Heyo, people. New Story! Yay! Yeah, I wasn't really planning this, but ideas just think it's funny to slap me in the face. LuRo, again. I just think it's the best pairing ever! But I'll take a break on it after I finish this and Meat Eating Moron. Maybe I'll do LuNa? SaNa? Whatever. So. Do you think it's wrong that I feel happy whenever I hear the song of a Pampers commercial? XD

Also, if you notice something odd in this chapter, and you have an urge to ask, DON'T. I did that on purpose…

AU. I find it to hard to put all of Oda's elements into one story and still make everything in character… No one can do it like him. :p So, one less thing to worry about, ya' know? Timeskip, BTW.

If you like this, then do me a favor and review, please! P.S. In my head, I was saying that in a French accent.

She hurriedly walked down the busy streets of New York at seven in the morning, her boots occasionally splashing a small puddle of cold water. She rubbed her arms with her purple gloved hands, her pale face turning pinkish from the fresh air. She slightly huffed with each rapid step, a small cloud of carbon puffing out with each breath she took. Her neck was freezing due to her wet hair, yet it was the last thing on her mind.

She was going to be late. Her class started at seven forty, and it was seven twenty four. It was her last year until she would get her Bachelor's Degree, which also meant the first phase of getting her career would be done. She had been working for it for four years, but it would still take a few more years in the field of archaeology until she could actually become one. Today also held one of her biggest exams of the year.

Her alarm clock had some malfunction, and it seemed all the taxis were busy right now, so she was forced to run to her university. Luckily, it wasn't so far, so if she kept just the right pace, she would get there in no time.

Her wool, maroon beret clung to her soaked hair, which annoyingly clung to her lower back, soaking her black coat with it. As she quickly turned a corner, the large building was in view, but it seemed the world was testing her, and so her heel of her shoe decided to break. She quickly caught her balance, and attempted to might as well break her other one, too. When both were equal again, she continued on her way, with only eleven minutes to spare.

As she pushed the glass double doors aside, she walked to the elevator, which only made her heart drop. Out of Order? She quickly took a deep breath, and proceeded to the stairs. Six minutes left. What was left of her heels connected with the concrete steps a hundred times a minute, as she headed to the sixth floor.

Every now and then would another person as panicked as her would enter the staircase, but she paid no mind. As the second to last minute passed, she finally stopped in front of her class. She took a deep breath, and looked up and down herself to make sure she didn't look funny.

White shirt? Check. Black coat? Check. Beret? Wait. She quickly fixed it. Okay. Boots? Odd, but not enough to be stared at. Scarf? Check. Glasses? Glasses! Where were they? She rummaged through her matching maroon shoulder bag until she found them. A nerdy style to it, but that's what was in right now. Okay…Skirt? Skirt?! Why was she wearing a skirt? She sighed, but decided to just flatten out the black piece of cloth.

She walked in, and immediately felt the air change. Tense to light hearted. Stressed to happy. She didn't know why, but she just immensely enjoyed this class. It wasn't because of the subject, by the way. Perhaps it was the people. Yes. Everyone always seemed so happy, so carefree. But outside, she knew they were was serious as her. Well, maybe a bit less. But it was like this place was just a room to relax in. A room to take a break. Even the teacher wasn't harsh on them.

She walked through the rows of chairs and made her way to her small group of friends. Zoro, was undeniably sleeping, Sanji was studying for the last time before the test, and Nami, being the confident one, just casually sat on her desk, her legs swinging as she waved her friend over.

"Hey, guess what?" the orange haired young woman asked happily.

"Hmm…What?" the other woman known as Robin asked, smiling, as she sat in her own seat next to the girl.

Nami jumped off her desk and sat in her seat, "I have a boyfriend!"

"You do? When? How did you meet?" Robin smiled, interested. It was certainly not what she was expecting.

"Well, since Tuesday…Today's Thursday, right?"

"Yes,"

"Yeah, okay. So, I just went out to Jamba Juice after class that day, and I just met him! He's so odd, though…but it's charming on him…he's in college, too, but I don't think he goes to this one," she smiled excitedly.

"It seems you really like this boy," Robin smiled, "But…What terrible, terrible reason did God give you to go to Jamba Juice when it was thirty degrees on Tuesday?" she teased.

"Oh, shut up! You know that it wasn't terrible! If I hadn't gone, I wouldn't have met him!"

"Yes, yes that's true…So, how is he your boyfriend when you met him two days ago?"

"Well…I guess you can say that we're still friends, right now," Nami admitted sheepishly, "But we plan on going on a date tonight, so I guess after tonight we'll be considered that,"

"I see…So, what's special about this one?"

"What do you mean?"

"Nami-san, turning down boys is your hobby," Robin commented, "For you to be excited to go on a date, something must be special about him,"

"True, true…Well, I guess how he acts. He nice, and stupid, and funny, and stupid,"

"You said stupid twice,"

"Well, he's just really stupid. But in a cute way. And he's not a pervert, either. Thank God,"

"Well, at least we know you won't get pregnant anytime soon,"

"Oh, shut up!" Nami grinned.

"So mind telling me his name?"

"Oh, yeah, it's-"

"Alright, students! Please take your seats, and put everything away, I do no want to see anything on your desk except for a pencil and eraser!" the professor commanded through the large room. "As you know, there's a very big exam today, very, very, big! I hope you all do a great job on it," he said as he walked around the desks.

"Thank you, Professor Clover," the students chorused happily.

"You're very welcome…ZORO! WAKE UP!"

As the two girls walked out of the classroom, leaving the two boys behind, Nami suddenly spoke up, "I need to get ready!"

"Get ready? For what?"

"For my date!"

"But…it's only eleven," Robin spoke, checking her watch.

"Yeah, but…Oh, come on! This is the first time I've been interested in a boy!" Nami frowned.

"Yes, yes…I suppose you want it to be perfect,"

"Thanks for understanding, Robin! I'll call you later!" she told her as she hugged the girl and ran off.

Robin smiled at the retreating girl, and adjusted her glasses before she walked down the hall to the staircase. On the way, the elevator sign said, 'Now Working,'

Robin frowned, "You have to be joking," but took the elevator anyways.

As she walked through the glass doors once more, it finally occurred to her that there was white, fluffy snow everywhere. It lightly covered the sidewalks and local parks, but wasn't as heavy to have cause a storm. Now, the sun was slightly peeking through the many clouds that had taken over the sky of the Empire State.

As she took a longer way to her house through one of her favorite parks, she stared at the ground and smiled at the memories. When she was eight, she and her mother would visit that same park every day. Now, though, her mother was dead, and was killed by cancer. Being still childish at twenty-two, she just wished cancer would get cancer and die. She rented her own apartment from the money that her divorced father sent her every month.

She walked deeper into the park and smiled as she saw little kids play on the slides and swing on the same swings she had played on many years ago. She walked a bit further to see a cart that would usually sell her favorite hot chocolate on cold days as such.

"Ah, nice to see you again, Ms. Robin," the man smiled.

"Nice to see you as well," she smiled.

She had known him for as long as she had started going to this park. Hot chocolate was odd, yes, but it was smart.

"What brings you here today?"

"Just taking a walk, Shanks,"

"Ah, alright. That'll be a dollar,"

She looked through her bag for a spare dollar and jumped a bit as she heard him say, "Ah, there you are! I've been waiting for you all day!"

Whoever he was talking to said, "Ehh. Sorry, sorry! I couldn't find it! I can't just come here without it!"

"Yes, yes, that's true. I would've kicked your ass if you didn't show up with it!"

"Shanks!" Robin frowned at his language, "This is a park, not a bar!"

"Ah, yes, yes, forgive me!"

"Very well," she smiled, "Here," she handed him the money.

"Thank you, Ms. Robin. See ya' later!"

"You too," she smiled and turned around. As she walked past the cart and the man Shanks was talking to she smiled to herself. She just loved people who were always so happy. So optimistic.

As she walked up the small hill right next to the cart she quickly made sure nothing dripped from the styrofoam cup she was holding. She continued walking, satisfied, until she looked to her left and noticed a presence had followed her.

He seemed out of breath, "H…H…Ehhh….Hi,"

"…Hello," she blinked, "Weren't you the one talking to Shanks?" she asked as she looked at the said cart.

"Eh? Yeah! Shanks is so cool!"

"Yes, I suppose you could say that…So, why did you decided to follow me?"

"Because! I was lonely!" he pouted, and she tried to stifle a giggle. He seemed as old as her, and he was doing things like that.

"Fair enough," was her answer.

"So! Watchya' doin?"

"I'm just taking a walk."

"Oh. Okay! How do you know Shanks?"

"Well, since I was eight my mother and I would always buy whatever he was selling. So I've known him for a long time now. You?"

"Oh! That's funny! Me too! He even gave me this hat! See?" the man patted his hat.

"…Now that you mention it, he did used to wear that hat," Robin smiled, feeling a rush of nostalgia.

"Shishi! I love hot chocolate!" he grinned and sipped some but whimpered, "Ow! It's hot!"

She giggled, "The trick is to make sure that your lips aren't dry…use your saliva, if you have to,"

"Oh!" he tried again and laughed, "I see!"

"So what are you doing in the park, dressed up in such fancy clothes?"

He was wearing the same colors she was. Maroon button up with a black tie, black pants, and black shoes, with his straw hat with a red ribbon around it.

"I just got out of class. Your glasses are funny!" he giggled.

She smiled, "Well excuse me, but I don't think they look that funny,"

"Well they do! Lemme' try!" he snatched them off of her face and put them on his own, sticking his tongue out as he did so.

"Sugoi! They're cool!" he grinned and tilted his head, and consciously his hand to the left. "OW! THAT'S HOT!" he whined again as the liquid spilled on his hand and parts of his shirt.

"Oh, my…I think I might have some napkins in my bag…" she mumbled and quickly searched through. "Okay…" she said after she retrieved some, "Let me see your hand,"

"..Nuh-uh," he shook his head.

"Why not?"

"It still…BURNS!"

She smiled and simply took his hand, wiping off the drink, however his facial expression remained frozen.

"What's wrong?"

"It still hurts!" He pouted.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I don't know what else I could possibly do…Would you like me to kiss it better?" she joked.

"Uh-huh!"

She blinked. "I was kidding,"

"But I wasn't!"

"I'm sorry, but that's inappropriate,"

"Why?" he whined.

"Because I don't know you!"

"I don't care!"

She sweatdropped.

"Shishi! Now!"

She sighed, and quickly grabbed the boy's hand again, kissing it on the palm.

"Yosh! It's better!" he cheered.

She smiled. "May I have my glasses back?"

"Ehhh! But I like them!" he whined and leaned his head on her shoulder as she suddenly stopped walking. What an odd boy.

"But you have to give them back to me sooner or later,"

"Later!" he grinned and adjusted them, lifting his head up so they could continue to walk. "You know that putting my head there really hurt my neck?"

"Well yes, but that's because we're practically the same height."

"That's exactly why!" he sighed. "I don't like college!"

"Why ever not?"

"Because! There's so much work! It really know how to stress you out!"

"But if you think about it, the more you work now, the less you will have to later."

"Yeah, but what am I supposed to when I'm older? Get a wheelchair? I'm already twenty three! Haven't you heard that one song by those gay guys? North Direction?"

She smiled at his simple logic.

"I suppose that's true…"

"Hey! Look! I love this little bridge!" he exclaimed and walked over to the said bridge. It was probably only three yards wide, it was made of stone, small vines grew on the sides, and it had a small arch to it.

"I used to have stick races here with my brother Ace!" he exclaimed as he leaned over the railing, both hands on his cup.

"It must be nice to have a brother," Robin commented as she looked at their reflections in the water.

"Oh yeah, it is! He's the best! He's my stepbrother, though. My other stepbrother's Sabo!"

"I see…"

"What about you?"

She shook her head and turned her head to him as he looked at her form the corner of his eyes, "I don't have any siblings… Only friends,"

"Oh. Okay."

They both stared into the distance until Robin's phone rang. They both turned their heads towards her bag, and she said, "Sorry, I have to take this…"

"Hello?" she asked as she took a few steps from the boy.

"Hey. It's Nami."

"Oh. What is it?"

"I've decided that instead of an actual date, I'll just introduce him to you guys first, and we could all just hang out. You know, so we can all be comfortable with him,"

"Wait, wait…You…decided?"

"Yeah. I decided."

Robin sweatdropped.

"Well, I'm fine with that,"

"Great! I'll call him right after I call Zoro and Sanji. Oh, and by the way, we're meeting at my house,"

"Yes. When?"

"Hmm….Five, I guess. It was the original time, anyways. Wear something nice! I want him to be impressed! We're going to Olive Garden afterwards."

"That's good. Everyone loves it there,"

"I know, right? Okay. See ya later!"

"Bye,"

"Who was it?" he asked, still facing the river.

"Just my friend. It seems I have to meet her at five. What time is it now?"

The man checked his watch. "Only 12:32. Wait. Did you say five? I have a date at five!"

Oh. He was taken. She was slightly sad at this. He seemed so nice. So…optimistic. Just the way she liked it.

"Why do you seem… not excited?"

"Eh. It's not that. This is just more fun! I'd rather go on a date with you! But don't tell her I said that!"

She smiled awkwardly, "Well, I'm glad you think that way. And you don't need to worry. I don't know her anyways. "

"Yeah. Shishishishi! I'm gonna call it off!"

"Wait. No, you shouldn't do tha-"

"Hello? Yes? Ah, crap. Stupid voicemail! Tricking me like that." He hung up. "Whatever. I should go, now! See ya later!" he grinned. "Oh. Wait! My hot chocolate!" he chugged it down and threw in a nearby trash can. "Okay! See you later!" he walked off.

She opened her mouth, but then closed it. She didn't even know his name. As she turned around, she heard him faintly say, "Ah, now she calls me! Too late to call it off…Hello?"

She giggled to herself and threw away her half full cup into another trash can. She didn't need to be warmed up anymore.

"Nami-san? Is it really necessary to go shopping?"

Robin was laying on the edge of her lavender bed, talking to her best friend again.

"Of course it is! I've already done my shopping! Just think! My date is your date! Well, not really, but you know what I mean!"

"Yes, I suppose. I'll call you later,"

"Got it. Bye!"

She pushed herself up and looked at herself in the mirror across her bed. She sighed, and exited her apartment again to go shopping.

She could finally get a taxi, and stopped at her favorite store, Trienta Fleur. She had no idea what it meant, though. It was probably French. She loved it there because it always seemed so mature. It also smelled like lavenders, her favorite color and flower.

She walked around the store a bit. Something nice. Something fancy, preferably. A dress, perhaps. She picked out a dress the same way she always did – she pretended that she was the one going on a date. Technically, though, she was going on one this time, but whatever. While she was doing so, she couldn't help but think of the mysterious boy she had met earlier.

After searching through for about half an hour, she finally found one. Strapless, the top was white, but the actual dress part was a fair purple that went down to about a few inches above her knees. Casual, but not too casual. After she had tried it on and concluded it was perfect, she paid, and the cashier lady said, "Aren't you going to buy some shoes with that?"

She was so ready to bitch slap her.

So, after she had found some high heels that matched the shade of her dress, she paid, and the lady said once more, "Aren't you gonna buy som-"

"No," she said and turned around, walking out of the door with pride. Yeah. She told her.

As she checked her phone, the time read three twenty four. Just enough time to take a shower, blow dry her hair, curl it, and do all that other stuff girls called 'pretty.'

After she was out of the hell zone, she succeeded in getting another taxi. She checked her phone. 4:43. Perfect. As she waited in the car, she looked out at the skyscrapers beyond the park she was in a few hours ago. It never failed in taking her breath away.

Finally, finally, she had gotten to her friend's house. Or, mansion, as you could put it. Nami's parents were formerly in the Navy, and my god, they were hell of good gamblers when they were young.

As she paid the taxi, she walked to the large house, and rang the door bell.

Nami hugged her when she answered, "It's perfect! And so pretty! And as I suspected, you're the first one here,"

"Of course," Robin smiled. "So how did you manage to get you parents and sister out of the house?"

"Oh. I told them that there's a new casino across the city, and I told Nojiko that there was a new mall next to it,"

"Across the city? At this hour?"

"Good, right?"

"Yes, yes indeed."

"So, wanna wait in the Living Room?"

"Why not?"

As they were about to take their first step, the bell rang once again.

"Okay, this might be him. Stay calm, Robin,"

"Will do," she sweatdropped as Nami opened the door.

"He- Oh. It's just you guys."

"What the hell is that supposed to me-"

"NAMI-SWAAAAAAN!"

"It means I don't care. Hi, Sanji-kun," she said as she closed the door when they walked in.

"Wow. I'm never not impressed by your damn hou-"

"ROBIN-CHWA-"

"SHUT UP!"

"YOU SHUT UP!"

"NO, BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!" Nami yelled at them, hitting both of them in the head.

Robin giggled. At first, it had been scary, but after a while she had gotten the picture that Nami wouldn't ever do that to her. She watched as Nami scolded the two boys, but then complimented them on actually being able to get dressed up. She was pretty excited. It would be nice to know who Nami's crush was like. Someone who was nice. Someone who was charming. Someone who was funny. Someone who could actually tolerate her.

What made her really want to meet him though, was the fact that Nami liked him. She didn't like many men, and both girls had agreed when they met that having a boyfriend was to hard when they wanted to concentrate on their grades. That was the only reason why she didn't have one. And she knew for certain that she was surely more multi-tasking than Nami. Maybe she should get one herself.

She smiled at the idea as the argument between the three finally finished.

Zoro sighed, "Can we go to the Living Room?"

"No,"

"Why not?"

"Because. Robin and I were going to, but you guys came right in between, so I figured we might as well wait here."

"Okay…I understand you two can't control your little girly emotions, but I, I don't know about this pervert over here, am a guy. I have more self control…I don't give in to temptations… And I'm freaking sleepy."

"That ruined the whole speech!" Nami shrieked.

"What speech?"

"You're a moron, ya' know that?"

"Psh. But I bet not as much as your new boyfriend,"

"Why would you say that?!"

"Because he's stupid 'TWO times!'"

"YOU FREAKIN EAVESDROPPER!"

"I CAN'T TURN OFF MY EARS!"

"Nami-swaaan!"

"SHUT UP!"

"Ah, Nami-san," Robin lightly tapped her shoulder.

"Yeah?!" she asked, slightly annoyed.

"The doorbell. It rang,"

"It did?!"

"Yes,"

"Yay!" Sanji and Nami cheered.

"Fag," Zoro muttered.

"Why don't you look in the mirror?!"

"Stop trying to change the subject to 'Sexy!'"

"I said, 'YOU' not 'ME'!"

"Shut up!" Nami yelled at them in a hush tone as she slapped them.

Robin giggled and covered both of their mouths like children.

"Robin-chwan!" Sanji sighed.

"I'll bite you," Zoro mumbled.

"Yes, yes, that's nice," Robin commented, motioning for Nami to answer the door as she took her hands off.

The ginger haired girl crossed her fingers and opened the door.

"Hi Nami!"

"Hey Luffy,"

Robin couldn't tell how the man looked, as the door was to the side. However she smiled at the facial expressions that her best friend was making. Whoever it was seemed pretty excited to see her.

Suddenly, Sanji moved past the ebony haired girl and walked in front of Nami, "Okay, listen up! If you're gonna date Nami-swan, you better be grateful that you get to look at an angel!"

"Angel? Where?"

"DUMBASS!" Sanji kicked his leg, and was answered with an "OW!"

"Sanji-kun!" Nami gasped and pushed him away. "I'm sorry,"

"Ah, that's okay! My stepbrothers Ace and Sabo used to hit and kick me like that all the time!"

Robin furrowed her eyebrows. Ace? And Sabo? STEPBROTHERS?

"Come in," Nami welcomed, smiling.

"Okay!" The man walked in, grinning and smiling so innocently. So happily. So optimistically... Just the way Robin liked it.