Dear Luffy and Ace,
I know this is sudden, but I decided to go on a journey to find out about my identity.
Last night, I got some weird dream shit when gramps threw me into the sea, so I spare you two the details because your muscle brains won't get it. But long story short, the dream is related to my existence in this world, so I decided to search for some information about it.
I won't be gone for long. Maybe just 1-2 years. In the meantime, you both keep up with your training. Just because I'm on a journey, doesn't mean I will slack off either! When I return, I expect you both get stronger, because I will kick both of your asses!
Also, don't think of ever going after me. You'll die in vain. I can't have you both die before you guys know what freedom is, right? I can't lose you both. One is already enough.
I'll send letters each time I arrive on a new island!
Sincerely,
Eris.
.
.
.
Ace's shoulders are trembling.
Luffy's eyes are widening.
And their mouths are gaping open so wide that a fly could enter it, before they scream out.
"ERIIIIISS!"
And waking everyone up on Dawn Island.
XXX
Somewhere, in East Blue…
I turn my head around, as if I just heard someone screaming out my name, but there's nothing but the blue, cloudy sky and strong wind behind me. Huh. That's kinda weird.
"What's wrong, Master Eris? Would you like to take a break?" Takao asks.
"Nah, I'm fine. How about you? Do you need to rest? You're the one that's been flying around since dawn, after all." I point out and I can hear Takao chuckling.
"It's alright, Master Eris. This will be good training for me, if we ever travel by air for a long time." Takao replies as he flaps his wings and I hum. Hmm, that's a good point. I might need his help to reach Impel Down in the future.
Speaking of, I never actually told Takao about my future goal, didn't I?
Eh, I'll tell him once we reach land later.
I hold onto his neck as I look below to the blue, sparkling ocean water. We're so high in the air that even sometimes the clouds are below us. It's kinda scary and fun at the same time. Truly, it feels nice to feel the wind on your face, other than the fact that my hair whipped my face all over and it kinda stings.
Mom would piss her pants if she's up this high.
We're up in the air for probably a good hour or two, before we decided to land on an island nearby because the sky was getting darker, indicating an incoming storm. And we land on the ground, thunder strikes and soon enough rain is pouring down.
Holding Takao's normal bird form under my arm, I quickly ran to take shelter under a nearby house. Ugh, great. Now I'm drenched. I put Takao down as he shakes the water off of his feathers while I squeeze out water from my shirt.
We stood there for a while, watching the sky pouring down until something slid open behind me. I quickly turn around and meet eye to eye with a very familiar moss-hair, but child version.
Roronoa Zoro.
"Who are you? And what are you doing here?" He asks with a raised brow, "Also what's up with your eyes?" He adds while pointing at my weird eyes.
"Uhh, I don't know if you can see, but it's raining at this very moment." I deadpan as I point at the raining sky. That seems to annoy him a bit. "And I'm born with this. Didn't your parents teach you to not make fun of other people?" I point out and he rolls his eyes.
"Whatever and I can see that, but what I meant is why you are sheltering here." Zoro continues with his brows burrow in annoyance.
"This house is the closest one when we landed." I answer shortly and that seems to confuse the moss-head.
"'Landed'? What, did you just drop from the sky or something?" Fucking hell, not this shit again!
"I did not drop from the sky! I have my partner here taking me here by the air!" I exclaim out exasperatedly as I grab Takao, ignoring his yelp, and shove him to Zoro's face.
"You made your pet take you to the air? That doesn't sound good for the bird." He comments with narrowed eyes.
"It's not if the bird in question can't turn into a humanoid bird." I reply with a roll of my eyes as I throw Takao aside as he transforms into his garuda form, ignoring his annoyance to watch Zoro widening his eyes and seemingly shell-shocked on seeing Takao transforming in front of him.
"W-WHA—"
Oh whoops, forgot that Devil Fruits are considered myths in four blue seas. Oh well.
"Now, now, calm your mossy head, kiddo. Can't have you short-circuiting on us." I tell him in amusement as Takao turns back into his bird form and perches on my shoulder, preening on his feathers.
Zoro, on the other hand, is not. Because he lets out a yelp as he lands on his butt.
"What the heck is that bird?! A monster?!" Zoro points in pure confusion and disbelief, slowly backing up deeper into the house.
"You haven't heard of Devil Fruits? Takao here ate one himself, so that's why he's like that." I reply calmly with my hands on my hips.
"'Devil Fruits'? I thought they're just myths!"
"Not if Takao here is the living evidence," I argue back with a chuckle, "And my brother too, but you won't meet him yet." I added calmly.
After a few minutes, Zoro finally calms down enough to stare at Takao, and the bird himself doesn't seem disturbed by it.
"So what kind of fruit did you eat?" Zoro asks curiously as he extends his hand to touch the bird, only to get slapped away by Takao himself.
"Tori-Tori no Mi, Model: Garuda." Takao answers calmly, as if he didn't just slap Zoro's grubby hand from touching him.
"'Garuda'? What's that?"
"It's a legendary bird or bird-like creature. It is said that they're the king of birds, a protector with the power to swiftly go anywhere, ever watchful, and an enemy of the serpent. A powerful creature, whose wings flapping can stop the spinning of heaven, earth, and hell; a vehicle mounted on by the gods." I reply with the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia in my hands, "Or so it says in the book!" I grin enthusiastically.
Zoro doesn't seem impressed that I just read it out, but shrugs.
"Well, that's pretty cool, I guess." He says before turning to me, "But who the heck are you?" He asks.
…Oh. I didn't introduce myself yet, did I?
"I'm Eris! Sorry, introducing myself to you completely slipped my mind! Nyehehehehe!" I reply with a laugh, "So who are you? And what is this place?" I return the question as I look at the building we use to take cover from the rain and the nearby buildings around. The architecture looks pretty Japanese, and I'd say it's pretty cool.
"Zoro." He answers, "And this is Shimotsuki Village. You're currently taking cover in our Dojo."
"Oh okay. Any place we can stay for a while?" I ask and he raises his brow.
"Why? Don't you have a home with your family?" Zoro asks curiously.
"I do, but can't go home for a while. I got things to find and people to kill, so I left home." I reply with a grin as Zoro widens his eyes on the latter part, "I have 1-2 years to do them all, so it will take a while for me to go back home." I explained to him.
"'Thing'? What's this 'thing' you're talking about?" Zoro asks, deciding to not elaborate more on the dangerous part of my checklist.
I blink at him and open my lips, but I quickly close it back and just smile as I put a finger to my lips, closing one eye. "That's a secret. I can't have you knowing my secret so early, after all." I say mysteriously.
"…Yeah, yeah, whatever. I don't need to know your stupid secret after all." Zoro replies with a roll of his eyes as he crosses his arms on his chest. I just chuckle in return.
"Well, it's mostly because I don't know yet! That's why I'm on a journey to find it." I explain as I hop on the elevated floor of the Dojo and sit there. "I just got a message to find information on how to get that thing, and it said that I will find it in Calm Belt near East Blue, so might as well." I continue as I swing my legs.
"What, so you just left for something you didn't even know existed?"
"Yep! I'm leaving it all to Lady Fate and just hope for the best!"
Zoro stares at me while I just watch the sky slowly clearing up and the rain slowly stopping, as if in thoughts or something before turning around and closing the door behind him. I can hear and feel his footsteps going away and going deeper into the Dojo.
I don't mind the rude exit as Takao sits down next to me, feeling a little sleepy.
But eventually I hear and feel not only a pair, but two sets of footsteps approaching me from the sliding doors behind me before it actually slides open, revealing Zoro and a man wearing a kimono with his long hair tied into a low ponytail standing next to him.
"Hello there. I heard from Zoro-kun that you need someplace to stay for a while?" The older man points out questioningly. I quickly hop on my feet, turn around to face him and nod.
"Yeah! Who are you, old man?" I ask. I know who he is, but I don't really remember his name, so might as well.
"My name is Koshiro. It is a pleasure to meet you, Eris-san." He introduces himself with a smile. "How old are you? You seem younger than Zoro-kun to travel by yourself."
"I dunno! Maybe 9 years old? I had my birthday two months ago." I reply with a puff on my chest proudly. It's a miracle that I survived for 2 whole years in this world, with only the occasional waltz with deaths too! I'm pretty proud of myself. "And I'm not alone! I'm traveling with my trusty partner here, Takao! He ate Devil Fruit, so he's strong. And I can fight!" I continue as I pat on Takao's back and pat my fist to my chest.
Koshiro just laughs politely while Zoro just sweatdrops. Koshiro reminds me of Makino, except Makino is better compared to this misogynistic bastard. Serves him right for losing Kuina. She deserved better.
"Well, I suppose you can defend yourself if that's the case. And you can stay here for a while. Come, I'll show you your room." And I follow him inside with Zoro and Takao in tow, but I don't wear footwear so my feet are caked with mud because of the rain. They're already dry, so I leave flaky dirt on the way.
"You're leaving dirt behind." Zoro comments in annoyance and I look down to my feet.
"I sure did. Don't like shoes." I replied innocently.
"You better clean them up yourself." He continues with a scowl.
"Sure."
And so, I got my own room and both bath and food will be given freely, but after living with two black holes, I eventually became the third, so I'll repay it with some of my treasure later. And apparently he let me use Kuina's room, saying that it's been awhile since there's a young girl in the dojo.
The room itself is not too small and not too big either. It's pretty empty, but I guess that's to be expected, when the owner herself is already long gone.
Seeing the empty room makes me wonder if my room back in my home world is also empty by now. Or rather, my things back in the bedroom I shared with my siblings. I wonder if I was declared dead or missing. Then again, I wouldn't know it unless I return to my home world, but do I want to?
Sometimes at night, I tend to wake up in the middle of the night and just…watch the boys sleeping peacefully. Sometimes looking at them reminds me of my family back in my home world. Not many of the memories are pleasant, but I guess that's just how Asian families work. We don't openly show our affections through words, and tough love is literally the essence in the family.
Although most of the time, I just watched them sleep because they're super cute when they're asleep and quiet. Not that they're not when they're awake, but they're cuter when they're not running around like monkeys and not brooding over their blood relations weighing their shoulders.
Unless you're Luffy, because he's super cute both awake and asleep, but I guess that's a pretty high bar for anyone to get past.
But now that we have privacy, I can tell Takao my story!
"Hey Takao. You know that I kinda fell from the sky, right?" I start with a grin.
"Yes, but you never really elaborate more than that." Takao nods calmly and I grin wider.
"Yep, that's because I'm not from this world. So I'm basically what the others call 'Otherworlder'." I announce and Takao just blinks in return, so I continue on. "I come from the world called Earth and I was born in a tropical archipelago country in a continent called Asia. Unlike this world, there are no such things as Devil Fruits or giant-sized animals or weird plants. Only normal-sized humans, normal-sized animals, and normal plants exist there." I explained to him.
Takao is still looking at me with a blank look. Either he's dumbfounded or just going along, I don't know.
"And also this world isn't real back in my home world. It's just ink on papers back there." I add, and that seems to make him double-blink in confusion. "But I'm here now, so I guess this world is as real as it gets. Nyehehehe!"
"W-wait for a moment, Master Eris!" Takao screeched in panic as his feathers literally got ruffled by this revelation, "Are you saying that you got transferred here? But how?!" He asks.
"That's a good question. I want the answer too. The only thing I remember is I entered a door with bright light and then I think I fell from the sky and into the sea." I answer with a shrug and a grin while Takao just sweatdrop.
"I see that impulsiveness is very on-brand of you, Master Eris." Takao comments and I just scoff playfully in return, but he continues, "But what made you get transferred into this world, Master Eris?"
"If I knew, we wouldn't go out to find out about it, Bakao." I huff with a 'really?' look, but that didn't even faze Takao as he continued on.
"You said that someone told you about this in your dream when Garp threw you into the sea. Who is this 'someone'?"
I open my lips to answer, but something inside me tells me that I should watch my words carefully to describe the event.
"I don't…really know, actually." I reply and look to the side calmly, "But I know that this someone is not ordinary and definitely not human. And whatever it is, it's a very powerful being."
"So, it's a being that is akin to a god?"
"I suppose? I don't really know, but we'll find out about it once we find this…temple." I look out from the window, the sky is getting darker and the moon is showing. It's full-moon with slight cloudiness today, possibly the excess from this afternoon shower. "But it's kinda strange, y'know."
"What do you mean, Master Eris?" Takao asks curiously.
"It feels like this is not the first time this has happened. About the temple and meeting this god being in a dream, I mean. Kinda like déjà vu." I groan out in confusion as I lay on the tatami floor, looking at the ceiling. "But maybe I'm just imagining it." I conclude.
Takao didn't say anything in return. He just looks at me with a thoughtful expression while I just let out a sigh.
All of these thoughts are hurting my brains. Any subject harder than spouting information about the One Piece world and foods will give me a headache, and especially if it's related to numbers. While I love money and treasure, I can't for the life of me deal with the numbers. I think I'll leave the counting to Nami later in the future, but I don't know if that's a good idea or not…
Fiddling with my heart locket, I let the soft chiming of the music box fill the air as my mind drifted away back home and into slumber.
I should write a letter for Ace and Luffy later.
XXX
Opening my eyes, I see myself in a dark space.
I look around and start to walk, as the nonexistent floor ripples each time I take a step.
I walk and walk, until I suddenly sink into the floor. I instinctively hold my breath, but as I float in the dark space, I notice that I can breathe just fine.
Floating there, I can feel movements in the darkness that slithers against my skin. I shiver a bit, but I hold my ground as mists start to form around us.
There, a familiar figure floats in front of me, mirroring me as it smiles eerily at me with its dark eyes staring at me.
It has galaxies in its eyes.
"Which way?" I ask it and it smiles unnaturally wider in response before it opens its mouth, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth.
"Stay to the east, Little A." It answers with its flutey voice.
"What do you gain from this, Being A?" I ask it with suspicion, and it just laughs as it twirls around me in the mists.
"Geshishishi, don't be so concerned about trivial matters." It replies as it slides its hands to my cheeks and bringing its face—my face—closer to mine as our eyes meets.
The pair of eyes with 4-pointed stars as pupils is meeting the dark eyes with twinkling galaxies in them and no pupils, as their owners have the opposite expressions from each other.
"You wanna be stronger, don't you? You do, and I'm giving you an offer." It continues with a toothy grin, "I just happen to be generous enough this time."
"Why?" I ask it and it laughs.
"Because this time, it seems like it's going to be an interesting wave in the sea of time." It answers as it floats behind me and curls its arms—my arms—around my neck and shoulders, hugging me from behind.
"You're plotting something, aren't you?"
This time, it just giggles and whispers,
"It's time to wake up, Little A."
Slowly opening my eyes, I can feel Takao snuggling next to me and how warm he is. I can see the sunlight peeks in through the ventilation and I can hear people are training outside and inside the dojo.
Covering my eyes with the back of my forearm, I let out a sigh.
I miss Luffy and Ace already…
(Posted on April 22nd, 2022)
