Nico Robin laid in the grass on her back, staring blankly at the canopy above.
'I couldn't say it today. I just need to do it and get it over with...' She sighed.
A rustle from the bushes drew her attention and she sat up on guard, knowing Cherry shouldn't come back today. However, it actually was Cherry contrary to her expectations.
"Did you forget something, Cherry?" Robin asked, but she sensed something was off. Cherry had a serious expression with furrowed brows, a look she'd never seen her have before.
"Nico Robin." Cherry spoke.
Robin froze and her eyes shook. 'She knows my real name.' Contradicting thoughts swirled around her mind. 'Am I going to be sold out again? No, Cherry wouldn't do that. But why wouldn't she, everyone else has? No, this is Cherry, she's different!'
While Robin's mind was going in circles, unable to decide whether she could truly trust Cherry, Cherry spoke once more.
"Part of me hoped it was just a weird coincidence, but I knew deep down it wasn't." Cherry sighed and scratched her head. Then she looked at Robin with a firm resolve.
"A navy warship came to the island looking for you. The marines are scouring the island at this very moment, leaving no stone unturned. We don't have much time." Cherry set down her backpack and started taking things out one by one.
Noticing that the older girl was still frozen in confusion, she shouted "Robin!"
Robin started from the shout.
"Can your devil fruit power also reproduce your hair?" Cherry asked calmly. Robin nodded and spoke "It can, but why?"
Cherry gave a devilish grin. "That makes things a little easier then." She said, then held up a pair of scissors and a razor.
Robin got a bad feeling, but she decided to trust Cherry.
*One make over montage later*
"Fantastic, even I don't recognize you." Cherry spoke, proud of her handy work.
In front of her stood a fit young man wearing a black leather jacket with torn off sleeves on top of a white t-shirt and tight leather pants. The leather jacket, pants, and boots were studded with small spikes. He sported a bleached blonde pompadour, side burns, and handlebar mustache. His cheek bones and chin were heavily pronounced.
"Lastly, put on these sunglasses. Although you aren't the only person with blue eyes, it's best not to leave things to chance." Cherry nodded with satisfaction. "Wrap yourself with the tarp so you don't get torn to shreds by the needles."
Robin was enlightened by this experience. Cherry's ideas on how to use her powers to alter her appearance were novel, to say the least.
After Robin wrapped herself up tight, Cherry picked her up and carried her out of the Thorn Wood. They headed to the north west side of the island towards the largest fishing village.
"What the plan, Cherry? Are we stealing a ship?" Robin asked.
"Shh! Don't speak, you'll give yourself away! No, we aren't stealing a ship, that'll tip off the marines. You're going to buy one with that gold of yours. I'll do the talking for you." Cherry led Robin into the village.
Cherry went to the docks where she found the elderly fisherman she was looking for. He had been trying to sell his fishing boat, but hasn't been able to find a buyer.
"Hey, old man! I found you a youngster from the town to buy that boat of yours!" Cherry spoke loudly, as the old man was nearly deaf.
"Ohhh, did you now? Thank you, Cherry. You're such a good girl." The old man turned his attention to the disguised Robin. "You certainly seem like a strong young lad. I can sell her to you for 1,500,000 Beri. She's a bit old, but well maintained. Just like me, Hohohoho."
"He's really shy, so I came to interpret for him. He told me he wants to set out right away on a long journey to improve his confidence. You don't mind if he pays in gold do you, old man?" Cherry relayed in a loud voice.
"That's fine, that's fine. I'm moving in with my son's family in Pebbleton, so I'll be able to exchange it then." The old man smiled, happy that his retirement was finally at hand.
The two girls finished the transaction and got the supplies Robin would need for the journey ahead of her. Robin stood on the deck and looked to the younger girl she had spent the last 6 months with, her first friend in many years.
"I-I hope we can meet again, Cherry." She said falteringly.
"Of course we'll meet again. When we do, you'd better not have been slacking in your training! I won't forgive you if you go all squishy on me!" Cherry replied, with false bravado.
Robin smiled as tears streaked down her face, catching in her fake mustache. "I won't. I'll be stronger than ever, promise!" Not able to bear it, she untied the boat from the dock and set sail.
The girls waved farewell to one another and as Robin's ship drifted beyond the horizon, Cherry made a new discovery.
'This world is such a strange place, especially when it comes to eyes. First it's sparkling eyes, then it's flaming eyes, and now water, of all things, is pouring out of my eyes.'
...
Cherry arrived back at the dojo long after sunset. She had needed some time to sort her feelings out.
When she opened the gate and walked inside, she found Grandma Angela fast asleep sitting on a chair in the courtyard facing the gate.
Cherry went to her room, got changed into normal clothes, then went back outside with a chair in hand. She set the chair down right next to Grandma Angela's, sat down, and went to sleep leaning against her grandmother.
When Cherry woke up in the morning, she was in her own bed. 'I guess all the excitement really took it out of me, I didn't even notice I was moved.'
She went to the dining room where she found breakfast waiting for her, along with Grandma Angela.
"You could have woken me up, silly girl." Grandma Angela said, giving a gentle smile.
After breakfast, Grandma Angela insisted on going into town to celebrate Cherry's birthday. When they left the house, they ran into Slenk in the courtyard.
"There you are, Cherry. Where's are the things you, uh, borrowed from me?" He asked.
"Hm? Which things? The clothes, the hair care products, or the erotic books?" Cherry asked, wearing her best attempt at an 'innocent' smile.
Slenk froze in fear as his eyes drifted to Grandma Angela.
"What have you been corrupting my granddaughter with, disciple?" Grandma Angela spoke slowly, enunciating every syllable.
"I-it's just a joke, right Cherry?!" Slenk looked to Cherry pleadingly.
Cherry winked with the eye Grandma Angela couldn't see. "Grandma, what does it mean when two women [CENSORED]?" Slenk's hopes were expertly dashed and he sunk to depths of despair.
Not just because Cherry had just signed his death warrant, but also because what she had just described was a particularly steamy scene from his favorite book.
"Borke!" Grandma Angela shouted.
"Yes, Master?!" Borke came bounding out from somewhere like a loyal hound.
"It's seems I've been too lenient with disciple Slenk and let him have too much privacy. Do a contraband search of his room." Grandma Angela commanded.
"Yes, Ma'am!" Borke saluted before dashing towards the disciples' living quarters. Meanwhile, Slenk had sunk lifelessly to his knees, unresponsive.
"I'll deal you later, disciple. Let's get going, Cherry. I've got a lot of plans for your special day." She took Cherry by the hand and they had a wonderful day out of the town.