" Ai, there will be no public school for you!" An extremely tall elderly man with a black bandana tied around his head and a rather large mustache snapped at a girl with long baby blue hair. " You will continue your education here at home like you have been!"

" No way, old man! I'm seventeen and I want to go to high school like other kids my age!" The girl snapped back, her sea-foam green eyes glistening with determination. " I'm tired of having to sit at home everyday and not getting to go out with my friends!"

" You don't need to go out, you need to concentrate on your studies and that's it!"

" Aw come on , Pops." A man with a blonde mohawk sighed in a bored tone. He took a large swig of coffee before making a gross face and pulling out a flask with questionable material in it and pouring it into the coffee. " She's at that rebellious age, let her go and hang out with kids her own age. She doesn't wanna hang out with a bunch of old men." He took another swig of the coffee and made a content face.

" Not that I don't love you guys, Marco." Ai said, shoving him lightly. " but you guys can be a little boring sometimes."

" Not gonna lie, that hurt a little, squirt!" A tall man with a brown pompadour grinned down at the girl, ruffling her hair gently. He had a long scar beside his left eye that made hi look fierce but his kind eyes gave away his true nature.

" Hush Thatch, that isn't what I meant!" Ai said laughing. " I love my goofball brothers, but I want to go to school. To go do normal kid stuff. Do clubs or spots or walk to and from school."

" You don't need to walk to and from anywhere, the car can drop you off wherever you need to go!" The elderly man said in a gruff voice. " Besides, you have the best mentors I can pay for. You have been given the best instructors when it comes to fighting, which that could be considered part of a club…I think."

" Yeah, Marco is great at fighting and Thatch is a good cook-"

" Good cook?" Thatch gasped, mouth agape. " I take umbrage to that! I am a magnificent cook!"

" I know, Thatch!" Ai said, standing on her tip-toes and kissing his cheek. " I misspoke! Honest!"

" Uh-huh!" Thatch smirked. " Okay, but seriously, Pops. Let Ai go to school, what would be the harm in that?"

" What would be the harm? Someone could take her hostage or hurt her!" The old man snapped. " My only daughter will not be put in danger."

" So what if I'm your only daughter? Other girls who are the only daughter of their families get to go to school! Why do I have to be any different!"

" Other girls aren't the only daughter of Edward D. Newgate. The man who runs the second largest criminal organization in country." Marco smirked into his coffee. " The Whitebeard Organization is the second strongest in the country and you would be a easy target for his enemies. Like the Gol Organization or Baroque Works."

" You're not helping, Marco!" Ai growled, throwing a spoon at the man.

" Was I supposed to be helping?"

" Wasn't that the reason we came here? To talk Pops into letting her go to school." Thatch asked calmly.

" She won't be!" Whitebeard said, arms crossed angrily.

" I doubt that Mr Gol would ever stoop to something so low as to kidnapping a teenage girl. Or taking a hostage for that matter. That's to beneath him." Marco said into his cup. " Baroque Works on the other hand. That's a different story. They wouldn't hesitate to kidnap a girl like you and do unspeakable things to you, even kill you after your ransom has been paid."

" Marco," Ai said, her tone got the blondes attention. The look she gave him was murderous. " Stop talking."

" Ai's a smart kid, Pops." Thatch said, attempting to salvage something from this conversation that Marco almost blasted to smithereens with his kidnapping example. " She's not going to let someone take advantage of her. She's not going to get herself caught up in a situation she can't handle. I think she should be given the chance to prove what she's capable of." Ai grinned eagerly at Thatch. She knew she could count on him. Her big brother never let her down when it came to negotiating with their father.

" This is true, Pops." Marco said, taking a bite out of an apple he had dug out of his pocket. " It isn't really fair that you let the men in our family do as they please but Ai has to be stuck at home and be a good little girl. She deserves the right to be able to have the same options as everyone else in the family."

Edward Newgate paused to let their argument sink in. He knew they had a point. His daughter was a strong willed person who more then likely would find someway to go to school. He may as well do this the logical and strategical way.

" Very well," He said watching his daughter's face light up. He did enjoy giving his children what they desired. To see their faces light up, their eyes dance. He would give in this once for Ai. She never really asked him for anything. He remembered the last time she had asked for something. She was six and wanted to learn music. He signed her up with the best vocalist instructor and flutist instructor he could find. A smile was brought lips at whenever he heard her play or sing. " You may attend school on one condition."

Ai hesitated at his words. She never liked whenever her father gave her conditions. " What is it?"

" That if any harm comes to you, any threat against you. You will return to home school." Whitebeard eyed his daughter as she contemplated his terms. " It's that or you don't go at all."

" That isn't really fair, Pops!" Ai whined, pouting her bottom lip out. Trying to make her father be more reasonable. Most of the time it worked…this…was not one of those times.

" It's not necessarily unreasonable terms, Ai." Marco pipped in. " Any other parent wouldn't want their kid in a place where they had been threatened."

" I'm with Marco on this one, kiddo." Thatch said, arms crossed. " If any harm or threat comes to you we will deal with it. We are Nakama and no one harms a single member of us without having them pay a thousand times over."

Ai sighed, knowing it was futile to argue. She knew they were right. Her request was a dangerous one if her father's enemies captured her…she'd be tortured and/or worse. Yet…meeting kids her own age and spending time with them was something she really wanted to do. Something she needed to do…

" Yes…I agree to these terms." Ai said, half smiling half wanting to jump up and down in excitement.

" Alright then." Whitebeard said, an eyebrow raised at his daughter's reaction. He had expected more of a fuss from her. More pouting…something. " I will go to the school tomorrow and start the paper work. The local school and enroll you in the morning. The season starts in one week."

Ai jumped up and kissed her father on the cheek. " Thank you, daddy!" She ran out of the room eagerly and up to her room.

" Are you sure this is going to be okay, Pops?" Marco said, eyeing his adopted father/boss. " I mean, are you okay with this? Ai going to high school and everything."

" Well like you said, she's a smart kid. It's time we stopped treating her like a five year old." Whitebeard sighed, leaning against the wall in his study. " I just wish the nearest high school didn't belong to that stupid mustached bastard."

" No offense, Pops, but you're not really one to talk about weird mustaches." Thatch said watching his adopted father/boss twitch angrily.

" Shut it, brat." Whitebeard said, crossing his arms. " Roger…that jackass better not try anything with one of my children at that school of his."

" It'll be fine, you know who also goes to that school that has a soft spot for Ai and won't let any harm come to her, right?" Thatch said, a goofy smirk appearing on his face.

" True, that woman is pretty protective of her." Marco agreed, taking another sip of his spiked coffee.

" Fine, if Boa Hancock wants to prove herself that she won't let any harm come to Ai then she can prove it." Whitebeard snapped in annoyance. The snake woman displeased him when it came to his daughter. She was always trying to convince her that men were no good. Yet, if he needed someone on the inside to keep one of his children safe it would have to be her. He gave a long drawn out sigh. " Oro Jackson High it is."