserved to let loose, but here, everyone embraced their wild side, and Buggy joined in without hesitation.
The following day, news of the Roger Pirates' triumph spread across the world like wildfire. Reporters had an uncanny ability to sniff out news, as they had already discovered the crew's recent landing on an island.
Roger was now hailed as the Pirate King, the conqueror of the Grand Line. Naturally, this did not sit well with the Marines and the World Government, who swiftly dispatched their forces to hunt down the Roger Pirates.
However, their efforts would be in vain, for Roger had disbanded his crew a few days prior. The crew had anticipated this outcome and prepared themselves, but it still saddened them. Even Buggy felt a pang of sorrow, as he possessed memories of the old Buggy and knew the crew intimately.
Nevertheless, they decided to have a farewell party, cherishing their last moments together as a united crew. They understood that they might never cross paths again in the future, so they reveled in the present.
"Captain, I have a request," Buggy spoke up.
"What is it, Buggy? It's rare for you to ask like this," Roger replied.
"Can you give me autographs?" Buggy pulled out a stack of papers.
"*pffftt* Autographs?" Roger sputtered, taken aback.
"That's right! You're the Pirate King, so I'm sure your autographs will fetch a high price," Buggy grinned.
Rayleigh playfully knocked Buggy's head. "I thought you had changed after your recovery, but it seems I was mistaken."
"Buggy, he's a pirate. Why would anyone want his autograph?" Gaban questioned.
"Why wouldn't they? It's an autograph from the one and only Pirate King, the conqueror of the seas. People would desire it more than the autograph of the most famous celebrity," Buggy argued.
Sighing, Rayleigh remarked, "Is this your revenge because we didn't take you to the final island?"
"Who knows?" Buggy shrugged.
"Hahaha, fine, but I'll only give you ten," Roger relented.
"REALLY? YAHOOO!" Buggy exclaimed, jumping with joy.
"Sigh, you've truly transformed from a treasure hunter to a businessman," Rayleigh teased.
"Haha, I need to use my brain too. And I'll need ten autographs from Rayleigh-san, Gaban-san, and Oden-san. The three of you are iconic, so I'm sure they'll sell well," Buggy said, handing papers to Rayleigh, Gaban, and Oden.
"Us too?" Gaban, Rayleigh, and Oden questioned in surprise.
"Of course," Buggy replied, giving them a thumbs up.
"That's unfair, Buggy. What about us?" Crocus protested.
"THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT!" the others chimed in.
"You guys are just extras, so why would anyone want your autographs?" Buggy teased.
"E-extras?" Everyone suddenly felt dejected, slumping to the floor.
"HAHAHHAHA, I'M JOKING. Here, I've prepared them for you guys too. They might not be as special, but I hope you like them," Buggy reassured them.
Buggy produced wide white cloths, providing ample space for everyone else's autographs. There were no papers large enough, so Buggy had patched together some worn-out sails. Despite their worn appearance, the crew was overjoyed and eagerly began signing them.
Shanks couldn't help but ask, "Where did you get the idea to use cloth for so many autographs like this?"
"Hey, have you guys heard about this cool tradition where people sign each other's clothes as a memento? It's a way to remember your friends even when you're far apart," Buggy mentioned.
"Signing clothes? That sounds interesting," Shanks replied.
"Ooh, I like that idea! GUYS! Let's sign each other's clothes too!" Oden exclaimed.
"YEAAAHH!" the crew cheered.
"Eh?" Buggy and Shanks were taken aback.
And just like that, the farewell party turned into an autograph party. Everyone had a blast, using markers to not only sign but also draw funny faces and designs on each other's clothes. By the end of it, they all looked like a bunch of clowns.
"Thanks, Buggy, for suggesting this. Now we can have fun and have a unique memento of each other," Roger expressed his gratitude.
"Well, I didn't expect it to go this far, but I guess it's fine," Buggy replied.
"Hahaha, you never know what these guys will do," Roger chuckled.
"Yeah, that's for sure. Captain, I want to learn about haki," Buggy suddenly expressed his interest.
"Oh, so you're finally interested in it, huh? I thought you were only interested in hunting treasure and not power," Roger remarked.
"My priorities have changed. I couldn't join you on the last island because I was ill. And being weak made me realize that if I want to obtain any treasure I desire, I need to be strong. I can't achieve much if I'm weak, but being strong opens up more possibilities," Buggy explained.
"Now you understand. That's good," Roger smiled.
Roger then handed Buggy a small black book.
"I've written everything I know about haki in this book. I personally taught Shanks, so he doesn't need it. But since you've never shown interest in training it before, you'll need this. I can't teach you myself, so you'll have to learn it on your own. You can ask Rayleigh or the others for guidance before you leave the ship," Roger instructed.
"You wrote this for me?" Buggy's eyes widened.
"Haha, yes, but I wouldn't have given it to you unless you asked," Roger chuckled.
"THANK YOU, CAPTAIN! I WON'T DISAPPOINT YOU!" Buggy cried out, embracing Roger tightly.
Roger simply laughed and patted Buggy's head. Buggy felt an overwhelming sense of happiness, as he hadn't experienced someone caring for him so deeply since his parents passed away. It had been a long time since he felt this kind of genuine care and concern.
The next day, the crew arrived at an island where there were no Marines. Roger disembarked and bid farewell to his crew. None of them shed a tear, for the crew of the Pirate King would never cry.
After parting ways with Roger, they headed to Wano to return Oden. Buggy had spoken to Oden during those few days, offering his help, but Oden stubbornly refused. Buggy even suggested that the crew should explore Wano at least once, hoping it would convince Oden to accept their assistance, but he still declined.
Buggy desperately wanted to help Oden, knowing what awaited him in the future. However, he couldn't do it alone. He was too weak. He tried to rally the crew to aid Oden, but Oden insisted on facing his fate alone, and the crew respected his decision.
Feeling helpless, Buggy made a promise to himself. He would become stronger and return to Wano to fulfill Oden's wishes. He knew he couldn't save Oden from his impending death, but he could protect what Oden held dear, his country.
"I need to work hard and become strong as fast as I can. It's painful to know that my friends will die without me being able to do anything," Buggy resolved.
After a few more days, they reached Wano and bid farewell to Oden. They were well aware of the dire state of Wano, and they continued to persuade Oden to accept their help, but Oden remained stubborn. Eventually, the crew had to respect his decision.
They left Wano and began escorting the remaining members of the crew back to their respective homes, avoiding any encounters with the Marines. They didn't want to cause any trouble.
As for Buggy, he would be heading to East Blue, while Shanks returned to West Blue. Buggy knew that Roger would be executed in Loguetown, East Blue, so he decided to wait there. Loguetown was also a safe haven for pirates, a place where the Roger Pirates could lay low.
They dropped off Shanks first before leaving Buggy and a few others who wanted to stay in East Blue at Loguetown. Rayleigh and Gaban gave Buggy their vivre cards, which he could use to find them if he ever needed their help in the future.
Buggy kept the vivre cards safely in his backpack and set off. He went to Loguetown to purchase some necessities before heading to the mountainous area on the other side of the island. He planned to train there and become stronger.
After finding a suitable location, Buggy stumbled upon an abandoned shack. He decided to clean it up and make it his temporary home. It took a few hours, but he managed to make it habitable just as darkness fell. He started a fire and cooked himself a simple dinner of roasted meat.
"The meat in this world never disappoints me. No wonder Luffy loves it so much. But I'm not great with seasoning, maybe I should buy some mixed seasoning from now on," Buggy mused to himself.
With his dinner finished, Buggy settled down for the night in his new shack. He laid out a carpet and placed his mattress on top, making sure to keep it dry. Tomorrow would mark the beginning of his intense training to become stronger.