126 Koala

Refreshments were brought for them by a soldier who couldn't help by glance at the ruined door on the way in. Hot coffee with optional sugar and cream, along with an assortment of sweets and cakes.

"Let's get the formalities out of the way, shall we? I assume that Bunny Joe has told you that our cause has wanted to meet with you for some time, but unfortunately we lacked personnel with the capability of finding you, Nico Robin." Sabo said, taking a sip of his coffee. He scrunched up his face, then put so much sugar and cream in his cup that it likely could no longer be called coffee at all.

"Yes, perhaps it would have nice if you had found me sooner. I'm quite pleased with how things have turned out, though." Robin said, placing a hand on Cherry's thigh.

"Haha, I can tell. No doubt you're also quite glad to have met my little brother, too! He has a way on growing on you doesn't he?" Sabo spoke. Robin answered with a nod.

"Dragon-san had wanted to try an recruit you to our cause, but I suspect that you won't be interested and further that Dragon-san won't try to poach you from his own son." Sabo said. "Would you like assistance in meeting back up with your crew?"

"No, the Straw Hats will be taking a period to train ourselves. Captain's orders." Robin explained, which caused Sabo's face to droop a bit in disappointment.

"Don't look so down, Sabo. If you want to see him that bad, I can tell you where he is. I can even give a piece of his vivre card." Cherry offered.

"No, that's okay. I shouldn't distract him from his training. I can always meet him later." Sabo stated, clearly not content with his own decision.

*Slap*

"Ow!" Sabo rubbed his face where Cherry had given a fierce slap.

"Don't be a dolt. For what reason do you think Luffy is training?! Cause he likes it? Sure. So he can achieve his dream? Of course! However those reasons fall far behind his biggest reason! For the sake of those he cares about!" Cherry ranted. "The truth is you're just shy after not having met him for a while right?!"

Sabo looked away with embarrassment. It's been a whole decade since he's met with Luffy or Ace. It may not have been his fault since he was an amnesiac, but it was still terribly awkward.

"*Sigh* You're right. I'm afraid of how they'll react to seeing me after so long. They probably thought I was dead for the last 10 years..." Sabo admitted.

"I've known those boys for less than a year combined, and even I know how they'll react. You're supposed to be their brother, you ought to know even better than me." Cherry said, waving away his concerns.

Her words resounded in his mind, slowly erasing his insecurities.

"You're right! I'm going right away! Ace should easy enough to find on my own. I would appreciate your assistance, Miss Harpin! I'll introduce you to someone who can take care of you in my absence until dragon get back!" Sabo stood up and beckoned them to follow him.

Along the way to whomever he was shoving his responsibilities on, Cherry cut away a portion of Luffy's vivre card from her booklet and gave it to him, as well as telling him the name of the island that Rayleigh told her he would be taking Luffy to train.

"Koala! I'm shirking my responsibilities and disappearing for a few weeks! Take care of our guests for me! Thanks!" Sabo shouted into a room, then took off sprinting down the hallway.

"Thanks again, Cherry!" Sabo waved goodbye without looking back.

"What the hell do you mean, Sabo?! Come back here, you fool!" A woman, presumably Koala, stepped out of the room in a hurry, but saw that Sabo was already out of sight.

She sighed in defeat and turned to look at Cherry and company with despondent eyes. Her expression brightened a bit when she saw who the 'guests' she was meant to take care of were, though.

"Nico Robin, Harpin D. Cherry, Cabernet, and... um... Perona from Gecko Moria's crew?" Koala recited their names, only needing a moment to recall Perona. "I'd be concerned about you if Moria had still been a Shichibukai. Please behave yourself and we'll give you the benefit of the doubt since you came with them."

Perona looked a bit depressed at the mention of Moria. He had supposedly been killed in action during the war, but Cherry knew that he had still been alive at the end of the battle.

"I guess it won't be too much of a bother to take care of you guys. Don't tell that to Sabo though, he's going to be punished when he comes back." Koala said with a smile.

"Hmm, I guess I'll show you around? Introduce you to some people." Koala led them around the fortress, showing them where certain facilities were such as the cafeteria and the bathrooms.

Koala knocked on an open door into an office. "Hey, Betty. Do you have time to meet some guests?"

"Sure, I guess." Betty said. Koala led them inside.

Robin entered before Cherry, and instantly Cherry felt a pair of hands grow out of her shoulders and firmly clamp over her eyes.

"What's this about?" Cherry asked curiously.

Robin remained silent. She couldn't tell Cherry that Betty was scantily clad beauty. She was even tall and cool like herself, which was Cherry's type obviously. What if Cherry was tempted by her?!

"I think she doesn't want you to see the sexy lady?" Cabernet blurted her hypothesis, which was right on the money.

"Hmmm?" Cherry smiled, which caused Robin to turn pink in the cheeks. "I'll play along for now. Let's see how long you can keep it it up."

Betty quirked an eyebrow at their antics, but she didn't put a stop to it. She held a fair amount of respect for both Cherry and Robin for their capabilities.

"Nice to meet you." Betty stated shortly.

"Betty is the only commander present at the moment. The others are working elsewhere." Koala explained.

After a quick chat, Koala moved on to introduce them to Hack, who was the resident fishman karate teacher. Koala served as his assistant.

Since they were there already, they decided to go ahead and take some lessons from them. It was apparent to Cherry that they fell quite far behind Jinbe in this particular martial art, though. Still, Hack had a few of his own unique insights.

Robin seemed interesting in learning fishman karate, even if she wouldn't be able to use its underwater capabilities.

Koala led them to sleeping quarters they could call their own while they were here and parted ways to take care of other business.

Robin flopped onto the bed, a bit tired from their workout with Koala and Hack.

Cherry admired her for a few moments and smiled. "You want to get stronger?"

Robin studied her, looking for ways those words might be twisted around. "Yes, I don't want to fall behind."

"I can help you with that in more ways than one." Cherry stated, turning a bit serious. "Martial arts and muscle training are all well and good, but there is another way that'll be faster and more efficient."

"And what's that?" Robin asked. Cherry was a bit mysterious in many ways and she never tried to pry, but now she felt like she would be able see more of who she really was.

"Cultivation." Cherry stated. "The secret to my power, a power that will one day make me immortal."

Robin didn't expect that, but seeing that Cherry was serious she remained silent.

"If you like, I can share this secret with you. Then maybe the many years that lie ahead of me will not be so lonely." Cherry offered.

Robin gazed into her eyes and for the first time she recognized something that, in hindsight, had always been there. A kind of profound loneliness that she often saw in her own reflection staring back at her over the years she was on the run.

But would she really want to live forever?

After a few minutes of silence, Robin opened her mouth to speak. "I..."