The gentle morning sunlight cascaded across the endless ocean, casting a golden sheen over the rippling waves. Each swell caught the light like scattered diamonds, transforming the vast blue expanse into a living tapestry of gold and azure. The rhythmic crash of waves against the wooden hull created a steady percussion, urging their small vessel forward into the unknown.
Against the backdrop of the boundless East Blue, a tiny boat—barely larger than a fishing dinghy—cut through the waters with determination. The vessel could barely accommodate two or three people along with their meager supplies, yet it carried dreams as vast as the ocean itself. From Windmill Village's harbor, the soft voices of well-wishers had long since faded into memory, leaving only the endless horizon ahead.
"Shishishishi! Akira! I knew you'd come to sea with me!"
The exuberant laughter belonged to a boy wearing his signature straw hat, the brim casting shadows over his bright, eager eyes. His red vest fluttered in the sea breeze, and the distinctive scar beneath his left eye—a mark of childhood recklessness—caught the sunlight. Monkey D. Luffy's joy was infectious and unmistakable as he bounced in his seat, arms waving wildly in celebration.
"I told you from the beginning—I can't become the Pirate King without you!"
His enthusiasm manifested in a barrage of friendly slaps, each one landing with increasing force on his companion's shoulders and back.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
The recipient of this overzealous affection—a boy with tousled hair partially hidden beneath a red baseball cap—finally reached his limit. The constant battering had left his deltoid muscles throbbing, and his patience had worn thin.
"ENOUGH!"
His fist connected squarely with Luffy's face, the rubber boy's features comically compressing inward like a deflated balloon.
"Owwww! That really hurt!" Luffy wailed, his voice muffled by his distorted features.
"Sorry, sorry! I know I went too far!"
The apology came with practiced ease, accompanied by Luffy's attempt to manually reshape his face back to normal.
"You'd better mean it this time," Akira muttered, rubbing his sore shoulder with a look of resigned exasperation. In the two and a half years since his arrival in this world, he'd heard that exact apology countless times. Luffy's memory for such lessons was disappointingly short-lived.
Akira wasn't originally from this world—a fact that still felt surreal even after all this time. He'd been an ordinary college student on Earth, spending his free time watching anime, reading manga, playing games, and occasionally attending local conventions. The memory of that fateful comic exhibition remained crystal clear: he'd purchased a simple Red cosplay outfit from the iconic Pokémon games, spent the day immersed in the vibrant convention atmosphere, and then...
Then came the truck.
The out-of-control vehicle had appeared like a mechanical monster, its horn blaring as it barreled toward him on his walk back to campus. The next thing he knew, his consciousness had awakened in this fourteen-year-old body, in this world of pirates and adventure.
At least there are no trucks in the Grand Line, he thought with dark humor.
The cruel irony wasn't lost on him—he'd been reincarnated with the same name as the legendary Pokémon trainer Red, in a world where Pokémon didn't exist. Instead, he found himself in the East Blue, specifically in Windmill Village of the Goa Kingdom, one of the most famous locations in One Piece.
"If I'd known I was going to end up in the pirate world, I wouldn't have dropped the series so early," Akira sighed for what felt like the thousandth time.
His anime knowledge had significant gaps, particularly after the Marineford War. The series' pacing issues had driven him away from regular viewing, leaving him with only scattered information from YouTube analysis videos and wiki deep-dives. He knew the broad strokes of major events—like Garp's recent capture on Beehive Island, which had shocked the entire world—but the details remained frustratingly vague.
"Speaking of Garp, he hasn't returned to Windmill Village once since I arrived here," Akira mused. "No wonder Luffy was so influenced by Shanks instead of his grandfather."
"Hey, Luffy!"
Akira's attention snapped back to the present as he caught sight of his captain's hand creeping toward their supply crate. Luffy froze like a child caught raiding the cookie jar, his guilty expression only confirming Akira's suspicions.
"Ah... haha... nothing! Nothing at all!" Luffy stammered, his nervous laughter fooling absolutely no one. "I was just checking to make sure the food hadn't gone bad!"
"We left port this morning! What exactly do you think could have happened to our supplies in a few hours?" Akira's voice carried the weight of long-suffering patience.
Without waiting for an answer, he stood up and bodily dragged Luffy away from their precious food stores. The small boat rocked precariously with their movement, but Akira's sea legs had improved considerably over the past few weeks of preparation.
"New rules," he declared firmly. "You're in charge of navigation and keeping watch. I'm handling all supplies—food distribution, water rationing, everything."
He positioned himself directly between Luffy and their provisions, creating a human barrier.
"Food and fresh water are our lifelines out here. We can't afford to waste a single crumb, so keep your hands to yourself!"
The irony of the situation wasn't lost on him. Here he was, planning to traverse the most dangerous ocean in the world in a boat that looked like it belonged in a child's bathtub. If they'd had more time—and more money—he would have insisted on purchasing a proper vessel. But circumstances had forced their hand.
"Sigh... if only we'd had more preparation time."
His decision to join Luffy's crew hadn't been made lightly. Under normal circumstances, Akira's cautious nature would never have allowed him to venture onto the Grand Line without extensive preparation and training. He preferred calculated risks over reckless adventures.
But then his "golden finger"—his unique ability—had awakened.
The memory of that night still sent shivers down his spine. The moment when reality had shifted, when the impossible had become possible, when he'd realized that perhaps this world held more mysteries than even the manga had revealed.
Seeing Luffy's longing gaze still fixed on the food supplies, Akira knew he needed to establish clear boundaries. This wasn't the time for their usual casual dynamic. Real pirates faced real dangers, and Luffy needed to understand the gravity of their situation.
"Luffy, do you remember our agreement before we set sail?"
His tone grew serious, the playful atmosphere evaporating instantly.
"You may be the captain of this ship, but as your vice-captain, I have veto power over any decision you make. That includes when you eat, how much you eat, and everything else that affects our survival."
Luffy's expression shifted, recognizing the change in Akira's demeanor.
"Being a pirate isn't a game. From the moment you form a crew, you're responsible for everyone's lives. One moment of carelessness could doom us all."
The weight of responsibility settled over them like a heavy blanket. They were sailing blind into unknown waters, unable to read nautical charts properly, with no experienced navigator to guide them. At Akira's insistence, they'd delayed their departure to avoid the dangerous whirlpool that had nearly claimed Luffy in the original timeline, but the ocean held countless other perils.
"Okay, okay! I won't touch the food," Luffy conceded, his usual energy deflated. He settled against the boat's railing with a slightly wounded expression.
Despite being the nominal captain, Luffy had learned to trust Akira's judgment completely. Their two years together, combined with that miraculous night when everything had changed, had proven that listening to his friend was usually the right choice.
Akira felt a surge of relief at Luffy's compliance. He knew his strict approach might suppress some of Luffy's natural charm and spontaneity, but keeping them alive took priority over maintaining canonical character development.
Of course, expecting Luffy to remain subdued for long was like expecting Zoro to develop a perfect sense of direction. Within five minutes, his captain had bounced back to his usual energetic self.
"Hey, Akira! When can we visit that world again?"
Luffy's eyes sparkled with excitement as he leaned forward eagerly.
"The one with all those amazing creatures and treasures! I barely got to explore last time—I want to catch some of those... what did you call them again? Those creatures that could be our crew members!"
"Pokémon," Akira corrected automatically, checking the battery level on the handheld device somehow stored within his consciousness—his mysterious "golden finger" that defied all logic.
"The power level should be sufficient for another full session after dark. We need to wait until then."
"Aw, really? Until dark?" Luffy deflated like a punctured balloon, his earlier enthusiasm evaporating.
"It's only a few hours," Akira said, returning his attention to their nautical chart. "Do you think I enjoy waiting? I'm just as eager as you are, but getting lost at sea would be far worse than a little patience."
He studied the compass and their rough position, trying to plot a course that would keep them in relatively safe waters until they reached their first destination.
"Now be quiet and let me focus on navigation. If we get lost, we'll have much bigger problems than boredom."
"Yeah, okay," Luffy replied, settling back at the bow with his characteristic resilience.
Even with the wait ahead of them, the prospect of returning to that other world—the world of Pokémon—filled him with anticipation. Despite Akira's occasional strictness, having him as a crew member was undoubtedly the best thing that could have happened.
"Shishishi! Even if you're a little bossy sometimes, I'm glad you're here with me, Akira!"
Luffy's voice carried across the waves as he gazed out at the endless ocean.
"I'm going to be the Pirate King!"
Akira's ears caught the familiar declaration, and despite himself, he smiled slightly. Luffy's unwavering optimism was one of his most endearing qualities.
Well, considering you're technically my first Pokémon partner, Akira thought with amusement, I suppose helping you achieve that dream is part of my responsibility as a trainer.
The small boat continued its journey across the East Blue, carrying two young dreamers toward an uncertain but adventure-filled future. Behind them, Windmill Village had long since disappeared beyond the horizon. Ahead lay the vast ocean, full of islands to explore, mysteries to uncover, and challenges that would test both their friendship and their resolve.
As the sun climbed higher in the sky, painting the clouds in brilliant shades of white and gold, Akira allowed himself a moment of quiet satisfaction. Whatever lay ahead—whether in this world or the mysterious realm of Pokémon that had somehow become accessible to them—they would face it together.
After all, every great adventure had to start somewhere, and theirs was just beginning.