Baltigo

"So how has your month been, Darling~?" Cherry asked Robin.

"Dreadful. I was sent flying a quarter way around the world, enslaved by fools to build a bridge that has been under construction for 700 years, found out my Captain and girlfriend were fighting in a war that was way over their heads, then last (and certainly worst) said girlfriend turned up out of the blue with two other women in tow." Robin ranted.

"Hey, that last one isn't a problem! Cabernet and Perona are their own thing, you know!" Cherry complained. Perona fidgeted nervously at that, casting glances at Cabernet to see how she reacted, to which Cabernet responded by putting an arm around Perona's shoulders.

"I see, so you're not denying you placed yourself in danger in the war." Robin sprung her trap.

"I- Well- I mean-" Cherry got a bit flustered and couldn't think of any excuses that wouldn't just be lies. She could claim to have needed to do it to save Ace, but the way she had gotten involved was a lot more dangerous than she had to.

Robin covered Cherry's mouth with her hand. "You'll just have to accept your punishment, then I'll forgive you okay?"

"Okay? What do I need to do?" Cherry asked.

"You don't need to do much of anything, but it'll have to wait until... we have some privacy." Robin smirked devilishly.

Cherry started getting her hopes up, but then she started to feel paranoid. It could be what she was thinking, in which case she was more than happy to "suffer" the consequences, or it could be a trap and actually turn out to be a real punishment. There was no telling with Robin, it was impossible to get a read on her.

Meanwhile Robin was satisfied with the quickly shifting emotions on Cherry's face. It wasn't easy to get inside Cherry's head, so she felt quite accomplished at the moment.

A bit longer than a week later, the ship finally reached Baltigo. Which came as a relief to the poor revolutionaries who were constantly subjected to the constant public displays of affection for the entirety of the trip.

"Wow, this place is a dump. Couldn't you have picked somewhere warmer at least. Brrr!" Perona complained, snuggling up to Cabernet.

Bunny Joe couldn't argue with that assessment. Baltigo wasn't chosen as the location for their headquarters for being hospitable or beautiful.

Bunny Joe led the way forwards through the snowdrifts until they reached a large ruined fortress that seemed abandoned as a glance.

The huge steel door lay before them. Bunny Joe knocked and tapped on the door in a particularly complex manner, perhaps too complex as no one would guess this sort of long and convoluted password in a thousand years.

"Would you stop that incessant knocking! I'm coming, damn it!" A grumpy voice called out from the other side as they heard a series of sounds that were likely locks being unlocked.

Bunny Joe didn't cease his knocking and tapping until the door was yanked open by a tall and muscular old man.

"I should have known it was you, you rabbit bastard! Just get inside already!" The old man snarled at him, to which Bunny Joe only gave a smile and walked passed him.

The others started to walk passed the man as well, but Cherry approached the steel door and examined it.

"It's just a door, young lady. The real defenses are deeper inside." The old man commented with a polite smile.

Cherry looked at him and smirked mischievously. "That's very clever."

Cherry started knocking and tapping on the door.

The old man's polite smile wavered and fell completely as his eyes trembled. He could believe what he was witnessing, and neither could Bunny Joe who was having a similar reaction.

"H-how did you do that?" Bunny Joe questioned.

"As I said, it was a very clever ruse. Unfortunately for you, I am very perceptive and your acting wasn't quite the match for me." Cherry said grinning from ear to ear.

Bunny Joe had hidden the true knocking password within the seemingly random knocks and taps. Cherry had picked up the subtle change in his rhythm when he used the real password, which he was better practiced and more precise with.

"Bwahaha! I guess we'll have to change the password again, Joe." The old man laughed.

Bunny Joe sighed in defeat. It was always a pain in the ass to memorize a new password.

He led them further inside. It wasn't really a lie that the real defenses were inside, though, as there was an arsenal of hidden traps and turreted weapons deeper within.

Bunny Joe dismissed his men and led Cherry and company to a door and knocked (normally this time).

"This is Bunny Joe. I've completed the mission to liberate Tequila Wolf as well as the long standing mission to invite Nico Robin to meet with us." He reported through the door.

"Oh? Send her in then, you can go and rest." A voice answered, sounding like a young man.

"There are some other guests who have accompanied her as well, including Harpin D. Cherry." Bunny Joe stated.

*SLAM*

The door swung open so hard it nearly shattered as it slammed into the wall. The young man responsible was well dressed, wearing a top hat with goggle wrapped around it, his hair was short wavy and blond, and his left eye bore a burn scar over it.

He quickly searched the faces of those present and stopped on Cherry. He rushed forward and grabbed Cherry's hands into his own and knelt to the ground. Robin frowned when he did so, as it looked like a marriage proposal.

"Thank you! You have no idea what it means to me that you helped to save Ace!" He expressed his gratitude adamantly, though his eyes conveyed even more gratitude than his actions did.

"Um, sir...?" Bunny Joe stood there awkwardly, holding his nose to stop it from bleeding from its run in with the door.

"Hm? Oh, it seems I've forgotten myself. Apologies." He stood up and let go of Cherry's hands, much to the relief of Robin. "I'm the chief of staff of the revolutionary army, Sabo."

"Luffy and Ace are my brothers, so I'm very grateful for your assistance in the war at Marineford. I would have wanted to have been there myself, but until I saw the news article with Ace's picture that stated how he was almost executed, I had completely forgotten my past with them. To be honest, it's still pretty fuzzy..." Sabo explained.

Cherry studied him and found no signs of deception. "No big deal. I didn't do it for you, so you don't need to thank me."

"No, no, I must! Come inside my office so we can chat. Bunny Joe, please ask someone to bring us some refreshments." Sabo said and walked back inside his office.

Cherry met eyes with Robin and shrugged, then followed him inside.

"So when do I get to meet the big guy? I guess that must be weird to suddenly find out your brother's dad is your boss?" Cherry made small talk.

"Hahaha, you have no idea." Sabo sat down on a couch instead of behind his desk, a good sign of his humility.

"As for Dragon-san, he's out at the moment, but will return soon. Not to worry, though! As chief of staff, I am the second in command, so most everything can be handled by myself." Sabo said, smiling innocently.

"Excellent. That will make this so much easier." Cherry twisted her face into a sadistic smile which sent chills down Sabo's spine.

A moment of silence passed between them as sweat beaded on Sabo's forehead.

"Phew, you really had me going for a second there!" Sabo said, calming himself down.

"Hehehe, I guess you aren't second in command for nothing." Cherry said, returning her face to a soft smile. She was a bit disappointed that he wasn't fooled, though. She was curious how strong he was.

Sabo hadn't actually figured out she was kidding, however. He just discerned from the different reactions from the other three women that she likely wasn't serious. Robin had been completely calm, Cabernet had tilted her head in confusion with a silly smile, whilst Perona had been terrified to the point of paralysis.

Even then, Cherry was a bit mysterious. The likelihood that she was a government agent was nearly non-existent, but still not zero.

"Please don't joke with me like that, though. It's bad for my heart, you know..." Sabo said with a nervous chuckle.