One of the excuses you get for a few things happening in this chapter are utter bull. Don't run away quite yet - you'll get real answers in later chapters.

Also, looking for a beta reader/someone I can toss ideas off of, if anyone wants to volunteer.

Edit (as of 8-16-2017): Actually, a lot of screw is in this chapter. Again, you'll get answers later.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, or a few other things appearing in the chapter.

Nojiko crossed her arms, staring at her now occupied bed as it had been for the past few minutes. Next to her was Genzo, and sitting beside the bed on a stool was Doctor Nako.

Said occupant was a young girl, who, at the most, might be fourteen, and at the least, twelve. She was too small to be any older, in Nojiko's opinion. She wore a hooded, black vest with a teal polo shirt underneath, with a pair of dark jean capris and black, gray and teal sneakers. At the moment, the ensemble was accompanied by several bandages around her arms and legs, where bruises had begun to form and cuts had likely done the same. It was both incredibly amazing and incredibly that said girl hadn't broken her neck.

Nojiko-despite having seen it for herself-could barely believe that a random...kid...had fallen at least a hundred feet in the air, and still survived. It made the bluenette wonder if a fishman could do that, though soon chased away the thought in favor of calling Doctor Nako to check her over. Genzo had come over with said doctor. Both of them were simply glad for the small miracle that had her crash in the tangerine orchard instead of anywhere conspicuous. The Arlong Pirates wouldn't take kindly to a human girl they didn't know coming out of nowhere.

''So, Doctor Nako,'' She began, crossing her arms underneath her chest. ''What's your diagnosis?"

Nako shifted, standing up and pushing the stool aside. ''From what you said, these are only minor injuries from a fall like that. Just some cuts and bruises. I'm just surprised that she even survived.''

The doctor shook his head, grabbing his medical bag from the nightstand. ''Anyway, she definitely has a few older scars, I can give you that much. There's a pretty noticeable one behind her ear. It healed correctly, though; if it hadn't, judging by the size, it would have been pretty damaging.''

Nojiko nodded, filing the information away as she thanked Nako, showing him out. When she came back, Genzo had taken Nako's old seat, Nojiko moving to sit at the foot of the bed after grabbing a brown messenger bag from the kitchen counter on the way back.

''These fell down with her...I think,'' Nojiko commented. After calling Nako, she had taken a look around the tangerine field again-finding a simple, brown, messenger bag back in the groves next to a tree. A single buckle in the front had a strange emblem on it-a silvery circle with some sort of combination between a cratered moon and spiraling sun. Not only that, but the same symbol was on the back, alongside another strip of fabric, though Nojiko wasn't sure what it was for. She couldn't say the symbol rang a bell, either-not that it was a big deal, in her mind. She'd be more concerned on whether it had cracked so much as a tree branch on Bellemere's groves. ''Found this in the orchard a little bit after she fell. Have you ever seen this weird symbol before?" she asked, passing the bag over to her surrogate father. It wasn't all that heavy-she was dangling it by the strap, and by estimate, it weighed less than half a crate of tangerines.

Genzo examined the bag, shaking his head, ''I've never seen it before.''

It was as Nojiko expected, though it didn't really hurt. The bluenette stood up and put the light-weight bag on the nightstand. She wanted to look through it, sure, but if it did belong to the mystery kid, she wouldn't want to have poked through it. ''Worth a try,'' she hummed, returning to her seat at the foot of her bed.

Now, all they could do was wait.

I had a slow awakening. Said awakening did not consist of a blonde with pigtail tripping over me or a guy with a legendary sword helping me up.

Instead, I ended up with a painful headache as light assaulted my eyes, causing me to slam them shut.

Eh, least my memory was still intact.

''You alright, kid?" I had felt the lights go down, probably from my swift reaction. While a part of me as annoyed as being addressed as a child, I technically was one, at least legally, and it might be safe t play the innocent card when dealing with strangers.

I (slowly) opened my eyes again, sitting up and looking around despite the headache that came with it.

The room I was in was a small one, the walls painted a light blue, with the nightstand to my left. There were a few pictures on the wall and on the nightstand, though I didn't pay much attention to them. They probably weren't a concern right now. The frames on the nightstand were accompanied by a simple lamp that cast a bland light around the room-looking up, I saw a fan with lights attached, the kind that you'd fine in any family home. Judging by the lamp light, the lights on the fan had probably been the ones to turn off.

The speaker had been a woman with a blue tattoo across her collarbone and arm, a yellow tank top, and dark blue pants, and a strange mix of bluish or purple hair-

Blue hair? I chalked it up to a dye job. For all I knew, she was originally blonde.

On my left, there was a middle aged-maybe around the 60's?-who had multiple stitches across his arms and face, and from the looks of it, likely the rest of his body, too. His brown police uniform was accompanied by a matching cap, adorned by a still, dark yellow pinwheel.

Waaaaaiiiitt a second….

Pinwheel on a cap...woman with blue hair….

Either they were really good cosplayers, or something….else...was going on. I hoped it was the former, because way too many people in stories tended to end up in these situations, and it was not pretty.

So, I either was in a room with seriously accurate cosplayers, or I was in another world. I wasn't sure which was worse.

''Hello?" Nojiko-the name auto-filled for me-waved a hand in front of my face as she came back from the light switch. It made me realize that I had stared to long-I would have to come up with something to cover up my tracks. If it was as I suspected (and suspect I did) then I would have to lie, at least for the half of it. Even if it wasn't completely, ignoring that, I wasn't one to trust random strangers. Especially in this situation-the last thing I remembered was falling asleep, before waking up here, and that was a detail that was definitely important.

''A-ah, sorry…'' Either way, my words still stumbled. Not that it mattered much, at the moment-it probably made me seem more like a confused teenager than anything, so it hardly damaged me. It was pretty true, anyway, so no acting there. ''I've never….never seen anyone with that many stitches.'' Old injuries. I had gotten a few before, and had covered up the bigger scars. Most of the times, the scars themselves didn't bother me that much-I wasn't a girl all that concerned over appearances as long as I was presentable. The only ''make-up'' I ever wore was chapstick, and that hardly counted. It was more to me what they meant. What they meant were the kids at school finding another reason to point me out as different, a problem that I didn't need to make any worse that it already was.

Genzo-once again, the name filled in itself-gave a dry sigh and waved off any possibility of apology. ''I've heard it before. My name is Genzo-'' Confirmation, I thought,'' And this is Nojiko. What's your name?''

''Petra.'' The name came automatically - Mey Ros was chased away as quickly as possible.

All in all, I was definitely in a place I didn't want to be. A perfectly fictional world that I'd only seen in anime and manga. Most people here could take plenty of inhuman hits and still survive.

In other words, One Piece.

''Well then, Petra,''Genzo shifted in his seat as I did the same on the bed, moving my legs so I could sit facing Genzo and Nojiko. My headache had more or less faded away to a minor annoyance. The position was mainly so I could move quickly, should I need to run. It was an old habit hard to break, like sitting at the edge of my chair. It was a just in case- sometimes, you just had to be ready to run if someone ever tried to knife you. Granted, it was doubtful that I could outrun Nojiko and Genzo, considering they were far taller than me, and headache or no, my limbs still ached, but it didn't hurt to be cautious. ''How did you end up falling into our tangerine groves?"

''...falling?" I blinked, staring at Genzo for a moment,

How would I have fallen anywhere?

Nojiko pointed upwards, towards the ceiling. ''You came out of nowhere. Fell straight from the sky. Actually, before I forget…'' she snapped one of her fingers, heading towards the nightstand. I hadn't noticed it before- a small, brown messenger bag with a circular clasp. ''This yours? I'm pretty sure it fell down with you.''

That moment was...weird. It wasn't mine-I knew that for sure, yet… ''Yes.'' Nojiko didn't catch the lie, passing the bag over to me. I would check what was in it later-if I did it now, then it might come across as somewhat suspicious since I claimed the thing as mine.

''T-thanks. So, I fell out of the sky?" This was a genuine question. While I sure as hell (and hell was very certain) was in One Piece, I couldn't say I was so sure about the whole...falling out of the sky, thing. Did this sort of thing happen often when people ended up in One Piece? Then again, that was assuming this sort of thing actually happened, instead of this being some weird dream.

I doubted it, considering my bruises said otherwise. Or maybe that was just me…

''Right in front me,'' Nojiko answering forced me to change gears - the throbbing in my head had reduced to become nothing more than a dull annoyance, but I had to make sure that I was thinking straight. ''This is Cocoyashi Village. Any ideas how you got here?"

''No, I don't.'' I admitted, shaking my head. Falling out of the sky wasn't exactly a common occurrence - least of all for me. ''I couldn't explain it myself if I tried.''

Genzo gave a short laugh. ''Fair enough,'' he concluded. ''Fair enough.'' the mayor of Cocoyashi Village stood up, pushing back his stool and moving to head out the door.

''Come out when you're ready, alright?" Nojiko spoke up, doing the same as the door shut behind the both of them.

The first thing I did when I was sure that the door was closed was stand, careful to stabilize myself on the side of the bed, and turned, partially leaning on it.

I was in One Piece, no doubt about it.

One.

Piece.

Most people would probably be excited, if they were a fan like me. After freaking out, anyway, they'd be excited. Who knew what this sort of thing entailed? To most, it'd be exciting to meet their idols, to have fun, to -

I was not remotely excited. Even so, I took a deep breath, straightening my posture and grabbing the brown messenger bag that Nojiko had given me. I couldn't afford to freak out - being level-headed was one of my specialties, and I wouldn't be letting that go any time soon. First item on the agenda would be to poke through the bag, just in case. If I was lucky, something in it would help me out, though that was doubtful. My luck in Fire Emblem Heroes never translated anywhere else.

The first thing I did was examine the bag itself. It felt like something like soft, used leather, though it itself didn't look the part. It felt that way, yes, but it didn't look like a beaten cow's skin. On the top was a single flap with a traditional clasp as a buckle. Said buckle reminded me of a sun and moon - though, more accurately, light and dark. Why, I had no idea, and either way, it didn't look all that familiar. Flipping it over, there seemed to be another strap, for whatever reason. I hadn't noticed it first, the color allowing it to blend in with the bag, but eh.

The clasp itself was surprisingly hard to undo. Maybe not once I figured it out, but it was a push, slide, and open. Well, at least it would stay closed if I needed it to….

The next thing I did was poke around inside. Pretty spacious, and I soon discovered a back pocket other than the main gig. Useful for storage. Other than that, though….

Inside, there were only a few items responsible for the bag's weight. First of all, there was a black, leather bound book, around half an inch or so thick. When I pulled it out, however, there wasn't a single word on it - no title, no words inside, not even on the spine.

Strange…

Digging around a little more, I soon discovered a few other things. A small roll of bandages, a just as small bottle of rubbing alcohol, and a few smaller quantities of other first aid supplies. Useful, once again.

That wasn't the only thing, though. The last item in the bag was some sort of wooden bracelet-it looked like metal, but it was definitely wood, just from how it felt. It had several carvings on it, giving me the vague impression of waves and leaves. I'd seen trees with light trunks, like aspen - I wouldn't be shocked if that was what the thing was made out of.

That was it, though. I double-checked to make sure - nothing. It wasn't long until I flipped open the book, glancing at the door. Don't ask me why - I liked to check things once or twice over if I could, just to make sure there weren't surprises.

Scritch...scratch…

The sound reminded me of a pencil - when kids were using one and writing too fast on a test. Other than myself, there wasn't anyone in the room-

I looked down.

Hello. I'm Calypso.

I was one of the many readers of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Suffice to say, I was definitely getting a ''Tom Riddle'' vibe, meaning it was time to close the book and chuck it across the room before I lost whatever remained of my soul. (Then again, that was assuming I had one, but…)

In any case, I didn't.

There was a part of me that was curious - and beyond that, there was just something inside of that wanted to..respond, regardless of how stupid idea it might be. It was a strange tug, much like the very thing that made me claim the bag as my own.

Well, might as well try to communicate…. I fished a pencil from my jeans pocket - leftover from finals week, poising it over the paper. First things first, how should I respond? Considering where I was…

What's going on?

That's a vague question.

Can you answer it?

Mm..you've realized where you are, correct? The wrong world?

There was something about those words. Not the smooth handwriting, not the fast scratching of a pencil...no, instead, it was more like the feeling. Writing can convey a lot, and this was no exception.

And you're the one who sent me here?

It was several moments before the next, single word answer came. I almost closed it.

Yes.

Then again, at that answer, maybe I wanted to.

Most people would be pissed in that sort of situation, and I wouldn't blame them, either. ''Calypso'' had plucked me out of my home - without any warning, I might add. Not only that, but her way of transportation had been nothing short of completely conspicuous, and depending on how high the fall was, I was shocked that I didn't break my neck.

But even so, getting information was more important, and something that I better se to.

Why? I wrote.

Yet another pause.

Oh, who knows? I was bored.

...Never mind, I'm pretty sure no one would be annoyed for me getting angry. I had a plenty good excuse now, anyway.

Before I could leave a reply, however, Calypso's words came through - faster than before, as though she was in a bigger hurry than she had been.

Moving on, you've noticed that you're in a supposedly fictional word. Let's cut to the chase. See that bracelet?

A part of me debated on whether to ignore her or not. Then again, with the words appearing so fast, I wasn't really being given the chance. Granted, throwing it into the ocean was definitely an option….

Other than any other skills that you may or may not have, it's a way to defend yourself.

The topic, on the other hand, definitely caught my attention, though that didn't mean I wasn't a little skeptical. I highly doubted I'd have to melt it down or anything, but it didn't necessarily look like something one would weaponize.

How would that work? I asked, reaching back into the back and examining the bracelet with my other hand.

It should look at least a little familiar to you. Huh. Now that she mentioned it...wait…!

If I can drop a teenager into a different world, what makes you think I can't an object?

Well, fair enough, though I didn't get the time to respond to that.

Deku Spear rings a bell, I'm sure. You'll be getting a crash course in using it.

Legend of Zelda, huh? The Deku Spear had been a weapon used by the white Sorceress Lana. I had always wondered….

It's all about will. You have to want it to happen. The bracelet is only a separate, more portable version - but it won't have any combat capabilities until it's in it's other form, as of now.

Do I just… My pencil paused. Say it in my head or something?

Whatever you need to do.

Well, that wasn't vague at all, though I suppose ''will'' wasn't all that detailed either. I had to make it happen, according to Calypso, and I supposed there wasn't much I could do behind closed doors. Hopefully, Nojiko really would wait until I came out myself. That, and there wouldn't be so much noise as to arouse suspicion.

I picked up the bracelet, holding it in the palm of my hand. To the common eye, it would seem like nothing special. Unsurprising, since I had only seen it as a fashion accessory when I first saw it.

It didn't matter much either way, however. I talked in my head tried to imagine it changing into a giant stick…

Nothing. Then again, it was never that easy, and I suppose fifteen minutes wasn't going to cut it.

I didn't have to write to get a note from Calypso, the scritch scratch of a pencil making me look back down at the book. Give yourself time. In the meantime, I suggest you step outside before Nojiko decides she needs to check on you.

I sighed, quietly shutting the book closed and slipping it into the bag, and the bracelet onto my wrist. I might not be able to use it right now, but it might be good to have it - who knew, I might get lucky.

In any case, I had a lot to worry about. The timeline, for one thing - where was I? Before the Arlong Park arc? After? Not only that, but I needed a game plan. I wouldn't be able to impose in Cocoyashi Village forever, least of all all that long, and I doubt they would allow that, either. They would want the answer to where I was from soon, and I'd have to offer some sort of answer.

Either way, there wasn't time to worry about it now. The only thing I could do was open the door and hope for the best.

Word count (without notes): 3394