Night fell, and the party began.
In the center of the settlement, bonfires lit up the sky, and the delicious smell of roasted meat was everywhere.
Luffy, Zoro, and Nami were stuffing their faces and drinking happily with the townspeople.
Even Chouchou had a piece of meat in his mouth, playing chase with the kids.
After the party got going, Ray quietly slipped away to a nearby hilltop.
He sipped some alcohol he'd brought, occasionally glancing down at the happy scene below.
'Not bad,' he thought. 'This is actually pretty beautiful'.
In the war-torn world he came from, he'd never seen anything so peaceful.
Just then, a body crashed onto the ground beside him with a dull thud.
It was the one-armed, black-nosed clown. He was dead.
"I found out what he did," a voice said from the shadows. "So I executed him."
Buggy the Clown slowly walked into the firelight.
"Mind if I have some of that?" he asked, reaching for Ray's flask.
Ray frowned and slapped his hand away.
"Yes, I mind!"
"Kahahahaha! So uptight! Pirates are supposed to share their booze! Just like back on the Oro Jackson with Captain Roger." As Buggy spoke, he got a distant, nostalgic look in his eyes.
It would have looked cool if it were anyone else, but with Buggy's silly grin, it just looked creepy.
"You shouldn't be chained to the past," Ray said, noticing Buggy's dazed expression.
"Yeah, I know. If I hadn't met you, I probably never would have moved on. So, thanks for that."
"Mm. What now?"
Buggy paused, then pointed down at the celebrating townspeople.
"I'm gonna go apologize to them!" He then snatched Ray's flask, took a huge swig, and threw the empty container on the ground—completely ignoring the thunderous look on Ray's face—before leaping down the hill.
"I'll kill you, Buggy!" Ray shattered the now-contaminated flask with a single sword stroke and was about to unleash an Azure Dragon Strike before he took a deep breath and stopped himself.
"Next time we fight," he muttered, "I'm chopping you into a million pieces."
…
Down below, Luffy was letting the curious townspeople stretch his rubbery cheeks while he simultaneously stuffed his face with meat.
Nami was in a drinking contest, and to everyone's surprise, she was winning.
Zoro was being his usual self—quietly drinking everyone under the table.
Then, a familiar laugh cut through the noise.
"Kahahahaha! Looks like you're having fun! Mind if I join?"
The party instantly went quiet.
Zoro's hand went to his swords.
Luffy stood up, his expression serious.
"What do you want?" Nami shouted, trying to sound brave. "Ray is right here! You want him to kill you for real this time?"
Buggy landed gracefully and held up his hands.
"Relax, relax! Just look at how the locals are reacting."
Confused, the three of them looked around and heard the mayor yell out:
"Fine, Buggy, but you're signing an IOU for this meal!"
"Yeah, and you owe us for all the property damage!" another person shouted.
"And for your goons scaring all of us!"
Buggy just grinned and laughed. "Kahahahaha! No problem! Any other debts? Just name 'em! I'll sign IOUs for everything!"
The townspeople didn't seem to distrust him at all.
They just shouted back, "Then get over here and drink already!"
"Coming!"
Luffy, Zoro, and Nami were completely bewildered.
What was going on? Were they all friends? The townspeople weren't scared of Buggy at all?
Only Ray, watching from the hill, wasn't surprised.
The butcher had already told him that Buggy wasn't your typical pirate.
Maybe this was just how Roger's crew was.
And just like that, Buggy joined the party.
…
After a few more rounds of drinks, a very tipsy Buggy climbed onto a rooftop and shouted down at the crowd.
"I… Buggy… AM SORRY!"
His voice was so loud that the party gradually quieted down.
"I sailed with the Pirate King," he slurred, "but I was a coward. I wasn't confident enough to be an emperor in the New World like Shanks. I was afraid if I couldn't make a name for myself, I'd bring shame to the Captain. So I holed up here in the East Blue, hiding in Captain Roger's hometown."
'Burp'. Buggy let out a drunken hiccup.
"I'm a pirate! I had to take over some territory! So I took over Orange Town! I told myself that by being here, I was protecting you from other, worse pirates."
"Kahahahaha, but damn it, that was just a cowardly excuse!"
"Mayor! Butcher! Everyone! I, Buggy, am sorry for all the trouble I've caused you!"
With that, he bowed deeply to the entire town.
The townspeople just looked at him with disdain.
"What a lightweight," someone yelled. "Look at all that nonsense he's spouting!"
Buggy ignored them and kept talking.
"I'll pay for all the damages! I have money in my warehouse—I'll go get it right now! And after I settle my debts, I'm setting sail!"
"From now on, Orange Town is under the protection of the future Emperor of the Sea, the great Buggy-sama! No pirate will ever dare to mess with this place again! Kahahaha!"
He staggered off toward his old base, completely unaware that his so-called "money" was now hanging off the side of a giant, flying dog.
…
Buggy's speech got Luffy all fired up.
"Wow, he was really one of the Pirate King's crew? And he knows Shanks! Plus, he doesn't seem like such a bad guy after all."
Zoro took a sip of his drink and turned to Nami. "Looks like Buggy still doesn't know you robbed him blind. What's the plan?"
Nami thought for a second, remembered she had Ray on her side, and put her hands on her hips.
"I'm a thief who steals from pirates. Stealing a pirate's treasure is my job. Therefore, that bag of gold is my hard-earned salary! It's perfectly legal income, and I'm definitely not giving it back."
Luffy and Zoro stared at her.
It sounded logical, but something about it felt… off.
Ray, who had rejoined the group, settled the matter in one sentence.
"That's Nami's commission for hiring us. It has nothing to do with Buggy."
Luffy smacked his forehead. "Oh, right!"
Then he started grinning. "Shishishi! Alright, guys, before Buggy figures out what really happened—let's get out of here!"
"Agreed!" Nami chimed in, still a little worried.
Ray didn't see any reason to run, but he had to admit, sneaking away like this was pretty funny, so he didn't object.
And so, turning down the townspeople's pleas for them to stay, the four of them ran to the shore, "borrowed" one of Buggy's ships, and set sail under the starry night sky.