Stuck On Dawn Island

A young man woke up on a beach. His mouth tasted awful, and his head throbbed. His clothes stuck to his skin, heavy with saltwater.

"Where the hell am I?" he muttered, sitting up. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, trying to adjust to the bright sun that was blinding him.

He then stood up and scanned the beach: palm trees, ocean, and more sand. For a moment, he thought he was on vacation in Bali until he remembered last night he was binge-watching "One Pace" because the original was too slow.

"Okay, maybe I got blackout drunk and my friends dumped me on a beach," he looked around again and saw nothing familiar—no TV, no couch, and no leftover pizza from last night's binge-watch party with his friends.

"Ha-ha, very funny guys, you can come out now!" he shouted, laughing sarcastically at his situation.

However, no one responded back; it was just him and the sound of the waves crashing on the shores. He dusted the sand off his shorts, to find that he did not have a phone either.

"Nice, the nice guy Adrian falls on the short end of the stick again," he muttered.

"No phone, and I don't know where I am either," he continued to complain.

He started walking towards a tree, hoping to find some coconuts as he was thirsty. Just then, he saw two figures walking and talking. He knew then that he was not alone on this beach or island.

At first he was excited and was going to run up to them asking for directions to get back to his home. However, he heard an interesting conversation between them that piqued his curiosity. So he did what you would call a pervert move and hid behind a bush nearby looking like our beloved Bill Cosby.

The two women, one had a youthful appearance with long brown hair tied back in a ponytail, wore a simple green blouse and a long skirt, her attire was modest and unassuming. Her warm smile and approachable demeanor suggested a friendly and caring personality, making her seem like a comforting presence in any setting.

The other appeared as a tall, muscular woman with a rough, commanding presence. Her skin was tan, and her curly hair was styled in a messy fashion, adding to her rugged appearance. She wore simple, practical clothes that seemed suited for physical activities, often consisting of a loose shirt and pants. Her stern facial features and strong build gave her an imposing aura, hinting at her tough personality.

Following them, the two stood at the edge of a short cliff overlooking the ocean. Adrian, that was his name, who followed them like a creep listened to their conversation.

 "Can you believe that little runt finally did it, Makino? He's off to be a pirate."

"Yes, it's hard to believe. He's been talking about this day since he was a little boy, always so full of dreams and mischief."

"Ha! That boy caused me more trouble than anyone else I've ever known. But, you know, seeing him out there... I can't help but feel proud."

"He has that effect, doesn't he? Despite all the chaos he brings, you just can't help but root for him. I remember serving him his favorite, simple meat on a plate, and he'd talk endlessly about his adventures."

"And those adventures usually meant more headaches for me! But, deep down, I always knew he'd set off like this. He's got the spirit of a true pirate. Shanks saw it in him too."

"Exactly. Shanks gave him the straw hat and more than that, a promise to fulfill. Luffy carries all our hopes with him now."

"Let's just hope he remembers to eat properly and stay out of too much trouble. For all our sake."

"He will, Dadan. And someday, we'll be telling tales of Monkey D. Luffy, the Pirate King."

As the women continued their conversation, oblivious to his presence, Adrian couldn't contain his curiosity—or his disbelief—any longer. Rustling the leaves, he emerged from the bushes, his expression one of bewilderment mixed with a hint of suspicion.

"Ha! Very funny, guys! Where did you find these actors? They look just like Makino and Dadan from 'One Piece'!" he exclaimed, half-laughing, half-accusing. His voice cracked awkwardly as he tried to maintain a tone of lighthearted sarcasm.

The two women turned to face him, their expressions shifting from amusement to confusion. Adrian's face reddened as he realized they weren't reacting as he had anticipated.

"Seriously, the cosplay is spot-on. Now, where are the cameras? This is some sort of reality show prank, right?" Adrian continued, his voice a bit too loud, as if volume might convert his denial into reality.

Makino raised an eyebrow, exchanging a glance with Dadan. "Cosplay? What are you talking about, young man? Are you lost?" she asked, her voice gentle yet tinged with concern.

Dadan, on the other hand, frowned, folding her arms across her chest. "Look here, boy, if you're in some kind of trouble, spit it out straight. But if you're just here to make fun, then I suggest you find your way back to wherever you came from."

Adrian, now sweating, tried to laugh it off. "Oh, come on! You can drop the act. I mean, how did you even get the outfits so perfect? And this set! It's like I'm actually in the anime!"

"Anime? What's this kid on about?" Dadan muttered to Makino, who just shook her head slightly, still smiling politely at Adrian.

Adrian, still not catching on to the reality of his situation, pushed on, his denial peaking. "Okay, okay, you got me good. So, when does the 'You've Been Pranked' banner drop? I mean, seriously, how much did my friends pay you to do this?"

Makino and Dadan shared a confused look, then burst into soft laughter, not out of mockery but at the absurdity of the situation. Adrian's face turned a deeper shade of red, the realization slowly dawning on him that perhaps this was no prank.

"Alright, let's assume I believe you for a second—just hypothetically," Adrian stammered, his tone shifting from confident to uncertain. "If this isn't a prank, then where am I, really?"

"Boy," Dadan said, her voice a mix of amusement and slight impatience, "you're on Dawn Island. And from the looks of it, quite lost indeed."

Adrian's mouth opened and closed, no sound coming out as he processed her words, his earlier bravado evaporating into the tropical breeze.