I'm so sorry that this chapter updates so loooooooooooong. Well you see I was on a vacation back then and yeah I don't have my laptop with me. I'm so sorry, I know you guys probably thought that this fic is dead, and I lost interest. Well guess what fellow fans, it's still alive. Thanks!! Let's go…
Disclaimer: One Piece belong to Eiichiro oda
One Piece: High School Edition
Arc 1: Introduction
Chapter 3: Luffy's grades
"Hang in there Luffy-san I almost found it," said Cobra. "And please stop picking your nose."
The bored young man, who slumped on the provided chair, looked up to the school counselor with a confused look on his face. He quickly took his finger out from his nose and put them back in his pocket. "Sorry Ossan," he apologized. "I'm just bored."
"Yes, well I quite understand that," Cobra replied calmly. "But please hang in there, I almost found your school grades." Cobra returned his gaze back to the computer screen and continued with his work.
Luffy looked around Cobra's office, it's surprisingly huge for a school counselor's. Maybe even bigger than the principal's office. On the right side of the wall Luffy could see Cobra's prized scrolls hanging in the frames. From high school diplomas to his college degrees, all of Cobra-san's hard works were all in the wall. It's as if it was his hall of fame. Luffy thought through, if that wall was his "hall of fame", then how come a picture of his daughter is not there? He was about to asked Cobra-san until a frame on his desk caught Luffy's attention.
"Dammit!" cursed Cobra. "How do I go back again?" Cobra was not much of a computer man himself, so he's having quite of a trouble there.
Luffy took the frame on the desk which turned out to be a photo frame. Luffy looked at it with deep thoughts.
"Kusso! How do I do this again? No! No! Not that! Go back! Go back! Go back!" Luffy heard Cobra's mumbling.
The picture on Luffy's hand turned out to be a professional photograph of Cobra, Vivi and another woman that Luffy is not familiar of. The woman has a long blue hair just like Vivi, and surprisingly looked exactly just like Vivi, except older version.
"There you go!" Cobra said proudly. "Phew! Damn that was hard!" He left the computer screen and went straight to Luffy. "Anyway Luffy-san…" Cobra caught off guard when he saw Luffy staring at his family photos. He smiled at the boy. "Ahhh yes the family photo," he said out loud.
Luffy looked up to Cobra who had his hand up gesturing to have his photo back from Luffy. Luffy returned the photo back to Cobra, Cobra accepted it kindly and return it to it's place.
"It's a nice photo," said Luffy. "I wish I had one."
Cobra is shocked to hear this. Didn't Luffy's family take a family photo? As far as he knows all family usually have one. "Why Luffy-san," said Cobra. "Didn't your family take one?"
Luffy shook his head. "Nope," he said easily. "Cause in my family is just my Jii-chan and me."
Cobra is shocked again. He looked at the always smiling Luffy. Cobra had no idea that this boy doesn't have a mother or father. This nice and happy young man only has his grandfather as a family and nobody else. "I'm sorry to hear that Luffy-san," he said apologetically.
Luffy giggled. "There's nothing to be sorry about Ossan," he said still smiling. "It's not your fault that my mom died and my dad left me."
Cobra is shocked even more when he heard this. How could his father left this poor boy by himself? Cobra felt a strong guilt in his heart. He took his family photo frame and hid it under his desk.
"Well now we're getting slightly off the topic," Cobra said trying to change the subject. "Anyway Luffy-san about your grades."
"Hmm?" Luffy asked confused. "What about them?"
"Well uhhh, they don't look too good," he replied calmly.
"Nani?!" Luffy asked shocked. "Does this mean I won't graduate with my friends?"
Cobra looked at the shocked look on Luffy's face. Luffy seemed to be surprised about this, Cobra figured that Luffy would notice how bad his grades are.
"Well if you don't improve your grades by the end of the year I'm afraid that…" Cobra took a deep breath. Luffy gulped while shaking at his chair. "Yes. You won't be able to graduate."
Luffy fell off his chair violently as soon as he heard the words he was afraid of escaped through Cobra's mouth. The words echoed in his head repeating the words "You won't be able to graduate" over and over until it made him feel terribly sick and scared. Although he's on the ground he is still traumatized and still shaking with fear. Cobra looked over the table to watch the poor boy shaking violently on his floor.
"Jii-chan's going to kill me! Jii-chan's going to kill me! Jii-chan's going to kill me!" Luffy muttered while shaking on the floor with fear. Cobra sweatdropped watching the poor boy muttering about his grandpa. Meanwhile inside Luffy's mind, an overgrown and muscular version of Luffy's grandpa stood over the chibi Luffy who is sniffling for his life. The imagination version of Garp moved his head closer to Luffy and boy does he looks pissed.
"Luffy!!!" he thundered out loud. "How dare you not graduate high school!! I'm going to kill you!!"
"Waahh!!" Luffy cried out loud. "I'm sorry Jii-chan please spare my mortal soul!!" he begged down to him.
"Never!!" he thundered out loud again. This gave Luffy a jump that he ran and cowered by the imaginary wall. "Prepare to die Luffy!!" Garp yelled loud. He pulled out a massive mace (the medieval weapon) and swung it wildly over his head.
"Ahhhh!!! Jii-chan please not the mace!! Anything but the mace!!" Luffy yelled out loud in both his dream and reality.
"Mace?" Cobra muttered to himself. He looked at Luffy on the floor wildly waving both his hands and feet as if trying to stop an imaginary monster who was about to eat him up.
"What a scary grandpa," Cobra added. Cobra went to his drawer and pull out his "help yourself" candy jar he had been hiding from Luffy. He opened the jar and set it down on the desk trailing the sweet candy smell towards Luffy's nostril.
"Come on Luffy-san," said Cobra. "Pull yourself together and I'll let you have some of my candies."
Too late for Cobra to announce that, because Luffy is already up picking the candies from the jar. "My, that was a fast recovery," Cobra sweatdropped.
"Anyway Luffy-san," Cobra continued. "It's not too late for that yet. There is a chance for you to be able to graduate high school."
Luffy lifted his head up and looked at Cobra with an astonishing look. It's as if like a shot of shining ray of hope can lead Luffy away from being killed. "You mean I can still graduate?" Luffy asked shaking.
"Yes Luffy-san," answered Cobra. "There's still a chance for you to graduate with your friends and…" Cobra smirked at this one. "Avoiding being killed by your grandpa with a mace."
"You mean it Ossan?" Luffy asked excited. He approached to the table and look at Cobra with those big ol' bug eyes that show how excited Luffy is. "You're not saying this only to make me feel better right?"
Cobra laughed quietly at Luffy's question. "Luffy-san, there's only one thing that I never do. And that is lying," he said.
"Yeay!!!!" Luffy cheered out loud, which gave Cobra quite a fright.
Outside the office, Kaliffa happened to pass by with a clipboard when all the suddenly she heard a loud and shocking cheer coming from Cobra's office. This of course gave her a fright, she jumped as if she got electrocuted. "What the hell was that?" she asked looking at the door and adjusting her glasses. She then heard footsteps inside the office. They sound quick, like as if someone is running in circle inside Cobra's office
Back in Cobra's office, Luffy is running around in circle in Cobra's office. Well why wouldn't he be? Cobra thought that after hearing of avoiding being killed by a mace twirling grandpa maniac of course you'll tend to be excited. Cobra smiled watching the boy running around in circle in his office almost knocking down the plant pot right beside the door. Cobra then faded his smile, his look is back into serious mode. He cleared his voice to get Luffy's attention.
"Ahem!" he said it out loud in purpose. No reaction from Luffy. He's still running around excited and too ignorant to hear Cobra's voice call.
"A-hem!!!" He said louder. Only to be ignored by Luffy again. This time Cobra is getting impatient.
"Luffy-san," he called out. Luffy ignored him for the third time.
"Luffy-san!" he said a bit louder. Luffy STILL ignored him. This time Cobra had it!! The sound of cheering Luffy and the feeling of being ignored for the fourth time had limited Cobra's patience from this boy.
"Luffy-san will you please pay attention!!" Cobra raised up his voice really loud. This time it got Luffy's attention. He stopped from his running pace and looked at Cobra. Luffy quietly sat in his provided chair waiting for Cobra. Cobra sat back down and turned over his computer screen showing it to Luffy.
"I'm sorry about that Luffy-san, but I need you to see this," he said pointing to the computer screen.
Luffy moved his head forward and take a closer look at the computer screen. A Microsoft Excel was up showing all the students name of the 12th grade and their previous grades from 11th grade.
"As you can see Luffy-san, our school grading system is quite complicated really if I do say so myself," Luffy heard Cobra. "Even I don't quite understand why. But anyway Luffy-san please listen this is very important."
"I'm listening," said Luffy still looking at the other people's grade. He's quite curious at his friends' grades.
"Well let's see here where do I start?" Cobra started. "To graduate by the end of 12th grade we have a system of combining grades from year 11 and 12. The minimum of graduation grades are C average for all subjects in year 11 and 12. Do you understand that Luffy-san?"
"Uh huh, C for every subject in 11th and 12th grade got it," Luffy replied not getting his view away from the screen.
He is very impressed when he saw Nami's straight "A", and quite impressed at Vivi's grades filled with "A" and "B". He is also impressed when he caught Sanji's grades all filled with "B", Luffy had no idea Sanji is that smart. He even got an "A" for Home Economics. Luffy is struggling at that subject, how could Sanji get an "A" so easily? But then he snickered when he saw Sanji's grade for English. He then caught Zoro's grades which are filled with "C" and "D"; he couldn't stop but just giggled quietly from it. He then proceeds to Usopp and marveled at his grades. They're all "B" as well just like Sanji, maybe even better because he has more "A" then Sanji's. Luffy couldn't believe what he's seeing, he had no idea his friends are THAT smart…well apart for Zoro of course.
"Luffy-san don't tell me you're looking at other people's grades," Cobra sighed looking at Luffy's pupil moving left and right couple of times.
Luffy looked up to Cobra. "Well you did tell me to take a look at it," he said innocently.
Cobra sweatdropped at Luffy's reply, this was not what Cobra meant. "Luffy-san but only for your grades not other people's, it's kind of personal you see," said Cobra.
"Oh," Luffy replied. He laughed out loud all of the sudden rubbing the back of his head. "I'm sorry ossan," Luffy said between laugh. "I didn't know that's what you meant; I thought you're showing me everybody's grades for an apparent reason." He then laughed again.
"And what would that reason be?" Cobra asked Luffy.
"I don't know," Luffy replied in the middle of his laugh. "I was going to ask you the same thing."
Cobra starting to feel annoyed at this. "Just take a look at your grades Luffy-san, you won't be laughing afterwards," he said.
Luffy turned back to the computer screen still laughing looking for his name. He then spotted it…and just like Cobra expected Luffy's face flushed into a big shock. His jaw dropped down to the ground literally and his eyes are opened (in shock) so wide that his eyes can pop out anytime.
"WHAT!!!!!!" Luffy yelled out loud. "ALL MY GRADES LAST YEAR ARE ALL 'D'!!!!!"
"Yes," said Cobra simply. "It's not a pretty sight I know, but please don't let it discouraged you."
Luffy is so shocked he can't even move. Through Cobra's point of view, Luffy looked like a mindless zombie and lost the will to live. He thought he just saw Luffy's soul flew away from his body.
Cobra cleared his throat. "Luffy-san like I said you can still graduate," he announced to Luffy. Luffy immediately returned to normal and look at Cobra.
How did he recover mentally so quick? Cobra thought to himself.
"But how ossan?" Luffy asked. "I don't have any 'C' in year 11; it's the end of me already!"
"Luffy-san I said you must have a 'C' average to all subjects in year 11 and 12," said Cobra. "If you can get 'A' or 'B' in all your subjects this year you can cover up all those 'D' and get a 'C' average all combined. And that means you can graduate!"
"Really?" Luffy asked excitedly. "Alright that's good news Ossan!!" His faced then turn back to shock. "Wait! Did you just say I have to get 'A' or 'B' for all my subjects?"
"Uhh yes I did Luffy-san," Cobra replied.
"That's impossible!!" Luffy announced. "I can't even get a 'C'. How in the world am I going to get 'B' or even worse 'A'?"
"Well I'm sorry Luffy-san, but this is the only way for you to graduate. Maybe you should get a tutor or something. Or just study really hard this year, that's the only options you have if you want to graduate with your friends."
"Oh hey I got a 'B' for P.E," Luffy said suddenly looking at the screen. "Suge!!!!"
"Uhh yes you did Luffy-san, but that doesn't matter now," said Cobra. He moved his head up closing his face into Luffy's. "You have to get 'B' for all your subjects Luffy-san do you understand that?"
Luffy looked discouraged. His eyes looked down avoiding Cobra's eyegaze, this was not easy for Luffy to accept. But reality stepped in and Luffy had no choice but accept it if he wanted to graduate and not dissapoint his grandfather. "Yes ossan," said Luffy sadly. "I understand."
Cobra sat back down, he looked up to the sad-looking boy. It pained for Cobra to see his students look so discouraged, but that's part of his life. As a counselor he broke many students' hearts, he watched their face changed from entering the room as high spirited and left the room discouraged.
"You are now excused Luffy-san," Cobra said simply. "Please work hard this year."
"Yes ossan, thanks for warning me," Luffy got up from the chair and left the room picking up his bag on the way out.
Cobra watched the boy left his office dejected and lose spirited, very different attitude before coming in. He just broke another boy's heart by revealing him the truth of life. He sighed and lay his head back from his chair.
"Life is not that easy," he said to himself.
"Life is not that easy," Luffy muttered as he passed by Kokoro and walked out of the staff building.
Luffy walked down the steps walking slowly towards the class building. He entered through the door and watched the empty hallway, he took a deep breath before walking down the hallway. He did not look up or look striahgt he bowed his head down looking at his walking feet and count the tiles of the floor. Just then the bell rang signalling it's time for 2nd period. The bell rang louder than Luffy ever thought before, well techincally since he's in the hallway and not in classroom of course it sounded louder than usual. Before Luffy even knew, the doors down at the hallway slammed open filling in the hallway with students rushing to the locker before going to 2nd period.
"I guess I should go," Luffy sadly muttered. Luffy made his way to his locker unawared that he bumped to couple of angry and disgruntled students on his way.
Meanwhile, beside Luffy's locker, Nami was so busy fiddling with her locker she didn't even notice that Luffy was already next to her trying to open up his locker. She gasped when she saw his lifeless and depressed look. She knew well something's not right, he's not usually like this. She watched the boy struggling to decode his locker lock as usual, she gently took it from him and began to decode it.
Luffy looked up to meet his childhood friend Nami who was helping him as usual. She avoided his eye gaze from her, he didn't feel like explaining to her what happened at Cobra's office. Finally Nami opened the lock and Luffy's locker for him.
"Thanks Nami," he muttered quietly. He was about to put his hand in when out of nowhere the locker door is closed back by Nami. Luffy looked up in shock, he turned his face to Nami who had a curious look on her face.
"What happened?" she asked simply.
"Nothing," he replied.
"Luffy don't lie to me," said Nami. "I know you, and I can tell something is wrong."
"There's nothing wrong Nami," said Luffy. He grabbed the locker handle and pull it up. Nami slammed the door back closed not giving Luffy any chance to open his locker.
"Luffy tell me!!" she raised her voice.
"Why do you care?" Luffy asked starting to feel annoyed.
"Because I love you and hate seeing you like this!!" she said out loud.
The hallway immediately turned quiet. All the students around Nami and Luffy stared at them with mouth open and a confused look on their face. Nami quickly cover her mouth realizing what she just said did not come out right. Luffy also had a shocked look on his face, he slowly raised his right eyebrow up.
"As a friend!!" Nami said out loud quickly. "As a friend! I love you as a friend!"
People were still giving her the same look of curiosity and shock. Nami think fast. She had to come up with something quick or else the rumor and gossip about Nami's outburst will be the talk of the school. She laughed out loud to shrug it off, but some people can tell that she had a nervous tone in the laugh.
"Oh come on Luffy!" she playfully punched his shoulder. "I've been your friend since we were still wearing diapers." She nervously opened up her locker and picked up random books while shoving it in her bag.
"So of course it's normal if I say 'I love you'. I'm practically like your freaking mother!" She laughed nervously and closed her locker while everyone was still looking at her and Luffy.
"Anyway I gotta go. See ya!" she ran off pushing some of the kids out of the way. Luffy watched Nami go running as fast as she can. Apparently she was so much in a hurry to leave the hallway she didn't even bother to lift back up the thrash can she knocked down over on her way.
The immediately Nami left the hallway the crowd began to move again feeling like they ignored the whole Nami and Luffy incident. But of course the talk will be back on subject to the students as soon as recess started. Luffy didn't mind though. In fact he's currently smiling and laughed quietly at Nami's sudden outburst. He retrieved the needed books for his next subject while laughing quietly about Nami. He walked down the hallway joining the students to go to their next period subject.
"Good ol' Nami", Luffy thought to himself. "Always cared for me and cheering me up."
Luffy followed some of the students into a classroom; he quickly took the nearest seat by the window and immediately sat down on his chair. Outside through the window he could see a flushed red face Nami walking quickly to her next class. He smiled when he looked at her, for some strange feeling she completed his life and that is what he liked most coming from her to him.
"Thanks Nami," he whispered quietly.
WELL ANYWAY HERE'S AN AUTHOR SIDE NOTE ABOUT THE SCHOOLING GRADES. I FOLLOWED THIS SCHOOLING GRADES BASED ON MY HIGH SCHOOL HERE IN AUSTRALIA, YEAH BELIEVE IT OR NOT THE WHOLE "C" AVERAGE THING AND COMBINING THE GRADES IN 11TH GRADE AND 12TH GRADE IS THE WAY THEY DO IT IN MY EX-HIGH SCHOOL. WELL ANOTHER SIDE NOTE I SHOULD MENTION TO YOU GUYS IS THAT IN AUSTRALIA A "D" IS CONSIDER AS A FAIL WHILE "C" IS CONSIDERED AS THE MINIMUM PASS GRADE. SO FOR LUFFY TO PASS HIGH SCHOOL HE MUST AT LEAST HAVE "B" IN ALL OF HIS SUBJECTS IN 12TH GRADE TO COVER UP HIS 11TH GRADE SUBJECTS TO GET A "C" AVERAGE OVERALL.
WELL ASIDE FROM THAT I DO HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS CHAPTER AND THANK YOU FOR WAITING PATIENTLY FOR MY FIC!! STAY TUNED GUYS CUZ NEW CHARACTERS WILL BE INTRODUCED INCLUDING BROOK THE SKELETON AND OUR FAVOURITE LITTLE REINDEER. SEE YA AND PLEASE REVIEW!!
