Part 5 to this post. {Kuja!Buggy}
Imagine!
The carpenter was a broad man, sleeves rolled up, sanding down a thick plank of wood. He barely glanced up as Buggy approached him followed By Shanks who was looking around at the crafts as if it was his first time.
Kuja!Buggy, straight to the point: I need a bar front, Solid wood. Reinforced base. Something that won’t fall apart the second a fight breaks out.
Carpenter, snorted: Then you’ll need to pay for something that won’t fall apart.
Kuja!Buggy: Depends on your price.
Carpenter, gives her a one look over: fifty thousand berries.
Kuja!Buggy’s expression didn’t change, but her eyes sharpened: Absolutely not.
Shanks leaned casually against a nearby post, watching, already entertained.
Carpenter, shrug: That’s the rate, little girl, Take it or leave it.
Kuja!Buggy stepped closer to the half-finished plank, tapping it with her knuckles: This wood isn’t even top-grade. And your joints? *crouchig slightly, inspecting the work* Messy. I’ve seen cleaner builds in back-alley repair jobs.
Shanks let out a quiet whistle under his breath as his heart skipped a beat. That was Bold.and he liked that but not the carpenter.
carpenter’s hand tightened on his tool: You questioning my work?
Kuja!Buggy, standing upright again: I’m questioning your price, you’re charging like a master craftsman but delivering something average.
Shanks grinned, eyes flicking between them enjoying his now favorite girl destroy a grown man.
Carpenter scoffed, irritation rising: Then go find your ‘master craftsman.
Kuja!Buggy, Cooley: I would, if they weren’t all hiding behind ridiculous prices like yours.
There was a pause.
Shanks could practically feel the tension shift. The carpenter slammed the plank down. Shanks almost fell over as he was forced to wake from his day dreaming but buggy didn’t flinch.
Copartner: listen her little gi-
Kuja!Buggy, interrupted, voice dropping just enough to carry a warning: Careful, You’re already overpriced. Don’t add disrespect to the list.”
Shanks’ grin grin widened, can someone even fall in love even more? Yes, Yes they can.
The carpenter gritted his teeth in anger as he stepped forward, now looming, clearly done with the back-and-forth: You walk in here, insult my work, waste my time- what, you think you can just talk people down however you like?
Kuja!Buggy didn’t move an inch: If your work matched your attitude, maybe I wouldn’t have to.
That did it.
The man’s hand jerked forward. Not quite striking, but close enough to make the intent clear. And that’s when Shanks moved. It was subtle at first. No grin. No lazy posture. One second he was leaning against the post, the next he was between them. His hand caught the carpenter’s wrist mid-motion, firm, unyielding. The shift in him was immediate.
Gone was the easygoing boy.
What stood there now was something sharper. Buggy raised a brow at the action.
Teen!Shanks, quietly, almost conversational, but there was an edge underneath it now, something dangerous: Yeah, We’re not doing that.
Carpenter, blinked, caught off guard: Get your hand off me!
Shanks didn’t. His grip didn’t tighten, but it didn’t loosen either.
Teen!Shanks, tone still calm: You were talking business. Now you’re swinging at customers? That’s bad for reputation.
Carpenter, nervous as he is unable to love his arm: I wasn’t-
Teen!Shanks, finally meeting his eyes sending a small wave of Haki unknowingly: You were about to,
And there it was. That look. Steady. Cold. Certain. Not loud. Not dramatic. Just enough to make it clear this wouldn’t end well if pushed. Buggy crossed her arms behind him, watching, not surprised, not worried… just observing.
The carpenter hesitated.
Shanks smiled then, but it wasn’t the same smile from before.
Teen!Shanks: Let’s reset, You give a reasonable price. She stops insulting your craftsmanship…….maybe…….
Kuja!Buggy scoffed: No promises.
Teen!Shanks, continued: And everyone walks away happy.
The carpenter glanced between them, weighing his options. Then he yanked his hand back only because shanks let go still smiling.
Carpenter: …Fine…Lower price. But no custom carvings!
Kuja!Buggy stepped forward immediately: Half up front. The rest when I see the finished product.
Carpenter: sixty percent!
Kuja!Buggy: Forty.
Carpenter, panicking: Thirty-five.
Kuja!Buggy, smug: Deal~
The carpenter’s eyes widened in shock at the realization that he has lowered the price more than intended out of anxiousness. Shanks stepped back, just as easily as he had stepped in, like nothing had happened. And just like that, the tension dissolved. And the carpenter fell back on his chair with his hand on his head. Shanks, glanced at Buggy, grin slowly creeping back.
Teen!Shanks: You know, for a second there, I thought you were actually going to let me handle it.
Buggy didn’t look at him as she counted out the coins along with the reference drawing.
Kuja!Buggy: I didn’t need you to.
A beat.
Kuja!Buggy: ….But you were useful.
Shanks blinked…..Then laughed.
Teen!Shanks, and shot his hands up: Wow! I’m moving up in the world!!
Buggy finally glanced at him, just briefly.
Kuja!Buggy: Don’t get used to it.
She then turned around to leave the shop, which made Shanks realized that he was beating left behind and he panicked as he called after her to slow down.
But failed to notice how in her last statement she didn’t sound as sharp this time.
Gaban, eating in front of a grill stand: That was impressive, who knew our brat can use Haki? But damn that boy was able to charm an Amazon lily worrier in one day, did you see that?
Owner of the grill stand: Sir, you keep talking to me about love between minors and it’s scaring away the customers, just pay and go.