I woke to scorching sand and the cawing of seagulls.
Ignoring the fact that I seemed to be on a beach, I closed my eyes, shielding them from the bright glare of the sun.
I dismiss the fact that my body still hasn't moved and I carried on laying down with my eyes closed, the sun was a little strong for my taste and the heat was strong against my fur.
Or to be more specific, my new orange and white fur that had grown out of nowhere. Or maybe it had always been there. I wouldn't know.
I had no memories after all.
It wasn't overgrown and for that, I thank all that's holy but this fur… was I a hundred percent sure that it wasn't just really thick body paint?
A few groans and blinks later, I was slowly clambering out of my sandy abode, gradually making my way towards the set of trees and some goddamn shade. I collapsed right under the leaves and next to the bushes and sighed in relief. Whether it was due to the sudden appearance of my hairy coat or not, it was really fucking hot.
I nearly fell asleep again, lazy and half-dead in the presence of shade. My neck was itching a little so I rolled, rubbing my neck over the bush. And then it hit something.
A fruit fell from the overgrown plant, rolling to a stop right next to my hand. It was around the size of an apple, small but blue with a swirly looking peel. I picked it up and examined its skin. It didn't look edible.
I dug my fingernails into it and started peeling it. The skin was thick but soft, and peeling it off revealed the pinkish fruit beneath, the size of a peach. I pried the fruit into 2 slices, showing its lack of a core.
If I wasn't hungry, I would've found this strange, a fruit this big without a core or seeds? But as it was, the hunger was threatening to make my stomach growl and so I bit into one of the slices.
I'm not sure what I was expecting, sour, bitter… sweet?
"GAH!"
I was not expecting it to taste like 10 week-old shite.
Normal people would have gagged, retched or even vomited it back out. I was one of the idiots who'd swallowed it, despite trying not to. Needless to say, I was completely awake after the incident. Ready to rumble after the very Devil himself had shat on my tongue.
I quickly looked back down at my hands, my eyes widening in surprise as I saw the other slices quickly withering into dark grey husks which then broke apart into dust.
What in fuck's name did I just swallow?
Quickly backing away from the bush, I threw the dust onto the sand and tried pulling the fruit back out of my throat. I shoved my fingers down my throat and heaved, but only a line of thin bile made its way up my throat.
I breathed hard, the bile burning my mouth. Whatever I'd eaten, wasn't coming back out. I'd just poisoned myself. Forget living on a deserted island, I was going to die on the very first day.
Collapsing back down onto the sand again, I started to giggle. If I was going to die, I might as well do it laughing. My giggling slowly came to a stop as I laid my eyes upon a drifting cloud. If only I could be like that cloud, going wherever I want, no restrictions bound over my head…
And that's where I stayed for the next moment, waiting for death's cold embrace.
Or maybe… What if the fruit wasn't poisonous? I didn't feel like I was dying, even though I wouldn't know what that felt like. I felt… full, revitalised, like I was charged up with an energy I didn't know of. I'd thought of that feeling as death but what if it was just a weird-ass fruit?
I clambered back up onto my feet and dusted the sand off my shorts and my button up, fitting clothes for a summer beach. Feeling a little silly about my acceptance of death, I decided to actually do something useful. Even I knew that finding water should be my number one priority for survival.
And so off I went, past the bushes and the trees and into the actual interior of the island. It was very busy as anyone could tell, tiny birds squeaking on trees and bugs quickly running back into their hidey holes. I was glad I had boots covering my feet. Coming here barefooted would've been impossible.
I walked up to a nearby tree and broke off one of its branches. It was straight and strong and after a good bit of sanding it would make an excellent walking stick. I walked over the tree roots, the vines that looked like tentacles and quickly made my way into the forest. Lakes, rivers, and other freshwater sources were my targets, rivers being preferable as running water was generally cleaner.
As I moved in further, the trees started to become larger, the vines thicker, and the noises were a lot louder. I was still yet to see any animals, but I could hear a swishing noise somewhere near me, perhaps it was one of the tree branches swaying in the wind?
And then I heard the breathing, short rugged breaths that seemed to come from behind…
Oh. Oh dear.
It was a wolf.
It was large, almost up to my waist in height along with a gigantic crystalline tail. Sweat dripped down my forehead and my stomach tried hard to not heave.
The wolf growled and glared with its pale violet eyes. A small trail of saliva escaped its mouth giving me the sight of what appeared to be its fangs that I had no doubt could tear meat from bone and crush the bone anyway.
Was I actually going to die on my first day?
I gulped and the wolf came closer, its tongue now visible. My heart was beating faster and I could hear its soft thumps against my chest.
It leaned in closer… and sniffed me.
Oh god that felt disgusting. Considering how I now had a snout of my own, a lot shorter than that of an actual animal though, my sense of smell was pretty good, and I could smell whatever had been on its fur. Spoiler alert: it wasn't anything good.
I slowly looked down towards the gigantic wolf. Was it judging me? Savouring the merchandise before its usage?
Its mouth was now closed and it leaned in once more. I closed my eyes and waited.
But death never came. Its snout was rubbing against my legs, my feet, my knees… and then it finally started staring at my nose. Was it… nuzzling me?
I gradually raised a hand and stroked its fur. It was grimy and oily so I stopped. I stepped back and it didn't move. I carried on moving backwards and it didn't move. I ran and didn't stop till the wolf was long gone.
Holy shit, that was terrifying.
***
I was still running when I finally saw the river. The wolf with the purple tail had reminded me that this was still reality. I was just a normal half animal girl inside a forest where there were normal animals who would simply love to do nothing more than eat me.
Needless to say, I was still breathing hard and my teeth were still clenched. The fear still hadn't gone and I'd almost forgotten what I was in the forest to do.
So I forgot about the wolf, those teeth and those eyes… because I'd finally found water bitches!!! Wooo!
I almost dunked my snout into the water completely and without giving a rat's ass whether it was clean or not, I took in gulp after gulp of the precious watery goodness. It dripped down my face as I used it to cool myself down from the heat and I sighed in relief.
Ah, sweet sweet water, what would I do without you…
Anyways, I looked back down onto the river, hoping to see my reflection on the running clear water. It wasn't very clear but… I looked like a fox, with a considerably shorter snout. The human look was still there and it seemed to dilute the fox features. I still had hair, and I didn't have human ears, just the fox ones on top which blended in with my orange-blonde hair.
All in all, I looked like a cute fox girl, although the 'cute' part probably depends on whether you're a furry or not. Fucking degenerates.
Sighing and looking back up, I basked in the shade of the canopy, cursing my fur which acted as a boiling blanket at all times. If only I could have a cold shower… I looked back down at the river.
Wow I'm an idiot.
I quickly took off my boots and then slowly lowered a leg in, it wasn't too cold, perfect. I lowered the next leg in along with it and then I started feeling… odd.
It felt almost weakening? I tried to lift my arm and my eyes widened when it was a lot harder than it was supposed to be. Shit, did the fruit actually poison me? Was it the water?
I desperately scrambled out of the river, crawling back into my boots and then back up onto my feet.
Where the fuck had that fruit come from? That bush? I needed to find out whether I'd actually killed myself or…
I ran, nearly tripping over roots and vines and other common forest items, in the general direction of where the beach had been.
The trees blurred by, slowly getting thinner with the sun glaring just a bit more with the lesser amount of shade from the shrinking canopies.
There was a flash of pale yellow… there! The beach!
Quickly coming to a stop, I dug my foot into the base of a tree with a Thunk! so as to not meet it with my face, frowning when I felt the bark splinter. Was it rotten? Oh who cares.
I jumped over the last series of bushes and shrubs, quickly making my way into the beach. Yes, this was where I had woken. The sun was shining just as bright as before and then a huge booming noise gets me out of my revelry.
Turning to the side just in time, I see a gigantic shark-like head go back under the waves, an eel at least 10 times bigger than me hanging from its mouth.
What in the blinding fuck.
Heart pounding, I backed away slowly, eyes glued to where the monstrous shark had disappeared beneath the waves. That thing… I was barely the size of its eye. And that was being generous.
I clutched my branch-turned-walking stick a bit tighter until I'd reached the shrubs and flecks of earth near the forest.
Collapsing onto my knees I screamed.
"POSEIDON, NEPTUNE ALL HAIL THE GREAT OLD ONE OF THE DEEPS DON'T EAT MEEEEE!!"
I managed a small blubber at the end of my fear fueled holy recital and awaited my judgement.
Hearing no noise for the next few minutes, I collapsed back into the earth, tired after that screaming and scaring.
And I'd thought that wolf was bad, holy shit.
I couldn't even blink as I stared up at the bright blue sky, hoping for an end to this complete madness.
And then something struck.
That fruit… it had swirls on it, it may have been bumpy with those wrinkles but they were definitely in the shape of swirls. Could it be a – devil fruit?
But that… One Piece was a story. Nothing more, right?
Right?
I raised my hand, staring at the paw pads that took up the majority of my palm and up to my first knuckle. A metallic gleam slowly took hold as the shiny grey began travelling down my hand.
Holy shit.