Work Text:
In retrospect, it was not surprising. If anything, Buggy thought he would have ended up in prison earlier. He simply didn’t expect to find himself in Impel Down, of all places.
This place was hell, literally. He’d heard about it, obviously, but had never thought he’d have the pleasure of seeing it with his own eyes. But, well, wasn’t it his very own speciality, to find himself in the worst predicaments at all times, a collection of unfortunate events always leading him to the worst possible outcomes? This surely felt like it.
He wasn’t sure whether to cry or laugh when he realised that the guards had not used seastone handcuffs on him. It was a silly detail, really. Life-changing for him, obviously, but totally daffy in hindsight. Though, not as much as meeting the Mugiwara kid in the prison’s corridors. Really, Buggy understood that his looks called to the theme, but he didn’t understand why it was so necessary for his life to resemble a circus at all times–More than it already did, that was–.
Thankfully, despite his unfortunate meeting with the kid, Buggy was also graced with a small gift from destiny in the form of a new friend: Galdino.
The man hated Luffy to an extent Buggy himself was impressed with; he seemed as terrified and discomfited by Impel Down’s monsters as Buggy, which was not beneficial for them, but reassured the blue-haired man in his fears; and he was actually resourceful. Galdino was a blessing.
And their newly formed alliance did prove itself successful, as they reached the second floor of this hellish prison on their own after having left Luffy and Bon Clay earlier. Together, there was no doubt that they would be able to get out of here.
Well, at first, the thought seemed to be a little bit overoptimistic and naive, even for them, and yet, at some point, Galdino ended up getting caught up in the game. Distributing wax keys to the escaped prisoners, repeating over and over that it was all thanks to Captain Buggy that they were being freed. It, indeed, wasn’t wrong, but it certainly obscured his, Luffy’s, Bon Clay’s, and even the other prisoners’, participation in the matter.
It didn’t make much difference, though. As long as the prisoners believed it, as long as they chose to follow Buggy, they would be able to wreak havoc in the prison and use it as their advantage to escape.
Galdino had observed Buggy in the little time they’d been together. He’d grown to realise that Buggy had some sort of gift for bringing people together and turning them into followers. Despite the fact that the blue-haired man was a craven, avoiding fights whenever he could, cowering in front of enemies even he could defeat, he was clear-headed, and turned every opening into an opportunity.
Which was why the scene before him troubled Galdino so much. Seemed so far from the image of Buggy he’d been building in his mind for the past hours. Galdino watched, dumbfounded, as Buggy stood there, casually talking with big shots as if he was in his element amongst them. The very blue-haired coward who had run away from the wolves on level 5, discussing strategy with warlords.
To see him talk with Luffy with no care in the world was no surprise, actually. He didn’t hold the boy in his heart, and did not fear him like weaker pirates did. But it was different with Jinbei, already. Buggy seemed to address him with some sort of respect Galdino did not think the blue-haired man capable of. And there was Crocodile, too. Though Buggy seemed obviously wary and afraid of him, he still did not hide his discontentment, and did not hesitate to scream at the scarred man when he deemed it necessary. This was something Galdino was impressed by, an act he himself had never been able to do in his past life. Seeing Buggy treat Crocodile with so little respect was certainly scratching an itch.
Buggy looked dwarfed in comparison to his temporary companions, standing out like an anomaly in a group like theirs. And yet, whenever he addressed one of them, he seemed in his place. An aura emanating from the oblivious clown whenever he forgot that he was actually supposed to be a scared and cowardly man.
His interventions were probably not that relevant, and his presence not even required, but none of the other men seemed to point it out. As if his presence amongst them was not the source of their disagreement, but the very nature of his strategy. Somehow, none of them seemed to think that Buggy did not belong amongst them.
It was a mess. Between the numerous low-ranking prisoners Buggy and Galdino had freed in the upper levels of the prison, the level-five escapees arguing about who should take the lead, the various prison guard monsters blocking the way, Blackbeard’s intrusion, and Magellan at their rear, nothing made sense.
So much so that, even people who should have been teaming up ended smacking each other around. To Crocodile, it was entertaining. Jinbei and Luffy were too busy focusing on their way out to find it that much of a nuisance. As for Ivankov and Inazuma, they were too focused on trying to stop Magellan to be aware of the surrounding hazard. The big names would probably be able to find a way out on their own, but for mortals like Buggy and Galdino, who certainly couldn’t go against jailer beasts alone, the situation was dire. Alone, they wouldn’t be able to do much, but if, somehow, someone succeeded in bringing everyone together, not even the big shots, but simply the tens of thousands of prisoners already? They could have a chance.
Next to Galdino, Buggy was cursing, holding his head in one hand. ‘We’ll never see the end of it with a mess like this!’ He cried out. Galdino sighed, ready to sit down, but stopped at Buggy’s next sentence. ‘I really can’t stand these cells.’ The blue-haired man clicked his tongue, turning towards him. He poked his finger in Galdino’s chest a few times. ‘There’s no way I’m going back there. No way, you understand? My life won’t end in prison.’ Buggy said, the look in his eyes making Galdino frown.
Galdino was about to answer that for now it certainly seemed like it would happen, when a door opened somewhere, and guards rushed in. They were everywhere, a sea of beige uniforms, and Buggy disappeared into the crowd. Screams and sounds of fighting could be heard in the entire floor.
Helpless and exhausted, Galdino waited for the blow to come. And as the wave threatened to submerge the inmates, Buggy’s voice rose through the confusion.
‘Oï, prisoners of Impel Down. Aren’t you sick of being beaten up by guards every hour of the day?’ His voice carried out. Galdino looked around, but couldn’t see him.
‘And now that you’re out of your cells, finally about to feel the outside breeze on your skin, you’re letting yourselves feel the touch of their truncheons again? You’re the one with the power, now. You don’t have cuffs restraining your wrists, and you have nothing more to lose than your life!’ He paused, his voice angering. ‘But is this life worth it, is it worth staying alive, if it’s to end up in those cells again?!’ The crowd around Galdino was growing agitated, murmuring.
‘If you want to be free again, then fight! Use your filthy hands and tear those guards down! Follow me, Buggy the Clown, fight, and I’ll grant you a place on my ship. If we break free from this prison together, then we’ll embark together!’ People roared in assent.
And suddenly, Galdino could see him. Haranguing the crowd, Buggy stood on a pile of beaten up guards, surrounded by mesmerised prisoners ignoring the ruckus around them to only focus on Buggy. ‘Then, prisoners, make this the flashiest chaos these government dogs have ever seen! Turn this escape into a nightmare for those who put you here, and prove your worth to me!’
Just like it had happened earlier when he stood amongst the warlords, Buggy seemed to be in his element. From the pile of fallen soldiers, he drew everyone’s attention, motivated the giving up escapees, and created a momentum in the crowd, driven to take down any man in uniform still standing in their line of vision.
Galdino was sure of it, now. Buggy had a gift. It couldn’t be anything else, really, because after having spent a few weeks here himself and having shared a cell with people who’d had close to no hope of ever going out, Galdino could only observe that Buggy’s boisterous tirades had reignited a glimmer of hope in those men’s hearts that many had thought they’d lost.
Every prisoner fought with a smile on their faces, renewed vigour clear in their features despite years spent in cells.
Gathering all the voices in one, Buggy’s loud speech carried over the ruckus, and many escapees in striped jumpsuits gathered around him, allowing Crocodile, Jinbei, and the rest of their group to go to the front effortlessly, no longer bothered by the confused prisoners.
And when he requested silence, it looked like everyone stopped speaking, as if dumbfounded to think that such a weird individual could even pull this off. And surprise struck them all when they realised that, somehow, he’d done it. He’d made every single person out of their cells in Impel Down listen to him and comply.
And it seemed that the clown had not even realised his feat, simply using the silence he’d been gifted to lead everyone, reorganising the panicked fleeing, indicating the enemy’s position and successfully guiding those that could defeat them to their adversaries.
As if it was a task he’d been given. As if he was a born leader.
Buggy knew how to stand out from a crowd. Actually, even when he didn't want to, on the rare occasions where he did not want to be seen, he caught people's attention. Like an unfortunate star, doomed to be seen, doomed to be watched.
There were no reasons for it to not happen in Impel Down as well, no matter how large the crowd of weirdos was, Buggy always found himself at its head. Well, not entirely, since there was that damn mugiwara, Jinbei and Crocodile. Some flashy colleagues he had there. A chance Buggy's forte was adaptation, something he'd always performed his entire life.
Since his early age, he’d been aware of his ability to hoodwink people. It had happened in cities where they’d stopped with Roger’s crew, where he would always end up gathering a small crowd in the town’s square while Shanks went through people’s pockets, an activity they both found extremely entertaining.
But even later, as he was alone and in search of crewmates, Buggy had always quite easily succeeded in surrounding himself with new people. Though this ability did not guarantee him the quality of the people he attracted.
He’d thought about it one night, and had wondered how he could have acquired such an ability. He’d come to the conclusion that his physical appearance, his bright hair and nose, were the first factor, his face actually catching people off and making them watch. Then, and despite appearances, his self-confidence came into play. After having watched Roger shamelessly befriend complete strangers in a matter of minutes, Buggy had grown used to acting friendly and approachable. But he believed that the last factor was just something he had grown to cultivate, his very own input on the matter, in which he prided himself much: His way with words.
Buggy knew how to speak to people, how to strike a chord and create a connection with faceless crowds. In all his flaws and self-doubts, Buggy was a fragile man, and he knew how to move people accordingly.
Buggy combined his weaknesses with his strengths, creating this weird and paradoxical ability to gather crowds while still looking ridiculous to most people. And contrary to what could have been thought, he was fine with it. Buggy loved being worshipped, and he liked having to prove his worth.
Buggy was a self-made leader, gifted with the ability to gather his own circus.