The Long-Nosed Spy Who Loved me

The Beratie, Evening

While standing outside the Going Merry, Sanji quickly realized that he didn't do enough actual research on this East Berlin business. All he knew was that Gin had stayed at the other hotel and thought it was cozy, and therefore anybody who visited East Berlin absolutely had to stay at it as well.

In hindsight, the Going Merry seemed like a much nicer place. Of the expensive variety.

That was the first thing he noticed once he got inside. Expensive, velvety carpet met his feet, and he stood in the mouth of the fine hotel, staring up at the ceiling, where a bunch of trees and birds and things were painted. A funny little homage to that famous chapel, but it did drive home the fact that this was an actual fancy place with actual fancy people.

"-Sir? May I help you?" a feminine voice asked, drawing Sanji out of his thoughts.

Sanji snapped to attention with a wide smile. "Oh! Mademoiselle, forgive my ignorance of your existence, allow me to plant a kiss on your sweet ha-,"

"Sir, if you haven't got a reservation, I must ask you to leave," she said bluntly from behind a table. She was dressed as properly as a woman can be, holding a list of names and dates, a frown marring her beautiful face. Sanji unhappily backed off, unable to show his womanizing skills, but it might be just as well. He was actually there for a reason, so he had no need to smooth-talk her into submission.

Though, it was quite unprofessional to let out a bit of french at the sight of her. Old habits die hard. "Ah, I've got a reservation, with... with a man called Usopp?"

The woman gave a look at the list, and then nodded, stepping out from behind her little desk to show Sanji to a door.

"Right through here, sir. A porter will bring your baggage to your room and you'll find the restaurant beyond that door."

Sanji nodded and followed the directions. A man came and took his luggage, another opened the door, and yet a third man, clearly a waiter by the looks of it, brought him into a large, fancy dining hall. It was hardly full, but it wasn't empty, either. Men in fine tuxedos and opera shoes and women in dresses and fine jewelry littered the place, chattering pleasantly about whatever rich people talked about.

Sanji felt positively out of place.

Sure, being in a fancy restaurant was nothing new to him since before all this critic business he'd spent most of his days at a Michelin starred restaurant himself. But once he actually became a critic, he'd spend most of his days in rickety little motels to avoid suspicion. This was a welcome change of pace, but in his old, worn, second-hand suit, he felt tottery when compared to these lofty dames and gentlemens.

Even so, he was led to a fine table for two and promptly left there, without so much as refreshments. Three pairs of glasses, three pairs of cutlery, three plates... Ambitious.

Considering that they let that snivelling mop of a spy have enough money to hire a room in a hotel such as they, they really must have quite the budget. Maybe America? It would explain his tan complexion... but not his lack of accent. One can simply choose not to learn an accent when taught a completely new language, but your own mother-tongue simply can't be discarded.

Sanji didn't have to wait for long until his dark-haired "date" arrived. Smiling.

Somehow, at some point, Usopp had actually gotten hold of a jacket, in turn hiding his suspenders and making him look, well... actually quite dashing, if Sanji was to be completely honest. He wasn't wearing a hat either, and this exposed the fact that his hair was actually quite long, tied up in the back to create a draping tail.