17. First Mate

Buggy have bid his farewell with Bellemere. Luckily she is not a person who judge everything with white & black. She doesn't judge Buggy as a bad person just because he become a pirate, because she know his personality.

Now Buggy will start his journey, and he need a crew. He will need to choose his crewmates carefully, especially his First Mate. Buggy have some names that he want to recruit from the series and he already did some research on them. However, most of them are too young right now.

But Buggy have found a name that he want to recruit as First Mate. That person is from North Blue, and will become a pirate too. Buggy didn't know wether that guy have become a pirate or not, but he never see his bounty, so he shouldn't have become a pirate.

To go to North Blue, Buggy need to pass the Red Line. He also need to take his ship with him to North Blue, so it won't be easy. But Buggy already know how to do it. Well, almost all big underground or criminal force know this.

Buggy sail to the Red Line, precisely between Reverse Mountain and Mary Geoise. He arrive there after some hours and find it. He find a giant port where many ships dock. Then behind the port are some big lifts that go up the Red Line.

The lifts will transport people up to the top of Red Line. The lifts are shaped like a cage so the passanger won't fall and they use metal chains to pull it up. The chains are attached to the machine that pull the cage to the top.

This port is controlled by some giant underground force. But Buggy know that WG also have share from this place. There's no way they'll let this place run if they don't get any profit. Even more so when many criminals use this place to pass to the other side.

Buggy arrive on the port and immediately go to the regustration office. There are some people in front of him, so he need to wait. After some minutes, his turn come and the receptionist greet him.

"How many people?"-Receptionist

"One, and i want to bring my ship if possible."-Buggy

"One person will be 100,000 beri. As for ship, only small ship is possible, we will check your ship's size & weight first before it is allowed to be transported. If it pass, the fee will be 10 million beri. But please bear in mind that no one is allowed to be on the ship because it's dangerous."-Receptionist

"Alright."-Buggy

Buggy then return to his ship with some employee from the port. They will check if his ship is too big or heavy to be pulled up. They only need some minutes to check it, they're professionals after all.

"Your ship can be pulled up, here is your pass ticket, please go to receptionist again to get your number."-Employee

"Thanks."-Buggy

Buggy return to the receptionist to pay and get his number. His ship's turn will be tomorrow, because transporting ship is harder & longer than just transporting people. So he go to a bar to fill his stomach first before returning to his ship.

The next day, Buggy's ship got transported at noon. They place it on a big platform and tie it with many thick ropes & chains so it won't fall. Then after his ship is being pulled up, Buggy go to the passanger lift to go up too.

Buggy arrive on the summit after 30 minutes. Then he go to the other side with horse carriages. On the carriage, Buggy realize just how wide the Red Line is. It's very wide like a big island, and it takes 2 hours for the carriage to reach the other side.

Then it takes another 30 minutes to get down on the North Blue port. It takes a total of 3 hours to go from East Blue port to North Blue port. However, it takes even longer for a ship, it will take 1 full day, so Buggy must wait.

Buggy decide to stay in a hotel while waiting for his ship. Buggy also buy a map and some information of North Blue. Map & information are really important for a sailor on his journey.

The next day, Buggy's ship arrived, then he immediately sail after checking that everything on his ship is fine. He already have the information he need, and now he will go to Swallow Island.

"I hope he hasn't made his pirate crew, and want to be my First Mate."-Buggy

Buggy sail to Swallow Island, following the map. His navigation skill is decent, but it's not the best. He need to find a navigator soon to make his journey faster. And a good navigator is very crucial on Grandline.

Buggy arrive on Swallow Island after 5 hours. He immediately search for his target on the island, and he find the guy after half an hour. He look at the big guy with chestnut like hair drinking in a bar.

"Mont Blanc Cricket, finally we meet."-Buggy

Yes, the one that Buggy search for is Mont Blanc Cricket. From all the candidates that he thought of, Cricket is the best choice to be his First Mate.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?"-Cricket

"Let's talk in a better place."-Buggy

Buggy buy 2 bottle of booze and offer one to Cricket. Cricket take it and follow Buggy to the port.

"I'm Buggy, a pirate, and this is my ship."-Buggy

"Hmm, so?"-Cricket

"I didn't have any crew yet, because i've just started. So i need a First Mate, and i want my First Mate to be the best i can find. You, be my First Mate!"-Buggy

"Huuh? Me?"-Cricket

"Yeah, you, Mont Blanc Cricket."-Buggy

"Wait! Wait! Wait! You want me to be a pirate? Sure i've ran away from my home, but i'm not planning to be a pirate."-Cricket

(a.n: I don'k know when Cricket start become a pirate, and it's not really clear. So i make him hasn't start his pirate crew yet.)

"Not yet, i'm sure you'll be a pirate sooner or later."-Buggy

"Even if i want to be a pirate, why should i join you?"-Cricket

"Because i'm strong, and i want to explore the world. Aren't you curious, wether or not everything that your ancestor, Norland have gone through is real or not?"-Buggy

"Norland? Tch, you just want to mock me again like them? Forget it! I don't want to have anything to do with the guy who destroy my life at all."-Cricket walk away

"If you keep running away, then you will lose to Norland. If you're a man, then prove your words rather than running away. The world is full of mysteries, what you think as a lie, might be real on the other side of the world."-Buggy

Cricket stop for a moment before he walk away again.

"I'll stay until tomorrow noon, so don't miss the ride!"-Buggy

Cricket ignore Buggy and keep walking away from the port. Buggy sigh and leave the port too. He don't know wether Cricket will agree or not, but he know he need to get supplies, so he go to buy it.

The next day, Buggy wait on the ship until noon, but Cricket didn't come. He sigh and pull up the ship's anchor to leave the island. Buggy is just about to unfurl the sail when someone call him.

"WAIT, BUGGY! NO, CAPTAIN BUGGY."-Cricket

"Huh, Captain? Are you... Hahahaha."-Buggy

"Yeah, let's sail together and i'll see it for myself if everything that Norland said was true. This is my fight with the man who have destroyed my life."-Cricket

"HAHAHA, THAT'S THE SPIRIT. Let's explore the world, partner!"-Buggy

Buggy & Cricket bump their fists while smiling. Now, Buggy's pirate crew is officially formed.

______________________________________________________________

Support me on Pa_treon if you like my story and want to read some chapters ahead. It will help me buy internet data too, so i can keep uploading.

I've posted Chapter 36 on my pa_treon page today.

https://www.pa_treon.com/CaptMermain

(The website didn't use _underscore_, it's to avoid censorship from webnovel)