Origins of the Samurai
In the middle of the vast ocean, the boat that had been taken from the Baratie restaurant, sailed at a quiet pace. The sky was clear and the sun shined down on the inhabitants of the vessel, glistening off the blue water around them. Ryuza leaned back in his seat and concealed a small burp. After the satisfaction of tasting such delicious food, it was difficult for him to remain awake. During the trip, Sanji had cooked him, Luffy, and Yosaku a warm meal.
Ryuza had tried not to eat too much. If he did, it would have been at the expense of being sluggish from being full. Deep down, he felt a strange sense of excitement and ecstasy. Despite the fact that they were traveling to an island owned by a dangerous pirate, he felt the call for adventure and a chance to improve his technique. On top of that, he could not wait to see Yamato again and tell her about his duel against Mihawk and next, the Don Krieg pirates. There was so much he wanted to share with her.
"Man, that was so good!" Luffy laughed, patting his stomach in delight. "I could go for another bite!"
"How about we save the rest of our ingredients for later?" Sanji replied, shaking his head with a smirk. "At this rate, if I let you go on, we'll have nothing left."
"Here here." Yosaku agreed, letting out a rumbling belch. "I almost feel like falling asleep here."
"That is a good way for an enemy to sneak up on us." Ryuza voiced , rolling his shoulders and neck while shifting his eyes across the endless watery landscape. "Who knows what could be lurking out here. There could be Sea monsters waiting to leap out, or pirates closing in on us as we speak."
"Oh, I get it. It's like some super samurai sense!" Luffy exclaimed, his eyes twinkling with wonder.
Ryuza scratched his cheek, pondering on Luffy's statement. "Sort of. My master always taught me that one should always be aware of their surroundings." He explained proudly. "Especially when traveling to places you have not been before. He said that during his time out in the ocean, there were a lot of crazy and powerful enemies and monsters that had attempted to take his life."
"Huh? Your master sailed the ocean at one point?" Sanji asked. "I just assumed he was a samurai too but he sounds like a sailor. What, was he some sort of half samurai half sailor?"
Ryuza laughed sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "That's a pretty long story."
"Tell us! I wanna hear it!" Luffy beamed, leaning forward in his seat. "You told that Hawk-eyes guy your master gave you that sword, right? C'moon! Spill it!"
Sanji glanced over at Ryuza with interest. "You're from the East Blue too, right?" he asked, raising one of his brows. "I haven't heard any stories of samurai being around here. Did your master read about samurai from a story somewhere and just teach you what he knew or something? It sounds like there's an interesting story there regardless."
"Yeah, and don't forget sister Yamato." Yosaku added. "She's tall and has those horns on her head. Like a demon people tell stories about. I've never seen anything like it."
Sanji's face turned red at the mention of Yamato. A smile of fantasy grew on his face as he stared off into space. Ryuza tilted his head to the side in confusion but he was unaware of the thoughts in Sanji's mind.
"Ah, the beautiful Yamato. One could only imagine where a beautiful creature like her came from." Sanji crooned. He then slammed his fists on the table and leaned in along with Luffy, his expression turning serious. "Alright, start talking."
Contemplating their request, Ryuza thought it would have been fair for him to share his story as well as a part of Yamato's. He recalled Sanji explaining his own story and how when he was a child sailing along on a ship, when it was attacked by pirates. Shockingly, Owner Zeff happened to be the captain of that pirate crew, back when he was still known as Red-Leg Zeff.
He ordered his men to raid the ship for its supplies and Sanji recalled himself being the only one amongst the group on that ship to attempt to stop them, despite being only a child in the face of deadly individuals. Then, a great storm appeared, disrupting the pirates's attempt at plundering the ship of its loot. The storm was fierce enough to sink both ships and claim the lives of both pirates and civilians. Sanji himself nearly meant his own demise but it was Owner Zeff who saved him from drowning.
Much to Ryuza's shock, Sanji mentioned how he and Owner Zeff had been marooned on an island after the storm and raging ocean had nearly drowned them both. While stranded, Owner Zeff had given Sanji all of the remaining food while he was forced to resort to devouring his own leg to stay alive. According to Sanji, they had been stranded on the island for 85 days but were eventually rescued by a passing ship. Owner Zeff had made a vow during his starvation that he would open a restaurant on the sea and serve anyone who was hungry.
The story made Ryuza finally understand the reason both Sanji and Owner Zeff were willing to feed both Gin and Don Krieg, despite them being notorious pirates who were well known for their deceit and trickery. They both had felt what it was like to nearly starve to death. The feeling of your own stomach feeling as if it were ready to turn inside out. Neither of them had a desire for anyone to feel the desperation that they felt. Even if they were notorious pirates.
Since Sanji had chosen to share his own story with them, Ryuza thought it would be only fair for him to do the same. He owed Sanji that much since he had saved his life after being nearly skewered by the lieutenant of the Don Krieg pirates. Plus, it was not as if Ryuza had anything to hide.
"Well, there isn't much for me to tell." Ryuza shrugged his shoulders. "You see, I lived on an island a long way from here in the East Blue. It was my home for as long as I could remember….."
※
Ryuza's gaze turned toward the blue sky above as he let his words linger. The seagulls flying high squawked as they ventured off into the horizon of the blue sea. Ryuza drew a deep breath and closed his eyes, recalling the past memories of his childhood.
His story began on an island known as Kazemura, in a small watery patch of the east blue. On that island was a large village. That village was known as Tatsuga, a small town located within the vast forests of the island. The residents of the village worked diligently, by either farming, selling fresh fish or foods, or bartering with some of the many ships that were simply sailing past the island.
The village chief watched them with careful and protective eyes, surveying the island vigorously for anyone that would dare threaten them. On occasion, there had been wandering pirates or bandits from the mountains that made attempted raids on the village. But these attackers soon discovered that the villagers were not to be trifled with.
Any attack was met with fierce resistance and swept away. Enemies did not expect to be met with ferocity and unity from a single town. Each member of the community treated one another as a family member, standing united against even the strongest of foes.
During a cloudy day on the island of the village, A single white haired woman who went by the name of Tobimaru, wandered into the forest to collect fruit from plants and trees that only grew on the outskirts of the island. The fruit she'd obtain she'd sell to many of the villagers while also keeping some for her son and daughter. After the early and unfortunate death of her dear husband, she tried her absolute best to make them happy and raise them as best as she could.
One day, when on another one of her ventures to the outskirts of the island, she heard the unmistakable sound of a baby crying. Tobimaru could not stop her maternal instincts from kicking in and rushed to the source of the noise. After following the cry, she found herself at the sandy beach that was at the edge of the island.
There, she spotted a brown straw basket, sitting at the edge of the sand line and near the waves of the ocean. It took Tobimaru a moment to realize the sounds of bawling had been coming from that basket. She walked closer and peered inside to see a baby with black hair covered in white sand, wailing and squirming.
Tobimaru quickly took the child from the basket and held it close to her, soothing it with her melodic whispers. She was thankful that she came across him before the waves could claim him. If not that, he could have easily starved to death, or a predator could have come by and done away with him.
As she held the baby close, she glanced back and forth across the island, and then gazed out into the ocean. There had been no sign of anyone other than her on the beach and no sign of how the baby she held in her arms arrived there. Coming to a decision, she knew that she should take the baby to the village chief. She thought perhaps he could get someone to take the baby to another island that held an orphanage or a place where the child would be cared for until he could find a proper home.
While lost in thought, the baby's wailing cries had ceased. Tobimaru glanced back down at the child and could not help but smile. The baby rubbed its eyes, making quiet cooing noises, his eyes black and small. Tobimaru's hand brushed his cheek, and the baby grasped her finger. She gasped and paused when the baby looked up at her, his tiny eyes glistening with curiosity and trust. The baby's grip was tight around her finger as he held it with both hands. A grip that felt as if it was saying that the baby did not want to be separated from her, and would return to crying if she had pulled away.
In that singular moment, Tobimaru felt overwhelming warmth in her heart as if she were near a fireplace on a cold night. She knew then that she couldn't simply hand the baby over to someone else or send him to an orphanage on a distant island. He was so helpless, and there was no guarantee that an orphanage would treat him well. The little one had found his way to her, and she had suddenly felt a strong connection and responsibility towards him.
With a gentle smile, she made her decision and whispered softly, "From now on, I'll be your family. I promise to take care of you and give you a home."
She returned to her home, carrying the baby within the basket that she had found him in. Upon entering her home, she placed him on a wooden table and quickly rushed to make food. She imagined the poor child must have been starving, and could only imagine how many days he had gone without food or drink. While she focused on making a meal, the baby continued to make small noises gazing up at the ceiling in curiosity until two figures leaned over him, staring back at him with interested looks. One a girl who was only 5 years old, and the other a boy who was behind her by one year.
"Who's this, mom?" asked the older girl, Amane, her long, blue hair tied back in a loose ponytail. Her curious eyes studied the baby with a hint of concern.
"This is your new little brother," Tobimaru replied with a warm smile, stirring a pot of soup on the stove.
The small boy, named Tetsuo, with a mop of messy black hair and a mischievous glint in his eyes, asked curiously, "What's his name?"
Tobimaru paused for a moment, considering the question. She looked at the baby, his eyes full of wonder, and said, "We'll call him—"
※
"Wait, Ryuza wasn't your original name?" Yosaku interrupted, listening to the young samurai's tale with a surprised expression.
"No. At the time I was given a completely different name by my caretaker." Ryuza explained, showing signs of beginning to flush. "Later on, after I meant my master, he had given me the name of 'Ryuza'. It was only then that I had claimed it as my regular name."
"Well, what was your original name then?" asked Luffy, grinning as he was beginning to grow more interested. "You never said what it was. You just paused. I bet it's super embarrassing, right? C'mon, what was it?"
"I'd rather not say." Ryuza answered quickly, his face starting to flush even more. "Moving on."
Sanji raised his curly brow and muttered, "It's really that bad huh?"
"I said, moving on!" repeated Ryuza, returning to the story of his past.
※
In the many years that followed, Ryuza had grown to adore his new family, oblivious to the circumstances that may have explained why he was left on the beach of the island to be found. Though Tobimaru cared for him as she would her own children, Amane and Tetsuo had little regard for him, venturing out on their own and waving Ryuza away so that he would not bother them. As Ryuza grew old enough to walk and run on his own, he tried to follow in his "siblings" footsteps.
Aname, who was just as smart as she was fierce, would venture off into the forest by herself to collect meat for dinner, despite Tobimaru telling her that it was far too dangerous. Ryuza attempted to follow her in secret, but was always spotted by her, his stealth skills lacking as much as his smarts. And everytime he had been caught, she yelled at him and told him to return home, saying that he would just get in the way of her prize. And after a few hours of being in the forest, Aname would return home with two black furred wolves who were beaten into submission in tow. Tobimaru reprimanded her, though it did little to deter Aname from her ventures.
Tetsuo, though lacking in Aname's intelligence, was even more fierce than his older sibling. Ryuza could recall a time when there were a group of bandits attempting to raid a store in town, holding the owner hostage. Tetsuo, only a young child, was furious at the sight. He grabbed a wooden plank that happened to be nearby and approached the group of thieves. Within a few seconds, the cocky thieves were beaten within an inch of their lives by Tetsuo and his wooden plank. Tobimaru gave him a proper scolding after the incident, but from that moment on, Tetsuo promised that anyone who threatened his home would get the same treatment.
Ryuza was treated the same by Tetsuo the same way Aname treated him whenever he tried to follow them. Being told that he would only get in the way, and then shooing him away as if he were a burden.
Throughout the village, Ryuza had been known to be an adventurous and wiley child. Oftentimes, he'd follow Tobimaru to the forests in secret to watch her collect fruit, glancing around for any approaching dangers. And each time, Tobimaru would laugh to herself, knowing he was near despite his attempt at secrecy.
Ryuza did not stop there. His small attempts at adventure would take him to the larger men of the village, asking if he could follow them on one of their great hunts into the forest. Just like his siblings, the men laughed and would either tell him to go home and that he'd just get in the way, or simply reply that he is too young and small to go hunting, as the creatures they came across were large and dangerous.
Though many of the villagers, including the village chief tried to sway Ryuza from always venturing head first into danger, he continued on his path, jumping at every opportunity that he could. He felt his heart yearn for something greater than just staying indoors for the entirety of the day. There was something more out there for him. He just knew it.
One fateful day, Tobimaru prepared herself for another venture into the forest to collect fruit. This time, both her children, Amane and Tetsuo begged for her to let them accompany her. And of course, this made Ryuza want to join in as well. Tobimaru reluctantly agreed and told them that they should stay close to her and not venture off.
The task took them into the higher cliffs of the island, where the tall green forest trees overlooked a small valley below, into a vast running river that ran through one side of the island, all the way to the other side. While his adopted family collected the fruit from the trees that they could reach, and the small shrub bushes, Ryuza had found himself more bored and weary than usual. Exploring the forests of the island was not as exciting and thrilling as he'd thought it would be. Then, something significant caught the young boy's eye.
Just a few distances away was a large tree, slightly uprooted and arched, and hanging off the edge of a mighty cliff that overlooked the running river below. At the edge of the tree, hanging by a small wooden branch covered in moss was a golden fruit that glistened in the sunlight, it's shine pure as if it were cleaned by a new rag every day.
Ryuza beckoned his family over to show them the fruit. Tobimaru's eyes shimmered with joy and wonder when she laid eyes on it. When the three children asked her why she was so excited, she explained to them that the fruit Ryuza had spotted was of great rarity. A special fruit laden with wondrous and juicy taste. Such fruit was a rarity to spot on the island and only grew in certain areas of the forest, often hidden from plain view.
While Ryuza enjoyed seeing his caretaker tell them the story of the fruit with such excitement, he noticed that she suddenly frowned. She gazed at the fruit that waited at the edge of the nearly uprooted tree and down at the river below. She then said that the fruit was simply too dangerous to obtain, and if they tried to get it, they would surely fall from a great height and die. Amane and Testuo both tried to convince their mom that they would be able to get the fruit. They both had a desire to see her happy, but she merely smiled gently at them and said that she could live without it and that it was a joy just to lay eyes on it.
As Tobimaru turned away, Amane, Testuo and Ryuza continued to stare at the rare fruit. Ryuza had a deep desire, despite his caretaker's wishes to recover the fruit. Even though it was dangerous, all that he cared about was making her happy. Aname was the first to take a step forward toward the edge of the cliff. Undoubtedly trying to use her smarts to find a way to get to the fruit without plummeting to her demise. But much to Ryuza's surprise, she had no answer for the situation.
"It's no good." Amane said, putting her foot on the tree that hung off the edge of the cliff. "This thing shakes just by me putting one foot on it. It'll definitely break if I try to crawl across."
"Then let me do it." Tetsuo said determinedly. "It should be strong enough to carry my weight."
Amane tossed him a skeptical look but gestured for him to try. Feeling more determined after her look. Tetsuo placed his foot on the tree but quickly felt it shift and nearly give way. He leapt back and sighed in irritation, knowing it was clear that the tree would not hold him either.
"It was obvious that it wouldn't hold you." Amane said, shaking her head. "We're both too heavy. We need to figure out another way to get it."
Ryuza's eyes shinmered within that moment. Both Amane and Tetsuo failed, but he was also aware that they were bigger than him. With his small size, he could easily climb across the tree without it breaking, and grab the fruit. This was finally his chance to outshine them both in an amazing deed. He would not pass up the opportunity so easily.
"I can do it." Ryuza announced, having both Amane and Tetsuo turn to him and stare at him with looks as if they had forgotten that he was even there. "I'm small! Smaller than both of you. I should be able to climb across and grab the fruit!"
"You?" Amane repeated, staring at him while in deep thought. "Well you are small. The tree just might be able to hold you…"
"If he says he can do it then what's the big fuss?" Tetsuo grinned, stepping to the side. "Just don't drop it!"
"He's right." Amane nodded in agreement. "Climb across, grab it, and come right back."
"I can do this without your guy's help." Ryuza declared excitedly. "Watch this!"
Ryuza rushed forward and placed his foot on the lopsided tree. The tree showed no signs of coming loose from its roots. Ryuza laughed and slowly began his journey across. Hugging his body closely against the bark, the young boy scooted closer toward the edge of the tree and toward the golden fruit at a steady pace.
While he continued on his path, Amane and Tetsuo watched closely from a safe distance. Both of them were surprised that Ryuza didn't appear to be scared at the seemingly bottomless depths beneath him. What they didn't know was that Ryuza did not bother to look down nor did he care to. All that mattered to him was the goal only a few meters in front of him.
He scooted forward a few more times and found himself at the edge of the tree, closer to the smaller branches. The fruit was in grabbing distance and Ryuza had begun to reach out, a beaming and triumphant smile on his face. His hand grasped the golden fruit and he pulled it from it's root. When it detached, he clenched it firmly to his chest.
"He got it?" Amane questioned before smiling. "He got it!"
"Way to go!" Tetsuo laughed, waving him over. "Bring it back over here!"
"On my way!" Ryuza grinned, slowly turning his body so that he could scoot back toward them.
The young boy's victory was short-lived.
The loud sound of roots detaching from the ground had suddenly echoed throughout the forest. The ground of the cliffside suddenly cracked, and the tree had begun to finally give way. Ryuza screamed and hung on tightly to the tree as it began to teeter back and forth. Sensing the immediate danger, Aname and Tetsuo both grabbed onto the bottom half of the tree, trying to stop it from tipping off the cliff and taking Ryuza with it.
The bravery and desire for adventure that Ryuza once had was quickly replaced with immense terror. As he tried to hang onto the tree as it threatened to give way, he caught a glimpse of the incredible height that he was at. He could see the rushing waves of the running river below in the middle of a forest full of trees.
He had no desire to fall and die. Not even at the cost of adventure.
A few distances away, Tobimaru heard the sounds of her two children yelling and shouting in alarm. When she looked over, her eyes had widened and her heart dropped. Dropping her basket full of fruit, she ran as fast as she could to save her adopted child.
Aname and Tetsuo held onto the tree as tightly as they could, but their combined strength was not enough. Ryuza, frozen in terror, refused to move from his spot. Despite his two siblings yelling for him to climb back, he could only cling on tightly to the tree as it loosened further and further from its roots.
And finally, the roots broke free from the ground. Ryuza could only catch one last glimpse of Aname and Tetsuo's terrified expressions, and the look of Tobimaru, his caretaker that took him in, wide and teary eyed as she began to scream.
The tree, finally giving way due to its weight, spiraled down the cliff with Ryuza still tightly clinging to it. As the air almost nearly suffocated him, and his head spun while in free fall, he had no time to prepare himself as he and the tree were submerged into the water of the running river that awaited below.
Though his eyes were closed, Ryuza could feel the cold water surround and push him against the tree. The force of the running river forced his chest to press against the bark. He held his breath for as long as he could, not daring to open his eyes as the river carried him through the island.
Suddenly, Ryuza was allowed a moment of reprieve and fresh air but as he opened his eyes, he saw that the only reason he was allowed to breathe was to see that he was falling down a small waterfall. He screamed again, but was silenced as he was taken under. There was no longer a tree for him to hold onto as it had rushed past him.
The water carried him a great distance ahead at a rapid pace and then suddenly began to slow down. Feeling his lungs beginning to burn, Ryuza flailed his arms, trying to get to the surface. But his body was small and he had not been trained properly to swim in such conditions. His lungs could no longer stop the flow of water from pouring in. Was this his fate? To drown at the bottom of a river where no one would find his body? No matter how much Ryuza tried to fight and kick, his body could not muster the energy.
However, before the water could claim him, Ryuza felt a hand suddenly grab the back of his collar and hoist him upward with great strength. The air of the surface rushed back to his lungs as he coughed out the river water from his mouth violently, gasping and sputtering. Despite being safe from the water, he felt that someone was holding him by his collar from behind.
Being in a state of panic, he kicked, and swung his little fists, trying to hit anything near him. With water still in his eyes, he could not fully see. Whoever had a grip on him did not loosen it despite his fighting.
"Quit your squirming, boy!" A voice commanded behind him. "I just saved your life and you plan on repaying by striking me?"
"Let me go!" Ryuza coughed, not at all hearing what the voice said.
"I said quit your squirming!" The voice shouted again.
Ryuza felt himself carried out of the water and dropped roughly onto a grassy surface. When he finally coughed out the last of the water, he wiped his eyes and his vision began to return. He was back on land, in the middle of a forest on a random part of the island. A shadow loomed over him and when Ryuza looked behind him, he had caught a full glimpse of his savior.
A man with sharp black hair, most likely in his 30s, stood over Ryuza. His brown eyes were sharp as they stared a hole right through Ryuza's soul. Across one of his eyes was a large remnant of a scar. The man wore a black samurai robe that one would see from a fable book and a blue scarf wrapped around his shoulders. The thing that caught Ryuza's eye the most was the two swords, still in their hilts, wrapped against the stranger's waist. The young boy had never seen such a person.
"Now….." the man said, bending down to Ryuza's level. "Who the hell are you?"
Ryuza smiled fondly as he recalled the memory, still explaining the tale to his allies as the boat continued its drift. It was a moment that the young samurai would always recall. The moment where he had first met his beloved master.
Author's Note: That's two chapters. Do not worry. I plan on posting the next chapters very soon. Like in the next two days soon. I think I'm getting the hang of writing consistently. Also, I've been reading the comments and I absolutely adore reviews! Keep them coming! I will be answering some of the comments left behind by you guys!
Slimereader11: The story is good but Ryuza should name and yell out his attacks
Author: There's actually a good reason why Ryuza doesn't have any named attacks. It will be revealed later in the story!
Darkmaster10000000: Hey quick question: When will you give Yamato her Devil Fruit?
Author: I am unable to answer that just yet due to spoilers but I suspect the Arlong Park arc will answer that question.