By animeninjaNIPPON

I waved goodbye to the land that I called home as the steamship sailed far away from Japan. I had come with only my snowboard, my spirit ally (Kororo), and the clothes on my back. I was off to America to become an actor with my friends- Yoh, Ryu, Ten, Manta, Anna, and Tamao, as well as their spirit allies. My sister Pirika was in our cabin, probably cleaning. I peered over the side of the ship, and saw the remnants of rice balls and okonomiyaki disappear into the deep blue sea.

I looked up to see where the projectile had come from. Just as I guessed, Manta was dangling over the side, awash in seasickness. To the left of me, Ren was finishing his 2nd bottle of milk and going for his 3rd. "I drink three glasses of milk a day," he's been known to say. I smiled casually at the idea before turning to take part in the conversation Ryu and Yoh were having.

"Do you think my English is good enough? Ryu asked.

"Don't worry about it; your English is fine," Yoh replied, and then added his catchphrase, "Everything will work out."

Amidamaru and Tokagero, Yoh's and Ryu's spirit allies respectively, were discussing something trivial when Bason, Ren's ally, pointed out to them that we had arrived.

My knees were shaking and my heart was pounding as Kororo, my snowboard, and I departed the ship. I fished around in my coat for my passport, and then looked up. In the line ahead of me, Pirika was already checking in. Suddenly, a green-haired man with three swords at his belt charged to the front of the line, cutting in front of a redhead with an egg and knocking over Manta.

"You lying S.O.B.!" the green-haired man yelled at the smug executive taking names at the table. "You promised me that if I changed my name to 'Zolo' in this country I could still go by 'Zoro' in my home country!" He overturned the table and began yelling incoherently. He raised a stink for nearly ten minutes until two suits detained him. I was beginning to like this country less and less.

"HoroHoro!" I heard a female cry. I turned to the side.

"Pirika!" I exclaimed. What's going on?"

"My name isn't 'Pirika' anymore," she said. "Now it's 'Pilika'."

I thought about what Zoro/Zolo had said, and figured my new name would be "HoloHolo".

If only it were that simple.

End of part one