One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda
Kingdom Hearts belongs to Square Enix and Disney
All OCs belong to me

"Is this seat taken?"

Instantly, Skylar's gaze flickered away from the screen of her phone. Her lips were still attached to the straw of her drink as she peered up at the rather…familiar…face of the older man with the strangely colored hair.

"Uh…" she dragged the word out a lot longer than she should have, her gaze slowly flickering from him to the empty seat across from her before slowly shaking her head. "No" mentally, she scolded herself for lying—well, for semi-lying as it was technically true that the seat wasn't exactly taken as the person she was waiting for had yet to arrive. She watched as he sat down, wasting no time in settling into the seat across from her as he sat his cup of coffee on the table.

"Name's Roronoa Zorocia" it was a simple greeting—it was a straightforward greeting. She hummed in acknowledgment, eyeing him for a moment or two.

"Skylar…" she eventually murmured, gaze finally flickering back down to the screen of her phone as she quickly pulled up her messages with the friend she had planned on meeting today. She could still see glimpses of the last time they talked as she shot him a message wondering where he was.

"Do you come here often?"

"Uh…" once more, she dragged that same word out again as she lifted her eyes. He was either oblivious or uncaring of her discomfort as he leaned against the table, his gaze hidden behind his shades…

She could lie.

It was a simple thought—one that had crossed her mind almost immediately as she looked back down at her phone and sent another text. Her gut churned as that tiny voice of reason in the back of her mind began to scream, warning her of the dangers of sharing too much with a complete stranger.

"Um…" she nervously sweated as she watched his lips quirk the longer she took to answer such a simple question. "Yes…" she wanted to strangle herself—she wanted to grab her shoulders and smack herself silly until she couldn't think anymore. Despite her frustrations with her honesty…a stronger part of her felt it was better that she didn't lie. Something in her gut told her that it wouldn't be a good idea. "You?" she felt dumb throwing the question back at him, yet the words left her mouth before she could think.

"Not really" she stared at him, certain that that was nothing short of a lie as she vaguely recalled seeing him here every single time she stopped by during her lunch breaks. It was faint since she rarely paid much attention to the people around her…but it was rather hard to forget someone like him who stood out like a sore thumb in the cozy atmosphere of the café. Her gaze drifted downwards a bit as she looked at his clothes—eyes darting from the coat that hung off his broad shoulders to the striped dress shirt he wore. Its top buttons were undone, exposing the expanse of his wide chest and the glimpse of the massive scar that spanned across it…

Just how many scars can one man have?

She started when she realized she was blatantly staring for a bit too long, eyes quickly darting back up to his face and cheeks warming as she saw that the quirk in his lips had widened. Dread pooled in the pit of her stomach as she saw his mouth open—the cogs in her brain squealing as they began to work overtime, desperate to think of something to say before he could continue this hellish small talk of theirs any further. Her eyes darted at the sound of the bell above the door jingling and brightened the second she saw the familiar face that entered.

"S-sorry! Got to go!" she jumped to her feet before he could say anything, hastily gathering her things and waving as she hurried across the shop and towards a young man who looked as if a rainbow had vomited all over him. His hair, his eyes, and even his clothes were all sickeningly bright and cheerful…a stark contrast to the tattoos on his arms and the few piercings he had on his face and ears.

"Hey—whoa!" Lance flinched as he felt delicate hands start to shove at him, hurriedly ushering him back towards the door he had just come through. "W-wait! Weren't we going to have coffee together?" he asked.

"Here! Take it!" she shoved her drink into his hands without explanation as she continued to push him back.

"What do you mean here?! This is nearly empty!"

"I'll buy you another one later—we're leaving!"

Zorocia watched as the two piled out the shop's door, fussing as the brunette continued to shove the colorful man down the sidewalk. He wasn't the only one who stared as other patrons within the café stopped and turned, falling silent for a brief second. He huffed a laugh as everyone returned to what they were doing the second the two disappeared out of sight, their chattering resuming as they turned away from the shop's front windows.

'Amusing…' he hummed, lips quirking.

-0-0-0-0-0-

"I'm going on my break—you mind watching the front while I'm gone?" Shawn asked as he poked his head into the cat room.

"Huh? Oh yeah…" Skylar nodded as she looked up from the cage she was seated in front of, her finger sticking through the bars and gently scratching the top of the head of the elderly cat that slept inside. Standing, she murmured and waved—plopping down on the chair behind the front desk as the blond left. 'God…I can't believe he still reads this junk…' her nose scrunched as she started to look through the stack of magazines he kept, now hunched over and disappointed by the large number of tabloids in the stack as she searched for something decent to read. She was tempted for a moment to run back and look through her bag in the staff room, certain she had a book or two still untouched and stuffed in there that she could read to pass the time.

She hated having to man the front desk, preferring staying in the back with the animals—she found the waiting to be tedious and stressful all at the same time depending on the time and day. Sometimes business was slow and other times it felt like everyone decided they just had to adopt a pet at that exact moment all at once.

"Excuse me, but are you Skylar?" she jumped, cheeks flushing as she owlishly peered up at the older woman who now smiled down at her—her blue eyes bright with amusement as she peered at her from over the shades she wore…

When had she gotten here?

"Uh…yes…" she cleared her throat as she sat up, pulling the chair closer to the desk as she clasped her hands together and attempted to look friendly and professional. She glanced down real quick to ensure her nametag was clipped, assuring herself that that was the reason the other woman knew her name "Can…can I help you?" she cringed at how awkward she sounded, once again reminded of why exactly she hated working out front. She wasn't good with people in the same way she was with animals and children—too many bad experiences left her wary.

"Yes, hello" the woman smiled. "My name's Nico Robita and I was thinking about possibly adopting today" she greeted, her smile widening at the edges as that glint of amusement in her eyes only seemed to grow the longer she looked at the brunette. Skylar stared at her for a moment, gaze flickering between the white, furred coat that hung over her shoulders and the form-fitting suit she wore that felt far too intense to be considered anything close to an everyday outfit or even standard office wear…

Was she perhaps a big CEO or something important like that?

"Oh…well, do you have an animal in mind?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Not in particular…I was hoping you could maybe show me around and help" there was something else in those blue eyes of hers, something the brunette couldn't quite place as she stared at the woman. Her request wasn't strange. In fact, it was rather normal and one she was used to having to handle whenever someone came into the shelter with the desire to adopt, but not knowing in advance what the right fit would be for them.

Yet…

"Yeah…I can do that…" she slowly nodded, unsure why the request made her stomach churn as she stood from her chair. Looking around, she swept her gaze over the empty front—no one else had stepped in yet and she had her doubts anyone else would at this time of day. Summer was usually a busy time of year, but with it now coming to an end, everyone was starting to settle down as they prepared for the upcoming school year. Reaching under the desk, she rummaged around before finding the old "Be Right Back" sign Devin had bought a year ago yet was rarely ever used since it was rare for them to leave the front empty.

"For a shelter, this place seems rather understaffed" Robita remarked as she followed behind the brunette who led her towards the indoor kennels, curiously looking around as she noted just how empty the building felt saved for the occasional muffled sounds of the various animals drifting through the walls.

"Not really…" Skylar shrugged. "Since summer's coming to an end, a lot of our volunteers have stopped showing up—you know how it is, school is right around the corner and they have more important things to do" she explained. "I'm sure once the school year starts to pick up though, we'll get a new batch of fresh faces eager to get some "easy" hours in for their community service" she smiled.

"I see…are you a volunteer as well?" Robita asked.

"Uh…no..." she shook her head. "I work here as one of the Kennel Attendant."

"How long have you been working here?"

"About two years."

"Oh?" Robita raised a brow, intrigued as she eyed the young woman. "You look pretty young to already have that many years of experience" she remarked.

"It's not that many…" Skylar murmured, rubbing the back of her head as she opened the door to the indoor kennels and stepped aside. "Let's just say…the owner took pity on me and leave it at that…" she was aware the only reason Devin had hired her back then despite how young she was, was due to a mixture of sympathy and familiarity. He'd never say it aloud…but after working here for two whole years and growing closer to him and his brother, she realized her plight had unintentionally tugged at her heartstrings. She had no intentions back then of manipulating the older man—she had only meant to be honest when she told him she needed the job because she was desperate to earn some money and help relieve her older brother of some of his financial stress as her and her twin's sole caretaker…

It all worked out in the end, so she guessed it didn't really matter why or how she had gotten the job.

She liked working at the shelter and she certainly adored being able to look after the animals just as much as they adored being cared for by her. She was a supposed natural…or at least that's what the others kept telling her.

"They take to you so quickly, it's almost scary and awe-inspiring."

That's what they'd always say—remarking on how fast the animals were to warm up to her no matter how new or scared they were to the shelter with mixed looks of envy and amazement in their eyes. Shawn and Lance always told her it was because of how soothing of a presence she had—how she always seemed to exude a warm and comforting air when around the animals to the point that they felt safe near her.

"First thing's first—are you wanting something young or something old?" she asked as she stepped in behind the older woman, gently shutting the door behind her. "I know most people usually go straight for the pups and kittens when looking to adopt, but we have plenty of loveable elders who need a good home as well" she smiled, muscles relaxing at the familiar sounds of life that floated down the halls. There were various rooms down either side of them, each housing the different species the shelter carried and cared for—the dog and cat rooms were naturally the largest by far and most popular compared to the rest whose rooms were a bit smaller in size and didn't have many variety in breed to offer. "I think we'll start with the cat room first…you look like you'd be a cat person…" she murmured more to herself as she led the other woman down one of the hallways.

"Do you like animals?" Robita asked, ignoring the brunette's earlier question as she followed alongside her.

"Uh…yeah—it was one of the reasons why I wanted to work here" she nodded, brows furrowing at the question as she looked at the woman. 'Kind of a weird question to ask…who'd work with animals if they didn't like them?' she frowned as she stepped into the cat room. She huffed a smile the second she heard the mewling of the kittens as they eagerly crowded around the front of their cages, many of them sticking their tiny arms through the bars like newborns reaching for their mother the second they spotted her.

"They're very lively" Robita remarked as she eyed the kits, some fluffy and others not as their furs were a sea of different patterns and colors.

"Yeah…the young ones are always more excitable than the geezers" she hummed. "Though they can get pretty chatty themselves when it comes dinner time…" she muttered with a soft chuckle. "Have a look around—if there's any you see that you'd like to hold and pet then just let me know" she smiled as she closed the door to the cat room, making sure it was firmly shut to prevent any runaways should she pull one of the cats from their cages. Most of them were well-behaved, but…there were a few scoundrels who liked to make a break for it when no one was looking.

"Do you own any pets?" Robita inquired as she slowly walked along the cages, smiling down at the felines who curiously peered back at her—some bumping their heads against the bars of their cage doors and others warily moving back and away with silent growls.

"Yeah, a fancy rat."

"Oh?" she blinked as she stopped and looked back, eyeing the younger woman with a raised brow.

"Surprised?" Skylar chuckled as she crossed her arms and leaned back against the room door—hugging herself as she looked away. She was aware that when most people looked at her, they expected her to be someone with a standard pet like a cat, bunny, or even a guinea pig… they didn't expect a glorified rat. "I got him around six months ago—a coworker of mine had bought a fancy rat off someone without realizing it was both a girl and pregnant, so I decided to take one of the pups off his hands while he looked for good homes for the others" she explained.

"What's his name?" Robita inquired as she continued her perusing of the felines.

"Poe…" she muttered.

"As in Edgar Allen Poe?"

"Y-yes…"

'Cute' Robita giggled as the brunette's cheeks grew warm with embarrassment at the cliché name, her gaze quick to avert elsewhere as the older woman's smile grew. "Do you have any siblings?" the relaxed atmosphere in the room seemed to dissipate instantly as the young woman's smile dropped and her shoulders tense. 'Ah…looks like a pried a bit too deep' she smiled as she stopped once more, staring down at the elderly cat sleeping in the cage in front of her as she watched the brunette from the corner of her eye raise her guard. She had thought her question perfectly reasonable for what was meant to be small talk…but then again, it has been a while since she attempted to make such talk with a normal civilian and not an actual target.

"I…don't feel comfortable answering that…" Skylar murmured, warily eyeing the older woman as she moved her hands back behind her and grabbed hold of the doorknob. She did have siblings…but that wasn't something you normally asked a stranger about, let alone an employee trying to help you. A question like that was far too personal compared to her previous ones which at least made sense and were appropriate considering the building they were in. It was normal to ask about work and pets…but it wasn't normal to try and pry into someone's life so suddenly.

"Hm, it seems that none of these beauties have caught my eye" Robita hummed as she turned, her smile still in place as she walked towards the brunette. "I recall I have some important business I must attend to later today, so we'll have to continue this some other time" Skylar only nodded as she opened the door and stepped aside, allowing the older woman to exit first before following close behind. Not a word was said as they made their way back towards the front, even when she stopped and waved bye as the raven-haired woman continued out the door…

It was the first time since she arrived that she finally noticed just how silent the other woman's footsteps were at that moment…an odd and unsettling thing to realize so suddenly as she looked down at her heels.

Robita sighed as she stepped outside, already digging out her phone as she tsked herself and walked down to the street corner where she knew the car was waiting.

'My…I didn't expect you to find someone so interesting…' she grinned as she heard the line on the other end of the phone pick up.

-0-0-0-0-0-

'Cloud and Leon are working late tonight…' Skylar lightly dragged her finger along the price tags on the shelves as she looked at the variety of instant noodles in front of her. 'Sora's also going to be sleeping at Riku's tonight as well…so it seems I'll be having dinner alone…' she sighed, gaze now flickering between two specific brands as she debated which one she wanted more.

"Bit late in the evening to be having lunch, don't you think?" she jumped as she turned her head, nearly dropping the instant noodles in her hand as she finally decided to just get both. She blinked at the woman beside her—gaze first drawn to the bright orange of her long hair before drifting down towards the expensive red coat that hung off her shoulders and the form-fitting dress she wore…

She looked like a rich man's wife which only made her stand even further out of place in the middle of the convenience store aisle full of cheap and processed food.

"It's not lunch…it's my dinner…" an awkward silence settled between them as she held up the packs of instant noodles and waved them. It was less a financial issue and more a lazy one as she saw no reason to bother cooking something decent when it was just her going to be at the house tonight.

Why waste the effort when she could just boil up some water and nothing more?

"What do you mean that's your dinner?!" she curiously eyed the other woman the second she started to follow after her as she walked away, heading towards the fridges in the back to grab a bottle of water for the trip home. "If you're strapped for cash then I could lend you some!" she stopped upon hearing the offer, gaze instantly looking down…

Surely she didn't look that desperate?

Sure she wasn't as dolled up as the woman behind her, but surely she didn't look that bad and in need of cash. In a pair of tights and an oversized hoodie that used to belong to her older brother and naturally swallowed her up, she thought she looked rather cozy in her simple outfit.

"Of course, I will have to charge you interest" she blinked as she turned, blankly staring at the sly grin on the ginger's lips as she winked at her. It…it was rather difficult to tell if she was joking or not with the playful look in her honey eyes and the wide grin spread across her face.

"I'm…I'm good…" she waved, turning away and continuing with her task of grabbing some water. "Is there a reason you're following me…?" she murmured as the ginger stepped up beside her.

"Just thought I'd make some small talk, that's all" she shrugged. "Name's Namimore, you?" she asked.

"Skylar…" she muttered after a brief moment of silence, seeing no harm in being at least a little polite. It fell silent between them as she opened the fridge door and grabbed a bottle…yet she could feel the other woman's eyes on her the entire time. She felt like she was being scrutinized—like every move and twitch she made was being carefully examined as she shut the door and made her way towards the front of the shop. Despite how high of a heel she wore, Namimore's steps beside her almost felt nonexistent as they silently walked together...a fact that made her a bit uneasy.

"How old are you?" the question was sudden and seemingly came out of nowhere as she started while in the middle of using the self-checkout.

"Uh…eighteen…?"

"Hm…" Namimore hummed as she nodded, a glint in her eyes the brunette couldn't be bothered to read as she warily looked from the ginger to the screen of the self-checkout. Her movements were quick as she scanned what little items she had and paid for them, now wanting to leave and go home as quickly as she could. "A bit younger than I expected…" she heard the other woman murmur, causing her cheeks to flush and puff out a little in a huff…

It was always like that.

She was always having people mistake her for being younger or older than she actually was. Her older brother claimed it was due to her appearance and her behavior being so vastly different from one another. Her small stature and delicate looks screamed that she was youthful…yet the mature and tired air around her screamed she was an adult even long before she became one. She didn't find such mistakes to be all that flattering. She was aware that some found it nice to be viewed as younger or older than they actually were with most seeing it as a sort of compliment…

She didn't.

She found it annoying. She hated being reminded that when people looked at her, they never saw her as who she was but instead either saw an annoying brat or someone who was forced to grow up far too quickly for their own liking.

"Is there a reason—"

"Do you usually shop here?" Namimore asked as she looked around, following behind the brunette as she stepped out of the store and into the early evening. A late summer breeze blew by, pushing the stray strands of their hair as they walked. "Do you normally buy so little?" she questioned, peering down at the bag that dangled from her fingers.

"Do you normally talk to strangers so casually?"

"Huh?"

"If you plan to rob me, you're not doing a very good job at it…" Skylar muttered as she buried her hands in the pockets of her hoodie and looked ahead as she made her way to the nearest bus stop. "I don't know many thieves who'd be willing to converse with their would-be victims" it was the only reason she could think of as to why this strange woman was talking to her.

"Trust me—if I wanted to rob you, I would have done so already" Namimore grinned in amusement, chuckling at the raised brow the younger woman gave her as she shot her a quick glance. "Hm…you're an odd one, aren't you?" she suddenly hummed as she plopped down beside her on the bus bench.

'Shouldn't…shouldn't I be the one asking you that…?' Skylar sweat dropped.

"Far different from the others…" she muttered as she leaned forward, resting her chin on the palm of her hand as she propped her elbow up on her leg. Her amusement only grew as she watched the brunette's brows furrow in confusion from the corner of her eye.

'What?'

"Oh! It seems your bus is here" she smiled, watching as the bus pulled to a stop in front of them. "It was nice meeting you, I hope to see you again" she waved, her smile widening as she watched the younger woman hesitantly return the action with a few bent fingers before she boarded the bus.

'What a weird week…' Skylar sighed as she plopped down onto the first available seat she saw. Slumping down, she tilted her head back and closed her eyes as she settled in for the ride home.

A/N: I'm somewhat pleased with how this chapter turned out, but I do want to make it clear that I'm not an expert on how animal shelters fully work or run. All I can do is just rely on what I can find and read online, so if anything is inaccurate then I'm sorry. One thing to make clear, this setting is going to be a mixture of Western and Eastern cultures—real-world countries and places like that probably won't be mentioned or at least will be sparingly referred to. It may be a modern setting, but the world won't be too different from the one in One Piece.