Performance

Rex stood on the roof of the auction house, waiting for Kid to give him the signal. He was currently garbed in his full Jacket D. Hoodie outfit which was a blank, white mask, a velvet purple cloak and dark pants.

As for who Rex was 'wearing' he had chosen to wear Faust this time, as the cat Mink's physical body and electro powers were rather desirable. Not to mention, Rex loved any opportunity he got to bamboozle the Marines with yet another body.

Eventually, Rex gets the signal. Three tugs on his wrist bracelet. It was go-time.

Slotting an explosive canister into the whole he had drilled into the roof, Rex smiles. This would be fun.

Meanwhile, in the auction house, Marina had brought out three containers, each covered by a black tarp. They were the top selling items of today's auction of Pride, three, genuine devil fruits.

"Now, let me introduce the first devil fruit! It is a Paramecia-type devil fruit know as the Bane Ba…"

Boom!

A massive explosion rocks the auction house as a portion of the ceiling right above the auctioneer's platform collapses. Marina screams out, leaping out of the way just in time to avoid the rocks.

"Jakekeket! You all weren't thinking of having a party and not inviting me?" A deep, voice rings out from above.

Then, Jacket D. Hoodie descends from the hole in the ceiling, slowly, almost as if gravity barely had an effect on him. He was massive, being a hulking 4 meters tall, but he seemed to fall as delicately as a feather.

Of course, this was Rex, using Life-Jacket mode with a hydrogen-oxygen gas mixture instead of normal air. Rex could create the gas mixture with ease using Faust's electro and high-school level electrolysis of water. However, Rex had to be careful, as he really didn't want to go all Hindenburg in this place.

"It can't be!" One noble cried out, seeing the figure's mask.

"Yes, it is I, the Sage of the Six Jackets, Jacket D. Hoodie! I have come here to rip off the robes of regality and expose the sloth and debauchery of the modern so-called 'noble'!"

Rex grinned under his mask. This was the 'idea' he had come up with to get double the benefits without paying.

Of course, if it weren't for the insurance of having rigged the place up to blow, this would be an extremely stupid plan. But with the Gem bombs in place, Rex was confident in escaping if it came down to it.

"Heh! Jacket D. Hoodie, it seems that your success in Deul has given you a swelled head!" A pirate says with a sneer.

"Yeah! You might be strong compared to these frail noble imps, but compared to a pirate captain who has braved the seas, you're nothing but a weak, little…"

Boom! Boom!

The brains of the two pirate captains splatter on the walls behind them in the midst of talking. Rex then blows the steam off his pistol.

"Is there anyone else who would like to interrupt me?"

Rex grinned, he had to admit, being a sniper felt cool as hell. Ever since Gem joined the crew, Rex had been trying to learn a thing or two about shooting. While he lacked the talent to be a true top tier sniper, Rex was still a pretty good shot.

"That's good. Jakekeket! Now, my shackled brethren, come to me!" Rex said, firing a Gem bullet at the door where the slaves were kept.

Then, an ominous purple light cloaked the room as dozens of slaves fly out towards the auction stage. Since this auction house was in the North Blue and didn't have access to Grand Line resources, the slaves rarely had bomb collars unless they were really dangerous like the one giant slave.

With that in mind, Rex was able to freely release them, using a key Kid had swiped with his ability. As for the purple light, Rex was inspired by foxy who used pink lights to make his ability invisible.

Boom!

A man leaps down from the stands, swinging an axe at Rex.

"I paid good money for my slaves!"

Cling!

Rex catches the axe with one hand, the sharp blade barely breaking his skin, his combined strength was miles above most people here. Of course, Rex couldn't actually grab steel with his hand without injury. What had really happened was that Faust was wearing a metal gauntlet, but just the intimidation factor was significant.

"They say that lightning is the embodiment of God's wrath. If that is so, God has deemed you unworthy…" Rex pauses as a slight blue glow comes about his body. "OF LIVING!"

A massive arc of electricity goes from the axe to the pirate captain. The captain widens his eyes, trying to release the axe and flee, but Rex's other hand clamps around his throat, keeping him in place.

Rex then slowly places his other, sparking hand over the man's forehead, watching him twitch out before dying.

At this moment, the crowd tensed up. Most people believed that Jacket D. Hoodie, like most Revolutionaries, was only 'strong' because he worked in the shadows. However, seeing him take out a decently strong pirate captain like it was nothing.

"Hirararara!" A roaring laughter bursts out of auction room number 1. "You dare mess with an auction that is supported by my, Donquixote pirates!"

Rex narrows his eyes as the wall to auction room number one began to soften into a fabric-like material. Diamante was finally making a move.

Of course, Rex hadn't forgot about Diamante. Of everyone here, Diamante was probably the only person who could really threaten him. Assuming Diamante was on par with Trebol, Rex felt that, even with Faust's body which was stronger than Rouge's, he wouldn't stand much of a chance against him.

However, Rex had a trump card, he just needed to wait to use it.

"So, you are senior officer of the Donquixote pirates, 'Ripple blade' Diamante!?"

Diamante grins. "Since you know who I am, why don't you make like you revolutionaries usually do… and SCRAM!?"

"Jakekeket! I had expected to only put a dent in some nobles' pockets, but it seems that the fates are smiling on me! To beat the crew member of a fallen dragon, this I can't resist!"

Diamante paled inside of his room before the fabric wall was torn through at once by his sword. He looked at Jacket D. Hoodie with hatred as he had just revealed one of Doflamingo's biggest secrets in public.

"Die!" Diamante shouts, turning his body into fabric as he leaps at Jacket D. Hoodie.

"Burn!" Rex shouts, pointing his electrified palm at Diamante.

A small zipper opens up in Rex's palm as the high pressure hydrogen gas rushed out of it. Like a dragon's breath, an immense stream of fire rushes out of Rex's palm as the hydrogen is ignited by the electricity.

Diamante's eyes widen, not expecting Jacket D. Hoodie to reveal a new power and he barely has time to dodge, slightly singing his body in the process.

Landing on the ground, Diamante scowls at Jacket D. Hoodie.

Rex only grins. Diamante had landed right where he wanted him too. Right in front of the weapons shed.

"You know, Mr. Diamante, my Revolutionary Army has always been respectful to your Donquixote pirates. We haven't exposed your business dealings, or your gun suppliers or your devil fruit business to the Marines. But that stops now! You want our Thunder-Fire bombs so badly, here, have a taste! For Art is…"

BOOM!

"an explosion!"

A massive chain reaction of explosions rocks the auction house. With the Thunder-Fire bombs exploding, every other explosive stored in the armament house goes up in flames as well. Rex sends out a Hasshoken infused fist to block the shockwaves from reaching the slaves, figuring no one would notice.

Everybody, barring the King Pirates, are knocked off guard by this. After all, while remote detonated bombs existed, the auctioneers had swept each item for any unknown mechanisms. The Thunder-Fire bombs had passed this sweep. This was a slap in the face to the whole North Blue black market.

Most of the pirates and almost all of the nobles are either killed or brutally injured in the explosion. Rex smiles as he sees Kid and Bonney running through the crowd looting what they can.

As for Diamante, he had survived the explosion with quite a few injuries, but he was now focused on digging out as many of the Donquixote pirates who had come with him as possible. He curses himself for not having brough Lao G, Machvise, or even Senor Pink with him, but he had no time for regrets.

Rex has to admit a slight feeling of respect towards his foe at this moment. While the Donquixote pirates were ruthless, slave-selling, mass-murdering psychopaths, they did care deeply about their own.

Rex then smiles, pointing to the massive hole that the explosion had made in the wall. "Run my shackled brethren! Run away. There is a ship, on the port, belonging to the Big Axe Pirates, I have readied it for your escape."

The slaves run like savage animals upon hearing this. The chance of escape making their eyes gleam. However, two slaves are unable to run as they fly up to the 20th auction room, dragged by their metal collars. They are Monet and Sugar.

"What is the meaning of this abduction!?" Rex roars at the auction room, knowing he had to play his part. "Do you wish to defy me even further, Vesta Rex?"

"The meaning! The meaning!?" A voice comes back, a savage tiger then leaps at Jacket D. Hoodie. "The meaning is that you have ruined the sanctity of the black market! You fiend! I, Vesta Rex, vow that I shall never die until you, Jacket D. Hoodie, are dead!"

"So, the brat thinks he can become King, does he?" Jacket D. Hoodie says with a grin. "Don't forget, I taught you all that you know!"

'Rex' and 'Jacket D. Hoodie', clash hand-to-claw, as a booming noise rings out.

'Rex' is sent flying off by this clash, banging into a distant wall. 'Jacket D. Hoodie' cannot help but feel a bit concerned that he had hurt Rouge, but he keeps up the charade.

"You were nothing but a pauper when I met you and now you try selling the Revolutionary army's goods!? Do you have no sense of loyalty? Of decency!?"

'Rex' gets up, walking over to 'Jacket D. Hoodie' slowly. A deep growl escaping 'his' throat.

"The only loyalty I have is to my crew, and to the almighty Berry! Tell that fool, Dragon that his cause is doomed to fail! We couldn't even beat his mad monkey of a father, not to mention the whole World Government! I'd rather be a living traitor then a dead idealist."

"Too bad." 'Jacket D. Hoodie' said solemnly. "Because you're going to be a dead traitor!"

'Jacket D. Hoodie then leaps at 'Rex' grabbing 'him' and throwing 'him' as far as he could. Despite the huge size of 'Rex', 'Jacket D. Hoodie' is still able to throw 'him' far off into the sky with a loud plop as 'Rex' lands into the sea.

Rex internally vows to give Rouge an extra-large steak when he gets back to the ship. She deserved it for that performance.

As for the voice, Rex had just strapped a small, recording Den Den Mushi to Rouge's chin and had pre-recorded the whole speech.

Now, it was time for the finale.

"Now, for a lesson you shant soon forget, I curse thee, the living nobles and pirates alike, to a life forever barren of the pleasures you so desire. Dark fog!"

A dark pink mist spreads out of one of Rex's pockets. The moment it does, Rex flees in terror. He wouldn't want to accidentally breathe in some of this particular poison.

It was a poison that Jidanbo knew of, one that caused permanent impotence upon inhaling it. With Rose's ability, the poison was easily weaponized into a poison gas and now Rex had spread it to these trapped nobles.

Grinning, Rex flees the scene of the crime, a massive grin on his masked face.

(Two Days Later)

In the past two days, chaos had reigned in the North Blue. With Jacket D. Hoodie crippling several of the largest pirate groups in the North Blue, the other groups that didn't attend the auction seized this opportunity to expand their influence.

Dozens of newspapers came to different conclusions with headlines ranging from: 'Jacket D. Hoodie, the Second Coming of Shiki?' to 'Vesta Rex, the Overrated and Underperforming'. All of them agreed that there was something rotten in the state of Denmark, Denmark being the Marines.

Several countries were in chaos as their princes, dukes and barons had either died or escaped, being severely wounded and impotent. While only a few kings had attended the auction, their deaths shook the countries they came from.

The Marines were stretched thin, with the danger of complete anarchy descending. But, at the last moment, Vice Admiral Tsuru made a move, tranquilizing the whole sea in one sweep.

"What will we do know Tsuru-sama?" Gion asked. "The newspapers are filled with stories of our incompetence, and even your strength isn't enough to hold all these pirates back!"

Tsuru frowned as she thought of this. This Jacket D. Hoodie character really was starting to get bold.

At first, when Sengoku had told her to watch out for him, Tsuru had taken it with a grain of salt. In her eyes, Doflamingo was far more dangerous than Jacket D. Hoodie and the moment she took her eye off him, Tsuru knew he would strike.

In fact, despite what had happened, Tsuru still thought Doflamingo was more dangerous than Jacket D. Hoodie. However, she could no longer underestimate him.

"Call Rear Admiral Strawberry to the North Blue. Our deal with the Diez pirates is in a month, we'll need to keep our eyes out. I suspect both Doflamingo and Jacket D. Hoodie will try to interfere with it."

"What about Vesta Rex?" Gion asks, still wanting him to rot in prison for Hina's corruption. "Should we raise his bounty? Witnesses saw his first mate robbing several nobles in the chaos. Not to mention he has a confirmed relationship with Jacket D. Hoodie."

"No." Tsuru shakes her head. "87 million is already a bit high for him. If we raise it higher, even though he got defeated in an instant by Jacket D. Hoodie, it will only make it seem like Jacket D. Hoodie is even stronger. As for Jacket D. Hoodie's bounty… I feel it is out of date."

Marineford

"Bwahahaha! Sengoku! You said that they were best friends but now they're mortal enemies!" Garp says, laughing at Sengoku's twitching brow.

"Shut up, Garp!" Sengoku roars. "Besides, this brat called you a mad monkey, aren't you mad?"

"What!? My senbei buddy said that?" Garp said, flipping through the newspaper. "How did he know?"

Sengoku suddenly frowns at this. While he knew that Dragon was Garp's grandson, it was indeed unlikely that others would know this. Even in the Revolutionary Army, only the upper echelons knew of Dragon's identity.

"Is this Jacket D. Hoodie even more influential than we had previously thought?"

Baltigo Island, Grand Line

"Jacket D. Hoodie." Dragon mutters, pondering over this so-called Revolutionary for the umpteenth time.

Dragon wasn't sure if he should be happy or angry that Jacket D. Hoodie was using the Revolutionary name.

On the one hand, recruitment was through the roof with all the new recruits being 'inspired' by Jacket D. Hoodie. Moreover, it wasn't like Jacket D. Hoodie was doing anything bad using the Revolutionary name. He was saving slaves and giving out money to the people, which was in line with the Revolutionary name.

On the other hand, Dragon felt that Jacket D. Hoodie could flip his face at any time. With the world now firmly believing that Jacket D. Hoodie was a revolutionary. If Jacket D. Hoodie started committing grave crimes like massacring innocents, that too would also be pinned on the Revolutionaries.

"Are you sure he mentioned my father?" Dragon asks a large giant. "And that he said that my father was part of the World Government? And he used the word Monkey?"

The giant nods, solemnly. He was the giant slave that would have been sold in the auction. There were a few revolutionaries who were hidden on Rubeck Island, so when they heard of the slave escape, they seize the opportunity to recruit them. The giant was one of their most promising recruits and had been sent to the Grand Line right away.

'He knows too much.' Dragon thought, seeing through the words easily. 'But… how?'

Spider Miles, North Blue

The biggest 'loser' of the auction sat down in a slump.

One of the devil fruits that were meant to be auctioned was put up by Doflamingo, not to mention all the arms that were destroyed and the injuries sustained by his crew.

What was more, while Rex and Jacket D. Hoodie were putting on this elaborate piece of theatre, Killer had taken the time to rob and destroy several of the docked ships including Diamante's. While most of the money was on Diamante's person, the ship itself and the resources that were on it were a sizeable loss.

Yes, theatre, Doflamingo firmly believed that this whole farce was meant to mislead the Marines into easing off of Rex and focusing on Jacket D. Hoodie. Odds were, Rex was about to make a big move for the Revolutionaries, and they wanted him to be clear of attention before he did it.

Still, Doflamingo had no time to be concerned about Vesta Rex. The Diez pirates were going to make their trade in only three weeks, and he needed to interfere. The one thing he was worried about was whether or not Diez had the fruit on him, or if he had stashed it somewhere for insurance.

After he had dealt with that, Doflamingo had a whole list of what to do next, starting with Rosinante and ending squarely on Vesta Rex.

"Fuffuffu. Call back all of the Donquixote Pirates to Spider Miles."

"What about 'that' deal?" Trebol asks.

Doflamingo frowns, there was too much profit involved in 'that' deal for him to turn it down. "Tell Pica to do it as quickly as possible then come back. Also, tell that person that I am willing to discuss our cooperation."

Omake: Beach Trip (Note: If you want to skip this, read the first nine 'paragraphs' until the one that talks about beach volleyball)

Unnamed Island, North Blue

As for the perpetrator of all this, he was by far the biggest winner.

"Aah! This is the life, isn't it!?" Rex said, sipping out of a coconut as he lounged back on a beach chair.

While the whole world was freaking out, Rex had fled to a secret island that had been noted in the logs of one of the pirate ships he looted. Since the ship had been sunk by Killer and the logs stolen, Rex wasn't worried about any visitors, and he felt that it was the perfect place to 'nurse his wounds'.

As for the spoils, Rex was now a proud billionaire, though it was only 1.9 billion. Most of the paper Berries were burned in the explosion, which saddened Rex, but that was an unfortunate consequence of his plan.

On top of that, he had recruited Monet and Sugar. He had aged the latter up to 14, if only to prevent the World Government from adding 'Child-Sex Trafficking' on his growing list of sexual crimes.

What's more, Rex was now the proud owner of three devil fruits.

As for the fruits' identities, only the Bane Bane no Mi, Bellamy's fruit, was known.

As for the other two they were unknown. One was coarse and scaled, leading Rex to believe it was some kind of lizard Zoan, possibly Drake's fruit given the location and time.

But it was the other one that interested Rex. It was cold to the touch and had a snowflake-like design which made Rex 95% sure it was Monet's fruit from canon.

A logia! Rex couldn't imagine his luck if that was true. Any logia user was functionally immortal for the first half of the Grand Line. Of course, Rex would need a trial period before giving the fruit to Monet, but still, a logia!

Rex smiles, life was good. He watches as several of his crew members do decidedly 'un-pirate' things like playing beach volleyball to suntanning. It reminded him that, while most of his crew were vicious pirates who had committed murders, they were still mostly young. The oldest crew members, barring Pan who was half-giant, were in their 30s, most were in their 20s and late teens.

Rex could already feel the excitement of the crew. After all, once the heat calmed down, Rex had vowed that they were headed to the Grand Line next.

As he looked around, Rex began to realize the burdens on him as a captain. He had dozens of lives relying on him. His decisions could decide the fate of all of them.

Not to mention, Rex was now responsible for the lives of children like Sugar and possibly more if the 'relations' on his crew got more serious. He couldn't keep 'winging' things like he used to.

Rex realized that he had finally started to think of this world as something other than 'the One Piece world' and started thinking of it as 'his world'. Things Rex had never considered came to light. Could he have a personal life on this world? A family? Especially with how violent and brutal it was.

Not that finding a 'partner' would be difficult. Kid liked to joke that half the women on the crew would be willing to bed any of the three head 'honchos' but it was true. Power was a real aphrodisiac in the tumultuous world of one piece, particularly if you were weak.

As for the women. Rex couldn't complain about their quality. He felt that…

Bonk!

Rex winces in pain rubbing his head as he turns around to see Rose looking at him with a frown.

"What did you do that for!?"

"You were thinking something dirty."

"I was not!" Rex guffaws in outrage, this was a point of pride, as a captain he couldn't be caught thinking lewd thoughts.

Rose just nods sagely. "You were. You were staring at Monet's bu-posterior."

"I was considering the optimal dietary regimen for her to be restored to top condition!" Rex asserts.

"You were drooling."

"Why you little…" Rex then leaps out of his chair, running at Rose. "Defaming the captain is mutiny! And the punishment is grave…"

Of course, Rex wasn't being serious. As old as Rose might look, he knew she was much younger and wouldn't be that harsh on her.

Still, Rose ran away, with the two of them being caught in a game of cat and mouse. Rex held back his top speed, as the game would be over in an instant if he went all out, letting Rose run free for a few minutes before catching her.

"Now, it's time for the punishment…" Rex says with a grim expression as he holds Rose's arm with a vice-like grip. He then reaches into a pocket and pulls out a long feather he had gotten from Chicky, running it under her nose. "1000 years of eternal…"

"Hey! Stop messing around and come play in our game captain!" Kid shouts, a volleyball in hand. "Bonney says girls are better at volleyball, but I think she's full of it!"

Rex grins, dragging Rose over. The top officers are split into teams with Rose and Bonney in one, while Rex, Killer, Kid, Hawkins and Gem were in the other. With such a heavy imbalance, Rex puts Monet on the other team but there was still a difference of two.

"Ah forget it, I'll go." Rex says, switching over to play on the girls' team.

Kid looks at Rex with a shocked expression. "But you're not a girl."

Rex just grins, borrowing Rouge to 'equip' in jacket mode.

"Who says so!? I am Vesta Rex, I can be whatever I want to be. Man, woman, tigress, even an apache attack jacket!!" Rex says recalling the gender debate on his past world.

"An apache atta… What the hell! Bring it on!" Kid says, gathering his team members.

With a blast of a whistle, the game was on.