Out of Isolation

Over the next week, Jacob and Carina settled into a fragile partnership. The island offered little sustenance; no fruits hung from the trees, and neither animals nor fish ventured near. They survived by boiling the sparse vegetation they could find, and each meal was bland, worse than Jacob's military food, which he used to hate.

Evenings were spent around a modest fire, sharing stories to pass the time and maintain their sanity.

"So," Jacob began one night, poking the fire with a stick, "you mentioned you were a journalist. Covered anything interesting?"

Carina hesitated, her gaze fixed on the flames. "I... wasn't entirely honest about that." She glanced up, meeting his eyes. "I was a thief. And a songstress, actually. Not a journalist."

Jacob raised an eyebrow but remained silent, prompting her to continue.

"I grew up in a port town," she explained. "Singing in taverns paid for the food, but it didn't fill the void in my heart. Stealing, meanwhile, gave me something. A thril, a sense of control. It made me feel like I could do anything. "

Jacob nodded slowly. "Everyone's got their reasons, I suppose. "

"What about you?" Carina asked, shifting the focus. "You said you were a marine. How'd you end up here?"

Jacob sighed, running a hand through his curly hair. "I was a soldier, yes. But not from around here. My last memory was... different. A battle, then waking up on this island."

Carina studied him, curiosity evident. "Different, how?"

He struggled to articulate the dissonance he felt. "The world I knew didn't have... these." He gestured to the vast sea surrounding them. "And the people, the places—everything feels off like I've stepped into a story I don't belong to."

Carina's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Are you from the Grand Line?"

Jacob looked at her, dumbfounded. "What? No. What is that?"

"It's Pirate's Graveyard. A dangerous sea route, bigger ocean, bigger lands, scarier pirates," she explained. "It's the stuff of legends. And it's where Gold Roger hides his treasures."

A realization began to dawn on Jacob. "Grand Line... Pirates...Gold Roger..." He muttered, piecing together fragments of information. "This sounds like the world from a manga I once read. One Piece."

Carina tilted her head. "One Piece? That's the Gold Roger's treasure I told you earlier. You aren't from the Grandline, are you?"

Jacob chuckled dryly. "No, I suppose I'm not."

The revelation bugged him: He died in battle in his previous world only to be reincarnated in a more corrupt, scarier world.

As the fire crackled and the night deepened, Jacob found solace in Carina's stories, each tale drawing them closer. Yet the more he heard, the more he felt fear and wariness.

***

As the days stretched into a week, Carina began to wear out from the monotony of their diet—boiled leaves and vegetation.

One evening, as they sat by their modest fire, she sighed heavily.

"I would give anything for a decent meal," she muttered, poking at the unappetizing concoction in her bowl.

Jacob glanced at her, understanding her frustration but offering no immediate solution. The island's barrenness left them with few options.

While exploring a dense thicket the following day, Jacob stumbled upon a peculiar fruit nestled among the foliage. Its orange colors and swirling patterns were unlike anything he'd seen before. Recognizing it from his fragmented knowledge of this world, he realized it was a Devil Fruit—legendary for granting extraordinary abilities to those who consumed them at the cost of losing the ability to swim. 

He carefully concealed the fruit, uncertain of its specific power. Returning to their camp, he resolved to keep his discovery a secret until he could determine what power this fruit had.

However, Carina's keen eyes missed little. She noticed his furtive behavior and the bulge in his pack.

"Jacob," she began, her tone edged with suspicion, "what are you hiding?"

He met her gaze. "It's nothing. Just some leaves I found."

Her eyes narrowed. "Don't lie to me! What did you find?"

Jacob sighed and revealed the fruit. Carina's eyes widened with a mix of hunger and desperation.

"Is that... food?" she asked, licking her lips.

"Not exactly," Jacob replied. "It's called a Devil Fruit. Eating it gives you special powers, but you lose the ability to swim."

Carina's gaze remained fixed on the fruit. "I don't care about swimming. I want to eat something different."

Jacob hesitated. "We don't know what kind of power this fruit holds. It could be use less power you will regret later."

Her patience snapped. "Give it to me!" she shouted, lunging at him.

Jacob stepped back, holding the fruit out of her reach. "Carina, stop! We need to think this through."

But desperation had clouded her judgment. They struggled, each vying for control of the fruit. The fruit slipped from Jacob's grasp, rolling onto the ground in the tussle.

Both froze, staring at it. Breathing heavily, Jacob spoke first. "This isn't the way. Fighting each other won't help."

Carina's shoulders sagged, tears of frustration brimming in her eyes. "I'm just so hungry, Jacob. I can't take it anymore."

He softened, understanding her plight. "I know. But we need to be smart about this."

After a tense silence, Jacob made a decision. "We'll share it. Whatever happens, we face it together."

Carina looked at him, hope flickering in her eyes. "You mean it?"

He nodded. "Yes. But we need to be prepared for the consequences."

They sat down, the strange fruit between them. Jacob tore it in half with a deep breath, handing one portion to Carina. They exchanged a determined glance before biting into the fruit simultaneously.

The taste was unlike anything they'd experienced—bitter and vomit-inducing.

They swallowed, waiting for the effects to manifest, uncertain of what new abilities they would gain.

Moments later, a surge of warmth coursed through Jacob's veins, accompanied by an inexplicable understanding of fire.

"Jacob, your hand! It's burning!" Carina exclaimed, eyes wide.

Jacob looked down to see flames dancing harmlessly around his fingers. Instinctively, he knew he had consumed the Mera Mera no Mi, granting him the power to create, control, and become fire. 

He had an idea: "Carina, we can use this power to escape the island."

She frowned. "How?"

"We built a raft. I can use my fire to propel us away from here."

Hope flickered in Carina's eyes. "That's risky, but it's better than rotting here."

They worked tirelessly, gathering driftwood and vines to construct a makeshift raft. With Jacob's newfound abilities, he cauterized the bindings, strengthening their vessel.

As they prepared to set sail, Carina turned to Jacob. "Once we're off this island, what then?"

He shrugged. "Find civilization, I suppose."

She hesitated before speaking again. "We make a good team. Maybe we should stick together."

Jacob considered her words. In this unfamiliar world, allies were invaluable. "An alliance, then?"

Carina nodded. "Partners."

Jacob generated controlled bursts of flame using his fire abilities, propelling the raft forward.

The island gradually receded into the distance as they ventured into the vast expanse of East Blue.

Carina said, her gaze fixed on the horizon, the wind blowing her pretty face. "We need to find a port soon. Freshwater is running low."

"Agreed," Jacob replied.