Chapter 1, Meeting The Crew.

I snuggled into the bark of the tree, as much as you could. With a tree that is. I sighed and grabbed the extra bottle of alcohol I bought. It was a bottle of sake, good sake. But nothing compared to wine for my tastes. I sighed and turned the lid, taking it off and gulping down the sake. I downed the bottle and threw it over the branch of the tree. The bottle cracked on the forest floor and I cringed. I hoped nobody heard that. I sighed and flung myself back on the tree. I grabbed the orange I had dropped and set the bag aside. I took of the peal of the orange and slowly ate it. The sun was already beginning to rise, how long had I been here? I knew this wasn't a place to stay. I need to get out before the marines would find me. But who cares about the marines. They could never find m-

"Over there!"

My head snapped up and I searched the tree line. I saw a trainee and cursed. "Damn marines."

I snatched up the shopping bag and jumped up a few branches. I hid in the leaves and willed the marines to go away. Obviously they did not. I cursed again and jumped to the next tree, fleeing from them. They gave chase and I snickered at their clumsiness. Because they looked up at me they could not see where their feet where going and many tripped over roots and rocks.

"Catch her! Blood Red stop right there!" An officer yelled.

The trainee's and soldiers charged at me and I just jumped away. I laughed and stopped on a branch. I watched as they aimed their guns and fired. I dodged the shots without even moving my body.

"Why you all coming after me?" I asked innocently.

"Don't play dumb with me!" The officer from earlier said. "You have a 60 million Berri bounty on your head!" He yelled.

I watched him bite his lip and tell the soldiers to fire again. I got tired of their antics and sat on the branch. I watched them aim and pull the trigger. That moment I uncovered my eye and all the bullets flew back to the soldiers, as if repelled by the mere sight of this blood red eye. What? You thought my name came from something else? Ha! Fat chance!

I laughed as I watched the marines scramble. I wanted nothing more than to kick their asses but I didn't have the time for it now. I jumped up and balanced on the branch. I saluted to the officer and made myself scarce.

A few minutes later I arrived at the harbor, were I knew pirates stowed their ships. I saw a few ships I knew. A submarine even. I recognized it as Trafalgar Law's ship. He was that 'Surgeon of Death' right? I shrugged and looked at the other ship I knew. It was big but not that big. I knew it was Eustass 'Captain' Kidd's. I shook my head, not wanting to be on that ship either. I looked on and my eyes widened.

There she was. The masterpiece of all ships. I had heard about it but never seen it. A lion's head and a beautiful form. Full sails and a rudder that was very big. I almost drooled all over myself when I saw it. I knew I had to get on that ship no matter what. I snickered and wiped away some actual drool. I hopped of the branch I had been sitting on and sped off towards the ship. It was massive from up close and I craned my neck to get a full view.

I smiled once more and jumped up the ships in three hops. I landed gracefully on soft grass. Wait, what? Grass? I looked at my feet and saw that it was actual grass, there was even a tree with a swing hanging from it. I chuckled and walked further onto the ship. It was beautiful and I couldn't get enough of the sight. I glanced up to see the sails and smiled at the insignia on it. Straw Hat, a skull wearing a Straw Hat. I almost laughed if I didn't know who this ship belonged to.

I snuck up the deck and peeked into the galley. It was massive from the inside and looked absolutely astounding. I was about to drool again when I leaned against the door and it opened. I stepped inside, wiping my mouth as I looked around.

I set my bag on the counter top and fished out the oranges and meat that I bought. Also a few spices and a crop of salad. I looked into cupboards and other spaces and soon found a frying pan. I picked out a knife and snagged the salad of the counter top. I chopped it up and looked around for a bowl. When I didn't see one I searched through more cupboards and found a nice, pale blue bowl. I shoved the salad in and grabbed a few spices and an oil I found. I mixed it in and created a delicate but tasteful salad. I reached behind me to grab the meat and began humming a beat. I also grabbed the oranges and found a hand grater. I sliced the meat into thin strips, still humming and almost full on singing to an unknown song. I pulled some butter from the bag and put some in the frying pan. I let it bubble and slid the meat in, a sweet aroma already rising from it. I grabbed the hand grater and rasped the pealed oranges over my salad and my meat. It smelled delicious and I grabbed a few other spices to make it more so.

"Nami-san! I'll make you some nice breakfa-" The door opened and a voice stopped mid-sentence.

I stilled and looked over my shoulder as a blond man entered the galley. He was staring at me and then at the things I was doing. He opened his mouth to say something when a body smashed into him. The body stood up and looked around, screaming for meat. The blond on the ground cursed and stood up, kicking the tanned boy out of the galley.

"You'll have to wait! We have a damn guest." He said.

The tanned boy stuck his head inside and I giggled as his eyes widened. I turned back to my meat and flipped it over with a spatula.

"A guest?" I heard from outside.

It sounded like a girl and soon enough, a red haired woman walked in. She also stilled at seeing me and I smiled at her. She turned to the blond with an angry glare. She seemed to want to scold him but before she could, another woman entered. She had black hair and looked older than the first. She froze at the sight of me. I chuckled and grabbed a plate from a cupboard. The blond was still watching my every move with his one blue eye as I cooked. I scooped the meat on the plate, letting the aroma's run free as I grabbed the salad. I walked passed the four people in the galley and sat down at the table. I grabbed a fork and a knife from behind me, that had already been placed there.

I turned back to see a stretched hand grab a piece of my meat. I rolled my eyes and flicked out one of my own knives, impaling the hand as it retreated. The tanned boy, who the hand belonged to, wailed in pain. The blond and the girls immediately took a fighting stance.

I looked up at them and said, "What? He was stealing my food?"

The blond relaxed slightly and kicked the tanned boy. The boy cried again and I plucked the knife out of his hand. The stretched hand coiled back and with a smack, retreated to the black haired boy. He whined at his bloody hand and showed it to the black haired woman. She chuckled and showed him outside. I shrugged and began to eat my food.

The blond walked up to me after showing the ladies out. He sat on the table and lit up a cigarette. I glanced at him and studied his face. One of his eyes was covered and he had a goatee. He also had this swirly eyebrow which made me smile. He looked down at me and blew out some smoke.

"You were hungry?" He asked.

I shook my head. "Not really, just wanted to get rid of my food without having to waste it. Already did with an orange I had to drop on purpose to get some stupid goons of my back."

The blond seemed to perk up and he stood up from his leaning position. He growled and pulled the cigarette from his lips.

"A lady shouldn't have to fight of goons. Not with those precious cooking hands!" He said, seemingly really caring.

I smiled at him and sat back in the chair. "You wanna taste?" I asked.

He froze at my statement and I saw him swallow. He looked at me through a curtain of blond hair and his ocean blue eyes watched me for a lie.

I held up my fork with the meat on it and showed it to him. He didn't move at first so I stood up and grabbed his hand softly. A bright red blush appeared on his face and I instantly knew that this was the infamous Black Leg Sanji. I smiled and brought the fork to his face. He swallowed again, not moving.

I sighed and said, "I didn't poison it," and pushing the fork to his lips I said, "I ate it just now. With this fork."

That seemed to get his attention as he opened his mouth and swallowed the food. His nose began dripping with blood and I chuckled. He staggered backwards as he chewed on the food. His eyes widened and he began to open his mouth to talk. I shushed him by placing my finger on his lips and saying,

"Let the food do the work. Taste it for all it's worth. Then you can talk."

He nodded his head and swallowed. I removed my finger from his mouth and he almost whimpered at the loss.

"That was... Amazing. What did you do to it? I have never been able to create a taste like that!" He exclaimed.

I smiled at the exited blond and instantly knew he had good taste in food, and women. I sat back down and ate the rest of my food before answering. I let him suck on his cigarette with a tense face. I could see him calculate all the possible spices I could have used. I smiled inwardly and finished my food. As I stood up and reached for my plate to take it to the sink, he had already grabbed it and placed it on the counter.

"You're a real gentlemen, aren't you?" I said.

He nodded his head and spoke softly, "I was taught to value women and how to treat them." Then he smiled. "But that's not all. I also cook all who want delicious food. Nobody should go hungry." He said.

I could see a small hint of pain hidden in his eyes and my face softened.

"You experienced true suffering, did you not. The pain of an empty stomach with no hope of rescue."

His eyes widened and he stilled, watching me as I continued.

"The pain of feeling alone. Left to die. Never to be known by anyone other than yourself. Only with yourself and your thoughts. Wanting to be saved, rescued. Anything better than what you were going through." I said, my voice soft and gentle.

He watched me with fear in his eyes. I knew what he was hiding. The ugly truth of starvation with no hope of survival. I respected him for it. For being selfless and sharing his most important thing in the world.

"H-how did you." He stammered.

"I can read people. Their all like an open book to me. Nothing is hidden and everything will be revealed." I whispered as I walked over.

He froze on the spot and his eyes widened even more. I traced my hand up his arm and to his neck. He shivered under my touch and his eyes closed.

"The true suffering of a person is when their heart leaves their dreams behind. A dream should be fulfilled and be able to come true. But when the heart leaves it behind, because the brain knows there is no hope, it crumbles and will never be the same again."

The blonde's knees almost buckled and I could hear his ragged breathing. I traced my hand over his cheek and his visible closed eye. I smiled softly and stroked his hair away.

"Look at me." I whispered.

He opened his eyes and watched me wearily. I uncovered my red eye and he gasped very loudly. His knees buckled for real this time and he fell to the floor. That moment the door flew open and the tanned boy stormed in. His face was serious and he watched me with an angry glare.

"What did you do to Sanji!" He asked as he eyed the dazed blond.

I smiled and leaned against the counter. "Nothing." I said.

The tanned boy obviously didn't believe me, for he swung his fist backwards and charged it at me as it came back. I jumped to the side, pulling the blond with me. I slapped his face a few times and he snapped out of it with a start.

"What the?"

Then the tanned boy flew over the counter and crashed into me, wrestling me to the ground. The blond, Sanji, grabbed the boy and pried him off me.

"Stop it, Luffy!" He said, holding the boy in place.

I sat with my back against the cupboards and breathing heavily. Sanji was holding Luffy still and looked at me with an sorry saying look. I nodded at him, letting him know I was alright. He nodded back and held on to the straw hat wearing boy.

Wait...

Straw hat wearing boy.

Fuck.

I shot up and almost crashed my head into the cupboards that were a bit low hanging. I glanced at Sanji to see him looking worried at me. I smiled at him before racing out of the kitchen. I sped outside and was met with several faces.

A green haired man with three swords and three earrings on his left ear. A scar over his left eye and a nice looking outfit showing his tanned body. Roronoa Zoro.

The black haired woman with the red haired woman. Nico Robin and Nami.

A reindeer with a hat and a small bag on his back and a man with a long nose standing next to him. Chopper and Ussop.

A cyborg with weird styled hair and a skeleton, dead? What the? Franky and Brook.

They all looked up at me and frowned. I saw the swordsman reach for his swords and get into a fighting stance. I reached for my knifes and in the blink of an eye had thrown them towards him. He deflected them and jumped up the railing, squatting in front of me. I jumped to the side, two daggers in each hand. He smirked and pulled another sword from his haramaki. I flung two of the knifes at him and scratched his cheek. His eyes widened at my speed and he smirked even wider.

"Who the heck are you?" He asked, grabbing his third sword.

"A person who was hungry and made some food. That's all. Now I want to leave." I said, a glint of mischief in my eye.

The swordsman saw it and grinned. Then he said, "You're not going anywhere."

"No she is not!" Sanji burst through the door and smacked into the swordsman. "Damn it Marimo!"

I chuckled and watched them squabble amongst themselves. Then Luffy peeked his head outside and grinned at me. I smiled at him and jumped up the railing. Luffy stepped outside and stood in front of me.

"Your cool! Do you wanna join our crew?" He asked suddenly, a big grin on his face.

I froze and almost fell of the railing. I saw Sanji and Zoro freeze, too, and turn to us. I cleared my throat and looked at Luffy. I cocked my head to the side and bit my lip. Luffy was just watching me, waiting for an answer. I sensed the tension from below deck as the whole ship went silent. I chuckled softly after a few seconds.

"Why should I?" I asked, twirling a strand of hazel hair around my finger.

"Because you are cool with knifes and you can cook!" Luffy exclaimed. "Then we have two cooks!"

I stared at him for a moment, clearing my mind of any thoughts beside joining this crew. Why shouldn't I? There wasn't anywhere else I could go. The marines were on my tail and I had a high bounty on my head. I had no more food, no more money. The best thing I could do was go with them. I knew they were here for a reason. The New World was dangerous. This small island was even dangerous. With all the marines and stuff here.

I chuckled again and said, "Where are you going?"

Luffy smiled widely. "The last island on the Grand Line! To Raftel!"

My eyes widened and I gaped at him. "I'll gladly join you, Captain." I said.

Luffy smirked and nodded his head, straightening his straw hat. "Welcome aboard. What's your name?" He asked.

I smiled at him and said, "My name is Azai Sukiyo, though the marines call me Blood Red."

"Why is that?" Luffy asked.

I smiled and slowly uncovered my red eye. "Because my eye is red. That's why."

Hi everyone! Here is the first chapter of Blood Red. I hope you enjoyed it and have a great day. I will see you all later!

~Rebecca