Prelude A/N: Hello. My name is Rabbitkind. Though if you would like, please call me Shimmee! Truthfully, I already have another account here with a few relatively popular fanfics. I won't disclose the names of those fanfics and I feel absolutely awful about leaving them to collect dust but I absolutely don't have the heart to work on them right now. I was doing good about updating them but some things came up and I spent a week in the psychiatric hospital due to some severe dissociation problems, self-mutilation and a suicide attempt. That's all behind me now. I'm on some medication and after a few months, I want to get back into writing again. I hope it will do me some good. Anyways, I'm sorry for the big ranty introduction. I promise that I'm not always this chatty!

Before you read, this is going to be a LuZo AU. With quite a few twists. I really like high school AUs but the ones I've found are never… up to my expectations. Then there's the matter of the actual characters. I will be genderswapping them. Only a few of them… Mainly to please my inner lesbian. This AU is my creative playground. So as a warning, if you don't like femslash, genderswaps, school AUs or tragedy, back away and run as fast as you can. That's all. I'll start off light-hearted and cheery. Then I'll drop the bomb on you. Hope you enjoy my darlings.

The sun rose high over the city of Grand Line. There was a strong wind blowing from the north and you could easily catch a scent of the briny sea coming in from the docks. The name of Grand Line was world-renowned: a paradise city best known for its diversity. There were amusement parks, festivals, markets, malls, and parks… and perhaps the most popular tourist attraction was the pier. Seagulls danced overhead and did loops in the sky, laughing and teasing each other as they greedily monitored the boardwalk for any remnants of forgotten food. Natives and tourists alike swarmed the beach shores and seaside shacks, laughing and giggling, arguing over where to go next.

The people found in Grand Line were just as diverse as the city. Beautiful women strutted the shore in their skimpy bikini tops and cut-off denim shorts. Elderly couples walked hand in hand, dressed up in their best cargo pants and island shirts they bought on clearance at one of the local stores. Teenagers gathered on the benches and chattered about noisily, catcalling as girls passed by. And among the many "beach walkers" was one girl in particular who could stand out in any crowd.

A girl of about seventeen clutched the bars of the dock as one of the ships began to pull away. She was dressed in a simple pair of denim cut-offs and a red-and-gold cardigan tossed carelessly over a black bikini top. A straw hat garnished with a single red ribbon hung from her neck and fluttered weakly in the breeze along with her choppy black hair. She was a petite, rather attractive young girl, but her looks weren't what made her particularly memorable.

"Bye Aaaaaaccee! Come home soon!" she yelled from the dock. Her voice was loud and cheerful, almost child-like in a way. A few curious heads turned as she continued on with her commotion. "Oh, and you too, I guess, Gramps!"

There was a bit of incomprehensible shouting from the ship as it pulled away, and eventually disappeared off among the hundreds of others. A spray of brine misted the girl's skin as she finally stopped her waving and yelling and leaned over the railing of the dock blissfully. A bright grin was spread across her face, from cheek-to-cheek, her white teeth flashing. It wasn't her good looks that made her memorable but that smile… No one could ever forget it.

"What do you look so happy about, Luffy? I heard you making a raucous from a mile away."

A sultry, feminine voice appeared behind the girl as the tip of a wooden sword tapped her on the back. Luffy's eyes brightened and her grin widened as she turned to look over her shoulder.

"Zora!" she chirped as happily as a lark. She bounced up and did a little twirl to face her friend. Zora was a senior, a grade above Luffy's. They had a special sort of friendship. Zora is a tall, athletic woman with a bold style. Her hair was cropped short and dyed a soft green color (though she insists it's natural.) Luffy bounced on her heels as she continued on. She dug around in her pocket and brought out a small change purse shaped like a pirate skull. She jingled it around a little to emphasize the amount of coins inside. "Didn't you hear? Gramps and Ace are going on one of their Marine-y sea missions so I get the house to myself until they get back! Gramps left a lot of money too! Just imagine the things I could eat~"

Zora shook her head. The corners of her chapped pink lips twitched, fighting back a small smirk. "With your appetite, that's hardly enough for a day. How long until they get back?"

"I dunno. But who cares! This is gonna be fun! Let's go out for shaved ice, Zora! Pleeasseee. I haven't gotten to hang out with you at all this summer!" Luffy drawled out, her eyes mimicking a kicked puppy. It was her trademark look. Not even the stoniest of hearts could resist. (Well, some could.)

The green-haired woman stood stalk still for a minute and eventually sighed and shrugged. "Fine. But you know that I don't like sweets."

Luffy's nose crinkled as her grin took over and she grabbed Zora's hand, dragging her off to the boardwalk. Zora kept up with ease. After being friends with Luffy for so long, she had eventually gotten used to these ambushes. The two of them wove through the crowd and shoved a few unlucky tourists aside as they bulldozed towards their destination. The little storefront was quite attractive, bustling with eager customers. It was decorated a bright orange color with pops of green every here and there. "Milan Sisters" was written in bold, attractive lettering over their sign. A few people chattered over some frozen confections at the outside tables.

The door chimed as Luffy barged in and rose up on her tiptoes to search for one of the owners of the little café. Her face lit up when she spotted a familiar head of orange hair arguing with a customer.

"Sir, I could care less what happened to your last cone, but you're not getting another one until you show me the money," the orange-haired girl insisted. Upon closer inspection, she was quite the bombshell. She had a slender build with large breasts and cascading curves: a body that any model would die for. Her work uniform did it little justice however, covering her up with a ruffled orange apron.

"That's just bad service," the old man snapped, "I already paid you and I didn't even get to try it."

"Not my fault that you've got clumsy hands, old man. Now pay again or scram. That's business," she all but growled, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked back at him.

"Nami!"

Another voice was added into the mix as a woman with a purplish mohawk and the same uniform came rushing to the counter. "That's more than enough. I'll take care of this, you go handle the other customers."

Nami harrumphed and gave the old man one last glare before she waltzed away to the other side of the counter where Luffy was bent over, pressing her face to the glass display class. Zora watched with little to no emotion and her sea green eyes flicked up to meet Nami's.

"Nami! Ace and Gramps left so can we have some free shaved ice?"

"If there wasn't a counter separating us, I would slap you. Can't you even spare a hello first? Anyways, no. That's no excuse to not pay, but it was a decent effort. I'll show you how to use your womanly charm to get free things another day," the orange-haired girl replied. Despite her greedy front, she had a rather soft spot for Luffy.

"So you're the one teaching her that charm bullshit?" Zora piped in, her voice piquing with a bit of irritation. "Last week she flashed the man at the fair to get a seat at the front of the roller coaster. There were kids there and all."

"I don't know why it didn't work. He just kicked us out and got really red," Luffy pouted.

"A valiant effort," Nami snickered. She made a gesture to Luffy's chest, "But you're a little bit lacking in breasts. We'll have to try another alternative."

"Stop trying to turn her into a cheapskate. You know damn well she's easily influenced," Zora hissed, she dug out a ten-dollar bill and set it on the corner. "Pick what you want Luffy. I'll pay this time."

As Luffy eyeballed the array of flavors and toppings available, Zora added carefully, "And only 2 scoops."

The girl immediately sulked and turned to face Zora with her bottom lip puffed out slightly. However, she gave in and ordered one scoop of orange and another of mango. Zora ordered a scoop of bitter green apple and forcefully collected her change from a rather reluctant Nami. After all the quarters were pried from the girl's fingers, Nami leaned forward a little bit and smiled.

"So what are you girls going to do for the rest of the day?"

"Well, I was on my way to go to the gym but then I ended up finding Luffy at the dock-" Zora started.

"You mean you got lost and found Luffy, right?" Nami corrected. "The gym isn't even on the boardwalk."

Zora's cheeks flushed a shade of red and she scowled. "I don't get lost."

"Shishi. And I don't eat seven meals a day," Luffy added in playfully as she downed another spoonful of shaved ice and shuddered as a sudden bout of brain freeze ailed her, silencing her for a while. When the wave of pain was over, she gulped and wrapped a hand around Zora's wrist. "Zora is spending the night at my house. And we're gonna find Sanji and make him cook for us."

"Hey wait. I never agreed to anything like that. Especially with that shitty cook involved," Zora piped up with a grumble, snatching her arm away from Luffy, who, in response made a face like a kicked puppy.

"But… you like his food just as much as I do," she whined, "And as long as you wear a short skirt, I'm sure he'll cook for free."

"You're completely ignoring the fact that I didn't even agree to stay with you tonight," Zora deadpanned. "Even if I did stay with you, having swirlybrow over is pushing it."

The puppy dog eyes continued to sparkle, and Nami just watched from the sidelines, a bemused smile on her lips. Zora felt a crack begin to form in her stony heart. With anyone else, she would never be affected like this. But Luffy just had something about her and damn it, when she weaseled her way into that crack just a little, she could make it right in and tug at her heartstrings. Zora scowled and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'll stay over. But no Sanji. We'll order a pizza," she finally sighed, "But you're paying, and don't you dare try to pretend you forgot your wallet."

As Luffy's smile beamed, Nami took the time to break up their heartfelt little argument, tapping her manicured fingers on the countertop. "I'm glad that the happily married couple has decided on dinner plans, but if you could kindly get out of the store, you're blocking my customers and my money."

She made one last shooing gesture as the two escorted themselves out the store and back onto the busy boardwalk.

Luffy's house was a surprisingly beautiful estate perched atop a rocky cliff overseeing the ocean. It was a rather large house with two levels and a basement area. Truth be told, without her brother or grandpa running around, it was quite lonesome. The rooms were empty and quiet and there was no one to tease or play with. Running into Zora was a fortunate coincidence. She was happy to have company, but even happier that it was Zora.

Zora situated herself on the large living room couch, feeling a bit tired after brawling over pizza with Luffy. The sun had gone down and the only light in the room came from the television, which was nothing more than flickering scenes and ambient noise. She beckoned for Luffy's cat, Chopper, a brown tabby runt, to come sit on her lap. She stroked the cat's thick fur coat as he timidly rubbed his face against her. Without much warning, Luffy dove onto the couch, and rested her head on Zora's leg. Chopper flinched, but after the daily occurrences and dealing with Luffy, he simply batted at her nose playfully and resumed enjoying his attention.

"I'm glad that you're spending the night, Zora~" Luffy drawled, nuzzling her face into Zora's thigh. "You're sleeping with me tonight."

"Can I trust you not to molest me or should I take the couch instead?" Zora half-joked.

"I didn't give you a choice! That's a captain's order, remember," Luffy reminded her sharply, pouting as she looked up.

"Right, right. The pirate thing. Don't you think it's ironic that your grandpa is a marine and all you want to be is his enemy?"

"Nuh-uh. I'm gonna be a good pirate, like Shanks. Finding treasure and having adventures with my friends… I could do it! Shanks even said so!" Luffy mewled; she rolled over and raised her straw hat above her head. "See, this is proof that I can be a pirate."

Zora sighed in defeat. There were a hundred things she could say to that, but it was best to let Luffy dream. She had this childlike innocence to her. It was as if she skipped the growing up phase and retained a constant sense of wonder and amazement to the world around her. Sometimes, it was frustrating to deal with her naivety and ignorance day in and day out. But there were times when it was just worth it. She believed so strongly that if you put your mind to it, you could do anything. So Zora bit her tongue.

Pirates had become a big thing in the seas surrounding Grand Line and its neighbors. Cargo ships and fishing boats were all in danger of being pillaged by some odd characters on a foreign ship. Dozens of pirate-related deaths had been reported, but Luffy refused to listen. Shanks was a pirate after all. And he was her hero. So as long as that still remained, she would always have hope that there were good pirates in this age.

"You know it's not as easy as you think. You're gonna need a ship and a crew. Also aren't you forgetting about school? You're still a junior?" Zora argued half-heartedly. The subject of school was a lost cause on Luffy, but she gave it a shot to humor her.

"Bah. Zora sleeps through half of her classes anyways so I don't see why you're bothering me about it," Luffy pouted. She nestled her head into Zora's lap once again and curled up on the couch beside her. It was getting late. "Let's go to bed. Then we'll have something good for breakfast."

"Yeah… fine."

Luffy's room was far less impressive than the house. The floor was nowhere to be found beneath the plushes, dirty clothes and towels. She had a large, queen-sized bed with a soft quilt spread over it. The brunette practically threw herself onto the bed and buried her face into one of the pillows, smiling deeply. Zora eased herself beneath the sheets more gently and stared up at the ceiling, which was covered with childish star stickers that gave off a faint glow. Luffy inched herself closer to Zora until her arms were tightly wrapped around her waist and she was locked in an embrace.

Zora struggled to no avail and eventually gave in. This was nothing new. There was another side to their friendship that was far from innocent. It was a (fairly) well-kept secret between the two of them. To the outside world, they were two best friends, close as could be. Alone, they had passed the threshold of friends and ended up somewhere along the lines of lovers and friends with benefits. They hadn't quite put a label on it yet. With Luffy's strict grandfather and her overly protective brother, there was no telling what would happen if the truth leaked out.

It had started out innocent enough. They had met in the school cafeteria, which was no surprise. Luffy was the new transfer student and, not knowing the system, had forgotten her lunch money on the first day. She wandered the cafeteria a bit lost and, like a moth to a flame, was instantly drawn to the girl with the green hair, sitting alone at the table in the corner. After some pestering, begging, and puppy dog eyes, Luffy had somehow slipped her way into Zora's life. And ever since, Zora debated whether she should have let her.

However, laying here with the warmth of Luffy's skin pressed against hers, she couldn't deny that it was nice. The smaller brunette smiled up at her mischievously and trailed clumsy kisses up her neck, finally planting one on her lips. She always initiated it, and Zora couldn't help but fall into the temptation. The simple peck turned into a deeper kiss and a tangle of tongue, teeth scraping against the skin of each other's lips. After a few moments, breathless, Luffy pulled away and fit her head into the nook of Zora's shoulder.

"We'll get out of this town someday, Zora," Luffy piped up, her loud voice breaking the silence of the empty bedroom. "Shanks used to tell me this story about a city far away from here… in the new world. It's supposed to be one of the world's greatest treasures. I don't quite know what that means or anything, but wouldn't it be great if we could go there? Shishishi."

Zora said nothing, but ran her slender fingers through the girl's dark tresses. Listening as her voice trailed off into the heavy rise and fall of her breathing as she fell into the clutches of sleep.

Yeah. It would be great.

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Hopefully they weren't too OOC. Anywho, if you like it, I'll have the next chapter up soon enough. If you don't… well… please leave critiques and comments. I'd love to improve.

~3

Shimmee