I stare sorrowfully at the single piece of gum in my hand. I'm trying to delay putting it in my mouth because its going to be the only thing warding off the hunger for who knows how long. I've already been here for half a day and my stomach is growling resentfully due the fact that I chose to forego breakfast in favor of more sleep, clearly a mistake because I could be getting as much sleep as I wanted right now. I'm struggling to ignore the dreadful food item which I have pushed as far as possible from me, hence the gum which I found in my pocket.

I continue to stare at the increasingly delicious smelling mint gum for what feel like hours until my stomach makes a decision for me and I unwrap it half way and bite a piece off. Hopefully it will last me longer this way. I stare forlornly out at the sea that's causing my little row boat to bob and sway gently. I'm still not quite sure how I got here. It must've been about six hours ago. I'm not quite sure though because my watch isn't working properly. Currently the date read 21 and it said the time was six o'clock, while in actuality the date was the 3rd of November and judging by the suns position it was high noon.

I can really only sigh at my luck. I've been thinking about how it all happened for a while and have been wondering what I did to deserve this. For me it started this morning, but I have a hunch that it truly started long before that.

Flashback

An obnoxious marimba tune penetrated the velvety, warm, blackness of my sleep. I groaned and mumbled some words that were unintelligible to even myself as I rolled over and groped blindly for my Ipod. The screen felt cool to my touch as I typed in the password with a practiced ease. I dropped the sleek black device back onto its original position on the carpet.

I blew some strands of my frizzy brunette hair out of my face while I considered my options. I was so warm and comfortable that there really was no choice in the matter. I curled up on myself pulling my blanket up to my head and drifted back into a blissful half sleep. Who needs breakfast anyway?

The next time I was confronted with a wake up call there was very little decision making on my part. "Hija!? Juanita! You need to wake up! You're going to be late!" At the sound of my Madre's voice, I roll out of bed and spring to my feet, tugging off my shirt as I go. I quickly select a black tee and my usual blue zip up hoodie along with a pair of jean capri's. I pop on my black framed glasses as I hurry out of my room and swing into the bathroom where I desperately tug a brush through my stubborn curls. I eventually give up with a frustrated huff when I tug at my scalp too painfully one too many times. I end up just pulling my hair back like I usually do. After polishing up my teeth with an extreme speed that caused my gums to sting I dash down the stairs taking them two at a time. I quickly zip up my boots and snag my backpack with my hand as I manhandle the door, calling a quick "Adios" as I sprint out the door.

I love to run places, the wind in my face that draws back my irritating curls, and the feeling that if I were to hop into the air and spread my arms I could fly away. I was never a sprinter in school though. It seemed so pointless just to be running in circles. I did however play soccer until I broke my foot and decided not to go back afterwards.

I'm really not a very motivated person. I've never really had any goals in my life besides get home and read manga. It's a mindset my two best friend share with me and we often spend hours debating things anime related. I personally think that One Piece was one of the best stories ever written. However one of my friends claims that Katekyo Hitman Reborn is better, while the third vouches for Naruto.

Personally I like all three, but I've always felt a special tug towards One Piece. I just love how the characters interact and the storyline is so well thought out. Little did I realize that the abnormally bright blue puddle that I was just about to splash through was going to make my bond with One Piece a heck of a lot stronger.

I yelped in shock as my leg sunk straight into the sapphire water which was far deeper than it should be. My momentum caused my body to lurch forward unsteadily. I braced myself expecting an impact with wet cement, but I fell straight through the puddle.

Suddenly my surroundings started twisting around itself and I started to feel dizzy and very queasy. With my flailing arms I clutched at my churning stomach. After a moment I realized that the world wasn't twisting, I was flipping over myself in a frightening free fall. I was too disoriented to make out much else so my body took over for me and plunged me into the safety of unconciousness.

And that is how I ended up here. When I came to, I was surprisingly still in one piece, my head hurt a little but nothing besides that. I was sitting in this little swaying rowboat, which had no oars, but my back pack was sitting next to me along with what looked like a long wooden staff. Behind my bag sat an innocent piece of fruit (which I am currently in the process of ignoring, if you recall) which resembled a blue and lavender pineapple. I had some suspicions about what it really was, so I pushed it away, I did not want to be tempted.

Behind me the sun was rising gloriously over the infinite watery horizon, it's golden rays reflecting beautifully off the water and lighting the sky a gorgeous grapefruit color. Right now the sky is bright blue. I wish I could appreciate my surroundings more, but I'm pretty caught up in my dilemma.

I rub at my birthmark that's under my right collar bone, trying to get at the tingly feeling under my skin. The area is a little darker than my regular olive skin tone that I inherited from my parents. It resembles a swirl. My two friends have birthmarks too, Bekka's looks like a paint splatter, and is on her right shoulder, but since she's not very artistic we now say it's a sun. The third we claim looks like a droplet of water and it rests on the right side of Libby's back. These marks are why we call ourselves sisters in spirit.

Thinking about my friends is really not helping my impending depression, so I dig through my backpack instead. It's heavily weighed down by my Algebra and Biology text books. I, of course, forgot to pack my Ipod on the one day I really needed it. My little slide phone is useless without reception. Really it's not that I don't have anything to do, it's just that I'm in a bad mood, like I said earlier no motivation whatsoever.

Anyhow right now the most important thing right now was the fact that I really needed to use the bathroom. I have no idea what to do. How do I even do this? No one ever says anything about that in One Piece! Luffy and Zoro spent ages in a little row boat like mine, they must have gone sometime. It's probably easier for them anyway because they're guys. None of the fanfics ever address this problem am I the only one who ever asks the serious questions around here?

Lets take inventory of my situation:

Watch? Broken. Food? Only an evil fruit and half a stick of gum. Location? I have no clue whatsoever. Water? None besides the ocean. Cell phone? No reception. Ipod? In my bedroom where I left it. Boredom level? High. So all in all situation? Hell. I sigh.

Maybe I'll just take a nap, it should get my mind off my problems and I'm a light sleeper so I should wake up if something happens. Hopefully…

I lie down on the uncomfortable wooden boards and use my bag as a pillow, which, despite it's lumpiness, is better than nothing. I spit out my gum and close my eyes and let the swaying rock me to sleep.

I dream I am sitting on a cloud and Libby and Bekka sit next to me. Infront of us is a temple. Ancient and weathered carvings sprawl across it's crumbling walls. I get up and start walking towards it in a daze that is common in my dreams. I turn back to beckon to my friends, but they seem to be asleep. I shrug and turn and sort of glide towards the old walls. I smell something sweet, almost sickeningly so. It invades my nose and wafts into my mouth. My stomach turns over uncomfortably and I feel a tugging on my esophagus, urging me to gag. I swallow in order to push the feeling back and I continue inside.

Tall columns similar to those common in ancient Greece dot the building. The room I stand is domed. In the center stands a big circular slab on a pedestal. Light from a skylight in the ceiling gives it an ethereal glow. I cautiously approach it. On it are three engravings placed and equal distance from each other in a triangle. I finger the one directly in front of me. The cold feeling of the edge surprises me. At closer examination I realize that the swirling shape is inlaid with a silvery metal on the edges, keeping it safe from the erosion that has affected the sand colored stone used for the table and the rest of the temple.

Suddenly the engraving glows a bright white and the disgusting sweetness fills my mouth again flooding my taste buds and forcing itself down my throught and up my nose. I stumble back from the slab unsteadily, as the heady scent mists through my mind and causes my body to tingle. The temple begins to rumble and chunks of stone from the domed roof begin to crumble to the ground.

At the second rumble I wake up with a jolt. The tingling hasn't left my body and the taste still lingers in my mouth. My hands are sticky with some blue violet liquid that is also dripping from my lips. My eyes when I realize what this means. A third rumble brings me out of my panicked state. My eyes turn to the horizon and see the roiling mass of clouds and water looming darkly and fast approaching.

My distress returns immediately and burns in my stomach. An incoming storm and I managed to eat a devil fruit in my sleep. I certainly wouldn't make it out alive. I shoulder my backpack and grab the long wooden stick with one hand while gripping tightly at the side of my boat with the other, just in time for the first wave to crash into me and drench me.

The wind howls around me, whipping my soaked ponytail at my face. I hiss as I'm tossed around painfully and the salty water stings my eyes. I feel my hand losing its hold on the edge of the wood. My knuckles whiten even more as I grip harder. I pray that my glasses stay on my face because I'm practically blind without them.

I look up from my hand and see the enormous wall of water crashing down on me. I don't even have time to scream. The raging waters rip my hand from the boat and capsize it. With a whoosh my breath leaves me and I suddenly feel a lot weaker. Wave after wave slaps over me pulling me violently under. I think I hear a shout from near by, but it's impossible to hear much past the overpowering water and thunder. My hand reaches up past the water, but I can't move much beyond that and soon I am too deep to do anything, but sink.

I try to hold on to what breath I have left. I am determined not to inhale water, but the screaming of my lungs is making that difficult. 'You are having a contest with Bekka, you are having a "how long can you hold your breath for" contest with Bekka.' I chant these two sentences in my head like a mantra, trying to convince myself of their reality. It doesn't work for long. I gasp desperately for air and bubbles leave my mouth and large volumes of water replace them. I think I see something in the water, but I don't really care because I'm going to die anyway. That's my last thought before darkness envelopes me.

On the deck of the Going Merry, Nami was shouting orders to the four other members of the crew while their two guests laughed at their misfortune and inexperience, until Nami forces them to work.

"What's wrong with this ocean!" Nami cried.

"Wow! Our first storm on the Grandline, this is great!" exclaimed an excited captain.

"THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING!" Nami shrieked while she punched Luffy in the face. The deck is chaotic as the crew members dash about lowering and raising the sails and attempting to sail the ship in the right direction. Zoro on the other hand was taking a peaceful nap. Usopp attempts to wake him several times as he runs past.

"Naaamiii swaaan! There's a capsized dinghy off the starboard side!" Sanji called over to his beautiful navigator. She peered over Merry's edge and saw the little boat thrashing about in the water, not too far away.

"Can you see anyone Sanji?" She shouted back at him. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she let someone drown in the storm, especially if that someone had money on them. Sanji squinted out at the violent waters. He couldn't really see much. Wait. There. A hand was reaching out. It could be a devil fruit user reaching out with the last of their strength.

"I see someone! I'm going in!" The cook calls over his shoulder as he dives over the railing. He allows himself a smile as he streaks though the waves. As someone who grew up on a boat, he was easily the fastest swimmer of everyone on the Merry. He soon reached the overturned dinghy. He then dove down and caught sigh of a receding body. He grasped the outstretched hand of the drowning person and tugged them to the surface. They were relatively light and he easily made it back to the Merry while keeping their head out of the water. Luffy Usopp, and a reluctant Mr. 9 threw him a rope and he grabbed hold and they began to pull him up.

Nami sighed with relief seeing that Sanji had successfully rescued the person who looked to be a teenaged girl. The storm was subsiding too. Things were looking up. She hopped down the stairs to see the new person, whom Sanji had lain out on the deck.

"Is she alright?" The girl chose this moment to cough up water.

So first chapter! What do you guys think? This is unfortunately unbeta'd so if anyone notices any mistakes please let me know so I can fix them.

Translations:

Madre: Mother

Hija: Daughter

Adios: Bye

I would love it if people reviewed since this is my first story!