Chapter Text
I glare at my multiple-choice test with bleary eyes. The AC hums in the background, however ineffective it is. Pencil scratches and paper shuffles fill the room.
I take a deep breath to fend off sleep.
It doesn't work.
I close my eyes for a second (maybe three seconds). Maybe that'll help. I'm not any less sleepy, but I need to finish this test, so I force them open.
Blurry green and brown and tan—definitely not the monochrome of paper—and flashes of darkness. It takes me a moment to realize I'm not the one blinking away tears.
My chest hurts (but is it mine?), a familiar crushing pain of being left out. My tiny, squishy child hands clutch at a bright red shirt, chin pressed into skinny knees.
No, they're not mine. I can't readjust my grip, can't move my back into a more comfortable position. Nor can I wipe away the wet on my face before it turns into snot. All I can do is watch and try not to feel too awkward.
'Hey, uh, you okay?' I ask once it's obvious I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. It sounds weird, but that's probably more because I don't have a mouth, and less because I have no idea what I'm doing.
The kid jolts and the world becomes a back-and-forth blur of colors.
Crates, forest, wooden walls. Body?! Ah, no, that's just a suspiciously shaped bag of empty bottles. An overhang hides the sky, but the hints of blue and white promise something glorious.
"Wha—who's there? I'm fine!" Their voice cracks. They scrub their eyes, settling their glare at the yellow moss on the wall for lack of a better target.
'Me,' I deadpan, hooking a faux-confident arm around my anxiety and leading it into a funky square dance. How does one comfort people? 'You don't sound fine.'
Another round of blurring colors. Were we sitting on sand? Ew.
"I'm fine!" they insist. "Where are you?"
'Good question.' I hum. 'I don't really know. In your head?'
I get a blast of shock at that.
“Woah, really?!”
'Well, yeah. I can't move your body even though I'm sitting in your head.'
That green rock is pretty. And translucent. Sea glass? A couple of them dot the ground. Looks like we're near the ocean.
"You're weird." The kid laughs, a cheerful shishishishishi!
Why is that familiar?
'I could say the same of you. Weren't you crying your eyes out a minute ago?'
"Nuh-uh! I wasn't crying!"
'Uh-huh. And I'm a ghost. There's nothing wrong with crying, y'know.'
Wait, what if I am a ghost? Crap, then this logic wouldn't work!
"You're a ghost?!" Is this what sparkles feel like?
'Uhhh, maybe? I don't remember dying, but I had a body a couple minutes ago.’
"That's so cool! Join my crew!"
'What?'
That's definitely familiar.
'Wait, wait, wait. Before I address that.' Before I address anything. Dread and hope pool in my non-existent stomach. 'What's—what's your name?'
"Monkey D. Luffy!"
Nothing dramatic like a mind explosion happens, but it would've been cool if it did.
"I'm gonna be the Pirate King,” Luffy declares. “Join my crew!"
(Ah. I got isekai-ed.)
'And how old are you?' I say, with a metaphysical voice crack. I didn't watch the anime, but surely his voice isn't this high-pitched.
"Why's your voice going all weird?" Luffy laughs. "I'm seven! Shanks wouldn't let me join his crew, so I'll make my own." His determination softens his indignance, leaving me warm and full of energy.
(Not from Truck-kun. Or any other morbid method. I got isekai-ed when I fell asleep in the middle of a test.)
'Wait, why are you asking me to join your crew? You don't even know who I am! You learned about stranger-danger, right?'
(Into One Piece.)
"Then tell me your name!” Luffy gets to his feet so he can stomp. “And if you join my crew, you'll be nakama! Not a stranger! Stop avoiding the question!"
'I'm Lee. You didn't ask a question,' I point out to be contrary.
(And into a tiny Luffy's head, of all places.)
I receive a pout-y feeling.
I send a big grin back.
Okay, now that's plain irritation.
'Wait,' I start, ambushed by another thought.
"Again?! Just join my crew!"
'It's important, it's important!' I assure. 'I live in your head. How would this even work?' There's no way I'll be satisfied being some sort of advisor watching everything go down. 'I want to adventure, too!'
"What're you talking about?" Luffy tilts his head. "You're a ghost. I can share. We'll just take turns. Just don’t eat my meat!"
That's so…simple. A comical sweatdrop hovers over my head. I would ask if that would even work, but Luffy sends a vivid image of 'gonna punch you if you keep talking' so I refrain.
'Yeah, okay, I'll join your crew.' I sigh, pretending I wasn't sold the moment I recognized him.
Luffy whoops and does a little happy dance.
I project a happy dance of my own.
Luffy laughs brighter.