You blink again.

Surely everyone has heard of The Academy. There were rumors about it even. They say it was a place for monsters and demons. A prison. But what's that got to do with you?

"What about it?" You ask, your (E/C) orbs locking gazes with his.

Smoker shifts his position, feet up on the dark wooden coffee table that sat in the middle of the living room. "I'm sure you've heard the rumors of that place," You nod. "About monsters and demons and such..." You nod again. He sighs and propped up his chin with a knuckle.

"Well, actually, that's not entirely true."

The seriousness of his tone made you have goosebumps. You did NOT like where this was going.

"The Academy is a school for people with-" He looks to you. "-certain ABILITIES-powers, as some people call it."

You open your mouth to question but quickly shut it.

"The Academy is hidden from society. No one knows where it is. Not even the World Government knows where it is." He pauses, blowing out a stream of smoke from his mouth. "That's why it's such a secure haven for them."

"Them?"

"People like you."

"Eh?"

"You didn't think that you and the government were the only freaks on the planet, did you?" Smoker lets out a low chuckle. "Your parents told me that when things start to get rough, they would have to call The Academy and keep you there."

You nod absentmindedly. "Yeah..." Frowning, you began to think about what he just said before looking back at him in shock. "Wait, WHAT?!"

"You're going to The Academy." He states.

"To hell with The Academy! I ain't going to that prison!" You stood up, ice packs falling down to the floor with a thud, and briskly walk away from him and into your room.

Smoker sighs heavily. "Stubborn girl..."

~

"I can't believe you called my parents..." You grumble as you wait for the bus with Smoker standing beside where you were sitting down.

Unfortunately you weren't greeted today with the warm sunshine. Grey clouds hover over the city, indicating that there would be a strong rain shower later. You sat on the sidewalk with your trunk as your chair. It was a fairly large trunk since you had to bring all your clothes with you and everything else you needed.

"Don't pout, (Name)," Smoker says, putting a hand on your head. "Think of it as a boarding school."

You scoff at him and swat his hand away. "Yeah, sure, a boarding school full of super powered freaks!"

"You do know that you're one of them?" He blinks.

You scoff again and frown even more, chin on hands. The sound of a bus interrupts your sulking and you turn to see an average-looking yellow school bus with the words "The Thousand Sunny" printed on its sides. "THAT is the school bus? I expected something a bit more...different." You stare at the bus then at the driver. He was a large well-built man with blue hair sticking up like a duck's tail. Even though he wore sunglasses, you could feel his hard gaze at you.

"Time to go, (Name)." Smoker calls you back into reality. He closes the bus luggage door and walks over to you as you slowly peek inside the open doors with wary eyes.

The driver was frowning at your somewhat paranoid state and honks once, making you jump out of your skin. "Just get in already, will ya? I've got more brats to pick up." He says before turning his eyes back to the road.

You frown. "Smokey..." You whine. "Don't let them take me!"

He smirks at your pout and Bambi eyes then covers your face with his large hands. "Call me if you have any problems." He whispers before pushing you in. You stumble a bit and gasp when the bus doors close.

Smoker proceeded to his bike and watches the bus carefully to make sure you didn't make an attempt to escape through the windows. He caught sight of you trudging your way to the back seat and frowning at him.

"Take care, kid." He murmurs as his eyes followed the bus slowly disappearing from his line of sight.

~

The bus was empty so you were free to sit anywhere you wanted. You took the back seat, of course, so you could watch Smoker but he was no longer there. You glance back at the driver. His eyes were focused on the road and he was busy drinking cola while driving.

The sound of calming travelling music filled the air as the driver began to hum to the tune. You crawl towards the window and watch as rain slowly began to pour.

It felt lonely but at the same time it didn't. Was it because you didn't feel lonely? Or was it because you have been lonely for your entire life that loneliness became a companion? You sigh, a saddened expression plastered on your face.

The driver looked to the rear view mirror and noticed this. "Hey, kid, what's your name?" He pipes up suddenly. You look around the bus. Was he talking to me?

"Yeah, I'm talking to you." He chuckles when he sees you looking around. "No one else on this bus but you and me."

You give him a small smile. At least he seems friendlier now.

"My name is (Name). What's yours?"

"Nice to meet ya, (Name). I'm Franky." He smiles at you from the rear view mirror. "I'm one of the teachers in The Academy."

You tilt your head in question. "But I thought you were a bus driver?"

Franky laughs. "Actually that's just a part time job of mine. No one knows how to handle the bus like I do. Plus, I enjoy a good drive." He presses some buttons on the stereo. "What kind of music do you like, (Name)?"

You gave a thoughtful pause. "Um, I sorta like rock music." You say with a shrug. Franky brings a hand over to his sunglasses and brought them down a bit to take a good look at you. "Seriously? I didn't think you'd be that type of chick, (Name). You sure surprised me!" He laughs and takes out a CD from the dashboard and inserts it in.

A familiar song plays and you broke into a grin.

"Oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa.

Oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa.

B-B-B-Be careful making wishes in the dark, dark

Can't be sure when they've hit their mark

And besides in the mean, mean time

I'm just dreaming of tearing you apart

I'm in the de-details with the devil

So now the world can never get me on my level

I just gotta get you off the cage

I'm a young lover's rage

Gonna need a spark to ignite

My songs know what you did in the dark

So light 'em up, up, up

Light 'em up, up, up

Light 'em up, up, up

I'm on fire

So light 'em up, up, up

Light 'em up, up, up

Light 'em up, up, up

I'm on fire

Oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa.

In the dark, dark

Oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa.

In the dark, dark

All the writers keep writing what they write

Somewhere another pretty vein just dies

I've got the scars from tomorrow and I wish you could see

That you're the antidote to everything except for me, me

A constellation of tears on your lashes

Burn everything you love, then burn the ashes

In the end everything collides

My childhood spat back out the monster that you see

My songs know what you did in the dark

So light 'em up, up, up

Light 'em up, up, up

Light 'em up, up, up

I'm on fire

So light 'em up, up, up

Light 'em up, up, up

Light 'em up, up, up

I'm on fire

Oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa.

In the dark, dark

Oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa.

In the dark, dark

My songs know what you did in the dark

(My songs know what you did in the dark)

So light 'em up, up, up

Light 'em up, up, up

Light 'em up, up, up

I'm on fire"

You and Franky enjoyed singing more songs on the road. Apparently he was a great guy and really fun to be around with. It was still raining but you didn't care anymore.

"Oh, here we are." He slowly pulled to another stop where three young boys stood with their luggage. One had messy black hair with a straw hat and a scar under his left eye. He waved his arms to the bus and went to the other two to get his duffel bag.

Franky opened the bus doors and went outside to help them get their bags in the luggage compartment. The boy with the straw hat hopped inside the bus only to find you sitting in the back seat shifting nervously.

He grinned, ran over, and sat down beside you.

"Hi! I'm Luffy! Who're you?" The straw hat boy leaned in and peered at your face. You quickly scoot away from him and press yourself to the window. He pouts. "Come on! Tell me your name so we can be friends!" He whines, earning a hard smack on the head by Franky.

"Hey, straw hat, don't make (Name) feel uncomfortable." He scolded him. You gave him a grateful smile before turning your attention to the other two who came walking in.

Franky leaves for the driver seat while you were stuck with the straw hat boy who was crying in pain. One of the two, a boy around your age (19) with freckles, was laughing hysterically at Straw Hat who, in return, glared at him.

"Shut up, Ace!" Straw Hat yells.

"We just got here and you already got into trouble." The boy called Ace snickers.

The other boy, who was also around your age and has wavy blonde hair, sighs with a hand rubbing this temple in annoyance. "Luffy, what did you do this time?"

"I didn't DO anything!" The straw hat boy named Luffy protests with a pout. "I just wanted to know her name." He points at you. You freeze.

The other two turned their attention to you and smile. "Hello." Ace says.

"Sorry about our brother," says the blonde. "He's a bit...energetic." He chuckles and holds out his hand for you to shake. "I'm Sabo. This is Ace and Luffy." He gestures to his two companions.

You sit frozen at the three boys. Damn, they're cute. What do I do though? I feel really...anxious...all of a sudden... You thought to yourself, cheeks ablaze. After a moment of no response, Sabo lowers his hand and looks at you worriedly.

"Are you okay?" He asks, reaching out his hand and places it on your forehead. "You're turning red. Do you have a fever?" You flinch and back away from his touch. He looks even more worried.

"Maybe she can't talk?" Luffy pipes up, head tilting to the side.

"Or maybe she's antisocial?" Ace raises an eyebrow.

Sabo glares at the two and shushed them. You fidget in your seat, head lowered. I just don't know how to deal with people...I'm sorry... You tell them mentally but know they can't hear your thoughts.

"She's just shy." Franky says loudly for them to hear. All heads turn to him. "Keep talking to her. She'll warm up to you."