Batarilla Part 4

Arriving at the dock, the same marine was there, or maybe he wasn't. All of the Marines at a low enough level looked the same to me. But we were greeted with "Halt! What business do you have here?"

'Seems like the Marines still have a presence here. I don't remember the timeline, but I might still be too early.'

Rosalina spoke to him "Aproximately three months ago, we had come to go on a vacation, and we had left some of our associates here to relax and experience a true vacation."

'That works... I guess?'

Who all do you have along with you? And what is that second ship following so close behind you?"

"If you must know, I only have a single other person on THIS ship, being my brother, whom had decided to come along on this journey, not mentioning any reason as to why. As for the ship behind me, that one is being captained by someone I had trained to fight and become a bounty hunter alongside myself, before, with two other children he and I had saved, as well as a doctor. And, if I remember correctly, I had stated that we were in fact bounty hunters, wether or not you have any record is not important, but if this is to record all who come and go, then go ahead and note all of this down."

I was a little shocked. 'Did Rosa really remember all of that? I don't even think I could have done the same with all that has happened since the last time I was here! And it's been three months or so! Apparently my memory is terrible!'

The Marine, observing everything, looked at all five of us, Rosalina, Djane, Rem, Taki, and then me.

"I hope I don't hear any news about you from the other Marines here, otherwise I may be discharged, now I am going to trust those stories, and if they are true, then there should be no problems, right?"

At the end, he was very much being passive agressive, and it was very obvious that he was not entirely trusting us, keeping his suspicions, and yet, still thinking that we could possibly be telling the truth.

"Yes, there should be no problem, as we may only be staying tonight. If that is all, then we will be on our way."

Shifting his eyes, still watching us like a hawk, he stated "I do hope your stay is a good one, but you better not be something other than what you have told me."

And he left, jotting down notes, and we went to dock.

'That one is way too suspicious, I don't think the last one was like that. I'm gonna have to keep an eye on him. I can only be so cautious with observation without even a single person notice.'

And so, after docking, we all left and gathered together for a second, walking in a small group down the paths towards Where we hoped Rouge was residing.

"So, do you all know what's happening?"

Rem was the first to answer, to my surprise.

"Aren't we getting three others?"

"Yes. That is my understanding as well, unless something has changed since that plan?"

"Something has changed, thanks to something I didn't take into account, the time that Rouge may be keeping her child from being born, and the fact that I now have a new doctor, only possibly someone better than Vipeba."

I was at the front, and everyone was walking behind, and I was simultaneously being guided by my own Haki, watching a few Marines, and talking.

I noticed Rem with a confused look turn from me to Rosalina. "Ro-Ro, who's Vipeba?"

Rosalina answered almost immediately "He is a doctor from the Torino Kingdom whom we have brought here to take care of Rouge, someone Buggy here is wanting to change the fate of."

"Fate? That's a thing?" She was more confused than before, I could only think it was due to the scientific background and the exposure to ONLY science.

"Surprisingly, yes. And I'm wanting to change it, just enough to make a few things right. Hopefully the future won't change too much from it, but I can only do so much. With my current abilities, anyways." And I left it at that.

We walked for a little before it was interrupted by Taki.

"Isn't there more? Didn't you tell me more?"

She brought up a good point.

"There's more, of course. Rem, I can assume you know that Rosa wants you to come along with me, right?"

Rem nodded, voicing her opposition.

"She did, but I don't wanna leave Ro!"

"Do you not trust me?"

"I.. since Ro does, I do.. a little."

"Okay, thats enough trust.. I guess. Anyways, if Rouge has not given birth, I can only leave Vipeba here to make sure she stays alive. I will really only meet back up with Alice and Mari for a little bit, and at the earliest, we leave tomorrow to head back to the East Blue. Rem, I'd need you to be the doctor, as I've seen you do well at it. Wether or not you work with weapons though is up to you. I just need you, who is going to come along and experience the world, to do something other than just look at new things. Basically, if Vipeba isn't done, he stays with Alice and Mari, and if he's done, he comes with. Then, tomorrow, or.. sometime, we leave to the East Blue, where I have a couple big things to work out, and Taki, Rem, and I split off from you two to the Grand Line."

"Hm. That is different from what had been planned before, but I can only think one little difference, you, Buggy, changed all of that."

Turning down a different path, my answer rang out "Yep. I didn't exactly mean for it to end up this way, but I can only do so much to not do anything."

"I don't wanna work with weapons! Ro-Ro! Why do I have to go with him?" Rem whined.

"Did you not hear him? He had stated that you only needed to fullfil one role, a doctor, and if you so chose, you could also work on manufacturing weapons. He stated explicitly that YOU had a choice to do so, please do not put him in the same place as Roy and Rianna, or even Rosin. Just.. go with his flow, and you will find the differences."

I was still walking, until I stopped, and turned to a door, one that belonged to a Portgas D. Rouge.

"Seems like we're here."

I went to the door and knocked, pretty loudly, making any passer-by look, question why I knocked so loud, and then shake their head and continue on their own walk.

For a couple minutes, there was no sound, and I was just standing in front of the door, Rosalina, Rem, Taki and Djane behind me.

I was about to knock once again, but I was stopped by the door opening pretty rapidly.

"What do you want today?"

It was Alice, who looked pissed, and I couldn't guess why.

"Is that how you talk to me now? Did I do something I didn't know about?"

She looked up at me, and her eyes widened.

"Bugs? What're you-"

She cut herself off.

"Who're these two?" She pointed a little.

Turning, she was pointing at Rem and Djane, and I answered with "It's a bit of a story but if we go insi-"

"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR ARM?"

She was staring at my very right arm, covered in bandages, covering the entirety of it, leaving no opening to expose the fact that my arm wasn't real.

"That, is one of the things that I can explain inside."

•

Inside, we were led to the living room by Alice, and then I immediately sat down.

"Um, I'm going to go and get Mariga, Vipeba and Portgas for this. Is that.. okay?"

I just nodded, Rosalina and Taki giving a verbal "Yes" in response.

She left, and everyone sat down, Rosalina and Taki sitting to my sides on the couch, Djane next to Rosalina, and Rem next to Taki.

After a couple minutes, Alice came back with three very memorable people in tow.

"Father?" Mari immediately saw me and ran over, jumping at me. I was still sitting down, and she landed directly on me awkwardly, as I had still been sitting down.

"Hi Mari. Have you been good?"

I hugged her, and she looked up at me, still in a hug, and smiled a little.

"Yeah! I have!"

I looked up to see Rouge, who had a slight bulge forming.

"Rouge? Your opinion?"

Slightly caught off guard, she was stunned, and then let out a light laugh, smiling while saying "Mariga is very fun to be around, even if she's a little quiet. She's been wanting you to come back, and here you are. Looks like her wish came true."

Rouge and Vipeba both sat down Vipeba saying "Sir" beforehand, all while Mariga shifted to sit on my lap. I ignored it and hugged her again, holding her where she was, and she snuggled my left arm.

I then decided to become serious.

"So, I have made a slight change in plans involving you, Vipeba."

Before I could continue, Rouge first said "Buggy, while I can only expect you to have a want to leave, would you like some tea before you continue with this serious atmosphere?"