It took a week and a few days to finally arrive at the beautiful Water 7 island. It took you awhile to remember the route to go on, for you haven't been here in years. Not since you were a marine. Or rather...not quite a marine. You really risked coming here straight after that happened.

You sighed at the thought.

It's pretty dangerous of you to come here in general, for the island was connected to Enies Lobby from the water train. But you just felt like you should visit here for some odd reason unbeknownst to you. You just follow your gut and it hasn't steered you wrong yet, despite everything. The city was beautiful anyways, with its friendly citizens that called to you and complimented you as you walked past the villas or small cafes through the sidewalks available in the water city after you docked your raft by the rocky shores of the island.

Who knows though? Perhaps you can find a worthy opponent in this island, even though it wasn't likely. You find more opponents in the New World. Dangerous although they may be, Shanks and Mihawk tried to warn you to watch yourself during those seas since you travel alone and your talent of getting sucked into precarious situations. You think you're fine though, you're still here after all!

And if you nearly drowned from getting basically pulverized, than you won't mention it! It was a stupid sort of match anyways...

But seriously, all of those crazy people are strong, and all you want to challenge. To become the strongest woman in the world, you have to beat the strongest after all. Unfortunately, you're still far away from your goal. Even with your years of training with your signature buster sword. You touched the hilt of Black Heaven's Judgement in silence, your thoughts slowly coming to a standstill as you thought of your father. You always wondered to yourself if he was still alive. And where he was. From what you've gathered, he's definitely alive—at least you think so.

You wanted to meet him.

The father you never had. The one who you were always compared to by your mother. How you looked, how you act, it was all like your father. At least from what your mother told you, with a small fond smile on her kind face as she spoke about her lover and your father. Back in simpler times within your quaint house in the outskirts of Loguetown, hidden by the foliage of trees and when you could call it home.

You felt your heart clench, and began to hum the song your mother sang to you when you were young and she was still alive. You walking around the bustling streets of the colorful island. An island who welcomed pirates and the like, not caring much about it as they tried to capture your attention with their Mizu Mizu style food.

You loved this song.

It was called Bink's Sake. You didn't get the chance to sing it with Shanks and the others at the party like they always do this time. The song was filled with sounds of adventure, and it sounded so uplifting and amazing to you each time. You always remembered your kind mother when she sang or hummed it.

An unconscious small smile appeared on your face at the thought.

You suddenly stopped walking as you glanced around you, noticing you were a bit lost. You scratched your scarred cheek in thought, only to feel a "Coo!" over your head. Your eyes narrowed.

That sound...

You glanced up to find a white pigeon land on your shoulder, familiar beady eyes looking at you in thought as it tilted its feathered head.

Wait...

A challenge!

You blanched.

When a hand suddenly came on your other shoulder, you immediately jumped away you already taking out the eager hissing Karasu in the air with narrowed eyes as you separated yourself from the person who grabbed you. Not caring about how the bird fluttered its wings and cooed and went back to his master's shoulders. Or the gasps of the citizens around you as they saw your weapon out. Only having your eyes on a familiar...comrade.

Of course he would feel like this, you thought in a mix of exasperation and maybe even amusement as you stared at the stoic man with the top hat and the cooing pigeon that lifted a wing as he stared back unabashedly. I shouldn't be surprised but whoa...it's been awhile.

"What are you doing here?" You said, your eyes narrowed and a surprisingly small smirk on your face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A teenaged (Y/N) walked confidently throughout the marine ship in her new uniform, which was a black suit with pants. You not wanting to wear such a tight skirt, but you still had your Marine cap proudly on your head as you walked.

You were heading to where the meeting room was to meet your new superiors. Though, you knew that your respect would only go to two marines out of everyone in the force. But perhaps they will surprise you.

You rubbed your cap gently, thinking about who you left behind.

'We'll see each other again.' You thought as you continued to walk beside your young companion.

The teenaged boy that was walking next to you kept his silence, not opening his mouth once since he had to pick you up from your room. His dark eyes only gazing straight ahead to their destination. The white pigeon on his shoulder being the only thing that's actually kept looking at you with its black beady eyes. They've been like that ever since they arrived to pick you up from Garp's ship.

You swallowed nervously, slightly creeped out.

He kinda had a dead fish look about him.

Once the both of you arrived to the door, the boy knocked twice before a voice behind the door told them to come in. Once the both of you entered and stood in front of your purple-haired superior, you gave a salute.

"Silver Blood (Y/N), welcome to CP9."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucci looked at you with his dark eyes, not saying anything as Hattori answered for him.

"Sorry to scare you miss, you just seemed a bit lost and we wanted to help you."

Your brows rose in question and surprise for you haven't heard him use that voice for Hattori in a long time either, your sword still ready to attack. You tried to hold back a laugh. You couldn't stop the small snort and amused smile from your lips though, Lucci's eyes narrowing in answer to what you read as hilarious. I mean come on! His voice gets a little high when he does that with Hattori, and it's been awhile since you heard that!

You think Karasu finds it funny too. It's basically glinting and gleaming in excitement being out for Lucci in preparation. Like old times.

You think your katana sword is a little bloodthirsty sometimes...although maybe that's why it seems eager for Lucci.

Blood lust.

Your mouth sort of twisted at that. Geez. This guy hasn't changed at all.

The crowd around you began to chatter.

"Woah! How dare she take out her sword on our shipwright?!"

"He only wanted to help, but she's being unappreciative of it!"

"Oi! Pirate, I suggest you put your sword away unless you want our shipwrights to handle you!"

You took a small glance at the crowd, as you began to understand the situation.

He's on a job.

You put your cap down slightly with your other hand, silently putting your Karasu back to its scabbard who seemed to whine as it was now sheathed. When you fixed your cap back up, you sheepishly scratched the back of your head with a grin.

"Sorry! I thought you were someone else. You look kinda like him, but," you smirked, might as well have some fun and he probably hasn't gotten a well deserved insult in awhile, "he's more of a cat person."

You spotted his mouth twitch slightly and you laughed out loud in victory, the crowd seeming to calm when the dangerous situation disappeared. Only muttering to themselves about crazy pirates as they walked.

"Ah, I apologize scaring you nonetheless. Do you want me to show you the city? We wouldn't want you to get lost."

You hummed in thought. You knew what he wanted to do, and you didn't really mind it. But to make sure, you nonchalantly walked towards him and circled around him, looking at him up and down in thought with a small smirk in place. While Lucci and Hattori stood there silently, unmoving as they just followed you with their eyes.

'"Oi! Stop checking out our shipwright!" A random citizen yelled out to you.

"I'm not checking him out you idiot!" You immediately retorted back as you let out a slight tsk with a mild flush. You went back towards his front and hummed, satisfied from what you gathered about his strength. You looked up at him, smirk still in place as you stared at his familiar emotionless profile. He really hasn't changed at all...despite the hair. All the hair is new. Better than that neck length hair that made him look emo you think.

"Alright, let's go."

They walked around the city, Hattori doing the talking while you just nodded absentmindedly, your eyes being tempted to look at Lucci as they walked with your hands behind your head. Showing nonchalance.

He got stronger, you noted. And you were half tempted to fight him, his energy just seeming to spike each time you drew closer when he pointed at something in Water 7. You're not sure if he's trained in Haki at all though, CP9 is specifically more for assassination and stealth than outright battle so the unit doesn't need to be trained in Haki at all. You're not sure it'll be fair but maybe a little spar wouldn't hurt...But, it wouldn't be good. The city seems to value and respect him. And did they call him a shipwright? What kind of job is he on? Your eyes narrowed in thought as you took a side glance at him.

"So you're a shipwright here?" He glanced down at you with his eyes, and you already got your answer before Hattori replied for him with their cover.

He's on an assassin job. Your eyes narrowed at him, but you gave a nod and turned your gaze back in front of you, eyes hidden from your Marine cap. Not seeing that Lucci's dark eyes never left your face. What kind of person he's going to assassinate?

You glanced around as they walked, seeing only cheerful faces around them, with many of them greeting Lucci with admiration and respect.

He's got them so fooled, you thought darkly.

Like everything, there are rules to assassination. But there are three main ones.

Always remain distant. Never get attached. Don't get too close for the target you were sent to kill.

They are closely related to each other, the only difference being the wording. But there is a change between the rules. Slight but it's there.

And you had a strong hate for them.

You bit your lip, putting memories of tears going down nameless faces filled with betrayal and shock away.

"Oi." You whispered at him, your face still hidden by your cap. When you felt his eyes on you, you continued.

"We need to talk." You whispered again, making sure passerby's don't hear. And you finally heard his voice reply.

"Alright." You couldn't help but let out a little smile, you looking up at him with your cap slightly hiding your face still. "What do you know? The kitty speaks. Besides from a beak anyways." At his controlled growl you let out a small but loud laugh, surprising some citizens as they went by. Hattori then spoke that they've arrived at the first place he wanted to show you. A bar. When you went in, you did a deadpan. There was Blueno serving people drinks in the bar, specifically Blueno's bar. And he has a smile on his face.

Bleh.

You rarely worked with the other CP9 members outside of Lucci, if at all. Whether you liked it or not, they were the best and formidable team out there. Their teamwork was flawless, controlled. Always knowing what the other is possibly planning with a glance. You'd never call it that they trusted each other to that degree, just that they knew what to do immediately and what the other was capable of but, you know it was what true comrades do.

Comrade.

You looked up at Lucci unblushingly, just staring. Trying to find something. Lucci glanced down at you as well, with Hattori doing the talking for him with their cover. You said nothing but stare at him, particularly his eyes, while he just stared back. Like you both did back then.

Sweating from punching fists.

You broke the contact first, scratching your head as you let out a sigh.

"Is the bar not up to your standards miss?" Hattori questioned. You glanced at the bar with a bored gaze, stopping at Blueno for a millisecond before continuing to look at your surroundings.

"Nah. It just kinda stinks of here of something."

A citizen heard you, swiveling towards you with anger within their chair as they held their mug of beer.

"Hey, take that back! I don't smell anything wrong in here!"

You just raised an eyebrow, a knowing glint in your eyes as you scratched your nose. "Really? It must be my keen nose then, I always smell the bad stuff that no one else does." Blueno looked up, a (fake) warm smile on his face as he looked at you.

"Perhaps you're just unlucky then." The bull horned shaped hair man commented.

Your eyes slightly narrowed.

"Maybe I am."

You thanked Blueno for his offer of a drink but declined, already walking away from the bar with Lucci approaching from behind.

"You're being a nuisance." He whispered by your ear.

You smirked at him in return.

"I always am when you're concerned."

You being too busy looking slightly behind at Lucci, you walked straight into a hard and slightly wet wall. With a slight 'ouch' and rubbing your nose you looked up at what you walked into, only for you to widen your eyes in surprise.

In front of you was a fully grown Kaku, having all the muscles in the right places. And just...well, taller. Different from the last time you saw him, he was younger, only in his teens. And he was slimmer, but now...

"Oh! Hello miss, sorry I didn't see you there." He gave you a shining smile with his eyes closed, the cap on his head that read 'Galley' following his head movements. You felt your jaw a little slack at what you were seeing. "Long day at work today, you see. Oh, hey Lucci!"

A proud hammer pounds against wood.

He was just so different. You knew it was a cover, for the Kaku you knew was distant and only had childish arguments with Jabra. But... That smile suited him a lot.

"Ka-?!" You coughed loudly in order to correct yourself, you can practically feel Lucci's glare on you. "I-It's alright. I wasn't looking at where I was going. But why are you wet?"

"Oh, that would be my sweat." The square nosed man replied cheekily, you letting out a noise of slight disgust as you looked at yourself.

"Ugh. Maybe that's why I'm sticky..."

The young man laughed as he explained he was taking a walk for his break, and wanted to cool off from making ships. You raised an eyebrow and asked if he was one of the famous shipwrights of the city as well, Hattori replying for him that there were five of them in total. And saying that you are lucky for meeting two of them in your first day.

You letting out a dry chuckle and "Yeah...lucky." You saw Kaku crack a slight grin at that, with Lucci only letting out a slight sadistic smile at your statement. Your brows twitched.

So far, there are three CP9 members here. Two of them being 'trustworthy' shipwrights, and another playing the 'friendly' bar owner. There couldn't possibly be more could there?

If there were four or more, then this mission was an important and perhaps difficult one compared to the ones with just two members. It actually might be more than a simple assassination—it might just be focused more on information retrieval. It would explain Blueno being placed in the bar. An assassination does not need these many CP9 members...maybe they're not here to kill anyone than.

Either way, it might not be good. For whoever they're getting the information from. Or you.

But you'll deal with that when the time comes. Like you always do.

With Kaku now in tow, you followed them to where the Galley-La company was, glancing around as you went. Seeing all the friendly faces and hardworking men as they went about their work and carrying supplies this way and that with ships all around, making you smile. This city was wonderful. But you were suddenly stopped by a somewhat high pitched and flustered voice.

"Oi! Woman, cover that skin! You're being indecent!" A question mark appeared over your head as you glanced around only to find a blushing blond heaving out breaths of air, a cigar in his mouth. You pointed at yourself.

"You're talking to me?"

"Yes I'm talking to you, you scandalous woman!"

Your brows only furrowed more, as you looked down at yourself. You would say you were very covered up. Having a white button down dress shirt, with a black tank top underneath and some weighted bindings. And you having black pants that seemed to be cut into makeshift shorts only two inches below your knee, black weighted boots completing the outfit.

The heck was this guy on about?

"Uhhhh...you're clearly barking at the wrong tree here. I see nothing wrong with what I'm wearing."

He pointed quite viciously to your lower regions and yelled that that was the problem. During this, you heard Kaku laugh and Hattori comment about 'Paulie's money problems'. Which caused the man deemed Paulie to yell at him. Before a fight indued between the two, you talked again.

"Did you point at my legs? What, woman calfs turn you on or something?"

The man, Paulie, blushed immediately.

"No! I-it's indecent to show such skin with men around!"

You looked at him, and then began laughing obnoxiously, you having to bend down and hold your knees in order to not fall down to the floor.

"W-what?!" The blond man stuttered, with you only laughing more in response. Unbeknownst to you, you had two wide and curious eyes staring at you.

"You—you're a funny guy! I like you! " you said at him with a smirk, and it only made the man blush more into a tomato red. Making you laugh once again as Paulie yelled at Kaku and Lucci.

"Why is this woman even here?!"

"We found her a bit lost, and wanted to show her around a bit." Hattori chirped on Lucci's shoulder while Kaku nodded.

"Yeah. And it's her first day here and all so..." Kaku left the sentence with a smile.

Paulie nodded and scratched his head in thought, smoke coming out of his cigar between his teeth as he glanced towards the woman. Only to see you right in front of him with a smirk, which he quickly fell back to the ground in surprise. You standing over him with laughs shaking your body.

"You're not used to being close to girls are you?" You asked, looking down at him. His blush and stutter of denial proved your answer, as you lend out a hand towards him. Which he hesitantly took, you quickly heaving him off the ground. He was mildly impressed by your strength, you giving out a proud yup and:

"I'm going to be the strongest woman in the world after all. Of course I have to be strong." You said with a hand on your Marine cap, as you looked up at the man called Paulie. Who released a small blush at your look and felt twisted embarrassment. You smirked and held out your hand.

"I'm (Y/N). Nice to meet you."

He took your hand within his own and surprisingly had a strong and firm grip, something you noted.

"Paulie, one of the five foremen. And you're the famous 'Ex-Marine Silver Blood (Y/N)' aren't you?" He asked, releasing your hand and you nodding