One Piece: Pirate Cat.

A dull pain engulfs every fiber of my body. It feels like I've been hit by a truck.

I try to open my eyes, but my eyelids feel as heavy as lead. After a few seconds, I try again. A sliver of light seeps through my lashes, blinding and unbearable. Instinctively, I shut them again. Only after a while do I manage to get used to it and finally take in my surroundings.

In front of me stretches a vast expanse of water. The sea? I force my head to turn, slowly and clumsily. On the other side, beyond the beach, I see a dense forest.

Why am I here? What happened to me?

I struggle to remember… something… anything. I know I was a student… of what? I can't recall. I lived in a small town in Italy, in an apartment. But beyond that, nothing. My hobbies, my family, my friends… all shrouded in a thick fog.

And my name? Why can't I remember it?

Maybe I hit my head. That would explain the amnesia. But now isn't the time to dwell on it—I need to get up and find help. There must be a hospital somewhere.

The numbness that had gripped my body seems to have faded, so I attempt to move. I manage to get on all fours, but the moment I try to stand on two legs, my balance slips away, and I crash back onto the sand.

I try again.

Nothing.

Every attempt to stand up ends the same way: a painful fall. I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. If standing is impossible, maybe walking on all fours will help me get somewhere.

I move slowly across the sand, and, surprisingly, the motion feels natural—almost like I've always done it. That's when I realize something is terribly wrong.

I should be taller, even on all fours. Instinctively, I glance down at where my hands should be, pressing into the sand.

A paw.

A blue-furred paw.

No. No, no, no.

This has to be some kind of trick, an illusion caused by the head injury. I try to speak, to reassure myself that this is just a hallucination.

But what comes out isn't my voice.

"Meow."

I freeze. My heart pounds in my chest. I must have misheard. I try again.

"Meow."

Panic surges through me. Why can I only meow? Is this some kind of neurological damage? I need to find a mirror—I have to see for myself.

With my heart hammering, I approach the sea. The water is calm enough to reflect my image.

What I see sends a shiver of terror down my spine.

A cat.

A blue-furred cat stares back at me with wide, bewildered eyes.

It's me.

This can't be real. This can't be happening.

My breathing quickens, turning erratic. What kind of cruel joke is this? Who did this to me? Is this some sort of divine punishment?

I collapse onto the sand, overwhelmed.

Minutes pass—maybe even hours. The sun continues its slow journey across the sky while I struggle to make sense of it all. In the end, I'm left with only one absurd truth: somehow, for some reason, I have turned into a cat.

I can't panic now. I have other priorities: figuring out where I am, finding human civilization, and, with some luck, someone who can help me. Maybe a kind old lady who loves cats…

Cautiously, I approach the forest. Staying on the beach won't help, but venturing too deep into the woods might be dangerous. I decide to stick to the edge, keeping a watchful eye on my surroundings.

I spot a large tree nearby and an idea forms in my mind: if I can climb it, I might get a better view of the area.

Easier said than done.

I attempt to climb the trunk, but I slip and fall after barely a few inches. Alright, no need to panic. I take a deep breath and focus on extending my claws. It's a strange sensation, like moving my fingers, but eventually, I manage.

After countless attempts and just as many falls, I finally make it to the top of the tree.

The view from up here is… discouraging.

Nothing but trees, stretching as far as the eye can see.

No villages, no roads, no signs of human life.

I'm about to climb down when movement in the distance catches my attention.

A deer is sprinting through the forest.

Behind it, an enormous tiger gives chase with terrifying grace.

I freeze. I've never seen a tiger in real life, but I'm pretty sure they're not supposed to be the size of a car.

This forest is dangerous. Too dangerous.

How am I supposed to survive here? Maybe I could try telling the tiger we're cousins and hope it doesn't eat me… No, bad idea.

For now, my priority is finding food and water. Maybe mice, insects… anything to keep me alive.

But first, I have a more immediate problem to solve.

How the hell do I get down from here?

I can't exactly call the fire department. I have two choices: climb down slowly, hoping I don't fall, or jump and trust my feline instincts.

Better go with the first option.

Taking a deep breath, I begin my descent.