Chapter 99: Blood - Civilian Uprising!
Her hands clenched as she stared at the man before her, his hands on her face. To anyone watching it would seem loving but to her, it was nothing of the sort; simply him being controlling. Rob Lucci's hand was so close to her neck she knew that she wouldn't be able to stop him if he went in for the kill. And she could see that blood lust in his eyes, demanding to be sated. Yet, whatever he had meant about her importance to Maroejois she knew would be easy for him to kill her, still the disappointment in his eyes meant that she was safe. At least for now. And then Lucci smirked. It was a cold, venomous smirk that sent shivers running down Robin's spine. Something had occurred off to her left, and so she tore her eyes away form her tormentor to see what was happening. "No need to worry, my dear Nico Robin..." Lucci muttered quietly. "…It's already over". He was staring at the shipyard ceremony, smoke and flames rising above the entire complex of, what was once, Galley-La.
Realisation sparked in her mind and Robin turned back, and stepped forwards to Lucci, rage flaring up in her body. 'Guys...I'm sorry. Please be alright...' "…No…" she cried out in shock, looking back at the docks in the distance. "… No… you promised…" The expression she received back was one of cold calculating indifference, with a quizzical eyebrow raised for good measure. He didn't need to speak, that look told her everything; 'I never promised anything'. Then before she could run off back to her friends a hard chip to the back of her head sent her collapsing to the ground, "now Nico Robin. Let's get you back to Enies Lobby". His words and his face were the last things that she saw and heard as the blackness took ahold. 'Luffy...I love you. Please save me...' Looking down at the unconscious woman, Kaku began deliberating the choices he had made and wether his continued loyalty to Mariejois as still a worthwhile pursuit. He noticed Fukuro move to pick up Nico Robin and sling her over his shoulder before heading off after Lucci and the others. "I don't want to do this anymore..." he whispered under his breath, but at the same time tearing off a piece of paper with two words written on it: 'Enies Lobby', and dropping it on the ground after him.
In the middle of Dry Dock Three, there was perhaps the largest bomb ever created. Not obvious, as if it were no one would come out to celebrate the ships completion. Over a thousand tons of dynamite and other highly explosive liquids were crammed into the middle of the skeletal ship, hidden by the scaffolding. The keel and ribs itself were made out of wood, mostly, and very high quality wood at that, but it was just a hollow, flimsy structure. A shell with an absolutely huge amount of explosives inside, right in the middle of a large crowd. In all honesty CP9 wasn't sure how big the explosion would actually be but that was irrelevant as the destruction and chaos it would incite would be the catalyst for the uprising that they had been sowing ever since they had started their mission in this 'godforsaken town'. For Lucci, a part of him really wanted to stick around and watch the peaceful island city sink into rebellion, and further under the Governments control, yet he knew that they couldn't be seen a
by anyone afterwards if the lie was to be believable. So looking forward he readjusted himself back into his armchair onboard the Sea Tain back to Enies Lobby, with their prize out cold.
Looking out of the train window; Kaku and Khalifa both observed the flames and smoke rising above the houses and canal bridges. "It's time, Lucci," Blueno inquired. Press the button, and send these scum to hell!" Lucci didn't reply, he simply sat back in his chair and started picking apart loaf of bread and feeding crumbs to his pigeon, on his shoulder and keeping an eye on Kaku. Eventually, Fukuro took the detonator and depressed the button, "if you won't do the job, then allow me! Chappappa!" The scene changed from the orange fires and grey smoke to a sudden gigantic flash of blueish green flames erupting from the centre of dry dock three, and spreading like the plague across into the neighbouring houses. N that moment mass murder never looked so beautiful as it did then, not that Lucci need to be reminded of what it looked like, he had all the reminders and memories he needed to sustain his constant bloodlust and loyalty to Mariejois.
The sun was shining, it was a lovely day, and everybody had gathered for a party, only for the merriment to become death and destruction. The singing was replaced by war cries and yells of "down with the shipwrights, ruining our town with dangerous work". Desperation and revenge, the perfect causes for revolution. As the sea train left the station, he took a brief glance of the window and saw the blue and green flames burning everything and everyone to ash, and immediately outside he saw men and women arming themselves and marching to Galley-La. The screams of the dying, the screams of the rebellious and the screams of change were the farewell for a job well done. And for one timeless, picturesque moment everything just seemed right. …With one last smile, Lucci pressed a second detonated, he pulled from his inside jacket pocket. And the city exploded.
Back onboard the Going Merry, Luffy felt the hairs on the back of his neck tingle. Moreover, his newly acquired Haki made him acutely aware of the drastic change within the city. Still, he hadn't needed his Haki to know that. The sight of greyish black smoke and blueish green flames had his mind racing, and his heart aching. Ever since he had woken up and found Robin gone, and no one being able to find her had made him worried. Anger, desperation and grief rushed over him as another wave of third party emotions hit him. Clutching his chest, this time the emotions were similar to his own, loss and pain. Then he saw her, being slung over some pink haired bastards shoulder whilst four others laughed, the fifth looked depressed. Quick as a flash, Chopper was at his side and pressing his stethoscope against the captains chest. "Don't move luffy, let me see..." chopper spoke, only for luffy to place a hand on the reindeer doctor's shoulder; "its okay chopper. It's nothing...my Haki's playing up".
He was instantly surrounded by the rest of his crew, who now were curious at what had brought such a pained expression to their captains face. "So you gonna tell us what you saw?" Sanji spoke, lighting a cigarette, and puffing away.
"I know where Robin is...or where she was". This time it was Nami whom took the lead, she wrapped her arms around luffy's neck and kissed his cheek, calming down his fleecing aching heart. "Thanks Nami" he replied, nuzzling her orange hair before standing tall. "I don't know exactly what happened...but Water Seven is in flames. And Robin was taken by six people..." Sanji and Zoro both leapt to their feet and glanced off into the burning city, "where are they going, luffy?" Sanji asked, "I'll find them and bring her back..." "the hell you will!" Zoro interjected, "I'm going to bring Robin back!" Vivi and Nami giggled at the two men's argument and fawning over the archeologist. "Over their!" Suki yelled from halfway up the rigging, pointing towards a stream of water being sent up into the air as something sped over it. "Must be one of those Sea Trains, Granny Kokoro told us about" Vivi added. "We should go see her and ask her where they go". Luffy nodded his head but also spoke explained that he Vivi would go and "investigate" the area which he had seen with his haki, whilst the others would "sail the Merry to the Sea Train station and await their return". "What about Usopp?" Suki asked timidly, hating that she was the one to bring up the matter of their wayward sniper.
Luffy turned to stare at back out to the aflamed city, "Usopp will be fine. He may have quit the crew but he is a warrior! I know that he'll be safe. Our main objective now is to find Robin and bring her home!" Unbeknownst to the crew, a masked and caped crusader was listening in on their conversation, laying in the bottom of a small rowboat with tears pouring down his face and snot running from his nose. Also, in the distance the shipwrights of Galley-La were busy fighting a larger armed militia of townsfolk besieging the company's headquarters. Above them was the famous clock tower of Water Seven, the hour hand sitting comfortably upon eight whilst the minute hand was encroaching upon twelve. Blood and smoke, screams for peace and screams of war were flung back and forth as Luffy inhaled a deep breath, then took ahold of Vivi's hand and raced off into the ocean of distress, that was Water Seven. "We will bring Robin home!" Vivi yelled out, over her shoulder. "Yeah! I believe you captain" Sanji affirmed. As the strawhat pirates split up; the clock bells sent out a peel of chimes announcing eight o'clock. Marking the exact moment at which the straw hat pirates infamy began; as well as the loss of Tom's plans and the death of Mayor Iceberg.