Arrival at Water 7
The sun glinted off Heaven's Embrace as it sailed into the bustling canals of Water 7. Shipwrights called out from the docks, seagulls wheeled overhead, and the scent of saltwater mixed with sawdust and fresh bread from street vendors.
Bell-mère whistled low. "Place is alive."
Nami's eyes practically turned into beli signs. "And rich."
Kuina was already scanning the crowd for possible threats. Robin's gaze lingered on the massive shipyard in the distance — Galley-La.
Vegito? He was more focused on the gelato stand they passed.
The Tailing Shadows
They hadn't been docked for more than an hour when Robin noticed it — the shadow at the end of the canal street, moving when they moved, stopping when they stopped.
"CP9," she murmured.
Bell-mère's brows rose. "The who?"
"World Government's black ops," Robin said. "Assassins."
Nojiko frowned. "So why are they tailing us?"
Robin's lips curved into a thin smile. "Because they think they can take me."
Vegito's Play
Vegito didn't even slow his pace. "Alright, everyone. Scatter. Go shop. Eat. Whatever. I'll deal with our shadows."
Nami hesitated. "You're sure?"
"I'll make it fun," Vegito promised, tail flicking.
The First Move — Blueno
The first to make his move was a large man in a bartender's outfit. Blueno stepped out of a side street, closing the distance in a blink with a shigan aimed at Vegito's throat.
The sound of the strike hitting… was followed by a clink.
Blueno looked down to see his finger bent sideways against Vegito's skin like he'd just tried to poke a steel wall.
"Ow," Vegito said, deadpan. "You should get that looked at."
Before Blueno could react, Vegito flicked his forehead — gently by his standards — and sent the man crashing through a fruit cart into the canal.
Kalifa's Mistake
Kalifa approached next, stilettos clicking on the stone, a confident smirk on her lips.
"You must be Vegito," she said smoothly. "Why don't you come with—"
She stopped when his tail curled around her waist, lifting her a few inches off the ground.
"…What are you doing?" she asked, suddenly less composed.
"Judging balance," Vegito said. "Yours is decent. Could be better."
Kalifa found herself set down gently — and then, without warning, he flicked her glasses into the air, caught them, cleaned the lenses with a perfect swirl of ki, and set them back on her face before she could blink.
Her composure cracked for the first time. "…You're infuriating."
Kaku's Parkour Disaster
From above, Kaku leapt down, sword drawn, aiming to test Vegito's reflexes. Vegito simply sidestepped, tail hooking Kaku mid-fall and spinning him three times before setting him down — perfectly balanced — on top of a fish vendor's stall.
"You missed," Vegito said.
Kaku just stared at him. "…What are you?"
"Hungry," Vegito replied, walking away.
The Leopardspring
Finally, Rob Lucci himself appeared, pigeon on his shoulder, eyes cold. "You're not a normal pirate."
Vegito shrugged. "And you're not a normal tailor."
Without another word, Lucci's form blurred into a towering leopard-man hybrid, his rokuogan punch blasting a shockwave into the air.
Vegito caught it one-handed, barely shifting his stance. "Not bad," he said, before casually flipping Lucci onto his back and planting a foot on his chest.
"You want Robin? You come through me. And I don't lose."
CP9 Retreat
In less than ten minutes, the most feared assassins in the Government's arsenal were sprawled, dazed, and very wet. Blueno coughed up seawater. Kaku dripped fish guts. Kalifa's hair was frazzled. Lucci's pigeon had fled entirely.
Vegito dusted his hands. "That's enough training for today."
Robin was watching from a nearby bridge, arms folded. "You didn't even use a fraction of your strength."
"Of course not," Vegito said with a grin. "They weren't worth it."
Kalifa's Recruitment
Later that day, as the crew gathered at a canal-side café, Kalifa appeared — alone. No CP9 insignia, no combat gear.
"I want out," she said bluntly.
Bell-mère arched a brow. "Out of CP9? Just like that?"
"They'll never let me go," Kalifa said. "Unless someone stronger than them says otherwise."
Vegito smirked. "And you think that's me?"
"I know it is," she replied.
He didn't hesitate. "Welcome aboard."
[Crew Roster Updated]
Vegito (Captain)
Bell-mère (Crew Mother / Fighter)
Nami (Navigator)
Nojiko (Support Fighter)
Kaya (Doctor – Heal-Heal Fruit User)
Kuina (Swordswoman)
Reiju (Combat Medic / Poison Specialist)
Nico Robin (Archaeologist / Poneglyph Reader)
Vivi (Princess of Alabasta)
Zala (Miss Doublefinger – Martial Artist)
Mikita (Miss Valentine – Aerial Combat, Slow-Slow Fruit)
Kalifa (Martial Artist – Bubble-Bubble Fruit Pending)
Next Destination: Enies Lobby — Spandam's humiliation and CP9's complete destruction.