Chapter 1: Run to the sanctuary

"Get back here you damn brats!" The sound of a very angry teacher rang through the halls of Raftel High School. The pounding of feet did as well carried with shrill laughter of enjoyment and hysteria. The two men who were walking to the classroom on the third floor stopped as the pounding of feet came closer.

"You guys go on, I'm gonna take the scenic route!"

"Right!"

They looked at the end of the hall and saw three teens run towards them. A green haired and a curly black haired boy ran right past them and turned at the end of the hall in the opposite direction they had planned on going. The third had short messy black hair. He went to a window and opened it.

Before the two men could react, the young boy jumped out the window. The shorter ran to the open window and looked town. He couldn't see the boy anywhere. He then heard a light tap of shoes on concrete and looked up to the boy climbing up the side of the building like a monkey.

"What the hell?" the man said before looking at his partner. The larger man shrugged and continued to walk in the direction they intended to go to. The sound of a man panting stopped them again. The bigger man seemed to beginning to become pissed with the interruptions.

*pant* "You must be the two who have been looking for one of our students." The man black hair that was shaped like a roosters head. He was somewhat chubby and was clearly not meant for running.

"Yeah, um, are you okay?" the shorter of the two asked. The chubby man nodded and looked at them. The shorter had tanned skin and sand colored hair that resembled a pineapple. The other was a much larger man with a frown and black hair that was in bobs on his head.

"Have you seen a few teens? There should be six of them." The man asked.

"We saw three. Two ran down the hall and a third climbed the side of the school. That sounds really fake." The tanned man said whose name was Marco. The bigger, Jozu, nodded in agreement.

"Those kids will be the death of me." The fat man said looking at the open window.

"Why were they running?" Marco asked instantly curious and not wanting to get to what he had originally come to the school to do. Jozu glared at him and Marco shrugged carelessly.

"Every day about ten minutes before study hall for them officially starts; they run out of the classrooms and head straight for the roof. Nobody is even sure how they get there. The door is locked so the only way should be to climb up the side of the school." The man who had said he was the vice principal declared.

"Well one did." Jozu said reaching over and pulling the window shut. A threat of storms was on its way.

"Yes, but he is the only one who can. Sure some of the others have the ability, but it takes them twice as long. So we wonder how the others get there." The vice-principal said.

"They go up to the roof and skip study hall. Are they delinquents or something?" Marco asked as rain began to come down.

"Oh no, they are actually all top students in at least one subject. They always come back in time for their next period and where did he go?" the man said noticing that Jozu was gone.

"Ah, he went to do what we originally came here to do." Marco said looking out at the storming sky, "Those kids are gonna get soaked if they are up there."

As soon as Marco said that, a crowd of students filled the hall heading towards their next class. "No," the vice-principal said over the crowd as they stood by the window, "They will come back to class completely dry. It scares some of the students. They think that those kids are working with the demons and they declared 'pirates' of the school. There is even a rumor that a few of our teachers work with them."

Jozu came back in time to here the last part of the conversations. "It seems that he is part of the group that went up to the roof." The man said and Marco sighed.

"I don't feel like getting wet so let's come back tomorrow. Good-bye old-man." Marco said heading towards the stairs. He smiled, Pirates huh? Sounds interesting.

The vice-principal stood where he was and watched as the two gentlemen walked away. He was told by the head that a couple of men would come to talk to one of their students; he hadn't expected them to be so intimidating though. The man quickly to the staff bathroom. The brats on the roof were on for it if they pissed off those men.

7 meanwhile 7

"Ne, Luffy?" a black haired girl looked up from her bento she was eating and looked at the orange haired girl who had called her name. The roof of the school was where they hung out. They couldn't come during lunch because they would never have enough time to talk. They six friends all had study hall together and had claimed the roof their place. Mainly because they were the only people who could get up onto it.

"Yeah Nami? The girl asked the other teen.

"When are you going to start wearing the girls' uniform, or even girls' clothes?" the teen asked flattening out the blue pleated mini-skirt that was part of the schools' 'sailor girl' uniform. Luffy shook her head and went back to eating. They didn't know the details and they didn't care about them, but Luffy had no choice but to stay a boy in the school. She even had to give them a fake name. Luffy was her real first name, but Beckman was not her last. She had borrowed it from a friend of hers who said that it was no problem. She was living with him and his friends anyway.

The six teens went back to what they always did. Luffy was a first year that majored in sports academics. Semi-tan skin, large chocolate eyes, with a scar under the left and scruffy black hair. She wore the boys' uniform which consisted a white collared t-shirt and navy blue shorts. Even though the school called her Luffy Beckman, her real name was Monkey D. Luffy.

Luffy sat next to Zoro a third year. He had sharp black eyes and green hair. Everyone thought he was a demon due to his usual glare. He wore his uniform similar to Luffy except he wore pants and regular shoes unlike Luffy who wore sandals or sometimes nothing at all. It was secret that just the few of them knew that the two of them were going out. Neither was gay, but it would seem like it to the oblivious student body and most teachers. Like Luffy, Zoro was in the sports academics.

Usopp and dark-tanned boy with curly black hair who majored in art was talking to a small reindeer boy with brown fur, a pink top hat and a blue nose. The reindeer was a first year the same with Luffy and was clinging onto every word that Usopp said. Usopp majored in art and Chopper in mdicine

A heavy gust sent the straw hat that was on Luffy's head towards Nami and Sanji. The blonde cooking major easily caught it and flung it back towards the girl. Luffy thanked him and went back to talking with Zoro. Sanji was in the same grade as Zoro though the two didn't get along much. His left eye was never seen and had the habit of smoking which he did freely up here. None of them cared, they were used to it due to where and who they lived with.

Nami was a second year and was a geography major though she was smart in other subjects as well. She would always tutor you, for a price. She was one of the 'official girls' of the group.

There were three others but they couldn't come up to the little sanctuary on the roof the teens had created. They were teachers and had classes to attend to. The first was Robin, a history teacher with shoulder length black hair. The others were a musician skeleton with a giant afro named Brook and a cyborg shop teacher called Franky.

"The bell is about to ring." Sanji said helping his girl up. Nami thanked him and began to walk towards the middle of the roof.

"Come on Luffy, you'll get wet if you go your usual way." Nami said as they gathered up their trash. Luffy booed but followed the five teens. Her boyfriend hugged to try and cheer her up. With Luffy, it worked. She hugged Zoro right back.

7 elsewhere 7

Marco walked towards the black car that they had parked out the front of the school. (The school is like your basic six floored Japanese high school with a flat roof surrounded by a ten foot tall fence.) The man protested about the rain and Jozu sighed. It couldn't be helped that Marco couldn't stand being wet.

A vehicle caught the shorter ones eye. They rode in a black sports car that stood out in the place, but this one stood out even more. It was a red F150 with a six foot bed, two doors and two foot tires. The bed was covered with a black top so it wouldn't get wet and a pirate flag was on the tail. The symbol was that of a skull wearing a straw hat. The head piece had a ram and a sun/sunflower/lion figure head. Both doors had a black circle that was filled in dark brown with a red one that matched the rest of the truck. (This is my dream truck, when I get the money and stuff, I will have it. But maybe I'll get a four door with the six foot bed. Sorry I am a truck girl.)

The rest of the cars and vehicles were either used old one or obviously parent let borrow deals. This one seemed like it was meant for a student, one who had no problem declaring themselves as a 'pirate'.

Marco smiled, unless the owner was a total jackass, he might like the kid. It was rare to find someone who openly declared that they were a pirate nowadays. The marines were too tight assed about it. Marco got a better look at it as they drove away. Black leather seats and a stereo that hooked all the way to the bed of the truck.

"That thing cost a pretty penny." The man said looking straight ahead again. Jozu grunted as if to say he agreed. There was no way an average high-schooler could afford that and keep their rep as a 'pirate'.

The two of them drove down to the shore warehouse. This was where they worked and lived. The rain had stopped when they got there and they walked in. A few people greeted them though most were busy working or talking. The two walked over to their boss.

Whitebeard was an old man but was not to be underestimated. He was one of the original 'pirates' to start up with. A younger man, probably one of the youngest of the bunch was sitting next to the old man. Even though he was only twenty, Ace had received a position as high as Marco and Jozu themselves. He was shirtless with black shorts and a read necklace. His orange cowboy hat rested on his wavy black hair covering his freckled face.

"Well, by rumor there is one there. We saw three of them and gained some info. And supposedly she is one of them." Marco said with the last part more directed to Ace then the boss.

"So, another group of gakis think that they can rise in the world of 'pirates', huh?" the old man said drinking grog from a barrel. Many men began a small laugh at the sound of their father's tone and sarcasm.

"We found a vehicle that was clearly demonstrating a 'pirate' group. Either that or they just like the symbol." Jozu said continuing the report. Not many people had the guts to start another 'pirate' group, especially close to Whitebeard territory.

"Go to the school and keep watch from somewhere but don't go into the school." Whitebeard said to his two commanders. They nodded and headed over to sit next to Ace. He was grinning at the news that she was in the school. He looked at them and they knew what he wanted to ask.

"We think we saw her, but she looked more like a boy." Marco said accepting some booze from Jozu and his way of randomly having grog.

"So she did do what I told her to do." Ace said accepting one himself.

"Did you tell her to jump out a window?" Marco asked sarcastically.

"Only in case of an emergency." Ace said with a serious yet pleased grin. Jozu rolled his eyes and Marco face-palmed. "What?"