Sighing softly in
Breeze that follows wisdom
A shishou walks on.
Knowing what I know is scary … but the thought of someone else knowing it is worse.
Hi, I'm Sato Ayaka, and I'm a sixteen year old girl who lives on an island called Nerainilu. I learn how to read and write, and that's why I'm keeping this diary. My mother teaches me in secret, because learning is outlawed on my island.
I like learning about political happenings at the moment – like the situation at Arabasta and Skypeia, and the bounties of various pirates. But, of all the subjects of English and Japanese and geography and such, I guess I like Maths the most. Why? I have no idea. But it's natural for me.
My mother tells me that algebra can be used for numerous things, and I'm pretty sure she's right. Only last week, I drew up a 'to scale' plan of a ship, calculations filled in and everything. It's scary: a girl of sixteen virtually a shipwright. Guess the community would be happy – we're a village of labourers.
Anyway, my mum's calling me. It's probably important, so I'll come back and write in you later. See ya!
"Coming, mum!" The dishwater blonde rose, and placed her diary underneath her pillow.
A muffled scream erupted, as Ayaka entered the kitchen to see her mother with a knife pressed to her neck.
"Ayaka … stay alive … and … goodbye …" Sato Mai's voice was silenced, as the Marine beheaded her mother, and Ayaka saw her mother for the last time alive.
Somewhere else on Nerainilu …
"Kyohei! You little baka!" I yelled at my little brother.
He stuck his tongue out at me. "Nya, nya, nya! You lose, Onii-san!" He ran off, pocketing my map.
"Get back here! You don't want me to tell Okaa-san, do you?"
Kyohei stopped. "Oh, alright, Hiroki. I guess you win." My eleven year old brother walked towards me with his head hung down dejectedly.
"And the map …" I said in a warning tone. "Give it here."
He took out the map and gave it to me. "Now scat!" I commanded, as I inspected my map for any signs of damage.
"Good." I sighed contentedly. Walking towards the other side of the island, I heard a scream, and I broke into a run. Matsumoto Hiroki isn't one to left a mystery unsolved.
Somewhere else in Nerainilu …
"Naomi, you are pathetic," my shishou told me. I hung my head.
"Thinking you are terrible, that's not the attitude I want you to have." Looking up at my master in surprise, I caught a hint of a smile.
"Wha …? Shishou, what are you trying to say?" I asked, brushing a stray lock of hair back behind my ear.
"You are the best kick boxer we have trained in ten years. Not only are you accomplished at kicks and punches, you can break a six inch thick piece of wood. Now, do you think you're truly terrible?"
I hung my head lower. "Shishou, you don't have to tell me this."
"Oh, but I think I do. You see, I'd like to pass this dojo down to you."
My head jerked up to stare my Master in the eye. "You … mean it?" I asked incredulously. "You want … me … to look after the dojo?"
Shishou nodded. "I do, Naomi."
Another student ran, and knocked on the door. "Shishou, sorry but I need Mi-san's help. Someone's in trouble."
My eyes grew wide, as I involuntarily rose from my kneeling position. Shishou nodded, and I bowed to him before leaving.
"So, what's the situation?"
I screamed. Marines, I thought with disgust.
"What do you want with me?" I asked, my voice shaking.
The corrupt Marine grinned devilishly. "Your ability."
"What ability?" I queried again, deciding to play dumb.
The Marine grabbed my hair from behind my head, pressed the same knife against my head, and whispered in my ear, "I don't like dumb blondes."
My eyes widened. "But, do you want a ship?" I asked.
"No, that's not what I want, honey. I want you and your Devil Fruit Ability."
"Hang on … what Devil Fruit Ability? I haven't eaten one."
"Girlie, the signs are all there. You're a shape shifter."
"So … what? I haven't eaten a Devil Fruit in my life."
The Marine's smile grew in length. "But you have in your past life."
"Mi-san, I heard a scream from the other side of the island. And it didn't sound like fun things were happening there," I explained.
"Hang on, Hiroki-kun. Where did you say it was from?"
"The other side of the island." I frowned. "Why?"
Naomi's face blanched. "Ayaka-chan." She ran even faster. I was panting to try to keep up with her.
She asked me, "What's your fighting style, Hiroki-kun? It sounds like we're going to need every bit of strength we can muster."
I gnawed my lip anxiously. "I think … I … can use swords."
"Great." She smiled at me. "Where are they?"
"They? Hang on, how'd you know I use more than one?"
"A lucky guess. So, where are they?"
"At home. I'll run and get them."
I sprinted off in the other direction to grab my two swords, since I use Nitoryuu. Kucheso and Harukazi are my two swords. The Shit Sword and Beginning of Spring.
Seeing my younger brother playing near my navigatory tools, I told him to hide, since there was trouble on the island, before I sped out to help 'Ayaka-chan' and Mi-san.
I snuck stealthily around the corner, assessing the situation. This was bad. There was one person unconscious from loss of blood, or possibly dead, and Ayaka was held at knife point. By a Marine.
"What do you mean, my past life?" Ayaka asked, brash even in the face of death.
"I mean, you're a reincarnation. That's what I mean."
"Okay then. What Fruit in my past life did I eat, then?"
"I don't know. But that's what I'm going to find out."
I tiptoed to around where Ayaka was held, and launched a flying sidekick at the Marine's head. It hit, and the Marine turned around. I blanched, because who else would it be, but my father.