Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece…just a fan

Author's Note: This week has been really busy but I have finally found a little time to sit down and write. This occasion is made special as I am writing on an antique Victorian desk which we bought this weekend! You can smell the age of the wood.

Thank you again to those who posted feedback and reviewed my last chapter. Thank you for being patient as well. Now for you to find out why Zoro is in pain…

Body Swap

Chapter 7

Nami watched Zoro carefully as he placed a hand on his temples and rubbed them, wincing slightly. She studied him momentarily but it wasn't until the sky started to go dark and a trickle of rain hit her face that she realised what she had neglected to teach Zoro about her body.

Throwing the stick she held to one side Nami grabbed Zoro's wrist and pulled him through the back alleyways.

"Where are we going?" he asked her, blinking a few times and shaking his head to clear his vision a little.

"To seek shelter" Nami said, without turning to look at him. She stopped in her tracks as she approached the back entrance to what appeared to be some kind of barn. She looked around to make sure no one could see them and got Zoro to help her to pry open a couple of wooden slats.

As they entered they were met with the strong smell of animal dung and hay and some unimpressed looking horses.

Nami led the way as they snuck past the animals and up the ladder to the hay loft. She looked out of the little window and found a perfect view of the streets. People were running around and packing up as quickly as possible in order to get to shelter. This worked in their favour as she saw the guards scattering and helping the people of the town instead of maintaining their search. She looked up at the sky and out to the direction of the sea. She scolded herself for forgetting about the most important thing…her ability to navigate. Although a lot of it came down to her own intellect and judgement there were other things which helped her pinpoint the exact direction and distance something was coming. Yet this biological connection she had seemed to be something she clearly took for granted as she did not feel it now.

Zoro watched Nami in silence as she seemed to be focussed on something and studying their environment closely. He sat down and crossed his legs, leaning back against a stack of hay. As he closed his eyes and let out a slow breath he could feel the pounding in his head start to alleviate.

"Other than a sharp pain in your head, what else are you feeling?" Nami asked him seriously.

Zoro did not open his eyes. The headache had dulled down, it was a momentary sharp pain, but is bearable. He thought for a second and shrugged "nothing much…just a bit achy" he replied honestly.

Nami sighed with relief, "Good then that means it will just pass by and we have the tail end of the storm" she concluded, sitting back a little to relax.

Zoro thought for a second about what she had just said. Although sometimes a little late on the uptake he suddenly realised what she was talking about. "So do you always feel that when a storm is coming?" he asked, his gaze now on her. She was surprised that he was actually interested to know how she was able to read the weather like she could despite never eating a devil fruit.

Nami nodded and looked at him, "sometimes, it depends on what it is." She sat forward so she was a little closer to him. While they waited for the weather to die down she saw an opportunity to give him a very brief lesson.

"Most of the time I can read the weather from subtle changes in the atmosphere and the sky itself. The environment tells you a lot. Yet there are times I also feel it with my body. I guess it is instinct…like you and or Sanji feel when an enemy is approaching" She figured this comparison would make it easier for him to relate to it.

"…I get what you are saying Nami, but this feels totally different. If I feel an enemy nearby my whole body reacts, but I don't feel pain from it" Zoro was clearly a little concerned by the fact Nami felt ill or feverish whenever she saved them from Mother Nature.

Nami was heartened by his concern but really didn't see anything wrong with it. "The headaches are rare…Usually means there is a cyclone coming. The harder it pounds the closer it is. It tends to be related to a change in the air pressure around us."

"So the fact it has dulled down is a good thing then" he asked. Nami nodded.

"If your body tingles like you have pins and needles then it usually indicates a thunder storm…If you feel a little heavy headed it can indicate frost. A light head is usually rain…and so on"

"So if your body feels hot does that mean it is going to be sunny?" Zoro asked what seemed like a sensible question but Nami laughed at him. "What?" he was offended by her action?

"Zoro, I feel hot and cold just like anyone else. Admittedly my body may be a little more sensitive to temperature changes than others but…" Nami stopped in her thinking as she processed what he said. Her smile faded and she studied him. Zoro looked a little flushed. She leant forward and placed a hand on his forehead. He was hot to touch. Zoro almost flinched away from her cold hand and looked up at his own frame towering over him.

Nami knelt back and lifted his head to face her, "Zoro how long have you been feeling hot?" she asked.

Zoro thought for a minute then shrugged, "Dunno…I felt hot when we were sparing but I put that down to exercise…"

Nami looked at him. He may have felt hot when fighting, that was normal, but so did she. Yet she now felt the chill of the cold wet air. There was no way Zoro could feel so hot unless he was sick or something.

Zoro studied Nami as she sat thinking. Her expression changed from one of concern to shock horror as if she just realised something. She looked down at her (his) hands and appeared to be counting. He was not prepared for her to pounce on him, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him.

"What else have you been feeling?" she demanded to know, unable to control the rush of words from her mouth, "back ache?"

Zoro looked at her and was stunned; she shook him for him to respond. He nodded, "Yeah I guess so…Pretty normal considering we have been fighting and your body isn't used to it" he tried to reassure her in his own way, even if he couldn't understand why.

Nami gritted her teeth and sucked in a slow breathe, "Where does it hurt on your back, your shoulders?" she asked.

"Thinking about it…it should be the shoulders but it's the lower back" Zoro answered.

He could feel Nami's hands gripping him tighter, "do you have any stomach pain?" she asked almost hesitantly.

"A little, but we haven't eaten much…I hate to admit it but I could do with some of that love cooks cake" Zoro said without thinking. He was not someone for sweet things but for some reason he craved it.

Nami was shocked and her head sank down as if she were having one of her depressed moods. Her hands loosened their grip on him and dropped to meet her face. She shook her head from side to side in dismay.

Nami knew it was only a matter of time and unfortunately Zoro was having most of the symptoms. Luckily for now he seemed to be oblivious to what this meant. In any other circumstances Nami would laugh at this situation and be grateful for the man to experience what it is like to be a real woman…but not today, not like this and not when it was her body he was in. She couldn't help but feel humiliated and prayed he didn't figure it out.

"What's the matter Nami? Does this mean something worse than a cyclone is on its way?" Zoro asked, breaking the silence. Nami nodded, clearly a little shaken. There was nothing Nami could do about this now except pray Zoro remained ignorant and find the Sunny as soon as possible. The moment she laid her hands on Law he would regret ever being born.

"My body is sick" Nami gave a half lie. "You might get a little feverish and feel dizzy but that is normal given the circumstances"

"Sick?" Zoro sat there contemplating that word for a moment. He couldn't remember ever being sick before in his life. This was a first for him. Okay he had been in his fare share of fights and been injured or travelled around aimlessly and almost died from hunger but he hadn't been sick. He thought back to the time Nami was bitten by an insect and how she was barely able to stand. Her body had felt so hot to touch and she had passed out. He had taken it in turns with the others to look out for her and support her. Watching her suffering and crying and moaning in her feverish states was difficult. He had never had to care for someone else before. Fighting an enemy to protect a friend was one thing, but fighting something you couldn't see was another. He had been really grateful when Chopper joined them. Mind you until they had Chopper Nami was the one who looked out for them all. When one of his brothers in arms had fallen ill from scurvy it was Nami that saved them. Zoro had learnt a lot from her that day. She had gone up in his estimation.

Nami watched as the rain started to slow its pace and stood up. "We should get going" she ordered, heading towards the ladder and turning to go down it. She caught a glimpse of Zoro hunching over as he stood.

"Hey Nami" Zoro spoke up. Nami looked at him with a bead of sweat forming on her brow. She knew perfectly well what that position usually meant. "We should find a bathroom first" he added. She gritted her teeth and nodded. It took all her effort to bite down on her tongue.

…

Usopp and the others sat in the tavern he had entered earlier that day. They had not had any luck in finding their friends but when the storm came it had become increasingly difficult to pin point anything. Deciding instead to wait until the rain had stopped they purchased a meal and stayed in the warmth.

Luffy was busy forming piles of plates as the others talked about their day.

"We were close to finding them but the guards were all over the place" Sanji explained.

Chopper nodded, "By the time they disappeared the rain came and washed all the evidence away"

"I am sure we will find them soon" Usopp reassured the doctor.

"Unless they have been caught and tortured for information" Robin pitched in.

Usopp sweat dropped, "Trust you to think of the worst case scenario" he muttered.

"I wouldn't say that was the worst case…" Robin answered honestly, "The worst would be them being killed" she continued with a shrug as she sipped her drink.

Chopper was horrified by the suggestion and wavered a little. He could feel panic rising in him.

As if recognising his friends feelings Luffy spoke up; "It'll take more than a few puny guards to defeat them"

Usopp nodded in agreement and Chopper found himself smiling and looking down at his drink, "Yeah" he said.

A crashing sound drew all of their attention away from their conversation, food and drink. The doors to the tavern burst open and the figure of a woman appeared in the entrance. A bolt of lightning lit up the area behind her causing her silhouette to shine ominously. The whole place went quiet.

"Finally!" the female's voice exclaimed. She was soaking wet and looked like she had just had to fight off something.

"Over my dead body!" the voice of a man exclaimed from behind her, grabbing her arm and spinning her around, "hold it in! You can wait until we get to the ship!" he snapped.

Usopp looked up ahead, he couldn't make out the figures of the people shouting due to the sudden crowd watching them all but he turned to Robin and said "aren't those voices familiar?"

Robin nodded.

"Sounds like Nami-san" Sanji spoke up, standing to look through the crowd.

"I told you I can't hold it in any longer!" the woman shouted back at the man.

Zoro turned to try to enter the room, dragging a limp Nami behind him who tried to stop him.

"Is this man bothering you?" a husky voice asked. Zoro looked up to see several men surrounding him. He didn't know what they wanted and he didn't care, he had more important things on his mind.

"If it's a fight you want I will deal with you later, right now I have to find the bathroom" he stated it as a matter of fact. Each of the men looked at him and each other with raised eyebrows then laughed.

"Why would we want to fight you?" they asked the woman before them, turning their gaze to the man behind her. Zoro felt Nami step backwards slightly.

One of the men looked at the woman in front of him and licked his lips, "How's about I makes you a deal?" he asked with a hint of a drunken tone to his voice.

Zoro cocked his head to one side, "What kind of deal?"

"Well, whoever defeats your boyfriend gets to has some fun with you" the man grinned, wavering a little.

Zoro cringed, this guy was worse than Sanji. A complete slime ball. However, Nami wasn't letting him allow nature to do its thing and was being a pain in his ass. He felt a pain in his stomach again and decided that drastic times called for drastic measures.

He turned to Nami and grinned cheekily, "Did you hear that honey?" he asked. Nami looked at him with a face of thunder. "Whoever defeats you gets to have fun with me?"

Nami looked at the men surrounding her and started to adopt her safe stance, pulling out a sword as they stepped closer with weapons of their own.

Zoro stepped behind the crowd.

"WAIT!" Nami shouted after him. She was not happy with him leaving her on her own.

"Just hold them off for a second, I won't be long" Zoro called back, turning around and running.

The men surrounded the man that was so gruff with his woman. "Time for you to be taught a lesson" one of them said as he cracked his knuckles. Nami gulped.

…..

Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Luffy and Robin watched as the figure of Nami shot passed them, running in all sorts of directions.

"Hey Nami!" Luffy called out, waving to her. She did not turn around.

"Um…Luffy, they are still in each others bodies" Usopp reminded his captain.

"Oh yeah…Hey ZORO!" Luffy shouted out again, this time gaining some people's attention. Namis head turned in their direction.

"Luffy?!" Zoro was shocked to see his captain but relieved as well.

"Come over here!" Luffy shouted out, "The food is good!"

Zoro shook his head and remained jumping about on his feet, "Hey guys, any idea where the bathroom is in this place?" he asked, getting really desperate now.

Robin smiled and produced some arms for him to follow. He nodded in gratitude and headed in the direction she sent him.

The straw hats attention was drawn back to the crowd near by as shouts came and a man was thrown back, breaking a table on his way.

Nami was surprised at the sudden action she made and its effectiveness. She had tried to push Zoro off balance more than once but didn't have any luck. Yet this guy went over easily. She wondered if it was due to the alcohol in his system, but when she blocked the mace of the man to her left and kicked him in the groin, causing him to fall to his knees, she realised it was more likely that they were weak. Well, weaker than Zoro that is.

"Wow is that Nami?" Chopper asked, watching his friend fight the men off one by one with ease.

"I didn't know Nami could use a sword!" Luffy announced a hint of envy in his tone.

"It would look like Nami has a hidden talent" Robin chipped in.

Usopp watched in awe, "should we go to help her?" he asked his friends, not sure on what to do.

"I don't know she seems to be handling things pretty well on her own…she must have a good teacher" Robin answered with a smile. Usopp looked to the cook for his thoughts and was surprised to find he wasn't there.

Sanji ran into the group of men and kicked some of them away landing by Nami's side.

"Thank you Chopper" Nami breathed out slowly, re sheathing the sword she held and looking around at the mess before them.

"I hope you are going to pay for what you have damaged" the owner of the tavern threatened them as he approached. Nami threw the man the two coins she had. He stared at them and looked at her with a face of thunder. "Do you think this is some kind of joke? This will barely pay for one chair!" he stepped forward to kick the man out but was stopped by a hand on his chest.

The owner looked up to meet the curly brow of the straw hat cook. Sanji slowly lit a cigarette and breathed out some smoke, he reached into his pocket and handed the man more coins. His silence was enough to make him look cool at that moment and Nami was grateful for him showing up when he did. The owner was satisfied with this generosity and gave some orders to his staff to clean up the mess before waltzing off to the bar.

Nami approached Sanji and asked, "Are the others with you?"

Sanji nodded but did not look at her.

"Chopper is everything alright?" she asked a little concerned at the cold shoulder he was giving her.

Sanji continued to walk on and guided her over to where the others were sitting. "Forgive me Nami-san; it is still strange for me to see you in his body"

Nami paused in her movements, "Wait, is that you Sanji?" she asked with a slight squeal to her masculine voice. Sanji nodded and was surprised when a pair of men's hands grabbed him, "Where is he, is he here?" Nami asked with urgency in her voice.

"We haven't seen Law since yesterday. He turned us back to normal and came ashore. We have been focussing our attention on finding you and that stupid moss head" Sanji explained. Nami let go of him and ran a hand through her short hair. A feeling she would never get used to…she missed her long locks.

"Nami!" Usopp shouted out excitedly, "You were awesome!" Chopper praised her. She smiled nervously as she sat down with her friends.

"Here Nami-san, you should have something to eat" Robin passed a plate to her friend and Nami was surprised at how ravenous she felt. She started to help herself to some food, forgetting momentarily about why she was here to begin with. As Sanji passed her a drink they all froze when they heard a female scream coming from the bathrooms.

Nami chose to ignore it and continued sipping her drink.

"Hey wasn't that Nami's voice…I mean Zoro?" Usopp asked, becoming confused by the minute as to which one of them was in front of him. After all, if this was Nami she was doing a very good job of being Zoro. Her mannerisms and the way she ate were very similar to his friends, almost creepily similar.

"What the hell is he screaming for?" Sanji asked, looking in the direction of the toilets.

"Maybe he forgot he was a woman and went into the men's room" Luffy offered.

"That would be just like that moron" Sanji couldn't help but grin at the thought, though when he realised it also meant his favourite red head could be subject to some grotesque scenes he started to frown.

…..

Zoro ran out of the women's bathroom as fast as he could and into the bar, he scanned the area near the entrance where he had left Nami and noticed she was not there. Searching some more and seeing his friends he approached them with haste.

"Nami! You knew didn't you?!" He grabbed her arm and spun her around, ignoring the others completely.

"I tried to tell you but you didn't listen. Serves you right!" she spat back, trying to turn the tables back on him.

"Hey what's going on?" Sanji asked, placing a hand on Zoro's arm warningly.

Nami smiled and said, "Why don't you explain it Zoro?"

Zoro stepped back and let go of her. He bit his tongue; she knew perfectly well he wouldn't say anything in front of his friends. He couldn't embarrass himself like that. It was bad enough as it was.

They all sat around watching the pair in silence, expecting some kind of answer.

Luffy reached out an arm and offered Zoro some meat, the guy turned it down. It was unlike his friend to turn down food so his captain immediately knew something was wrong. Zoro stared at the figure of himself sitting with a mug of ale in one hand and piece of chicken leg in the other. He gazed at the back of his head with so much energy he hoped Nami felt smouldering holes forming.

"Zoro why don't you sit down?" Chopper asked, shuffling along to make room.

Zoro did not respond to his friend, "Nami we need to talk". His tone was intense and full of purpose. She was not going to ignore him on this one.

"I am busy" she responded with a mouthful of meat.

Zoro didn't have time for her mind games, if she was going to be like that then so be it, he turned and faced Sanji, "hey you know how you always wanted to see what Nami looked like under her clothing…"

Sanji's expression changed slightly to a loved up cook and it was all that was needed to make Nami jump from her seat and drag her own body back in the direction of the bathrooms.

"What the hell was that all about?" Usopp asked out loud. The others were thinking the same thing.

…

"So what do I do?" Zoro asked her the moment they were alone.

"If you can help it…nothing!" Nami snapped at him.

"Isn't there a way to make it stop?" he asked naively.

"Don't you think if there was women would be a lot happier?" Nami retorted sarcastically.

"Look I don't want this any more than you do!" Zoro shouted, "but cut me some slack Nami, I need your help here".

Nami sighed, "This is so embarrassing" she muttered.

"Tell me about it" Zoro returned the sigh.

Nami looked at him and scanned the area. She walked over to a trolley which was outside of a room and snatched a couple of items off it before approaching him again.

"Go back in there and use this" she said, handing him what looked like an old linen nappy. He looked at her confused.

"Just wrap it around alright…it will soak up the worst of it until we get back to the Sunny."

Zoro reluctantly took the material from her hand. Their fingers touched momentarily and they looked at each other, before blushing and turning away.

"This is like my worst nightmare" Zoro muttered to himself.

"Like being trapped in your body is my greatest fantasy!" Nami spat back, already feeling delicate with the whole situation he wasn't making it easier.

"Urgh, how long does this last anyway?" he asked as his whole body felt like it needed to curl up into a ball on the floor.

"Usually around five days" Nami shrugged.

Zoro spun around and looked at her "five days!" he damn well hoped they would find Law soon.

"Look stop moaning about it and just do as I say. When we are on the ship I will get Chopper to make you some pain relief. "She said as she pushed him back into the bathroom.

…

A/: Now this was either going to make people cringe or amused…one of you guessed right about what was going to happen. Every woman's experience is different and zoro is the type who can handle the pain…but the mood swings might be a little different.

I too a risk with this one but I hope you liked it nevertheless. Please review and let me know what your thoughts are. Thank you to those of you who have given me some ideas to.

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