Toji let out a dreary sigh as he stared out into the endless expanse of sea while holding a fishing rod.
"Damn it. How could I be such an idiot… I forgot to stock up on food and water."
Toji was currently sitting on his newly created metal boat heading off in who knows which direction feeling very hungry.
Back in Shell town or clam city whatever it was called, Toji was feeling high off the incredulous expressions of the marines that he had forgotten that he was low on food or water. If it hadn't rained the other day, allowing him to collect copious amounts of water, he would've died of thirst by now.
But although the water situation was no longer looking dire, his food situation was looking bleak.
He was currently using a metal wire as a temporary fishing string with no luck as not a single fish took the last bit of food he had used as bait.
Suddenly, Toji felt a tug on his rod and immediately got excited.
"Holy shhh! Finally a bite! And it's a big one!"
He gave the rod a strong pull and slowly dragged the line in using his Devil Fruit powers. But as the line was slowly brought in, he began to see a boat being dragged in instead.
Staring at the boat he had caught, Toji felt an indescribable emotion surge up within him.
How had he even managed to catch a floating ship? Wasn't the hook supposed to be underwater?
"… ah. I forgot to turn off the propeller."
Realizing he had just dragged the fishing hook across the surface of the sea for many hours instead of letting it sink deep into the ocean, Toji felt depressed.
Hoping for at least a little bit of luck, Toji glanced into the boat he had dragged in hoping to find something useful.
However, all he saw was a skinny orange-haired girl instead.
"…are you dead?" Asked Toji as he prodded the girl with a stick.
"…w-water…"
Toji sighed as he felt a pang of pity for the girl who was in a similar situation to himself and brought over a bowl of water for her.
After the girl drank the bowl of water with gusto, she seemed to regain her energy.
"Phew! I thought I was gonna die there for a moment. Thanks for the water!" Said the girl with a bright smile.
"You're welcome," replied Toji as he waved her off before asking "So what brings you out to sea with no water and no food? Only an idiot would do something like that."
"Uhhh," said the girl as she pretended to think hard. "I was trying to earn money and was thrown off a ship."
Toji raised an eyebrow. "Why were you thrown off a ship?"
"Uhhhh, I was exploring the ship and came across a room filled with gold and when I was admiring the view, they found me and decided to throw me off," said the girl with her best innocent smile.
Toji gave the girl a weird look. "So you tried to steal and got caught?"
"Of course not! Why would I ever steal?" Said the girl with righteous indignation.
"Then why is my wallet in your hands?" Asked Toji dryly.
"… how did you know? Whatever. You had nothing in the wallet anyway."
The girl threw Toji's wallet back before extending her hand for a handshake.
"Well, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Nami."
Toji accepted her handshake. "My name is Toji. It was nice to meet you until you tried to steal my wallet I guess."
"Let bygones be bygones," said Nami with a sly smile as she patted her flat stomach and let out a sigh. "So, do you have any food? I'm starving my bones off."
Toji shook his head. "Nope."
"???" Expressed Nami's face as she tilted her head to the side in confusion.
"Didn't you say earlier that only idiots would come out to sea with no food?"
"Yep. I'm an idiot just like you," said Toji with a smile while nodding.
"… aren't you holding a fishing rod? Did you not catch any fish?" Nami asked, already suspecting what answer she was about to receive.
"No fish. I just used my last bait to catch you."
"… is there anyone else on this boat?"
"I'm a one-man crew."
"…"
Speechless, Nami fell back to the deck and let out a sigh. "I guess I'm gonna die here then. And I was so close to reaching my goal."
"Perhaps so," replied Toji as he lay down next to her with an equally depressed sigh. "That's just life."
Suddenly, Toji bolted upright as he stared into the distance with furrowed brows.
Startled, Nami got up as well. "Toji, what is it?"
Toji waved his hands and conjured up a pair of binoculars using polished metal as mirrors and stared into the distance.
"What the- you're a devil fruit user! That's crazy! What kind of ability-"
But before Nami could finish her sentence, Toji interrupted her by smirking while pointing at a ship far in the distance waving a black flag.
"Food has just been delivered."