Living in the States wasn't so bad. After the initial cultural shock and the weeks of adjusting and making new friends, I could say I finally had my life under control, for the most part. Nothing is ever perfect, right? But as long as things keep going at their current pace, I'll be fine.
Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Rafael Diogo Yeager or, as my friends now call me, much to my annoyance, Raf-ye. Yes, it's a very 'creative' combination of my first and last name. Laugh it up! Currently, my routine consists of waking up, going to school, coming back, and sleeping, a very unique order of events, I dare say. Right now, I'm between Step One, waking up, and Step Two, going to school.
Walking down the street, I make my way to the nearest bus stop and wait. I like to wake up while it's still dark outside, don't ask why, it just makes me feel better in the mornings, which is why, as of right now, the sky is still tainted in a darker shade of blue. Impatiently I tap my hands against my thighs in a fast drumming beat while looking down the street and waiting for the bus.
It's worth mentioning that I do, like any other sane human, despise waking up early despite my habit of being up early enough to see the sunrise. Now where is that bus? I take a look at my watch and raise an eyebrow realising that my ride to school is late. With a sigh, I resign myself to my current situation and wait.
Within moments the sound of a revving engine startles me out of my musing as I finally spot the bus coming my way. Standing up I sling my backpack over my shoulders, and once the vehicle stops and its doors open, I step inside. Looking around I realize that, as usual, I'm the only one apart from the driver. Making my way to the back of the bus I take my seat.
The ride to the school isn't that long, especially since it's so early, meaning there aren't many cars on the road, and as the vehicle makes its way to its destination, I watch as the city wakes up.
"Yo, Raf-ye!" a voice calls out behind me.
Turning around, I'm met with Jake's bright smile as he walks towards me. Jake Jones is the only man capable of smiling every morning, thus making him insane on my books.
"Hey, Jake." I said with much less enthusiasm in my voice.
Moving away from home is a scary experience, especially when it comes to being the new kid in school, but Jake was very welcoming, and due to our similar interests, we bonded very fast.
"Did you watch the new One Piece episode?" He asked, barely able to conceal his excitement.
I nodded " Yeah, they outdid themselves with gear 5. Looks dope"
Jake threw an arm over my shoulder as he dragged me to class.
"C'mon, we got Mr. Benson first period. You know how he gets when someone is late." Jake then tilts his head to the side. "Since you're early every day why don't you just go straight to class?" He asked.
I sighed "I've told you this before dude! I hate having to sit in that room for longer than necessary." I grumbled making Jake smile.
Mr. Benson was the closest thing to a movie's mean teacher there could be. He had the whole package going, unreasonable to talk with, unreasonable deadlines, and even worse expectations. Of course, he also had to teach maths just to make things a whole lot more painful.
Making our way inside the classroom, Jake and I took our regular seats beside each other but left the one closest to the window vacant. That one belonged to our other friend.
Jake turned to me. " Where's Lily? She's going to be late."
I grimaced at that. We all knew too well how much Mr. Benson 'loved' latecomers.
"She should be-" I started, only to be interrupted
"Right here." A voice said behind us
Lily Vern stood there in all her glory gazing down at us. She was Jake's complete opposite be it in regards to personality and appearance. Her long black hair and dark eyes combined with her usual glare made for a clear 'Don't bother me' look contrasting Jake's blond hair and light blue eyes. I was the middle ground between Jake's overly happy personality and Lily's gloomier one. I too have black hair but, unlike Lily, my eyes are green giving me a more approachable look.
"Sup nerds." She said slapping the back of my and Jake's head before sitting down.
Despite her rough personality, we both know she is a softy inside, not that she would ever admit to that or allow anyone to get that idea.
"Hey Lily." Jake said, a smile forming on his face while I just nodded at her.
"You finished the assignment Mr. Benson gave us?" I asked already knowing her answer.
She smirked "Nope!"
The only time you would see the girl smiling was when her devious nature started to show. With a sigh, I withdrew my book from my bag and gave it to her so she could copy the answers down. Once done she passed me my book back before sighing and glaring at the door.
"Here comes the Devil's spawn." She said dragging a hand down her face.
As if on cue, Mr. Benson walked in. This was going to be a long day.
The three of us let out a sigh as we made our way outside the building.
"You guys want to hit the arcade?" Jake asked, wrapping his arms around Lily's shoulder and mine. The girl glared at the arm around her shoulder but soon dropped it. Jake had the habit of doing that much to Lily's discomfort and hate of physical contact. I on the other hand had grown used to his antics.
"Sure. I was looking forward to kicking your ass in Street Fighter." I said
Jake turned to me, his eyes welcoming the challenge.
"You will try young padawan." He answered smirking.
Our eternal rivalry in Street Fighter was legendary causing us to spend countless hours playing in the arcade, doing our best to gain the upper hand in our duels. So far I had the most wins with the score being 78 to 76.
"A Star Wars reference? Really?" Lily said in a disappointed tone.
Jake and I were fans, and commonly used 'geek terminology', as Lily puts it, to make our sentences more… interesting.
"Oh dear Lily you act as though you don't know us!" Jake said, in a mock offended tone making her scoff and face away from us.
We continued our walk towards the arcade in silence but I knew too well what was to come. Jake, unlike Lily and I, hated silence so whenever we found ourselves in a quiet moment he would ask a question to instigate discussion.
"So if you guys could go to any fictional universe which one would you pick?" He asked
"Ugh, leave it to you to ask the nerdiest questions possible." Lily said rolling her eyes.
"Oh c'mon, Lily! Don't say you've never thought about that. Going to a fictional world and being part of some great story!" Jake exclaimed.
I took my time to think about it. I guess we all have thought about it at least once and I already knew my answer.
"Well, I'd like to be a part of the Justice League you know. Beat up some bad guys and try my luck with Wonder Woman." Jake said with a goofy grin.
"She is an Amazon Goddess you are just a regular looser." Lily said crushing Jake's hopes and dreams making him sigh.
"What about you Raf-ye?" Jake said turning to me.
I thought about it for a while
"I'd love to be in One Piece but well I'd probably be killed as soon as something sneezed on me." I said and after a moment of silence I added "I suppose Pokemon would be the better option since I don't have to do any actual fighting myself."
Jake nodded "Yeah I-" He was cut off
"I am sooooo glad you like One Piece Rafael!" A cheerful voice said behind me.
Everything froze. The cars passing by, the birds flying and the people walking. The world became silent and I couldn't move an inch. My eyes were the only thing I could move and as I glanced to the side, I realized that was also the case for my two friends as their eyes met mine. I felt a hand touch my shoulder before a man walked in front of us.
His hair was shoulder-length and snow-white with golden eyes. He wore a white trench coat and long trousers whilst towering over us, and Jake and I were by no means short. An inhumanly wide smile stretched across his face as he gazed at us.
"Oh guys don't give me those odd looks!" The man said shaking his arms in the air in a playful manner.
"Story time kiddos! There I was being a good little god when I heard an interesting talk." He spoke excitedly. "So of course I had to come here and make use of this opportunity!"
Did this guy just call himself a god? That's absurd! A good look at the frozen world around me made the whole idea seem a little less absurd though.
"Ah, I see you three are starting to accept the reality of the situation. How marvelous!" He said clapping both hands.
"Ah, where are my manners? My name can't be comprehended by the human mind but you may call me The Milkman. Now you must be wondering why I came all the way down here right? Well, it's cause of you!" he said pointing at me.
"You said you would love to be in One Piece and I am extremely bored so let's kill two birds with one stone!" he said doing a weird spin move.
Then the implication of his words hit me harder than a truck. No…Nonononono
The man smiled " Yes Yes Yes! I'll toss you in One Piece and force you to join the Straw Hats. Isn't that just lovely?!"
Then the world spun as I watched the sky cave in and the ground giveaway and suddenly I was no more.
"Wakey Wakey!" I heard as something slapped against my face repeatedly.
I was tempted to ask for five more minutes when warnings rang out in my mind. First, my alarm does not sound like that, second I don't feel like I'm laying in my bed and third the encounter with The Milkman was still fresh in my mind. I quickly pushed myself up as I looked around.
A vast beach of white sand stretched as far as I could see with calm waves coming and going. To my right, a green jungle spread with large and imposing trees swaying in the calm breeze and finally in front of me He stood.
"Done taking in the sights?" He asked with an ever-present smile.
"What the fuck dude?!" These were the first words out of my mouth.
"Yes yes, you got yoinked and dumped in another world get over it." He said waving his hand dismissively.
Despair filled me up. The implications of being in another world were quickly drowned out by another thought. My family. What would they do now? Will I be labeled missing? I was then shaken violently by The Milkman.
"Buddy Buddy here is the deal. I realize I may have been a bit rough with my approach-"
"You think dipshit!?" I screamed out
"So I will offer you a deal." He said undeterred by my outburst. "Join the Straw Hats and find the One Piece and I will allow you to move to and from this world as you please. As such you will be able to go home and back here if you so wish." The Milkman said.
I took my time to think it over.
"Can't you just send me back and pick someone else?" I asked slightly hopeful.
He made an X with his hands "Nope! I'm very curious to see what you will achieve in this world, plus you already said you would love to be in One Piece." He finished.
"I-it just came out of my mouth! I didn't mean it!" I denied it quickly in the hope of being returned.
"Nah you sounded pretty sincere to me dude." The Milkman said, his smile widening.
Fuck. This is not how I expected my day to go.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" reaching into his coat he pulled out a bottle of milk out. "Drink this." He spoke with a stoic face handing me the bottle.
"Huh?"
"Look you are a normal ass guy. This is One Piece! You need this world's physique to be able to survive and grow stronger! Drink the milk and you will receive such a body." He finished in a matter-of-fact tone.
"But why a milk bottle?" I asked eyeing the thing suspiciously.
"Cause I have a whole theme going!" The Milkman exclaimed shaking his arms dramatically.
I'm really starting to hate this guy more and more by the second. With a sigh, I drank the milk downing the bottle in one gulp. My first instinct was to puke as I registered the liquid's rotten flavor but I was stopped as a hand covered my mouth.
"Suck it up buddy you're a big boy now." The Milkman said joyfully.
"And now for the final touch!" He said as an object materialized in his hand. " Every good fanfiction Si needs one of these!"
"Every fanfiction what?" I asked confused, the milk's flavor still present in my mouth.
"Shadaup! Ahem. Needs one of these!" He re-exclaimed triumphantly presenting me with the object and dropping it in my hands.
Looking down I realized what he had given me. The round object was colored white with swirly patterns all over it. A Devil Fruit. I looked at The Milkman whose smile was growing wider and wider by the second and then down again at the fruit. I gulped and made my decision. Turning around I threw the fruit as hard as I could into the ocean watching it fall into the water with a plop.
The Milkman stared. "Welp, disappointing, but that was probably for the best anyway." He said shrugging.
"Why? What fruit was that?" I asked with caution dread filling me up
His smile turned diabolical as his eyes filled themselves with bliss. " The Milk-Milk fruit. With its powers, you would've become… a Milkman." He said barely being able to contain his laughter.
I gulped. It seemed I didn't dodge a bullet but a whole tactical nuke instead.
"Now what fruit should I give you hummm?" He said humming to himself.
"None! I ain't eating anything you give me." Best decision I made that day.
He sighed again and scratched his head before finally snapping his fingers as another object materialized in his hands.
"Here." He said throwing it at me as I scrambled to catch it.
looking it over I felt a headache starting to form.
"A rusted trident." I deadpanned at the god.
"Oh c'mon, it's not just any trident! I made it so that whenever you throw it, it will always come back to you. Plus it'll magically stick to you're back so it's easier to carry around!" He said with a thumbs up.
Ok, I could work with that. Hesitantly, I placed the weapon on my back and let go and was stunned as it glued itself to me.
"Alrighty then! Since you kindly threw my Milk-Milk fruit in the water I should find a way to inconvenience you somehow right?" He said rubbing his palms together.
Oh hell no!
"I'll be giving you a 10 million beri bounty! And what better place to dump you than a marine-infested island?" Now his smile was stretching from cheek to cheek and growing wider.
"Oh! And you better be vigilant because one way or another I will force you to eat a Devil Fruit. Let's see how long you last!"
Then the world spun once more and I fell face first on cold stone. Looking up I saw the Milkman once more. Raising myself to my feet I looked around and noticed we were in some sort of alleyway.
"For my final act, I will be swapping your name to Rafael D. Yeager! Have fun with your last name being your first name!" He giggled like a schoolgirl girl " And welcome to Loguetown!" The Milkman said vanishing.
I looked up at the sky "MotherFu-".