Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. I wish I could one day create a master piece that is great though.
Author's Note: Well here it is…The end at last. Reading back my last chapter there were tons of typos and grammar mistakes. Sorry, I will try not to be so hasty with this one.
Thank you everyone for being so positive and patient! It really is appreciated. Makes me feel valued, which is always a nice feeling to have.
I hope this ending does not disappoint.
Body Swap
Chapter 14 – The final chapter
Zoro felt a hand grab the back of his jacket and yank him backwards and to the side. Despite her looks Nami was stronger than she gave herself credit for. He looked down at her. She did not seem impressed with him.
"Honestly, are you trying to get us caught?" she whispered in a harsh tone. He raised an eyebrow at her and was about to defend himself when she covered his mouth with her hand and pushed him into an alleyway. Shrouded in shadow they remained still. They could hear nothing but their own rapid breathing from running so much. Zoro could feel Nami's chest rise and fall against his own. Her heart was racing as panic spread through her. They heard the muffle of voices and scuffle of boots as a group of marines passed them by. Nami let out a breath she had been holding.
Zoro placed a hand on the hand she still held his mouth shut with. He slowly moved it away. She did not look at him, but she didn't pull away either. "If you wanted to get close to me you could have said" he teased with a deep masculine tone. Nami looked at the grin on his face and scoffed.
"Get any thoughts you have out of your head, we have more important things to focus on" she scolded. Zoro nodded, he knew all too well their situation but he was not worried in the least. After all, these men were no match for him and she knew that, yet she still seemed anxious. Holding her hand tightly he stepped closer to the entrance of the alley and peeked out. The coast was clear. Nami pushed against him slightly and looked for herself. She tried to squeeze out and get past him but he blocked her and closed the gap.
"Zoro…wha…?" she tried to complain but knew full well she was not going to be able to beat him on strength.
"What is with you, why are you so jittery?" he asked. She looked at him and her irritated expression changed to a frown. He was able to read right through her.
"Do we have to do this now?" she sighed. He didn't have to say anything for her to know the answer. She looked down at her feet and then at their interlocked hands. He was holding her hand with force, but it did not hurt. She knew she wouldn't be able to release her hand from his grasp even if she wanted to. His hand was so big and warm and yet his skin was so rough - Another reminder of the difference between them. She recalled sitting staring at those hands when in his body; Hands that were made to fight; Hands that not too long ago caressed her skin and sent shivers through her spine. She felt her body shiver as goose bumps flooded through her at the memory. Her cheeks got hotter and hotter. She tried to focus on her breathing and gain her composure. Forcing herself to be more confident she raised her head and looked back at the gaze of the man looking down at her.
"You are worried about something" Zoro stated clearly.
Nami was shocked at his sudden insight. Being in her body had clearly opened his mind a little. She honestly didn't know how to approach the subject.
"About what happened earlier…" Nami hesitated. Zoro raised an eyebrow and lifted his head.
"I knew it! Don't tell me you have second thoughts?"
His statement surprised her. Clearly he had worries of his own. This concerned her a little. She really did not know what he expected of her. She decided to turn it back on him, hoping he would say something that would reassure her.
"No, you?" she asked. She felt Zoro squeeze her hand and raise it in front of their faces.
"Does it look like it?" he asked her. She looked at their hands and shook her head. He relaxed a little as he saw a shy smile appear on her face. "Nami…" she looked up at him and saw him scratch his head and look at the sky. He was nervous and she suddenly realised she had never seen him so vulnerable before.
"…damn it…there is no easy way of saying this so I am just going to spit it out" he lowered his hand from his head and looked at her. She gulped and suddenly felt she had stopped breathing. "This is new to me" he paused, "I don't know what it all means yet but one thing I do know…I want to do that again…and not just with anyone"
Nami was the one to appear surprised. It was not what she was hoping to hear but it was enough to reassure her for now.
Zoro misunderstood her silence and became concerned when she pulled her hand out of his hold. "I knew I shouldn't have said anything! Damn idiot! Let's just forget it and get back to the ship" he said coldly as he turned and went to head out of the alleyway. Nami grabbed his arm and stopped him. He did not want to turn around to look at her. He was not a man who wore his feelings on his sleeve. He was usually so calm and in control of everything, blocking his mind from useless thoughts and focussing on nothing but his goal. Yet here he was, suddenly worried about friends, feeling fear and panic at the thought of them dying, determination at getting stronger for them and wanting nothing more than to remain by their sides. One of these friends stood out from the rest. He had been denying it for a long time, but having spent so much time with her he slowly found the shackles closing his heart beginning to loosen even more. In the bedroom they completely collapsed as she kissed him back. He kicked himself within. Dreading he had ruined their friendship.
"Zoro, look at me" Nami ordered him, frustrated with the fact he would not turn around.
He did not move, frozen on the spot.
"Geez, didn't you say you wanted to experience it again?" she chided, going back into her usual flirtatious tone. Zoro was not sure if he heard her right and slowly turned his head to look at her. "I knew that would gain your attention" she smiled.
"Wha…" he was stunned.
"Baka…" she said as she grabbed his collar with both hands and pulling him into a hard kiss. Zoro barely had time to breathe and practically fell against her, pushing her against the wall behind. He braced himself with his hands to ensure he didn't crush her. When she pulled away she grinned mischievously at him. Zoro was lost for words and remained standing there with his eyes closed for a second. Nami laughed.
"I was worried about what the others would think" She said honestly, finally feeling able to open up a little more to him knowing he liked her, too.
Zoro opened his eye and looked down at her, "Who cares what they think" he said.
"I do" she replied, "You said it yourself, we are new to this. I don't want to ruin our friendship or cause unnecessary aggravation in the group"
Zoro pushed himself away from the wall and frowned, thinking about what she said. "So, what then? We keep it a secret from them?" he asked. She nodded sheepishly.
"I don't like it. I have never held a secret from anyone" he complained.
Nami used her feminine charms to try to win him over. She leant forward and held her hands behind her back, pushing her breasts forward slightly. She cocked her head to one side and said in an almost child like tone, "Would you do it for me?"
Zoro knew she was doing this purposely. After all she had taught him how to try to wrangle things for free by using exactly the same technique. He looked at her blankly.
"That won't work on me Nami and you know it"
Nami frowned, "You're no fun!" Yet she was a little glad he was not as easy to manipulate as most men and could read through her better. Instead she tried another tactic, "Fine then, I just won't kiss you again" she turned away from him crossing her arms.
Zoro watched her for a minute and then said, "That tactic won't work either"
Nami spun on him, "Oh really?" she snapped, if it was a game he wanted then she was willing to play.
"Yeah" he replied with a grin. Nami did not have time to think as he grabbed her arm, spun her around and pinned her against his body. He traced a hand down her neck and watched her quiver slightly. His finger traced her lips, "I can take one whenever I please" he whispered, hovering his mouth over hers and then letting her go the moment she leant into him. "We should get back" he finished.
Nami stood there and blinked. She was flustered and furious. He just teased her and left her hanging. She would make him pay for that. Fine if that is how he wants it! She thought. Pushing past him she said, "We shall see"
This time it was Nami who missed the smirk that appeared on the swordsman's face.
"Now follow me and don't get lost" She warned him, leading the way.
"Humph, I got us this far didn't I?" he retorted.
Nami looked at him with a sideways glance and raised eyebrow. The fact that he was in so much denial about being directionally challenged never ceased to amaze her.
"We are in this position because of you!" she snapped, "If you listened to me back there we wouldn't have gone in a full circle and have to start from the beginning"
"I was distracted" he responded with a shrug. She glared at him and he gave a half grin in response. She couldn't help but wish she could wipe that cocky smirk from his face, but the sound of more footsteps made her re-think things and focus on finding their way to the ship.
…
"Where are they?" Usopp wondered out loud. He, Brook and Sanji had been the first to make it on board thanks to the help of their new friends.
He heard the sound of gun shots and saw smoke in the distance. Men and women were shouting and the laugh of their captain could be heard not too faraway. "Luffy?"
As if on cue their captain came flying in their direction, with a stunned doctor, samurai and son in tow. Not far behind him came the cyborg, carrying a raven haired woman in his arms as he used coup de burst to jump on board the ship.
"Where is Law?" Franky asked the rest of them as he looked around.
"He isn't coming…said he has some unfinished business" Sanji announced.
"What about Nami and Zoro?" Robin asked. They all looked at each other and shrugged.
"They are together," Luffy reassured them.
"I hope Zoro is okay, his injuries still haven't completely healed yet" Chopper announced, slightly concerned.
"I am sure he will be fine. Nami is with him" Robin reassured him. Chopper nodded.
"He seemed okay while kissing Nami" Luffy shrugged. He was completely oblivious of what he just said.
"WHAT?!" Sanji was wreathing.
"Hold on, back track a second" Usopp said.
Luffy suddenly found himself surrounded.
"Zoro and Nami…kissed?" Usopp was clearly shocked by this news.
"It looked like it" Luffy scratched his head, suddenly beginning to doubt what he saw.
Sanji grabbed his captain's top and shook him, "Well it either happened or it didn't! Which is it?!" he demanded to know.
Luffy let his head hang down to one side, "Well Zoro was definitely holding her in his arms…he didn't have a top on"
This new information almost caused Sanji to have a heart attack. His face went bright red with anger. "I will kill him!" Chopper, Usopp and Franky had to use brute force to hold the love cook back as he tried to jump off the ship.
"Luffy, what was Nami's reaction?" Robin asked. Her question caused the blonde man to pause for a moment.
"If he hurt her I will never forgive him!" Sanji spat.
Luffy sat there thinking for a moment and then said, "Well Nami looked really pissed off when I smashed down the door…I don't know why it was locked"
Chopper knew the reason but didn't think it was the right time to say anything as Sanji suddenly broke down into a pool of tears on the floor, muttering something about Nami's innocence being taken.
"I personally think it is a good thing" Franky spoke up. His comment gained the others attention.
"How can any of this be good?" Sanji cried.
"Well they have always had so much tension between them" Franky explained.
"They do say opposites attract" Brook pitched in, "and they do have chemistry" he added.
Their comments were not helping the grieving cook.
"Well there is no point worrying about it now" Usopp pointed out. "We have to get out of here!" off course he was right.
"We better get the ship ready to sail for when Nami-sis gets here," Franky spoke up. They nodded in agreement and got to work tending to the ship.
"Luffy, you stay on the look out and be sure to grab them both when you see them" Sanji ordered…"and no matter what, keep them apart!" he added.
Luffy jumped onto the head of the ship as she started to pull away from her spot. He couldn't see why Sanji was so upset. It looked like his friends were happy to him. Although his friends reactions made him wonder if he had interrupted something special and ruined something between them. He hoped that was not the case and decided to make the effort to talk to Zoro when they returned. After all, as captain of the ship he felt dually responsible for his friend's happiness as well as their safety.
…
"Watch out!" Zoro shouted, pulling Nami out of the way and stepping in front of her to block an onslaught of attacks with his swords.
Nami remained dazed for a second but soon came to her senses. She readied her own weapon and stood behind Zoro. They were surrounded.
Zoro took a step to his right and formed a stance. He lifted his swords into a fang position and attacked several men who headed their way. He heard the sound of metal hitting metal behind him and knew Nami was also blocking attacks made on her.
The sound of a pistol being cocked drew his attention and he managed to push the men he fought back, spinning just in time to slice the bullets in half before they reached Nami.
"That was close, thanks" she exclaimed.
"You ready yet?" he asked. She nodded in response and a huge grin appeared on her face.
"You better stay close to me if you don't want to be hit" she warned.
Zoro grinned and stepped closer to her, "anytime" he said with a flirtatious tone.
"What's that?" one man shouted.
"Run!" another screamed.
The night sky lit up in white light and the images of skeletons surrounded them.
…
Luffy saw the light up ahead and knew it was familiar. He stood up and readied himself, slowly stretching an arm in the direction of his friends.
…
Zoro sheathed his swords and looked at the mound of bodies around them.
"Remind me not to keep pissing you off" he said with a bead of sweat on his forehead. He was impressed with her skills as always, but her lightning attacks were a lot stronger now and he wanted to make sure he did not experience it too often.
"We better go" Nami stated.
"No need" Zoro replied. She turned to snap at him about what he was thinking when she saw him facing out in the direction ahead of them. A stretched hand suddenly appeared and he turned to look at her, "ready?" he asked. She smiled and nodded. He reached out an arm and she walked into his embrace, allowing him to wrap his arm around her waist as he held onto Luffy's hand with his free one. Within seconds they were back on board the Sunny.
…
Luffy's landings were still in need of perfection as Zoro practically rolled into the main mast of the ship, making sure he was wedged between the wood and Nami, shielding her from a rough landing.
"About time, took you long enough!" Sanji scolded the swordsman. Zoro glared at him but was ignored.
"Nami-swan we are all set and awaiting your orders" Sanji continued in his womanising tone, although the glare he sent the swordsman had a deathly feel to it and was far stronger than usual. Zoro frowned, something was not right. He gritted his teeth and held back the urge to fight the man as he swooned over Nami in what seemed a more possessive way than usual. Nami moved from Zoro's embrace and he instinctively wanted to hold her back in place. She looked at him and gave a teasing glare before waltzing off. He tried to force back the feeling of jealousy as he watched her talk to Sanji.
"Luffy!" they turned to face the shore as the ship sailed into the horizon. Rebecca and her father stood watching them. "Thank you for everything!" she shouted, waving goodbye.
Luffy grinned and tipped his hat in acknowledgment but was cautious not to wave, He learnt from Nami when they had to say goodbye to Vivi that people could get into a lot of trouble for being friends with pirates. He did not want that to happen here.
Nami barked orders to the crew and they set sail towards Wado, to return their guests home.
…
"Zoro…Zoro? Hey, are you listening?" Usopp had to practically shout to gain the green haired mans attention.
Zoro shook his head and blinked, "um yeah, sorry" he replied, looking back down at his sword and continuing with sharpening the blade.
Usopp sat back and sighed, "Geez what is with you lately? You keep spacing out"
"I just have a lot on my mind" Zoro shrugged, glancing behind the sniper momentarily, then catching his friends concerned stare before focusing on his task again. Usopp looked at him with a suspicious glare, he looked behind him and saw Nami and Robin laying on the deck chairs on the lawn, catching some sun. Sanji was standing over them fawning as usual. Usopp was not as dumb as he sometimes appeared and managed to put two and two together. After all it was not hard to figure out. Zoro had been weird since Dressrosa and Luffy had seen something between the two friends, if they wanted to believe it or not.
"Is it Nami?" he blurted out, knowing he was right the moment Zoro stopped sharpening his blade momentarily and immediately resumed with a stronger sense of determination. "Haha, it is isn't it!" Usopp shouted with glee. His call caught the attention of their friends and caused Zoro's back to prick up. Said swordsman grabbed his friend by the scruff of his neck and pulled him in close, the sharp edge of the blade was a little close for comfort. Usopp started to sweat and raised his hands in defeat.
"Secret, point taken" he pleaded. Zoro checked behind the long nosed fool and saw the others look away. All except one…Nami lifted her sun glasses slightly and looked over at him with a quizzical stare.
"Shit" Zoro muttered under his breath, slowly letting Usopp go. He knew he had to think on his feet. He stood up and re-sheathed his swords. Turning to walk away he said, "Meet me in an hour in the men's dorms". After all it was the one place where Nami wouldn't be able to enter. Usopp looked up at the man as he walked away and swallowed a lump in his throat. What the hell could he want with him in private?
…
"Where have you been?" Usopp asked grumpily. "You said an hour…it's been three times that!" he complained.
Zoro ignored his whining and checked the room before ensuring the door was locked behind them. Usopp watched him in silence and waited. Zoro eventually stopped and rubbed the hilt of one of his blades. He let out a heavy sigh and then looked up at his friend. Usopp was surprised to see that the anger he had been expecting was not there. It was replaced by sadness, worry…and maybe even guilt?
"How did you figure it out?" Zoro asked eventually.
"Figure what out?" Usopp looked at his friend confused and pleading ignorance.
"You know full well Usopp, me and Nami" Zoro spat out. Usopp stood there and watched him in silent shock...so it was true. His expression was no lie and Zoro realised he just let out more information than the sniper knew.
"I suspected you liked her…I didn't realise you two were already…" Usopp stammered, cutting himself short in response to the one eyed glare headed his way.
"Damn it! She's going to kill me. It is hard enough as it is!" Zoro complained.
"What is hard?" Usopp asked, a little curious. Zoro did not answer the question but instead fired another one at his friend.
"Was it that obvious?" he asked.
Usopp realised he meant his feelings. He sighed and crossed his arms together. Pointing his nose in the air, he nodded and said "Yes, you have been looking at her all day"
Zoro suddenly looked worried. Usopp realised this was not what his friend wanted to hear so tried to retract a little, "It isn't obvious to everyone, just my eyes are keener than others" he stated. This did not reassure Zoro who continued to pace up and down. The atmosphere was intense and all Usopp could do was sit and watch his friend in silence.
"Hey, Zoro…are you alright?" Usopp asked after sitting there long enough to gain pins and needles in his body. Zoro stopped pacing.
"She's driving me mad" the moss head muttered, "but I'll be damned if I give in now"
"Give in?" Usopp repeated it as a question, clearly not understanding what the man was going on about. He was ignored yet again.
Zoro continued to pace around muttering to himself. Usopp managed to pick up a few things the guy said and suddenly found the courage to ask what everyone wanted to know, "Zoro…have you told her how you feel?"
Zoro stopped pacing and looked at his friend. He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head, "how can I when I can't even be sure of why it is I am feeling" he claimed.
There was silence for a moment and Usopp suddenly felt the need to help his friend.
"You like her right?" he asked.
"Off course I do" Zoro retorted.
"And when she is not there you wish she was?" Usopp asked, although it soon became evident he was talking from experience. He missed Kaya and their talks.
Zoro nodded, "yeah"
"Does your heart pound in your ears when you are with her?" Usopp continued with the questions. Zoro did not answer… he didn't need to.
"And your lungs feel like they have been stripped of air?"
"Humph…When I am with her I feel complete" Zoro confessed.
"So why the hesitation?" Usopp asked. Zoro did not have time to respond.
"HEY MORONS. DINNER IS READY!" Sanji's voice echoed through the ship. Both men's stomachs growled.
Zoro sighed and unbolted the door. He opened it then turned to face his friend, "Tell no one of this" he warned. His tone implied Usopp stick to this if he didn't want to be killed. He nodded slowly and waited for the green head to leave before taking a few deep breathes in relief.
….
Dinner was usual, well for anyone who had not had a little insight into the hidden things going on board the ship. Usopp sat next to Luffy near the head of the table, but could feel some awkwardness in the room. Everyone else seemed to be acting normal so he assumed he was the only one who felt that way. Yet he caught the Samurai nudging the skeleton with his elbow from across the table. Kinemon gestured his head in the direction of the swordsman, who sat staring at a certain red head in front of him. Usopp looked from Zoro to Nami and back again. It was clear to him that the older men had also caught onto something.
He was shocked to see the way Nami slowly licked her fingers after eating a drumstick. He gulped at the implication this seemed to have and caught Robin's knowing grin as she watched her friend from the side and glanced over at the swordsman.
Zoro stabbed at a potato on his plate and grimaced. He purposely looked away from the red head and Usopp watched as she sniggered. It soon dawned on him what was going on. Nami was teasing him and he was not able to do anything about it. Usopp could not help but feel she was being cruel.
The rest of their dinner seemed to go unfazed and the swordsman did a great job of ignoring Nami throughout. As soon as he had an opportunity he got up and went to do more training, muttering something about women being bad news.
Usopp lingered behind everyone and waited until he managed to get Nami on her own, "Nami, can I have a word?" he asked nervously. He didn't know what her reaction would be and to him she was as equally as scary as the swordsman, if not more so at times. But at the same time he couldn't ignore it and let it slide either...that and the fact he pulled the short straw. Nami turned and looked at him. He was surprised to see the smile she had had on her face when she was with everyone had now faded. She looked a little tired and worn out.
"What is it Usopp?" she asked.
"Don't you think you are being too hard on Zoro?" he said it hastily, deciding it better to just get it over with. Nami's expression changed to one of irritation and concern.
"I knew it, he told you didn't he? What did he say?" she demanded.
Usopp raised his hands in the air and took a step back, "He didn't say anything. I figured it out for myself" he claimed, well it was partly true. Nami eyed him up and down questioningly. Deciding he was not lying to her she sighed and stepped back from him.
"How?" she asked.
"I have noticed the way you have been glancing at each other. I saw you teasing him at dinner. I wasn't the only one" he pointed out.
Nami cringed and realised she would need to be more careful.
"Nami…Zoro really likes you" the sniper continued, "I haven't seen him like this with anyone before."
Nami looked up at him, "What is your point Usopp?" she knew he was trying to say something and already seemed to have a negative image of her.
"Well…do you feel the same way?" he asked hesitantly.
Nami's features softened and she relaxed a little, "Yes" she replied. He was stunned at how beautiful her smile was at that point.
"So are you two, you know?" Usopp wondered.
Nami looked at him and thought whether it was a good idea for someone to know. She decided he was the best person to confide in out of all of them. "If I am honest Usopp, I don't know where I stand with him. We kissed and then the marines came and I told him I wanted to keep it a secret…then I made some stupid bet with him. Now neither of us will back down."
Usopp almost stopped listening after he heard the word 'kissed'.
"We like each other, I know that much, but I don't know if our feelings are the same" she thought out loud.
Usopp looked at her and blinked back into reality, "Have you told him?"
She shook her head and the beautiful smile faded, "Look Usopp, I don't want to ruin what we have and I have no idea where this will go. All I know is right now I don't want it to end. Please don't tell anyone, not even Zoro"
Usopp looked at her concerned, "But Nami, Zoro he …." He was silenced by Nami raising a hand to his mouth.
"Usopp, promise me" she demanded. He returned her stare and nodded silently. "Thank you" she whispered, giving him a peak on the cheek before walking away.
Usopp stood gormless as he watched the door to the kitchen close behind her. He raised a hand to his cheek and rubbed it, trying to calm his own heart rate down and be rid of the blush that he knew was on his face.
…
"So is it as we thought?" Franky asked Robin.
Robin opened her eyes and looked from the cyborg to the rest of the crew. She nodded, "It is better" she answered.
The men smiled and Franky laughed, "So she feels the same way?" he asked.
"It would seem so" Robin replied with her own smile, "Although neither seems to have admitted it yet"
"Should we help them along?" Brook pitched in.
"I don't know, sometimes these things need to take their own time" Kinemon announced.
"The Samurai is right" Robin agreed, "Besides, they seem to want to keep their relationship a secret for now. Perhaps we should respect that"
"I don't like this one bit" Sanji whined, biting hard on his cigarette. "Nami deserves better" he announced.
"That is your opinion bro…but there ain't no stopping who you fall in love with" Franky slapped the cook on his back and sent a wink in Robin's direction.
"Is it right for us to be spying on them?" Luffy asked.
"Come on man, you are the one who suggested it in the first place after seeing them embracing each other!" Sanji spat, angry at his captain for bringing it into the light, he was much happier when he was ignorant to the fact that his beautiful swan was seeing that brute of a man. It was bad enough that he suspected it ever since they changed bodies…next time he saw Law he would need to pay his respects in full.
"I like the idea of them being happy together" Chopper pitched in, "why do they want to keep it hidden from us?"
"Perhaps they are worried about how we would react?" Robin answered, looking at a certain red aura coming from a blonde man beside them.
"I don't like it" Luffy blurted out suddenly, gaining the full attention of the rest of them. "They have both been weird lately. If they don't sort their issues out soon I will have to force them to"
"Well we would all like to help them captain but the question is how?" Franky asked the group.
"Well it would seem they have a bet on…if we can figure that out then perhaps we can help. The rest turned to look at her. "I have an idea" she grinned mischievously as they gathered closer.
…..
A few days passed by and the tension on the ship did not get any easier. After some discussion the crew purposely made it difficult for the pair to spend any alone time together, believing this to be a good test of wills and a way to see who would break first.
Sanji seemed to be the one enjoying this the most, gaining great pleasure in interfering and swooning over his female companion. This resulted in more fights than usual between him and the swordsman but he didn't mind. The guy had to let off some steam as it was.
Even when they reached Wado, the group stuck together for the most part. When it was time to separate and look around they picked the groups and pairs carefully.
Kinemon and Momonsuke had welcomed them into their home. The crew were surprised when they met his wife. She was stunningly beautiful, with raven dark hair, but fierce. It soon became quite clear who was in control in that relationship. The scolding she gave the pair when she learnt that Momonsuke had eaten a devil fruit, too and the risks they took, was difficult to watch. However, the huge hug that she gave her son afterwards was incredibly heart warming. Kinemon tried to join in the reunion and hug them too, but an upset wife sent him on an errand instead. His face was crestfallen, but he soon got over it. Instead he decided to show the straw hats around his village.
"Hold it!" Kinemon's wife shouted before they all made their way out. She stood looking at the two women with arms folded. "You cannot go out dressed like that!" she barked, pulling them to one side. "We will have to do something about this" she said, pointing to their clothes.
"Leave them be" Kinemon told the men of the crew and headed out with them. He looked over at his wife and frowned when he was met with a glare and turn of her head. The men of the crew followed the older man, glad to be out of the way.
"Robin, what is going on?" Nami asked out of the blue the moment she had the woman on her own. "Everyone has been acting weird lately and it is beginning to bug me"
Robin shrugged her shoulders and said, "Time will tell". Her answer was not good enough for Nami but she was unable to ask more as the older woman entered the room with some brightly coloured materials in her hands.
"Now then, let's get started" she said with a smile.
…
Zoro looked back at the house they had come from. He had managed to get a couple of looks Nami's way the past few days but they never seemed to catch a break or get time alone together. It was beginning to bother him. Having shared a concerned look with Nami he realised she too felt the same. His instincts were screaming that something was not right but he couldn't figure it out.
"So what do you think?" the Samurai asked, regaining the man's attention, "finest blades around"
Zoro checked out the quality of the swords in the store and had to admit he was thoroughly impressed.
"Off course none of them are as great as the one in your possession" Kinemon pointed to the white sword on the swordsman's waist.
"I told you, this is not for grabs" Zoro warned.
Kinemon nodded, "I know" he said with a grin and moved on, "So, will you still be willing to fight me later?" he asked with a smile.
Zoro nodded and grinned, "I am looking forward to seeing how you Samurai fight" he replied.
"Then perhaps we should head to the dojo and spa" Kinemon replied. Zoro grinned.
"Oooh can I come, too!" Chopper raised his hand. The Samurai nodded.
"Then I am going to have a look around. It would be good to get some supplies while we are here" Sanji spoke up. He paused for a moment and looked around, "Where did Luffy go?"
They searched the area and found nothing. "Stupid moron, always going off on his own" Sanji moaned.
"We will help you find him" Franky spoke up, pulling Usopp along with them, despite his protests.
"In that case I will like to join Zoro-san, too." Brook stepped closer to the two swordsmen.
"Very well" Kinemon smiled and led the way.
….
"Wow this place is packed" Chopper exclaimed as he carried his snacks through the crowd and found a seat near the front with the rest of the crew. It was later in the evening and he had really enjoyed the day so far. The people were so nice and strong too. Watching Zoro and Brook spa with some of the men had been impressive, but after a while he got a bit bored and decided to look around. He eventually bumped into Luffy and the others. Luffy was excited about some play or performance and insisted that they go see it. From the look of things the place was full of all the local people. It was huge.
Yet the little reindeer couldn't help but also think it was a little romantic. The sky was clear and the stars glistened. There was candle light and lamp light amongst the rows of seats, giving a warm glow.
Luffy sat munching through his mountain of snacks before anything had begun.
"Where are the others?" Usopp wondered.
"I went to look for Nami-san and Robin-chan earlier but they were not there" Sanji chewed hard on his cigarette as he leant over them and passed some hot snacks along the line, then sat down next to their doctor.
"Yoohoo, may I join you?" Brook sung from the side and the others shuffled up.
"Where's Zoro?" Luffy asked through mouthfuls.
"He was preoccupied" Brook announced with a grin.
The audience suddenly started to go silent and the low sound of a drum beating in a certain rhythm could be heard vibrating through the stands. The straw hats attention was drawn to the movement in the centre of the arena. A group of women in kimono's slowly danced in time with the drums. Their dance was symmetrical and captivating. Sanji was already hanging out of his seat with hearts in his eyes.
"Hey…isn't that…Nami?" Luffy asked with a mouthful of food. The others squinted to get a better look. Their captain was right. In the middle was a red head. Her dress was a different colour from the rest of them. It was emerald green. They all sat on the edge of their seats with mouths open.
"Do you like what you see boys?" Robin's voice pitched in from behind them.
"Robin!" Usopp and Chopper announced at the same time. She was wearing a purple Kimono and her own hair was up.
"WoooW" Franky shot out. Robin smiled.
"Robin my sweet, I save a seat for you!" Sanji sung, pushing Usopp and Chopper out of the way.
"Hey!" The sniper protested but was ignored.
Robin joined them.
"Aren't you supposed to be with Nami?" Luffy asked.
Robin smiled and replied, "I have played my part. Now it is time for fate to step in"
They turned to look back at the women dancing.
"Nami-swan is so beautiful" Sanji swooned.
Chopper had to agree with his friend. He could feel his own face warming up as he watched her elegant moves. She stood out from the rest of the women that was for sure. One by one the other women started to move away.
"Hey what's that?" Usopp pointed to something on the ground as it started to move. Suddenly a cage appeared and Nami was caught in the middle of it. She dropped her fan and ran to the edge, grasping at the bars. "What is going on?!" she shouted.
"Ehhhhh?!" Luffy, Chopper and Usopp shouted at the same time. Luffy got ready to jump down and help her but was stopped by Robin.
"Relax, captain" she reassured him. He looked at her worried for a second and then understanding dawned on him.
"Every princess should have a knight in shining armour" Sanji spoke up, a hint of misery to his tone. Chopper and Usopp shared concerned looks and sat back in their seats.
A demonic laugh could be heard echoing through the audience. Nami looked a little concerned and looked up at her friends. They each pretended to ignore her. Traitors! She thought. Giving in to her situation she decided that the most logical answer for this predicament was that it was part of the show and she would have to play along.
Several men in masks appeared and danced around, they pretended to be fighting with one another. Some of them got close to the cage. They started reaching in with their swords and hands to grab her and she kicked them away. The sound of the drums became more dramatic. The men were clearly acting in their fighting style to win her over. The drums started to roll as if introducing something else. The men crouched and crouched low, cautious of their new rival.
The audience gasped. Usopp turned to look at Robin and she smiled.
"Fate huh?" he asked.
…
The drums suddenly stopped and everything went silent. They could hear the rattling of chains and what sounded like struggling.
A figure clad in black and green with a hooded image of what looked like a dragon's face appeared. The figure was clearly trying to fight off the few men that brought him in, resulting in one or two of them with a bloody nose.
The men with masks slowly approached the caged beast and one of them reached up, removing the hood and revealing a very angry green haired man.
"Is this part of the act to?" Luffy asked a little concerned.
Brook nodded, "I fear the men we trained with earlier decided that Zoro would be an awesome candidate" he explained.
"But they were all so nice" Chopper was a little confused by everything but was also captivated.
The swordsman had blood trickling down the side of his head and appeared to look extremely angry, "What is the meaning of this?!" he demanded to know.
"Zoro?!"
Zoro turned his head to the sound of the navigator's voice and saw her sitting in a huge cage. "Nami?" he said her name with a hint of worry in his tone.
"You're hurt!" She exclaimed.
"Why are you in a cage?" he asked, shrugging off his own injury and showing more concern for her.
Nami sighed, "I was asked to take part in the performance. What are you doing?"
"I was training but someone hit me from behind…and now I am here" he grumbled, clearly annoyed at being betrayed.
A few of the masked men pulled the cage away from the swordsman. One of them, who appeared to be like a leader, reached a hand in and tried to touch her. Nami bit their hand and the man retreated and hissed. She turned to Zoro and shouted, "Well, what are you waiting for? Get me the hell out of here!" she demanded.
"Tsch" Zoro replied. "Can't you see I have my own problems?" and he lifted up his wrists to show the shackles he had on them.
Nami's cage was suddenly lifted higher and she gave out a yelp and verbal protest.
Zoro made a step towards the cage but his chains bound him. Damn it!
"Now now, don't be hasty. If you want to get the girl first you have to win" one of the masked men sneered.
Zoro glared at him. "What?!" Nami heard what was said and started to rattle the cage, "I didn't agree to anything like this!" she protested.
"Then you better hope your friend here can win" The man replied with a sneer.
Zoro scanned the man before him up and down and then turned to look at the red head.
"You have a knack for getting in trouble…reminds me of someone else we know" Zoro grinned.
"Just hurry up and get me out of here!" Nami snapped back.
Zoro tilted his head to one side, "Yeah, I got it. Though what's in it for me?"
Nami glared at him, "You heard him didn't you? You get me…isn't that enough?"
Zoro shook his head, "you are already mine" he shouted back. His statement made everyone gasp. Nami went red at how forward he was being.
"Don't decide things on your own!" She muttered.
Zoro turned to walk away.
"Fine! Get me out of here and I will concede!" she exclaimed. Zoro smiled.
"Sorry, didn't quite catch that?" he answered teasingly.
Nami clenched her fists and bit her tongue. Damn him. "…You win" she spat.
Suddenly his mood perked up somewhat. He turned around and barged one of the men, grabbing their sword and striking them down. One down, he thought. He prepared for the second attack as a man ran at him with their sword in a downwards action. Zoro was limited with his movements due to his restraints, but he easily managed to block the attack. He spun and struck the man from behind. He placed the sword he had in his mouth and collected the second one. The audience remained stunned.
Zoro was surrounded now by five men. Each carried one sword but they were almost as huge as the Samurai, Kinemon. Zoro grinned, he was used to unfair numbers.
Nami watched the green head defend an onslaught of attacks and gritted her teeth. His movements were restricted and it seemed like all he could do was defend. She decided she had to do something to help him. She looked around her and saw a few more men were still nearby, guarding her cage. She let out a little whistle and caught their attention.
Nami lifted up some of the kimono she was wearing and revealed smooth, delicate skin. Immediately the men started to waver and blood poured through their masks.
"Scandalous!" Someone shouted from the crowd. Nami knew what the weakness of most men was and she used it to her advantage many times. She didn't care what others thought.
Zoro's opponent wavered momentarily and he noticed their gaze was on something behind him. He knocked the man back by kicking him in the gut then landed a blow on the back of his head. He turned to see Nami letting some of her hair down and the top of the kimono loosening around her shoulder. His opponents seemed to be mesmerized as if they had not seen a woman before. He gritted his teeth.
"What the hell, Nami!" he shouted at her. Nami looked at him and winked then nodded to one side. He looked at her a bit bemused, clearly too dumb to get the message. She tried again, this time more forcefully.
"The red mask you moron!" Sanji spat from behind him in the audience. Zoro looked at him and then to the man in the red mask. He approached him and looked at Nami, she smiled. He kicked the man from behind and into the cage. Nami got down on all fours and crawled to the edge of the cage. She looked down at the man, his head could see the bottom of the cage so she was not too far off the ground. She presented the sweetest most innocent smile she could and reached out to him.
Her hands made fast actions and she threw something shiny at Zoro. He caught it just in time. It was the key to his shackles.
"Where are my thanks?" Nami asked.
He grinned as he unlocked his chains and picked up both swords once more. "Thanks" he said.
Nami stood up and readjusted her clothing. The man with the red mask suddenly started to freak out, "it was a trap!" he realised.
Nami smirked, "Like I would allow you idiots to touch me!"
"That's our Nami" Franky spoke up with a grin.
Robin nodded, "Far from the damsel in distress"
"That's for sure" Usopp agreed, wiping a hint of blood from his nose and sighing.
Preparing for whatever opponent came his way Zoro shouted up at Nami once more, "By the way, green suits you" he said, "Do you get to keep it?" he asked as he blocked attacks from three men and pushed each of them back.
Nami stared at the back of the man she loved and her face turned crimson, "baka" she shouted, "Focus on winning and you will get to find out!" she announced. Some of her friends smiled. Sanji started to pray that Zoro would lose.
…..
"Go Zoro show them what you've got!" his captain cheered. Zoro grunted. His friends were clearly enjoying themselves and unwilling to help out. It looked like he was being set up, but he knew now was not the time to question it. If this was some play or whatever he didn't care. He would fight and win.
Managing to get him self a third sword he ran at two more men and used a spinning attack to send them flying. One of them smashed into the cage and made it shake.
"Watch what you are doing!" Nami complained.
"Yeah yeah" he answered. She definitely was high maintenance. He tried to recall a time when she didn't complain about something…then he recalled their first kiss and smiled to himself. At least there is one way to shut her up, he realised.
Swords met swords and the area was lit with sparks and bursts of energy. Zoro had to admit these fighters were good, but he also recognised a lot of the movements and soon realised he was up against the men of the village who he trained with earlier that day. Lowering his blades and readjusting the one in his mouth he formed a position of the tiger. He dug his heels into the ground and smoothly finished the last of his opponents.
The audience roared and Luffy and the others cheered for him. Nami smiled with relief. She knew he could do it but it didn't stop her from worrying. Her smile soon faded though as the drums started up again and a familiar figure entered the stage.
"You realise I will not go so easy on you" Kinemon warned. He was much more serious now than he had been before. He looked up to Nami and said, "If I win you will wed my son"
"Eh?!" All the straw hats said at once.
Nami reached out of the cage and hit the tall man on the head, he rubbed the bump and she shouted, "Don't go deciding things on your own!"
Luffy's laugh could be heard from the audience and Zoro sighed. He turned to face his opponent, "You heard the woman" he said.
"You are one to talk!" she scolded him.
….
,
The audience were silent as they watched in awe at the two men below them.
"Such an intense aura" Brook admired the warrior's strength.
The two men had adopted their own stances and readied their weapons. It was Kinemon who acted first, sending a fire breathing attack in Zoro's direction. Zoro managed to spin and avoid the onslaught. He jumped to the side and came flying down from above the samurai. Kinemon blocked the attack and pushed Zoro back. Zoro landed on both feet and ran once more at the man before him.
"They are equally matched" Robin noted, not realising just how strong the samurai was. After all he seemed like quite the idiot.
They watched as sparks flew and the earth formed mounds around them. Their blades danced and the sound of metal rang through everyone like nails scraping on a black board.
Kinemon readied himself to send another fire attack in Zoro's direction. Zoro easily avoided it. But when he looked at the grin on the older man's face he soon realised that he intended to miss. Zoro suddenly felt panic running through him and spun around to see the fire heading in the direction of the cage where Nami stood.
"NAMI!" he shouted.
Nami grasped the edge of the cage and tried to back away. She saw the flames heading her way and closed her eyes, readying for the onslaught. The gasps of the audience gained her attention and she opened her eyes. Zoro stood at the end of the cage and blocked the fire. It bent around his blades and past them both. His clothes were scorched and his face was slightly black from the fumes.
"Zoro!" Nami ran to the other end and reached out to touch him.
"I'm fine" he stated. Nami retracted her hand. He was clearly furious.
"Isn't Kinemon taking this a bit too far?" Usopp asked, worried about the demon like aura that now came from his friend. Zoro's eye went red.
"Your fight is with me" he spat, getting serious now.
"You are a strong opponent Zoro-san, but you have one obvious weakness" Kinemon answered.
Zoro was surprised as the figure of the older man burst past him, he is fast!
Suddenly the sound of metal falling to the floor reverberated and the audience coughed as dust and dirt clouds blew their way. When visibility became clearer they realised that the cage was now gone and Kinemon had a hold of Nami.
"Let her go" Zoro threatened.
"Step closer and I will hurt her" Kinemon placed his blade close to her throat.
Zoro paused and gritted his teeth but soon relaxed a little when he saw the look on Nami's face.
"You made a mistake Kinemon" Zoro spoke up.
Kinemon looked at him with a raised eyebrow and suddenly cowered in pain as Nami's foot made contact with his groin. "Wha..?" he exclaimed.
The rest happened really fast. Zoro pulled Nami aside and ran at the man. Kinemon tried to lift his sword and block the attack in time, but was knocked back. Zoro send several attacks, one after the other. It was all the samurai could do to defend himself, his own kimono tearing in places and his feet creating trenches in the ground beneath him.
"If you are going to threaten someone you best be ready to see it through" Zoro warned, sending a two sword style at the man. Kinemon was forced to kneel on one knee and sweat poured off him.
"You are fierce swordsman" the samurai acknowledged, tapping the ground and admitting defeat.
"A man becomes stronger when he is fighting to protect what is his" Zoro spat.
Kinemon looked at him and smiled, he had mistaken something. It looked like Luffy had been right all along. Zoro was stronger when he was protecting his friends. The samurai wondered just how strong the man could become if this was a real fight. The thought was enough to scare the strongest of enemies.
The whole place suddenly went silent and then roared into laughter and cheers, including their friends…well all except for Sanji who sat with his head in his hands, miserable at the fact the swordsman just said something almost cool.
Nami looked at the man panting beside her. Zoro looked over at her and his gaze was pretty intense. It made her blush.
"I believe you owe me something" Zoro jeered.
Nami made a sly grin and replied, "Then come and get it" she teased.
Zoro grabbed her kimono and pulled her in close.
No longer caring about the audience or what their friends would think the pair became lost in their own moment and kissed passionately.
Chopper covered his eyes and Usopp blushed, looking away.
"That's how it's done" Franky cheered his younger friends on, tears pouring from his eyes. Robin passed the man a tissue.
"Don't ever make me wait so long again" Zoro whispered as he held Nami's neck with one hand.
Nami smiled.
"Well it is about time to. I think this calls for a celebration!" The Samurai announced, turning to the straw hats that now jumped from their seats to join their friends. "Yosh!" Luffy agreed.
Sanji remained in his seat, half dead and crying to him self.
"Yo Sanji, we need meat and lots of it!" Luffy yelled to his cook, stretching out an arm and wrapping it around the man.
"So I take it this was all part of some plan?" Nami asked, glaring at them with hands on her hips. Usopp, Brook and Chopper hid behind Robin and Franky. Luffy stood with his hand on his head and laughed.
"Just leave them" Zoro commanded and Nami obeyed.
"Right, let's party!" Luffy announced, always happy for any excuse to have a good time.
….
When it was finally time to leave Wado and continue with their journey Nami found Zoro leaning against the railing of the ship, looking out at the ocean ahead of them.
"What's that?" she asked him curious as to what he was playing with in his hands. Zoro looked down at what he was holding and snuck it away under his haramaki rather quickly.
"Nothing, just something that stupid Samurai gave me" he said. Nami caught the slight blush on his face and shrugged. Zoro tried to turn and look back at the ocean as she leant on the rail next to him and sighed.
"So what next?" he asked. He felt Nami brush up against him and he moved to accept an embrace. She rested her back against his chest and said, "What is this? A red ribbon?"
She felt his body tense and he looked down at her. She had tricked him into getting close so she could swipe what he was hiding. He didn't want to make a big deal of it and tried not to over react.
"Just some stupid joke" he said.
"What will you do with it?" she asked him, completely oblivious to the meaning behind the fabric.
"Dunno" he replied casually.
Nami turned to face him and proceeded to put the material back into his clothing, "Well when you figure it out let me know" she replied with a smile. Kissing him softly she winked and walked away, leaving a daunted Zoro starring at her retreat and wondering what the hell she meant by that. Whatever it was though he realised it must have been a good thing and was also glad to know that whatever the future held, his time with her would never be dull.
…
A/N: Well…for someone that was out of ideas I just didn't stop writing and it turned into my longest chapter in history! 26 pages! Sorry!
Well see it as a bonus for you all. I figured an open ending is always good. Their feelings are pretty clear without them having to say it.
Thank you so much for reading. Please review and look out for future stories.
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