I don't own One Piece.

Hello dear readers! I can assure anyone who might feel compelled to ask if I am going to complete this story that I most definitely shall, but I do like taking my time.

So enjoy this… oh my gosh… It's been since the 23 of September that I last updated this story… Woah. That's almost five months. Whoooops.

Sorry.

:D

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Luffy, Always Bounces Back:

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Chapter 11: Getting together

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Sanji inched his way closer to the glade in which C.K. had seen the woman and as he got closer, he beheld her beauty. He was awestruck. She had dark raven hair and beautiful sun kissed skin. And she seemed to be caring for a child as well. She did look a lot older than Sanji himself, but Sanji didn't mind. In fact he thought of it as an interesting challenge.

"C.K.?"

"What?"

"You're going to come with me okay." He held out his hand for the child and C.K. grasped it. It was show time. It was obvious to Sanji that the beautiful woman was indeed a very caring person. Why else would she be looking after a child. Maybe it was her own. If he approached her with C.K. maybe she would want to talk to him as well.

Thank you gods of the East blue for letting an opportunity like this to pass near me. May I forever be blessed with such great fortune.

Sanji straighten his suit and hoped he looked acceptable, Hoisted C.K. up into his arms and walked into the clearing.

The dark-haired beauty seemed to notice him immediately, and he was at a loss for words her beauty was incomparable.

"Well done Sanji, so you found him."

What was this angel, that she would know his name?

He dropped C.K. and ran to kneel before her. "Oh dear sweet angel. I have no memory of meeting you or ever setting my humble eyes upon your stunning beauty, but at your very words… I would be proud to serve your every need if that is your wish."

"Thank you Sanji." The dazzling beauty sighed. "It would seem that you too have been taken in by the memory thieves."

"The Memory Thieves?"

"Yes," she said, "If you drink the water they provide… or something like that, you loss your memories and your age."

Sanji nodded his head. So maybe she was a little crazy, she was still cute. He could put up with crazy if she could teach him how she liked to play. Yes, he could put up with anything for a little alone time with her, even if he had to go through hell and back.

"My name is Nico Robin, but please call me Robin." She spoke with her angel lips and held out her hand.

"It is a pleasure to meet you fairest of all angels." Sanji took a hold of her hand and kissed it. "Please do tell me how an goddess like you happened to stumble into such a jungle island?"

"Oi! Sanny! Look at that weird kid!"

"I'm not weird!" The short boy with green hair stood up angry and stumped up to C.K.

"Don't be rude C.K. You need to be polite in the presence of a lady."

"What lady?" Sanji reached backwards and hit him on the head lightly to let him know that he greatly disapproved.

"This beautiful lady before us."

"Huh!" C.K. looked up at her and frowned. "Your hair is long."

"Well, you look even smaller than the last time I saw you." Robin reached for Luffy and hugged him to her chest.

"Ahhhh! You're squishing me."

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Zoro shook his head in puzzlement. Apparently from what he could make out that the woman recognized these two weirdos as well as him. Did that mean that they were all suffering from the same memory and shrinking sickness that the lady had actually been talking about, or was she tricking them too. Zoro scowled and paid closer attention to the group.

"Sanji, the child that you saved is called Luffy. And he is supposed to be 19 years old, but like you and Zoro here you have all been put under some sort of enchantment that makes you young again and steals away our memories while it does that."

Sanji nodded, not really worrying about what she was saying, but rather just loving the fact that she was saying it to him. "So, there is a way to life forever?"

"Yes, but it comes at a price." She sighed nodding grimly. "Although your age is taken from you and that might make you younger your memories are stolen as well making you feel lost and disorientated. I have also found that to every person that has been changed or had their memories stolen another person takes their place.

"Zoro." Robin looked over to him.

"Yeah what!?"

"The man that tried to take you away was your own personal memory thief. He was you."

"No way!" Zoro insisted. "I'm not going to be like that when I grow up!"

She nodded. "No you're not. You're going to be far more noble and honourable." And with that she turned back and looked at Sanji. "We need to get back to the ship somehow and alert the doctor as to what is happening. Maybe only then can we find a way to change back and regain some of our memories."

Zoro frowned some more. If that creep really had been him or … whatever he was then how on earth was he supposed to beat him. He was one meanas dude. Zoro grinned a bit. "I like the idea of using three swords to fight with, it looks awesome!"

Robin turned back to him and smiled. "And one day you will, or actually, you already have."

Zoro looked at the small group and stood up. "One day! I am going to be the world's greatest swordsman!"

"Yeah! I want to be too!" Luffy joined in. "I'm going to be the best!"

"You aren't allowed to be the best swordsman!" Zoro stated his claim hitting Luffy in the face.

"Owww! But I want to be the best at everything! Not just a stupid sword!"

Robin chuckled to herself and watched a miny fight break out between the two, and then turned back to Sanji. "Now, I know this is a lot to ask from you, but could you please help me in this mission."

Sanji fell into heaven. "I shall do anything for you my beloved princess."

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Luffy stood up on the brow of his ship. It was really beautiful. All he needed to do was get the rest of the crew to drink the water that he intended to provide for them then he and the rest of them can go on their own adventures.

He knew that the person he was now currently filling in for was the sort of person who was very invested and attracted to his crewmates making sure that he was always in their faces and asking them questions, but for him… right then and there, there was only one person that Luffy felt he was interested in. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his navigator. She was wearing a pale blue dress that came down to the knee and she was looking out over the ocean in an almost daze. He would eventually have to get her to drink the water of the island, but for now he could just enjoy her very stunning company. He sighed feeling slightly bad for what he was intending to do to the entire crew, but then shrugging off his useless nagging conscience. He felt the strongest urge to go over there and embrace her, or kiss her, or touch her floating hair. And so he did.

"You look quite cold my navigator." He came up behind her and pressed his body into hers. He heard her gasp in surprise as she felt him behind her.

"What's up with you? You never call me that."

"Well," He used his hands to rub her slightly stiff shoulders. "I just feel really different today." Luffy felt her muscles relax as he massaged her shoulders.

"Different how?"

"You didn't answer my question." He rested his chin on left shoulder. "Are you cold?"

"A little, it's still rather windy, but it's refreshing." She pulled her shoulder away from him, but his neck followed the pull.

Feeling quite adventurous Luffy decided to take a risk and he draped both of his long arms over Nami's shoulders and slumped on top of her. "You're so comfortable." Luffy said resting his head now in the cascading fiery waterfall that was Nami hair.

"Don't be silly Luffy." She tried to pull away, crossed her arms and turned round to face him, which she decided afterwards was probably the worst thing she could have done.

"Tell me…" Luffy leaned in closer and touched her nose with his. "What do you want more, out of everything in the world Nami?" He was now not only leaning against her, but putting all his weight onto her shoulders as well.

Nami huffed, "Once I would have said Money, but now I'm not so sure." She looked up into his eyes and saw a strange unnatural expression on Luffy's face. He crossed his arms behind her head and leaned in and kissed her gently on her lips.

She pushed him away almost instantly. Well tried, his arms just stretched. "Luffy what are you doing?"

He pulled himself in closer and brought his lips to her neck kissing her there. "I just wanted to do that for a long time." He gave out a calm and peaceful sigh. "Tell me what you want out of anything in the whole world."

"I don't know." She felt really embarrassed.

"You know what I want right now?" Luffy whispered. She looked behind him to see if anyone else was standing nearby and watching their awkward show.

"What do you want?" She asked. She had never see Luffy act like this. It felt more like Luffy had been taken over by Sanji's soul. Wait a minute? Luffy never acted like this. Was this even Luffy?

"What do you think?" Luffy rubbed the side of her cheek.

Nami felt sick. If this Luffy wasn't her Luffy then where was he?

"You can stop now." She said. "I don't … I know … You're not the real Luffy are you?" She knocked his hand away from her face.

"Hellllloooo!" Luffy grinned at her as if she had done something that had just given him a boost of energy. "I knew there was a reason I was getting the hots for you. You are sexy, strong, and smart."

"What are you planning? And where is the real Luffy? He never treats me, or thinks of me this way."

Luffy shook his head. "Now, now, how would you know how he thinks?" He tipped his hat back. "For your information Luffy thinks you're very attractive, but he also thinks that if a woman gets kissed on the lips by a guy it would mean she becomes a mother."

Nami frowned, "What?"

Luffy laughed and leaned against the side rail again. "I know right? It's stupid, but it's quite funny at the same time."

Nami shook her head. This was so confusing seeing Luffy acting like this. "Who are you? And what do you want? Why have you taken over Luffy's body?"

Luffy smiled cheerfully. "I haven't taken over anyone's body, I have been able to grow my own. All I have taken are just some of Luffy's abilities and memories."

"Luffy's memories?" Nami felt her arms and hands start to shake in anger. Was this Luffy creature responsible for making her Luffy the way he was?

"Yes, depending on how many memories I might take from someone will depend on how much younger my host's memory bank and body becomes." Luffy nodded. "I managed to borrow quite a few of Luffy's memories. He has a lot of really strange thoughts."

"How dare you!" Nami slapped him across the face he didn't seem to react that much to it at all. "You think you can just take anyone's memories and make them your own. What about Luffy!? What about his dreams! His accomplishments! He won't remember a thing!"

"Just think about it for a moment." Luffy grabbed her hand and held it back looking at her deeply in the eyes. "The strawhats would not disappear nor would they change. Well… give or take a few moderations… like intelligence…where there was none before, and so on." he pointed to himself "We would continue being the same, and you would all be fine. You could live here and grow up together, eat plenty of food and wait until another ship came into harbour that would take you away." He shrugged as if he couldn't see anything wrong with the idea. "You would all still be the same. It's not like we're out to kill you, or erase your existance, we just want to replace you for a short period of time."

"You say that, but how could you do this from the start! Those are our memories! They are what bind us! If we don't have them… we won't even remember that we're friends."

"Well… to be totally honest there are times when Morphers like us haven't recreated a person on a crew." Luffy raised an eyebrow.

"What? And why would that be?"

"Usually because they are absolutely perfect already." He raised her hand up and kissed it.

She was so shocked for a moment she didn't do anything, and then to her horror he pulled her suddenly into his arms. "And I for one think you are perfect."

"Let go of me!"

"Do you really want me to though?"

"Yes! You creep! Do you really think I would go with a fake crew and abandon my own crew on this island."

"Yes I do." He said with a creepy assurance that made Nami blood freeze.

"Well! You're gravely mistaken! I care too much about the others."

"But how much do you really care?"

"A lot! Yes, more than my own life."

"Shall we test that theory?..." Luffy wrapped his arms around her and him quite a few times until it was like they were both ensnared with a living rope. "Because I think I have been bound to meet with you since the beginning of time. And I think you might prefer a slightly different crew."

"How could you think that? I would be seeing all of you everyday and remember where the others are."

"Wow, you intend on seeing all of me." Luffy, very uncharacteristically of him, winked at her. "That's more like it. I am definitely up for that."

Nami blushed a bright red. "Stop it. I didn't mean it like that."

"No need to be shy." Luffy whispered into her ear. "We're alone. You can talk to me this way. It's alright, I don't mind." He tilted her head to the side slightly and kissed her neck. "So, do you love me Nami? Do you think you could continue to love a stupid Captain or one that wants to love you back?"

Nami felt ashamed of the feelings he was awakening in her. She couldn't push him away and she couldn't free herself. What on earth was she going to do?

Out of the corner of her vision she could see Zoro jumping up onto the deck from behind Luffy. Zoro! He was with Robin! Had they managed to get back?

"ZORO! HELP ME! THIS ISN'T LUFFY! GET OVER HERE AND SAVE ME!" she yelled with as much power as she could. Almost instantly Luffy turned around and let go of his hold on Nami to prepare for the possible attack he might get.

"Nami get back!" she stepped out of the way just in time as Zoro ran for Luffy and drew his blades. Nami ran down the side of the ship looking for anyone else to warn, but there was no one in sight. Where was Robin?

Soon the sounds of fighting stopped and she decided to risk going back to take a look. Luffy was flat on his back as if he had something dropped on him from a massive height. "Zoro?"

Zoro looked up. "Don't worry the imposter must not have inherited much of Luffy's powers if that was the best he could do." Zoro looked down on him and stood on his face momentarily.

"Don't Zoro." Nami started and then stopped. He was a fake why should she care. She took a deep breath. "I'm definitely glad to see you though. I can't believe I didn't see it coming."

Zoro looked back at her. "Hey, are you alright? You look really pale."

Nami shrugged and sat down in the middle of the grassy floor of the deck. "I've been better. Right now I'm just trying to recover from having Luffy talking to me like Sanji."

Zoro grimaced. "Sounds terrible." He pulled out quite a large liquid flask from his tunic. "You want some? You look like you need it."

"If it's alcohol then yes please."

He walked over to her. "This is only for emergencies." He looked her dead in the eyes, "Don't you dare drink too much." And then handed it to her.

"Thanks Zoro. You're a life saver." She grabbed the flask and drank it down. She hadn't intended on drinking too much but it tasted unusually good.

"Hey! I said not too much." Zoro pulled it away and looked into the flask, "Great, now I'm going to have to top it up big time."

"Zoro do you know where the others are? We need to tell them what happened." She held her hand out and Zoro took it and pulled her up. "And where is Robin and Chopper they will help to make sense of what it going on here."

"I'm not sure at the moment the last I saw of them was at the beach."

"Right! Well first what … we're going … to do is … is …" She could feel her mind closing away from her and her muscles relaxing. She felt Zoro catch her as she fell to the floor. She was confused and dazed for a moment not quite sure what came over her, but then out of the corner of her eye she saw Luffy get up and walk over to where Zoro was and look down at her.

"Is she alright?" Luffy asked Zoro.

"Yeah, she will be fine."

No! No! She had been fooled by them! The two biggest idiots of the crew!

Luffy reached forward and took her hand. "Don't worry I won't abandon you. And you're not going to be loosing too much of your memories. You'll wake up pretty soon and you will have forgotten that this ever worried you."

Zoro looked back at Luffy with a frown. "What do you mean you want to keep her with us?"

"Yes, well I like her. And I don't know what her counterpart will be like yet. So, I want her." Luffy pouted.

"But that was never the plan! It's a bad idea to be attracted to the original, Luffy."

"I don't care. The other her won't have the same reactions to things as she does and I don't want that." Luffy bent over her and kissed her forehead. He then scooped her up in his arms and started carrying her over to her own quarters.

She knew she couldn't move, might never see her real nakama again, and she was probably just about to loose her memories, and she could do nothing. But she felt strangely at ease and comfortable in Luffy's arms. The Luffy that was in love with her…

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Well what do you think guys!

I hope you liked that one. :D