Stella Star's vacations 2,0 (English version)

by Dasrymx

East Blue is considered the weakest of the seas. And when you are a person who comes from Grand Line and more precisely from the most dangerous and turbulent part of this deadly sea. You tend to get bored quickly. Fortunately, there is always a source of distraction, even here.

4. Chapter 4 :The crossroads

The fingers around Zoro's neck tighten and press him more against the wooden wall that begins to creak dangerously. The swordsman is almost surprised that he hasn't broken through the wall yet. His hands clutched hers, desperately trying to scratch her skin to make her let go, but it was like trying to scratch a concrete wall, his nails barely managed to leave a mark. Stella's enraged face moved closer to his and she began to speak in a heavy, gaunt voice as her eyes practically turned black.

"You! How dare you!" The swordsman looks at her with wide eyes, a shiver running down his back. Each of his hairs bristle with fear at the sound of her voice, it's like someone else is talking to him.

He doesn't know how he's going to get out of this one, his throat is starting to hurt like hell from being crushed, his head is starting to get fuzzy from the pressure of the blood building up, and no matter how hard he tries to crush Stella's arm, he can't see any sign of pain on her enraged face. He tries to say something, but he can't, the air gets stuck in his throat because of the pressure. But he doesn't intend to stand there and do nothing, as Stella seems to have enough strength to lift him with one hand, he puts his feet against the wall and tries to use the strength of his legs, back and arms to bring her down. He barely manages to get his back and throat off the wall. But the enraged woman immediately brings him back against the wall with a loud noise. This effort allows Zoro to catch his breath enough to speak.

"Stella...S...Stop...You're...hurting me..." Stella continues to look at him angrily, but her hand starts to shake. She blinks a few times, as if she's struggling with something. Her eyes finish closing and she takes a deep breath. She breathes slowly, her breathing calming with each breath. Her hand stops shaking and her grip becomes less lethal, causing Zoro to slide to the ground and take a deep breath to get rid of the pain that has begun to compress his lungs. The black aura surrounding her disappears entirely, as if it had never existed.

"Sutashi... May I know what you are playing at?" The door to the room slams shut violently. "I'll deal with you later." She says in a dark voice. Zoro doesn't know if these words are for him or for Sutashi or even for someone else. He feels Stella's hand gently let go of him as she caresses the bruises that are beginning to appear in them, like a silent apology. Stella's eyes finally open again and the swordsman notices that they have regained their usual blue hue, but they look a little sad and guilty.

"Sorry fingerling, I know it's not your fault." Zoro relaxes slightly now that she no longer intends to kill him. But he is still confused, his heart still beats violently in his chest and his blood is pounding in his ears, after all she almost killed him. But in front of the face of Stella which empties itself by fixing the ground, he starts to feel guilty of the discovery which he has just made. Obviously, this room holds a secret he was not supposed to know.

"No, this is me apologizing. I should have been more resilient than that. I'm sorry..." He croaks, massaging his throat. An awkward silence hangs over the duo. Embarrassed, Zoro rubs the back of his head in a slight grimace of pain, not knowing how to get out of this situation. " Listen, I'm not going to ask you any questions about what I saw, or say anything to the others. Is this... Is this good for you?" He asks cautiously.

Stella looks at him intensely and finally gives a small smile.

"There's no need to be so embarrassed. Certainly is something you shouldn't have seen. But it's obvious that Sutashi is trying to kill you." The swordsman stands still and looks at her with wide eyes, trying to determine if she's telling the truth or if it's a joke.

"What do you mean by that?" She lets out a deep sigh as she runs her hand through her hair.

"Sutashi knows that this room represents something important to me, a constant reminder of a part of my life. Like a wound that hasn't yet closed. It seems he was hoping I would be angry enough with you to kill you." A chill runs down his back and he looks down the wooden hallway warily. He is going to be the greatest swordsman in the world. If he dies, it will be to fulfill his dream or to defend his friends. Not killed by a crazy fucking boat!

"Don't get in over your head and follow me properly this time." Said Stella as she grabbed the man's wrist and gently pulled him inside the armory. Even though Zoro doesn't like being dragged around like a child, he doesn't feel like pushing his luck. He lets his questions die in the back of his mind and focuses on what he sees.

The armory lives up to its name. On either side of the room are displayed various weapons and armor. Melee and ranged weapons are displayed on the wall. There is everything from firearms of various sizes, spears, daggers and throwing knives, bows and crossbows, flamethrowers and other weapons that Zoro cannot identify, like small black metal stars. The armors are on mannequins that show them off, there are even more or less crazy disguises.

The eyes of the swordsman rest on all the objects of the room, they shine softly, not a single grain of dust is visible. But what captivates the swordsman's gaze the most are the katana hanging at the back of the room.

Four katana are hanging vertically on the wall on their display. The one on the left is white like Wadô, but a silver rabbit runs along the katana on blades of silver grass, the guard is shaped like a four-leaf clover. The second one is red and blue, the colors blend harmoniously around a proud rooster with multicolored plumage. The guard is shaped like a silver flower, a lily perhaps? There are clearly more discreet swords.

The third is black with yellow and orange stripes. A golden tiger sleeps along the scabbard, its head resting on its front paws crossed in front of it. The hilt is round, but various patterns of golden trees and plants are visible, reminiscent of a cherry garden. The swordsman blinks when he sees a round ear of the tiger moving. He shakes his head at this illusion, obviously he is more disturbed than he thought. The last katana is blue and white, like mist, and a silver horse trots quietly along the scabbard. The silver guard represents the fusion between the moon and the sun.

Stella releases his wrist and walks toward the four blades with a sweet smile.

"I'm back with the lost fingerling. So? What do you think of him?" Zoro watches Stella turn her head in the direction of the different katana, as if they were talking to her. "Oh come on! Don't base your opinion only on his current appearance and strength. He intends to become the greatest swordsman in the world and surpass Mihawk." The green-haired man is somewhat skeptical of Stella's behavior. Who is she talking to? "Ah yes, you're right Seima, perhaps I should make the introductions." She turns to the swordsman and gives him a small sign to come closer.

"Come over here fingerling, let me introduce you to everyone." The frown deepens at the strange words of the owner of this ship. He cautiously steps forward, not sure if she is sincere or setting a trap for him.

Seeing the man's septic face, Stella flashes a mocking smile and unhooks the white blade with the rabbit from the wall.

"I'll start with Usagisuta. This blade represents the first constellation of the zodiac, even though it is considered the weakest, it should not be underestimated, as all the blades of the zodiac are cursed." Zoro frowns as he looks at the white katana.

"Cursed? What do you mean by that?" Stella's smile turns mischievous and she hands the katana to the man.

"Just try wielding it, you'll understand. " Cautiously, he takes the katana and observes it more closely. His fingers tingle a little at the feel of the white leather and metal under his fingers. The rabbit is embossed on the scabbard, every little detail is beautifully depicted giving the impression that the little animal is going to start moving. With a quick glance at Stella, the swordsman gently pulls the blade from its scabbard. He feels his body warming up and overflowing with energy, all the fatigue seems to have disappeared from his body. He even feels lighter. His eyes rest on the very thin blade, almost as thin as a rapier. It is clear that this is not a blade for his fighting style, but he does not understand why Stella says it is cursed.

"How are you feeling?" She asks with a small smile on her face. The smile puts Zoro on guard, he senses something is up.

"I feel good, it's like... all my fatigue is gone. I feel lighter too." She nods, not letting her smile disappear.

"I see... Now try to sheath it." Zoro frowns, but does as she asks, at least he tries. Every time he wants to put the blade in its sheath, his muscles block and deflect the blade at the last moment. He tries again and again, but without success even when he tries with both hands.

"Shit! Why can't I do it!" Stella's chuckle in her male form doesn't help. "Shut up!" He shouts while giving a blow in the direction of the irritating person in anger. His eyes widen, as much by his gesture and his loss of cold blood as when the blade stops at a hair of Stella who always looks at him with amusement, the blade reflects her ice blue eyes and her smile.

The swordsman's arm refuses to move an inch, he watches in horror as the blade is manipulated by his fingers to turn against himself. The thin blade presses against his neck, ready to kill him. He has no control, his body no longer obeys.

"That's enough Usagisuta, he is my student now, so don't hurt him. " Under the order, the blade moves back and releases its hold on the swordsman. Instantly, he drops the blade in his hand and looks at it with wide eyes. Expecting this reaction, Stella catches the blade before it hits the ground.

" Slowly, fingerling. Don't throw away what's mine like it's junk." She looks carefully at the silver blade to make sure it's clean. She grabs the scabbard that is still in the green haired man's hand and gently pulls on it to retrieve it without rushing the young boy. Zoro's eyes are still wide, trying to figure out what just happened.

"Wh... What... What just happened?" He finally manages to articulate. He looks down at his hands, which are shaking slightly. Irritated, he clenches his fists to stop the shaking, at least he tries. Seeing Zoro close his eyes and take a deep breath. Stella almost feels sorry for him, but if he wants to become the best, he needs to know as much as possible about the cursed blades. She puts the white katana back on its stand and turns to the swordsman.

"Is everything alright? Do you want to eat something to calm down?" Zoro opens his eyes suddenly and looks at Stella angrily.

"I'm not a fucking child! I'm fine!" She lets out a sigh and rubs her head. Under her fingers she feels her hair lengthen, a sign that the pill is no longer working and in a few seconds she will start to float in her clothes.

"I'm going to leave you alone for a while, while I get changed. Take the opportunity to calm down. " She says as she heads for the door. The swordsman frowns and watches her go.

"Why do you have to change? " Stella turns slightly and gives her a small mischievous smile.

"Unless you really want to see me naked, I'd better put on clothes that fit, fingerling." That at least had the merit of stopping the boy's discomfort, and he mumbles insults as Stella disappears into the hallway.

"Oh fact!" Her head reappears in the doorway. "Don't touch anything while I'm changing. Especially the katana on the wall. Otherwise you'll really die, is that clear?" The frown deepens on the man's irritated face.

"Who do you think I am? I would never touch another's blade without their permission. That is a great lack of respect!" The smile on the woman's face softens.

"I see that you at least know the swordsmen's code of honor. I am proud of you! ~" She finishes with a small childish voice before disappearing.

"SHUT UP! " He hears her chuckle until the door to the room closes, stifling the irritating laughter. The grumpy man crosses his arms and looks further into the room.

The glint of metal draws the boy's eye in all directions, almost making him dizzy. He shakes his head and focuses on the katana in front of him. After touching the cursed blade, he begins to feel a kind of aura around the swords. The most powerful one comes from the black and orange katana. The forest green eyes stare at the golden tiger which continues to sleep quietly.

At least, until the tip of the tail slowly moves. Zoro's eyes widen as he sees the tip of the golden tail move with the tiger's breathing. He rubs his eyes and looks again, but the movement is still there. It's even worse because now the whole tiger is moving. Its powerful jaw opens in a yawn and it begins to stretch, stretching its front legs out in front of it and arching its back. The swordsman watches it begin to groom itself without moving an inch.

I must be delirious! Stella drugged me, it is not possible!

The tiger finishes its toilet and turns the head towards him. Its emerald green eyes shine powerfully, scanning the young man in front of him. Its head leans slightly on the side, its glance crosses it quietly with eyes somewhat annoyed.

Zoro opens his mouth several times without managing to say anything. He looks at the other animals who are still motionless. Why does only the tiger move?

The animal seems to be aware of Zoro's presence in the room. Its ears fall back on the top of its head and it starts to show its teeth. A roar echoes through the room, making the swordsman take a step back. The tiger's head turns to the left, as if it had been called. Its growls become less hostile and it lets out small yelps in the direction of the other katana. Zoro continues to observe the tiger's strange behavior without making a single move. After a few seconds, the tiger's ears perk up and he looks at it with more curiosity. All hostility has disappeared.

Zoro blinks without taking his eyes off the strange hallucination. In front of the curious look of the golden tiger, his body relaxes little by little. He has nothing to fear, it's only a tiger engraved on the scabbard of a katana, isn't it? Zoro never thought he would say that sentence one day.

The sound of footsteps approaching the room tore his gaze from the tiger. A few seconds later, Stella enters the room in her usual form with clothes similar to those of their meeting, except that she replaced her black leather jacket by a denim jacket that reaches her hips.

Seeing the swordsman's somewhat troubled face, she immediately guesses that something has happened.

"Why are you making that face, fingerling? Have you seen a ghost?" The man frowns at the mocking tone. He doesn't know if he can say what just happened without sounding like a fool. But at the same time, she seems to be able to talk with her katanas, so he has nothing to lose.

"Would you believe me if I told you that the tiger on your katana is moving? " She looks at him with a neutral expression as she raises an eyebrow. Seeing that Stella is looking at him with some judgment, the man feels very silly for asking. Of course she looks at him like that, what did he expect?

She walks past him and picks up the katana in question, giving it a long look. Zoro sees the tiger rubbing against its owner's hand. A small smile appears on Stella's lips as she begins to caress the golden tiger. Seeing the movement of the woman's fingers on the tiger's fur, he breathes a sigh of relief that he didn't know he was holding.

"I guess I can believe you, fingerling. I must say, seeing your head totally lost was very amusing. ~ Wasn't it Sutataiga?" The tiger lets out a small purr of contentment as it rubs its head against Stella's index finger. Zoro clicks his tongue at this mockery and crosses his arms with a growl.

"Instead of mocking me again, would you mind explaining?" He asks as he watches the tiger act like a big cat. Stella chuckles softly and places the katana on her shoulder.

"I introduced you to Usagisuta as the first constellation of the zodiac. The higher the number of the constellation, the more powerful the katana is. This gives it a certain special power. Sutataiga represented the eleventh constellation of the zodiac. There is only one more powerful sword and that is Hisui Hoshi which I also own. But it is currently hidden to prevent anyone from inadvertently touching it." She puts Sutataiga back on its stand. "The three most powerful katana are able to move on their scabbard and owner to give them different abilities even when the blade is not in use. For the other katana, the blade must be out of the scabbard. For example, you felt full of energy when you pulled out Usagisuta, didn't you?" Zoro nods cautiously, registering all the info she gives him, no matter how far-fetched. "This is about its effect. It gives a boost of energy and makes fatigue disappear. Movements are more fluid and much faster. But if someone who is not its owner wields it, it will keep it awake until it dies of fatigue. And the body control prevents the wearer from dropping the blade."

The swordsman's eyes widen in amazement, he has never heard of a sword that can give abilities or bonuses, but obviously there is a deadly counter blow.

"Each zodiac blade has a different ability and a heavier counter blow." She picks up the blue and white blade with the silver horse. "For example, Seima (which is second) puts the person in an illusion, which can be a dream or a nightmare." She draws the blade.

Zoro has to squint to make out the edges of the nearly invisible blade. It is the standard size of a katana blade, but it is like looking through glass or a mirage, slightly distorting the image that passes through.

"Its ability is illusion. As you can see, the blade is barely distinguishable, but that's not the only ability it can do." Slowly, Stella's face changes slightly. Her hair turns brown, her eyes turn green, and some of her facial features change, though not making her unrecognizable. "She can change my appearance, of course it's only visual, so I can't have fun changing my height or build, but it's useful in certain situations. On the other hand Seima has to be out of its sheath to work." She finished with a shrug and put the blade back in its sheath, making the illusion disappear.

The green-haired swordsman begins to have a headache with all this new information, he puts his fingers against his temples and begins to massage them to make leave this pain which begins to appear. Stella notices the discomfort of the young man and puts Seima on its support before approaching him and putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Is everything ok? Do you want to take a break? We can resume this conversation later if you wish. " The frown deepens and he gives a shoulder tap to disengage himself from the woman's hand, which looks at him with a hint of concern. Which irritates him to no end.

"I told you I wasn't a child. I'm here because you promised to give me one of your katana. Just because I have a headache doesn't mean I won't listen to you!" She lets out a sigh and heads for the exit of the armory.

"Whatever you say, stubborn head. But you need to take at least something to wash away your headache, and... heal your throat." She said, pointing to the bruises that were starting to become quite visible. "Wait for me for two seconds." Quietly, she enters the room across from the armory and opens one of the many closets in the room. Various chests and cabinets filled with different valuables practically fill the room to the brim. The stainless steel cabinet contains various bottles and medications. She quickly grabs a painkiller tablet, balms for the bruises and bandages for Zoro and leaves the room, taking care to close the medicine cabinet.

She finds Zoro staring at the tiger.

"Here, swallow this. You won't be in pain in a few minutes." The capsule lands in the swordsman's hand and he looks at it warily.

"What is it?"

"A painkiller. If you don't think you can swallow it like that, I'll get you a glass of water." The man stares at the little pill, after a few seconds of hesitation, he finally puts it in his mouth and swallows it heavily. He feels the unpleasant sensation of the pill going down his throat. He swallows several times to make the irritation go away and brings his attention back to Stella who looks at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What?" He asks with irritation. She shrugs and flashes a small, mischievous smile as she opens the jar with the balm inside.

"Nothing, I'm just surprised you're swallowing what the people you just met are giving you. I don't know if it's carelessness or blind trust." The swordsman's eyes crinkle with distrust.

"Why? Did you lie to me?" She blinks slowly and her smile becomes more carnivorous, which immediately puts Zoro on his guard. Seeing the tension and distrust that overtakes the man, she begins to giggle, which does not reassure the Marimo.

"No, don't worry. But you should be more careful next time. I still don't know if your instincts are well developed or not. So, stay on your guard.~ " She said in a soft voice as she approached him, balm on her fingers. "Now hold still while I heal your neck." Zoro watches her approach him warily, after the little squeeze with the medicine, who says she's not going to play a sneaky trick on him. But in front of the woman's focused and slightly guilty face, he decides to let her. He feels the slightly cool fingers gently run over his throat, spreading the cream over the entire hand-shaped hematoma. Then the bandage is wrapped around his neck without strangling him but not too loose.

"There. How do you feel?" Asks Stella as she puts the material away on the edge of a table. The swordsman stretches his neck a bit in all directions without feeling any discomfort or pain.

"I have no trouble moving and I hardly feel anything." She gives him a small smile and grabs the blue and red katana with the rooster.

"Perfect, if your brain isn't ready to explode yet, we can continue the presentation. The sooner this is done, the sooner you can go buy your new katana." At the mention of his new katana, Zoro's eyes began to glow. It's almost over.

Stella pulls the blade out of its very colorful sheath. And Zoro is almost not surprised to see that the blade itself is red and blue. The sharpened part has a blood red color that contrasts with the midnight blue of the unsharpened part.

"This is Ondorisuta, who represents the sixth constellation. From the point of view of character, he is probably the most arrogant. And I'll admit to you that these skills are more useful for deceiving others through speech than through increasing physical or combat strength. He is more focused on social skills. With it, you can pretend to be anyone you want, everyone will believe your words." The swordsman immediately pines at Usopp and his random lies. If he could use this weapon, he could drastically increase his power of chaos. But personally, this is not something the swordsman needs, he is a man of action and not of reflection.

The woman puts down the flaming katana and takes Sutataiga. Slowly, she draws the blade from its black and orange scabbard. Zoro's breath catches in his throat at the sight of the black blade. A sort of orange mist or aura swirls around the blade in a small swirl of smoke.

"Finally, Sutataiga. It makes its bearer stronger thanks to the amount of blood he ingests during the fight. Strength, vitality, speed, it gives a lot of power to its owner in exchange for blood."

Zoro is mesmerized by the blade. Drawing blood during a fight is normal. These are pirates, not children at heart. He slowly approaches the black blade, immersing himself in its world. He doesn't notice that Stella has stopped talking and looks at him with a neutral gaze. The swordsman's hand reaches out to grab the blade, but she doesn't give him the chance, as she immediately sheathes Sutataiga.

Once the blade disappeared from his field of vision. Zoro blinks a few times, waking up from the hold it had on him. The pressure he felt in his head disappeared along with the black blade.

Slowly, Stella puts the katana back on its stand. Then she moves towards the still confused man. Once in front of him, she takes his chin between her fingers and forces him to look into her eyes. Zoro's eyes are still a little glassy but upon seeing Stella's light blue eyes, they immediately become more alive and he steps back to escape the woman's grip on his chin.

"Is everything okay? Are you back?" She asks softly as if she were in front of a small, fearful animal.

"Uh... I..." His eyes dart to the katana and he feels something pull him towards it. His eyes go glassy again and he takes a step towards it. Stella stands in front of him with her full height and forces Zoro to look at her again, lifting his chin once more.

"Stay with me, fingerling. If you want to beat Mihawk, then you must resist. Otherwise, you can give up already." These harsh words have the effect of a punch in Zoro's stomach and heart, and he immediately regains consciousness.

"Give up?! I'd rather kill myself than give up my dream!" The young swordsman's angry outburst reassures Stella, who flashes a small smile. He releases his head from the hold once again.

" It is good to find you, fingerling. " She says in a teasing voice, but her smile disappears. "I was really afraid I'd lost you. " Her serious and somewhat worried face, definitely wakes up Zoro. He glances at the katana, the feeling is still there, but he resists the pull.

"I've already told you that I'm not a child. I can handle myself without you." He grumbles. He takes a slap on the top of his head with the edge of the hand.

"You idiot! Sutataiga is not just any blade! If you draw it, it will kill you instantly. Torn by its claws! You will become a totally dried out corpse! Crispy as a potato chip!" Stella's serious face muffles the man's complaints. He knows by looking into her eyes that she is not saying this to scare him, but that it is a fact. She lets out a sigh and rubs her face with one hand in agitation. " Listen... It seems you're not ready yet. You still lack too much power, both physical and mental." Zoro opens his mouth to deny her words, but she stops him with a wave of her hand. "Before you start screaming, know that Sutataiga is interested in you." He blinks and directs his gaze to the black katana. The golden tiger is lying on its stomach again and looking at him deeply with its emerald green eyes.

"What do you mean by that? " She lets out a sigh and crosses her arms.

"This means that if you are powerful enough at the end of my training, then Sutataiga will consider you his master and owner." The swordsman's eyes began to glow and his lips curved into an excited smile. "However... You will have to be diligent and serious during my training. For if you are not powerful enough once you arrive at Sabaody, then you will lose your chance to get it. Is that understood, kid?" Zoro's face turns serious. He knows he won't have any other chance than this to achieve his dream. He doesn't know the extent of Stella's power yet, he doesn't even know how powerful a Yonko is. But there is one thing he is sure of, he needs her to defeat Mihawk, to make his dream come true and to make his name resonate throughout the world, all the way to Kuina.

He looks at the woman in front of him. Slowly, he leans forward in a respectful bow that he reserves only for his sensei.

"I am your responsibility, sensei. I will follow your teachings to the letter and not run away from them, no matter how difficult they are."

Stella is somewhat surprised by the swordsman's behavior, she thought he was just an arrogant and overconfident child. But obviously he has a lot more self-control and respect than she thought. She smiles and stands straight, hands behind her back, as a teacher should in front of her student.

"Lift your head, fingerling." The man's face crinkles for a moment in annoyance at the name, but he says nothing and lifts his head, until he stands straight and proud before what he considers his sensei now. "I am honored that you consider me your sensei, and I will make sure to prove myself worthy of it. But outside of training, I don't want you to call me honorific or respectful names. I want to be with the man you are, not my student. Do you think you can do that?" He sketches a mocking smile.

"Sure, you old crone." Stella chuckles at the cheesy nickname.

"All right. I think we're done here. I'll give you your money and you can get out of here. I'll take care of the rest."

Zoro's eyes shine, as much from the fact that he has learned so much about the cursed blades as from the fact that he can finally go and buy his swords. Although he is a little disappointed that he can't take Sutataiga with him, he can learn to be stronger. The prospect of being able to wield a blade that only he can wield in the whole world is pretty damn exciting! Plus it's the second strongest blade in its class, he wonders how powerful the first one must be.

The swordsman momentarily frowns, he is sure that Stella said she had this famous blade, but he looks around, he doesn't see it and it would surprise him if it was one of the small knives that are on the other displays.

"Uh... Stella?"

The woman who was busy putting the straps of her two suitcases on her shoulders, turns to the swordsman.

"Yes? Do you have a question?" The man nods and looks around one last time.

"You said you had the blade above Sutataiga, but I don't see it. " She blinks, her face neutral and stares at the young man in front of her, studying him carefully. Slowly, she opens her mouth.

"Sutashi, bring Hisui up." A small click echoes through the room, along with a multitude of small mechanism clicks. A meter away from Zoro, the floor opens and something comes out.

The man looks with surprise at a thick glass case set on a black marble pedestal. Inside, resting on a red velvet cushion, is the most beautiful katana Zoro has ever seen. Jade green and gold mingle in a harmonious dance of color. Gold wraps around the scabbard and up to the hilt, jade scales surrounded by gold run along the golden band. Reptilian, clawed paws protrude in relief and grip the hilt, preventing the blade from coming out of its sheath. Along its scaly body, golden fur runs down the back of this majestic animal, ending in a tuft of hair at the end of its tail. The head of this creature watches as its claws catch the scabbard, like a guardian protecting its treasure. The dragon's eyes are closed, as if asleep, waiting for its time to unleash itself on this world.

Zoro doesn't take his eyes off the katana for a moment, waiting for something to happen, like the tiger. But nothing happens, even when Stella puts her hand on the glass.

"I present to you Hisui Hoshi, representing the twelfth constellation. Its power cannot be measured. I am the only person in the world who can manipulate it. Not to mention that very few people are able to touch it without dying instantly." Zoro tore his gaze from the katana and looked at the woman with surprised eyes.

"What do you mean by that? How can he kill you just by touching it?" She lets out a sigh and lets her hand slide over the glass so that it falls back against her hip.

"There's something I didn't tell you about the zodiac constellation blades. I was going to tell you a little later, but since you asked, I might as well tell you now." She looks at the katana hanging on the wall, then at Zoro with a serious look, which makes the swordsman tense. "As I told you, each blade offers different bonuses to its owner and kills those who are not worthy." The swordsman nods, paying close attention to what she is about to say. "In reality, even if you become their master, there is still a price to pay. They need to be nurtured to be at their full potential. For example, Usagisuta feeds on the energy of its host, Seima feeds on dreams and fears, Ondorisuta feeds on your confidence, and Sutataiga feeds on your blood." She turns her gaze to Hisui. "As for Hisui, she feeds on the vital essence."

Zoro frowns, for him energy and vital essence are the same thing. But in front of Stella's serious look, he deduces that it's not exactly the same thing.

"I can feel your questioning from here, fingerling. Simply put, vital essence is the essence that animates you, that makes you alive and aware. Like your life expectancy or your soul." He swallows and widens his eyes, instinctively he takes a step back from that blade that seems to glow with a sickly green light. Is she really saying that this blade can suck out his soul?! Kill him instantly on contact?! If so, it's reassuring that it's encased in a thick glass bell. But if what she said is true, then... Stella is losing life expectancy every time she uses it?

He looks at the woman with a multitude of questions. How many times has she used this blade? How much life expectancy is taken each time she draws it? How much time does she have left? Because even though her body looks young and healthy, maybe it's not? Maybe she'll die the next time she uses it?

The ice blue eyes never looked so sad and lonely, it was something he had never noticed. He wonders about the empty nursery, what happened? Where are they? His mind races, then something clicks. The double bed in the bedroom, the children's books in the library, the variety of weapons in the armory, the men's clothes, the fully equipped kitchen and dining table for four... He swallows and cautiously lowers his eyes to look at the woman's left hand, he doesn't see any ring, nor any tanning marks... His brain starts to overheat, did she have children and a husband?

"Where are they?" He hadn't realized he had asked the question out loud. Stella raised her head and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What's that?" He flinched slightly, realizing his stupidity. He quickly thinks of an answer.

"Uh... I... Uh... Your... Your crew! Where are they? I haven't seen anyone here, are they in town?" He forces a small smile to hide his discomfort, except it's anything but natural. Stella is even more skeptical and guesses that this was not the original question. But she doesn't try to find out.

She gives a small mocking smile.

"You've met them before, it seems one of them wanted to eat your hair in salad. And Sutashi is trying to kill you for some reason I don't know." The swordsman takes a moment to absorb her words. His hair in salad? What the hell was that all about? Only the snail wanted... He understands what she is referring to. So that means...

"Are you sailing alone? " She lets out a small laugh that does not really amuse the man.

"Why are you asking me that? Do you want to sail the ocean with me? I thought I already told you I wasn't interested in you. " But seeing that this little dig didn't make the boy in front of her react, she frowns. "What's going on, fingerling? Why do you look so serious all of a sudden? Are you... are you worried about me? Rhoooo~ You're adorable!" Zoro would probably have growled and insulted anyone who told him he was adorable, but all he saw was an attempt to hide her injuries behind jokes. His throat and lips are burning from the question he wants to ask, but he knows he's going into dangerous territory and he doesn't know what kind of shape he's going to leave in. He bites his tongue to stop himself from asking questions that will probably kill him, because if she almost killed him by strangling him to death for just seeing the child's room, he doesn't want to know what will happen if he asks about her life.

Seeing the swordsman's muteness, Stella raises an eyebrow as she watches him more closely.

"What's going on? I see you want to ask something. Don't be afraid to ask, I'm here to answer it." Zoro looks at the woman uncertainly, he opens his mouth several times before he can say anything.

"You... you promise me that you won't get angry and try to kill me?" He asks cautiously while moving slightly away from her in case she lunges at him to finish him off. She frowns and crosses her arms.

"It all depends on what you ask. If it's to burn Sutashi, I'm sorry, but it's no." She said with a mischievous smile. Marimo swallowed loudly before putting his guard up and asking his question in a hesitant voice.

"Stella... Have you been married and had children?" He asks, and the mischievous smile on Stella's lips disappears as quickly as snow in the sun. Her eyes turn a deeper blue, and anger shows on her face.

"I thought I made it clear to you not to ask questions about what you saw!" Her voice is dark and intimidating, almost sounding like the one from earlier. Clearly, the pirate hunter is in danger of losing his temper. Faced with the silence of the man who is ready to run, Stella clicks her tongue in annoyance and starts to leave the room with an irritated step. "I don't want you to ask any more questions about this part of my life. I am not your friend, nor your nakama. I am your teacher and nothing else. Is that clear?! Sutachi! Put Hisui away!" The display case goes back into the floor with another clatter of gears as the woman continues on her way without looking at the swordsman.

In the room filled with cabinets and chests, she opens the one containing the money. Hundreds of thousands of bills are neatly arranged and sorted. Irritated, she quickly takes a bundle of 100 000 Berrys and closes the chest with anger.

Zoro stands still in the armory, even though he met this woman only a few hours ago, he feels like something has just been taken away from him. Perhaps because she represents an opportunity to become stronger and he has wasted it. And now, what does he do? Does he leave and find Nami? Or does he steal the other pirates' swords? His head spins, he feels like he's caught in a tornado and can't get out.

He hears Stella come back and thrust something into his chest. As quickly as the blow was delivered, she is already out of the room. He hears something fall at his feet, but his gaze does not leave the white-haired woman for a moment.

"Here's 100,000 Berrys, now you get the hell out!" He opens his mouth, wanting to apologize. "And I don't want your apology!" He automatically closes his mouth, but tries to take a step towards her. His foot makes contact with the wad of bills on the floor, which draws his attention. The bills have a small strip of white paper around them, holding them together. He looks at them but doesn't take them, he doesn't deserve them.

Stella is still outside the room, watching Zoro stare blankly at the floor with his fists clenched along his body, the tension pulsing around him. His face may be blank, but she knows that in his head, it's chaos. Slowly, she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Getting angry doesn't help, she knows it too well. But there are times when you just want to see the world burn. But that day hasn't come yet.

"Stop worrying, kid. I'm angry, but it's not at you. I'll always be your sensei and I'll cheer you on when you fight Mihawk. Now put your head up and go buy your new katana." She doesn't wait for her student's response and walks up the wooden steps with her two suitcases slung over her shoulders.

Once in the living room, she sets the suitcases down next to the table and opens the vivarium door. As she climbs the stairs, she does breathing exercises to clear the anger and sadness from her face and body. In the large vivarium, the Den Den are waiting eagerly for her.

"Well? Who's coming with me?" She asks with a small forced smile. This does not escape the snails who show a worried expression. Seeing the smiles of her little charges being replaced by worry does not escape Stella. "Don't worry, everything is fine. In five minutes it will be gone." They still remain skeptical but let it go, after all they know what she's like on a bad day. Not that she's dangerous, but rather depressing. Not wanting this to drag on, the Den Den's that are chosen head to their owner. A totally white snail with big eyes slowly glides towards Stella, behind it is a large Den Den with a dark green body and burgundy shell.

Seeing the two Den Den approaching, Stella gives them a slightly more sincere smile.

"So it's you two who are going to come with me? Are you sure?" She asks as the two snails in question are not known for getting along well. They look at each other with squinted eyes, secretly hoping that the other will catch fire, but they eventually nod their heads in agreement. Stella giggles, the events of a few minutes ago already forgotten.

"I see, don't kill each other. I don't really want to come up with an explanation to explain to the others why there's nothing left of any of you." They turn their heads towards her and give a big smile, all teeth out, to look as innocent as possible. She rolls her eyes in amusement and picks up the two rivals. She quickly puts on their transponders and places them in the transport vivarium.

Footsteps are heard on the stairs, it is not difficult to guess who it is. Zoro appears a few seconds later. He still shows a sorry and uncomfortable face while raising the eyes towards Stella. In front of the discomfited face of the swordsman. Stella displays a mischievous smile which destabilizes the man.

"No need to make a three meter long face. And stop thinking about excuses or whatever, it's all good. See! I'm not mad at you anymore." He remains silent then closes his eyes and takes a deep breath as he straightens up. When he opens his eyes, his gaze is determined, as if he's going to fight a tough opponent.

"It's up to you, anyway it's not like I really care, old girl." He heads for the door, but he doesn't see the rolling pin rolling silently towards him. Sure enough, he steps on it and smashes his face on the floor. Seeing the swordsman fall flat on the floor with a thud and a storm of insults. Stella bursts out laughing, openly mocking him. All the pressure that was left to her disappears.

Zoro stands up on his elbows and looks behind him to see what he has stepped on. As if to taunt him, the rolling pin rolls beside him, up to his head. With an irritated face, he grabs the offending object and stands up. Stella's laughter increases his irritation and he throws the rolling pin on the table before heading for the exit door, which once again closes in front of him.

"Shit! Will you let me out, you crazy boat!" A searing pain shoots up his back, making him yelp in surprise and pain. He quickly turns around and sees a rope tied to the ceiling, moving in front of him like a suspended snake. "What the hell is this shit?" The rope comes down on him again. Instantly, he ducks to dodge it, but it quickly changes direction and wraps itself around his ankle while pulling viciously on it. The swordsman finds himself forced to hobble around if he doesn't want to fall. "Let go of me, asshole!" The rope stiffens with a snap, causing Zoro to fall on his back. He lets out a grunt under the impact but doesn't waste a moment trying to get free. He grabs the rope around his foot and pulls on it to let go of his ankle. He succeeds, but the rope wraps around his wrists and begins to snake around his body in various more or less complex patterns. In just two seconds, he is tied up with his hands behind his head and his legs bent. He is on the floor, totally submissive and vulnerable to Stella's amused gaze.

"Shit! Get off me!" He wriggles and forces on the rope, but the more he moves the tighter it gets, to the point of being painful. The chuckle of the woman in front of him looking shamelessly at him momentarily catches his attention. "Help me instead of taking the piss!"

"Sorry, but seeing you in this position amuses me a lot. ~ " The swordsman's face frowns more and he continues to squirm despite the pain. He is Roronoa Zoro, the pirate hunter! The demon of East Blue! He will not be defeated by a vulgar rope!

"Click!" He stands still. Click? Slowly, he turns his gaze towards Stella who holds something in her hand. He recognizes the blue and purple Den Den, which is wearing a big mocking smile that is reflected on the face of the woman who holds it. He swallows, beginning to realize what position he is in.

"What... what are you doing?" She begins to giggle with a dark laugh.

"Don't you see it? I'm taking a picture." His face, which was reddened from the effort, paled drastically.

"Wha... What?"

"What? I'm not allowed to? This is quite a show ~ " He starts to try to free himself, but nothing to do, this rope is clearly not normal. "No need to try to free yourself, you'll just hurt yourself. " She goes to a piece of furniture and takes out a strange machine. The small Den Den is placed next to it, then connected to the strange device. Once turned on, Stella presses a few buttons and a small printing noise fills the silence of the room. Zoro looks with horror at the picture that prints before his eyes.

"Stop! Delete this picture immediately! Otherwise I swear I will kill you!" His threat isn't very effective, as Stella sneers as she turns to him, said photo in hand.

"If you weren't tied to the floor, your threat might scare me. Unfortunately for you, it doesn't." She looks at the photo and her smile becomes more carnivorous. Without a shadow of a doubt, she holds it up to the swordsman's nose.

The man stands still when he sees what's in the picture. His complexion turns pale with horror, if this picture was ever seen by anyone else dirty rumors could be spread about him. Even his reputation won't save him. He must not let anyone see it, ever!

Seeing the horrified face of the swordsman, Stella knows she has found an excellent leverage.

"Let's make a deal, fingerling. " The woman's serious voice momentarily wakes Zoro from his horrified state.

"What do you want?" He can't help but be suspicious, after all she can ask him anything, he'll have to comply. Stella smiles even more.

"I won't show this picture, as long as you don't say anything about what you saw on that ship, especially you know what. Don't try to interrogate me or ask about my past and I'll be fine. Is that clear?"

"Crystal clear."

"Good.~" She tucks the picture into her jacket and snaps her fingers. Immediately, the rope releases the swordsman and returns to the ceiling. Zoro instantly gets up rubbing his wrists, the marks of the ropes clearly visible on his skin. As he moves in his shirt, he feels a tingling sensation where the rope has trapped him. Slowly, he lifts his shirt and sees with horror the rope marks all over him. If he doesn't want to be asked embarrassing questions, he will have to do his training with his clothes on for a while. Most importantly, no one has to see them and especially not the Cook who will not miss a chance to make fun of him.

"You can go now, fingerling." Says Stella as the door opens towards the exit. The green haired man grunts in annoyance, but he doesn't feel like staying here a moment longer. He has his money, so there's nothing holding him back. Without a word, he leaves the room and gets off the boat. He feels the gaze of the sailors on the blinged-out galleon and he gives them the blackest look he can muster. Several men swallow and flee under his predatory gaze. He wants to kill someone and let off steam, to release the frustration swirling inside him. But for now, he has to find new swords.

---

Stella watches the swordsman disappear through the door. Her mocking smile fades a little.

Is everything alright? She raises her right hand and looks at the green and gold dragon tattooed on her wrist, which is looking at her with concern. Its head protrudes slightly from the sleeve before moving further onto her hand. She smiles and gently rubs the scaly head on her skin.

"It's okay Hisui, I just wonder if it was a good idea for him to come on the ship." The dragon looks at her before looking at the door where the swordsman just came out.

Hmm... I guess it was a good idea. After all, Sutataiga found his carrier. Didn't he? She lets out a small laugh as she turns to the vivarium.

"You're right, that's the most important thing. However..." She looks at the little dragon with piercing eyes. "Can I ask you what he took from you earlier? A little more and you would have killed that child." The dragon squirms a bit under the scrutinizing gaze of his owner. He tries to hide in the sleeve of the coat but Stella doesn't let him escape and pinches her skin to catch the runaway tattoo. "Don't think I'm going to let you go like that. So? I'm listening."

He dips his gaze into Stella's light blue eyes before letting out a defeated sigh.

Sorry, but I could feel your stress and panic as that boy looked around the room. He was shamelessly looking at something that hurt you, so I acted to protect you and your secret. He says in a weak, protective tone. Stella lets out a sigh as she releases Hisui and strokes the fur on his back.

"I know you're doing this to protect me, but I'm going to ask you not to do this kind of thing anymore if it's going to hurt these kids. They are my responsibility now. Even if they make me angry or hurt me without realizing it, I want to be the one to correct them. Can you do that?" The dragon looks at her for a long time, pondering her proposal, he doesn't like having to sit on the sidelines. But he finally gives in under her gaze.

Very well. I promise not to hurt them anymore even if they hurt you. Finishes he by dropping with a moue. Stella smiled at him, rewarding him by scratching under his chin. But... Why am I the one being scolded and not Sutashi? It's his fault that this situation happened. Stella's fingers stop and she giggles with a small smirk.

"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about him. But I think having to stay underwater for a few weeks is punishment enough." She sings as she looks around. A small rumble echoes through the room.

I know I did something wrong, but don't you think this punishment is too severe? The ship asks in a deep voice as a ghostly man appears in the middle of the room. He looks like a young man in his early twenties with a large lock of hair that hides his eyes, the rest tied back in a ponytail. He wears a shirt and long pants, and a large scarf as a belt around his waist. His build is solid and his arms are crossed in a sulky attitude. Stella looks at him with an unimpressed expression.

"Too severe? Do you realize you tried to kill him?" The man turns his head to the side to avoid looking at the woman who is watching him with her hands on her hips.

I didn't try to kill him... Just to make him afraid... A little... He says in a low voice, looking at the vivarium. She lets out a sigh as she runs her hand through her hair. She really feels like she's dealing with irresponsible children sometimes.

"I know you like to torment visitors, but there's a difference between teasing and attempted murder. So I think you deserve this punishment and you won't change my mind." The ghost sticks his tongue out with a middle finger before disappearing in a plume of smoke. "And we're being polite." Says Stella, rolling her eyes in boredom before heading to the vivarium where the Den Den are waiting impatiently for her. She opens the vivarium door and crouches down in front of the Den Den lined up before her.

"Aoi is coming with me, who is next?" She asks as Aoi perches on her shoulder, its blue and purple shell with silver threads glowing softly in the light. A red and black snail with golden arabesques walks towards her. "Maru? Very good, I was sure you two would stay together." He gives her a big smile and climbs on her hand. Quietly, Stella puts a transponder on them and puts Maru in the small transport vivarium with the other two. Aoi stays on her shoulder to take more pictures for the rest of the day.

"I think we have everything." She says as she looks around, but as she gropes her body, she realizes she doesn't have a sword on her hip. "Damn, I forgot the most important thing."

Quickly, she walks down the stairs and into the armory.

"Yo! I forgot to take one of you four. Who wants to come?" Several voices rise in the room, of course they all want to come. "Okay, calm down for a second." She thinks about which blade would be the most useful and least dangerous with rowdy and curious children around.

"Okay, Sutataiga and Ondorisuta, I'm sorry but you're not coming with me, you're too flashy and dangerous around children. " They grumble a little, but understand her decision very well, anyway it's not like they can change anything. "Usagisuta, you're probably the least dangerous one around the kids, but I need Seima's powers to keep a low profile, I hope that's okay?" The rabbit whines and sulks like a child but like the other two, he accepts this decision. Seima hops on the spot while Stella hangs it on her belt.

"Welcome to the straw hat adventure. See you guys!" The other katana say goodbye and good luck to her.

Straw hat? Asks Seima in a thin voice. Its owner nods as she walks up the stairs.

"Yes, that's the name of the pirate crew I'll be accompanying. The green-haired swordsman is part of that crew."

Really? Why are we going with them?

"To put it simply, Shanks set me up and now I have to babysit." Seima and Hisui burst out laughing as Stella grunts as she puts the two suitcases behind her back, careful of Aoi on her shoulder. Then she takes the vivarium in her arms.

Cautiously, she leaves the room and jumps on the docks. Strangely the sailors are not visible on her side, but rather scattered on the rest of the galleon. Not that their gaze bothers her, but it suits her.

"Sutashi! You may go. And remember, I don't want to see you until I call you. Is that clear?"

Yes, yes, I understand. I am not a child, I point out. Growls Sutashi. Stella raises an eyebrow with serious doubts.

The wood starts to creak and shake while the ropes start to move by themselves. As if by magic, the sail is stowed and wrapped around the mast, which begins to detach and interlock piece by piece to disappear completely into the hull. The front of the cabin moves in turn to reveal a huge bay window that was hidden behind a wooden screen that slides over the glass. Behind this huge bay window, we can see a multitude of devices that light up.

A noise of engine is heard, which attracts the glance of some sailors. They watch with big eyes the small boat sinking in the water and starting to move towards the exit of the hangar. A few meters further on, it disappears completely from the surface, leaving only ripples on the water as evidence of its passage. They are so absorbed by the departure of Sutashi, that they do not notice the departure of Stella.

---

After a quick goodbye to the guards and a passage to the Merry to put down her things. Stella walks quietly around town with Aoi on her shoulder, her orange hat on her head, Seima on her belt and her pockets full of money that she is ready to spend on her last purchases in this town.

She went into several stores and bought a few more trinkets and clothes that caught her eye. Happy with her purchases, she walks out of the store without paying attention to what is in front of her. She lightly bumps into a man taller than her, at least she deduces that he is one because he is completely covered in a cape.

"Excuse me, I had not seen you." She says with a small smile of excuse. The man grunts and resumes his way, except that the other two guys with him don't seem to agree to let her go so easily.

"Hey ! Be a little more careful ! You know who you just pushed around! It's the big captain B-" The man she had bumped into put his hand over his mouth to shut him up.

"Shut up, you idiot! We're here incognito, don't give us any trouble. The navy can't know we're here!"

"But Captain! This woman disrespected you, she deserves to be punished!" Grumbles the second man accompanying this famous Captain B. Of the three men, he is undoubtedly the tallest, he must exceed two meters in height. Not that it is intimidating but Stella must admit that it is not common on East Blue. He exceeds all the others by a head.

"We don't have time for this! We have to find that damn straw hat before he gets arrested by the navy! He must be punished! That brat deserves a thousand sufferings!"

"Yes, Captain! You're right! Let's find this kid and make his friends pay too! Especially that redhead who stole from us!" Said the first man who is shorter than the six foot man but still taller than their captain.

"That's right! I have a revenge to take against this Roronoa Zoro, I will defeat him when I see him."

The three idiots totally forgot about the woman next to them, who raises an eyebrow at the mention of the straw hats.

"Looking for the straw hats to fight them?" The three men turn to Stella, who is still looking at them with a more or less neutral face. "Why? What did they do to you?"

"None of your business, bitch!" Spits the captain. Stella's eyes twitch with irritation, there's something she doesn't like, it's gratuitous disrespect.

"You're going to calm down right now, you brat, because if you keep talking to me like that, you're going to eat your food through a straw." She says dangerously. The three men look at each other before bursting into laughter.

"Ha ha ha! And how do you plan to do it, chick? "She grabs the captain's collar and sends him crashing into an alley. The man falls face first into the dust. He coughs loudly and gets up quickly. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU! HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO THE BIG BUGGY CAPTAIN!" He yells. But he sees his two friends running at him, also thrown like sacks of potatoes. He ducks at the last moment to dodge the bodies. The two men fly further and hit some barrels that are lying there. Seeing his two nakama being thrown around so easily is not enough to make him afraid.

"YOU! YOU ARE-"

"Buggy?" His scream gets stuck in his throat when he sees the person in front of him. Stella has dropped her hat behind her back, letting her white hair fly in the wind. "Is that really you, Buggy?" She asks as she scans the captain who is still hidden by the hood of his cloak. A gust of wind lifts the hood slightly, revealing a tuft of blue hair and a round, red nose.

Buggy's body begins to tremble as he sees the ice-blue eyes glow and a smile appear on the woman's face. His heart beats erratically as his body begins to sweat profusely. He feels his sweat running down his back like icy scratches.

"I... Wha... Wha... What..." He takes a step back. "H... How? What the... Why..." Stella steps towards him as he steps back.

Suddenly, two people overtake the captain and pounce on Stella.

"We got this, Captain!" Buggy's eyes widen in horror.

"What?! No stop!" Stella's smile disappears and she looks at the two men foolish enough to charge her with their weapons.

"Down. " They collapse to the ground in one motion and don't get up. Foam comes out of their mouths.

As if the interruption never happened, the smile returns to Stella's lips as she walks toward Buggy again, who stands still and watches the woman move forward with wide, frightened eyes.

Stella stops about two meters from the man and puts her bags on the ground before opening her arms wide with a bright smile.

"It's been so long since I've seen you! Come into my arms!" Despite the woman's invitation and happy smile, Buggy doesn't move a muscle. Stella frowns and pouts, "Stop looking at me like a goldfish, it's been so long since I've seen you. At least give me a hug. You didn't mind before."

" ... " Whispers the man as he stares at the ground, hiding his face with his hood.

"You can say that again, I heard wrong. "

" ... id. "

"Articulate please."

"I'M NOT A FUCKING KID ANYMORE!" Buggy yells as he pulls back his hood. "Look at me! Do I look like a hugger?!" Says the 37-year-old indignantly. Stella blinks as she sees the man's face.

"I don't see any difference. You'll always be a child to me." The clown begins to blush with embarrassment.

"It's been over twenty fucking years! People change!" She rolls her eyes.

"Thanks, I hadn't noticed. Some people died, some were born. Some have become Yonko's while others are chasing after little pirates just starting out." Buggy's face turns even redder with anger.

"Don't compare me to that fucker Shanks! He and I are not the same person!"

"Yes, I can confirm that. Him at least, he makes phone calls from time to time or invites me to little parties. And you... Wait, I remember. Nothing! Not even a phone call in 20 years! Are you kidding me?!" Buggy's face blushes even more, to the point that his nose turns flashy red.

"You think I'm going to apologize? Well, no! I didn't want to see you anymore! NA!" Stella's face falls and her eyes become hurt. Buggy's anger falls like a souffle and he begins to squirm, uncomfortable. "Don't look at me like that!"

"Why? What did I do to make you not want to see me anymore?" Buggy's fists clench and he explodes with anger.

"Don't make fun of me! You know damn well why!" Stella is confused, trying to remember an event that would have taken Buggy away from her permanently while Shanks stays in touch. Seeing the confused face in front of him. Buggy screams in anger and hits the wall.

"You forgot! You fucking forgot! I can't believe it!" Stella doesn't know what to do, this injury must be at least 20 years old, unless it was something that happened and he took it personally.

"Calm down, and tell me why you are so angry with me. Maybe it's just a misunderstanding." The man remains still and slowly turns to her.

"A misunderstanding? A misunderstanding?! Don't bullshit me! You were there with me and the redhead! The most horrible day of my life!" He takes his head in his hands. "That day we lost our captain... And you were asked to make us a promise, a promise you refused to keep!" Stella's eyes widen, she remembers that day, the tears that ran down the young faces that clung to her for support. Of the pain that tore their hearts to shreds and the promise Shanks tried to hold her to but she refused.

Promise us you won't die.

She closes her eyes and shakes off the memories. When she turns her gaze to Buggy who continues to look at her angrily, her face is neutral and inexpressive.

"You know very well I can't keep that kind of promise. But that doesn't explain why you didn't want to see me anymore." He clicks his tongue and starts pacing.

"Don't make fun of me, you'd be perfectly capable of keeping that promise! Look at you! In twenty years, you haven't moved a hair!" He said, pointing at her with big gestures.

"Buggy…"

"No! It's okay, I know! You've told me so many times! But how do you expect me to stay in touch with you knowing that you can die overnight? I don't understand how the redhead does it! It's so much easier to cut off contact and try to forget about this person! That way it's less painful when you find out they're gone for good! How do you expect-"

A blow on the top of his head stops him in his monologue. He holds his head in pain and looks at Stella's irritated face.

"Are you kidding me?! I knew you were a child who didn't think much of the consequences, but I didn't think you'd be so childish! Do you realize that you wasted 20 years of your life trying to forget me! And that you didn't succeed?! Shanks continued to move forward and learn to follow in his captain's footsteps. While you were holed up in East Blue to make sure you never ran into me? You've got to be kidding me!" She grabs the collar of his cloak and pulls her face closer to the clown-nosed man. "The worst part is that I'm sure as a child you had more strength and courage than you do now! Do you realize that you fought alongside and against people who are legends now?!" She pushes Buggy away and draws Seima. The blade vibrates in front of the captain's nose and he takes a step back. "Show me what you've become after 20 years!" She delivers a first blow that Buggy dodges by ducking.

"What?! Wait! Wait! Stop!" The tip of the blade almost pierces his head, passing within an inch of his cheek.

"Shut up and take out your weapon! Don't tell me you've forgotten everything!" Another blow misses the man's leg as he fragments to dodge the blow. A toothy grin appears on Stella's lips. "That's it! Fight!"

Buggy manages to pull the daggers from his coat and throws them at the woman, but each blade is parried easily with a backhand.

"Pathetic." He grits his teeth at Stella's word as she approaches him.

"All right, you asked for it! Buggy Ball!" A small red ball pops out of his shoe and rushes at his opponent. She catches it in her hand while closing her fist. An explosion appears in her hand, but she doesn't even look away from the clown. Slowly, she opens her hand letting the debris of the explosion fall into it.

"You really think your little tricks are going to have any effect on me? Seriously, I'm disappointed."

Buggy doesn't know what to do, he can't rely on his devil's fruit to dodge sword strikes because she's using weapons haki and he knows he's not strong enough to hurt her. It's a good thing he's immune to the king's haki, otherwise he wouldn't have a chance to escape. Stella gets even closer to him with another blow. As a last resort, he defragmented into a thousand pieces.

"Buggy festival! " Stella looks at him flatly, not at all impressed. "And now... Farewell!" His feet speed past Stella, who has her eyes fixed on Buggy's face as he rises into the air. His hands grab his two nakama and he starts running to get out of the alley. "Damn, you guys are heavy!" He growls as the two men are dragged to the ground.

Stella's eye twitches at the clown's attempt to escape.

"Get back here right now!" She puts Seima away, grabs her bags and runs after the flying clown. "You're not getting away from me!"

"Haaaaa! Get off me, old woman!"

"You can always dream! " Passers-by move away from the passageway in front of this strange spectacle. A man split into several pieces dragging two bodies along the sidewalk, all pursued by a very angry woman in an orange hat.

The chase continues for a few seconds, until Buggy reaches the main square.

"Captain Buggy! We found the straw hat! It's on the stage!"

Buggy drops the two men in his hands next to his teammates, but continues running.

"Thanks for the information!" He says to keep up the deceptive appearance that he's not running from a raging woman.

"BUGGY! Stop right there!" Stella is on his heels with a face as irritated as ever.

"HAAA! Get off me! I have things to do!" He yells, flying even higher as his feet try to disappear into the crowd. But Stella isn't stupid and she flies away too.

"Where do you think you're going?! We have not yet finished!"

The crowd looks with round eyes at the two people flying through the air. They whisper to each other, not knowing what to do or think. A few navies who are already in the square because of a young boy on the scene, grab a speaker so the two identified objects can hear them.

"Please come back down! Or we will be forced to arrest you!" The marine's call gets Stella's attention and she realizes the situation she is in. More than 5 meters above a crowd of increasingly compact people watching her. There are obviously more discreet situations. She pushes her hat further down on her head to hide her face, she's sure an article will come out about this event so it's better if she's not recognized, even if the higher-ups aren't too dumb.

She takes Seima slightly out of her sheath and activates a small metal tab that locks the blade, so that it is out by 1 cm but does not slip. Immediately, her hair turns light brown and her eyes turn chocolate brown.

"HEY HOOO! STELLA! LOOK AT ME! I'M HERE! YOU CAN SEE THE WHOLE CITY FROM HERE! THIS IS SO COOL!" Luffy's loud, high-pitched voice catches her attention, and she makes a face when she hears her name. Sure enough, we'll know it's her. The goal: To be discreet. And very compromised. She just hopes no one took her picture before her hair changed color.

Luffy's shout drew everyone's attention, including Buggy's.

"STRAW HAT! " Luffy, too absorbed in Stella's flying demonstration, did not notice the approach of the clown who jumps on him and traps him between two wooden boards. The rubber hands and head are stuck and Luffy can't get out of it. "Mouhahaha! I got you! Get ready to die!"

"BUGGY!" The clown who had raised his sword froze at Stella's irritated voice. "May I ask what you are doing?!" The man looked at her with wide eyes, then at Luffy and finally at the members of his crew who were still in the shadows.

"Uh... I... Attack her!" Stella widens her eyes and her jaw drops to the ground.

"WHAT?!" Instantly, the clown crew members take off their cloaks while the civilians scream and run away. The gunmen begin to aim and shoot at her.

Stella can't believe it. Buggy blames her for not promising not to die. But asking his men to shoot her is not a problem?

Bullets fly in her direction, but she doesn't really pay attention to them because she dodges them easily and the others bounce off her. She's sure Buggy knows his men won't stop her, all he wants is to buy time to kill Luffy.

The blade is raised to the sky darkened by heavy clouds.

"Too bad for you straw hat, I would have loved to torture you a little. But I don't have the time. Say goodbye to this world!"

"LUFFY!" Buggy has a little hesitation as he hears Zoro and Sanji shout their captain's name but refocuses his gaze on his victim.

"I AM THE MAN WHO WILL BECOME PIRATE KING!" Luffy shouts with all the vocal power he can muster.

Stella's and Buggy's eyes widen at his words and silence settles over the square as the young boy flashes a huge smile. The clown's face twists with anger.

"It's impossible Straw Hat! For you are dead!" He brings his sword down on Luffy's neck.

"Guys, I'm sorry, but I'm dead!" Declares Luffy with a big smile despite the blade about to cut his neck.

Stella's eyes widen even more when she sees Luffy's smile. An overlay with a memory makes her scream.

"STOP!"

Lightning strikes the scaffolding at the last moment, electrocuting Buggy with all the power of heaven as the structure instantly catches fire and collapses from the heat. The rain soon falls to extinguish the blaze little by little.

Stella takes a deep breath and a reassured smile adorns her lips when she sees Luffy totally unharmed who recovers his hat as if nothing had happened. Buggy is on the ground half burned, but Stella knows he will recover easily.

"Finally I'm alive, how lucky! " A nervous laugh runs through the woman as Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro begin to run from the marines.

"Stella-chan! My goddess of the islands! We must leave now!" Screams the cook as he gestures wildly in her direction, drawing the attention of an unwanted person.

"You! Stop immediately!" Stella who is still in the air and had started to run, sees a man surrounded by smoke running at her.

"Sorry, marine, but I can't obey your request! We have somewhere to be and you are not invited!" Stella taunts, sticking her tongue out at him and running faster.

Smoker bites down hard on his cigars in annoyance at the brown-haired woman's words.

"You won't escape me!" He throws a fist of smoke in the direction of Stella, who takes a quick glance at the attack behind her. Her smile becomes amused.

"Missed ~" And she disappears completely from her position as the smoke hand was about to catch her. Smoker looks around but doesn't see the irritating woman anywhere. The voice of the other marines on the ground chasing the three straw hats gets his attention.

"Captain Smoker! The straw hats are heading for the harbor! And Buggy's crew is trying to flee!" The said captain clicks his tongue in annoyance. This is the first time anyone has escaped right under his nose, but his priority is to catch Luffy in the Straw Hat and Buggy's crew.

"Intercept them by any means necessary! They must not escape!"

"Yes, Captain!"

---

Stella runs at full speed between the alleys and rooftops while following the trio. The sky is getting darker and darker as they approach the harbor in the pouring rain. A young marine with black hair and glasses intercepts them and Zoro immediately goes to fight against her, under the indignant howls of Sanji.

Stella is a little surprised by the behavior of the swordsman towards this young girl who, for a reason that she ignores, is angry against the man. To say that the confrontation between this girl and Zoro is a fight is quickly said because the swordsman disarms her easily and slams her against a wall, his blade against her throat.

The two look at each other with hatred before Zoro steps back and puts away his swords. He turns and starts to leave, but the woman's howl of rage gets his attention.

"Why?! Why don't you kill me?! Is it because I'm a woman?! Is that it?! In your eyes I am weak and useless?! I don't accept that! I'd rather die than be spared by you!"

Stella watches from the rooftops as Zoro's fists and jaw clench tighter and tighter with each word Tashigi speaks. Until he yells back.

"But you'll shut up! Why do you have to look like my dead friend and have the same ideas! You usurper!" Tashigi looks at Zoro with wide eyes and indignation before screaming in response threatening Zoro with her sword.

"Usurper?! And how do I know that it's not your friend who is copying me?! Huh?! I've always lived like this! My ideas have never changed!" The swordsman pulls out one of his swords in response to keep some control over his opponent's katana.

"What did you just say?! Sunday swordswoman?!" Tashigi's face turns deeply red with anger and rage. She delivers a violent blow with her katana, but Zoro easily blocks it by maintaining a strong pressure to prevent her from moving.

"How dare you say that! You men are all the same! Because I am a woman, I will never be as strong as you! That I will never become a great swordsman! Remember these words well Roronoa Zoro ! One day a woman will beat you! And that woman will be me!"

The swords separate in a shower of sparks as both push the other away. Zoro grips the hilt of his sword so tightly that his knuckles are white. He is angry and upset but also agitated because he really feels like he has Kuina in front of him. Memories mix and mingle, making him confused and even more irritated.

"Shut up... Shut up! SHUT UP!" He waves his sword in front of him to vent his frustration, not paying attention to what he is doing. The young marine watches him act like a madman, but anger quickly takes over and Tashigi steps towards him again. She raises her sword to strike a blow at Zoro before he comes out of his confused state. But even in this state, the East Blue demon is still dangerous. Acting on instinct, Zoro parries the woman's blow and slits her throat.

At least, that would have been the case if a woman with brown hair hadn't grabbed the blade an inch away from Tashigi's throat.

" Calm down, fingerling. If you don't, you'll regret it bitterly." Right next to Tashigi, Stella holds the blade at bay with her fingers. Chocolate eyes slide over to the young marine. "Is everything all right? That little fish didn't hurt you?" She asks in a slightly bewitching voice. After hearing that Tashigi looks like a dead friend of Zoro's, she became curious. If she can get her to train with the goal of defeating Zoro, then it will be a good motivation for her student to not slack off.

Tashigi looks at the tall woman with wide eyes. Although she stopped Zoro's blade with her bare hands, her face is calm and gentle. With a flick of the blade, Zoro steps back and regains his composure.

"What?! What do you want from me? Haven't you made fun of me enough today?!" He asks with irritation as he puts his sword away. Stella sneers as she walks away from Tashigi and approaches the man with her hands in her pockets.

"You'll soon understand that it's hard to satiate me. But the main reason I intervened was because you were going to kill that poor girl. " Zoro's gaze shifts to Tashigi before returning to Stella.

"What business is it of yours anyway? It's my problem! I'll take responsibility for it." She hums softly as she looks at the two opponents before a sneer begins to appear.

"You'll take responsibility? I never thought I'd hear that from a man who only thinks about fighting. But the world is full of surprises. ~" Zoro and Tashigi frown at her words until they understand the meaning of the smile on the woman's face. Tashigi begins to blush and stammer as Zoro clenches his jaw even more.

"You are completely wrong, you pervert! I didn't see Kuina like that!" The smile doesn't falter as Stella walks up to Zoro and nails his head with an arm lock.

"Rhooo ~ Really? That's good, the girl in front of you isn't Kuina ~ " The Marimo tries to pull away but it's a waste, plus it pulls on the bandage around his neck.

" Shut up! And leave me alone! Why should I care about her anyway?! She's in the Navy and she's only interested in my sword!" Unfortunately, the swordsman realizes his mistake too late.

"Your sword? Really? ~" She said as she stared at poor Tashigi who blushed even more as she shook her head from side to side.

"No, no, no! What I'm interested in is taking back Wadô, nothing more!" Stella's head tilts to the side with an innocent look on her face.

"That's what I said. What were you thinking?" Tashigi's red face explodes with embarrassment, she doesn't know where to put herself, after all she is not used to this kind of conversation.

"Uh... I... I... Uh..." A chuckle comes out of Stella's chest though she bites her lips to keep from exploding with laughter. Zoro takes the opportunity to disengage and start putting distance between himself and this dangerous woman, in every sense of the word.

"That's enough! We have no time to lose! Luffy and the others must wait for us at the port! We have to go now!" Says the swordsman as he looks at the incoming marines warily. Stella sneers again and waves her hand.

"Go on without me, I'll catch up with you even if you're at sea. Don't wait for me." He doesn't need to be told twice, without waiting he takes off sprinting towards the port leaving Stella behind to face Tashigi and the navy men.

Seeing the pirate hunter leave, the soldiers start chasing him while others surround Stella who looks at them with a small smile.

"We arrest you as a pirate! Please stand still or we will use the hard way!" Says a particularly aggressive soldier who walks up to Stella with handcuffs on. Seeing the handcuffs approach her, Stella rolls her eyes as she offers her wrists.

"If handcuffing me will make you feel better, have fun. But it won't do any good. The only time I leave the handcuffs on is when I use them for my own personal pleasure. ~ " The irritated face of the man frowns more and he does not hesitate a second to put the handcuffs to the woman in front of her then he pulls it wickedly to force Stella to bend to his level.

"Everything you say will be held against you." She rolls her eyes again with annoyance as she stands up and looks at her wrists. As if the soldiers were not surrounding her, Stella turns to Tashigi.

"Tell me young swordswoman, why do you think women are weaker than men?" The black-haired woman looks at her, squinting at her relaxed face despite the weapons pointed at her.

"I don't see why I should answer your questions, pirate." She replies with a biting tone. An annoyed sigh passes Stella's lips and she pulls on the handcuffs in one swift motion, shattering them. Tashigi's eyes widen in surprise as the metal shards fall to the ground. Instantly, the soldiers pointed and cocked their rifles.

"Don't move or we'll open fire!" But Stella doesn't care about the soldiers' order. Her chocolate eyes are inked in Tashigi's.

"I'm not a pirate. And you can't stop me for many reasons. But if I ask you, it is simply because there are many women in the world who are much stronger than Zoro. The path is not easy, but it's not impossible. I'm a little annoyed that you hide behind your sex to explain your weakness. You know very well that it's only an excuse. If you want to beat Zoro, then you'll have to get stronger by going to Grand Line." Tashigi looks at her with wide eyes before growling in anger.

Seeing the woman's irritated face, Stella flashes a small sarcastic smile. "Otherwise, you can try to defeat me. So sex will have no impact. But I warn you that the path will be even more difficult and complex." Said she as she approached her face of Tashigi, which recoils strongly has the approach. Seeing her movement, which can be interpreted as an aggression, the soldiers throw themselves on her to catch her, but they all fall in a heap where Stella was. The young swordswoman looks around to find her. A chuckle draws her attention to the roof. Stella stands on the red tiles, her bags slung over her shoulders.

"Maybe we'll meet again someday, marine! Practice and pass me. If your greatest wish is to defeat men like Zoro! Then you'll have to learn to fight on Grand Line! But don't forget to have fun! Bye ~ " With a blur of movement, the woman disappears from the roof, leaving a stunned Tashigi and water-soaked soldiers on the ground.

"Fun? How is having fun going to make me stronger?" She shakes her head and slaps her cheeks to get her mind right, she has no time to waste, she has to stop these pirates.

"Everyone go after Luffy in the straw hat and his crew! "

"Yes! Lieutenant Tashigi!"

---

While Stella had fun with the navy, Luffy and Sanji were less lucky. The fight against Smoker was a total defeat, only the arrival of a man covered with a cape allowed them to escape from the smoked man. A huge gust of wind pushed them towards the harbor, dragging the captain, the cook and the swordsman in front of the Merry.

Nami and Usopp had been on the ship for a few minutes, busily preparing for departure.

"Luffy, Sanji, Zoro! Get on quickly! We don't have a moment to lose! We must leave immediately!" Nami yells while giving instructions to the men for the Merry to set sail.

"Wait Nami! Stella isn't here yet!" Shouts Luffy as he looks towards the city.

"Don't worry Luffy! She told me she'll catch up with us even if we leave!" Says Zoro as he pulls back the ropes holding the Merry to the dock.

"What?! Do you really think I'm going to believe you, you damned Marimo?" Shouts Sanji as he tries to kick the swordsman. Zoro grabs his foot and starts to growl.

"It's the truth, she told me so herself. You know damn well she can do it, Cook!" Sanji grits his teeth and growls at Zoro.

"That's enough, you two! We don't have time for this! If she says she's going to join us, then she will! Anyway, if she doesn't come with us it won't be much of a loss!" Shouts Nami through the rain and the rumbling storm. The two fighters look at each other one last time before splitting up and running to control the ship in front of the gust of wind that is pushing them out to sea.

"She's definitely coming, after all, she promised to train us! Shishishi!" Laughs Luffy at the expense of the navigator who would have liked to get rid of this strange girl capable of killing them at the slightest opportunity.

The ship begins to move further and further away, breaking through the increasingly large waves. The crew is far too focused on keeping the Merry from being knocked over by a wave to notice the shadow under the water that has been following them since they left port.

A light begins to be visible in the distance despite the storm.

"Look! It's the lighthouse that indicates the entrance of Grand Line! We're almost there!" Exclaims the captain who is on the head of the Merry and points to the small light in the distance that disappears from time to time due to the size of the waves.

"You are right! We are almost there! Be careful everyone! We have to be careful, a lot of boats run aground here!" Warned Nami, holding the map of Grand Line firmly in her hands so that it doesn't fly away.

---

Stella has easily given the marines the slip, now she scans the city to verify if all the young pirates have joined the Merry. It is with a touch of relief that she senses them all on the ship as it begins to leave port without delay. Apparently, the swordsman has managed to convince Sanji and Luffy to leave her behind. Her pace quickens towards the harbor and the sea, but the coming of a man covered with a cape blocks her way.

"It's been a long time. Why are you chasing after those young pirates? Did they do something to you?"

Stella looks at the man in front of her as he balances on the slippery tiles of the roof. A bolt of lightning falls not far away, lighting up the man's face.

"Indeed, it has been a long time, Dragon. ~ "

---

Sutashi : Exceptional ship with a strong character. He likes to be sadistic and amuse Stella with his jokes. But he can always be counted on in serious situations. He is totally autonomous and can navigate anywhere at very high speed. Vegapunk has given him many improvements that allow him to be even more versatile. Even though he has the ability to go underwater, he doesn't like to stay there for days.

Aoi : Den Den Mochi with a blue-purple shell decorated with silver patterns. He is very greedy and does not hesitate to be the first to eat a novelty that Stella offers him from time to time. Of a cheerful temperament, he remains mischievous and likes to take compromising pictures of the people who surround him, Stella included. He is Maru's brother.

Maru : Den Den Mochi photographer with a red and black shell with golden arabesques. More serious than his brother, he prefers adventure and exploration. He particularly likes to photograph plants and animals that he has never seen.

Hisui Hoshi : Twelfth constellation of the zodiac : Dragon. Partner of Stella, this sword is jade green with a golden dragon on it. A small red pompom is attached to the end of the handle. It accompanies Stella permanently as a tattoo, moving freely on her body. Protective in temperament, it becomes extremely violent and aggressive when Stella is in danger or when something precious to its owner is threatened. Only Stella is able to wield it because of its dangerousness. Any contact with this sword is deadly for those who are not strong enough. In combat, it offers different properties that are unknown for the moment.

Sutataiga : Eleventh constellation of the zodiac : Tiger. This sword is black with yellow and orange stripes. A golden tiger is visible on the scabbard. The blade shines with an orange aura while the blade is black. Just like Hisui and the tenth constellation (?), it is able to move on its scabbard and go on its owner like a tattoo. He has a more combative temperament, preferring to attack before thinking. Its bloodlust pushes it to wound more than necessary its opponents which can be problematic when one wants to capture someone. Currently he has no owner of his own, he fights with Stella most of the time when they are in the Shin Sekai against powerful opponents. In battle, it increases the power of its wearer by converting the blood it drinks into pure energy. If someone tries to wield it without being worthy of it, it drains him completely of his blood.

Ondorisuta: Sixth constellation of the zodiac: The rooster. This sword is red and blue with a colored rooster on the sheath. Its temperament is very arrogant which can irritate other blades but its ability allows anyone who wields it to deceive their world. But if you are not worthy of wielding it, you will gradually lose your five senses. Starting with voice, then hearing, sight, smell and finally touch. Most people who have suffered this curse have ended up committing suicide.

Seima: Second constellation of the zodiac: the horse. The scabbard is of a blue-white color giving a mirage effect, a silver horse is visible on the scabbard. The blade is almost invisible because of its ability to create mirages. It has a calm and cheerful temperament. Even if it plunges those unworthy of it into a dream or nightmare, it always leaves a way out inside its illusion. This does not mean that it is easy to find. It also has the ability to slightly alter the appearance of its owner at his/her request. The illusion changes with each use, unless a specific request is made.

Usagisuta: First constellation of the zodiac: Rabbit. White scabbard with a silver rabbit. The silver blade is thin to fit a fast and fluid handling. Its characteristic allows its bearer to be constantly full of energy and faster. But if one is not worthy of it, it takes possession of the body of its host to control him and prevent him from sleeping until he dies of exhaustion. Its temperament is rather shy and sulky but it makes a point of being faithful to its owner.

---

Hello everyone, how are you?

This chapter was very eventful and a lot was revealed about Stella, but there are still a lot of grey areas that hold a lot of secrets.

For now, the story is rated T, but there will be a few chapters that may be rated M later on due to future events. So you'll get a little warning when that happens, so you've been warned!

I'm curious to know what you think of this story so far and if you're having as much fun reading it as I am writing it! Especially since it can have a double reading in some situations.

I look forward to your messages! Bye!