Have you ever heard of me?
Buggy, the clown of the sea… or at least, that's what everyone says. A fool, a clown, a joke floating on a patched-up ship.
But behind that painted smile and that red nose… there's a story that very few know. A story that began a long time ago, when I still believed the world was something I could reach.
I remember my childhood aboard the ship of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. For many, his name represents greatness, freedom, and power… but for me, that ship was simply the place where I learned to hate.
There was that meddlesome redhead, Shanks. Always smiling, always cheerful, as if life were an endless party for him. We fought every day — over nonsense, over pride… but deep down, we were inseparable, though I hated to admit it. We had that kind of camaraderie that, over time and through several events, ended up breaking apart.
I was young, ambitious… and stupid.
I dreamed of having my own treasure, my own crew, of making a name for myself on the sea. One day I found a map and a strange fruit: the Bara Bara no Mi. I wanted to sell it, make a fortune, and disappear to follow my own destiny.
But destiny… laughed at me.
Everything changed in an instant. That idiot Shanks interrupted me when I was about to make the deal of my life.
The sea was calm, and the sky shone with a huge moon. Everyone was asleep, except me. In my left hand, I held that cursed fruit: the Bara Bara no Mi. Its surface was strange, with those spirals and that dull color.
"If I sell it… I'll be rich. I'll never have to set foot on this ship again. I can get my own crew in no time," I murmured, smiling to myself.
In my other hand, I held the treasure map I had found hours earlier. No one knew. That would be my ticket to freedom. But then, I heard a voice behind me.
"Hey, what are you doing, Buggy?"
I spun around, and without thinking, shoved the Devil Fruit into my mouth to hide it. Behind me was Shanks, with that same carefree look as always.
"Tell me, why were you laughing?" he asked, leaning on the edge of the small boat where I was sitting.
"W-what do you want? You almost scared me to death!" I answered nervously, with several drops of sweat running down my face.
"Why are you making that face?" the redhead insisted, looking at me strangely. Then he shrugged. "Well, don't steal all the food from the storage, or the cook's gonna get mad."
I waited for him to leave and let out a sigh. "That was close… I almost…" I muttered. But before I could finish, Shanks suddenly appeared behind me again, completely catching me off guard.
"Oh, I almost forgot! The captain just said that—"
He stopped when he saw me swallowing hard what I had in my mouth.
"You idiot! Look what you made me do!" I shouted, grabbing him by the shirt, furious.
But Shanks barely reacted; his attention went to a piece of paper slowly falling overboard. It was my map. Because of the shout, I had dropped it.
"And what's that piece of paper?" he said, pointing at it.
My heart skipped a beat. "No!"
And, as always, in my stupidity, I jumped into the sea without thinking.
The water hit me with an icy shock. I tried to swim, but my body wouldn't move. I felt myself sinking, heavy, like an anchor being dragged to the bottom.
I remember the cold water, the desperation… the fear. I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. And when everything seemed to end, that hand… that damn red-haired hand saved me. Shanks risked his life for me.
And you know what was the worst part? That I couldn't completely hate him. I tried, I swear I did. But part of me admired him… and that made me feel even more miserable.
After Roger's crew disbanded, everything became blurry. The world changed, and so did I. I became a pirate — a real one. A thief, a trickster… a clown sailing without direction.
People laughed at me, and at first, yeah… it hurt. But over time, I learned to use that laughter to my advantage.
If the world wanted to mock me, then I would become the biggest joke on the sea.
If everyone wanted to see a clown…
then let them.
During that time, I achieved what I wanted: I recruited several subordinates, my officers. Everything was going great.
But at night, when the crew slept, I would stare at the sea… and wonder when everything had gone wrong. I thought about Roger, about Shanks, about everything I left behind. I kept telling myself I didn't care. That they were no longer part of my life. But every time I remembered his smile… something inside me lit up. I guess that was nostalgia.
And now… here I am. After so many years, after so many defeats and tricks, someone reached out a hand to me. That boy, X. I don't know what he saw in me, or why he decided to trust a clown like me. Maybe it was pity… or maybe he saw something I had long forgotten.
When I met him, I thought he was another idiot.
But no… he had a different look. One of those looks that sees through everything you pretend to be.
He offered me a place, a purpose.
Without laughing, without judging me. He just said:
"With me, you'll be able to get anything you want in this world. Don't doubt it for a second… I'll be the one to change everything."
For the first time in a long while, I didn't know what to say. There was something in his voice… in his presence. His strength was real, and it made me think that maybe this guy wasn't lying.
And for a moment, a thought crossed my mind:
"If I stay with this guy… I could become someone respected. Stop being everyone's clown. Someone truly strong… like this white-haired man."
From that moment, we shook hands.
I had great expectations for this man who overwhelmed me with such extraordinary strength — impossible to ignore.
I waited patiently until today. Whether he was telling the truth or just dreaming big, I wanted to be by his side to witness the world turning upside down.
I left my position as captain of the Buggy Pirates and offered it to my officer, Cabaji.
As I walked away from my old crew, I heard them shouting my name, wishing me a good journey. I laughed, pretended I didn't care… but a tear slipped out without my permission. "Those bastards…" I muttered, quickly wiping my face. "Who gave them the right to make me feel like this?"
Apparently, my ex-officer Cabaji had told them everything. They knew I wasn't going to be the same anymore.
That night, leaning on the ship's railing, I looked at the horizon. The wind hit my face, and the sea reflected a glow I hadn't seen in years. I thought about everything I was, what I lost… and what I still had. For the first time, I didn't feel anger. I felt calm.
"Maybe this kid… maybe he's like that man."
For a moment, the thought crossed my mind — comparing my former captain, Gol D. Roger, to that boy, X.
"Hahaha… this is going to be interesting."