Chapter 1: The New Home

Sanori and her family arrive at their new house for the first time—her mother Shannon is very excited, but Sanori is not. While they are unpacking their things, their new neighbor, Danny Merritt, brings a fruit basket and welcomes them to the neighborhood. Sanori is suspicious of him, which Danny finds to be very strange. Regardless, Danny invites the Minoseis to come visit their house sometime, since they live right across the street. Shannon thinks that's a lovely idea.

The next day, the Minoseis decide to visit the Merritts, despite Sanori's protests. They meet Danny's mother, Ginette, who welcomes them in happily and offers them some sandwiches. They talk for a while, and Ginette reveals that her husband is a sailor, which is why he's not home very often.

As if on cue, Cap'n Harman Merritt bursts through the door, having just arrived home from a sailing trip. He briefly regards the Minoseis before giving Ginette a necklace he picked up on the coasts of Cuba, revealing that he likes to bring back gifts for his family when he can. Sanori, still suspicious of her strange new neighbors, subtly questions Harman on whether or not he actually purchased the necklace. When he replies ambiguously, Sanori is convinced that there is something he isn't telling them.

That night, when Sanori overhears that Harman is already leaving again for work, she decides to investigate further. She unpacks a very special part of her luggage—her ninja garb she wears as the vigilante warrior, the Aiiro No Kunoichi—and puts it on, carefully following Harman to see where he goes. Sure enough, she finds him at his ship, where he's speaking with his first mate Pierrick about stealing a ruby en route to a museum. Sanori's instincts were right—though Harman Merritt claims to be a normal sailor, he's actually the captain of a band of pirates.

She sneaks onto the ship to investigate further, but due to her inexperience with ships, she catches the attention of the crew in the process. After struggling to escape from the pirates a few times, and losing her katana to first mate Pierrick Avalet, Sanori finally manages to get off the ship with a necklace she found as evidence.

She takes the necklace to show her father and former Aiiro No Ninja, Makoto Minosei, telling her of their neighbor's secret and asking him for advice. To her surprise, Makoto suggests she leave the police to handle it, and that she should get out of the vigilante business because it's not safe. Sanori is angry with him for giving up so easily, and informs him that she has no plans of doing likewise.

Without her father to help her, she turns to the local police, telling the story to them. However, they are not quick to believe a girl dressed in a ninja suit ranting about pirates, dismissing her claims as fantasy. Though Sanori is frustrated, she vows not to give up hope.