Hi everyone, I got a review on this, saying that it was like RUMBLE! by Treestar-san, It actually was based off of it. She gave me a wonderful idea. But it isn't exactly the same. I just wanted to let you all know that. I respect authors, and I don't steal their ideas. I get ideas from their works, and then transform them into my own. Neko Marimo was based off of RUMBLE! But is not it at all. The symptoms are different, and then again i've only read to chapter 8 currently of that story. RUMBLE! Is a good story, but it isn't mine and therefore, I am trying to tell you that it will not be the same. Ok... my rant has gone on long enough. Just to let you know. I won't dissapoint you! Because its very rude to take other peoples stories, Neko Marimo will be totally different. And if I feel or you guys feel that I am doing too much of a copy, I will remove this story. I love RUMBLE! and hope that you will too if you get the the chance to read it. Treestar-chan, I hope you're not mad at me for copying ish your idea... I love RUMBLE! and it is all yours. While Neko Marimo is mine. Please if you read this story and feel uncomfortable with me using your rumbleball idea (basically all im going to use for a copy, its gonna be real different i promice!) I will change so that a devil fruit user or something changes him. Well if you've read this whole rant I am suprised! And your reward is the first chapter of Marimo neko! until then! JA NE!
Luffy laughed happily as he ran in front of everyone, running from the marines once again, everyone yelling at him angrily as they dodged bullets and then pounded their way into the marines in front so that they could get away. But something seemed wrong. Usually it was Zoro who was in front, but he was actually in the back, only swinging at a few stragglers, not really even swinging.
Luffy and Sanji were the first ones on the ship besides Franky, who had been guarding it and, seeing the situation, started setting up for a Coup De Burst. Nami and Usopp were next with Chopper, and then Brook finally Robin before they looked down at the moss head. He was panting, kneeling on his knees, unable to even jump. They were just about to burst off! What was wrong? Luffy reached out with one of his hands and then grabbed the moss head's right shoulder. Robin grabbed the left with her many hands and together they pulled him up just before they bursted away from the marines.
Luffy had expected his friend to just land and return back to his normal lazy self. But was startled when Zoro landed with a sickening thud on the floor of the Sunny. Luffy held tight as he used his other arm, stretching it out and wrapping it two times around the mast just as they blasted off. He didn't want Zoro to land in the water; the poor marimo could barely lift his head up. That's when Luffy noticed he had sweat trickling down his forehead, making his hair, which was usually puffy, stick to his forehead. It didn't do that even when he was training. Whimpering gently, Luffy awaited the rocketing plunge that happened when the ship collided back with the water. He sprang to the mast and slowly set Zoro, who had fallen asleep, down. Luffy sighed in relief, then noticed that he wasn't asleep, he was passed out! Eyes widening, he stood and then yelled out.
"Chopper! Zoro's acting weird!" he said before running around to Zoro and poking his head, calling his name out rapidly in one breath, his worry clearly showing. Chopper ran over, also worried, and others joined him as he inspected Zoro.
"Well..., I have no clue what's wrong. But I know that these symptoms… some of the drugs in one of my rumble balls might help...," Chopper said, his blue nose twitching softly. He looked at Luffy. "It may stop whatever's making him sick..., but I don't know if it will have any other effects and how long they will last since he's a normal human and hasn't eaten a devil fruit," Chopper finished, looking at his captain for conformation on if he should go with it or not.
His captain looked down, biting his lip and looking confused, trying to think if this was the best thing. He sighed softly and then nodded gently. "If it will stop him from dying. He looks very pained... So yeah, give him a rumble."
"All right," Chopper said smiling softly, then walked over to the mini fridge in his room and grabbed one rumble ball. In the cold, the ball stayed fresher longer. He smiled gently and walked over to the sick marimo. With a soft touch of his paw, he placed another cold, wet rag in place of the slightly warm one. Then he took Zoro's head, picking it up and popping the small, yellow orb inside his mouth, pouring some water down his throat so it was easier to swallow it.
Zoro gulped it down, coughing lightly and going back to his panting. He felt like fifty swords that had just stabbed him all over his body. Suddenly, the pain started ebbing away slowly, but then it started tingling near his rear and his head. It was like an itch that wasn't there but was. He grunted and turned, feeling the presence of his nakama leave the room. He turned again, panting softly as he felt the tingling turn into a throb and he yelled out slightly. "No...," he mumbled, then gasped hard, raising a hand out and arched, turning again. It hurt to lay on his back fully, so he turned to his side. The sweating was going down and he felt a lot better. Guess that the stab wound on his side was worse then he had first thought. He thought he could deal with it, but was proven wrong. Very, very wrong.
~0~x~0~x
Earlier that week
~x~0~x~0
Zoro had been training as usual when they had stopped at a island, the one they had been on at the beginning. He had been walking around, probably lost again, though he wouldn't admit it. He had seen an act. Two sword fighters were pretending to duke it out on each other. Zoro scoffed and rolled his eyes, telling the people that it hadn't been worth their time to see such a foul, fake act, and they had dispersed, seeing his real katanas. With angry glares, the men had started on Zoro. He thought he could have taken them but suddenly they both had devil fruit powers.
Catching him off guard, they both stabbed him on either side. He coughed and fell to the ground before the brothers grinned and walked off to another location to perform their act. He had stayed on the ground for five hours before finally being able to move. The pain was unbearable and he had to struggle for every inch he moved. He panted and finally had gotten up after ten minutes of slow moving and pausing to get rid of most of the pain a few moments at a time.
Once he was finally up, he pulled out Wadó, his most trusted blade. The only one out of his original three that hadn't broken. He leaned on it for support, seeing as it was just the right height and started slowly walking to the hotel that they were staying at. Turns out the log pose would set in three days so everyone decided to take a small vacation. He stumbled a bit and almost fell, overwhelming pain surrounding him. 'Some vacation...,' he thought bitterly before walking in. It was the middle of the day so no one was there.
He slammed the bathroom door and coughed as he grabbed the bandages that Chopper had put in there just in case. He disinfected his wounds for about three hours. When Nami, Sanji, and Robin finally got back from shopping, he was laying in the bathtub, stitching himself up quietly. He had taught himself because of all the small cuts he was always getting. Chopper had finally sat him down and they spent an afternoon of how to clearly and carefully stitch things. A small knock sounded from the door.
"Is someone in here?" came the voice of Nami.
He sighed softly and replied, "It's m,e Zoro. I'm using the tub. What?"
"Nothing." She replied, then leaned against the door. "When did you get here?"
"Ten minutes ago," he lied, gritting his teeth as he finished tying the stitch; the cuts weren't too deep, though for some reason they hurt a lot. So they wouldn't leave scars luckily. With a soft breath he sat up in the tub, pulling his white shirt down then put his haramaki over it slowly. He breathed out a few times before whipping the sweat off his brow and walking back into the living room of the hotel. Nami was putting away clothes and Sanji was laughing happily, joking with Robin in the small kitchen. He sat on his bed and sighed, rubbing his temples until the headache slowly went away. This was going to be one hell of a week.
~x~0~x~0
Present Time
~0~x~0~x
The pain had started to disappear about five hours later, at which time he felt Chopper enter the room, tapping the blankets he had currently been buried under saying something about dinner. He yawned and sat up slowly, rubbing his head, he grunted feeling something soft but ignored it and looked over. Chopper was looking at him in shock, his eyes looking like they were going to jump out of their sockets in a second.
"E-Ears!" he screamed, then passed out with a soft plop. His body had gone stiff as a board, and he just flopped over, face forward. Gasping, Zoro swiftly caught Chopper, picking him up and poking him, confused, before he turned, seeing his face in a medical pan and his eyes widened. A pair of white cat ears twitched on his head and a thin white tail poked up from under the covers.
"EARS!" he yelled before standing and looking around confusedly, very flustered. Footsteps were heard; not everyone on the ship had heard Chopper's squeak of a scream, but they had heard the deep voice of Roronora Zoro. Luffy was the first on the scene, with Sanji and Nami quickly following. The captain blinked, halting in his footsteps, Nami and Sanji running into him, but he didn't budge. He was staring at Zoro, who was holding Chopper, glaring at everyone but with the ears on his head and the tail swishing around like that, it made the glare melt into cuteness.
With a small awe-struck gurgle, Luffy ran over to touch Zoro's ears. Zoro blinked before blushing, his ears lowering automatically and a small purr-like sound starting in his chest. His eyes widened and he stood up. Luffy's arms stretched and he grunted before making them snap back, his hands letting go of the white fuzzy ears for now. Nami blinked and walked over slowly.
"Z-Zoro?" Nami asked, unsure and slowly approached him. Others came into the room, having about the same reactions as the first three. Luffy was now trying to grab Zoro's ever-moving tail, beginning to enjoy himself. Zoro looked away in shame, his ears lowering as he did so.
"Yeah, it's me," he replied gruffly, looking away even more before Luffy grabbed his tail-a bit hard, one might add-and suddenly all the hair on his body was standing on end, including his tail and ears, which were pointing straight up. A small hiss of a growl was heard, and Luffy immediately let go.
"Neh! Sorry, Zoro! Gomen~!" the small man said, bowing twice, then looking at him. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine as long as you don't do that again...," he mumbled, slumping down onto the bed. Chopper had just started stirring from his passed out state.
"Ugh... What happened?" he asked softly, sitting up, propping himself up on his left elbow as his right hoof rubbed his small forehead. He then looked at Zoro and jumped down. Turning into his human form he yelled at everyone, "Out! All of you shoo! Now that I know this is his side effect, I have to see what happened!" he shouted, making Zoro flinch. His hearing was getting really good.
Chopper looked at him and sighed softly. "Well…, let's begin the examination."
