Title: Miana Belonging
Summary: Enter a new character to the One Piece
plot, she takes them by storm, but can she
realize the longing to belong?
Published: October 11, 2005

In an village, in a time different from the Pirate Era

"A new girl…from the Eastern border…won't talk to anyone! What a bitch…"

The conversations of the students lingered on the winds. The breezes picked up the talk, and flew through the corridors, and out into the courtyard. A girl sat on one of the benches, hidden behind a hedge, and the gusts swirled around her. She had short, dark-blue hair, and coal-black eyes filled with regret. The winds pulled on her hair, tugging the many strands, playing with her. The teenager sighed, hearing only the gossip on the winds. She had only just arrived at the boarding school, yet had managed to antagonize the whole school, mostly.

"It probably had something to do with my outlook on life," she mentioned to no one in particular. "My… 'Shut up' attitude." The teen stood abruptly, disturbing the breezes. They swirled in annoyance.

"Good afternoon, Madame Dur!" The schoolgirls' voices, echoed through the hallways, and to the girl's ears.

"Good afternoon, girls," A familiar voice replied, "Have you seen Miana, lately?" The girl, known just as Miana, had no last name. And right now, felt a jolt run through her body, and she dashed away. Now was not the time to have to report to the Head, Madame Dur, why Miana had been skipping classes. She rushed to her room, just barely grabbing the doorframe and swinging herself inside, and hid in her closet. Her heart pounded, as she sat down, and tried to make herself smaller. She held her knees to her chest, and looked up at the wooden, closet door. She glared at it, then softened her look, knowing that the door had done nothing to her, and probably wouldn't ever. Unless you counted splinters.

She ran a finger across the engraved patterns, and spoke to herself. "I…just don't belong here. No, this isn't where I should be. But that would lead to the question…" She looked up, then down. "Where do I belong?"

A young woman, of around 19 years in age, ran up a wide, forest path, her eyes clearing up slowly. She wore a dark red shirt, with wide and long sleeves, and gold embroidery circling her cuffs and up her arm. She had black pants, and dark blue hair, tied back into a ponytail. The world looked blurry to her, like teardrops were blurring her eyes. But that was the last thing that was causing her failure to see.

"Ah?" She said slowly, as her sight returned to her. She looked around. "Did I make a mistake? No, wait…no, this is the place." She slowed to a brisk walk, examining her surroundings. Then she froze. One part of the surroundings was lying on the dirt road, bleeding, and unconscious. "Oh, this is NOT what I needed." She said, almost nonchalantly. She ran up, and kneeled beside the person, starting to dye the road red with his bodily fluids. She tilted her head, looking at the man. He seemed to be the same age as her, and had bright green hair, cropped short. He had black pants, somewhat like her own, and a once-white shirt. He scowled even as he lay there. The young woman leaned on one hand, and shook him with the other. "Hey?" She said in a hushed tone. He groaned. I'll take that as a, No, I'm not dead yet, she thought. She tore at her sash, a dark blue piece of fabric, and started to wrap it around her hand. She searched for his injuries with the other. Once she found the source of blood, she started to bandage his wounds. He started to wake up as she did so. She continued.

"Damn, I said I'm fine, Nami. Screw off," She scowled down at him, trying to keep her concentration. But she gave in, and replied.

"I'm not Nami. Now stay STILL!" She tightened the bandage at that very moment, and he groaned. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. There was an awkward tension between them. A stranger was touching his chest. What was wrong here? Zoro lay back, giving in, but reluctantly.

"Euh…Then who the hell are you, wench?" He tried to sit up, and failed. The young woman pushed him back down, her hands on his shoulders.

"I told you, stay STILL!" She pulled a vial out of her sash. If anything, she always had antibiotics on hand. Just in case anyone was dying of course. She had reckless friends once. She was prepared. The man groaned. She tried to distract him. "Why the hell are you lying in the middle of the road, anyways, sir?" She continued, starting to add the vial's contents to the dressings.

"A stupid mistake. And I have a name…" She laughed. She nodded and let him continue, gesturing that she was a bit busy to actually ask his name. "Roronoa Zoro. And who are you?" She laughed again. This time he had no idea why.

"I wouldn't give my name away to someone who could let himself bleed to death, in the middle of the forest. Doesn't seem like the person to trust, ne?" She finished wrapping, and sat up. He sat up slowly, and scowled at her.

"Anyways…" she smiled mockingly. "If you hadn't decided to die, in my way, I'd never have had to deal with you."

Later on

They sat around a campfire, which Zoro had struggled to make. Finally, the young woman had laughed, and coughed. The fire suddenly lit up. She had hung a pot above the fire, and stirred some soup.

"Do you like miso?" she asked, adding some seasonings. Zoro took a look, and wondered why the hell she kept a pot in her bag. She poured some of the soup into two bowls. She handed one to him, and he nodded. She took chopsticks out from behind her ears, and reached into her bag and gave him another pair. He nodded, and started to eat.

"Thanks," he said between mouthfuls. She swallowed, and asked him where he was headed. He glared at her from above his bowl. "And end up with you silent, and me like an open book?" She smirked, and nodded. The swordsman laughed, scoffing the suggestion. She smiled sweetly.

"Besides. I believe you'd want this back?" She played with a white sword, catching the firelight on the blade. Zoro lunged at her.

"Give that back, you wretch!" She laughed, and stood up. She had taken it right out of the sheath. She raised her eyebrows.

He sighed. "Captain's at some sort of training place. Navigator ran off, something to do with visiting old friends. Luffy had to go after her. And I already said it, I made a stupid mistake," he mumbled under his breath. She tossed the sword back to him, and he caught the katana by the hilt. She picked up her bag, and tossed her things into it.

"How fortunate. Come on, sword-swinger. I have to get somewhere by nightfall, and you're coming. I happen to know where this captain is." He stood up, and caught up to her, keeping pace with her easily. "Zoro. I'd swear I'd heard that name before. You Spanish? What do you look like with a mask on?" Zoro tripped her, and she fell into the bush. He laughed, and she glared at him as she untangled herself.