"What's with all that screaming, Violet?!"
A tall figure draped in a pink-feathered coat strode in through the doors. Doflamingo had heard the shriek from far away, and a cold knot formed in his chest.
On the way here, he had prayed Ozz wouldn't run into any trouble, that nothing would sour his mood.
But when he saw Violet's flushed face, hands covering her cheeks as she let out that piercing cry, his own face darkened.
Of all people, why did it have to be Violet?
At this stage, she wasn't yet someone he coveted for her beauty. What he valued most were her eyes her Devil Fruit ability.
The Paramecia-type Giro Giro no Mi.
With it, she could scout vast distances, see through lies, and read the thoughts of others. An ability like that was invaluable.
"Nothing serious, Doffy."
Ozz cut in smoothly, throwing Violet a lifeline. "I might've startled her a little, that's all."
Doflamingo paused. Relief flickered in his heart.
Good. Ozz wasn't angry.
"As long as you weren't offended, Ozz-sama. The palace has prepared a grand banquet. Please, allow me to show you the way."
He stepped aside, watching as Ozz walked out of the pool. Not a drop of water clung to him. In the blink of an eye, a dark suit reformed on his body. Doflamingo didn't even bother to be surprised.
Instead, he shot Violet a hard look. Once Ozz was gone, he tugged her into a shadowed corner with his threads.
"Violet. You used that trick of yours on him, didn't you?"
Her body stiffened. Panic flashed in her eyes. But then, thinking back to what she had seen, her panic melted into a burning blush.
"T-that…"
Doflamingo didn't notice her strange reaction. His mind was consumed with worry over whether Ozz was satisfied, whether his earlier displeasure had faded. His voice snapped, sharp with impatience.
"You saw something, didn't you? Then hurry up and tell me!"
Violet's cheeks flamed hotter. There was no way she could repeat what she'd just witnessed. So she lied.
"Uh… Ozz-sama was just wondering… why dinner wasn't ready yet. He said he's hungry."
"…Really?"
Doflamingo released her, frowning. It didn't sound like Ozz at all. The man didn't strike him as someone who would obsess over food. When had the Black Emperor ever cared about eating on time?
But then again… it was around dinnertime. There was no obvious flaw in her excuse.
"Fine. I'll believe you this once. But listen carefully, Violet."
His voice dropped, harsh and venomous. Red light glinted faintly behind his shades.
"Don't think Ozz's arrival changes anything. The Riku dynasty is finished. In Dressrosa, the king's name is Donquixote!"
Leaving that threat hanging in the air, he turned to prepare for the banquet, determined to keep everything flawless.
…
"Caw!"
The Seagull King was annoyed.
Perched on the table beside Ozz, he found himself the subject of intense scrutiny from three brats a boy, a girl, and a pudgy little one.
If not for Ozz sitting here and the fact that they seemed to be his companions the Seagull King would've already unleashed holy beak-fury.
"Look! It's one of those news-delivery gulls!"
"It looks different though. Bigger… cooler, even."
"You idiots. A seagull's a seagull. What's so special?" Law muttered, unimpressed.
The Seagull King's eyes glowed red. Veins bulged across its feathery brow.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
In an instant, three enormous lumps appeared on the kids' heads, steam rising from each.
Especially Law he already had a welt from Ozz's earlier flick, and now another grew right beside it. They almost looked like matching horns.
"It hurts!!!"
The three clutched their heads, tears welling up.
None of the adults moved to intervene. This was Ozz's pet. And if Ozz's pet gave the children a beating? That was their problem.
"Fufufufufu… Even his pet has such strength. Truly fitting for Ozz-sama."
Doflamingo chuckled from his seat of honor, adding the compliment at just the right moment.
Ozz smirked, sliding part of his meal into a small plate for the Seagull King.
The bird dipped its head in thanks and immediately hopped down into the opposite seat directly across from Doflamingo claiming the second head seat at the table without hesitation.
The unspoken rules of the family cracked like glass.
The Donquixote cadres exchanged uneasy glances. For their tightly ordered hierarchy, this was unthinkable. A pet sitting equal to their young master? Outrageous.
But no one dared speak.
Even Doflamingo, sitting directly across from the bird, betrayed not a flicker of discontent. He only leaned toward Ozz, warmly introducing the delicacies of Dressrosa.
The Seagull King, for his part, felt no guilt. Compared to these so-called "executives," his strength was absolute. He stabbed a fork into a dish with his beak, dragging it to his plate as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
And as every gaze lingered on the bird, tension building, Ozz and Doflamingo carried on casually, discussing another matter altogether
Virgo, the Navy's man on the inside.
"I saw him at Marineford, during the Shichibukai gathering. The kid's got talent. Picked up Armament Haki almost immediately."
"Fufufufu… To be taught by you, Ozz-sama, is the highest honor."
But their conversation was cut short by a sharp crack of energy.
Everyone turned.
On the table, two forks stabbed into the same slice of cake.
One belonged to Diamante.
The other, to the Seagull King.
The air itself buzzed as sparks began to snap between them.
…
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