21st June 2012

Summary:

Sanji never kept it a secret how much he disliked the okama he was stuck with for 2 years. But he learns the hard way that one shouldn't anger Emporio Ivankov. You could end up experiencing some unfortunate changes.

WARNING: Contains spoilers from chapter 598 (Return to Saboady Arc) onwards! Rated for Sanji's bad language.

Disclaimer:

All characters belong to respective owners. This is non-profit fan-based story.

Notes:

-This should not have taken so long but this is the last chapter. It still hasn't quite come out as I expected but I hope you like it nonetheless.
-Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter.
-Take a look at my profile to find the links for artwork for this fic.

On with the chapter!

The fight in Fishman Island certainly had been eventful. Sanji's lifelong dream of visiting mermaid cove had been granted and not only that, she had met the mermaid princess in the flesh. It wasn't as great an event as Sanji had hoped as the blonde was trying desperately to contain herself around all the beauty. Especially as it turned out that Mermaid Cove also had a neighboring cove with equally hot mermen in it. All in all it left the blonde cook very confused and on the brink of an emotional breakdown.

The arrival of the Merman Princes had been the last straw. Sanji stopped caring whether she was making an idiot of herself when she was held against the beautiful Ishilly she passed out from blood loss. The shame of having the okama donate blood was almost too much to bear but when she was visited by one of the mermen she seemed to completely forget all her troubles.

Now the battle had ended the Straw Hats disembarked to the New World. The crew were extremely lucky to emerge in a relatively calm area of sea so the crew thought it was a good time to get catch up and relax before they encountered more trouble. This also gave Sanji time to revaluate her romantic feelings.

There was a party and the crew finally found the time to catch up as Sanji cooked up a feast. The night was taken up with the crew telling stories about their exploits over the two years. Some of them were quite talkative about their time away, Usopp and Franky seemed to have quite a lot to say. Others like Zoro and Robin were a bit more tight lipped. Nami and Robin were talking amicably between themselves and Luffy was busy stuffing his face and laughing at Usopp's stories.

When it got to Sanji's turn she faltered and just told them what was known before running away to clean the kitchen. She claimed that 2 years of built up grime needed to be eradicated.

It wasn't long before the crew started to slowly filter out of the galley and go to bed, leaving Sanji alone. She spent a good few hours thinking over all the confusing thoughts going through her head. By the time she had finished, the kitchen was sparkling but she still felt like she had gotten nowhere and what was worse she now didn't know where to sleep. She couldn't sleep with Robin-chan and Nami-san, that would be weird, but she couldn't sleep in her bunk, what if they didn't want her there? Why hadn't she sorted this out before everyone went to bed?

She stood at the door of the men's dorms and smiled. There was an air of calm that she missed but when she got further into the room she panicked. Running to her locker she grabbed a bundle of her old clothes and ran out. She had grabbed an old shirt and a loose pair of trousers before running back to the kitchen.

Deciding that she couldn't sleep she went to sit down at the table. Lighting a cigarette with her old oversized clothes on began to think about everything that happened since she changed. It would take a while but she was determined to sort her life out.

Robin sighed as she flicked her loose plait over her shoulder and looked at her watch. Standing up and stretching she pulled her large t-shirt back onto her shoulder. She had been on watch for 5 hours now and she still hadn't seen a thing to show that they were in the new world and it was very worrying. She knew of the three islands that they were supposed to encounter and the sea was to be treacherous. The calm was unnerving.

Nami had assured her that they weren't due to reach any islands for a day or so, but still from the information that Robin had gathered she had at least expected to come across the marines. She knew that Captain Smoker was heading the G5 squad and would not let Luffy slip through his fingers once again.

The sun was beginning to show across the horizon and she decided it was time to call it a night and head down for some well-deserved coffee. After leaving a few eyes on the outside of the crows nest she placed her book on the shelf in the corner of Zoro's training room and made her way down the ladder.

The kitchen door opened silently letting the dawn light filter though the door. The room seemed empty but Robin could hear someone's soft breathing in the shadows. Flicking the light switch on she saw Sanji asleep at the table. The cook looked terrible hunched over the table with her head in her arms next to an ashtray overflowing with cigarette butts. Robin had not seen anyone moving around on deck since her night watch shift began so she must have been there all night.

Instead of waking her with her Devil fruit powers Robin headed over to the cook to shake her shoulder gently. She made her way over silently, her bare feet padding softly on the wooden floor. If the cook didn't get up soon the rest of the crew would come in and Sanji would hate it if she hadn't gotten breakfast started.

"Sanji," Robin said gently only to get a grunt in response. "Wake up."

The Blonde groaned as her eyes opened slightly.

"Sanji." Robin repeated shaking her a little harder.

Sanji twitched and jolted awake in horror when she saw Robin's concerned blue eyes watching over her.

"I'm awake!" She exclaimed causing Robin to giggle.

"Yes I can see that."

"Sorry Robin-chan am I late for breakfast?"

"No don't worry its only 6.30 you have plenty time yet. I was just coming to get some coffee," Robin reassured. "Its my shift on watch."

"Oh then let me!" Sanji exclaimed feeling embarrassed that the older woman had caught her. "I'll have some made up in no time."

Sanji got up from her chair and flinched in pain. He back was in agony; she has to stop falling asleep in stupid positions.

"Don't worry Sanji-san. I can make us a batch while you sort out your back," She said noticing how the cook tried to hide her stiffness, making Sanji nod appreciatively.

Ten minutes later found Sanji and Robin sat at the dinner table, each holding a cup of coffee. Sanji stretched out her back and was now feeling much better.

"Why were you sleeping in the kitchen Sanji-san? I expected you to use my bed in the ladies quarters while I was on watch tonight."

Sanji scowled in as her pale skin reddened embarrassment.

"I was thinking and fell asleep."

"What about?"

"Where I belong."

Robin frowned at the cook as she sipped her coffee as she waited for her to explain herself. The cook had been having this identity crisis since they first met up again. It was getting rather tiresome.

"You know how I acted at fishman island, what if everyone thinks I'm a freak and keep trying to avoid me?"

"Nami and I never avoided you because of your forward attitude towards us." Robin answered calmly.

"But…"

"And Luffy will not care unless affects your cooking."

"Robin…"

"I find that you are being extremely stupid that the others would think if it never bothered you before."

"But…"

"In fact I think quite a few of our men find you quite attractive."

"Now I think that you are getting off the point Robin-chan," Sanji blushed, managing to get a word in as Robin took a sip of coffee.

"Perhaps," there was that enigmatic grin again and they sat in silence with coffee in hand.

The door opened up with a huge creak and the two women looked around to find a very sleepy Chopper looking at them.

"Chopper what are you doing up so early?" Robin asked, the little reindeer never normally got up until Usopp woke him. The young doctor was a very sound sleeper.

"I can't sleep." He yawned. "It feels like it's getting hotter."

Sanji frowned, Chopper was quite susceptible to the heat, but it had never stopped him sleeping before. Catching Robin's eye, she noted that she had similar concerns for the doctor.

"Chopper do you want a nice cold chocolate milkshake?"

A sleepy nod was the cook's only response and she quickly went to work trying to avoid the lingering conversation with Robin. Yet it wasn't to last as she spoke up again.

"Did you know I was given the most interesting medical book when I was with the revolutionaries?"

Chopper shook his head sleepily as a book appeared in front of him with a flourish of petals. Sanji placed his cool milkshake in front of him.

"Why don't you find a good cure for a bad back?" Robin said with a smirk at the cook, as though she was going to tell the doctor that she had slept at the table. She couldn't handle the scolding.

"Okay," Chopper nodded sleepily and Sanji sighed in relief. Yet that wasn't the end of it as Robin looked at the cook seriously. She frowned as though the cook had done something to offend the archeologist.

"Right Sanji, lets sort you out," Robin gestured for Sanji to come to her seat.

"Wha…?" Sanji was grabbed by a stray arm and pushed forward. Giving her a critical look at her attire Sanji shifted uncomfortably only to find that Robin had grabbed her by the ankles to stop her getting away.

"Why are wearing something like that anyway?"

Sanji looked down and blushed. She had forgotten that she had one of her old shirts on, with very baggy jogging trousers. It was nothing like her usual attire and she looked rough. Not like Robin who was practically glowing in her over large T-shirt and hot pants. Her loose plait was falling over her shoulder, and it framed the outfit nicely.

"It smells like the men's bedroom," she replied quietly. "It made me feel comfortable since I knew I couldn't possibly sleep there now."

"Yes well we will have to talk about later won't we?"

Sanji nodded and smiled hopefully. Not wanting to feel uncomfortable while she sleeps anymore, she has had enough of that the past two years.

"Right," Robin stood up. "You cannot walk around looking like that all day." Grabbing the immobile and still slightly startled blonde she eyed Sanji's necklace critically. Mumbling under her breath she grabbed the brooch and fiddled around with it before opening it with a resounding 'click'.

"There," Robin smiled as Sanji gasped in surprise.

"Wait how did you do that?" she asked. "I've been trying to do that for weeks!"

Robin chuckled at Sanji turning the cook around. "I've always been good with my hands Sanji-san. Surely you should know that."

Choking Sanji looked at Chopper, hoping he hadn't caught Robin's suggestive tone the small doctor was still reading the book in his half asleep state.

"Robin!" Sanji didn't think that she could blush any more but it seemed as though she was wrong. "Not in front of Chopper," she added in a lower tone.

"Really Sanji-san, I don't see what's wrong," she said.

"But."

"Stand still," Robin ignored Sanji's protests and grabbed the over-large Sanji's and began to fold in darts and creases. After a few minutes of experimenting Robin pulled out the straw-hat brooch and pinned her shirt back. Now the huge shirt fitted perfectly on Sanji's petite frame and she was left in awe at Robin's skills.

"Very nice if I don't say so myself." Robin finished. "Now to sort out those sweatpants."

Hands sprouted down by the counter and pulled out Sanji's traveling trunk.

"Wait? What?" Sanji squealed when Robin roughly grabbed her by the waist and pulled down her trousers.

In complete mortification Sanji tried to cover her legs with her arms before darting behind her kitchen counter. Were all women like this because Sanji wasn't prepared to stay with them in their room if it was? The men she had been around had never shown this kind of behaviour to another man.

"Robin what are you doing?"

"Be happy it's me," Robin replied not fully answering her question. "If Nami was here she would have already stripped you down to your skin."

"But Chopper," Sanji once again becoming aware that there was another in the room.

"Don't worry Chopper's a doctor," Robin said glancing at the reindeer who was still completely engrossed in Robin's book. "Right Chopper."

"Yep," the reindeer was only half listening to the conversation. "Nothing I haven't seen before."

"Chopper!" Sanji scolded but the reindeer shrugged and carried on reading. Letting out a giggle Robin went to Sanji's open trunk behind the counter. She pulled out a pair of suit trousers before frowning and beginning a more thorough search.

"My my Sanji-san. I think Nami would do more then strip you down to get her hands on these clothes. I mean your whole wardrobe was designed and made by the world renowned Lord Michael Evenstar. He stopped production when he found his calling."

"Really?" Sanji relaxed slightly. "He never said that. I don't think Nami would fit into any of these anyway. I am a bit twiggy."

"Don't let her hear you say that. She'll accuse you of calling her fat."

"Never. Not Nami-swan. She's perfect, not like me. I'm so flat I might as well still be a man."

"Not from some of the looks we got out in Fishman Island," Robin replied. "Ah here we go."

A pair of grey/blue cropped jeans and some tan lace up ankle boots. The heels on the boots were just as high as her red lace ups. "This will do nicely."

Sanji looked at her dubiously as Robin held out the clothes.

"Well go on… put it on."

Still trying to cover her legs she snatched the jeans and ducked behind the counter. She slowly began to calm as she got dressed, especially when she put on the heels. Like with her old black shoes, she had grown quite accustomed to her heels, they had become part of her new self that she was quite comfortable with.

"I was worried for a second that you were going to make me wear a skirt."

"We'll leave that for Nami to sort out. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable so soon."

The blonde scoffed.

"Well you did a good job, although I don't think molesting your nakama could be considered as making me comfortable."

"I'll take that as a thank you… Your welcome." Robin beamed. "Now I fancy a bit of breakfast."

The cook perked up a bit. Cooking breakfast she can handle. Besides if she was cooking Robin couldn't pull any more weird crap on her.

"Of course Robin-chan, what would you like?"

"I don't know something simple sounds nice. What do you think Chopper?"

Chopper seemed to have woken up a bit and looked up and smiled.

"Yeah, something simple and nutritious."

"Sounds good to me. I learned how to make this porridge that could keep you going for days."

"Perfect," Robin smiled. "Although I don't think those lingering outside the kitchen door quite approve…"

Zoro yawned as he and Usopp made their way across the deck towards the galley. The swordsman had woken up unusually early and was not happy. He hadn't been the only one, Chopper was missing from his bunk and it looked like shit-cook hadn't even made it to her bunk at all.

After returning from the bathroom Usopp appeared with a yawn and they both headed towards the kitchen. Maybe they could get a bit of breakfast before their bottomless pit of a captain woke up.

Then again if pigs could fly…

"And then me and Hercules-san went and defeated the whole fleet of pirates that wanted to land on the island. They didn't know that we were just doing it for their own good. I mean they would have been eaten straight away. I used my sniping…"

Zoro blocked out Usopp's ramblings as they made their way up the stairs. However when they got to the kitchen door Zoro stopped when he heard a startled gasp.

"And then of course things got worse when a Sea King got beached and the island decided it was hungry. I had 100 tonnes of Sea monster heading towards me as I held on for dear life."

"Usopp," Zoro whispered as he held up his hand to stop. "Shut up."

"What?"

Zoro held his finger to his lips and placed his ear against the door.

"I thought I heard something."

Usopp nodded and put his head against the wooden door as they started to listen.

".. how…" it was muffled but it sounded like Sanji.

"… good with my hands …" that was Robin.

Zoro blushed; he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Glancing at Usopp who was wearing an unreadable expression he leaned in to try and hear more of what is going on.

"Robin!" he could hear the cook much clearer, well kind of.

"Really Sanji-san, I don't see what's wrong."

"But."

"Stand still."

There was silence and Zoro couldn't help but wonder what Robin was doing to the poor cook.

"Very nice if I don't say so myself. Now to sort out those sweatpants."

"Wait? What?" The cook let out the most girlish squeal Zoro had ever heard.

"Robin what are you doing?"

"Be happy it's me, if Nami was here she would have already stripped you down to your skin."

Right Zoro shouldn't be listening to this. Whatever was going on in the dining room wasn't right. That was where they ate. He had to put a stop to it right now, but he couldn't bring himself to move.

"…Don't worry Chopper's a doctor. Right Chopper."

"Yep. Nothing I haven't seen before." The doctor shouldn't be in there.

"Chopper!" Sanji shouted and Robin giggled mischievously. There was a loud 'thunk' and Robin spoke up again.

"My my Sanji-san. I think Nami would do more then strip you down to get her hands on these clothes. I mean your whole wardrobe was designed and made by the world renowned Lord Michael Evenstar. He stopped production when he found his calling."

"Really? He never said that. I don't think Nami would fit into any of these anyway. I am a bit twiggy."

"Don't let her hear you say that. She'll accuse you of calling her fat."

"Never. Not Nami-swan. She's perfect, not like me. I'm so flat I might as well still be a man."

"Not from some of the looks we got out in Fishman Island," Robin replied. "Ah here we go."

"This will do nicely."

"Well go on… put it on."

There was a pause and Zoro relaxed. Maybe Zoro was getting the wrong idea.

"I was worried for a second that you were going to make me wear a skirt."

"We'll leave that for Nami to sort out. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable so soon."

"I'll take that as a thank you… Your welcome." Robin said. "Now I fancy a bit of breakfast."

"Of course Robin-chan, what would you like?"

"I don't know something simple sounds nice. What do you think Chopper?"

"Yeah, something simple and nutritious." The reindeer spoke up again.

"Sounds good to me. I learned how to make this porridge that could keep you going for days."

"Porridge? No!" Usopp gasped and Zoro cringed but it was too late.

"Although I don't think those lingering outside the kitchen door quite approve…"

The two men froze as the door swung open with a swirl of petals.

There stood Robin and Sanji by the counter and Chopper was sat at the table looking curiously at the doorway.

Robin stood with her arms crossed smiling at Zoro and Usopp. Sanji on the other hand stood in absolute shock. Zoro gaped at the outfit she was wearing, as the slim jeans and heels made those deadly legs look divine. It felt wrong looking at shit-cook in such a manner.

Slowly Sanji's features morphed from shock to anger, an expression that reminded them so much of the old Sanji.

"How long have you two been listening?"

Usopp stuttered.

"We … err… Zoro."

"Oh why am I not surprised?" Sanji sneered. "You now make a habit on spying on nakama, eh Marimo?"

"Now see here Curly cue," Zoro retorted. "Its not as though we could come walk in from what I was hearing. Who knows what we could have walk in."

And what is that supposed to mean?"

"It was perfectly clear that you were walking around half naked."

"Why you pervert!"

"Me? I'm the pervert. That's rich coming from you shit-cook."

"What!"

"You know what I mean. You've always been trying to score with anything that breathes."

"Well I don't with you!"

"And what a blessing that is! You make me sick just having to watch you!"

Usopp sighed and walked over to the table where Robin and Chopper resided. The two continued to argue but they tuned them out with practiced ease.

"This isn't going to get anywhere," he sighed. "And I'm hungry, even if it is just stupid porridge."

"Don't worry Usopp they'll stop soon," Robin replied.

She was right of course. Within minutes of arguing the door slammed open and they were bowled over by an overly excited captain shouting about MEAT. They couldn't exactly argue when they are both pummeling their clueless captain.

…Some things never change…