Okay so here is part two of episode two like I promised. My regular posting date will now be on Wednesdays, so look forward to the next episode then. Thanks for reading and please review! .

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece the only thing I own is my character and any characters that are made up to keep her story rolling.

Episode Two part Two: Sudden Reality

Nausea consumes me as I fight to get air into my lungs. Another world he says, that very well could be the case. Another world, another dimension, an alternate reality, it could be any one of those. How the hell am I supposed to know which. All I remember is swimming in the lake one minute, then an ocean the next. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened. No crazy whirl pool portal or sudden black outs. A doorway didn't magically open up in a flash of light. There had been nothing, starch that there was a slight pressure change but nothing other than that. My mind toiles with the infinite possibilities until a set of warm hands cup my face refocusing my attention.

"Hey come on are you okay?" My gaze focuses on the man kneeling in front of me. From the deep furrow that knit his brows together I can tell he can see the fear and anxiety in my eyes. He can tell something is wrong. I shake my head slowly. Worry fills his brown eyes.

"Are you hurt?" He asks and hastily begins searching me, poking at my sides, lifting my arms, checking every inch of exposed skin. It's invasive of my personal bubble but it also tickles and I can't help the laugh that escapes. I gently push his hands away feeling a little less anxious.

"No, no I'm fine it's just…" I reassure but my words fail me. How am I supposed to explain my situation? Would he even believe me, I don't think I would if our roles were reversed. Looking up at him I can still see his worry; I sigh and collect my thoughts. I am not going to cry over this, I affirm to myself, then begin to speak. "I think I might be lost." I begin and watch him physically relax, even smile. Yeah he's going to think I'm a lunatic.

"Well where are you from? I'm sure we could find it if it's nearby or if it's on a known island." He offers with a smile, then looks as a strange bulb strapped to his wrist then out at the ocean around us. I look around us as well and can feel my anxiety building again.

"I doubt it." I mutter with a begrudging disdain that raises a questioning look from him. I sigh, here goes nothing, "I'm not so much from an island, it's more of a continent." I start to explain but he looks extremely confused. What no continents in this world, only island. I push the thought away, "Okay let's try it this way, where are we right now?" He lights up with shock and stares at me in disbelief.

"This is only the most famous ocean in the world, how can you not know it?" he raises his arms and gestures to the water around us. I look around to placate him then shrug my shoulders. In utter defeat he drops his arms and his hands go to his waist with a shake of his head. "You really were born under a rock." He mutters to which I roll my eyes, but choose not to argue again. It wouldn't get us anywhere anyways. "Right, well this is the Grand Line, the most dangerous and brutal sea in the world. Pirates from all the other oceans come here looking for the treasure called the One Piece. You've a least heard of that right?"

"Nope." I reply, now that I have my confirmation, definitely another world, but still why does it feel like I should know this stuff? "I actually don't think I'm from this world." I announce carefully and watch for his reaction, which of course is shock.

"What do you mean?" He asks a skeptical look passes over he features. Biting my lip for a second.

"How can I explain this?" I mutter to myself as he waits patiently. "Well I guess start from the beginning. Alright about thirty forty-five minutes ago I was on a lake tubing with some friends and the next thing I know I'm flung from the tube. After swimming back to the surface what do I find?" I question to draw him in further, "Nothing, nothing other than sky and water. No mountains, no trees, no anything. Then you come along, a sea monster attacks, you have strange powers from a fruit, and you mention places I've never even heard of. Kinda leads me to believe I'm not where I'm supposed to be." I explain but am still getting a skeptical look from him. We fall into silence as he shifts into a seated position, confused thought befalling him. He attempts to ask a question a couple of times but stops himself. Finally he makes up his mind and gives me a serious look.

"How do I know that's even true, you could be a bounty hunter out to get my head." He states and I look at him incredulously. Bounty hunter? What the hell is he talking about? Is he a wanted criminal, what have I gotten myself into?

"Really?" I ask gesturing to my being. I can barely hide a paper clip on mu person let alone a weapon, but still he nods seriously despite his lackadaisical nature. I heave a sigh, fine jerk, I start listing off the names and birthdate of my friends and family. I give a brief time line of my life giving details on certain events. I describe what my world looks like, general technology, and what people do with their lives. The whole explanation takes about ten minutes and I am out of breath at the end. Looking at the man he seems pleasantly surprised, a broad smile spread across his face.

"I can't make this stuff up." I tell him and he simply nods.

"I supposed not." He chuckles, "Oh and I believed you from the start, I just like to watch you get worked up." He adds teasingly and I cross my arms with a huff making him laugh. He looks at the bulb on his wrist again and I also look at it expectantly like maybe it too will burst into flames like it's owner had. No such luck and as far as I can tell it looks like a normal strangely shaped watch. He stares for another minute then looks out at the ocean as I watch curiously.

"There's an island not too far from here. I suppose I could take you there for now." He announces as he turns his attention back to me. I give him a quizzical look in return. How the hell does he know that without pulling out some kind of chart? I glance in the direction he had been staring to see if there's any sign of land but all I can see is sky and water for as far as the horizon. Not surprising since that's all I've seen all day. Turning back to him, he is organizing something in his bag and readying himself to leave.

"How do you know there's an island?" I ask sounding a little skeptical. The wind picks up again and I pull the fabric of the shirt a little closer to me. He tosses hi bag over his shoulder and glances back at me. "And what's that thing on your arm that you keep staring at?" I add which causes him to look as said arm.

"This?" He points at the bulb watch and I nod. "It's a log pose." He begins the recalls my predicament. His arm suddenly extends out to me the bulb on his wrist just below my nose. "It's like a compass, only it logs the magnetic fields of different islands. A regular compass doesn't work on these waters." He explains as I study this log pose thing on his wrist. "Oh right and by the way I'm Ace, Portgas D. Ace, it's very nice to meet you." He introduces cheerfully and pulls his arm back so he can bow respectfully. Smiling at him I stand gracefully and return the bow.

"I'm Amber." I state, "It's nice to meet you too." We both smile at one another and strangely I feel more at ease then I did ten minutes ago, but there is still an anxious pit in my stomach.

"Well Amber if you could sit back on the bow and hang on tight we'll be on our way." Ace instructs enthusiastically. I nod sitting back on the ledge and crossing my legs, then look around for something to hold on too, but come up empty handed.

"Hey Ace?" I begin to say before we all of a sudden start forward, throwing me off balance as I tumble towards the flames that have yet again engulfed Ace's feet. Abruptly I catch myself on the lip of the ledge inches away from the inferno. Glaring up at him, I find I can't stay mad at him for long while he's laughing so heartily. "A little warning next time.' I yell over the roar of the flames and wind, but I end up laughing along with him.