Four days have passed and you have successfully survived your insane classes. Just yesterday you had to run, yet again, from Kid during Hand to Hand Combat class for your 3rd period. If you didn't know any better, you assume that by now Kid has marked you as an enemy of sorts.

But, hey, nobody's perfect.

Trudging down the gym with a sore back and aching shoulders, you curse the gods (or rather the author of this story?) at your misfortune of having to be paired up with Koala for Assassination class. "Damn, that girl can sneak up like a ninja!" You hissed, rubbing the sore spot on your neck where your roommate had kicked earlier.

Vivi came out of the storage room with boxes full of decorations and had a hard time closing the door. You fasten your pace and close it for her, shooting her a thoughtful glance. "Thanks," She murmurs rather uncomfortably as she balances three medium sized boxes with a large box sitting on top.

"I can help with that," You take the large box and a medium sized one and walked along side the bluenette. "What are these for, Vivi?"

You noticed that everyone had been excited lately. Decorations were being hung up and students were practicing their skills more than ever. Just what exactly was going on?

"You haven't heard yet (Name)?!" Vivi gasps. "It's the annual academy festival!"

"Annual festival?" You repeat.

She nods enthusiastically. Her blue hair swishes from side to side as she giggles to herself. "Every year we hold a three day festival," She explains, "The first day will be for marketing. You know, selling food and toys and other things. The second day is when we have our showing. We entertain the guests with games with the use of our powers. And the final day,"

She looks at you with shining eyes, her aura seemed to be getting brighter from the thrill. "We hold the Princess Ball!"

After helping Vivi with the boxes, you were called via school speakers by the principal and had to report to his office immediately. You wave goodbye to Vivi and left for the office. On your way there, you thought about why the principal called you all of a sudden. Was it because of the school damages? Hmm, maybe I should avoid Kid for a while... You thought glumly, passing by a few holed walls on your way to the end of the hallway.

A deep voice answered after you knocked lightly on the large castle-themed doors of his office. A golden name plate on the top read: Monkey D. Dragon.

"Enter."

You push back the doors and rest your eyes on the muscular man standing at the end of the room with his back turned to you. The room itself was practically empty besides the principal's chairs and desk, red tapestries that adorned the walls, velvet carpeted floor, and old fashioned candlesticks that lit the room with an eerie glow.

You walk slowly towards his wide, mahogany wooden desk and sit down on the seat across a tall man with a long, square-shaped nose. His square topped cap shadowed his eyes giving him an intimidating look.

"(Name), Ms. Nico told me that you know your way around the school grounds by now," Dragon glances over his shoulder, meeting your scared expression with his menacing one. "I was also told that you know parts of the grounds that no students dared to explore before."

You nod stiffly. Maybe going exploring with Ace wasn't such a good idea?

"If you wouldn't mind, I want you to show our new student around." He gestures towards the square nosed man, "His name...is Kaku."

You breathe a sigh of relief. You weren't in trouble after all.

Kaku lifts his head and his eyes meet yours. He flashes you a smile and extends his hand out. "Hello there (Name). Pleased to meet 'cha!"

You blink. "Uhh, likewise?" You give him a firm handshake. He doesn't seem so bad.

"Good luck, (Name)," Dragon walks over as you and Kaku were about to leave for the door, he whispers in a tone that only you could hear, "Don't let your guard down in those woods." Then he grins and heads back to his paperwork.

~

*Sabo's POV*

"I miss (Naaaaaaaaaaaaame)!" Luffy whines, body draped over the food stand that Usopp was building.

"Luffy! Get off! I can't work with you there!" Usopp yells.

(Name) told them that she couldn't make it to the festival preparations later because she was tasked to show Kaku around. Luffy got a smack to the face by Usopp about his comment that Kaku was just Usopp in disguise. Everyone but Kaku sweat drop at that.

"When is she gonna come back?" He whines again, body slowly slinking to the ground at the loss of his friend.

"She's only been gone for ten minutes, Luffy," Nami sighs. "Get your ass off the damn stand!" She kicks him off, sending him flying towards a napping Zoro.

"OW! WHAT THE HELL NAMI?!" Zoro growls. Nami turns to glare at him, stars replacing her eyes with an ominous shadow. "You. Should. Be. Helping."

Koala grumbled beside Sabo. She was obviously NOT happy about you with another guy.

"I'm going to kick that Kaku's sorry ass." She hissed, cursing the square nosed man for ruining her plans for today.

Sabo sighed, looking less active than he usually is. That guy seems suspicious. I hope (Name) is doing alright. Various images entered his mind as he fantasizes about you smiling next to him with his arm over your shoulder, eating vanilla ice cream cones, and holding hands.

Whoa, am I jealous? He widens his eyes in disbelief. Seriously? No way...

Koala stares intently at the quiet blonde, unsure whether or not he knows what's going on. "Sabo, you okay?"

He frowns slightly and hangs his head in depression. "No, I don't think so..."

~

*Your POV*

You led Kaku to the city of Water 7 just a little ways North from The Academy. It was the only place where the school could gather supplies since Water 7 gets their stocks from the normal realm.

It was also the center of the entire school grounds since the entire area was divided into the Northern Woods, Eastern Woods, Southern Woods, and Western Woods with The Academy settled in between the Western Woods and the Southern Woods.

"Hey, (Name), over there," Kaku points towards an ice cream stand by the sidewalk. "Want one?"

You were surprised by the random suggestion but nod anyway. "Sure."

He flashes you a smile and takes you by the hand. His hands are so warm...and comforting... Though he didn't seem to talk much on the way to the city, his smile never disappeared, and was even smiling at you most of the time.

After Kaku bought you ice cream, you continue to walk him around, showing him the routes and shortcuts since it was easy to get lost from all the different paths of the submerged city. Kaku would occasionally nod and ask questions about the stores, implying to you that he was listening to every word you had said.

"This here is where we buy our metal and stuff for the buses." You point to one of the massive iron gates with a number 1 printed on it. Kaku frown, head tilting to the side.

"Buses?"

"Yeah," You chuckle, "Our engineering teacher, Franky, and our head of security, Tom, both build really cool buses. Franky's specialty is weapon making and he likes to add them to his buses so he became a part-time bus driver of the school."

"Oh yeah," He recalls, "I remember he drove off a pier in order to get here. I think I saw the bus sprout metal wings when that happened." He scrunched up his brows in deep thought. "Actually, the bus sort of looked like a chicken for a moment..."

"Seriously?" You laugh. "Well I wouldn't be surprised. According to Franky, this entire area is in a realm completely closed off from the normal world. So in order to get here, he needs to open a portal. He said something about how water is like a giant mirror reflecting the normal realm with this one..."

You trail off and were deep in thought. A sound of footsteps and an all too familiar "Nmaa," reaches your ears.

"Hello Mayor Iceburg," You greet the purple haired man with a smile.

"Hello (Name), sir," He nods to you and Kaku in greeting. "What brings you here?"

"Just showing the new kid around." You reply. Kaku waves from beside you.

"Ah, I see," Iceburg narrows his gaze at you. "Okay. Bye." He turns and leaves.

That guy is so weird! You deadpan.

You could never understand why a weird guy like him would be so intelligent with engineering. "Well, whatever," You huff, pushing Kaku along with you to your next destination.

As you both walk towards downtown, you noticed he glanced at you every so often and stare at your hand.

"You know, (Name)," Kaku beams at you with a cheerful smile. "You're a really nifty gal. How about going on a date with me tomorrow night?"

The sudden question made you stumble and face plant on the concrete, small droplets of crimson red blood splatters around your head, making Kaku panic and rush to your side. "Whoa there, little miss, are you alright?!"

Stars and planets circle above your head. "Yeah, I guess-Whoa!" Kaku instantly picked you up and carried you (bridal style) to a nearby bench and leans his face closer to your forehead. He was frowning, touching the tender flesh carefully as to not cause you any more pain than you are already in.

"I'm sorry," He sighs, "I didn't mean for you to do that. That was quite the reaction though."

You give him a sheepish and embarrassed smile as he pulls out a bandage and applies it on your wound. "It doesn't look to serious. We should head back for now."

You nod and, before you could stand up, Kaku lifts you up again making you squeak in surprise and carries you back to The Academy. His smile never faltered on the way back as you persistently demand him to put you down, which he flatly refuses each time.

"Kakuuuu!" You wail, pounding his chest lightly with your hand. "I-I can walk on my own!"

Kaku laughs at your halfhearted attempts to make him put you down but his grip was only tightening, you sigh in defeat, arm dangling to the side.

"Gave up already?" He laughs.

"Shut up, I'm tired." You pout, looking up at him.

"Why? I'm the only one walking!" He laughs again.

"Then put me down, you dummy!" You start to squirm in his arms, trying hard to get your legs free and down on the ground.

"Well, you sure are a fiery one," He comments, chuckling to himself in amusement. "How about I put you down on one condition?"

"Fine. What is it?"

"Well you haven't answered my question from earlier, see."

"What question?"

"Do you want to go on a date with me tomorrow?" He stops, eyes watching for your response.

You shift nervously and cast your eyes to the side where he couldn't see the mixed emotions in your eyes, knowing that you never been to a date and you only just met the guy. Kaku was still waiting for your reply.

Well, he seems nice...and I've never been to a date before... You debate with yourself in curiosity. It's not like we'll be an official boyfriend and girlfriend after one measly date, right? But what if I screw up? Kaku seems like a pretty cool guy. Wait, why did he even ask me of all people?

"(Name)?" Kaku speaks up, interrupting the debate you were having with yourself. "You know you can always say 'no', right?" He chuckles and resumed walking.

"I-It's not that I don't like you or anything like that," You twiddle your thumbs, eyes still averted from his curious stare as you feel yourself redden. "I just don't know anything about love, or dates for that matter."

He blinks at you, seeing the hesitant frown on your lips and the anxious look in your eyes made him smile. "Well then I guess I'll just have to teach you!"