One Piece: Overlord Buggy

We wandered around until we finally got to an open area, which had a tree casting shade over most of the area, including a giant pot. The area that we appeared in looked like the center, as there were cracks going for a while in several directions. In the rocks, going several other ways, like alleys, were what seemed to be houses carved into the cliff faces, along with smaller branches of cracks going off to other directions.

But what I most noticed, since they were very noticeable, were the people. They looked like they were blobs of flesh with arms and legs. Even their heads were a part of their torsos, and they had a tribal feel to them, especially with the leaf skirts and the 'X' necklaces.

'Why? What is the biological reason to have Play-Doh bodies? THEY DON'T HAVE NECKS!'

The blob people noticed us, and one said "Do you all want hot pot?"

I was stood there because I was still processing the fact that these people have weird physiological traits, and barely noticed the fact that Alice and Mariga were frozen in place too, unmoving. I had a quick guess that they were frozen because of the fact that they've never seen people of different tribes, besides Taki, anyways, but I quickly noticed Taki just had a tilted head, and a question mark floated there. I did start to question reality because of that, but got back to processing everything else.

Before I could, the blobs immediately saw Taki and took her, chanting "Fox hot pot! Fox hot pot!"

I was shook out of my overthinking and found Taki was somehow tied up already, being carried by the blobs to the giant pot, which already had a fire under it.

I swore I felt my eyes pop out of my head, and I yelled "LET MY FOX GO!"

The blobs turned to me, all with blank stares, and then turned back, continuing to chant "Fox hot pot!"

The only thing I could do for a second was stand, stunned, watching them, and I took a step forward before Rosalina stood out front of us, and immediately said "Flavenstiqe Mortem."

The crowd of blob people immediately gasped, and then let go of Taki, dropping her to the ground, and crowding around Rosalina, saying stuff like "You're back!", "We should have hot pot to celebrate!" or "The Grand One is back!"

I was still stood there, a little bit in front of Alice and Mariga, who I could tell were just as confused as me, and then I realized Taki was still tied up.

Putting the fact that Rosalina had some weird history in the back of my mind, I then ran to Taki, immediately untying her.

"Are you okay Taki?"

Taki sat up, untied, with tears starting to well, and fear showing.

"I was about to be turned into hot pot! I don't know what that is!"

Sitting next to Taki on the ground, I said "I don't know what hot pot is either, so I can't help you with that."

Taki then hugged me, grabbing onto my best, saying "I was about to be turned into food!"

Realizing what I had almost let happen, I started talking with Taki, upset at myself, with some tears welling in the corners of my eyes.

"I'm sorry Taki. I was just stood there, and frozen in place, it was almost my fault you nearly died! Im sorry!" I hugged back.

Continuing to talk to Taki, I had some shaky breath while saying "You wanted my help with getting to Zou, and I almost let you die! I AM SO SORRY!"

We just sat there for a second, and then Taki sniffled before saying "It's okay.. Bugs.. I'm a- I'm alive, right? It's- it's not your fault, it- you didn't cause it, so.. it's not your fault."

Thinking for a second, I answered "Yeah. Um.. you're right. You're alive, it's not my fault, but I still feel like I could have done something."

I let go of hugging Taki, and stood up, putting a hand out to pull Taki up, and then brushed ourselves off.

"So.. no Fox hot pot?"

Hearing that, a bit of 'Lucifer' came through as I turned my head directly towards the blob person who said that, then in a low menacing voice, I said "If you THINK of even touching a SINGLE. HAIR. on her, you will not exist in this world anymore. Do. You. Understand?"

I saw all of them nod, with some sweat drops on their faces.

I was able to keep Lucifer from doing anything irrational, like killing them, but it felt like I was sharing a body for a second, before the feeling, and 'Lucifer' disappeared.

I thought to myself 'Since I've become this protective of Taki, I guess I've subconsciously decided, like with Mari, that they are my family.'

I then shook my head, smiled and then spoke "Rosalina, can you take care of the rest? I don't think I could do what I need to, and you seem to.. have a connection somehow. So I'll leave it to you to find a doctor who can generally do anything, along with willing to come with us."

I then walked away with Taki in tow, watchfully looking at every single blob person, making sure they don't try anything at all, and walked away in general.

Once in a different area that had some space to it, I turned to Taki and said "Now that I think about it, you could've used your devil fruit ability to get out of that."

Sitting down on a rock that was surprisingly shaped like a chair, Taki stared "You said before that you wanted me to have a lot of control over my ability before doing actual.. combat. You wanted me to not instantly kill anyone, right?"

I was trying to remember when I said that, then a light bulb appeared above my head, and I said "How do you know about that? I thought I only told Rosa."

Taki pointed at her ears and said "I can hear pretty well, and heard that you think I'm strong!"

"Yes, you are, although, you have a lot of potential to reach, just your current strength is a lot." I smiled, then thinking.

'Taki is strong, and now that I think back, Rosa might've been right, I should probably get Taki to learn how to fight. It wouldn't be a bad thing.'

"So, Taki.." I interrupted Taki jumping, running and spinning in joy, and talking about new things she could try to do.

"Ya know, it would do you some good to learn how to fight. Now, currently, we did just pass an island that would've been great for you to train on. But since the opportunity has passed, and I don't have any real way to teach you how to fight, I think it would be good for you to fight against some pirates, learn how to bounty hunt essentially. It may really help with your control over your devil fruit ability too."

Taki became incredibly excited about it, switching from happy to concentrating on what to do to train.

I realized Alice and Mariga were still back there, to which I promptly and swiftly got them, bringing them to the spot, then I relaxed, laying in some grass for a couple hours.

After that time, Rosalina seemed as though she was looking for us, and had a blob person behind her, following along.

"Buggy! I found someone who would like to come with you!" She yelled, walking towards me, who was still laying in grass. I sat up fully, taking in the appearance of the blob person.

They were a smaller person in general, being what I could only assume was a child, but I didn't know, they could be older. They had the 'X' cross necklace around their neck, with no facial hair to speak of besides some eyebrows that looked like lines. He had hair on top of his head, and only on top of his head, but I still couldn't get over the blob appearance without issue, but tried to get over my mind trying to figure out what happened evolution-wise to end up with no neck and a body built like a bag full of mashed potatoes.

It was breaking my mind a little, but he had a spear with him, along with a bag that was packed full of medicine and supplies to make such medicine, I assumed anyways.

They arrived in front of where I was sitting, and Rosalina started to introduce him to me.

"This here is Vipeba, and he was the only one I could find that was willing to leave the island, and the only one who met your criteria."

I raised an eyebrow.

"The only one? Out of all the people on this island, this person, Vipeba, was the only one you could find within my criteria?"

"Yessir!" Vipeba took a step forward, and bowed to me before falling forward, right on his head.