When the cherry blossoms fall to the ground...
And the scent of perfume fills the air...
The air sparkles with a new life and light...
As the gates of Whole Cake Academy open for the day...
"I can't believe you invited me to join your little club. When I said that Luffy needed a club to join, I didn't expect this."
Bonney couldn't fathom how she ended up in these scenarios. On one hand, she knew Luffy was a good young man who held qualities that any girl would kill for. On the other hand, he had started to make friends with almost every influential girl in the academy by basically being himself. That's why she was in this club room an hour before school since she got a text from Robin about something urgent.
Carrot smiled at the front of the room where a big banner showcased Luffy's face for the entire room to see. Speaking of, the ones in the room were her, Bonney who was eating her morning breakfast, Robin who was reading quietly in the corner, Nami was doing some homework, Camie messed around with her portable sewing machine, Kaya was also reading, and surprisingly Vivi was the only one paying attention to the rather large banner in the front of the room.
"To be fair, I didn't expect that many people to be here today. Most of the girls here have been avoiding Luffy out of pure spite or propaganda from Linlin." Carrot mused, looking down at her notes. "I just feel like he had no right to be bullied like that! Linlin makes sure that everyone is seperate, but Luffy is bringing us all together."
Vivi smiled. "It's true, I've never seen someone like him walk these halls and cause so much trouble by doing nothing but be friendly."
"Luffy isn't an evil boy, sure he might be a bit naive and hardheaded, but he's kind and would do anything for his friends." Kaya said, earning the attention of her fellow girls. "Usopp tells me how Luffy would hangout with him and their group back at their old school. Luffy was part of what they call the Monster Trio and they protected the weaker boys at the school."
"So being kind is in Strawhat's nature." Robin said, leaning on her hand. "Interesting..."
"Luffy-chin is going to have the best defense against any girl who tries to harm him." Camie pumped her fist with a determined look. "So what are we going to do?"
BRRINGG!
"First we have classes to go to, then after-school we catch up with Luffy and tell him about this club." Carrot said, passing around a box. "Everyone, take a support Luffy button and stick it somewhere on you. I don't care where you place it, just make sure people see it!"
"This seems a bit stupid." Bonney took a button and placed it on her hat. "I mean, who else in this entire school would want to wear these silly buttons with Luffy's face on them?"
"Sister, are you sure you want to wear that button around the school?"
"Many girls are going to ask you why you would want to support this rebel. You certain you are up to that task?"
Hancock sighed happily as she placed her button on her backpack strap while opening her locker up for the day. Ever since she heard Luffy's speech and saw his "family jewels" before fainting, she had a small crush on the strawhat boy. He seemed...kind and brave and big husband material when she graduated! Perhaps they could live in a small cottage outside the city, with a few dozen children, and he could have a nice job while she worked alongside him.
The rest of the Kuja Gang and her sisters watched as she opened her locker to reveal numerous photos of Luffy in various positions and outfits. Hancock bit her lip as she blushed red and rubbed her face against the one picture of a closeup of his face.
"I don't care if our love is forbidden or unrequited, I just want him happy and dating me!" Hancock sighed happily, hearts in her eyes. "Is it wrong to fall in love with a boy who cares about women not for their beauty, but also their brains?"
"Just don't let it interrupt your studies okay?" Sandersonia said, shaking her head and chuckling. "Your future is yours to command, so don't let your crazy ideas about marriage and dating stop it-"
"OOh! Here he comes! Here he comes!" Marguerite exclaimed, shaking Hancock by the arm.
The leader of the Kuja gang slammed her locker closed as her red face matched the hearts in her eyes as Luffy walked by. She went to say hi to him, only to be stopped by two girls that dwarfed her size completely and stepped in the way of his path. Mad at the prospect of more females to pick on her beloved, she spied on them from afar.
"Um...good morning ladies." Luffy said politely, waving at the tall girls.
"This is the boy that suspended Linlin from school?" Ulti leaned over and glared directly at him. "He's nothing but a scrawny punk!"
"Ulti, we aren't aware of how he beat Linlin, but that we know he beat her." Maria interrupted, making the masked girl growl at her tone. She turned back to Luffy, who was now on edge at the moment. "Now back to the matter at hand, we are Ulti and Maria, new students on the Whole Cake scholarship program. We came all the way from Wano County to attend school here in order to gain more in our lives."
"That's cool." Luffy grinned, holding his hand out. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy, a pleasure to-"
Boa Hancock held in a scream as she watched Ulti grab his hand and slam him against the wall. The rest of the Kuja gang cried out in horror as the masked girl twisted his arm all the way to his back, making Luffy hiss with pain.
"Did we give you permission to talk to us?" Ulti spat, stepping her heeled shoes on his now sore back. "You need to learn your place boy. Linlin was treating you too well here, probably had a crush on you or something. We, on the other hand, won't tolerate weak little boys like you."
"There's going to be a few changes around here to make you learn your place." Maria walked forward, bringing Luffy's face up to hers. "We know you won't harm girls and that you treat them with respect. You have a moral code and can't raise hands since that would result in your expulsion, but we have no qualms of harming you. Until Linlin gets back here, consider yourself the target of the Beast Gang." Dropping his face to hit the hard ground, she got up and stood next to Ulti, who had finally let him go. "That was a warning for anyone who associates themselves with the boy. You won't be spared from our new order."
Hancock waited until the two behemoths left the halls before running towards Luffy's unconscious form. His arm was purple and bruised from the twist, his face was bloodied, and there were noticeable hole marks on his back. He was in serious pain from what she could see, cradling his head on her chest.
"Lady Hancock!" Marguerite came to her side along with the others. "We need to take Luffy to the nurse's office!"
Hancock nodded, not wanting to let go of the man she now started to have feelings for. "We need to get him there fast! I don't care if I miss class for this, those Beasts are going to pay for harming my Luffy!"
In the shadows of the hall, another female had witnessed Ulti and Maria harm Luffy physically and was disgusted on the poor treatment of the male. She was more shocked by the fact that those two wore the mark of the Beasts Gang.
"How can they be here of all places?" Her voiced wavered, hiding subtly in the shadows in when the two passed her. "I can't believe they would hurt Ace's brother like that." Biting her lip, she brought out her phone and dialed the familiar number she had grown accustomed to for years.
"Hello?"
"Ace it's me."
"Yamato? No way! It's been forever since you've called! How has your final year of high school been going? Whole Cake sounds like a fun place!"
Yamato bit back a burning insult at the fact that she wasn't even in college yet with her old friend due to the last minute transfer of her school. In order to get away from her father, she had to change identities and go undercover at a new school. Ace and his family allowed her to live with them for the time being, claiming her as their niece. While eternally grateful for what they've done for her, she was starting to see the past catch up.
"It has been a great experience, one of the best schools I've ever been to. Now isn't the time to be catching up yet." Her voice turned serious as she watched that Hancock girl take Luffy to the nurse's office. "I've seen your little brother and he's here at the academy."
"And he's being targeted by my father."