The Play starts

(AN: Hey, I still have at least 10 more days to wait for the final decision on my case but I decided to try and write a chap, to not lose the touch of my story. Very short recap following: Jackson Pirates made their comeback by annihilating the cities on Red Risk Island, one of the world's biggest trading and smuggling center of illegal goods, even involving nobles and WG officials. Doflamingo fled with his crew outsmarting Jackson's outsmarting but the later outsmarted him back. Sabo and Law face Navy and Mingo on their own after being sent alone to Punk Hazard while the others prepared something. Cavendish shit talked Jackson and he and his crew got beaten and captured. Sabo and Law are going back after winning and bringing the captured Donquixote pirates.)

Augur POV

"So you beat up a rookie and caught his entire crew?"

"Ahahaha! What an arrogant bastard!"

Our crew's doctor Law and vice-captain Sabo spoke out respectively after learning of yesterday's incident. This morning the two returned after finishing their secret task with better than expected result, so the captain gathered everyone for a big lunch together as a small celebration before the action would begin.

In the dining hall of Dressrosa's royal palace the whole crew was enjoying the feast that Kench prepared, together with the royal family of this country and the representative of the revolutionaries that agreed to aid us in reinstalling King Riku as the state's head.

He and Viola are freely chatting with Robin, who sat nearest to them, while on the other side of the overly long dining table, Kuina was loudly discussing, what I would deem as strange topics with Bello Betty. The sight of the two of them together made some of the weaker willed individuals among us turn their heads from time to time.

The only somewhat awkward person here was that toy soldier next to the little princess, that usually follows our captain whenever she can.

When the topic shifted to the newly arrived and now imprisoned rookie Cavendish and his crew, Shachi and Penguin excitedly took over and mentioned every known detail in an overly sarcastic tone intentionally throwing jabs at captain.

"Well, he does have a point in claiming that captain is much uglier than him but despite his lacking looks he has the necessary raw strength of a monster beast to compensate for it!"

Penguin, who was already lightly drunk, quiet obviously hinted at something that could easily become his fated end.

"Right! He may not have much else but our captain has at least the power and fame to compete with the worlds biggest scum and criminals for the title of the most feared monster on sea!"

An equally drunk Shachi bravely decided to share his good brothers fate and hit the nail the Penguin had placed before, on the head.

And just as I expected, captain, who had already drunk quite a few bottles himself, was merciless in his answer as he calmly and slowly spoke.

"I wonder~! Assuming I *hic* am ugly and useless as you say~ what does that make you? Last time I checked both of you together pulled exactly zero bitches despite each one being around half a decade older than me~?"

Usually a sound akin to a lightning strike should resound now but all we could hear was the breaking sound of two hearts shattering to pieces, effectively drawing in almost everybody's attention.

The reason that the usual thunder clap didn't resound was probably because the lightning bastard was too busy inhaling all the prepared seafood. As fate would have it, seafood is my favorite type of food as well, and despite me usually not being so childish, seeing him sit on my right side and gobble everything up made me increase my speed of eating in accordance.

'Lighting bastard, I'll check your fate later when no one is around!'

"Ahahahahah!"

A sudden, loud and boisterous laugh from my left brought me out of my thoughts and even made Enel pause for a moment. Kench was laughing weirdly after observing everyone eat. Seeing my and Enel's questioning gazes he calmed down a bit and tried to explain.

"Don't mind me. I was just enjoying that everyone had fun while enjoying my food."

Kench said so in a strangely prideful tone not matching his humble words but what he said hardly made any sense to me.

"What are you talking about? Has there ever been someone who didn't enjoy your cooking?"

This shouldn't be the case since his skills as chef are top class in the world, objectively speaking. He took a moment to silently ponder my question before telling me and the lightning bastard a surprising truth.

Long story short, apparently he was discriminated against, even by fellow fishman. Due to his specialties, his skin produces a certain extract that can function as a defensive barrier but on the off side it made him look disgustingly slimy.

Whenever someone tried his food they loved it but after seeing him they all showed strange expression and left, never to return.

"I can't really blame them since they surely thought that their food was drenched in this strange fluid skin extract but be assured that I always take extra caution and make preparations for that not to happen."

Neither of us had a problem with that since Kench had established himself as a trustworthy member of ours, since long ago. As for his story, I was unimpressed by it. Looking around the table which one of us doesn't have a dark past. Being hunted, oppressed, poor and hungry, or having lost someone, we strangely enough have it all gathered.

'...Except for the captain...'

"Man come to think of it, isn't captain the only one among us who didn't experience a dark and depressing past? Must be nice to be carefree and happy from the beginning..."

The guy responsible for the dramatic sound effects had a similar thought to my own, which is kind of unsettling for me. He flatly said that like it was a matter of fact.

"Why? Are you jealous that the captain doesn't have a depressing childhood?"

For a moment it did sound like that was the case. Personally I never connected past misfortune to another's fortune or in this case lack of misfortune but it would be interesting to hear how others view this.

"Jealous? No. Just take a look."

Enel leaned a bit closer to me before continuing to speak quietly enough for our talk to not disturb the other's eating and discussions.

"Despite knowing of our pasts captain probably won't understand it completely and that's not something bad. Instead he lets us experience being as free and carefree as him. This might sound cheesy but my current life is the closest to 'happiness' I ever knew."

...

Having said what he wanted to say, Enel turned his attention back to the food. His answer was surprising in more than one way because it turned out that for the second time today we had similar thoughts on something.

The following day all the preparations started. The king and his close aids and family started memorizing their text and lines in preparation of their roles they will be respectively playing.

The captured Cavendish Pirates as well as the imprisoned Donquixote commanders were being prepared for what they would have to fulfill once the play started while the revolutionaries became busy with setting up the stage and attracting a big audience.

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3rd Person POV

Around 10 days after Sabo and Law returned to Dressrosa the day of the play finally arrived. To most it was just like any other day with many going to work or doing their hobbies and so on. It was during the high noon when a huge screen started being projected in the air by hidden denden mushi's.

Many people stopped and looked up or out of the windows depending on where they were and what they were doing. Strangely enough the projected screen showed a scene of Dressrosa's capital, or to be more specific, the central plaza.

What Dressrosa's citizen didn't know was that similar screens were being projected on other islands and cities around the Grand Line. The close by Heart Kingdom, Alabasta and Sabaody Archipelago being some of the mentioned locations.

Strangely enough, as if they waited for this moment, a horde of news reporters started gathering at those locations, staring at the respective screens and waiting for what is about to be shown. And soon the play begun, laying bare a story that would be akin to a punch in the face of the World Government and their trust and prestige.

(AN:Hey everyone! Decided to stay up a bit longer and write a chapter since I felt like I lost the touch of my story. The chapter isn't as long as the last few chaps but I can't help it. Also bear with the cliffhanger for now since it helps me release some stress. Due to my irregular update schedule I won't be shamelessly asking for Power stones but do post a meme or a joke in the comments, after all in these times of inflation and shattered expectations which one of us, wouldn't appreciate something to make them smile! Well then see you next month XD trololololol!)