-Water-7-

-Blueno's Bar-

Blueno stood behind the counter of the establishment that was named after him, contentedly cleaning his mugs. It was a busy day, but everyone here knew the routine- not to mention that many of the clientele policed each other- which made things very easy on him. His bar in the middle tier served the salt of the earth, mainly catering to the many shipwrights and dockworkers that made Water-7 the industrial capital that it was.

The bartender was a tall, solidly-built man with a strange hair-style that resembled a bull's horns. Everyone in the bar knew his name was Blueno, and it seemed as though everyone in town knew that he'd been here for years. Now, if you were a stranger, you might look at the massive man and and think, 'this guy looks like a bull about to stampede,' but that impression would melt away when you saw him look up with meek, unassuming eyes when someone enters the bar.

"Meeeeeh," he bleated, sounding far more like a goat than a bull, "Lucci! Good to see you."

Rob Lucci, head shipwright at the Galley-La Shipbuilding Company, walked up to the bar and sat down wearing a sullen expression. This wasn't unusual. He came dressed in worker's clothes and a black top hat. This wasn't unusual. There was a white pigeon wearing a tie sitting on his shoulder. This also wasn't unusual.

"Well, Lucci, what'll it be? How are you doing?" the barkeep asked.

Lucci's face didn't move from his normal stoic look, but the pigeon responded for him, raising a wing and speaking in a high falsetto voice. "Hey, you dumb bull, gimme the usual and shut up! I'm not in the mood today! Coo!"

This was only slightly unusual. Everyone knew that the mysterious Rob Lucci didn't talk, but his pigeon made up for his deficit. Or perhaps it wasn't the pigeon speaking at all- perhaps it was him speaking for the pigeon as a ventriloquist, and the pigeon was just a naturally talented actor. No one really knew for sure. Even worse was that- as natives of the Grand Line- no one was really sure which possibility was more likely.

Well, Blueno knew the truth. Blueno knew everything about Lucci, which was a fact that would surprise just about anyone.

As Blueno set a beer down for Lucci- and a thimble of straight whiskey for the pigeon- he seemed to remember something. "Oh, Lucci, that reminds me! I have something to tell you."

"Well, what is it?" said the pigeon, or possibly Lucci, as it indicated impatience using tiny wing-gestures.

"Old Man Peters- you know, the Barber? He said he saw you working the other day and he told me to tell you that you really need a haircut. He said he has openings on the eleventh, and if you don't get to it soon then no-one will be able to see your head at all."

"Why don't you tell him to stuff it!" said Lucci, or perhaps the pigeon. Either way, that was all that was said.

Blueno indicated his displeasure by bleating like a goat. "Meeehh, Lucci, you should really learn to be a bit more personable."

Lucci and the pigeon both said nothing, and eventually Blueno left them to drink in peace.

-Later That Night: Eleven PM-

-Water-7-

-Dock Warehouse Section P-

Rob Lucci was walking home after leaving the bar when he turned down a dark alley and suddenly disappeared.

Kicking off the ground a dozen times in the blink of an eye, he shot forward and upward, flying above the rooftops.

[SORU] - [SHAVE]

Then, redirecting himself with an inhumanly strong kick, he jumped off of the air itself, darting several streets over, before finally repeating the technique to jump straight downward to the ground, landing silently.

[GEPPOU] - [MOON-STEP]

He had just traveled three hundred feet in less than a second, and anyone following him would have been completely in the dark.

Not that anyone had ever been so stupid as to try and follow him, but it was the principle of the thing.

Rob Lucci stalked through the night with both the confidence as well as the disappointment of one who knew that he was the most dangerous thing in it.

Eventually, he arrived at the lower docks. The entire area had been devastated when this year's Aqua Laguna storm system had passed through just a couple of days prior. Littered with trash and almost devoid of people and business, it was the perfect place for a clandestine meeting, which is why Blueno had asked him to come here in the simple coded message he had received at the bar. That was hardly unusual, but the reference to his head meant that this was a top priority order from headquarters.

His boss irritated him.

He stepped into an abandoned warehouse that smelled of urine. No. It didn't just smell of urine; there was someone there inside it. Two drunks who were passed out in puddles of their own filth at opposite ends of the building. They would have to go. Reaching down, he pulled one of them to his feet, and the tattoo-ridden man stirred, swearing right away. Startled, the drunk's hand flashed to a knife at his side, stabbing before he had even grasped the situation. The knife struck Lucci's chest and shattered.

[TEKKAI] - [IRON BODY]

The drunk's eyes widened for just a second before Lucci stabbed a single finger into the man's body. Far from bending, his finger moved as fast as a bullet and remained as rigid as a steel rod.

[SHIGAN] - [FINGER PISTOL]

With no resistance he penetrated the man's chest, slipping beneath the rib-cage and piercing the heart. The man died not knowing what had happened.

"AH!" screamed the other drunk from the other side of the room, having woken in time to witness the murder. "Ya killed 'im! Screw you!"

Whipping out a gun from beneath his coat, the second drunk fired as quickly as he could. Gunshots rang out through the night, and Lucci watched the bullets leave the barrel. He whipped his body to the side like paper in the wind, every part of him flexing with unnatural ease as the bullets passed harmlessly by.

[KAMI-E] - [PAPER PORTRAIT]

*CLICK* *CLICK* *CLICK* The gun protested due to its lack of bullets as the man kept frantically pulling the trigger. Spinning in place, Lucci brought his leg around in a roundhouse kick, the attack reaching such incredible speed that the force transmitted through the air itself. On the other side of the warehouse, the gun fell to pieces, sliced in half.

A moment later, the drunk fell to pieces as well.

[RANKYAKU] - [STORM LEG]

These six arts formed the basis of CP9's unbeatable combat style: The Six Techniques.

Finally, the warehouse smelled more like blood than like urine. His enhanced predatory senses rated this a definite improvement. The noise of the gunshots might be a problem, but this part of the island was practically a no-go area at this time of year anyway. So he waited.

Eventually, there was a noise like a door opening. A portal opened in mid air and a hooded figure pushed his way out, the mid-air door swinging on its non-existent 'hinge' and somehow making a creaking sound as it did so. The hooded figure stepped down to the floor and the door swung shut, the air making a heavy clunking noise as it closed.

"Lucci," said the figure.

"Blueno," said Lucci, and just Lucci, the pigeon remaining silent.

"I see you've taken liberties with our meeting place," said Blueno, his voice now deep and rich, no longer the friendly nasal tones he used at the bar.

"This is not my problem. You're late."

Blueno shook his horned head. "I am only late because I had to ensure no one heard those gun-shots."

"Surely you didn't call me here for this boring conversation," said Lucci. "What business is there?"

"There's a message for us from headquarters," said Blueno, "It's time."

There was a pause.

"That's ridiculous," said Lucci, annoyance reaching his face, "Let me see the message."

"You don't trust me?"

"If our operation is about to be ruined by impatience, then I want to know the depths of that stupidity for myself. Let me see the message."

Blueno had the message already in hand, clearly not upset by the request. Frowning, Lucci read it thoroughly. As he read, Blueno summarized.

"They've caught the Devil of Ohara, Nico Robin, and she is being transported to Enies Lobby along with the Straw-Hat pirates. The Admiral, however, has been asked to stop here on his way back to headquarters, which means the fleet will be here as well. Chief Spandam's father was the one who failed to capture Nico Robin twenty years ago, and so now the Chief wants CP9 to help escort her to her final destination. All, supposedly, so that the Admiral can 'return with expedience.'" He paused.

"So the Chief pulled strings to replace the Admiral, and now he's calling in our mission early," finished Lucci, looking up from the paper. "I'm certain he's been told that we're not sure where the plans for Pluton are. That imbecile wants to waste years of our effort in approaching Iceburg on a whim."

Blueno smiled, though it didn't show on his face in any noticeable way. "I think he believes we were stalling."

"I'm aware of what he thinks." Lucci paused, standing stock still, lost in thought. After a moment, he said, "Blueno, you are to stay here."

Now something showed in Blueno's expression. His scowl deepened until scowl was all there was on his face. "Chief Spandam ordered a full court press."

"I'm aware of what he ordered. When we move on Iceburg, you are the only one who stands a chance of keeping your cover. If we fail to capture the plans to Pluton, he may expose something in the process of evading us. In that case, we'll need you to stay behind and make one last attempt."

"But-"

"I will take full responsibility for this. Despite how he may act, Spandam does not have authority to dictate our actions in the field. From this moment on, I want you to have no contact whatsoever with the rest of us."

"Hmmm... I understand."

The two of them parted ways. As they left, Lucci considered the night's events. While he hated a job done imperfectly, at the very least they would finally be leaving this accursed town. Rob Lucci smiled, and it was a good thing indeed that no one was around to see its feral menace.

They would move on Iceburg tonight.