Disclaimer: I do not own one piece and it is probably a good job I don't!
Author's note: Thank you again for feedback…I even learnt a little Spanish translating one of them! – Rina I translated this on Google so hopefully it reads okay but I just wanted to say 'gracias me alegro te de que guste'
I am currently enjoying a relaxing weekend on my own so plenty of opportunity to write! I thought I would treat you to a double dose this weekend as I don't know when the next instalment will be.
Body Swap
Chapter 1
"What the hell did you do to Nami-san's body?!" Sanji shouted as he took one look at the swordsman when the three friends boarded the Sunny once more.
Zoro was not in the mood to talk and tried to walk past the cook but the blond grabbed his arm, demanding an answer.
Nami stepped in between the two, placing a hand on Sanji's chest and pushing him back warningly. "I was in some trouble and Zoro saved me" Nami reassured the blonde. Zoro looked at her…she was the one who helped him so why did she lie? Was she trying to save him from embarrassment? He was not sure if he should be grateful or offended by her action. Sanji however seemed to accept the explanation, muttering something about how moss must tear a hole in a person's brain making them incapable of looking after other people's belongings. Zoro fought back the urge to kill the man as he walked away from them and shouted for Law. Chopper looked up at Zoro slightly concerned. He was about to ask him if he was okay when the swordsman spoke first.
"Nami…can we postpone changing back a little longer?" He asked with a genuine serious tone. His request was not something she wanted to hear though.
"No way. I am looking forward to a hot bath" she responded, them paused for a second before asking "why?" she was sceptical about the sudden change of heart.
"I got these injuries. It just makes sense that I see them through" he answered. Zoro was concerned that she would have to continue feeling the pain he currently felt now. He felt responsible and like he owed her something.
"Zoro…" Nami spoke his name softly but was interrupted by the presence of Law and the others.
"You guys ready?" the doctor asked the pair as he reached out to touch them. Nami turned away from Zoro's gaze and nodded. Zoro breathed out and followed suit, if this was what she wanted then so be it, "yeah" he said, preparing for the worst.
The swap was immediate and effective but also came with some unexpected experiences. This took the pair by surprise as they both crouched down in pain and held their heads.
"What's going on?" Sanji asked, leaning down to hold Nami's shoulders and support her, an act which for some reason sent a hint of jealousy through the swordsman.
"Law…what's the meaning of this?" Zoro asked as his mind was bombarded with visions.
"I forgot to warn you of the after effects from being switched for a long period of time." Law identified.
"After effects?" Nami asked, looking up at him now with one eye open and the other closed. It took getting used to having two eyes again. She felt like her head would explode.
"Memory recall…your memories of recent events will be warped slightly as your body's experiences and thoughts combine together. So, for example, what Nami felt and saw in Zoro's body he will feel and see now and vice versa."
This caused the two to look at one another momentarily, resulting in both going slightly red and avoiding the others gaze.
"How long will it last for?" Chopper asked as he tried to support Zoro.
"I don't know" Law answered, "it varies from person to person and it also depends on how willing they are to accept what they see and feel.
"I've had enough of this…I'm going to take a bath" Nami stated before rising to her feet and wobbling slightly. Sanji caught her, "thank you Sanji-kun but I think I can manage" she said, finding it difficult to balance slightly but pushing forward with stubborn pride.
Zoro remained seated on the floor, his condition made worse by the sudden feeling of pain running through his head, neck and spine as a fist planted itself in his scalp.
"What the?!" he yelped and held onto his head as he rocked back and forth.
"There is more where that came from!" Nami warned before storming off. She had been wanting to hit him for days and had to hold back each time. He guessed he got off lightly on this occasion but could not help wonder how much of what she was seeing and feeling was from him.
"Hey Zoro you want to play with us?" Luffy asked as Usopp joined him.
"No…I need to do some training" he replied, slowly getting to his feet with the help of their doctor.
"You need to rest Zoro" Chopper demanded, but as usual was ignored.
Zoro placed a hand on the reindeers head and said "I will be fine Chopper, I have rested enough as it is" then headed to the training room. Chopper stared at his friend's back for a moment before running to join his captains in their game.
…
Nami rested her hands on the rail of the ship and looked out to the night sky. The stars seemed so clear and bright that night. No sign of a storm, with a good wind. If this kept up then by the morning they would be able to set sail.
"How does it feel to be back in your own body?" Robin asked as she came to join her female companion in taking some fresh air.
"Great" Nami answered honestly, "although the memory recall is a bit troublesome"
"How so?" Robin enquired.
"Well every now and then it is like I am seeing something for the first time. I know I was there but what I saw and felt was a little different and now it is all blurring into one." Nami found it difficult to explain.
"Is any of it concerning?" Robin was curious to learn more, having not experienced it herself.
Nami thought for a second before answering, "no". She was surprised her self by this answer, but she felt no discomfort or concern. Well, that was not entirely true…when she had her bath she recalled the attack on Zoro, but in remembering it she could physically feel the pain and pressure on her own body. It had scared her a little. Looking in the mirror she touched the bruise on her face and winced slightly. Yet again another reminder of how weak she was. Ducking down into the water she forced herself to push the thought to one side.
"So how did it feel to be a man?" Robin asked with a smile on her face.
Nami shivered dramatically and rubbed her arms, "They smell" she answered honestly.
This made Robin laugh out loud, "We knew that one already" she said.
"Well, I guess in many ways it is no different than being a woman…though it was a strange feeling, being stronger and more confident. Zoro's body acted on impulse sometimes, like when fighting that squid. I guess he trains so much that it is ingrained in his system without even having to think about it"
"Well we should be grateful then as his body saved you both"
Nami nodded, "I guess it did…although if not for Law we would never have been in that situation"
"I have to admit it was interesting to watch you all cope with the change" Robin smiled. Nami was not surprised by her statement although she was curious to know why Law has not changed the archaeologist to.
"I wonder what that guy is up to. Do you think we can trust him?" Nami asked.
Robin shrugged, "He told me he was looking for information and there was someone he had to see." She explained the little she knew.
"I wonder who it was" Nami though out loud.
"Well there is one way to find out" Robin replied, piquing the orange haired girl's curiosity.
"How?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Law didn't go alone on the trip. One of our guests went with him" Robin was referring to the little child they saved from the last island, Momonsuke.
"I see" a cunning smile appeared on Nami's face. "It would seem we need to take another bath sometime soon"
Robin liked the way her friend thought.
…
"So what was it like being inside Nami's body?" Luffy asked Zoro when the men were all settling for the night…well all except Brook who was on duty with Kinemon.
"Don't ask stupid questions" Sanji cut in. "Nami's body is pure perfection. Her skin is soft and smooth like a delicate flower"
Zoro could not disagree with the blonde man…she was soft and delicate…too delicate. It made him want to get stronger faster so he could protect her better. He knew she was capable of defending herself and thought a lot that day on how she might have been able to prevent the attack by those men by using her climatact…yet he didn't realise just how different a woman's body was from a man's in that respect. He had always seen women as special and in many ways equal. He knew that a woman could become strong with training…Kuina was always able to best him, but it never stopped the underlying truth that men are naturally physically stronger than women. Yet being with Nami for so long made him realise something else…women were naturally stronger emotionally than men. Well, Nami was anyway. To a point it almost made him feel inferior. He was used to taking orders from her but over the past couple of days he had been more reliant on her than ever before and for some reason it bothered him.
As Sanji continued to swoon, lost in his own thoughts from when he had been in Nami's form, he was ignored by the others and their attention went back to the swordsman.
"So bro, is it like Sanji says?" Franky asked, curious.
"No…not for me anyway" Zoro replied, not looking at them and instead choosing to look out of the bedroom window. He saw Nami and Robin talking and laughing together on deck, "it was the first time I felt completely vulnerable and defenceless"
The seriousness of his tone made them all stop asking questions about it out of respect…well for those who caught the mood…
"What was it like to poop?" Luffy asked with a finger up his nose. Zoro ignored his captain and continued looking out of the window as Sanji wrestled with the rubber man in the background for being so stupid and ruining his lovely thought process.
Usopp watched his friend closely, concerned at Zoro's sullen mood. He had not seemed himself all day and he could only hope that this was due to the after effects of their transition. However, he also could not help but wonder what had passed between the two of them to make them so different around each other. It was almost as if they were trying to avoid one another. He looked over towards Law who was lying on one of the beds with his hat covering his eyes. Usopp could not help but think that out of all the devil fruit powers out there that this man's was one of the most dangerous.
"I wonder how Nami felt." Chopper thought out loud as he sat down to join Usopp, Momonsuke and Franky in another game of cards.
"She probably felt similar" Franky pitched in. His response caught the attention of the swordsman.
"But Zoro's body is stronger than Nami's so surely she would see that…she helped fight that giant squid after all" Usopp pointed out.
"Yes but being in a body you are not familiar with is uncomfortable, we all know that." Franky pointed out the one thing that they could all sympathise with.
"I thought it was pretty exciting and fun" Luffy joined in the conversation once Sanji gave up on trying to strangle him.
"You are the only one who would" Sanji said as he dug his hands in his pockets and joined the rest of them at the table.
"But you liked being in Nami's body" Luffy pointed out.
"That's because Sanji is a pervert" Usopp mumbled, gaining a threatening glare from his friend, causing him to hide behind the cyborg for protection.
"I can see what Zoro means though" Sanji continued, "I was not able to run or swim as well as I could normally when in her body."
Zoro did not expect the cook to be able to see things from his perspective but he appreciated it.
"It just made me realise how fragile Nami is" Sanji explained, Zoro was envious of the man's ability to express him self clearly.
"Nami is strong. She can take care of herself." Luffy felt like defending his navigator.
"Yes there is no doubt that she can" Franky added, "but I see where Sanji is coming from."
"Nami and I are the weakest members of the crew." Usopp pitched in, "We have to use our brains to be able to fight on even ground. Without our weapons we are useless in a fight. Nami can put on a brave face, but she is good at hiding her true feelings" Out of all of them there he understood the navigator the most so hearing things from his perspective was important for Zoro even if it was just aiding what he was already thinking.
Luffy and the others suddenly felt a draft sweep by them. Chopper looked up and saw the door as it closed behind the swordsman.
"I wonder where he is going." Franky asked.
"Who cares" Sanji shrugged as he looked at the cards in his hands.
"Snap!" Luffy shouted, hitting a card onto the table.
"Um Luffy, we aren't playing that game" Usopp sighed.
…
Nami and Robin stopped their conversation short as they heard footsteps coming up from behind them. They turned from the railing to meet face to face with the swordsman.
"Robin do you mind leaving us alone for a second I need to speak to Nami in private" Zoro asked, looking at the raven head and avoiding eye contact with Nami.
Robin was surprised by his sudden request and glanced over at her companion. Nami caught her gaze and nodded to show it was okay.
As Robin passed by Zoro he said "and don't go ear wigging either", this was an order more than a request and he did not look at her. She looked at him for a moment then back at Nami who had turned her attention back to the vast ocean before them. It was likely he said this quietly enough for her not to hear. Yet Zoro did not think about the fact that when someone is told not to do something it makes them want to do it more. Whatever he had to say to the navigator it was important. As tempting as Robin found it to produce an ear nearby she decided to accept his request and nodded in agreement before walking away.
Nami felt Zoro stand next to her and place his hands on the railing. She became suddenly aware of her personal space and how close he was to it. Their hands were not far from each other and she could feel the heat of his body. The feeling sent goose bumps through her body as it remembered being massaged and touched by those hands. It was not something she had ever thought of before, but for some reason she was now. All she could do was blame it on her hormones.
"Nami" Zoro's voice caught her attention and she held in a deep breath subconsciously as she turned to face him, leaning on the rail for support.
Zoro could feel the tension between them and wanted to somehow make it right. Yet when he looked at her and saw the bruises on her face he subconsciously lifted a hand and touched her cheek with the back of his hand, slightly stroking her hair to one side. Seeing the shocked expression on her face he immediately retracted his hand and coughed into it instead.
"Does it hurt?" he asked, trying to distract her into conversation instead of thinking about what just happened.
"Only when it is touched" Nami stated, watching as he grimaced apologetically. She was not going to let that one slide easily he realised.
"Zoro, what is it you wanted to say to me?" she asked him, eager to get straight to the point as she suddenly felt awkward and open.
Zoro found himself struggling and needing to compose himself. He looked out to the ocean and then back at her, the moonlight shining off her face, making her almost look deathly pale. This image seemed to help him get his thoughts into perspective.
"I promise you I will get stronger." It came out in a controlled way, like a samurai pledging an oath to his master. It was honest and formal and from the heart, although Nami's expression did not seem to indicate that this was what she was expecting to hear as she stood with her mouth slightly open, staring at him.
Nami was stunned. She was not sure what to say or what to make of that at first. She had no idea what had gotten into him but as the memories of her past came creeping through and she identified all the times she had been attacked and in trouble due to her own weakness, emotion ran over her and tears threatened to appear. She swallowed a lump in her throat and forced them back down. She really was not sure how to respond to what he had said. His statement made her feel even more vulnerable than she already felt. She knew she held them all back in a fight and she had fought to try to prevent that, but it didn't deter the fact that because of her weakness even Zoro felt scared when in her body.
"Are you making this promise for me or to make you feel better?" she asked almost bitterly. Zoro was surprised by her reaction but was not able to respond as she turned to walk away. Acting on impulse he reached out and grabbed her wrist to stop her from leaving. He wondered what he had said that had been so wrong. Unable to speak he had to make a decision quickly, either let her go or try to explain himself. When she tried to pull away from him he realised he didn't want her to leave and so made his decision.
"Nami, hear me out" he pleaded, she stopped wriggling but he did not let her go. "I…" damn it, he thought, unable to get the words out, Nami spoke for him.
"Zoro I know I am weak and I know you felt exposed in my body. Who wouldn't when they are used to being able to defeat their enemies with ease. Having it pointed out to me though is another matter."
He looked at her then as she stared at the ground. It was a rare thing for her to be so honest and open about how she felt. He realised now what he had said which offended her and he immediately regretted it.
"Nami, being in your body opened my eyes to a lot of things I never knew or understood before. I can't say I enjoyed it all the time, but I will take any lesson the gods throw at me" he felt her hand turn into a fist as she closed her eyes. He knew she wanted to run away from him but he needed her to hear him out. "You are right I did feel vulnerable and weak but not in the way you seem to think. I guess my pride as a man was knocked down. All I know is how to fight and how to protect and suddenly I am in a position where I am taken off guard…"
Nami looked at him now, a little unsure with where he was going with this, "are you saying you didn't like being saved by a girl?" Zoro cringed at her statement, although it was partly true he was not about to admit it. But at least he now had her attention.
"I was in your body Nami and suddenly realised that no amount of physical training was going to help me. I was unable to protect you and too foolish to talk my way out of the situation." He glanced again at the marks on her face and she could see the remorse in his features.
She studied him for a moment and blushed and allowed a small smile to appear on her face but averted her eyes, looking down instead. He loosened his grip on her wrist and let her go. She was a little surprised at how she wished he hadn't, but dared to not do anything rash. Turning to face the ocean and taking in a deep breath of fresh air she thought that perhaps it would help him to if she allowed a little honesty.
"I was scared to Zoro. Even though I was in your body I had no idea what to do in a fight. Although I may be smart, in a man's body it is harder to talk your way out of things or get what you want. I was self conscious of standing out or making you look feminine. Our reputation as pirates is important. Even when Chopper and I managed to find you I still couldn't help you and had to rely on you and Chopper to defeat those guys. I found myself having to put my faith into your body and trust it to act on instinct…something I have never had to do before. I was completely out of my comfort zone."
Zoro was surprised to hear her speech yet also relieved to learn that she felt the same as he did. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed in relief that she was no longer mad at him. "I guess we both want to be stronger" he realised.
Nami nodded then looked at him, "but we all have strengths and weaknesses in different areas"
It was his time to nod, "We can't all be gods"
Nami smiled, "Where would the fun in that be?"
Zoro grinned, "humph…we make a good team though"
Nami looked at him and tilted her head to one side, "how so?" she asked.
"Well you are heaven and I am earth…" he replied.
Nami understood what he meant…she was the brains and he was the brawn…she just didn't expect him to say it in such a cryptic way. She couldn't help but feel heartened by the sentiment.
"ow!" she let out a sudden moan as she felt an unexpected stab of pain.
"You okay?" Zoro asked concerned.
"Yeah, nothing I can't handle" she replied.
"Not a storm coming is it?" he asked, recalling the piercing head ache he received a couple of days before.
"No…" Nami answered and Zoro knew from that look not to say anything more. Her discomfort was clearly from the 'other problem'.
"Do you want me to rub your back?" he asked casually, unaware of the huge blush that appeared on Nami's face in the dark.
"No I can manage" she said as she started to head back to her bedroom.
"You know where I am if you change your mind" Zoro offered as she walked away. Nami had never walked so fast to bed before in her life. Did he even realise what he just said? She figured he probably didn't and was just trying to return a favour. Grumbling to her self and getting a hot water bottle she decided to settle in for the night.
Zoro stood watching Nami retreat and could not help feel a little disappointed at the fact she turned down his offer. Part of him wanted to see how her skin felt under his touch having experienced first hand what it was like for her to be touched by him. Deciding though that this was probably for the best, but now too awake to sleep, he headed to the training room instead.
…
A/N: Well, they are back to normal now and on their way to Dressrosa…where will this take their relationship?
Please review!
8