You had been taken back to the sick bay and the little reindeer creature went through a thorough checkup while the demon-man waited just outside the door. You could feel his aura easily, and the only person on the ship who seemed a bigger threat was the farm boy. The blonde man in the suit seemed to be close to the demon-man in strength, and – honestly – there wasn't what you would consider to be a single weak person on the whole ship.

"Sorry I screamed at you." You say after it seems like the small doctor is almost done with his work.

"Oh... it's okay, I understand why. You called me a forest spirit when you first arrived on the ship, but I guess when you ended up healing inside the ice you forgot."

You tilt your head. "I... don't remember any of that. I hope it wasn't rude to call you a forest spirit."

The small doctor smiles. "I didn't think so, and you can call me Chopper."

"Thank you for taking care of me, Dr. Chopper." You say with a smile.

Chopper smiles and then gives you an apologetic look. "I'm sorry I couldn't do more."

"The memory will return, or it won't. I will simply have to do my best in the meantime." You look around. "Am I to stay in here?"

"Only for a little longer." Chopper assures you. "I think Franky's making a bed for you, and Brook and Robin are helping. Sanji's making something to eat, and Nami and Usopp are putting together some information about the world, so you don't get into trouble accidentally."

"That is appreciated."

"You're speaking differently from what you before." Chopper points out, "Are you remembering something?"

You shake your head. "I don't think so. It just... feels like I should speak as politely as possible."

"You don't have to worry about something like that with this crew," he assures you.

"Perhaps not." You admit. "But... I also don't know who I am. Was I proper? Was I strong? If this is my world, why do it feel completely unworldly to me? I can feel something slipping through my veins and through the air and it almost feels like what I know, but then it does not." You look at your hands before balling them into fists. Taking a breath in you let it out slowly.

"Not knowing is stressful."

Chopper reaches out to you, but the door opens and the girl with the orange hair, Nami, pokes her head in. "We've got some food ready so you can eat, then we can go over everything else, if you're ready."

"I... hm. I suppose I am as ready as I can be." You admit, following her into the common area after knocking on the door to let the demon-man know you're leaving.

"Why'd you knock on the door like that?" Chopper asks.

"Your demon-friend seems to be guarding you all from me, so it seemed polite." You explain as you go into the kitchen. You hadn't seen this part of the ship before, at least not for more than a moment as you made your way to the sick bay.

It was alive with the smell of food, and the majority of the crew. The blonde man in the suit seemed to be the cook, and if his food tasted half as good as it smelled then it was it quite the testament to his capacity as chef. You didn't realize how painfully hungry you were until you moved to sit down and nearly toppled over.

"Are you okay?" The taller lady with the dark hair asks as you manage to sit down.

"Yeah... I, uh, don't remember when I last ate." You give her a soft smile and settle into the seat.

"Sanji always makes plenty of food," the young man in suspenders and a fishing hat assures you. "And we'll make sure Luffy doesn't take anything off your plate."

You blink a bit in confusion. "Lou-fee?"

"Oh! We forgot to introduce ourselves." The skeleton with the fluffy laughs after he says this, and you're maybe too hungry right now to be bothered by an animated skeleton in a suit. "I'm Brook, the musician of the crew."

"Usopp," the young man in suspenders says, "Brave warrior of the sea, and the sniper of the crew."

"I heard Chopper introduce himself already," the tall lady with dark hair says giving you a small wave. "I'm Robin, an archeologist."

And so it went, with everyone in the crew introducing themselves and providing their job. You were surprised to learn the farm boy was the Captain of this crew, but there was something about him that drew you in, so you didn't dwell on it. The demon-man was named Roronoa Zoro, and something about him pulled at you as well, but in a different way.

It seemed to irritate both of you.

"This vessel is quite large, are ten people enough for a crew?" You ask, taking a sip of the dish Sanji has set before you. It's a beautiful amber broth since you can't remember when last you ate, the cook and doctor both would rather you not overwhelm your stomach.

"Frankly designed the ship to be efficient," Usopp was explaining to you, as he was sitting nearest and the hubbub of everyone eating had drowned out your question.

The flavor surprises you, and you barely hear the reply to your question. There's a warmth that spreads through to your bones and you didn't realize how cold you had felt until the broth seeped into you.

"By the gods, this is delicious." You admit, not even realizing you're talking out loud.

"Sanji's the best cook!" Luffy assures you excitedly. The young man may not be a farm boy, but he seems to have the appetite of several.

You turn to Usopp. "Everyone is on par with the cook in terms of their skills?"

"Huh? Er... I mean, yeah. We joke, but we are really a ship full of monsters. Nami's navigational skills are so good people have tried to kidnap her. Chopper has ended some plagues with his skills, and Jinbei had us surfing a tsunami wave one time. Frankly built a bridge in seconds, and Brook stole an important document from one of the Emperors. Luffy and Zoro are just beasts when it comes to fighting and Sanji's right there with them."

You drink the soup as Usopp regales you, and after a moment you speak. "You have not spoken of your own accolades, master sniper. I would not think it boastful to hear them."

"Oh... I, uh, I just support the crew, y'know, that's what a good sniper does." He says sheepishly.

"Usopp took out marines that were surrounding me from such a distance with a slingshot that they couldn't return fire with their firearms." Robin says, her tone is even but there's a proud smile on her face.

"He's designed and improved my Clima-tact over the last couple years, and it's saved my skin more than once." Nami added between bites.

"He's helped create jars and vials that keep my herbs and medicines fresher and viable for longer." Chopper chimes in.

"He's made some improvements to the solider dock system I didn't think of on my own," Franky says. "He's Suu-per smart thinking up improvements."

You smile as Usopp's face reddens. "That is monstrously effective support for a monstrous crew." You state, finishing the last few spoonfuls of broth. "Master Chef, I would like to risk another bowl, if you have more soup to spare."

"Anything for a lovely lady," Sanji offers smoothly, replacing your empty bowl with a full one.

You felt your cheeks flush red and wondered idly if anyone had called you lovely prior to today. The pang of being unable to remember tried to sit in your heart, but you drank another spoonful of the delicious broth and felt better.

After everyone was done eating the table was cleared and Nami set a map out. It showed a world you were completely unfamiliar with. She pointed out where the ship currently was, and where they had found you. She explained the seas and currents, and some of the larger land masses.

"We're slowly headed back to the Grandline Metro, we just have a few more places we want to investigate first," she explains, tapping a large island that seemed to be primarily a single city. "We're not going to force you to stay on board, but you'll probably want to stick around until we get back to the Metro. Aside from the Redline it's one of the most populated places in the world. It's more likely someone will recognize you there than anywhere else."

You make a face. "I... do not wish to be recognized."

"Eh? Did you remember something?" Chopper asks.

You shake your head. "Not clearly, but I feel like I was pursued for... something." You close your eyes and rub your temples trying to remember. "A man in a strange hairstyle with a bubble around his head called me a blasphemer. But... I ... flew?"

You look down at Chopper. "I cannot fly, am I remembering poorly?"

"Maybe you're a Devil fruit user." Jinbei offers. "Can you swim, young lady?"

"... I'm afraid I don't know." You admit. "But I have skills in things and my body seems to remember. It's how I took the demon- er - Zoro's sword." You consider things for a moment. "If I can swim, I imagine it would be the same. Is it possible to check now?"

"You mean chuck you off the side of the Sunny and see if you sink or swim?" Franky asks in mild disbelief.

"...Yes."

"Wait, we can just fill the bath and see if you feel weak being in the water." Usopp offers. "That will prove if you have a Devil fruit or not."

"But... it won't prove if I know how to swim." You assert. "On a boat out in the ocean, it seems important to know if I can or cannot. I have eaten, rested, and I do not feel dizzy or weak. You have strong swimmers on your crew, I'm certain." You're already getting up and starting for the door when Zoro puts a hand on your shoulder while looking at Chopper.

"Oi." He prompts the doctor.

"Eh? Oh. Um... her physical injuries are all healed, if she's not feeling unwell then it shouldn't be too dangerous." Chopper admits, and Zoro lets your shoulder go, turning and walking out of the kitchen ahead of you.

Your brows knit in confusion before you follow after him. You understand him getting verification from the ship's doctor, but you're not certain why he would care. There's been no order from his Captain to watch over you, and as such his focus should be protecting the crew from you.

"Am... I already a part of this crew?" You ask before leaving the kitchen. Luffy is near enough to hear you and perks up.

"Do you want to join?" He asks with a smile.

"... I don't know." You admit, looking over at him, and falling backward. You landed hard on your rear, but the young man's body was still seated at the kitchen table, and only his head was near you. "Wh-What in the hells?!"

You watch in a mix of horror and amazement as Luffy's head retracts back into his body.

Nami sighs pinching the bridge of her nose. "We haven't had a chance to get into Devil Fruits and their effects on people. Luffy ate a fruit and has a rubber body. Chopper, Robin, and Brook also ate fruits and have abilities because of it."

"A... a fruit... gave them magic?" You question, watching as Usopp and Franky pull on different parts of Luffy and show how stretchy he is.

"It's not magic so much as it's something that changes you permanently." Robin explains, offering a small fan of arms to help you to your feet. "In exchange for the power of the fruit, we are cursed by the sea and cannot swim. In truth, we are fully helpless in water and can easily drown."

"I... see." You manage, reaching out and taking one of Robin's offered hands to get yourself back onto your feet. Her extra hands disappear into a shimmer of flower petals and your mouth opens and closes and couple of times as you try to speak.

"It's a lot to take in, don't try and sort it out right now." Jinbei offers with a smile. "First, let's go see if you can swim."

You nod uncertainly at first, but then a little more forcefully. It was good advice, to focus on one problem at a time.

Stepping out of the kitchen, you walk down the stairs, and see the demon-man sleeping against the ship's railing. As asleep as you are sure he is, you're equally certain that if you moved to take a sword or bring him harm he would be completely awake. You weren't sure how you could so certain of that, but it was something like knowing without knowing.

"The water might be colder than you expect, so brace for it before you jump in." Sanji points out. "You don't want to suck in a surprised gasp when you're underwater."

You step up on the railing with a nod. Taking in a deep breath you take a moment to scan the horizon, and the water. Crouching down before you jump you're relieved to find your body is moving well on its own. There's a smooth motion to things as you push off the rail and slip through the air toward the water.

The rush of air against you is brief, but long enough to trigger memories. You can feel the magic of your homeland in your memory, hurling you away from the strange land with its strangely manicured everything. But you're not alone in the air. Metal orbs are being hurled all around you as several ships are in sharp pursuit of you. You're scared, but you know you cannot risk being caught.

An explosion from your memory ravages your body in the present and you feel all your muscles clench before you hit the ocean water hard. The hard smack knocked the air from your lungs, and the cold water tensed your contracted muscles even harder. Your lungs were burning from the prematurely expelled air and your muscles screamed.

You managed to move toward the surface and suck in a breath, but you could only manage a weak struggle against the ocean's surface before exhaustion started to pull you back under. You could hear something from the deck of the ship and were certain that they knew something was wrong.

The flood of memories gave you no relief. The sensation of struggling against the water continued your earlier memories, and the combination of sensations was powerfully disorienting. Cannonballs rained down around you, breaking into the water despite you knowing that no enemies were nearby. The sound of heavy objects cutting by you made your body ache with the memory of all your wounds.

You had been knocked from the air, and dropped into the sea, but how did you get away?

The jagged bolt of lightning fills your field of vision and your hand smacks something hard as you shield your eyes from a light only you can see. A steel grip on your wrist begins to drag you back to the surface, and you let it. Despite the memory telling you that you'll be caught if you surface, you don't want to fight back, your lungs and muscles hurt too much.

The dead cannot escape. Better caught today and free tomorrow, than a corpse in the sea.

Breaking the surface, you breathe in deep. Your limbs are shivering from the shock of hitting the water so hard along with the spasms that your memories had ripped into them. The water is cold, but not enough to make you hypothermic. The memory of your arrival here, walking on water in front of the strange man, escaping, and losing your pursuers in a storm, was still pounding into your head.

"Oi! Hey!" You can hear the demon-man yelling at you, but only barely.

You're not from this world, you can remember your home. Your life. Your role. You don't know how you ended up here, in this world. You just know that it's not where you were born. There's no Winternight here. No duchy, no winter magic.

Prophecy.

You had spoke words without speaking when you had arrived. You had walked on water, and then flew away. You were being pursued because you threatened something called the Empty Throne.

Heresy against the throne back home would mean execution. Prophecy or not.

"Help," you needed help.

"That's what I'm trying to do! Oi! Wake up already!" A grumbled voice breaks into your rattled mind and you realize you're barely clinging onto the demon-man. He looks very angry until he realizes that you're finally seeing him. There's a shiver of relief across his features before he scowls at you again. "Can you climb?"

He nods his head up the ladder he's holding onto with one hand, holding onto you with the other.

You shake your head. "Can't." You cough, bringing water up and out of your stomach. "Sorry."

He grunts, dipping you both into the water to adjust his hold on you. You were practically a sack of potatoes for all the energy you had left, but he got you secured while holding onto the ladder.

"Oi! Shitty cook! Pull us up!"

"Eh, what do – holy shit Marimo, are you okay?!"

"Pull us up!" Zoro repeats angrily.

You feel the ladder start to come up the side of the ship, and your only vaguely aware as your hauled over the rails by a few sets of hands. You're not sure who is helping, but you cough up more water and resist the urge to fall asleep in the warm grass. Nearly drowning on top of being assaulted by you own body has you teetering on the edge of consciousness.

You see Zoro as Sanji helps pull him up on the deck. The demon-man has a deep bruise on his chest and is coughing up blood. Despite the severity of such an injury, he seems to be mostly okay, but you're unsure how he was injured in the first place.

"What happened?" Sanji demands as Chopper tends to Zoro.

"Nothing." Zoro says, giving Sanji a hard look.

The cook growls. "Don't toss that crap around again! It wasn't nothing then, and it ain't now! What. Happened?"

Zoro looked at you and the cook followed his gaze. The two men regarded you for a moment, and Sanji seemed to calm down as Zoro repeated himself.

"Nothing, cook. It's fine."

"So, I guess this means you can't swim?" Franky asks you as he helps you sit up.

"No... I can." You manage, a reply, breathing in deeper and coughing the last few bits of water. "If I couldn't swim, I would've died before you all found me the first time."

"Eh? You remember?"

You struggle to your feet, accepting Franky's assistance to keep yourself steady. There's a small commotion about how you should stay down and rest, but you're focused on Luffy, and take a few steps toward him. The light-hearted farm boy vibe vanishes from him and he regards you with a focused look that belies his usual demeanor.

"I am... (Y/N), a knight of the Duchy of Winternight. I..." Your body shudders and exhaustion nearly topples you. "I... owe you, but..." Luffy's helping you stay upright without any effort. The serious expression is still on his face, despite your vision beginning to blur you can feel those eyes peer into your soul. You want to pledge your life to him, to his cause. As a knight, you owe him.

But something in that gaze makes you spill your heart, and not your honor.

"I want... to go home."

A/N – If you don't know what "world" Winternight is from, I will eventually lay it out – in at least enough detail for the sake of this story. It's not an Original World of Mine, nor is it Earth! If you already know where it's from, then yay shared interests go-go!