After having been asleep for a week, followed by a week just working on a ship all by myself, it was great to have my arm back. While I had it through a loophole in my own vows, it was still a reminder, no matter it's form.

Actually building my ship was a quicker process, as I could actually build without issue. Taki, who was already healed to a great degree, had decided to train while I was working on the ship. One thing that I didn't remember was wether or not I told her my plan, so one day, I just interrupted her training while I was still working on the ship.

"Taki, did I tell you about the plan? Or about myself?"

She was sitting, focusing on finding any glimpse of Haki before I asked her, to which she responded by opening her eyes, and saying "Hmm?"

"Did I tell you about that stuff?"

"... I don't think so. Did you wanna tell me?"

"Yes. I absolutely forget wether or not I did, but I'm just gonna get all of this off my chest while I work on the ship. Um.. I told Rosa before you about what I'm gonna tell you next, mostly because I needed her trust, and I was busy with a bunch of stuff so..."

"..... Oh-kaaaay?"

"I.... Am not actually Buggy. While I technically am, I'm not.. the original. Buggy, the original that is, died, I don't know how, but I ended up in his body, and now I'm here."

Taki was quiet for a couple seconds before asking "You.. aren't the.. whatcha mean you aren't the original? You died before?"

"Yes! No.. uhm.. yes I have! Ugh! Okay.. you have those questions in the wrong order. Yes, I personally have died before, which is how I was able to take over another body."

I could hear the confusion in the next comment Taki made. "Like with Rosa?"

I had to think about it too. 'Was it? I swear I just ended up waking up as Buggy, so how did I end up in his.. my new body?'

Being my turn to be confused, I answered "I don't actually know. I'd.. ugh.. I'd have to explain so much more to even get close to an answer, so let's just leave it as I was mysteriously put into this body, and I have taken it over."

Taki could tell I was confused as well, and stopped prying into it. Until she looked at me and questioned "Were you actually a pirate before?"

"That.. is a really good question. Technically, I haven't exactly done any 'pirating' of any kind, and I was only really a.. an apprentice? I mean.. my current memories don't really reach much into thi- the last body's owner, and yet, I still have some... what are they called? Glimpses? Into the past."

I totally somehow pulled off not saying "this world" and that I knew the future, barely slipping up. Taki didn't seem to notice, and I was thankful for that, as I still didn't need many people to know about my origins being from another world, and I could only guess that the whole of the Roger Pirates knew, so a tightly sealed secret of only a few people, a whole crew, was the most I was really willing to tell, even if I didn't have any control over them knowing in the first place.

Taki had decided to pop a question out of nowhere, as I realized she was probably thinking about it for a bit.

"Which one.. wanted to help me?"

"Hm?"

"Which one wanted to help me?"

"Oh."

I was totally caught off guard by that, and answered with 'oh'. I felt her become saddened by that answer, as if she was expecting something else.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to just say oh as an answer! I was caught a little off guard, and that's what slipped out. My actual answer to that is.. I did. The CURRENT Buggy, not the past one. You've only ever known me as.. me? Him? Whatever. Anyways, the current one, the one you are talking to, is the one who made that promise, not the past one, I have no doubt he'd be doing way worse than me, so don't take it like that.. please?"

I was hoping that that was enough to at least stop her saddened mood, and it worked, as her ears perked up, and she looked up at me.

"Yo-you promise?"

"Yeah. It was me." And I smiled.

In response, she got up from her spot, walked over to my other side, and sat right next to me, leaning on my left arm, which had been laying on the ground for a little bit.

"Oh yeah! Um, you can just listen now, but I got another thing.. and a second other thing.. and probably a little more than that. Oh Mora."

Taki huffed, as if she had chuckled a little, inaudibly, causing me to feel my bond with her strenthen. I decided to continue, taking note of it, and then just talked.

"Okay, so, I 'was' a pirate before, and my old captain, the one who was executed on Logue Town, knew about me not being the real one, and I made a promise to make his name the greatest I could, which was, and is something I am trying to do, otherwise he might smite me from whatever afterlife he's in, and I'd like to stay alive to keep that promise, which would be hard to do if I was dead."

While I was existentially questioning the implications of someone dead smiting me for dying while still being alive, Taki chuckled a little at my antics, which was followed by silence. A couple mitof silence.

It was interrupted when I remembered I was going to say something about my plan.

"I almost forgot! So, the plan! The plan that I came up with! I remember I told you about phase one and two, right? Phase 2 has changed since then, and I didn't tell you the change. It is now to buy the Forwilth Shipyard in secret, owning it in the background, and expanding it exponentially, all so we don't have to really have to make money ourselves. Now, we would probably take money from other pirates anyway, but it's more like.. a secure fortune to fund the future."

I could tell Taki was waiting for me to continue, but I never did.

"Isn't there.. more?"

"Nope!"

"..."

"...."

"*Sigh* Okay."

And the rest of that day, I sat there, working using my detached hand and arm, and not doing anything else aside from that.

•

Only four days had passed before Rosalina came to me, while I was working on a sail, learning how to sew in the process. I was doing it while sitting on the newly cleaned deck, which I had done the day prior.

"Hey.. Buggy? I had wanted to talk to you about something before, but I did not get the chance, as you AND I became busier within a short amount of time."

"Go ahead. It sounds important, so might as well talk without delay."

She still hesitated, finally steeling herself.

"Buggy, I would like to make a request of you. One that is extremely important to me. Are you willing to at least listen to my request?"

"Um.. you don't have to act so weird about it. And besides, I'd listen nonetheless, wether or not I agree is an entirely different matter."

"Okay." She breathed out for a second.

"Would you.."

"Yes?"

"Be willing.."

"Oh Mora, this is gonna be excruciatingly slow to get to a point."

Ignoring my comment, she continued "to take.."

Can you just finish? It would be better to get it out in one sentence rather than.. seven. And you may feel better doing so."

She huffed in response, then taking my suggestion.

"Would you be willing to take Rem with you? You know, on your.. pirate.. expedition?"

I had to look up from sewing pieces of sail together.

"That's what you were talking so slow for? While it does sound important, was it important enough to build such suspense?"

"I had to think it through, wether or not Rem would be better with me or you, and I had came to the conclusion that she has a need to experience the world! I have already done so, through different circumstances anyway. I would hope that you can have her on your ship so she can grow, and I can only entrust you with this, since Branson would do no such thing, and I know of no one else still alive that could do such a thing aside from you."

I scrunched my eyebrows.

"You, Rosalina.. Thallise? Want me to bring your sister...? along on my own trip.. through the Grand Line?"

"Yes."

I just looked at the passing clouds, thinking of how to respond. And something hit me like a brick.

"How could she contribute to my crew?"

I had thought I got her there, and while I didn't object to the idea, I needed a reason for such a thing.

"Well, I have already told you before, Rem, Djane and I all have medical knowledge, alongside a plethora of weapons knowledge. Her personality may not be willing to use such knowledge, but if you gain enough trust with her, I can only think she may become willing to share such knowledge."

"*Sigh* Okay, I can in fact, bring her along, but now I don't know what to do with Vipeba, the one I originally planned to be my ships doctor."

Rosalina started "He can perhaps do-"

But I interrupted her.

"Nevermind him, I will come up with something when it's needed. Now, I need to continue working on this, unless you have something else you want to talk about?"

"No, I do not. I hope that your ship becomes something you can use forever!"

And Rosalina left.

•

For the next week and a half, I ended up working on my ship, furnishing it and finishing up the sails as well as the rooms.

Admiring my handiwork, I spoke to the wind "I guess it's time to head back to Batarilla."