Sorry this has taken so long to upload. Real life has caused me to lose a lot of time I'd usually spend writing.
But, fear not, I will write and upload when I can (I will hopefully get more time in the future because I've another work-in Progress I want to dish out)

Hope you all like this chapter.

Lemme know what you think, thanks for reading

For Cracker, it'd been a rollercoaster of a day.

Not only had he met his future wife but he'd gotten off to a good start with her too. Which was far more than he'd expected since it was a political based marriage that his mother had arranged.

Lying awake he couldn't wipe the massive grin off his face, today had already been such a success for him. He was recovering well, had met his future wife, he'd gotten off to a good start with her too.

Cracker knew he was being blindly optimistic about this, he knew it could all turn to crap in an instant if Shanks or one of his friends decided they weren't on board with the arrangement anymore.

As much as he did like Rosalina, she could be taken away by his mother too, if he was suddenly deemed an unfit groom he was easily replaced with another sibling, one who Mama considered more suitable for such an honour.

He'd tried his best to impress her at Tea Time, after a good two hours spent in the Courtyard getting acquainted they had been allowed to leave. Cracker had given her a tour of the Chateau after that, starting from the first floor Library he took her to the most note-worthy places within the Chateau.

Sadly, neither had been permitted to enter the rooftop area, not until the day of the wedding, which caused some annoyance for Cracker as he'd intended to show her the view at the end of the little tour.

But, it had been a wonderful day none the less. Cracker was somewhat glad he'd lost to Luffy, if he'd have won then he may never have ended up engaged.

All the thoughts running through his head did nothing to help him sleep.

It was still early, not even ten, as tired as he felt Cracker found himself unable to get to sleep.

If it were up to him he'd be taking Rosalina out to see how the surrounding oceans would freeze solid at night, which was always amazing to newcomers.

Sitting up Cracker decided he'd go pay her a visit. There was still much for them to discuss and his mother hadn't set a curfew for either of them, the only reason they'd said goodnight was due to Beckman nagging her to go contact her father and tell the crew she was alive.

Getting out of the bed Cracker grabbed a little den-den Moshi off the desk, he didn't want to risk dealing with Beckman or his accusatory tone again tonight, if he wanted to see Rosalina he need to be discreet. He didn't exactly fear Beckman but it wouldn't look good being caught sneaking into Rosalinas room after dark.

His first attempt at a call went unanswered, as did his second attempt.

Persistent as he was it wasn't until his fourth try was the receiver actually picked up.

"Cracker, I swear to god if you aren't dying you soon fucking will be! What the hell is wrong?" The shrill voice snapped almost as soon as the call was answered.

He knew his sister would still be awake at this hour, she was a night owl at heart and she was the only one who could give assistance with this. Hearing mutterings and huffs in the background Cracker knew he'd disturbed something for his sister. Something he'd definitely owe a favor for ruining.

"Sorry, sorry. I'll make it up to you, I promise, I just need you to let me pass through the Mirro-world. I gotta talk to Rosalina about something." He apologised and explained, Bruleè was the only one who knew of the earlier meeting and was currently the only one who could help him.

With more muttering and irritated voices from the other end Cracker could easily discern Diesels voice in the background, he knew then he should have taken the hint of being ignored in the first two times.

"I will open the Mirro World and keep it open for you and you alone. Find her yourself and then find your own way back." Bruleè sighed and grumbled to herself.

Now Cracker felt a little bad for calling in the first place, at least his sister was agreeing to help him on this, he'd be sure to repay the favour when he had the chance "There! Now don't call me again tonight or I'll cut all your damn hair off!" She huffed before hanging up, she had no desire to listen to Crackers 'thank yous' and grateful words.

Getting up from the table he pulled on his pants and left the room via the large mirror on the wall. Stepping into the Mirro-world he took in his surroundings, he'd done enough wandering around to know which parts of the Chateau were kept in clusters and which were far apart.

Thankfully the guest rooms were all kept in a neat section of their own where they were lined up accordingly; much to Bruleès disapproval it had been Katakuri himself who demanded they not be scattered and placed haphazardly, it ruined the whimsical charm she'd put so much effort into.

After the short walk Cracker counted down to the fifteenth mirror, finding the full length accessory had stayed facing the bed just as it had been so carefully placed, a smile came to his face.

Through the mirror he could see Rosalina sat on the bed dressed in pyjama shorts and a purple tank top. In front of her was a den-den Moshi, one of the larger ones, leading Cracker to believe this was her own one for main communications.

In one hand she held the receiver and in the other she rested her head, the smile soon fell from Crackers face as he heard a low sob, watching as she lifted her head he was ready to go beat the ass of whoever had caused her to cry in the first place.

"I'm fine, honestly, I'm perfectly okay. A little worn out but I'm good, dad." She sniffled as she rubbed her teary eyes.

Cracker then realised she'd started crying when talking to Shanks, or, had called him because she'd started crying. Either way, her crying certainly wasn't a good thing for him, not if Mama found out.

"Then why are you crying, sweetie? Have you been threatened, or hurt, are you marrying someone nasty, is he someone who'd hurt you? Just say the word and I-" Shanks began to speak, his tone was worrisome and frantic, that much was clear to Cracker.

"Please, relax. I'm a bit tired after today, it really took a lot outta me. It's been a long day and I just wanted to make sure Red Force is still floating. " Rosalina interrupted with an embarrassed chuckle.

She hadn't been crying before she made the call, it was the hysteric and joyous cries of her crew that had put her to tears. Worried voices asking how she was, weeping in the back as she was confirmed to be safe, the muffled yelling reassuring those further away that all was going well. Their kind words and grateful tones had been enough to cause her tears.

Rosalina knew she was sorely missed by the crew, that much had been made clear from what little a conversation they had before Shanks kicked them out of his study, wanting to speak more to her without any of the crew listening in.

"You still didn't answer me. What kind of man are you marrying, what is he like, is he the kind of man who'd hurt you?" Shanks repeated, he knew there wasn't much he could do but he could listen and give a sympathetic ear.

When she fell silent it was cause for concern, Cracker hadn't stopped to think about her feelings towards him in all this. He knew it was selfish of him to go ahead assuming she would reciprocate his feelings; after all he was a total stranger to her.

Wondering if he'd come on too strongly during the day he sat down beside the mirror and continued to listen.

Now he'd discover how she truly saw him, a knot formed in his stomach as she remained silent still.

'What if I'm a disappointment to her, what if she expected someone better and got stuck with the failure child?' Cracker thought to himself, he knew he could be arrogant and cocky at times, Cracker had been made well aware of his flaws in recent weeks, had Rosalina taken a dislike to them too?

Peeking through the mirror he continued to watch as a smile soon graced her face "I like him." She sighed in a low tone "I like him, so, that means he's the kinda guy you'd disapprove of and chase away."

She liked him? That was enough to make Cracker laugh with delight, it was music to his ears to hear her say those words, despite his awkwardness and general behaviour today he did make a good impression on her.

"How do you know I'd disapprove? Despite his family I may find him an agreeable son-in-law. Oh god I need a drink just for saying that." Shanks scoffed choking on his last few words, still greatly uncomfortable with the idea of this marriage but content enough to let his daughter make her own decisions in life; Shanks knew he couldn't take the moral high ground considering decisions made in his youth.

Rosalina furrowed her brow and shook her head "You always disapprove and this will be no exception, so no matter what I say you'll find flaws; it's like your special dad-power."

Her response was met with mumbling and grumbling, Shanks could never help himself, it was a natural reaction for him as a father, to find all flaws in the men who came close to her, he would always refer to it as his built in daughter-protection radar.

Still, Shanks didn't deny her claims in the least, knowing it was habitual for him to list each and every thing he found wrong with the men. Rosalinas facial expression softened, she couldn't blame her father for his protective nature, and he'd never change even if she wanted him to.

There was no way to make Shanks approve of this, not without meeting the man in question and not without letting the entire crew cross-examine the poor guy.

It wasn't as if that was an option given the circumstances anyway, Rosalina knew that was probably what was hurting her father most, the fact that she was marrying a stranger and he couldn't even make a few light threats before the wedding day

"I know you worried but I'm fine. I'm being treated well and Beckman is right across the hall if I need him, if there's trouble we'll let you know." Reassurance was about the only thing she could confidently give at this time, purposely leaving out the parts where Charlotte Oven had been less than pleasant towards her, that would just worry the crew more.

Shanks continued to question how the voyage went and how well she'd been treated, he held little trust in regard to Katakuri, and after all that Luffy had told him, it had been unnerving entrusting his daughter to the terrifying man.

After more reassurance that she had been treated well Shanks was satisfied to stop pestering her, settling for saying goodnight and exchanging 'I love yous' they ended the call, more so Shanks could start blubbering without his daughter berating him again.

Now Cracker was in two minds, should he go back to his room and leave her be, or go in and try to make her smile?

Knocking softly on the mirrors frame he gave it a few seconds before stepping through it "It's just me, I wanted to talk to you again." He spoke in a hushed tone, once through the mirror he saw the shock and confusion on the poor girls face.

With no explanations or warnings Cracker had suddenly come out of a mirror and started speaking to her, Rosalina had been made aware of the 'mirror witch' but the thought hadn't crossed her mind that the mirrors were something used without Big Moms permission.

Staring for a few seconds she nodded, she'd seen enough strange, yet enchanting things already today but this was a bit hard to comprehend "Right, the mirrors here are weird and shit." She nodded to herself.

Despite the eerie mirror portals her bigger concern was Cracker being in her room, though Big Mom had encouraged them to spend as much time together as possible before the wedding, something both were grateful for.

Rosalina was more than happy to indulge him in a conversation, after all he'd been nothing but kind thus far and there was no reason to believe he had ill intention. That and she was slowly becoming fond of him.

Patting the bed she sat back against the plush pillows and smiled, her only main concern at the moment was if Beckman decided to come by unannounced, he'd been tolerant thus far but finding Cracker here after dark would most likely be the final straw.

"Alright but we should keep quiet, Beckman would kill us both if he found out you came here." In a hushed tone the girl grinned and gestured to the door.

The thought of being discovered hadn't crossed Crackers mind, his siblings wouldn't mind but Beckman would sure as hell find fault with it.

As strong and arrogant as Cracker was he certainly wasn't willing to start a fight with the right hand man of another Yonko, not with the reputation he had and not with the impending wedding.

Sitting on the edge of the bed Cracker huffed as he shook his head "I wanted to make sure you're okay after today, I mean, you probably had a boyfriend or something already and now you're stuck with me, I'm hardly worthy husband for you." Cracker would be lying if he said he wasn't halfway pleased with his end of this deal, he got a second chance and a beautiful wife from this, but, he'd begun questioning what she'd get from the marriage.

Obviously the islands under her fathers' protection would be safe and his territories would not be invaded, she'd had no choice but to accept the deal and play her part in all of this. For all Cracker had known the girl could have already been engaged!

It wasn't until Rosalina snorted and started laughing that he stopped his train of thought "A boyfriend? I haven't had one of them in a while, my father has kept me busy specifically to avoid me having another romance." Leaning forward she touched his arm "Honestly, Cracker, from what I've seen you're definitely the kinda guy I'd date under normal circumstances."

Hearing that she'd been single and he was datable to her put a cocky grin on his face. Knowing he wasn't ruining an existing relationship was a relief to him, the fact that he was her type of guy only encouraged him to try romancing her even more. It was a sorely needed boost for his ego.

"Well I'll have to up my game for tomorrow, I can't disappoint you after you've said that." Now he didn't feel bad in the slightest for all he had planned, now he had a reason to try impress her.

For Rosalina, it'd been so long since anyone had tried to get close to her, after her last break up the entire crew had gone into overdrive with scaring away potential boyfriends. It was almost ironic that after all their hard work she was to marry someone they'd never even met.

She was curious to know what Cracker had planned for tomorrow; she hadn't expected anything past having tea and wandering the chateau.

After that Cracker had excitedly begun talking about Biscuits Island, reassuring her that it was a lovely place filled with just as much wondrous stuff as Whole Cake, except there was a mass abundance of biscuit based things instead of cakes.

Jam ponds, jammy dodger ridges, Pink Wafer cliffs and Monaka Mountain, everything Cracker described about his island fascinated her more and more. It sounded more like something from a storybook her mother used to read than a place she would soon call home.

Listening intently Rosalina soon found herself with a pillow in her arms lying down next to Cracker, he spoke so proudly of Biscuits Island, boasting about how well maintained it was and how there would be a big welcome celebration when Cracker returned.

All the while he explained everything, it was hard for her not to smile fondly, he was so proud of his achievements as a Minister, boastful about also being a Sweet Commander and what that meant in terms of ranking in the crew.

Of course Rosalina would interject to ask questions and to get further explanation, she had so little time to learn about Biscuits Island and wanted to avoid any embarrassing mess-ups upon arrival.

Cracker was soon speaking about the events on Biscuits Island from just a few weeks ago, noticing that his cocky grin was slowly forming into grimace.

Katakuri had made it crystal clear that Cracker should not be speaking about the events leading up to the Vinsmoke wedding or what happened before her arrival, he had given a firm warning that it was too soon for Cracker to discuss such events and they should be avoided at all costs.

"Hay, so, how come your bounty poster isn't actually you?" She interrupted, cutting him off mid-sentence "It has the same scar you do but it's not you." Her curiosity over the incorrect bounty poster had been growing, though the opportunity to ask hadn't arisen.

That question sparked a whole new culmination of ramblings and excitedly explained details. To her surprise it had been Perospero who gave Cracker his devil fruit when he was barely a teenager and how he came to inhabit his Biscuit Armour in battle as a precaution. A precaution his elder brother, Oven, had insisted upon relentlessly.

The Biscuit Armour he wore had been perfected to trick and deceive his opponents as well as keep him safe to create more Biscuit Warriors in a heated battle. Once again Rosalina listened intently, how joyously Cracker spoke of his abilities and how that simple mix up with a bounty poster had slowly given him his own identity within the Charlotte family.

Though, his expression and tone changed when speaking of Opera and Moscato, a sad smile graced his face as he spoke fondly of his deceased brothers. All Rosalina knew was that both had died recently, whatever circumstances surrounded their deaths were a mystery to her. Though, there was much debate outside of Totto Land as to what happened to the pair.

Some said they were killed by Strawhat Luffy in the heat of the initial attack, or that one of the Vinsmokes had killed Moscato shortly after their arrival and that was what sparked the assassination plans. There were even rumours surfacing that it had been Pudding and Chiffon who'd murdered their siblings in attempts to escape Totto Land.

"I- I guess I should feel lucky things weren't worse, I mean, I'm no expert but I've seen enough marriages to know what not to do." Cracker chuckled, only thanks to interference and unwanted advice from others had certain marriages succeeded, something many siblings were grateful for.

Katakuri and Dante were a brilliant example of how a siblings interference had worked out for the better. Without that and all the unwanted advice it was likely that marriage would have ended in tragedy.

"Just, kinda wish Moscato was around, fuck knows he'd liven things up."

Sitting up Rosalina leaned against his arm; she had no idea what it was like to lose a sibling, crew members' yes, but never a beloved sibling. She chalked that up to never having any siblings in the first place.

But, if it was anything like the loss of a crew member she knew how deeply that could cut into someone, the gut wrenching and heart-breaking reality of losing someone beloved was almost indescribable.

To feel her so close to him was almost enough to make the Sweet Commander melt, he'd been so starved for any sort of affection, any sort of closeness or kind touch from her made his heart skip a beat. It'd been so long since anyone outside his own family cared to comfort him like such.

With some hesitation Cracker moved his arms around her and slowly pulled her onto his lap, he wanted to comfort her but he also wanted to feel comforted too.

There was no protest made when she was being shifted, it wasn't cause for concern when she was being moved so gently and with such ease, if there was any ill intention by it then she'd be aware by now.

A good hug was something that Rosalina was in need of, both were in the same situation, it was easy for them to understand each other's concerns over this.

Once seated on his lap she rested her head against his chest, with his arms wrapped around her there was little else she could do but relax in his grip.

"Oh, you don't mind, do you?" Cracker muttered, concerned that he may have overstepped a boundary.

Shaking her head Rosalina smiled at him "Nah, it's nice. Besides, we'll be married soon, no one will begrudge us a cuddle." With just a few days until the wedding Rosalina was prepared to take every opportunity she could to figure him out.

Cracker may have been the kind of guy she'd try dating but there was a great difference between a few dates, a relationship, and then a lifelong commitment. All she had to do was remind herself that she must find peace with the situation, that it could be so much worse for her, she had to try before resigning to an unhappy life.

After a few minutes Cracker sighed, unwrapping his arms from her he frowned "I should go, the guards will pass by and check on you soon. If Bobbin caught me here he'd make a big deal out of it, he gives you trouble just pull a gun and shoot, that'll sort him."

Scooting off his lap Rosalina crawled onto the bed and sat down, she'd thoroughly enjoyed Crackers visit, learning more about him and where she'd be living soon had lifted her spirits.

As Cracker got up and began walking towards the mirror she stood up on the bed "Hay, hold on a second." Reaching out she grabbed Crackers arm before he moved too far.

Turning around Cracker raised an eyebrow, it was already getting late and he knew Bobbin was on duty tonight.

As beaten, battered and shot as the Bishop had been when tossed into the ocean, he had survived the ordeal. Vito had carelessly assumed that his sleep hypnosis was a result of devil fruit ability, surmising that Bobbin would simply drown and that would finish the job.

Given the fact that he and Bobbin never really got along Cracker had no desire to run into the little sadist tonight, or any other night for that matter.

"U-umh.. Thanks for keeping me company tonight. And.. Cracker, I consider myself lucky to be marrying you, you're worth far more than you think and I'll be proud to call you my husband." Murmuring nervously she leaned forward onto his arm, even with the additional height of standing on the bed Cracker was still a bit taller.

Cracker couldn't bring himself to take another step after she spoke.

All he'd ever hoped for was to be good enough in the eyes of those around him, good enough to make them proud. All Cracker had wanted since he was a young boy was to be worthy of praise. To show his worth within the Charlotte family.

So rarely had he been considered 'good enough', the only reason he was given the honour of Minister and Sweet Commander was due to Katakuri taking him along on so many missions and speaking about the potential he had.

But now, now there was someone openly saying he was 'good enough', someone was saying he was worth marrying! There was someone who would proudly call him their husband!

He didn't know how he'd managed to make that happen but whatever it was, he would continue doing it.

Turning back to her Cracker smiled, it wasn't often that he felt the need to show his softer side, he was encouraged not to show softness or weakness as a Minister and Sweet Commander.

Moving closer, inch by inch, he removed the gap between them. Even with the added height from Rosalina standing on the bed she barely reached his shoulders.

Her hand reached up to stroke the side of his face. Standing on her tip-toes she leaned in closer to him, the new height giving her a better angle to admire his facial features from.

His scar, his eyes, his smile, she admired it all. After a moment his face turned to one of confusion, Rosalina had been standing there, stroking his face and smiling.

'Is this normal? Should I do something, say something? I probably should' Cracker thought to himself, having his own internal debate on what exactly to do was cut short when he felt something new.

Her lips, pressed to his. It had been a snap decision on her part, she'd wanted to do it earlier, after their conversation before Tea Time, but that hadn't been an option.

Now, after all he'd told her and his attempts to make this all easier for her she couldn't let him go without something to show her appreciation.

She hadn't wanted their first kiss to be at the altar, nor did she know if they'd be alone again before the wedding.

Pulling back after a few seconds Rosalina couldn't help but smirk "Can't let you go before I say thanks for today, it'd be rude.. And I kinda wanted to do that since this morning."

Cracker, however, just stood there with a grin on his face. He hadn't thought to try kiss her yet, he didn't want to risk getting slapped by her and then berated by Katakuri for overstepping a boundary, and lord knew he'd pay for that kind of mistake.

Her words and kiss were all Cracker needed to confirm he hadn't failed yet.

Despite all the well wishes from siblings he knew full well some brothers hoped he'd fuck it up, just so they could have the opportunity of being the groom.

His grin soon turned smug and cocky. Yes, Cracker loved his siblings but he sure couldn't wait to rub it in their faces that he was far from failing "Then I don't feel so bad for what I have planned tomorrow. Maybe if you like it I'll get a few more kisses?" He knew it was cocky and assumptious but it had worked in his favor so far.

Shaking her head and chuckling Rosalina patted his shoulders "Maybe you will, we'll have to wait and see." She replied with a coy smile before taking her hands off him, of course she wasn't going to tell him all he had to do was ask, that'd be no fun.

Moving away Cracker walked to the mirror, he didn't want to push his luck and his face was already turning a dark shade of pink "So, uh, I'll meet you sometime in the morning, around eleven-ish. At the bottom of the stairs on the first floor, uh, by the library, wear something cute and bring a weapon or two, whatever you're best with." Putting his hand through the mirror he sighed.

'Bruleè is gonna make me pay for this, she's probably so pissed at me for ruining her night.' He thought , as grateful as he was, Cracker knew he'd be paying for this.

Stepping through the mirror Cracker quickly moved away from it, his face was flush red and he was grinning like an idiot.

It took a moment for everything to sink in; when it did Cracker was quite proud of himself. Sure, he'd had to rely on his siblings to get everything off to a good start, but he'd managed perfectly fine on his own after Tea Time, during the tour and with spending time alone with Rosalina.

He felt ridiculous for all his worrying and fretting.

His entire walk back to his mirror was spent revising his plans for tomorrow. Galette had been more than willing to relay orders and make sure everything was prepared.

Poor Galette, she needed something to keep her mind occupied until the day of the wedding. Cracker sympathised with his sister, and she'd not seen her children or husband in close to two weeks. He could only imagine her upset.

Arriving back to his room Cracker checked to make sure no one had been to visit, if anyone had stopped by and found him missing that could cause a problem, especially with all the extra guards wandering around and him virtually disappearing for almost three hours.

Thankfully, it didn't seem as if anyone had been. He surmised that everyone was either busy or had their own plans to get on with. Though, he knew Galette would spend the night with a bottle of wine and Katakuri was probably still at the infirmary.

Knowing vaguely where the rest of his siblings could be he settled into bed and relaxed, if no one had missed him then there was no cause for concern or excuses. All he had to do was pay his debt to Bruleè and the matter was sealed.

With everything happening so quickly Cracker hadn't taken time to really think about what it all meant, sure, he knew he was getting married so his mother could further her ambition and punish those she felt responsible. But, he hadn't given much thought to how things would work after the wedding.

Having no prior relationships meant he was basically running around in the dark, praying he didn't run smack into a wall. Cracker did admit that watching his siblings had given him plenty of hope, some of his mothers' arrangements had bright outcomes.

Galette may have had a bad first marriage, ending in death and heartbreak but her second marriage was like her fairy-tale dream come true. Katakuri and Dante had a rough start and a multitude of problems but had made it all work for the better.

'I'll set aside time and talk to them sometime tomorrow. If Perospero can find love and happiness then there's hope for me.' He thought to himself, somewhat jealous of the joy his eldest brother had in his life. Having to listen for a good half hour as the Candy Minister practically did cartwheels around the bedroom as he shared the news of his twelfth child being born.

Rolling over Cracker buried his face in the pillow, it was late and he didn't want to spend any more time thinking about all that. He was hopeful he could rope Dante into helping Rosalina adjust to everything, if he could do that, then half the problem was already sorted.

Knock, knock, knock.

Came thudding on his door. Groaning loudly Cracker knew exactly who it was and he was in no mood for their antics.

Without warning or permission the door creaked open, something which Cracker would put a stop to if it happened later or the next night.

"Fuck off, Bobbin. I'm trying to sleep." Cracker snapped, making a point of refusing to look at the little Bishop as he invited himself into the room.

After getting no response Cracker reluctantly sat up, only to find Bobbin was rummaging around in the open closet.

"I'm here, I'm not dead, and you're not needed. Leave, immediately." Cracker gestured to the door, he didn't want to resort to manhandling the smaller man but his patience was already wearing thin.

Bobbin reappeared and shut the closet door behind him. He was still and silent for a moment before he approached the bed, much to Crackers annoyance, still receiving the silent treatment Cracker knew this was going further than simply patrolling and checking everyone was in their rooms.

Crouching down Bobbin looked underneath the bed; it was at this point Cracker had enough.

Reaching down he grabbed Bobbin by the back of his shirt and yanked him up, holding the other man in the air Cracker scowled "Alright you little troglodyte, I'm done asking nicely so either tell me what the fuck you are doing or so help me I will finish what that snake-tongued fucker didn't and I will drown you myself!" Cracker hissed.

Bobbins blatant refusal to respond to his superior and insubordinate actions were enough to warrant some form of punishment, Cracker was still titled a Sweet Commander and retained all power that came with it.

Holding up his hands Bobbin grinned widely "Oi, Oi, gimme a break! I'm doing my job thoroughly, making sure everything is in order and nothing is wrong. No need to get angry, Boyoyon." He laughed as he bobbed his head from side to side.

In truth Bobbin was only supposed to check where everyone was and that nothing strange was afoot, rooting around was an extra step he took simply to irritate the Sweet Commander.

The two had been at odds for years now but lately Bobbin seemed to be getting more brazen with his comments and actions.

In the time it took to respond Cracker knew his excuse would be bullshit. He knew his patience were being tested on purpose, Bobbin was testing the waters to see how damaged Cracker was after his punishment.

"The only thing wrong is your disrespectful attitude towards your superior, Bobbin. So kindly fuck off and let me sleep in peace." Lowering Bobbin back to the floor Cracker huffed, he'd been tempted to throw Bobbin towards the window but the thought of dealing with a shattered window was less than ideal.

Dusting himself off Bobbin looked curiously at the Sweet Commander, it surprised him that Cracker was allowed to keep his titles and was chosen for such an important marriage. Bobbin didn't like Cracker in the least but had to respect a man with such a high bounty.

Turning and walking towards the door Bobbin shook his head "I hope your bride-to-be has less a temper, I hope she's still awake so I can talk to her. I hear she's a pretty one, Boyoyon."

Glaring at the smaller man Cracker hoped Rosalina took his advice and would point a gun at the horrid man instead of entertaining his bullshit. All he needed was Bobbin going and spreading a bunch of half-truths and wrecking his good work.

Knowing that retorting to his remark would only cause a problem Cracker huffed "Whatever, if she shoots you it's your own fault."

Letting out a loud laugh Bobbin exited the room, closing the door slowly he giggled to himself. It always lifted his mood when he got to annoy others, almost as much as getting to burn an island.

Once Cracker was left alone he cursed Bobbin for disturbing him and laid back down "Little shit, I should kick him down some stairs." He muttered to himself.

Bobbin continued on his rounds, taking the usual route he liked while on patrol duty. He looked on the Charlotte Children as he passed their rooms, saying quick hellos and checked the younger ones weren't sneaking any snacks.

His lack of respect and rude nature had gotten him into trouble with more than one person on his round. Galette had hurled a wine bottle at him after he made a comment she took as hurtful.

"Your youngest is old enough to start talking, isn't he? Ah, but you've been here a while, maybe you've already missed his first words. Unfortunate stuff, Boyoyon."

Galette had thrown the bottle full force but missed by a few inches, shrieking about how she'd make him eat those glass shards if he didn't leave immediately.

Next he went to check on their special guests, a stop Bobbin had been eagerly awaiting since he started his patrol; he had seen neither Beckman nor Rosalina. But the amount of gossip that'd circulated within a few hours had given him plenty to go on.

Bobbin hadn't cared to knock on Rosalinas door but he made sure to be as quiet as he could when opening it, there was no use barging in and possibly scaring her. He wanted to get on her good side, both to annoy Cracker and to get in the good books of Shanks.

Creeping into the room he grinned to himself "Don't mind me, just doing a security check, Boyoyon." He whispered loudly, not loud enough for the rest of his patrol team to hear but loud enough to be heard within the room.

As their guest stirred Bobbin realized she wasn't entirely asleep, which was good for him. He would like the chance to speak with her, preferably without her chaperone or future husband to bother him.

"You're still awake? Must be all the excitement from today." Bobbin asked as he began to check around the room, more to waste time than do his job.

Tired as she was Rosalina decided to humour him, she knew who Bishop Bobbin was, The Disposer of the Big Mom Pirates. Propping herself up on her elbows she could barely see in the low light of the room, just barely able to make out the small shape moving around, she shrugged to herself 'Probably not wise to make an enemy of him'

Slowly she nodded her head "Umh, yea, I guess, a lot did happen." Rosalina yawned; half hoping this would be a quick and pleasant visit so she could rest.

Bobbin moved around the room a little more, pretending to inspect the windows and checking under the bed. He had to at least act as if he were actually concerned about something happening; he knew no one would dare harm Rosalina, not before she was married.

"There, all checked!" He exclaimed, walking to the side of the bed with a wide grin spread across his face "Suppose you're missing home, huh? I know I'd be under these circumstances, that why you aren't asleep, Boyoyon."

Admittedly, she was missing home. It was far too silent; there was no singing, no drunken antics in the distance, not even the sound of waves. The Chateau was far too quiet a place for her to feel entirely at ease, too much silence had never been a good thing aboard Red Force.

Biting her lip she nodded "Bit too quiet for me, I'm used to a lot more background noise so coming to such a silent place is weird." She whispered, it sounded silly to admit it out loud but it was true. There'd always been something, anything, even if it was the crashing of waves or the pounding of rain, it helped her feel at ease.

Now, Bobbin on the other hand, saw her situation as an opportunity to capitalize on. His grin grew even wider as he thought of just how he could get in her good books, using exactly this "That's terrible, after your long day you still can't sleep, Boyoyon." With fake concern in his voice Bobbin paused and pretended to think for a few seconds.

"Back before I joined Big Mom I was a hypnotist. Now, you lay that pretty head down and I'll set you to sleep for the night, Boyoyon." Bobbin was quite proud of what he did before joining Big Mom, though these days he only ever used his hypnosis for sleep, everything else was much more fun with a sword.

It took Rosalina a moment to comply, her options were limited and she had to be rested for tomorrow. It wouldn't do if she was in a foul mood after Cracker had worked to plan a 'date' for them. Lying back she rolled onto her side and burrowed down into the blanket, she didn't trust Bobbin but doubted he'd do anything to harm her.

She'd never been under any sort of hypnosis before, it wasn't something she'd taken an interest in either. It did interest her to know just how powerful The Disposer was; even if his kindness was an act she had to at least be grateful for his offer.

"Thank you, Bobbin. G'night then, guess I'll see you sometime tomorrow." She mumbled.

After a moment Bobbin began swaying from side to side, the hypnotic rays he gave off soon reached Rosalina.

Her eyelids became heavy as her body was quickly lulled into the relaxed and peaceful state. Without any resistance to his hypnosis it was very easy for Bobbin to put her to sleep, no more than a few seconds and she was out cold. Bobbin knew if he could get Rosalina to like him it would infuriate Cracker to no end.

Content with all he'd done Bobbin exited the room, making sure to close the door behind him before he went across the hall; he still had to check on Beckman.

He wasn't too bothered about the First Mate, as grand a reputation as Benn Beckman had it was no secret how loyal he was to Shanks, there was no way he'd try something when so much was on the line.

Still, Bobbin had a job to do.

He had no sooner opened the door and poked his head inside and a gun was pointed to him. Blinking in surprise Bobbin couldn't help but stare.

Beckman had been sitting in bed reading for most of the night, sleep had been evading him since they'd left Red Force, there was too much for him to worry about to get a decent night of sleep.

"Turn around, leave, stay gone. I have no desire to talk with you tonight, Bishop Bobbin." Was all he spoke, with a pistol in one hand and his book held in the other the message was clearly conveyed.

Bobbin was confident enough to take his chances with Cracker and Galette; he knew he could get away with pissing them off. But he wasn't willing to risk a feud right before such an important occasion.

Staring for a good minute he slowly nodded his head "Just doing my rounds, I'll be going now. G'night, Boyoyon." Slamming the door closed as he quickly left.

Grumbling quietly to himself Bobbin continued on with two Chess Soldiers.

"Good morning~ It's morning~ It's time to rise and shine~ Wake up, Miss~ Wake up, Miss~"

Grumbling from under the thick blanket, it took Rosalina a moment to remember where she was, pulling the blanket away from her head she began rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Her eyes soon focused when they fell upon a familiar lamp and chair, she'd asked Katakuri if she could keep the pair of Homies that'd kept her company, and he'd shrugged and said he'd sort it when he had time. Which made her quite grateful since he had so much else to be doing.

Sitting up in the bed Rosalina stretched and let out a content sigh. She felt more rested than she had in days, a peaceful sleep had been much needed and her night of rest was much appreciated.

"Mmh, good morning~." She sang in response before she decided to look at the clock, unsure of how long she'd slept.

Eyes widening with surprise she threw back her blanket and scrambled out of bed "Oh fuck! Oh fuck, how did I sleep so long?" She cried, running to her luggage she flung one open and frantically began throwing clothes out of it.

10.25

Knowing she was supposed to meet Cracker in only thirty-five minutes Rosalina had to hurry.

Grabbing two towels and a change of clothes she darted to the bathroom, stopping only to speak to the Lamp and Chair "Guys, I need you to find which chest has weapons in it and where my jackets are. I've a date in less than an hour!"

Slamming the door closed she was quick to discard her clothes and jump into the shower.

Swearing profusely, Rosalina washed her hair and herself as quickly as she could manage, her foul language could be heard beyond the bathroom door. Lamp and Chair were happy to be hearing new words while they knocked open her luggage in search of weapons.

It'd taken ten minutes for her shower and almost a full ten to get her hair partially dry. Without the time or knowledge of where her hairdryer was, she'd have to make do with damp hair.

Once dressed she exited the bathroom and immediately looked to the clock.

10.45

'Fifteen minutes, okay, I got this.' She thought to herself.

Her attention was then brought to the Lamp and Chair, happily singing that they'd found the chest she was looking for.

Loaded with all the weaponry she had some skill with, it had been a snap decision by Shanks to have it sent along, an added bit of protection in case things went sour. Rosalina was thankful for it now, seeing as how Cracker had told her to bring some along.

She'd considered what he had planned, it was early and she'd been encouraged to bring weapons. Possibly sparing? Or were they going somewhere dangerous?

Her father had been incredibly strict about learning to fight and defend herself.

Strategy and tact from Beckman, gunnery and sniping from Yassop, swordsmanship from her father. Of course, she'd learned a few other things from the rest of the crew; her parents had thought it imperative that she have every tool necessary to grow into a strong adult.

With little time to spare, the choice was practically made for her.

Grabbing her two favourites from the chest she quickly secured them on her belt "Thanks, guys. If Beckman comes by looking for me, tell him I'm with Cracker and he should do his job while I'm gone." Hoping the Lamp and Chair could pass along the message if needed.

She didn't like the idea of running off without letting Beckman know her plans, he was her chaperone and as much as she loved him, she knew he didn't like Cracker, not yet at least.

It'd been obvious that chaperoning her wasn't Beckmans only duty, he needed to gather some information on the Charlotte family. Anything her father could use to try break off this arrangement was to be prioritised right after her safety and well being. Despite her protests to keep the peace it had been no use, he was her father and Captain, arguing it was no use.

"We will, we will. Have fun, bye bye." Both the Chair and the Lamp called as she made her way out of the room.

Standing in the hallway she looked up and down, trying to remember her way to the stairs proved more difficult than expected.

But, she was sure they'd come from the right, all she had to do then was find a staircase that led down, sure enough if she got that right finding Cracker would be no trouble at all.