User blog:DancePowderer/Views from the Top, Part 2

Hina: Why did you call us here, sir? It's not normal for those of an admiral rank to go on co-op missions like this.

Kadar: And why did you want two rear admirals specifically? Especially when there are several vice admirals here as well.

Sakazuki: First of all, thank you both for coming. As for your assignment, Vice Admiral Cancer, if you'd be so kind as to explain the details of the plan you put together.

Cancer: Right. You will be infiltrating a certain island under the guise of CP8 agents. You both know one or two rokushiki techniques, which is why we chose a Cipher Pol cover. Leave all your Marine attire here. Your presence on the island cannot be traced back to us.

Hina: The fact that it can be traced means that this place is well-populated.

Kadar: And that the people are already suspicious or confused. This wouldn't have to do with Doflamingo, would it?

Cancer (handing them each a folder): You are well-informed. Yes. It's got everything to do with Doflamingo. We need you, as part of your "investigation", to retrieve some documents that Doflamingo has in his possession that could be rather incriminating. The specifics are mentioned in the files I just gave you. In about an hour, you'll be boarding a liner headed for Dressrosa. Once you arrive, you are to make your way to the Donquixote Pirates headquarters, marked on the map provided. You will also find floor plans for the mansion included in the folders. From what we've been told by Marines already on the island, the place is currently unguarded due to various mishaps that occurred on the island.

Hina: Were these mishaps arranged?

Cancer: No. This is a small window that we chanced upon. That being said, the risk is that we don't know when this window will close. You are to get in and get out as quickly as possible. Be stealthy and cover your tracks.

Kadar: And if we do encounter any resistance?

Cancer: Non-lethal submission tactics only, and make sure they don't leave a mark. Is that clear?

Hina and Kadar: Yes sir.

Sometime later

Hina: Doflamingo's sure been busy. This is quite the laundry list of things to collect.

Kadar: What's a Shichibukai doing placing a call to CP-0? No pirate is even close to having the authority to summon them.

Hina: And what's this about a false report in the newspaper? He is strangely well-connected. Almost too well-connected.

Kadar: We're here.

Hina (reading the sign): Casa Donquixote.

''They both go once around the grounds to make sure no one is on the property. Then they enter the building.''

Hina: According to the floor plans, first floor is largely for domestic use, kitchen, den, lounge, restrooms. It looks like the upstairs is for living quarters and a few storage spaces.

Kadar: Even so, we can't over look anything. We should start down here and work our way up. If we split up we'll cover more ground. Use the baby den den mushi to stay in contact.

Hina: Right.

They go off in opposite directions.

Kadar (entering the kitchen, thinking): Despite its lavish appearance, there's something homey about this kitchen setup. It reminds me of when I was a kid. Hmm, if I were to treat it like that....

''He walks over to a cookie jar on the counter. He empties its contents onto a table and looks inside, nothing. He then begins to twist the bottom. To his delight, it starts to unscrew. He looks at the contents inside this false bottom and smiles as he quickly copies the information on it onto another sheet of paper before carefully replacing the cookies he had taken out.''

Kadar: Hina.

Hina: What is it?

Kadar: You might have to think outside the box on this one. I just found one of the things we're looking for in a cookie jar with a false bottom.

Hina: Great job, will do.

Hina (finishing a bathroom and entering the living room): Aha, their phone. This should prove quite useful.

''She takes a device out of her pocket that looks like a pair of goggles with a rotary phone dial between the eyes. She goes over to the (sleeping) snail and fits the device over its eyes. She then turns the dial so that it reads 10 and presses a button on the side. The device begins printing out a small strip of paper, listing the last ten phone calls placed and received by the phone. ''

Hina (checking the printout): Our little friend is quite the social butterfly.

''Hina raps a knuckle over each of the books on the shelves in the room, listening for any abnormalities. She checks the couch cushions and looks inside the cabinets. She and Kadar check in the other rooms, finding a few more hidden documents on the list and regroup in the foyer.''

Hina: We found some of the more obscure items on the list. Let's start on the second floor.

Kadar: Actually, Hina, there's one thing left to check in this room and it will only take a second.

Hina: Ok.

''Kadar takes a plain scrap of paper and holds it in his hand. He closes his eyes and then starts walking toward a specific point in the room. He knocks on a piece of the floor and hears a hollow sound. He finds a latch and the floor piece swings open like a door.''

Kadar: Damn, just a bunch of cash.

Hina: How did you do that?

Kadar: My Kenbunshoku Haki is different from most. I can't sense living presences as much as I can sense substantial presences. It's augmented if I'm holding whatever I'm looking for. It's a sort of Kenbunshoku radar. I call it K-dar. Get it?

Hina: impressive.

''The pair proceed upstairs. They search thoroughly but find nothing. The same happens when they check the third floor.''

Kadar: Damn. Looks like our luck peaked too early.

Hina: Not necessarily. Didn't you see the tower from outside? We still haven't looked there. Let's find the way in.

???: Huh? Is someone there?

Hina: Shit! No one's supposed to be here.

Kadar: It's coming from one of the bedrooms. When I looked there, the only place I didn't look was this giant pile of stuffed animals and blankets on the bed. Don't tell me someone was under there?

Hina: We've got to get out of sight.

???: Who are you!?

''Hina (thinking "shit, too late") and Kadar turn to see a little girl, who couldn't be older than 8 or 9 years old, standing in the bedroom doorway. She's wearing an eyepatch and is pointing a gun at the rear admirals.''

Hina: My name is...Hina...tsuka, Hinatsuka. This is my brother...Kadaric? Our friends call us Natsu and Rick. We answered an ad for some service jobs in this manor. We're here to apply but it looks like no one's home. Might I ask who you are?

Vivian: My name is Vivian and I'm in charge while everyone is away. I never heard anything about recruitment, so I think you're lying. Now who are you for real?

Kadar (raising his hands casually yet defensivly): Let's just calm down. You don't want to go pointing guns at people. That can be dangerous.

Vivian: Leave us alone!

''She shoots the gun and catches Kadar in the center of his right palm. The bullet gets absorbed into his hand. He grimaces in pain and runs to the window.''

Hina: Are you ok?

''Kadar reaches the window and thrusts his left hand out of it. The bullet leaves his hand and flies out the window. Hina charges toward Vivian and in one swift move knocks the gun out of her hand and binds her hands with her ability. She then places Vivian in a sleeper hold and knocks her out. She carries the girl back to her bed and releases her hands.''

Hina: Shhh, shhh. This is just a dream. You won't think this ever happened when you wake up.

Kadar: That was weird.

Hina: Tell me about it. I stashed the gun in her dresser so it wouldn't give anything away. But there is one good thing to come from it.

Kadar: What's that?

Hina: She unwittingly pointed the way to getting up the tower.

Kadar: How's that?

Hina: When she was yelling at us, her eyes kept darting to one side, facing slightly upward. If my estimation is correct, there should be a stairway or a ladder right...about...here!

''She found a hidden door built into the wall with a staircase on the other end. They follow it up checking small rooms as they go. Nothing special, mostly empty storage space with some rooms housing weapons. They arrive at the top floor where the staircase empties out into small a library. They begin their usual procedure until Kadar notices a book on one of the top shelves. He gets a rolling ladder and climbs up to get a better look. ''

Kadar: Rapunzel? Well, Doflamingo may be a lot of things, but I never thought he'd have a thing for symbolism.

''Kadar opens the book, and to his surprise finds a note inside. It reads thus:''

To whom it may concern,

''Congratulations on making it this far. Most who try to make it here die along the way. Hopefully it was your prowess and not ineptitude on the part of my subordinates. Unfortunately, this is as far as you will go. By the time you're done reading this, the weighted mechanism behind this book will have launched a flare, alerting those in the vicinity to you presence. You got maybe five minutes before someone shows up, and you'll be lucky to make it down and out in that time. Sorry for the inconvenience. But, just to show I'm a good sport, the last things you need can be found in the book on the podium. I hope you found this letter useful and not a pathetic stall tactic.''

Sincerely,

The master of the estate.

Kadar: Shit! Hina! Grad that book on the podium and run! They were expecting us this whole time!