I'm looking for a Beta Reader! If you happen to feel as though you're qualified for the position, I'm mainly looking for someone who can help me organize ideas about the story structurally rather than someone looking to polish my grammar, although it wouldn't hurt to have someone with eyes on the chapter before it's published as well. I want to try and practice improving on that myself!

Thank you for returning to Making the Grade!

The last chapter was actually mostly written before my elongated break, so this is the first full chapter that I'm writing now that I'm back! It's actually a bit of a challenge since I'm absolutely terrible at organizing my notes, but I think I got the spirit of what I wanted to achieve with this chapter without wasting anyone's time. Usopp's After-School Special is probably going to be the longest chapter before the finale of this first saga, since there is a really clear beginning-middle-end, but the next three chapters are going to be a beginning, middle, and end individually due to just how compact everything going on is. I hope you enjoy, especially as I'm a little rusty with these characters!

We've almost at Homecoming! What's the plan now that the rest of the Straw Hats (and some friends) are all eyeing Kuro? Will they be able to keep things together when Kuro has his own secondary plans? And will Luffy become Homecoming King?!

Hope you continue to enjoy my re-imagining!

XXXXXXXXXX

After a few minutes of organization, Kuro finally had his outfit together for Homecoming the following night. It was a simple black suit, adorned with a sharp tie and a few pins for character, but otherwise posh and polished. The perfect way to be presentable, clean, and hopefully, attractive to Kaya.

It might be taking a bit more work than he'd initially anticipated, but winning Kaya over to his side wasn't something he'd take half measures with. From making sure that anyone who would've asked her to Homecoming… wouldn't, to taking on Usopp and the rest of his chaotic friends, it only helped to further his resolve that a life with Kaya was one he was willing to work for.

He could imagine it then, staring off into space through the dark fabrics of his suit…

The two of them would enjoy a nice vacation once every summer on the charming beachfront isles of Jaya, maybe ten years from that moment of daydreaming. He would wear a casual, floral-print polo and cargo shorts, and she would get to enjoy the best sundresses money could buy. Her sun hat would blow in the breeze as the two relaxed on professionally woven and constructed beach chairs.

"Isn't this just the life?" He would ask her.

"Of course!" She would say with a sweet smile on her face, reaching out her hand in between the two chairs so that he could meet it in turn. Now holding hands, the two would look up at the crystal-blue sky and feel the warm embrace their hands shared. "Is there anything else you could ask for?"

"Being away from the stresses of the world… from the people who could ruin even such a perfect moment as this… I don't think I could ask for a bit more."

This adult Kaya, with a devilish grin, would get up from her chair and kneel onto the edge of his, holding his arm sensually.

"Are you sure?"

He would let out a nervous laugh. "Well-"

"BEEP! BEEP!" Kuro's phone went off, shocking him from the daydream. Without even glancing down he answered the number.

"What is it?" He snapped.

"Oh! Sorry if I was interrupting anything Kuro, but you asked me to call if-"

"Django, yes. You were watching the Straw Hats, no?"

"The green-haired one, just like you said. And I just caught something interesting."

"Go on."

"He met with the other four, including the orange-haired girl, at the diner across the street from the school, about an hour before the Homecoming Skyball Game. It seemed like they were coming up with a plan, so I tried to listen from the arcade machine nearby. The machine was pretty loud, but… I was able to hear your name a couple of times."

"...Perfect. The coward couldn't help himself but ask the idiots for help. Now, if you could help me out here… call the crew, everyone. Let them know we're now going with Plan Four."

"Four? We'll need everyone for that, you said?"

"Everyone. I'm not letting that idiot and his friends ruin this night for me."

"And you're sure all these people in your pocket… They're going to do what you say?"

"Now now, Django. When has a plan of mine ever failed before? If all goes according to plan, everyone who helps me will be rewarded handsomely, and those fools… they'll either be dead or regret ever going to Grand Line High."

One Piece - Making the Grade

New World!

Homecoming Saga (3/6)

"Point - Grand Line High!" A charismatic voice called over the intercom of a high school sports stadium. Fans bursting from both sections of bleachers cheered and booed wildly at the score, from close family and friends to faculty and other adjacent supporters.

Grand Line High's Skyball Field was a sight to behold, considering the school didn't come with a field to begin with. The 'away' half of the bleachers were common metal structures, but the larger 'home' half were supported by large brick structures, building up to a large central viewing spot in the middle for the announcers and officials to watch from a high viewing point. Den-Den Live TV cameras were even streaming the game to local television networks and a sports website, the high school having grown a reputation for producing some real stars.

Cheerleaders bounced around from the sidelines as the audience cheered, performing a routine of their own. A modest marching band played a triumphant melody from the far left side of the home bleachers. People came back and forth from their seats with anything from snacks to hamburgers and hot dogs. The culture of high school sports lived in the here and now.

And Usopp… could barely enjoy any of it, as Zoro and Sanji sat on either side of him, arms crossed defensively.

"See anything suspicious?" Sanji murmured over the crowd.

"Besides you? No."

"Alright, alright!" Usopp waved his hands in the air, exasperated. "You guys don't have to take this seriously! I don't think he's going to try anything tonight, anyways."

"That's what they all say."

"Who?! Who says that?!"

"Alright, come and get it." Nami made her way up the bleachers' clunking and creaking steps, holding a mountain of food in her hands. "Although I can't understand how any of you are hungry after the diner…"

"I didn't eat anything for lunch." Zoro speaks as he grabs a wrapped hamburger. "Also those last two are for Luffy. He was mad he couldn't get any fresh due to the Homecoming thing."

"Speaking of which…" After Nami put the remaining sandwiches down next to Sanji, she pulled out her phone and checked the time. "How much longer until half-time? I haven't watched a Skyball game since I was little…"

Sanji pointed up to a large digital scoreboard on the far side of the field, with a paused clock showing a minute and ten seconds. "It should be soon."

Behind the Skyball field, a full parade was nearing the completion of its preparations. Several trucks with sparkling preparations held fully assembled seating, which dressed-up members of the Homecoming Court began piling into. Each group running got their own vehicle, along with a member of the Navy club that would be walking alongside the truck with flags representing the nation they lived in (along with any that the running members were formerly a part of, such as Jaya, Alabasta or Dressrosa).

Near the back of the parade, Robin began patting down Luffy's shirt, which was now a black polo with yellow sunflowers, covered with crumbs.

"Sorry, sorry! I just had to try one of the hamburgers! It's my first time actually going to a Skyball game, since my grandpa and brother never wanted to go…"

"If it's any consolation…" Robin patted down Luffy's shirt one final time, wearing a simple black dress and classy flats. "I've never been to a Skyball game either."

"Well, I don't know what that has to do with-" Luffy looked off to the side, noticing a nervous Conis preparing to board one of the trucks alone. "Hey!" Luffy yelled out, waving over to her.

She leapt up in surprise. "Oh! Hello…"

"Where's the guy you're with? I wanted to wish you guys good luck, even though me and Robin are gonna win!"

Her demeanor lightened at the overconfident statement. "He's actually playing in the game right now. He'll hop on the moment it becomes half-time."

"Oh… cool! Tell him I wished him good luck! Even though we're winning this!"

She gave him a sincere smile. "Of course."

"Maybe it's for the best that you don't go around declaring we're going to win." Robin whispered to him as Conis continued boarding her truck.

"Why? I think we're going to win."

"I suppose I mean to say… how would you feel if Conis and her partner told you they were going to win?"

"I'd say I'm going to win."

"Well, don't you think Conis is thinking the same thing when you say we're going to win?"

"But we are going to win." Luffy spoke nonchalauntly. "Don't you think so?"

"It's not that I don't think we can win…" She paused for a second, trying to think of a clear response.

To be honest with herself, she didn't want to win. Besides the fact this was all being setup by Kuro in the first place, she felt winning would only further whatever the schemer was attempting to do. And, despite the work she had done for Kuro's scheme, she equally found Luffy a fun and unobtrusive presence in her life. So, if they won the Homecoming nomination, that would only put the two in an even bigger spotlight. Bad for her… even worse for Luffy, who was being surrounded with interest from parties near and far. Popularity at Grand Line High was deceptively powerful, she understood.

"Actually… Never mind. Let's just get ready-"

"Koby!" Luffy ran around Robin and hugged the student walking up to them. He was holding a few large flags on his shoulders and wearing a simple white-and-blue uniform, but nearly everything was messed up or toppled over in the tight hug.

"Luffy! I think I'm holding your guys' flag for the parade!"

"Alright! This is perfect! You're going to be there when I get announced as King!" Luffy turned back to Robin, giving her a cocky smile.

Ceremonial trumpets began to play the moment half-time for the Skyball game commenced. While the chatter of the dense outdoor crowd didn't dissipate, many students who were rowdy now sat in focus to see the students running for the Homecoming Court as they were ushered through a large parade.

Under a crescent moon not too dissimilar to a grinning smile, each truck driving by held a waving pair of students in fine clothing. Luffy grinned in much a similar manner as the cars began rolling, waving to nearly everyone in the crowd despite his unfamiliarity with most of them. The only exception to the pairs was the highly cheered for Hancock, who sat alone but with as much poise as two could carry.

"Woo!" Nami stiffly cheered for Luffy and Robin as their truck passed by their section of stands, just loud enough for Luffy to notice and gleefully wave for them.

"Glad you're back to acting like normal." Zoro murmured under his breath.

"As though I'd act like an assassin is trained on Usopp's forehead."

"Wait… do you think that's-"

"I'm just saying," Zoro trailed off. "I haven't heard an apology."

"I'm getting to it…" Nami's words came out wishy-washy. "I would've been able to do it on my own if we hadn't been pulled into some massive Homecoming conspiracy. I mean, leave it to you idiots to antagonize one of the most respected figures at the school."

"Conspiracy…" Usopp whispered the words, almost letting them sit on his tongue.

"Yeah?" Sanji looked over to his friend. "You think you have something?"

"Well, I just- you know, I guess I haven't really been thinking about the scale of all this too much. I know he threatened you guys, and me, and Kaya, but what that meant really wasn't important if I played by his rules. Now that he might actually know we're after him… I'm wondering if he had anything prepared-"

Usopp looked out to the parade.

"...Huh."

"What?"

"Well… if he's going to kill me at Homecoming, it would be pretty inconvenient to have all of you guys free and running about. So… how would you keep someone like Luffy from running off?"

The others looked around at each other, then at the parade, which was slowly wrapping up.

"Oh shit." Nami let out.

By that point in the parade, most of the trucks had made it around the field and back to a podium recently moved onto the field. The members of the Homecoming Court were all gathered there, just as Principal Spandam made his way up with a wireless microphone.

Since Luffy and Robin rode in the last truck, they were the last duo before Spandam to climb up the few solid steps on the podium before the presentation. As they climbed up, Luffy turned around to see an exhausted Koby power through his pains and sores to hold up the country flags proudly next to the leaving truck. Luffy gave him a nod of approval as they locked eyes, and Koby cheerfully nodded in return.

"Hello everyone!" He squeaked out, peaking the sound systems and causing many in the audience to flinch.

"Sorry about that! I'm just… so excited that we could have so many people out to our amazing Homecoming Skyball Game! And tomorrow, whoever wins Homecoming King and Queen tonight will be honored at the school's most energetic and lavish party of the year!"

Most of the students in the crowd were about as apathetic in regards to Spandam's monologues as any other time in the past. Others politely clapped and cheered along, mainly due to the hype of a close friend or acquaintance being on the podium along with him.

"So, let's just get this out of the way!" From his vest, he pulled out a small envelope, recently sealed. "We just tallied the final results from today's voting, but based on what I've heard, we have a group that's come in a clear landslide victory!"

The stands were the quietest they've been since the start of the game. Zoro, Usopp, Sanji, Nami, Koby, and everyone on the platform leaned in to hear the results.

"And… our new Homecoming King and Queen are…

"Monkey D. Luffy and Nico Robin!"

"Crap." Sanji muttered, pulling out a cigarette as the rest of the stands went ballistic.

"This is bad… right?!" Nami looked over at the other three.

"Well, maybe not for him." Zoro motioned over to the platform, where Luffy was hugging Robin excitedly. "But for us… Luffy's a bit of a trump card. No one can predict what he's planning… unless you distract him."

"And what better way to distract him than the biggest party of the school year?" Usopp continued the thought. "It's not like he can't just run away from the party whenever he wanted, but-"

"This Kuro guy must've rigged the votes. Not that I think Luffy isn't popular or talked about, but…"

"It just doesn't make sense any other way." Nami concluded. "So… Usopp. Do you have a plan?"

"I think so." Usopp spoke unconfidently. "But we're going to have to call in a few favors… and hope they aren't from people planning to stab us in the back."

Usopp paced around his room, phone in hand. "Thanks again, Koby. I know this is a big ask, but I just want to make sure Luffy's okay. Yeah. Thanks. Bye."

He quickly hung up the call, pacing around some more. After what felt like hours into the night of planning and review, Usopp knew exactly who was going to be a part of their group; Luffy and Robin, Zoro and Tashigi, Sanji and Viola, Nami, and himself.

If they really wanted to pull off the idea that they weren't acting suspicious, everyone needed a date, so Usopp had finally called Koby and asked for him to take Nami to the dance. It was an easy sell, especially when pitching it was to help protect Luffy, but Usopp knew he'd be putting the guy in risk by bringing him into the fold. Luffy vouched for him though, so Usopp just hoped and prayed the scrawny teenager couldn't mess things up that bad if he found out the truth.

He hadn't just asked Nami because he knew Kuro would find it suspicious that the girl who hadn't been hanging out with them for the past week was suddenly back in their group. In the same vein, Usopp needed to find a girl who wouldn't mind him taking her to the dance, only to ditch her at just the right time to meet up with Kuro without drawing suspicion from prying eyes. And there was one girl… if he could muster the courage to ring her up.

'Perona - Class' was the contact on his phone lit up, with a little phone button blinking to indicate that he could call her right then and there if he wanted to; but did he? He'd known her since middle school, but it wasn't like they were close. He only got her number because of Kaya during their group project, let alone validating she'd want to waste her Homecoming fake dating him. But if there was a person Kuro would buy Usopp asking out after Kaya, it could only be Perona.

"This is for Kaya…" He muttered to himself, before hitting the 'Call Now' button.

The phone rang five times before Perona finally answered the call.

"Hello? Usopp?"

"Uh…"

"If you're going to waste my time, I'm just going to hang up-"

"Wait! I have to ask you something?"

"What? I don't even want to talk to you right now, you know? I saw how you were treating Kaya in class today, and it wasn't nice. At all."

"I know. I know. It's actually Kaya I wanted to talk about-"

"So you found out?"

"What?"

After a few seconds, Perona sent him a social media post from Kaya, just recently. It was a celebration post… about how Kuro had asked her to Homecoming.

"Shit."

"Were you going to ask her out?"

"Yes. Well- I was. I knew I wasn't going to go to Homecoming with her."

"How? You just piss her off or something?"

"Enough with the questions! You're throwing me off track!"

"Hehe. Yeah, I do that sometimes. Anyways, continue."

"...What I was saying was… I think- I mean…"

"Out with it!"

"Will you be my fake date?"

"...That was not what I was expecting. Someone have a crush on me, now?"

"What?"

"Well, this is how all the romantic comedies go. You ask me out on a fake date, trying to woo the attention of some other woman, and then slowly but surely fall in love with me."

"I'm asking you to do this because I think Kuro is going to do something bad at Homecoming."

"Like what?" She asked, genuinely nervous. "Something to her?"

"I'm not sure. But I can't go alone. And I need my other friends to keep at arm's reach, at least until I make sure Kaya's alright."

There was a long pause on the other side of the phone call. Usopp was even worried it might have been cut off, before Perona finally jumped back in to reply.

"You better not be pranking me. I have better things to do on a Saturday night than get pranked by you at Homecoming."

"Perfect! Thank you so much-!"

"I'm doing this for Kaya, not you."

"Doesn't matter. I'll text you the plan later. Bye!"

Usopp quickly hung up the phone, hoping that he could delay any chance for her to regret the decision. After having paced around for the past half an hour or so, he collapsed on his bed, releasing a sigh of relief.

"Would it have really been that easy…?" Usopp murmured to himself, the thought of a life in which he wasn't worried about Kuro filled his head. "Well, I don't know what Kaya would have wanted… so-"

Facing sideways on his bed, Usopp looked over to his counter, where an object lay resting. He paused his train of thought to only think about this for a few seconds, the realization of something greater hitting him after that.

"Yes! Shit! That's how I'm gonna do it!"

He leapt from his bed and began pacing again, quickly typing in a contact before hitting the 'Call Now' button. He was raring to go for the next day, a plan formulating in his mind so confidently he stopped worrying about what Kuro could do to him altogether.

"Uh… hey, Nami? You said your mom's a cop, right?"

The Next Day…

Nami knew she wasn't going to have fun at Homecoming, but adding on a psycho-killer butler to the list of people she didn't want to see was an entire other cake's weight in frosting for this awful night to come.

"Come on…!" Nojiko teased her sister, slugging her on the shoulder. "Give me a twirl!"

After looking through the dresses that they'd had around the house (either directly from Nojiko's closet or from their mother's storage bin) they eventually came across a silky red dress that fit the teenage girl very comfortably. She wore a pair of short-heeled black shoes to match, even though she'd just wanted to wear something flat. Her sister and mother were vehemently against that idea, but she couldn't exactly tell them that she was wearing comfortable shoes to prepare to run away from a conflict her friends were most likely going to get themselves into, so they compromised with the short heels.

Nami gave her sister the spin she'd requested, which was more for showing off than the actual flow of the dress as the weight of the lower half kept everything pointed towards the ground.

"You look like a girl any guy would want to ask to dance."

"Thanks." Nami grunted, knowing her sister was only saying that because she knew about the whole situation with Luffy. Well, not the part about him showing up at Arlong Park, as she'd yet to talk to anyone else in her family about it. But let the record show she was very capable of adapting a story to fit her needs.

"Alright, alright! Stop bugging each other, please!" Bellemere walked into the room, which was actually hers. It was the darkest-painted room of the house, with a small bed pushed up to the corner and police uniform pieces scattered across the floor and a dark-blue cabinet. On the door hanging up, with a pointed view Nami couldn't stop looking at despite her mother walking in… was the clean uniform with a velcro-sealed holster on its side.

"Fine." Nojiko scoffed, lightly flicking her sisters' tangerine hair before beginning to walk out of the room.

"Okay then, grouch." Bellemere snickered. "You coming?"

Nami clenched up, hoping for the best in their incoming conversation. She took a breath, and then, just as Nojiko left the room, she began.

"Actually… have you seen my white bracelet? The one with the pearls?"

"I mean, it should just be in my little container over there." Bellemere gruffly pointed out a box on the messy cabinet-top.

"It wasn't there."

"Well… I don't know anywhere else- oh!" Bellemere's face lit up. "I have no idea how, but it might be… give me one sec."

The moment her mother was out of the line of sight for her own room, Nami ran up to the door, purse in hand, and quickly snatched a device from out of her mother's uniform.

It was something Usopp needed for his plan, she was told. Nami made sure to tell him that her mother would personally send her to the darkest depths of the ocean if she found out, but Usopp insisted they needed all the power that they could possibly get. She'd suggested Luffy steal from his Police Chief grandfather, but Usopp knew the risks would be a lot higher if he was grounded from going to Homecoming, and it might tip off Kuro a bit more than he was comfortable admitting.

So there she was, stuffing her small purse (which had to have been nearly emptied beforehand) with a weapon she had no legal standing to use. But she was a quick girl, and her bag was properly filled long before her mother came back into the room.

"It was by the car keys." Bellemere burst back into the room, a bead of sweat trickling down her forehead. "Still have no idea how they got there…"

"It's alright." Nami quickly took the bracelet from her mother, trying her best to move on from the topic before she let something slip. There was no arguing she was good at lying and sarcasm, but her mother was a human lie detector. One wrong wording in front of her and she was toast.

Thankfully she didn't have to converse with her mother much longer, as she soon got a text alerting her to her ride.

"They're here." Nami quickly spoke, attempting to pass by her mother in the narrow door frame before being put to an abrupt stop.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"T-to the dance?"

"But you're forgetting something…"

"What?" Nami gulped, nervous her mother might have caught on.

"This." Bellemere took her into a big hug. "I know things with your friend have been a bit… rough. Just don't forget that enjoying yourself is all that matters."

"...Thank you." Nami spoke earnestly.

The weight of trying to deal with Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hats since yelling at them the other week anchored heavily on her mind. Despite the fact Luffy had been the one to apologize, she felt guilty, like she didn't deserve to be brought back into the fold so soon. Especially considering the danger they'd entrusted her to help protect Kaya from.

"But I really have to go, I think they're trying to be there as soon as the party opens."

"Right, right." Bellemere let her daughter go, a small tear rolling down her eye. "Kill 'em out there."

Nami let out a nervous laugh. "I sure hope not."

"Knock 'em dead." Garp muttered while reading a book, not even caring enough to look up as Luffy shuffled into the living room.

"Has anyone seen my phone?" Luffy darted around the room, just as Ace was climbing down the stairs behind him.

"Yoo! Luffy, you're actually wearing something… nice!"

He looked down at his younger brother from the stairway, the folds of his red long-sleeved shirt and black pants implying that he was shoved into the whole set. Despite that, he still wore his Straw Hat and brown sandals, and his black tie was only halfway set. It was to a point that Luffy looked to be returning from a crazy night, not preparing to go to one.

"It's awful. My neck is super itchy… but Robin said that dressing up is 'the point', and that things would be more fun if I dressed up. Can you help me find my phone?!"

"Yeah!" Ace pulled out his own phone, and within a few seconds, the ringing of a default ringtone was buzzing through the cushions of the couch Garp was resting on.

"Here." Without so much as looking up from his book, he tossed Luffy his phone after reaching into the couch to grab it, Luffy catching it with a quick snap into the air. He turned it around to face himself, and after a few seconds, his eyes lit up in fear. Glancing outside the front window, Luffy could see a pair of headlights coming from the road just outside of their driveway.

"They're here!"

"Don't forget to kiss the girl goodnight, alright?" Ace teased.

"And don't get in trouble. I don't want my night off to be having to come in and rescue you from some cockamamie scheme."

Luffy yelled a declarative "I won't!" before taking off into the driveway.

Running down, the door to a decently-sized limo popped open, an anxious Usopp waving him in.

"Come on! We've been waiting for minutes!"

"I couldn't find my phone!" Luffy grumbled back to him, before sliding next to his friend in the limo.

"Let's get going, alright?" A female voice called out to the front cab of the limo, before taking off into the road ahead.

Looking over, Luffy saw the familiar silhouette of Perona's long, flourishing pigtails from a root of bright pink hair. She was Kaya's friend from class, Luffy remembered, before immediately getting distracted at all of the bells and whistles of the limo it seemed that she had prepared for them.

"Wow…"

"Glad someone appreciates it." Perona leans back into her seat, the layers of frills on her black-and-white dress puffing out in response to reveal her large red boots. "You'd think after helping someone out on Homecoming of all nights, they'd be a bit more appreciative."

"I'm very appreciative." Usopp stuttered out, glancing out the window on Luffy's side of the car. "You didn't have to pretend to be my date and all that, but you did. But this limo is just taking so long… what if something happens to Kuro and Kaya when the dance starts?"

Luffy only now noticed the nice get-up Usopp had going on, looking very similar to Sanji's waiter uniform but without the coat.

"They'll be fine, you worrying brat." She snapped back at him. "Kuro's the Treasurer. If he has a date for Homecoming, he'll have to show her off to everyone he knows. Who knows, maybe he'll just want to do that because she's cute."

"You're not helping." Usopp murmured, adjusting a puff in his white shirt.

"Are there bugs in your shirt?" Luffy questioned, pointing at the ruffles in his clothing.

"No… they're-"

"He won't tell us." Luffy turned to see Nami and Koby on the other side of the limo, Nami particularly leaning back with an angry sneer. "Says it's part of the plan."

"Oh. Okay." Luffy left the confusing state of Usopp's wardrobe at that, now fully focused on the people he'd yet to notice. "Glad to see you guys! Koby, what's up?"

"Luffy, you know the plan." Nami frustratingly tapped her forehead. "You talked to Koby earlier today."

"I know… but what if he got attacked by a bear in the meantime, Nami? And if I didn't ask… then I wouldn't know." He spoke so self-assuredly that Nami simply dropped the conversation there.

"Don't worry, Nami." Koby patted the short red sleeve of her dress in reassurance, before turning back to face Luffy. He wore something akin to Usopp's simple suit, but it somehow looked much more formal on the short, pink-haired boy. He looked more ready to receive an award for active duty in the line of combat than actually going to a dance, but it fit him well enough that Luffy didn't even notice.

"It's just a little weird, going to a dance with a date for the first time… I know this is all something you guys have been wrapped into, but I'm glad that you trust me enough to keep me in the loop for something like making sure Kaya's safe with Kuro."

"Yeah…" Perona cut in, a short smirk rising on her face. "I'm just as worried about Kaya as anyone else, she certainly hasn't been acting the same since 'Captain Tactful' right next to me decided to tell her her best friend might be a psycho-killer. I haven't seen her this quiet since the first day of school, and at least then she seemed excited to be there."

"I'm glad to have both your guys' help." Usopp stuttered out, the nerves of the night to come still itching and scratching at his every thought. "I couldn't do this without you guys. Especially since we don't know if we can trust Tashigi, Viola and Robin."

"I'm not worried about Tashigi, but that might just be because I've spent a good amount of time with her." Koby added. "But the other two, I have no idea."

"Speaking of which," Perona began, looking at Luffy. "Can I get this Robin girl's address?"

"Yeah." Luffy pulled up the address on his phone before tossing it over Usopp's slumped figure. Perona caught it with ease, and after sending the address to the driver in the front, looked it over again with confusion.

"She really does come from a rich family… this is like a super swanky part of downtown."

The others soon saw that statement come to pass, as they drove through a section of the city filled with polished high-rises with twinkling lights surrounding them. The night sky brought out their overwhelming nature much more than a clear sky ever could, the lights at the top of the buildings looking more like stars then the lights of apartments.

Within a few more minutes, they stopped in front of what appeared to be the richest of the rich apartments; one where their passenger, Robin, was having a heated argument with a guy none of them knew. She wasn't impassioned in their fighting or anything, but they could tell she was serious due to the frustration in her eyes, and the way the guy in question spat out every word of conversation. Eventually she brushed it off, turning around to see the limo before simply walking away from the guy before properly ending the conversation. He yelled out for her to reply, but didn't chase after her.

As she got into the limo, the others noticed her overall sharp outfit; a leathery black dress with a golden buckle on her stomach, and long violet stockings leading into small black heels. She stood out for her beauty, but not for much more, which was probably the way she liked it.

"I-is everything alright?" Usopp questioned as she sat across from him.

"Yes. Thank you for the concern, but I'd just like to get to Homecoming at this point."

Luffy turned to face the guy in front of the apartment as the limo took off, just barely getting enough time to see the figure of a man with large, broad shoulders and short, buzzed-off silver hair. But once he was out of sight, there was only one place left for Luffy's mind to want to.

"Woo!" He cheered, shaking Usopp's shoulder in excitement. "Homecoming, here we come!"

"Well…" Usopp began, looking around at the others. "This is it."

Luffy, Usopp, Zoro, Sanji and Nami all stood outside of the Grand Line High auditorium, each wearing their own professional get-up. Zoro wore a classic suit, while Sanji wore an adjusted version of his work uniform. Behind them, each of their dates stood; Robin waited for Luffy, Perona waited for Usopp, Tashigi waited for Zoro, Viola waited for Sanji, and Koby waited for Nami.

Hanging over the doors to the auditorium, a large banner used sparkling letters to spell out 'HOMECOMING - A PIRATE'S FESTIVAL!'

"Yeah…" Luffy agreed with Usopp, using his left hand to crack the knuckles of his right hand. "Let's party!"

BTS (Behind the Scenes) CH.10 -

I was stuck for a good long time if I wanted to do this chapter, mainly because it's just the final round of setup. Not to say I didn't enjoy most of the ideas caught in the chapter, but I was considering for a good while what was important and what wasn't.

I know a lot of people have their actual Homecoming Court announced at the event itself, but I thought it would make the Skyball game more impactful if the actual announcement was there. Along with that it brought a bigger reason for everyone to be there, despite the desperate need to plan before the big dance.

Usopp's calls were another thing I wasn't sure about. I thought at one point I could just explain away the whole Usopp/Perona situation, but in hindsight I prefer getting this fun, partially intimate moment between the two. It kinda parallels the teasing conversation they had back in middle school, if that makes sense.

The last reason I wasn't sure this chapter would exist at all is due to the inclusion of the growing of the party crew at the end. I was planning on just saving it for the first chapter at the dance, but I came up with and loved the idea of ending the chapter with the main five in front of the doors to Homecoming. It's a not-so-subtle reference to Season 1 of Fantasy High, where the party arrives at Homecoming at the same time to stop the Homecoming Queen from being crowned.

At this point, I do want to get to bigger and brighter things. I had planned to be done with this content by the end of 2023, and it's nearly March now. If the rest of rest of the Homecoming Saga releases decently fast, don't be surprised. Once the next Saga begins, I'm going to take as much time as possible planning out every character POV and B-plot. Not going to spoil anything about it here, but I want the next major 13 chapters to be much more interconnected than the previous 13.

Hope you're enjoying the Homecoming Saga so far!