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RUMBLE!	By : TreeStar Category: +M to R > One Piece Views: 7990 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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RUMBLE!!

6

Looks

~~~ *** ~~~ *** ~~~

�What kind of invention have you been making, Nagahana-kun?� Robin asked, recovering part of an earlier conversation that hadn�t actually taken place, but who cared? �Is it a weapon?�

As could be expected, Usopp excitedly bit the hook. �No, but it will help me with my weapons. It�s a stand and there are little tiny cups all in this tray on the top of it, and the cups are all just the size of the little glass balls that I make my kemuri-boshi and the other ammunition for my slingshot out of.�

Sanji stirred the miso soup (that almost no one had gotten a chance to drink yet) in the pot that he had re-poured it into over the fire while Usopp continued to talk. He owed Luffy an explanation. The cook knew he had the boy�s forgiveness already; to forgive so completely was Luffy�s way, it was part of who he was. Luffy was the embodiment of joy and love and laughter� and Sanji had hurt him. Forgiveness was the most effective punishment he could have given. He hoped Luffy would still make lunch with him. Then they could interact and Sanji would have a chance to make things be okay between them. Now there�s something I never thought I�d want, Luffy playing with the food while I make it.

At the table, Usopp was still talking. �Then there�s this other tray that�s just the same as the first one right above it -it�s attached like a lid- and it closes over the stars after I�ve filled them, and it heats up just enough to sort of cauterize the little hole that�s left in the top of the glass that I pour the powder and other stuff through to fill the star. That way I can make more stars faster and seal them all at once. It�ll be a lot more efficient that way, and I�ll have fewer accidents.�

While he talked, Nami had been shooting glances at Luffy every few seconds. Now she realized that she should have shown more concern when Luffy first went into Rumble. She felt like she had missed out on so much that had happened to her own nakama, the one who had saved her. As she watched him now, so many questions went through her mind. Why did he want to be held so much? Was he really okay? What had the attack had been like? It must have been unimaginable in order to hurt Luffy! Was there anything more she could do? Why had he cried for Zoro of all people? Somehow she already knew the answer to the last one. For whatever reason, Luffy had chosen to stay with Zoro. He stuck to the swordsman like a sea sponge stuck to rock, and Zoro was going to be the only one he really talked to. She was a little jealous that she wasn�t going to be as included as she now wanted to be, but she knew it was her own fault. She�d made her choice when she�d thrown Luffy at Zoro in the first place and dubbed him responsible.

Keeping that in mind, Nami tried to focus more on Usopp�s chatter. �How does it get so hot?�

Usopp was in a state of elation. It was rare that anyone wanted to hear about the things he made, let alone the whole crew! �Oh, it�s easy! You see, the inner part of both of the trays -you know, the part that actually touches the glass- well, it�s lined with an interesting plating of iron. So when it gets exposed to oxygen, after about twenty minutes or so, it becomes burning hot. Then I can close the top, and the glass will absorb all the heat just enough to barely seal over without interfering with the chemical make-up of what�s inside. I mean, it doesn�t actually melt the glass, but it if I put a little bit of a rubber band in the top part, that will cover the hole and stick like a stopper. In theory� I haven�t actually gotten to test it yet, but I�m sure it will work!� he declared (but not too loudly), standing on the bench for a moment� and then sitting again.

Luffy cheered and clapped at this, then laughed and rolled on his back to smile at Zoro� but Zoro wasn�t looking at him. He was giving Usopp a bizarre look, probably for leaping to the top of bench for no reason.

�Neehee!� Luffy thumped his feet on Zoro�s chest a couple times. Zoro looked back down at him to see his smile. �What is it, you little monkey?� he asked in a teasing whisper, playing along with the boy.

Luffy burst into laugher for a few moments before he could actually answer. He loved it when Zoro played with him like that. �Nothin!� he smiled. He pulled Zoro�s thumb over and gave it a squueeeze� and then rolled back onto his front.

Zoro smiled and shook his head. He likes to keep my attention on him� Luffy was obviously feeling better, though he�d made no move to depart from his hand yet.

Usopp was finishing up his invention-description. �Of course, I can only use it for certain stars because others react to heat too much, and I don�t want the machine breaking or� blowing up or anything...� He moved to take a bite of his re-warmed rice.

Chopper had been watching the interaction between Luffy and Zoro in relief. Luffy seemed to be feeling much better. He was obviously looking to Zoro to be his provider for the time being, which made perfect sense to the doctor. Chopper would probably have chosen Zoro, too, because Zoro was like the perfect big-brother figure. They were all like big brothers to Chopper, but Zoro was like the oldest and most serious one. Out of everyone on the ship, Chopper always went to Zoro with his nightmares, because Zoro could talk to him about them best. It was a good thing that Luffy had chosen Zoro as far as the doctor was concerned. The reindeer couldn�t do anything to make the attacks easier, really, but Zoro obviously could. Anyway, he�d done something right.

�So� why do you need to paint it?� Chopper asked Usopp, rejoining the conversation before raising his new bowl of miso soup to his mouth.

Usopp�s ohashi stopped on the way to his mouth as this question caught him off guard. ��Because I want to?� He hadn�t really had a reason.

By this time, Luffy�s food had been set before Zoro again, and the little one remembered very well how hungry he was. As soon as Sanji�s hand was out of the way, he reached out to grab some rice and then retract the food in to where he was, still with Zoro.

Chopper laughed at this sight. �Luffy, you look like a Menomenomi!� Chopper giggled.

Nami looked at him. �A what?�

Chopper stopped laughing to explain, �You know, one of those things in the ocean that sticks to a rock and has tentacles that reach out and snatch food and drag it in?�

Now both women laughed. �That�s �an Anemone�, Chopper.�

Chopper appeared confused. �That�s not what Luffy called it��

Usopp took the opportunity to lie about something. �That�s what you get for going to Luffy with things like that. If you had come to me, the great Usopp-sama, I would have told you about the mountain-sized anemone I once rescued.�

Stars lit up in Chopper�s eyes. Everyone else looked away. �Really? Mountain-sized? That�s amazing, Usopp!�

�Yes. It is. It was during my travels in South Blue. I happened to come across a huge rock sticking out of the ocean that had an enormous, beached anemone that had been trapped and was trying to get back to the ocean.�� Etc, etc.

Luffy was completely unfazed by the peanut gallery, and grabbed more rice. Zoro watched him repeat this action twice more, before he finally moved to set the boy down again. The rubber pirate was ready this time, the temptation of food proving, once again, to be the ever-effective scale-tipper.

Luffy ate his rice well enough, finishing in no time. He paused when he went for the miso soup, though. He couldn�t really pick up the bowl to drink it� That is to say, he most definitely could, but more would end up on the table than inside Luffy, and that would not make anyone a happy camper. Particularly those closest to him, because it would unavoidably run into their laps. The mini-munchkin really didn�t want to get food on anyone again, because -in a keen display of astuteness not usually observed by the captain- Luffy had very clearly understood the significance of �why he should not get food on other people�. His previous lesson in the subject had been more than enough.

Suddenly a hand bloomed out of the table and picked up the bowl, tipping it steadily for him so that he could drink. Luffy looked over a Robin. She smiled, and he smiled back, �Thanks, Robin!� before starting to drink.

He took a swallow and pulled back for a moment. Wow, that was strong! �But it was GOOD! He went right back at it, drinking so fast he almost forgot to breathe. The brunette gave him a little laugh and rested her cheek in one palm.

Sanji watched the interaction without the usual adoration for Robin�s thoughtfulness in his eyes, which was surprising. His eyes were on Luffy. The small pirate now looked completely revitalized, eating heartily and smiling broadly at anyone who looked in his direction, but Sanji just couldn�t forget what he had looked like earlier. The image of a little tiny Luffy hiding against his first mate with tear-filled eyes was one that would be engraved into his mind for a long time.

It took a few minutes for Luffy to finish his soup, but when he did, he wiped his mouth on Usopp�s napkin (because the sniper was too busy bragging to defend it) and then tried a bite of fish, but the smell was to strong, and he couldn�t do more than that.

No meat for breakfast� Luffy felt devastated as he wandered his foot-and-a-half-long journey back to Zoro, hanging his head the whole way. How he missed meat. He hoped it was only this kind of fish, and that he could still eat others. He also hoped he could still enjoy beef and pork and chicken� even though they probably didn�t have any chicken on board, anyway�

Zoro had his chin in his hand and his elbow on the table as he comfortably digested his own food. The swordsman had just finished his thirds and would have been heading outside to nap in the sun for an hour or two right about now, had it been an ordinary day. But now, as he watched his sullen charge stagger forlornly across the table to him, the bigger man didn�t feel like he was missing out in the least. Besides, he had more important things to deal with, and Luffy actually seemed to be in need of a rest, himself.

The object of his thoughts reached the end of the table and hopped into Zoro�s lap and out of everyone else�s view. This didn�t even phase the swordsman, even though he�d had been half-expecting the little pirate to latch onto his chest like the sticky thing he no doubt was by now. He guessed that maybe Luffy needed a break from the poorly-disguised scrutiny of his crew.

The others weren�t making any move to rise, and Robin and Sanji were the only two who had a reason for staying. Robin had been helping Luffy, and she was waiting for her order of a cold coffee from Sanji, who couldn�t make it with Luffy in the room. The rest had all finished long before Luffy had, but still they stayed. Meanwhile, nothing was getting done around the ship; nobody was working, and it had to be eleven-ish already. They�d started eating late, then they�d had to stop, then the food had needed reheating, and then they had to start breakfast all over again, so it sure as hell wasn�t early anymore.

Luffy went limp against Zoro�s leg once he was sure he was out of the other�s view. He had been made of rubber for too long to not know by now when people were lingering around him out of curiosity because he was different. He could brush it off from other people, but these were his nakama; the ones that he had always trusted not to stare. When he�d just been tiny, most of the crew had acted like it had been either an annoyance or a form of entertainment. Now that he�d had a breakdown occur in front of them, he had felt every eye on the ship following him at some point. Even Usopp had made looks as he talked.

Luffy didn�t mind that his crew was watching him. It was how they now watched him that bothered the small boy. The looks varied, but all of them were painful to Luffy. Some were very curious, like he was a new species of animal they�d never before seen. Others were paranoid, like he could die at any moment. And still others were sad, as though he already had. Robin�s had been friendly, and Zoro�s he loved because they promised safety, but the others�

At least in Zoro�s lap he had found a brief respite. He was fairly confident that no one would go out of their way to stare toward Zoro�s crotch without getting a sound what-for from the swordsman and suspicious looks from everyone else. Still, Luffy couldn�t really blame them for being so captured. If one of the others had shrunk and had a fit, he�d stare, too. He understood their position� but that didn�t make it any easier.

Zoro looked down at his lap after a minute or so to see Luffy laying on his side, legs drawn into his thin little hanky as well as they could with the string in the way. He had begun to absently trace his finger in small circles on the swordsman�s thigh. They had no pattern and the movements were becoming increasingly sluggish, a definite sign that it was time for the two of them to take their leave.

As if reading the swordsman were reading him thoughts somehow, Luffy felt Zoro push back from the table some. The rubber boy didn�t move, however, until Zoro had lowered his hands to his leg. Luffy towed himself aboard and relaxed in one of them as his first mate rose without a word and made lazily for the door, offering no explanation to the assembly that watched him mosey to the exit.

�You taking him downstairs for a while?� Sanji asked.

�Yeah,� Zoro answered over his shoulder without breaking the flow of his steps.

Luffy reflected in his own mind, and said nothing.

~~~ *** ~~~ *** ~~~

As the two went down below, the remainders in the galley were left to really talk. They�d had a good deal of chatter outside to get everyone up to speed on the situation, while wondering how Zoro was going to take care of Luffy post-attack.

Sanji had stayed disengaged from the talk, choosing to worry internally, and no one had spoken to him.

Now all of them stayed quiet until they heard the hatch close through the open door.

Usopp broke the silence with, �That went well, I thought.�

�Yeah,� Chopper agreed, �He looked much better, and he ate well��

Nami frowned. �He stayed really close to Zoro, though� it made me think something more was wrong.�

�I don�t think so, Koukaishi-san.� Robin spoke, �I don�t believe that Ken-san would have let us back in if Luffy hadn�t been ready.�

Nami continued, �That�s my other thing! Why did Zoro throw us out? I mean, I wasn�t going to argue about it at the time, but we were worried, too.�

Robin smiled at her, �There are certain things about a captain that only the first mate who protects him is allowed to know. I�m sure he ordered us out to spare Luffy�s dignity as a pirate captain.�

�We�ve seen him hurt before, Luffy doesn�t care!�

Usopp nodded importantly. �You wouldn�t understand, Nami. Dignity is a matter for real men.�

Nami seriously considered clocking him a new one, but no one argued with him. She sighed, �Are you telling me the best answer I�m gonna get is �it�s a guy thing�?�

Still no one corrected her, so she pressed another matter. �Fine. How is Zoro supposed to know what to do to make him better? And what if a different kind of attack happens next time, and Luffy gets seriously bad? Zoro�s not a doctor.�

Chopper shook his head, �Maybe not, but there wasn�t anything a doctor could have done for him at that point. There�s nothing that can counteract a Rumble Ball�s effects, so Luffy just has to ride the attacks out. And he can speak for himself about it, so he can tell Zoro when he�s okay.�

�Still,� she pressed, �Did anyone else get the feeling when he told us to get out that Zoro�s not going to let us help with Luffy anymore? What right does he have to send us out?�

�It�s not so much that Zoro chose Luffy as it is that Luffy chose Zoro. He called for him. He made his choice.� Sanji spoke, finally sitting down.

Nami turned to him, since he spoke like he knew something they didn�t. �But why Zoro?�

�Because it needs to be Zoro.� Sanji said firmly. �Only Zoro can take care of him the way he needs it. He�s the only one who really knows how.�

Nami gave him a blank stare, �That�s not what you were saying earlier.�

�I know Zoro�s good with Luffy. Better than the rest of us.� He sighed grudgingly, �That was a fight. I didn�t mean it.�

�Then why?� Nami asked.

�I can�t smoke anymore.�

�Oh�� Nami pursed her lips in understanding, and everyone else nodded. That made sense then. Sanji was always cranky when he was nicotine deprived. He and Zoro always fought more during those times. It was his way of releasing his tension and always had been.

Usopp spoke up again, �All I know is Zoro was able to make Luffy happy again, and after something like that? I wouldn�t have known how to do that��

Chopper nodded, �I think Usopp is right. And if anything really bad happens, I�m going to be observing him closely throughout his experience, so I�ll probably be there to help. I want to document it all, so I won�t be missing much.�

Sanji decided to rationalize with her. �Nami-san, it�s not like Zoro�s taking him away. We can still help out as much as we have been. I mean, he was in here all day yesterday, and no one went out of their way to visit with him. So, in that way nothing�s really changed. He�ll still be around to spend time with.�

Nami finally confessed, �I know. I just wish he would have let us in about it. I mean, he�s our captain, too, and Zoro just takes off with him��

�Luffy probably just needed a break,� Chopper explained, �I expected him to be tired after his attacks. I was actually surprised when he kept eating like normal right afterward.�

�I doubt he appreciates the looks he�s been getting since then, either.� Sanji said stoically.

�What looks?� Nami asked, becoming exasperated.

Usopp looked at the table. �So da na. We�ve all been looking at him like we�ve never seen him before.� he looked back at Sanji. �You think that�s why Zoro took him away?�

Sanji nodded. �Sure.�

Usopp sighed and frowned at the table guiltily, �Now I feel bad. I mean, I�m only worried, but we kind of remind me of those people that stop walking down the path to stare at a wagon accident. Like, if it wasn�t something graphic, we wouldn�t look hardly at all, you know?�

�I think that�s a little extreme, you two.� Nami said. After all, it wasn�t like she found any of this entertaining.

�What if we wanted to go get him to spend time with him alone?� Usopp asked. �What do we do?�

Chopper was sad, but agreed with Sanji. �I think that this is a personal thing for Luffy, and if being with Zoro makes him feel better, then as a doctor I would recommend we not get in the way of that and make it harder for him. Luffy will probably still want to visit with us, but we shouldn�t try to force him from Zoro, if that�s what anyone�s thinking.�

�I don�t think anyone could force him from Ken-san if Luffy wanted to stay with him.� Robin said from where she had walked over to the coffee machine, �and I think any such action would prove to be exceptionally unwise. He�s still Luffy. If you want to spend time with him, just come in and talk with him, or ask him if he wants to play a game with you. I�m sure he�ll do it.�

Usopp and Chopper smiled at that. Sanji winked at her, �Sasuga Robin-chan.�

Nami finally nodded in understanding. �So you�re saying we should just be normal, then? If nothing�s really changed, anyway, and it�ll make Luffy feel better, then that�s fine, right?�

Sanji smiled at her. �Nami-san is as right as ever! If Luffy needs help from one of us, he�ll let us know. If he wants to play, I�m SURE he�ll let us know.�

Now he rose and started to wash the dishes up to make some space on the counter. �In the meantime, I need to get back to work, and I�m sure you all have things to do as well.�

�Oh!� Chopper jumped up and darted for the door. �I wanted to log Luffy�s progress so far!�

�That�s right!� Usopp suddenly exclaimed at the same time, �My invention!�

�Usopp?� Sanji caught him on his way out the door, �I know Luffy said it was fine, but can you wait until after lunch to bring that thing in here? I was going to make something fun with him. As a surprise.�

Usopp nodded. �You need to make up with him. I get it. I can wait. Hey, can I help, too?�

Sanji hesitated, �Not this time. My kitchen isn�t suddenly a playground or anything. The rules still apply. This just gives Luffy something to do that�s indoors, away from the elements. He likes it. It distracts him, I think. Anyway, there isn�t much else I can do for him, and it�s my time with him.�

Usopp frowned. �It�s not fair. You get cooking time with him. Chopper gets check-up time with him. Zoro gets a ton of time with him� I want to play with him, too��

Robin smiled again, �You should think of something that he can do with you, Nagahana-kun.�

�He�d love the distraction.� Sanji seconded.

�Okay!� Usopp became excited. �I will think of something to do so that I can have Luffy-time!� With that he disappeared.

�I still don�t think he�s regarding it the right way�� Robin said.

�Maybe he is. We�ve all decided we shouldn�t crowd Luffy -or that�s the impression I got- so there�s no reason to really mingle around him unless we have a reason to, right?� Nami shrugged from the table. After a moment, she rose, herself. �Well, I have a map to make the next layer of, so I�ll see you guys at lunch, I guess.� She waved on her way out the door.

�I�ll bring you a drink, later, Nami-san.� Sanji called after her from the sink.

�Okay.�

Robin took her coffee and walked outside as well.

~~~ *** ~~~ *** ~~~

Down in the boy�s room, Zoro had climbed down the ladder and made his way across the room.

Luffy was probably expecting him to head for the couch and the little one�s boshi-bed, but Zoro decided to go for his hammock instead. He chose the swinging bed (even though it made less sense to the observer why he would do such a thing with Luffy) because Zoro knew that he was liable to get very caught up in the actions of his captain while they were down here, and he didn�t want to miss anything that might happen outside. Like a storm or an attack or something.

If something like that were to happen, like it or not, Zoro knew he would have to put Luffy in his hat and go up top to play captain. First mate was another name for sub-captain, and Zoro was the only one with his level of strength on the ship right now, so everyone was his responsibility. It was one of his duties. Luffy was still in charge of major decisions, mind you, but he obviously couldn�t go outside and direct a battle.

As Zoro climbed into his hammock and waited for it to settle, he looked down at his captain and noticed that Luffy had no expression at all. He looked so tired, just staring ahead.

This attack really got to him. Not like the one last night at all. I had a feeling it would be the sound attacks that floored him, if he had any.

Zoro tilted his hand a little to indicate to the boy that it was time to get off, but Luffy didn�t move. The swordsman sighed and scooped the boy around the middle with two fingers, laying him on his chest. He still wouldn�t push, Luffy could make the first move when he was ready. The hammock rocked them gently, but not enough even to bother Luffy as the boy came to terms with what had happened to him.

The quiet stretched on, but it was a peaceful quiet. Luffy felt no inspiration hit him with what to say, so he let his mind be blank of words. The memory of the attack played over and over, but how does one describe such a thing? And so they laid in peaceful stillness, away from all other eyes. Just the two of them.

�It was scary, Zoro,� Luffy finally broke the quiet in an uncharacteristically soft voice. �This attack. It was scarier than the last one.�

Zoro didn�t answer for a moment. He�d figured as much, seeing as the kid had been panicked. �Why, do you think?� he whispered back.

Luffy thought about it for a few seconds. �Last time, it was like I was passing out sort of, it was burning� but you were there, so it wasn�t so bad�� He trailed off here, finally moving to seek his swordsman�s eyes with his own.

Zoro could see so many feelings warring for dominance through those deep soul windows. �Luffy?�

The boy took a deep breath and forged on, �This time� it was stronger. It hit me harder� and I couldn�t breath well or focus on anything, and it was heavy. It was so heavy.� He turned his face away, looking almost ashamed that he had lost a fight so badly to a non-corporeal foe. �I�ve never felt crushed before, Zoro� but it was like I was being squished inside like melon guts.� He closed his eyes. �I thought I was gonna get sick.�

�It hurt?�

Luffy took a shaky breath, �It hurt so bad��

Zoro had expected Luffy to stop here, but was surprised when he kept going.

��because I felt like I was alone. That�s why, I think. There was noise everywhere, but I was alone� Because I couldn�t go to you because you were fighting, and I knew you were mad because of me, so��

�Luffy, I wasn�t mad because of you. I was mad at Sanji for saying those things about you. You didn�t hurt anything, and you know I could care less about Nami�s blouse.�

�I know that. I know� just, I couldn�t figure it out then because my head�� Luffy shrugged here to indicate that Zoro could figure it out from there.

Zoro sighed, �okay, buddy. I know. Next time, though, don�t be afraid to call for me for any reason. Okay? I�m you�re first mate, captain. And I�ll be here if you need me. You know that.�

Luffy laid his head back down and closed his eyes with a smile, �I do know that.�

It was quiet again for a bit. Finally Luffy spoke again. �I didn�t want them to do that. Act like that, I mean.�

Zoro glances back down at him. His littlest nakama hadn�t moved. He was still laying on his tummy, head turned to his right. His voice sounded a little annoyed, though. �I knew they would, but still��

�You don�t want them looking at you differently.� Zoro finished for him.

�Yeah. But it probably won�t last,� the boy suddenly shivered and rolled onto his side, �Right?� he finished while trying to curl up in a fold of Zoro�s shirt for heat. It wasn�t big enough. Luffy pouted.

Zoro raised up a hand and moved to curl the shirt up a little and over the boy like he wanted, but as his hand passed over Luffy, the tiny pirate snatched it in the air and towed it flat over him like a blanket. Zoro just let it rest. �Probably,� he answered.

�How are your hands always so warm?� Luffy asked, already someplace new.

Zoro frowned at him. �That�s easy. They�re not. That�s how.�

Luffy turned his head to look up at him. �They are.� he insisted with a smile.

�Mm.� Zoro noised at him -his noncommittal way of getting out of an unwanted line of questioning.

Luffy smiled bigger and snuggled in warmer. �Mmm!� he noised back, happily.

Zoro tried not to smile at him for this, but it was hard. �You sleepy again?�

Luffy nodded after a moment. �It�s weird. I�m not usually like this.�

Zoro decided to tease him, �Man� and you slept in really late this morning and everything!� he tsked.

Luffy dawned a huge grin, �Oh no! I�m turning into Zoro!� He began kicking his feet in laughter under Zoro�s hand.

Zoro forced himself to look irritated, �You know, I could squish you right now.�

Luffy laughed harder at the empty threat. �But you wouldn�t!� he teased, knowingly.

Zoro raised one eyebrow. It�s amazing how cocky he gets when I�ve got him wrapped up like a burrito. He suddenly took on a smug look, �You�re right, I won�t.� and lifted his hand away.

Luffy stopped laughing immediately. He followed the hand as it was lowered back down to the hammock and away from him, pushing himself on his hands. �Zoro no�� his pout was audible.

Zoro wouldn�t budge, �Sorry, buddy.� He was just teasing, but Luffy�s pout was too cute. I�ve found a new way to keep you in line, haven�t I? In your face, Kuso-cook.

Luffy kept making his sad face at the hand. �I won�t make fun of you because you�re so lazy anymore if you bring it back.�

Zoro snorted, �You call that an apology?�

Now Luffy looked imploringly at him. �Zoro, I�m cold��

And Zoro sighed and brought the hand back. �Alright, alright.�

�Yay!� Luffy cheered sleepily as he resettled on his tummy right over Zoro�s heartbeat. He knew it would probably be really strange normally, but he really liked it here. It was the most wonderfullest place he could be right now, and he was happy.

And then the hatch opened, which startled both of them, though one hid it well and the other was well hidden.

�Um� Luffy, Zoro?� came the very timid sounding voice of a baby reindeer, �Is it alright if I come in?�

Zoro looked at his captain, who smiled, �Aa.�

�Sure Chopper, come on down.� Zoro called quietly.

Chopper heard him fine, his hearing being almost as sharp as Luffy�s, and climbed down the ladder, making a little *oof* noise on each rung.

Once down, he toddled over to where Zoro was swinging and climbed up on a stool where he plonked himself down with a pencil and a medical chart on a clipboard that Usopp had made for him. �Hi, Luffy.� he smiled.

Luffy turned his head and smiled back, �Yo Chopper.�

Zoro took his hand away so that Chopper could see him. Understanding what he was doing, Luffy rolled onto his back and shifted a little before making grabbing motions for Zoro�s other hand to come up. Zoro raised it and Luffy pulled it down over him again, so now he could see Chopper fine without Zoro�s wrist in the way.

Chopper giggled like Hiluruk, �eh eh eh.�

Zoro smiled at his two youngest nakama, and Chopper got the exam underway. �How are you feeling now?�

Luffy nodded, �I�m okay. �Tired.�

The Xoan nodded, �I expected that, actually. Did you feel okay eating?�

Luffy looked at him like he was crazy. �I always feel good eating. Is there another way to feel about it?�

Zoro laughed a little, which, in turn, made Luffy giggle because Zoro�s chest bounced him up and down. It was fun!

Chopper didn�t smile. He was in doctor-mode now, and didn�t even look up from his clipboard. �Did that feel like a bad attack before?�

Luffy stopped giggling and braced himself to Zoro�s hand. Zoro felt his do this and stopped laughing, too, for Luffy�s sake. Kind of a mood-killing question, Doctor. �even though we all knew it was coming� ah well.

�Yeah.� Luffy hugged one of Zoro�s fingers, �Is that going to happen again?�

Chopper looked sadly at his chart. �I don�t know. Maybe not, but probably. Unless this ends all of a sudden, then yeah. And there�s not a big chance of that happening. Almost none, actually.� Chopper felt bad having to answer his captain that way, but it was true.

Luffy closed his eyes sadly and nodded, �Thought so.�

Chopper decided to get on with it. �Can you describe it to me?�

But Luffy seemed reluctant to talk about it anymore. Zoro understood why; they�d just gotten past that, and now their captain wanted to put it behind him. But this attack wasn�t the fainting spell from last night, and everyone had seen it, so Chopper just couldn�t let it go.

When Luffy didn�t answer for a long enough pause, Chopper looked a little put-out. �Have you talked about it already?�

Zoro answered for him. �He told me some, yeah.�

Chopper looked at the first mate now, �Can you tell me?�

Now Zoro paused for a moment to see if Luffy would say anything. After a moment, though, the tiny one turned his head to look at Zoro as well, so Zoro spoke. �He described pain, dizziness, nausea, and disorientation.�

Chopper wrote all this down. �Just during the attack, or afterward, too?�

Luffy hadn�t been clear on this, but Zoro had been in the room with him throughout it�s entirety, so� �Most of the pain went away right away. The dizziness and nausea, too. He was disoriented for a little while afterward.� Chopper nodded and kept writing.

Now Zoro asked a question. �Hey, Chopper, how long could an attack last? Will different attacks last different lengths, and do you know what they are?� Luffy looked interested in what was happening again.

Chopper put the clipboard in his lap. �I�ve been thinking about this, too. The way a Rumble Ball works for me is, if I concentrate hard on the form I want to assume -you know, the way that form feels- then I take that form. I can�t be sure, but I think maybe for Luffy it could be that if he focuses on one sense too much, it could overpower him� maybe. I thought maybe that�s what happened at the table earlier. It got so loud that all anyone could hear was you and Sanji, so he had a stimulated attack.�

Zoro nodded. �Okay, then what�s the difference between a stimulated attack and a normal one?�

�Well, he hasn�t had a normal one yet,�

Zoro felt Luffy cut off his circulation.

�-but I think they could come in any strength. The only difference really is that one is triggered by outer stimulation, and the other is totally inward. He might be able to feel the stimulated ones coming before they actually hit.�

�That�s what happened today!� Luffy suddenly spoke up, cutting Zoro�s fingers some slack.

The other two looked at him. Zoro frowned, �You felt the attack coming?�

Luffy nodded to Zoro, �I thought I might have one, because it started to hurt a few seconds before it started to HURT.� He made to sit up, and Zoro lifted his hand and set it on his chest next to the boy.

Chopper took note again. �In time, you might be able to tell better when they�re coming if they�re induced. But that�s only my theory.�

Luffy nodded. That could be a good thing� if he really had to go through that again, that is. Then he would be able to tell Zoro and his swordsman could take him away where they could be together through it. Luffy just had a feeling that being alone with Zoro might make them not as painful, because it would be quiet and Zoro could hold him� God, I�m pathetic. What would he think if he knew what I was thinking? I wonder if� Would he mind so much? If he knew how much I wanted him to hold me�?

He looked at his first mate out of the corner of his eye. Zoro knew instantly when he was under scrutiny, and looked back, but Luffy turned back to Chopper before he got the chance to really see him.

Zoro thought nothing of this, because Chopper was already in the middle of another statement. �The most important thing to do when you have an attack is stay calm, because if you panic it could -and probably will- get really bad. I mean, really bad. Okay, Luffy?�

�Hoorah.� Luffy said dryly.

�I�m serious!� The baby reindeer went into the lecture mode he went into when Zoro didn�t take his injuries seriously. �Emotional distress is the worst thing for you right now! Fear will feed your condition like you wouldn�t believe, especially when your having an attack! If you freak out, that will make you vulnerable and you�re vulnerable enough already!�

Luffy stubbornly puffed out his cheeks at this. Zoro was worried he�d stopped listening out of spite. He hated being seen as weak.

Chopper kept on going, because once in lecture mode, he wasn�t likely to stop until something interrupted him. �If you freak out, you could cause a barrage of attacks to hit you at once out of nowhere. They could be all kinds, and at the same time. Like a panic attack. A total assault! Do you want that to happen? No! So you have to stay cal-�

�Chopper,� Zoro spoke up, �Ease off. It�s okay.�

�Is this a bad time?� A voice came from the still-open hatch.

The two smaller ones looked in surprise to see Sanji half-way down the ladder. �Because I can come back.� He pointed to the hatch above him with a free hand.

Zoro rolled his eyes. �No. We�re done here.�

Chopper seemed a little unhappy with this, because he had never gotten an indication of understanding from their captain, but what more could he do? He hopped off the stool with a sigh and went over to climb the ladder that Sanji had just stepped away from.

Luffy regarded his cook. He didn�t really think anything of what Sanji had said earlier, being one who judged people by their actions more than their words. Even if no one had picked up on it, Sanji had lowered himself before his captain to apologize (he assumed for the same reason for which Zoro had apologized), and that was more than enough to assure the boy that any words he had said he hadn�t meant.

But Sanji generally stayed in the kitchen playing with various recipes and coming outside for visits now and then, but he never came down here during the afternoon, so Luffy was a little curious about why he was here now.

Zoro had said that maybe Sanji wasn�t feeling well, so had he come to see Chopper? Then why had he let Chopper leave just now?

Sanji spoke from where he was, still next to the ladder with his hands in his pockets. �Hey, captain. You still wanna help me out?�

And suddenly Luffy remembered. Lunch! �YEAH!� He began to bounce again, and turned to Zoro, �Come on Zoro! Let�s go! It�s lunch-making time!�

Even though he really didn�t want to, Zoro grudgingly swung one leg out of the hammock. He assumed that if Sanji was in here, he must have been over his kick from earlier. Maybe now they could finally find out what that had been all about in the first place.

Sanji said nothing as Zoro carried the captain over. He had been thinking that maybe he would be able to have a little alone-time with the smallest pirate so that he could explain himself, but he didn�t really mind of Zoro was in the room, he supposed. Kuso-Kenshin deserved an explanation, too, even though he probably wouldn�t need one. Zoro actually understood him pretty well. It was irritating.

Zoro reached the ladder and, as if reading Sanji�s mind, stopped and met his eyes for a moment. The blond nodded to him, and Zoro proceeded up the ladder with the tiniest of bundles singing merrily in one hand.

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RUMBLE!