Cooperation

(Two Weeks Later)

"Come on crewman Kid, I want that deck shiny!" Bonney says with a cackle, enjoying her newfound power.

The bet of the earlier volleyball game was a month-long role-reversal where all the male officer roles were taken by females. The boys had lost.

Other than Rex, who had played for the girls' team for the sake of fairness, all the male officers were now crewmen. Of course, this was only for good fun. Once the ship was under attack or performing an attack, the roles would be reversed.

Rex didn't choose his officers by sex, but by merit instead. As such, when lives were on the line, merit prevailed over all else.

"The only reason you won is because the captain was on your team." Gem grumbles under his breath while he was cleaning out the cannons.

"What was that, Crewman Gem?" Rose says with a sadistic smile.

"Nothing ma'am, must have been the squeak of the cannon!"

"Good. Then you'll polish it twice over to make sure there's no more squeaking."

Rex smiled, he loved it when his crew got along.

"Crewman Hawkins, how far is it to Bayou Island?" Rex asks, having received a tip that the last of his desired targets, Caribou, was on that island.

"The fates council me that we will arrive within the hour."

"Good. Prepare yourself, Rose and Gem to come down to the island with me. Everyone else, hold here. I needn't warn you about Doflamingo taking action."

Then, as planned, Rex reaches Bayou Island, disembarking with his three officers. As for why he had chosen them, it was because he felt they would be the most effective means to fight Caribou if he had already eaten the Numa Numa no mi.

With a logia, physical attacks like Kid, Killer and Bonney weren't going to cut it. But Rex figured that Rose's poison would work, and Gem could send a bunch of explosives into Caribou's infinite space and blow them up. As for Hawkins, Rex figured that since straw was used to dry up mud in his past world, it would also be useful here to make Caribou rigid then crack him.

The four then enter deeper and deeper into the swampy island. There was a thick miasma that covered the island, making it difficult to see or even breathe, but Rex simply blows it away with his breath.

Then, hearing a slight rustle in the distance, Rex tenses up.

"Show yourselves."

Five cloaked figures soon emerge from the miasma. Rex looks them all up and down, only to freeze as he recognizes one familiar figure.

"What does the big and powerful revolutionary army want with a small and humble figure like me?"

The head of this group was an immense man, who Rex easily identified as Bartholomew Kuma, frowned at Rex's effortless deduction of their identities.

"We wish to broker a deal with your King pirates, or more specifically, the man who stands behind you." Kuma says simply.

Hawkins smiles. "What makes you think there is someone who stands behind our pirate group?"

"Drop the act, kid!" A cocky lady behind Kuma cried out. "We want to talk to the 'real' captain of your King Pirates, and we want to do it now. Bring Jacket D. Hoodie out!"

"Oh, you wish to speak with the famous revolutionary? Well, I apologize, but I cannot help you there. Even if I did, hypothetically, know him and I did, hypothetically, have a means to contact him. Jacket D. Hoodie is a busy man and does not have the time to run some errands for your revolutionary army. Hypothetically, that is."

The lady scowls, clenching her fist with a desire to pummel Rex, but Kuma raises his paw to stop her.

Then, a tall, pale man with a plague mask steps up, his eyes narrowing on Rex and his companions.

"We know who you are looking for, we have what you want. In exchange for it, we want his help in 'procuring' two more for the revolutionary army."

"I see…" Rex says, immediately decoding that they had the Numa Numa no Mi. "I am curious as to why your tall friend cannot help. I feel he is as strong, if not stronger than most anyone in the North Blue."

"He… is unable to assist us."

"I see. I will have to convene with my associates, I will inform you of our decision in a few hours."

The Revolutionaries frown, time being of the essence in this, but ultimately, they nod. Without Kuma, they didn't stand a chance at accomplishing this mission and with Kuma's status, he couldn't be seen associating with Revolutionary activity.

"He will help us." Kuma said simply.

"Oh, how do you figure that?" A young woman asks. "He doesn't seem to be too willing to help us out now."

"He will help."

Meanwhile, Rex had organized his senior officers and explained the task to them.

"What? They're going to give us one Devil Fruit in exchange for two? Do they think we're dumb kids who can't do math?"

"No, this one fruit is worth more to me than whatever the other two devil fruits are put together." Rex said, knowing the value of the Numa Numa no mi well. The infinite storage alone was worth a lot, not to mention the fact that it could be used to harbor people.

"What do they want us to do for them?" Rose questions.

"They haven't said yet, but I figure we're either stealing from Doflamingo or the black market, possibly both at the same time."

"Do you believe the fates lie in our favor in this endeavor?" Hawkins asks.

"Well, I really should be asking you that question, but in my opinion, it will probably be really dangerous."

The rest of the officers continue to ponder over it with Kid and Killer not wanting to risk it, while Rose and Gem wanted to help the revolutionaries. Hawkins and Rex remained neutral for the debate.

"I'm going." Bonney said simply. It was the first and only time she had spoken since Rex brought up the name 'Bartholomew Kuma'.

"I see…" Rex said. "Then we need to come up with a plan."

(Three Hours Later)

Rex, in his Jacket D. Hoodie disguise, returned to the meeting spot with Gem and Rose in tow.

"So, you have arrived." Kuma says, looking Jacket D. Hoodie up and down. His current size and build matched the description he had been given.

"I have been told you have a cooperation you wish to discuss. I'm all ears."

Kuma stares into the soulless, mask holes in Rex's disguise before nodding.

"In around twelve hours, the Donquixote pirates will make a trade for two devil fruits on a nearby island. We plan to steal those fruits while in transit." Karasu says.

"Very well. Who is handling the deal?"

"That's where the tricky part comes in. The two cadres handling the deal are Pica and Lao G, two of the strongest members of the Donquixote pirates. I can handle Lao G myself and my associates can deal with the rest of them, all we need is for you to deal with Pica."

Rex frowns under his mask. Dealing with Pica, that would be… rather difficult with his current strength.

However, Rex had expected as much. After all, there were no handouts in the One Piece world. The only reason the revolutionaries came to them was that they didn't think they could hack it alone.

"I can agree to your terms, but I need to be assured that you possess the item I desire."

Karasu nods, turning to Kuma. The hulking man then procures a strange, mud-colored fruit with an odd design.

"I see. Then may this cooperation be fruitful."

With that, the planning started. Kuma had left shortly after the deal was made, needing to make as many public appearances as possible.

Rex learned that the four Revolutionaries names were Karasu, the head honcho, Lexico, the cocky lady who was also an expert thief, Shark, a fishman who would be tailing the shipment from the water and Janci, the 'getaway driver' so to speak.

Rex similarly introduced Gem and Rose to the crew listing Gem as the 'demolitions expert' and Rose as the 'exterminator'. With Rex having predicted Pica to be his opponent, Rex had chosen his crew accordingly. He had a plan, though he wasn't 100% confident in its success.

Still, Rex needed to do this. Otherwise, Bonney would go by herself and almost certainly be killed.

(Ten Hours Later)

"Infiltration success." Rex whispers into a mini Den Den Mushi as he slinks through the cargo hold of the Donquixote pirate ship.

Pica had left to make the deal, and Rex had used Lao G's senescence to sneak in with his crew in jacket form, tricking a drunk, Donquixote crewman. As for how he had snuck the whole crew in.

"You can come out now." Rex said, opening a pocket in his chest.

Then, four infant babies tumbled out of Rex's pockets, quickly growing to a decent size in a flash of pink light. They were Bonney, Rose, Gem and Faust.

Rex had not been foolish enough to attack Pica without a plan and a trump card.

After Bonney de-ages everyone, she slips back into Rex's chest pocket. Rex then envelops Faust, his eyes steeling over.

"It's game time."

Rushing through the cargo hold, it is as Rex expected, being filled to the brim with stone for Pica to use in a fight. This was the main reason Rex had agreed to the mission.

On land, Rex was 100% sure that Pica would destroy him with ease. After all, he had access to infinite stone resources and could grow as big as he wanted.

On the sea however, Rex felt that with some planning, beating Pica wouldn't be hard. He would have a limited supply of stone out here and that stone could be sabotaged.

Rex grins as he immediately gets to work.

Creating numerous, large holes inside the stone, Rex fills each of them with either Gem's DNA or Rose's poison. Each hole is quickly filled back up with quick-drying cement as Rex moves to the next one.

The process of filling all the stone with what is needed is a long and tedious one, but Rex is able to do it just in time.

"Pica's coming back to the ship right now, are you ready?" Karasu's voice comes through the mini Den Den Mushi.

"We are a go."

After that, everything moves fast. Rex makes his move on all the treasure stored on the ship, before readying himself for battle. He has Gem and Rose hide in his pockets again, leaving open small 'peepholes' for them to look out at the fight with.

When Karasu and his own crew finally arrive, it is time for action.

The ship slowly pulls out of the dock with Pica moving to a large stone platform on the ship and stomping his foot. Soon, Pica is able to feel the entire ship through the stone that is embedded in it and smiles as he finds nothing…

Slash!

Pica widens his eyes as right in front of him, five masked assailants leap out, culling their way through his crew.

Stomping his foot vigorously to awaken Lao G, Pica rushes at the invaders in rage.

"You dare attack my ship!" Pica shouts out, his voice childlike and high-pitched. "Then DIE!"

Pica throws out a stone fist aimed at one of the revolutionaries.

Crush!

Rex's electrified claw strike rips through the stone fist, turning it into mere gravel as he stares Pica in the eyes.

"Jacket D. Hoodie! For your crimes against the Donquixote Pirates, I, Pica, sentence you to death!" Pica roars, assimilating a massive amount of stone into his body.

"Let us see if the Pikachu can withstand the power of thunderbolts!" Rex roared, coating his body in electro as he fought.

Of course, Rex didn't think he would win this fight. Instead, he was planning on stalling for long enough such that Pica would succumb to the poison.

"Pulpostone!"

Several massive tentacles made out of stone start wriggling around the ship trying to slam into Rex's body. Rex notices a black luster at the tips of the tentacles, realizing that Pica had started his training of armament haki. Still, using his feline dexterity, Rex is able to scramble around the tentacles, climbing up their base to Pica.

Rex had to admit, using Faust's body was extremely easy. Maybe it was just because he was already used to having a feline host, but Rex felt that Faust was almost like a hybrid Zoan form for him.

"Electro Dash Slash!" Rex roars, using one of Faust's moves.

Pica and Rex keep clashing, with Pica starting off on the winning side. Still, bit by bit, Pica felt that he was being pushed back by Rex.

"I-I don't un-der-stand." Pica said sluggishly, feeling that his whole body was drowsy despite only having fought for a half hour. "I sh-should be stron-ger than this."

On the deck, he looks for help from Lao G, only to see that he is being completely held off by Karasu and Shark. As for the other crewmates, Lexico had killed them all and was loading the loot onto the getaway ship.

Now, all that was needed was to steal the devil fruits on Pica's person.

"Pica of the Donquixote Pirates. I must admit, your tenacity is most impressive. Unfortunately, in the name of the Jacket of Justice, you, must, pay for your sins against the common people!!"

Rex then glows brightly with what looks like a Pink Electro. In truth, it was just ordinary electro, mixed with Rose's poison mist.

"Pink lighting of absolute devastation!" Rex roars, sending a signal to Gem to activate his bombs.

Boom!

Suddenly, Pica's vision goes dark. He didn't even have time to use armament haki by the time the explosions hit him.

Rex doesn't let up, grabbing the treasure chest with the devil fruits, taking a long, metal fishing hook and jabbing it into Pica's stomach. Rex then summarily kicks Pica's massive, barely conscious body off of the ship.

Lao G widens his eyes seeing this. Immediately, he enters into his strongest form, pushing back both his enemies as he leaps into the water swimming to save his downed comrade.

"Oh, and this is a souvenir for Doflamingo." Rex says the moment Lao G has pulled Pica to the surface. "Jacket D. Hoodie uses thunderbolt."

A massive, blue electric current rushes down the wire into Pica's gut. With Pica and Lao G both being drenched with sea water, the current goes through them, making them writhe in agony.

"It's super effective." Rex says simply, before turning and leaving.

Karasu, Shark and Lexico look at Rex with a newfound respect and slight terror. Within a half hour, he had beaten Pica, a top Donquixote pirate cadre.

While the revolutionaries knew Pica was weakened by his environment, it was still a notable feat of strength to beat him so quickly. Even a rear admiral would take longer than a half-hour to do such a task. Was this Jacket D. Hoodie already on the level of Vice Admirals?

"Let's move."

Spider Miles, North Blue

"Hmm, I see…" Doflamingo says, putting down the Den Den Mushi with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Young Master?" Baby 5 asks curiously.

"DAMN IT!" Doflamingo explodes in rage. "DAMN IT ALL!"

Two devil fruits lost, not to mention Pica and Lao G in critical condition. Then there was the prior matter of Diamante's failures at Rubeck and Trebol's failure on Lvneel.

Vesta Rex and Jacket D. Hoodie had been in the North Blue for just over a month and a half, yet they had trashed three of Doflamingo's top operatives, put a huge dent in his profits and severely pissed him off.

"Two weeks." Doflamingo told himself. "Two weeks until I rip you both apart, limb from limb. Fuffuffufu."

"Young master… your ally has arrived." Baby 5 says, finally mustering the courage to speak.

"Oh, she has, has she? Bring her in."

Baby 5 nods, scampering out like a mouse and quickly returning with two figures. If Rex had seen them, he would be able to immediately recognize them as Foxy and Devon.

"So, Mr. Head of the North Blue? When do we strike back at the King Pirates?" Devon asks.

"Yes-a, my a-fist has-a been waiting for-a whole-a month to be reunited with-a the face-a of that-a bastard-a that took-a my Porche-a!" Foxy says with a grimace.

Both Devon and Foxy had not had nearly as easy of a time in their respective blues after Rex had blasted them off.

In the East Blue, Devon was by far the most dangerous pirate, and dozens of Marines went after her, including a relentless Logia bastard called Smoker. Devon had nearly died on several occasions and had lost most of her crew.

Meanwhile, Foxy had it slightly better in the West, but the Capone Mafia ended up coming after him for his Devil Fruit, chasing him from one end of the West Blue to the other. The Marines also got news of his appearance and hunted Foxy down.

However, surprisingly, after a conflict with an underworld intelligence agency in the West Blue, Foxy seemed to grow eyes on the back of his head. Suddenly, he was outpacing Marines left and right, attacking the Capone Mafia and getting off scot-free.

In fact, when he and Devon met up once more, it was Foxy with a far stronger crew than Devon's. However, Devon's personal strength still eclipsed Foxy and with that, the two formed an equal, anti-Rex partnership.

With that, Rex's two old rivals returned to join forces with Doflamingo in defeating him.

"So, why don't we start with you telling me everything you know about Vesta Rex? Fuffuffufu!"