Story Start
"Hey Saria, have you seen Luffy's latest wanted poster?" A cocky voice sounded over the transponder snail.
A young woman about the age of eighteen with raven black hair tied up in a short ponytail with a blue-black bandana tied around her head let out a sigh. She wore a white button up opened collared shirt with long sleeves, a red sash tied around her waist, a light brown pouch strapped to her waist that was hidden under her sash, and black pants that tucked inside her black boots at the end.
She was currently sitting on the ground with one knee propped up with an arm hanging loosely from it with the transmitter in her hand. Her black and gold plated long sword scabbard with a jet black cloth wrapped around the hilt laid against her left shoulder and two wanted posters were in her other hand. Her blue electric eyes scanned the two posters as she read over them. They read:
Wanted
Dead or Alive
Monkey D. Luffy
100,000,000 Beries
Wanted
Dead or Alive
Roronoa Zoro
60,000,000 Beries
Saria's P.O.V
"I've seen 'em Ace. Our little bro's getting quite the bounty on his head." I responded back.
"Don't be so modest, you're getting one yourself. It's the same as Luffy's friend." Ace stated.
"Yeah the so called Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro, though I find it ironic how a pirate hunter became a pirate don't you agree?" I waited for a response but I didn't get one. That's when I heard snoring on the other end.
"Oi, you did not just fall asleep on me Ace!" I yelled into the transmitter with a irk mark on my forehead.
I let out a growl and hung up on him by slamming the transmitter on the receiver. I stood up and hung my sword, Kurogane, on my left hip. I walked out of the dark dimmed building and threw away the wanted posters as I passed the trash can.
"Thanks for letting me use your transponder snail boys." I said casually as I walked over the unconscious bodies of several bandits.
I made my way out of the thick dense forest until I came across a small port town. I got stares from many people who could tell I was a pirate from first glance. Many women hid their children behind them thinking I was a savage pirate that might kill them if they look at me wrong.
I let out a sigh. I'm not that kind of pirate. I don't hurt the innocent and I definitely wouldn't kill 'em. Besides I may be a pirate but I am currently not a part of any crew. I use to be part of the Spade Pirates with Ace but I left after they were integrated into the Whitebeard Pirates. Now I mainly hunt down bandits in order to make a living for myself.
I stopped as a glass bottle whizzed past my head and shattered a couple feet in front of me. I turned my head a little bit and looked through the corner of my eye. Behind me was clearly a drunken man in his thirties with a couple of his fellow drunk buddies behind him.
"Hey pirate! We don't like yer kind 'round here!" The greasy looking man slurred and pointed at me in a drunken manner.
"You're drunk. Go home before you get yourself hurt." I stated and started to walk away.
"Don't walk away from me!" I heard his drunken fast footsteps stumbling towards me.
Just as he got to me, I quickly whirled around and unhooked my scabbard and hit him across the chest. The man fell on his back from the blow and he let out a growl in anger.
"Be lucky I didn't cut you or you'd be bleeding right now." I spoke in a deadly tone.
"Hey no wonder she's so familiar! Boss, look at this!" One of the other men showed my wanted poster to the man in front of me.
The man read the wanted poster and his face had a look of pure horror on it.
"Y-you're Demon Sword Saria!"The man stuttered and stumbled back.
"I heard she got her name by cutting down an entire fleet of Marine ships with one slash." One of his men whispered.
"I heard she's not even human, but a demon in disguise." Another one whispered.
I let out a smirk out of pride and rested Kurogane on my shoulder.
"It's nice to see that I'm so popular, and now that you know who you're dealin' with here I suggest getting out of here." I gave the men an evil smirk that sent them running/stumbling off.
By this time the town's people that surrounded had vanished. I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly let out a long sigh, me and my big mouth.
I turned around and took one step before I tripped on something and fell onto the dirt path.
"Ah!" I heard a high pitch scream.
I rolled over onto my back and leaned up on my forearms. I blinked stupidly at seeing a blue nosed reindeer with a pink hat on his head and red pants on, cowering in fear from me.
"A…reindeer…?" I said confused and tilted my head.
"P-please don't hurt m-me." The reindeer stuttered.
My eyes widen, "A talking reindeer?!" Now it was my turn to flip out and at the same time the reindeer screamed at my sudden outburst.
"I-I'm w-warning you, I may be small but I'm strong." The reindeer tried to threaten but it made him look more cute.
I sat up with my legs and cross and let out a grin, "I'm sure you are little guy. I gotta say you're a pretty cute reindeer especially that blue nose of yours. That's pretty cool." I complimented.
"Oh shut up, that doesn't make me happy one bit!" He said that but his little happy dance said otherwise.
I let out a grunt as I started to stand up, "Well sorry I tripped over you…" I stalled not knowing the reindeer's name.
"Chopper, Tony Tony Chopper." Chopper introduced with a smile on his face and held out his hoof.
"Nice to meet ya Chopper, I'm Satsuma Saria." I greeted back and knelt down so I could shake his hoof.
"For being known as a Demon Sword you're pretty nice." Chopper stated with a grin.
"Huh thanks I guess, well I better get going. Sorry again for tripping over you. Here take this as an apology." I reached in my small brown side pouch and pulled out a silver pocket knife.
"Whoa what is that?" Chopper said amazed as he took the knife from my hands.
"It's a pocket knife. It's a small knife that's pretty useful for just about anything. It's pretty easy to use, just press the release button and…" Chopper did as told and he jumped back as the blade of the knife whirled out of its case.
"Where did you get it?" Chopper asked as he inspected it carefully.
"I made it." Chopper looked at me in surprise.
"You made this?!" Chopper exclaimed.
"Yep, I may be a swordsman but my hobby has always been bladesmithing." I said with a grin.
"Oh so did you make your sword too?" Chopper asked interested.
"Nah, Kurogane here was a gift to me from my master." I said resting my left hand on Kurogane's hilt.
"Well thanks for the pocket knife." Chopper thanked and carefully put the blade back in its case.
"No problem, have a save trip back home." I said and started to walk in the opposite direction.
"Bye Saria!" Chopper yelled and waved his hoofs in the air.
No One's P.O.V
"Boy, Saria's a lot nicer than everyone else says she is." Chopper stated to himself as he happily walked back to the Going Merry with the pocket knife in his hoof.
"And this knife if pretty cool, maybe I could use it for medical procedures?" Chopper wondered aloud as he looked at the shiny pocket knife.
Chopper finally reached the Going Merry and climbed up the rope ladder. Chopper landed on the deck and saw the usual happening around the ship. Luffy and Usopp were fishing for a snack since Sanji refused to make them some. Sanji was handing out snacks and refreshments to Nami and Robin on the upper deck. Nami and Robin were both reading books under the shade of umbrellas. Zoro was leaning on the mast with his three swords lying against him and he was taking his usual afternoon nap.
"Hey Chopper, you're back! Did you bring any meat?!" Luffy asked excitedly and ran over to Chopper.
"Sorry Luffy, I went to town to get more medical supplies." Chopper corrected.
"Hey Chopper where'd you get the pocket knife?" Usopp asked pointing at the small steel knife in his hand.
By this time the entire crew was curious to Chopper's answer and were all listening to him.
"Well actually it's kinda of a funny story." Chopper began rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
"Huh uh." Luffy nodded his head with his arms crossed.
"Well you see I was in the middle of the market place when these men threw a glass bottle at a pirate, but not just any pirate. They threw it at Satsuma Saria." Chopper explained.
Simultaneously, Usopp's and Nami's jaws dropped with terrified looks on their faces. Robin, Zoro, and Sanji on the other hand were intrigued at this information. Luffy on the other hand didn't really react which is odd, instead he stared intensely at the pocket knife.
"What!? Demon Sword Saria is here?!" Nami yelled in fear.
"Chopper how did you meet her and still be alive?! She's supposed to be the Demon of the East Blue that can slash down any opponent with one quick strike of her sword!" Usopp yelled.
"Actually she's really nice, she tripped over me after she beat those men and she was really sorry. She gave me this pocket knife that she made herself." Chopper defended and held up the pocket knife.
"Hold on, she made this?" Usopp asked now interested in the small knife.
"Huh uh, she told me she's a bladesmith." Chopper nodded as Usopp took the pocket knife out of his hoof.
"A bladesmith? I never imagined someone as feared as Saria to be interested in smithing blades." Robin stated.
"Incredible the entire knife is made of nickel and steel. I've never heard of those two metals being put together before, in fact its genius! Steel is a good hard metal to give the knife a sharp edge but it easily rusts in sea water, nickel on the other hand has a protective oxide surface to keep it from rusting. By combining these two metals you not only get a strong knife but one that doesn't require much care since it doesn't rust." Usopp said in awe as he inspected the knife.
"Wow, Usopp since when could you tell that?" Chopper asked amazed.
"I work with metal all the time when I'm fixin' the ship up. This type of metal would be perfect for going out to sea." Usopp explained.
"We have a problem though, none of us are bladesmiths and don't know how to forge metals." Robin stated.
"So? We just need to ask that Saria girl to make us some." Zoro stated simply.
"We can't just ask her! I don't care what Chopper thinks of her, she's still a highly wanted pirate! Even if she does agree to make us some who's to say she won't charge us afterwards." Nami stated.
"Of course it's about the money." Zoro muttered under his breath.
Luffy suddenly walked past the crew and headed for the rope ladder.
"Huh Luffy, where you going?" Sanji asked confused.
"What does it look like? I'm going to find Saria." Luffy stated bluntly as he turned around.
"Are you crazy?! You could get cut in half!" Usopp yelled at Luffy.
"Nah, Saria wouldn't do that." Luffy waved off and let out a grin.
"How do you know that?!" Usopp and Nami yelled comically.
"Because I know Saria, she's my older sister." The entire crew went dead silent and gaped at Luffy.
"She's your what?!" The entire crew minus Robin yelled.
"She's my sister, what part of that don't you guys get?" Luffy asked stupidly as he put his hands on his hips.
"It's not that we don't get it Luffy, it's that you're related to Saria. Why didn't you ever tell us? She came up on several of our conversations back in the East Blue and you never said anything." Nami explained.
"You guys never asked." Luffy said stupidly again.
"Of course we didn't!" Everyone minus Chopper and Robin yelled at Luffy and whacked him on the head.
"Ow, what was that for?" Luffy whined.
"For being an idiot!" The same people yelled.
Saria's P.O.V
"Achoo!" I let out a sniffle and rubbed the bottom of my nose as I walked.
"Man, someone must be talking 'bout me. I keep sneezing." I said sniffling again.
I walked along the dirt path that led to another nearby port town, but this one is kinda use to pirates unlike the last one.
"I hope I can find a lift to the next island since my Log Pose got busted. Although I doubt that they will once they figure out who I am. Man being a wanted pirate sucks sometimes." I grumbled out as I crossed my arms against my chest.
"Stop right there you filthy pirate!" I stopped and raised an eyebrow at hearing a man's voice.
"Like I said, it seriously sucks sometimes." I muttered and uncrossed my arms.
"Pirates are not welcomed on this island!" I heard the voice yell again.
"Tch, since when are pirates welcomed on any island? Why don't you show yourself, coward?" I stated calmly.
"I will warn you now pirate, I am known as a very efficient pirate killer." The voice spoke again.
A malicious smirk made its way on my face, "A pirate hunter huh? Well this just got interesting." I said as I got into a stance and clenched Kurogane's hilt.
"Prepare to die, pirate!" I heard the voice yell. I closed my eyes to concentrate on the voice's exact location.
I heard his running footsteps and his heavy breathing coming from the…
"Right!" I yelled out loud and in one swift motion, Kurogane was unsheathed and I slashed to my right.
Kurogane's black blade shined as the sun's rays hit it. The sound of steel hitting steel echoed around the air. I let out another smirk seeing the man that threaten me struggling to block Kurogane.
"A samurai huh, you don't see that every day now." I commented at the man in a dark blue samurai outfit with a golden color mask on his face.
"H-how did you know…where I was?" The samurai grunted out as he struggled to continue to block the blade.
"Easy, I listened to my surroundings. Being a samurai you should know that a swordsman is very in tune to their surroundings and never let's their guard down. But from the way you're holding your sword and your stance…you're just a novice." I stated and with a flick of my wrist I unarmed the samurai with Kurogane.
The samurai let out a gasp and fell backwards. He went to reach for his sword but he stopped when I pointed Kurogane at his throat.
"You're no pirate hunter," I stated and cut the strap off his mask off to reveal a young teenage boy a few years younger than myself, "You're a runt who's trying to take the title of samurai." The teenage boy glared at me and clenched his teeth.
"I am too a samurai!" The teenage boy yelled but flinched back as I put Kurogane closer to his throat.
"A samurai is a swordsman that lives by a code of honor, and a samurai would rather die than be left alive by their opponent. Are you suggesting I kill you to abide by the rules of a samurai?" I placed the tip of Kurogane's blade on his throat and drew a bead of blood from it.
The teenage boy was now stiff and trembling in fear for his life.
"Humph, I thought not. You're neither a samurai nor a swordsman." I stated and stood up straight and sheathed Kurogane.
I turned around and continued my way down the path.
"Don't walk away from me, pirate!" I heard the teenage boy yell and charged at me with a battle cry.
"Pathetic." I sighed out and turned around and tripped the charging boy.
I placed my foot on his back and forced him to the ground. I unsheathed Kurogane and stabbed the tip of the black blade in the dirt path, right next to the boy's eyes.
"Do you have a death wish? I could easily arrange that for you, just one clean swipe through that thick skull of yours and it's over." I stated and leaned my left arm on my propped up knee.
I suddenly sensed something behind me and coming fast but I was too late. I looked behind me and saw a black figure of another samurai with their sword pointed right at me. Unlike the kid pinned underneath me I could tell this samurai was the real deal.
I braced for the impact by using my left arm to block the oncoming blade…
"Gum-Gum Pistol!" My eyes widen seeing a stretched arm punch the samurai in the mask.
"No way…it can't be." I muttered in disbelief.
The samurai was sent flying into a tree and I still stared at the place where the samurai got punched.
"Saria!" I slowly turned my head to see a familiar figure standing on a rock waving at me, "Long time no see!" The shock wore off and I let out a small smile seeing Luffy standing on top of the rock.
"Luffy, fancy meeting you here!" I yelled back to him with a grin now on my face.
"Saria, remember me?!" I let out a chuckle seeing Chopper by Luffy jumping up and down with his hooves in the air.
"I take it Chopper's part of your crew, Luffy?" I guessed.
"Yep! Hey guys come on up and meet Saria!" Luffy called behind him.
"Oh no my don't-go-near-dangerous-pirate disease is kicking in. You guys go ahead without me." I heard a loud nervous voice from behind the rocks.
"Just go up you idiot!" I heard a loud voice and heard a smack.
Seconds later a guy with black hair, goggles, tan skin, long nose, wearing overalls, and a brown bag on his side went flying over the rocks and landed by Luffy.
"You're supposed to land on your feet not your face, Usopp." Luffy laughed.
"I could have done that but I didn't want to scare Saria with my awesome skills!" I sweatdropped at this Usopp character who was trying to act brave but his legs were shaking. Who is he kidding?
"So this is the infamous Demon Sword, she's exactly what her wanted poster describes." A woman with short black hair, blue eyes and wearing a purple western style outfit stated.
One by one the rest of Luffy's crew climbed up to the rock Luffy was standing on. One guy in a suit, blonde hair covering his left eye, a curly eyebrow, and smoking a cigarette and a girl with orange hair wearing brown khakis and a blue tank top saying "gold" on it. The last guy I recognized from the wanted poster: Roronoa Zoro.
"Let me go, agh!" My attention turned back to the struggling teenage boy under my foot.
He was desperately trying to get away from me and see to his fellow fallen samurai. I released him and the guy took off and ran to the other samurai.
"Who is that guy anyway, Saria?" Luffy asked as he jumped off the rock and walked towards me.
"Don't know, he came outa nowhere and attacked me. He claims to be a skilled samurai that's slaughtered many pirates but I don't buy it." I stated as I pulled Kurogane out from the ground.
"He doesn't look like a pirate hunter, just some snot nosed brat kid." The blonde haired one stated and blew smoke from his mouth.
"Grr, how dare you knock out the old man like that!" Our attention turned back to the kid who was seething in anger. The kid grabbed the other samurai's sword and went to charge. I readied Kurogane and Zoro walked up in front and gripped the hilt of a white sword.
"Kisuke stop this at once." A frail voice sounded and stopped the boy known as Kisuke.
"But gramps…!" Kisuke started.
"These pirates are too strong and way out of your league." The other samurai removed his own golden mask and revealed an old man well into his sixties.
"The one pirate you attacked…did you notice her sword?" The old man mentioned.
"Yeah and so what? It's a black blade big deal." Kisuke huffed in annoyance.
"You're still a novice when it comes to swords. Black bladed swords are the strongest swords in this world and it takes a master swordsman to wield one." The old man advised.
"You sure know a lot about black swords, old man." I stated and sheathed Kurogane.
"Yes and I also know how rare they are and there are only a few in this world. Tell me, how did you acquire such a magnificent piece of steel such as that?" The old man asked.
I let out a smile and gripped Kurogane's scabbard, "My master gave Kurogane to me when he announced me as a master swordsman."
"Your master huh?" The old man suddenly let out a throaty laugh which confused us all.
"Huh…why is he laughing?" The guy known as Usopp asked confused.
"I don't know…"The girl with orange hair stated.
"You've must have had one hell of a master that would give you a famous black sword!" The old man said still laughing slightly.
"Yeah, you could say I learned from the best." This sentence seemed to get the attention of Zoro since he glanced at me for a second.
"Well you pirates certainty are different from the other greedy pirates that come to this island, and I wouldn't mind looking more at that sword. Why don't you fellows stay at my place tonight." The old man offered.
"Really?! Thanks old samurai guy!" Luffy yelled happily.
"Gramps, you can't be serious?! They're pirates!" Kisuke yelled and pointed at us.
"Kisuke until you are able to rightfully call yourself a samurai, you do not get to decide who is good and who is bad." The old man stated and stood up.
"Follow me, young ones." The old man stated and started to walk in the opposite direction.
Kisuke let out a growl and glared at us as we followed the old man. His glare was more directed towards me.
Hope you guys liked the first chapter and there's more to come! Follow more of Saria's adventures with the Straw Hats in the next chapter: "Saria-Sensei!?"