I never intended to upload this but what the hell. I'm too proud of how it turned out not to. Wrote this quite some time ago and was supposed to be a multi-chapter story, but ran out of ideas. Still, I'll make this a two-shot and leave it that way.

Unimportant message; there is a picture I made for this story uploaded on my DA page. Feel free to check it out.

Disclaimer, I do not own One Piece or any of its characters, nor do I claim ownership to any differences in appearance that will be in this story. Oda-san owns all credit.

Prologue...

My name is…

Lolonoa Zora. I'm a bounty hunter. A female bounty hunter, a swordswoman. I'm going to be the best swords master ever. People say girls can't become the best, but I'm gonna prove them all wrong. I will be the strongest one day.

I'm fast and skilled with my sword and light on my feet. There is nobody who can beat me. I'm always on my own though, so I get a lot of people, men mostly of course, on my back.

I hate guys. They think they're so great just because they're generally stronger than us girls. Just wait until the day when the title of "World's Best Swordsman" is given to a woman.

On the left side of my stomach I have a tattoo of three crossed katana. My mark. Because I use three swords, Santouryuu.

"I am…"

"Hey, Zora! Are you ready yet?"

...daydreaming. "I'm ready, dad."

I took off my katana and placed them against the wall.

"Does the uniform fit? Can you dye your hair another colour now?"

I took another look in the mirror, this time seeing a plainly normal sixteen-year-old girl ready for school, the green hair being the only oddity. I sighed. At least the uniform had red details to go with my skin.

"It fits," I called back. "But I won't dye my hair."

"What the hell am I supposed to do to make you dye your hair?"

"Find a fitting colour that isn't brown," I answered as I stepped down the stairs, almost tripping. The steps weren't as high as in our old place.

"Blond, I've said!"

"Like hell."

There was a short moment of silence where dad most probably cursed my stubbornness. "I'm sorry I can't follow you to school, I just have to get this done with," dad growled as I passed outside his new office. He had settled in with a desk and a chair, the latter being a very old sort-of friend. In secret I thought of that chair as a body part of dad's.

"It's cool, dad. I've already checked where the school is and learned the route, so I'm good." It's not like you've ever tried to spend time with me, I didn't say.

"Oh. Have a nice day then."

"You too. Be good to your co-workers this time."

"I'm always good to them."

I closed the door around the last words.

The bus stop was located just around the corner, but I'm a lot more into running. The air is fresh here, in the outskirts of town. I hoped I could take kendo classes now. If dad stayed true to the patterns, we would only be here for six months at the most, so I should use the time properly. He would hate me even more for it, though.

Making my way, following the marks I'd memorized during my weekend-exploring, I found the school fast. Running had brought me there before the bus, and thereby was decided that I didn't need to waste time or money on wheeled transportation.

Entering school grounds I was being stared at. One had even stopped.

"Where is the front office?" I asked him.

His gaze wandered over my body, annoying me. There were a bunch of these types everywhere.

"Did you hear me?"

"Huh?"

"The front office. Can you please tell me where it is?"

"Eh? Right there," he said and pointed.

"Thank you."

The office was a plain part of the main building with the sign saying "Front Office" right beside the door, along with a note to when it was open.

Inside it was dry, smelled of cleaning chemicals and the snotty receptionist's perfume.

"Can I help you?" she asked, not looking up from her perfectly manicured nails.

"I'm Lolonoa Zora, starting here today."

She looked at me, and her perfect eyebrows rose to the ceiling. I know I have a boyish name and a very much not Japanese appearance, but that look sure was annoying.

"You're the one from Russia?"

America actually, I wanted to inform her, but just nodded. She gave me an all-over glance. I stared right back with narrowed eyes. I should be used to the staring already, but I still got that uncomfortable feeling in my stomach.

"You're two days late. We expected you last Monday. Just a moment. I have your papers right here."

It seemed to me she had about everything "right there". Her desk was hidden under all the stacks of paper and envelopes. Even the typing board of the computer was hidden under paper. Watching as she moved through one stack after another cleared the suspicion that there was no order worth mentioning. Coming in on time today flew out the window I thought.

"Aha! Lolonoa Zoro. That's you, right?"

I blinked. "My first name is Zora, not Zoro." I had on the girls' uniform, and I have an E-cup. My body and outfit screamed "Female" from miles away. Obviously my name didn't. But I was sure I had used the right kana when I signed into school.

"But… never mind. You'll have to tell all the teachers that though. Here's your schedule, and a map. Now, you're about to be late."

"And whose fault is that?" I kept from saying.

My first class was homeroom in 2-B. How the hell was I supposed to find that? Damn bitch couldn't even tell me the route there.

"GODDAMMIT! COME TO SCHOOL ON TIME!"

I looked over to see two guys, one blond and one with a straw hat and his back to me, running and waving at the man by the gate. Guys. Tsk, what choice did I have? I ran after them.

"Hey! How do I get to 2-B?" I called out as I followed them into the main building.

"Follow me," the straw hat boy called back cheerily over his shoulder. For a male he had a light voice. I was lucky though, to have somebody to follow.

"See you by lunch," the other guy called before he turned down another hallway.

"You're the new one starting in our class?" the straw hat boy asked me. He was wearing a grin unfitting someone on the verge of being late.

"Yes," I answered briskly. I wasn't going to be friendly with him. God knows what was in his mind, but I could bet it was about sex or boobs.

"WE'RE HERE!" the boy then screamed, leaping into an open classroom.

"Monkey-san stop right there."

The boy stopped with me beside him. Was he really named Monkey? Guess that confirmed his nature.

"Sensei, I brought the newcomer!"

"I can see that." The teacher was looking at me with a raised eyebrow, but looked more curious than surprised. "You just saved yourself from another detention, Monkey-san. Take your seat."

And with that I lost my shield against the stares from class, and stared they did, shamelessly. At my hair, at my body, at my legs. I could feel them. The looks felt like ants running over me and I was dying to brush them all away. But it wasn't the first time I did this.

"My name is Lolonoa Zora, I moved here from Russia recently. My grandmother was from Japan though, so I know Japanese too."

The teacher looked at her papers.

"Zora?"

"Yes, there seems to be a mistake in the papers."

"I see. I'm your homeroom teacher; Makino Jen. The seat beside Monkey-san is free, since you seem friendly with her."

I started walking before the words really sank in. There was only one person with a straw hat in the room, and it wasn't a dude. "Monkey-san" was certainly dressed in the boys' uniform, but over the crossed arms was a little hill. While they weren't big or anything, the breasts were still outstanding, even in a uniform made for flat chests.

"Monkey-san can talk to Lolonoa-san after class."

"Hai!"

I sat on the empty seat beside the strange girl. Her face was dumb, so much that I wondered if she got an answer of four to a two plus two question. But her eyes; big dark brown surrounded by clean, black eyelashes, were strong and straightforward. She smiled at me. A big, toothy grin.

"Welcome to Oda high."