Chapter Text
"This is an absolutely terrible idea. Do you see this wig? Really?" Nesi complained, lifting up a dark-haired wig.
"Squaw!" Baragon replied, smiling with amusement.
"Gumfree!" Mothra responded, eyes filled with hearts and fluttering about with joy.
Nesi was in a dressing room with a proper vanity and wardrobe on an undercover mission for the privateers. It wasn't something that happened often, and the leaders, Pieter van der Does and Ulogon Hawkins, generally stayed away from these types of assignments due to the high risks of exposing their group. However..., the World Government and country leaders specifically wanted this particular pirate crew and its captain arrested. They were taking rations meant for the troops and low-income families. That would not do. So, Nesi and a few other apprentices were handpicked to do a sting operation. At first, it was meant to be a negotiation type of mission, but the severity of this crew's crimes was growing to concerning levels, so it was decided that the crew would be taken down dead or alive. It didn't matter what methods were chosen. One of the marines, who thought it would be REALLY funny to screw with the privateers because they were the "neutered" version of government dogs like the Seven Warlords of the Sea, suggested that Nesi (while on lunch break, mind you) be a decoy for the pirate captain since he was into women so much. Pieter inexplicably agreed to such a proposal and went to work planning things out.
Hence why she was in a dressing room doing her makeup and... hair. Mothra was so excited for this that she was singing in the room and picking out different things for Nesi to use or try on, which was great because that eliminated a secondary person to help her dress, and she had astoundingly good tastes... for a moth. Just as Nesi was going through the lipstick choices, Mothra slapped her hand with her small bug legs and chose a pink color that made Nesi's lips look fuller. The privateer merely sighed, smiled at her second beast, and put the lipstick on without protest. They worked together on the wig. Once she was ready, she took a deep breath, grabbed a pair of feathery fans, and walked to the stage where curtains were closed. Pieter was standing on the other side of the stage, waiting to cue the stage equipment, and was alerted by Mothra fluttering on his shoulder. He smirked, spotted Nesi, gasped lightly, and then nodded with approval as he walked out to introduce her.
"Welp, it's now or never. Although, I'd rather never," Nesi said to herself, walking to her position.
When the curtain went up, the music cued up. Mothra landed on her gemstone hairpin, gave her a final cheer, and rested to watch and be part of the show. Nesi simply got into her character and covered her body with the large feather fans, the trademark of a burlesque-style dancer but none of the nudity that often gets paired with it. When she heard her cue, she started moving the fans about until the audience were captivated enough to go "Ooo" or "Oh, pretty". The guitar sounded and she started snapping her hands in positions, stomping to show off her large hips from the slit in her dress, or shimmying down to gain the attention needed for the other privateers to start moving in. When the chorus was about to kick in, she dragged the fans from her feet to above her head.
Got a black magic woman
Got a black magic woman
I got a black magic woman
Got me so blind I can't see
That she's a black magic woman
She's tryin' to make a Devil out of me
Don't turn your back on me baby
Don't turn your back on me baby
Yes, don't turn your back on me baby
Stop messin' 'round with your tricks
Don't turn your back on me baby
You just might pick up my magic sticks
(Ah)
Her routine was a simple one. Some head rolling, lot of booty poking out, just enough strutting to show confidence and beauty, a bit of twirling to show interest and playfulness. It was only when Nesi had to point to someone in the crowd that she caught sight... of Dracule Mihawk, her dancing partner from a birthday passed. Mentally, she was gasping and screaming. Why was he here!? But, for showmanship, she winked at him and kept going. The show must go on. This pirate captain they were after had to be taken down. When the audience started to grow and their target had finally appeared to watch, Nesi did her best to make the dance more interesting with either splits or arching her back into a full crescent moon. Once she got into her position for other dancers to appear, wouldn't you know her beloved captain, the joy to her world since leaving her home island, pirate extraordinaire, one Portgas D. Ace was also in the crowd giving her the evilest eye he could muster! WHY WAS HE HERE!?
As the other ladies came in to join her, she visibly sighed and cringed. Okay, it might not be so bad. She was practically invisible behind the ladies' and their fans. Surely, she couldn't be spotted anymore... right? Right??? When she spun around to perform a faster paced dance, not only was Mihawk staring into her soul with those arguably luscious golden eyes - that wasn't an eye color you just found on a whim - but Ace was absolutely not having it. Nesi was tempted to glue herself to the stage and shimmy for eternity if it meant avoiding both audience members, but she knew she couldn't. Their target was walking towards the stage. He nodded to her, signaled some other men to approach, and she only stopped when the music stopped and the applause rang out.
Oh crap...