A Year To Remember

Okay, I'm really sorry for those who have been wanting me to update The Conqueror! However, I've been wanting to write this high school fic for a very very long time now. It's no joke, I've been wanting to write this ever since before The Conqueror was ever even conceived of. Lol. So yeah, I hope you all enjoy this little story! Drama is the secondary genre since high school is full of "drama". Lol. Anyway, I will eventually get back to my other fic, but I really, really want to start this one. So let's go:D

Disclaimer : I might own your soul, but I SURE as hell don't own One Piece or anything related to it.

Chapter One – A New Home

The wind blew in a sort of nonchalant way. It beckoned people to come out of their comfortable houses, tempting them with a nice relief from the sun. The bright blue sky worked together with the light wind to make it the perfect summer's day. No one could complain about theses conditions. There was, however, an exception. A certain 16-year-old boy was looking up into that endless sky of beauty, dotted here and there by the occasional white, fluffy cloud. The breeze that ruffled his messy black hair was almost insulting to him. "Why... couldn't it have rained today?" he muttered to himself with displeasure.

A tall, red-haired man walked past him with heavy boxes loaded in his arms. "Luffy, what is wrong with you today?" he asked with annoyance as he walked past, giving him a disapproving glance.

"The weather is too nice," was Luffy's pouty reply.

"Seriously, honey, your mood is rather odd," added a lady with dark green hair as she, too, walked by with boxes in her arms. "And can you please help us here? We've got a lot of boxes left, you know."

Luffy sighed for the millionth time that day and watched his parents walk to the moving truck. His grandpa had just placed a sofa he was carrying by himself inside the truck. He walked up to Luffy and before the youth could do anything, he was hoisted up by the back of his red vest. Luffy yelled in protest. "Let me go, you old man!"

His grandfather merely growled. "You'll help whether you like it or not. Got that, boy?" He walked briskly back to the modest house set on a small plot of land. This was Luffy's house... well, not anymore. Today, he and his family were moving close into a port town very far away from their current home. "Grandpa, I don't want to leave Fuschia Town!" he protested. "I grew up here, I'm not leaving!"

The elderly man gave a short bark of a laugh. "I don't care what you want, Luffy m'boy! Now why don't you be a good boy and be a bit helpful, huh? Act more like your brother for once." "I don't care if Ace likes to help, I don't wanna!" Luffy whined like a small child. His grandfather literally threw him up the stairs without effort. "Luffy, get the crap from your room and bring it all to the truck!"

After a few hours of hard work in the bright summer sun, the job was finally done. The large truck was totally full. Luffy and his family thanked the neighbors who helped them. Shortly after, Luffy climbed into the passenger side of the moving truck. His father got into the driver's side. The silence between them was somewhat uncomfortable as the truck rumbled down the roads that would eventually lead them to their new home. Luffy stared resolutely out the windshield at the car in front of them that he knew contained his mother and brother. Further ahead in another car was his grandfather. After about an hour of silence, Luffy's father finally sighed. "Listen, Luffy," he began, "I know you don't really-"

"It's fine, Shanks," Luffy cut him off quietly. "I'm fine. Moving is fine." He stared wistfully at a passing restaurant. "I'm frickin' starving," he stated with longing.

Shanks, Luffy's foster father, couldn't help but laugh. "All right, perhaps we should stop for lunch."

"A late lunch," Luffy said, frowning. "It's already, like, 3 o'clock." Shanks just smiled as he flipped open his cell phone and called his wife. "Makino, honey, stop at the next restaurant you see, will ya? I think we can stand for some food. ... Yes, I know it's only been an hour, but Luffy here is starving and ... Yeah, okay. Okay. See you in a bit." He hung up. "Ace says there'll be one coming up soon," he said.

Sure enough, after about fifteen minutes, the family found themselves sitting at a table in a nice little restaurant. "So, Garp didn't want to join us?" Shanks inquired after they had all received their drinks.

"Nope," Ace replied. "Grandpa said he'll meet us there. I called him."

When the waiter came and politely asked if they were ready to order yet, Luffy demanded meat. The waiter gave his parents a questioning look, and Shanks said, "Give him two of your biggest steaks, please, rare." Luffy smiled and nodded.

Soon, the family was out again. After making two more stops before reaching their destination, they finally pulled up in front of Garp's house. It was dark since it was midnight. The trip had taken them a total of 10 hours. As Luffy walked out of the car, the smell of sea salt hit him full-force. He definitely seemed to like the smell, though. It made him somewhat cheerful. 'That will be one nice thing about living here now...' he thought to himself. 'The beach... I love the beach.' He frowned. 'I just wish Grandpa didn't live so close to us. Now I'm gonna have to deal with him so much more often. And all cuz Shanks got a job out here. Well... the college Ace wants to go to is real close to here, too. At least he can stay home while he goes to college. I would really hate it if he had to move away.'

As they entered Garp's large house, Makino thanked him yet again for letting them stay for the night. Shanks turned to look at Luffy and Ace. "Hey boys, why don't you go up to bed? We got a lot of work to do tomorrow, so you should get some good sleep."

"All right, Shanks," Ace complied. "Good night, everyone! Come on, Luffy."

Luffy mumbled a good night as he and Ace went upstairs to their room for the night. It was a nice little guest room with two twin-sized beds in it. The general theme of the room was blue; the walls and the comforters were a nice blue color. The brothers placed down their things and immediately got ready for bed. Luffy wore pajamas whereas Ace simply stripped down to his boxers. After they were settled in beneath the covers, they stayed silent for a while. However, as usual, conversation started.

"Yo, Luffy," Ace whispered. "Why are you so upset about leaving Fuschia Town? What's so special about it?"

"The fact that we grew up there," Luffy whispered back with a sigh. "I mean... besides that, nothing much really. I didn't even like the kids at school there. But I bet that won't be much different here... After all, I'll still be the same annoying, weird kid." He laughed softly. He genuinely didn't care what his peers in school thought about him. He wasn't going to change himself to better suit their expectations. He was who he was, and if no one liked it... tough.

There was another moment of silence before Ace asked another question. "Nervous about starting school in a week?"

"Not really," Luffy replied indifferently.

"Well, I've heard there's a good amount of gang activity around here," Ace said darkly. "I'm sure THAT will make things more interesting."

Luffy smirked in the darkness. "Heh, whatever. I'm not scared of gangs. They're a bunch of cowards."

Ace chuckled. "I'm gonna laugh when you become the victim of a gang beating. We're gonna find ya all messed up in some alleyway or something." His tone grew more serious. "But seriously Luffy, watch what you do and say in Rogue Town High, all right? You don't want to get the wrong people angry..."

"Ace, you and I both know I don't care what others think," Luffy whispered defiantly. "Let 'em get angry! I'm not scared of 'em."

Ace chuckled softly again. "Yes, as you've said," he whispered warmly. "I know you're not afraid. Just... don't make me have to come and save your ass someday, all right?"

"Heh, sure, whatever," Luffy replied. Ace could just about hear the smirk on his younger brother's face. After making that little statement, Luffy rolled over onto his side and brought his knees up to his chest into a fetal position. He closed his eyes. "Maybe... being here won't be so bad. Just as long as Grandpa doesn't bother us too much..."

"You mean bother you," Ace corrected, also rolling over and closing his eyes. "He likes me, remember?"

"Aw shut up, Ace," Luffy whispered, followed with a yawn. Despite his annoyed tone of voice, he couldn't help but grin. "You've always been Grandpa's favorite... but whatever. I don't care what Grandpa thinks about me any more than I care about what the kids at school think."

"Of course you don't, Luffy," Ace mumbled as he drifted to sleep. "Of course you don't..."

Yay, Shanks and Makino are Luffy and Ace's foster parents! It fits well since Shanks has always been Luffy's "father figure" in One Piece. Not to mention Shanks and Makino are the perfect couple. So yeah... please review and tell me what you think. :D