And Heeere is the part B for Connector Chapter 8: Shaman (Part 3)

[lunaryu]

The Connector

Chapter 8: Shaman (Part 3) B

"Uwooo! It's greaaaat!" Luffy shouted in total spirit as he witnessed the amount of food Sanji had made. He was impressed that Sanji could do it so well despite the limited time.

"Eat up, shitty boss!" Sanji grinned, chewing a broken wooden chopstick between his teeth.

Luffy grinned, a cheek-splitting grin at Sanji with so much gratitude radiating in his face. He was actually a bit worried when he stopped by Sanji's home this morning finding that Sanji wasn't there. Sanji's father, a very eccentric old man with blond hair and pigtailed mustaches named Zeff, had no idea where Sanji had gone to. Yet, he assured Luffy that it was a recurrence event, so he didn't have to get worried over 'the eggplant'.

That old man actually calls Sanji an 'eggplant,'- Luffy snickered at the thought.

Then Luffy remembered that he wasn't alone in the table as Zoro's green hair made its appearance in Luffy's peripheral vision. "Zoro! Don't touch my share!" he hurriedly glared at his second in command while securing his share of the food on the table, which was three fourth of all.

Zoro shook his head at him before turning his face to Sanji. "You don't want to join?"

There was a brief pause before he replied. "I'm a cook. I'm happy enough seeing you guys enjoy eating. Besides…," Sanji glanced at Vivi and Nami who were eating their respectable lunch together on the other side of the room. "I have to greet my beautiful ladies!" he said as he hurriedly approached Nami and Vivi, greeting them and making fool of himself in front of the girls.

"Sanji is really interesting," Luffy, not particularly sensing something strange about Sanji, grinned at the view while stuffing his food inside his mouth.

"Aah, too interesting," Zoro nodded, shaking his head again.

Luffy noticed the different expression on his best friend's face; Zoro's tone was quite gentler as well. Luffy raised his eyebrows in wonder. "Now, that is interesting," he commented, not releasing his gaze from the green haired boy.

Zoro apparently noticed being watched and turned his face at Luffy. "What?"

"You're a lot softer to Sanji now than you were yesterday. I had actually expected that you still wanted to throttle each other's throats when I came to school this morning, but you're actually quite civil towards one another. Even Sanji didn't use his hard-core insult as much as usual." Luffy pointed slightly, eyes deep and curious.

"Um… huh?" Zoro looked dumbfounded for a second, but Luffy wasn't fooled. He had known Zoro for a quite long time and could read him better than anyone else… well, except Nami, of course… because she was a bit special, one of a kind, in reading people and situation.

"Especially with the unresolved fight yesterday noon," Luffy grinned again, totally amused seeing Zoro fidget. Jeez, Zoro never fidgeted! What the hell was going on?

"I am not being softer," Zoro complained a little, his face slightly flushing and he looked really uncomfortable.

"You can tell me anything, you know? Did you actually finally fight yesterday after school or something? Because… the tension between you two had actually dissipated into none at all," Luffy finished his food while talking, and amazingly, he could always speak clearly while chewing and gulping his food. But he always did that, so Zoro probably didn't even spare a glance at the impossibility.

"Well… you could say that…," Zoro said while looking away, a bead of sweat on his cheek.

He's being evasive-Luffy narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"That's not what happened, huh?" Luffy guessed and Zoro flinched a little. The green haired boy was actually looking guilty. Luffy sighed. Zoro was keeping something to himself and it was probably bigger than he thought if he couldn't even tell Luffy about it. "Fine, I won't pry. But you can always talk to me if you want to," he smiled and slapped Zoro's shoulder with a cheery grin, deciding to give some space to Zoro. He probably just needed more time to sort of his mind and words before he could tell Luffy about what happened.

Zoro smiled small at him in return, and Luffy decided he would talk to Usopp about this as well. Maybe telling Nami and Vivi wasn't a bad idea either. Zoro was always the last to welcome a newcomer on their circle after all. But maybe… just maybe….

Luffy looked at Sanji's gentle smiling face and then back at Zoro who was back once again staring at Sanji with contemplation.

Maybe Sanji will be more than a newcomer for Zoro…-Luffy couldn't help feeling that way.

-Zoro Roronoa Zoro-

Smoker's Residence; Living Room: 17.45

"Oh dear…," Sanji sat at the couch while sighing, loosening his tie a bit. "That was actually quite interesting… acting to be someone else."

"Tell me about it," Zoro said with a sigh as well. "I think Nami was plotting something nasty… and Luffy actually noticed that something was off with me today," Zoro shook his head to clear his mind.

"I was not that good at playing as Sanji-san?" Sanji turned his worried face at Zoro.

"No, you were okay. It was me. Both Nami and Luffy noticed that I looked at you differently… today," Zoro cleared his throat before he entwined both hands in front of his mouth, thinking.

"Different how?" Sanji looked puzzled.

"Well, probably because it lacks something… heat, tension, things that I feel when I look at the dartbrow," Zoro answered absentmindedly and missed an odd expression on Sanji's face.

"I see…," Sanji looked at another way now, looking down at his own lap. "Well, we just have to endure the weird stare for a couple of days, at least until we can go to find… me," he suggested sometime later, probably trying to be positive. "And Zoro-sama can pretend that I am the actual Sanji-san, it will be alright to look at the body (Sanji-san) the way you used to."

Zoro looked up and landed his gaze on Sanji's face. "Looking Sanji the way I used to?" Zoro thought it was rather odd. "You really want me to do that? Because… I don't think I can. Essentially, you are Kei, and not the ero-cook, and I perfectly know that. So, it will be impossible for me to look at you the way I look at him."

"That is why; I said Zoro-sama can pretend," Sanji said with a look that suspiciously close to pleading.

"I'm not really good at pretending…," Zoro was sheepish and apologetic. "Well, I can appear to be pretty impassive though, but my friends are the exception because they know me so well."

Sanji was silent again, eyes never leaving Zoro's. "You think… your friends are everything."

"Pretty much," Zoro nodded surely.

"I thought so… the way you look at Luffy-san is pretty special. And to Sanji-san as well…," Kei looked at the floor.

"Oh wow, wait a sec. Sanji? He hadn't been my friend. I had only known him for a day," Zoro protested.

Sanji chuckled while looking up at Zoro again. "You are pretty dense too. Past tense? Do you even realize that you are not denying your special gaze towards your friends?"

Zoro flushed slightly and Sanji giggled again. "That obvious, huh?" he scratched his head, pretty embarrassed.

"Hmm… I wished I could see your other sides more…," Sanji looked at Zoro in the eye tenderly and he had to hold down the blush so as not to spread further on his face. Again, Sanji chuckled, seeing Zoro's awkward embarrassment.

"It's not funny," Zoro slightly pouted.

"Oh, but it is," Sanji said with a smile now. He looked at Zoro's eyes tenderly. "You are so close to your friends, I am quite jealous," he admitted.

Zoro was startled and looked up at Sanji with widened eyes. "Kei…."

"I really… really wish that I was a part of your life here…," Sanji then showed a very lonely expression.

"Hei…," Zoro softened his gaze and reached for Sanji's hand. "You are part of my life, at least now," he reassured.

"But not for long…," Sanji shook his head, looking quite miserable. "Because I am no longer…."

Alive…

The word was hard to say, to think even, so Zoro understood why Sanji was so silent suddenly. He didn't know how to comfort the blond. He wasn't good with words.

"Zoro-sama… what if…," Sanji sounded choked for a moment before he took a deep breath and continued, "What if I didn't want to go? What if I wanted to stay here, in this body… together with you?"

Even though Sanji looked afraid, and even though Zoro knew it was a hypothetical question, he couldn't help turning serious at that. "Then I have no choice but to remove you by force," he said, tone was cold even to his own ears. He conveniently forgot that he didn't have Haki and it was impossible to perform a removal without one. He couldn't possibly slash Sanji with Sandai Kitetsu as well because it would kill not only Kei but also Sanji.

Sanji looked up at Zoro with shocked look, expression was close to hurt. But it was quickly gone as he looked at his laps again. "Okay…," he spoke quietly.

Zoro had to squeeze the blonde's hand to make sure that he understood. Kei couldn't stay in Sanji's body permanently. Sanji had life on his own while Kei's was over four years ago. It would be very selfish for Kei to take it away from Sanji.

And Zoro would make sure Sanji could get his life back with any mean necessary.

Zoro-Roronoa-Zoro

Grand Line Police Station; Smoker's Office: 01.30

In the end, Smoker didn't come home that day.

Well, he couldn't. With so many crimes to solve and his side project, meaning: he had to look for the old record about Sanji's case after asking Ryuuma (which always left him with more questions than answers as usual), he didn't have enough time to eat, let alone to sleep.

Smoker sighed and riffled to check his reports for his boss, Garp, for today. That old man… though he looked easy going, he actually worked Smoker to the bone. Smoker massaged his temples tiredly and he could kill for a cup of coffee right now. He should have asked Tashigi to get him some before she went home earlier.

Smoker yawned and put down the reports on the table before he looked at the stack of documents beside his feet under his table. He had to call all his contacts to get his hands on those records. He actually had no idea those people recorded all the supernatural events happening in all over the world. Well, Japan had a lot of those records by the way, from Heian period to Meiji, and of course, way before those times.

There were so many ayakashis his head hurt a little to read all of them. Smoker sighed again. The extent he would go for Zoro… the kid had no idea. Well, Zoro was his best friend's kid, so of course he would do anything to protect him. Alan would have done the same thing if the situation was reversed.

Smoker shook his head to clear his mind before he made room, took the records to put on his office desk and began his research. He had gone through the half of it before he found some similar cases. Possession. But unlike what had happened to Sanji, all the possession had distinctive characteristics. A lot of possession occurred to a person who was disrespectful towards pagan gods, or ayakashis that were turned from animal's reis. Those ayakashi were protecting certain areas in mountain of sacred grounds, and of course human would ruin the peace by acting childish and irresponsible. Though, with proper ceremony and a little bit of haki, those ayakashi could be driven away peacefully.

Well, at least before the people possessed committed suicide or did more harm to other people. Ayakashi had certain rules about themselves. Smoker had yet to figure out how those rules work or what those rules were since he couldn't connect to them. All shaman or connectors were burned after the disaster they had caused several decades ago. Ryuuma was pretty vague when he told him the story as Smoker was training under him.

Zoro was a connector, but he wasn't a shaman. He could hear and feel and see, but he had no power to remove or bring them back. His gift could do more good than harm. But this Sanji… he could bring the rei into his body without any resistance… just like an empty container.

Like dolls…-Smoker widened his eyes when he made the connection and everything seemed clicking into place. Hey, hey! It's Impossible! That 'family' is already…!

"Oh boy," A bead of sweat broke out from Smoker's face. "That's why his father didn't let me ask further about his son…," he almost laughed at his own stupidity and slowness to catch all of the signs.

That painting alone should have been a dead giveaway of who Blackleg Sanji is…

Zoro-Roronoa-Zoro

Smoker's House, Zoro's Room: 03.15

Zoro was asleep peacefully on his bed when he heard the sound, the quiet screech of metal against marble. He opened his eyes in alert as he felt his bed dip on the side of his body, and boy was he surprised to find Sanji's blank face on top of his.

Sanji stared deeply at Zoro and the dark green eyes frozen, drowned inside the bluest pool he had ever seen. He had no idea what Sanji was doing, but Zoro's voice was stuck in his throat and he couldn't perform any single thought as he saw that mesmerizing cerulean eyes.

Zoro took a deep breath before exhaling it slowly, so slowly it was maddening. "What… are you doing?" He didn't want to scare Sanji away, so he whispered those words carefully.

"I just want to see your face…. I wondered how you would look when you were sleeping and not on guard," Sanji said softly, also whispering with his low voice which sounded incredibly sexy for some reason Zoro didn't want to think about.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Zoro gulped slightly when Sanji reached his hand to stroke Zoro's cheek gently, so gentle it gave Zoro a Goosebumps.

Sanji lowered his eyes at Zoro's lips and Zoro's heartbeat increased its pace tenfold. "I was afraid…," the blond whispered and lowered his face closer to Zoro's. "-…that if I fell asleep, he would wake up, and I would be forced to leave…."

Zoro could feel Sanji's warm breath, tingling, mingling with his, one of his hands was on Zoro's chest, feeling his heartbeat, and the other on Zoro's cheek and jaw, stroking, caressing, and he was almost certain that Sanji was straddling him since he could feel one of Sanji's legs between his. Zoro forced himself to summon his will power to calm down, that this was because Kei was not in her right mind, because she was a rei and she was starving of human contact after four years of wandering (though it didn't make any sense because she didn't even remember dying), and he tried very hard not to think about how warm Sanji's body was, flushed on top of him. How hot it was.

Fuck!-Zoro's body, precisely 'little Zoro' was responding traitorously. Damn teenager hormone!

"Sanji," Zoro rasped while trying very-very hard not to stammer or stutter or panic. Sanji widened his eyes at that. "You don't want to do this…. This isn't you."

Sanji narrowed his eye and hissed lowly, "My name is Kei. Megumi. Call my name, Zoro-sama."

"No," Zoro replied difficultly. "You are Sanji. Blackleg Sanji. Kei is a rei that possessed your body. This isn't what you want. You have to fight it, Ero-cook." Zoro stared deeply at Sanji's eye and there was a flicker of recognition, and suddenly Sanji gasped and rolled over from on top of Zoro to lay beside him, clutching his head.

"You are wrong…! I am Megumi!" Sanji shouted, eye shutting close hard, "My name is Tachibana Megumi!"

Zoro quickly sat up to check the blond. "Hey, hey… you okay?" He had never been so confused and scared. Sanji was acting very-very strange. He was unstable. He was probably fighting back. "Sanji!"

"No!" Sanji's eye was still shut and he struggled every time Zoro called his name.

"Sanji!" Zoro shouted once again and grabbed his shoulders. Sanji Immediately opened his eye, wide, his face sweating and his breathing hard.

"W-what…?" Sanji looked confused, his eyes unfocused as he looked at everywhere. "What… happened?" he rasped, still panting.

"Sanji?" Zoro asked tentatively, not very sure if it was still Kei or Sanji there.

"Marimo? What are you doing here?" Sanji looked indignant as he seemed recognizing Zoro's face.

Ah, Sanji it is.

"Hoh… great, you're back to yourself." Zoro sighed slowly in relief. He wasn't even sure what just happened, but it seemed Sanji woke up from his sleepwalking.

"Wait, wait! What the hell happened? Where am I?" Sanji sat up immediately and frantically looked around, seeming really confused for not recognizing his surroundings.

"You're in my bedroom, ero-cook," Zoro said with a slight grin. "Seems you brought me in your dream eh, for you to sleepwalk to my home and my room and then to attack me when I was sleeping on my bed?" Oh, yes, Zoro was in teasing mood.

Sanji flushed at that. "What? Why would I want to attack you in my dream? If I want to attack someone, I will want to come to Nami-san or Vivi-chan's room!" Sanji set his mortified expression, looking traumatized.

"Says a person who just attacked me," Zoro smirked evilly.

"Asshole! I didn't have a choice in this! I was sleepwalking for god's sake!" The blond protested even harder, face still flushing red in (probably) mostly embarrassment and in small part annoyance. "Shit…! Did I really…?" He looked around again, gulping.

"Yah, well… if I hadn't known your condition, I probably had punched you in the face, or kneed you in the groin," Zoro chuckled.

"Ugh… shit…! I'm so sorry, Zoro…," Sanji looked away, looking pretty bad and very guilty. Or probably feeling humiliated more than everything. Poor thing.

Zoro took pity on him and sighed lightly. "It's okay. You're unconscious," he said.

"Damn it, it's not! Not okay at all! How did this happen? I am in medication for fuck sake! I shouldn't be sleepwalking! The medication doesn't even work!" Sanji looked really affronted and perplexed. "Fuck!" he covered his face with one hand. "Why did this happen to me…?"

Sanji looked really confused and helpless. Zoro was sympathetic. He could almost understand what Sanji was going through. The first time Zoro could see any rei, he thought he was going nuts as well. He couldn't imagine how Sanji felt waking up in different place from where he fell asleep, not knowing what happened and what he had done.

"Hey…, it's okay. You didn't do anything wrong this time," Zoro said, touching Sanji's shoulder. Sanji flinched a bit at his touch, and Zoro knew he was uncomfortable with the closeness. He was really Sanji.

"Aside attacking you when you're asleep?" Sanji muttered darkly and weakly, still not facing him, still covering his face. He must be feeling really ashamed right then.

"Yeah, beside that. Look," Zoro forced Sanji to look at him. "No harm done, okay? We're fine," he assured him with a small smile.

"Ugh…! But I don't know what I will do next time I fall in this annoying catastrophic condition…! Stupid useless meds!" he shouted in frustration. "Fuck!"

"Hey, I know about it. I can always try to stop you whenever you fall in that condition and aren't being yourself. How does that sound?" Zoro made a proposition.

"What?" Sanji looked up at Zoro with a dumbstruck expression.

"Let's make a deal. I will keep my eye on you in exchange of free lunch every day. That okay?" Zoro grinned.

"You'll really do that?" Sanji looked dubious.

"Of course. Your food bribe can get you anywhere," Zoro smirked at Sanji and he was sure Sanji would be okay with it. It was serious indeed, the situation, and he needed to talk to him about the rei and the possession, but it could wait. He didn't want to freak Sanji even more after what he had gone through.

"Okay… okay. Just, let me know if I've done something big when I'm not myself. I'm sick of not knowing what happened and remaining clueless about it." Sanji sighed and closed his eyes, looking tired.

Sanji's medication wasn't working because he was possessed. And possession tended to drain the host's life energy. Zoro had to inform that fact carefully. Preferably with Sanji's father around, so they would know what they were dealing with and they could set some precaution to avoid the possessing.

However, Zoro still couldn't help feeling worried of what had happened just now because he hadn't gotten the answer yet. If Sanji woke up… then what happened to Kei?

Zoro-Roronoa-Zoro

Baratie; 15.20-

Smoker was back once again in the restaurant where Blackleg Sanji lived with his father. It was quite a nice business, actually. The food was outstanding, and the place was nice and homey… in French-mania like one. He had spoken to the owner, Zeff, about Sanji's condition the day before. Of course he was careful not to reveal the 'supernatural' event experienced by Sanji, but Zeff seemed knowing what happened and saved him from having to explain some bullshits.

Zeff knew Sanji had a special condition which forced the blond boy to sometimes go missing without notice. Smoker knew Zeff knew because the moment he flashed his badge, Zeff just sighed and asked: "What have my idiot sleepwalking son done now?" and he seemed more annoyed rather than concerned.

Smoker concluded at that time that Zeff didn't know anything about Sanji's special ability…. Well, if it could be called ability anyway. Smoker tended to call it as an inherited gene, since Saji had no awareness of it. Just like haki which was latent ability whether the bearer could see the rei or not. The differences were a) haki wasn't inherited; b) you didn't need to be a shaman to have haki, while Sanji was….

Sanji is…

Huh, Smoker had never seen his kind in his entire life. It was so rare… it was almost like receiving an honor to actually meet his kind in person.

When Smoker once again entered the restaurant, Zeff looked up from his guest to look at Smoker. Smoker recognized the older man's expression as a meaningful, knowing look. And Smoker knew that Zeff knew that Smoker had figured it out all.

"You sly old man…," Smoker said with an annoyed, humiliated smirk, a bead of sweat on his cheek. "You already knew what he's capable of."

Zeff sighed and excused himself from his guest before he looked back at Smoker. He grunted politely at the colonel and gestured him to follow him and he did. They went to the back, where the kitchen was busy with activities that no one would care about what they were talking about.

"Figure that out, Colonel? Took you long enough," Zeff's tone was kind of underestimating and really annoying, the smartass.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, Redleg Zeff." Smoker was serious this time, and he wouldn't let the old man deter him from the main question. "What's the purpose of bringing the devil into my nation, outsider?" He could be really cold and cruel if he wanted to, and Sanji being here, in Japan, was a national security risk he didn't want to take.

"Are you going to treat us as enemies, or would you recognize us as people in the same world as you, who actually need help, brat?" Zeff half challenged Smoker, and Smoker detected a worried tone despite the smartass demeanor.

"An S.O.S.?" he actually looked up at that, more intrigued rather than concerned. After all, Sanji was still a kid, a teenager, who knew nothing about what he could do. "What is this about?"

"Sanji's ability… It's getting out of hand," Zeff spoke lowly, but his voice was grave and urgent, making Smoker gulp at the seriousness of the situation. "He's only half without his significant other. Unpredictable… unstable… very dangerous. I heard his priest had been awoken in Japan. So I brought him here in order to get them close… to control the effect of Sanji's ability towards the other side, after the incident in France…."

Smoker paled slightly as he heard the word 'incident.' National security risk, check.

"Who wore his body at that time?" Smoker kind of wanted and didn't want to hear the answer, but his curiosity always won, so he asked the question anyway.

Zeff was silent for a couple of seconds before he responded slowly. "…Napoleon Bonaparte."

What…?-Smoker couldn't help widening his eyes at the answer.

Zoro-Roronoa-Zoro

Smoker's House; Living Room; After School: 17.20-

Both Sanji and Zoro were sitting on the couch. They looked at each other tensely (and tiredly in Sanji's case). He didn't know why, but he always felt exhausted whenever he had the sleepwalking episode. He tried very hard not to fall asleep again after last night incident. He didn't want to go back to sleepwalking after all.

Zoro actually accompanied him until morning, talking and sparing (the marimo's idea of wasting time), and Sanji cooking something for early breakfast for them, and as usual, the cooking was splendid. It actually helped him not to fall asleep again. Then he tried to subtly be as close to Zoro as possible during school time, though it still earned them odd glances from their classmates.

Sanji didn't really give a fuck… okay, maybe a little (for Nami and Vivi), but his situation was graver than being perfect for those beautiful ladies, so he tried not to glare at everyone (the guys) when followed Zoro around. It was very humiliating!

And now this… this SUCKED big time, really!

"Wait, I'm what?" Sanji couldn't help cleaning his ear a bit for being sure that he had heard Zoro wrong.

"You're possessed," Zoro repeated carefully, looking at Sanji with serious expression.

"Ha… right… You're nuts," Sanji laughed and shook his head acrimoniously at the green haired anemone. That totally wasn't funny for fuck sake! What the hell did he think he was doing?

"I'm serious," Zoro looked affronted for a second.

"Look, I know you can see things other people can't, but possession? Really? Might as well tell me I have a multiple personality disorder, Marimo. That's more believable. My condition is a medical condition. You can't just spout nonsense that there are some ghosts taking control of my body and… and did things that I didn't want to and then break the news to me like it's an everyday occurrence!" By the time he finished, Sanji had been shouting and totally disturbed at what Zoro had said.

Sanji had never thought about that possibility, being possessed by ghost… spirit, or whatever Zoro called those things. He had never seen one all his life. He didn't even feel anything! That wasn't normal, right? At least he should feel something, anything, if something took control of him and forced him to commit things against his will.

"It's not an everyday occurrence," Zoro replied, his voice cool and composed. Sanji hated him a bit more for him being so calm at everything.

Even last night… he meant this morning, when Sanji actually attacked Zoro in his sleep, he treated the incident like it was nothing! While Sanji had to summon his deepest will power not to scream in frustration at everything… because he had no awareness of it and no recollection of yesterday event at all! The marimo was an ass!

"On the contrary, it was very rare and… I have never seen something like this before," Zoro continued, face scrunched up like he was thinking hard. "I'm still fairly new in this world as well, but your possession is not like every possession I've ever heard before. I have no idea how you can get possessed while you have no awareness of those beings. Worse, I actually didn't feel anything when you were possessed, even though I'm very sensitive of those things. That's actually a bit alarming."

Zoro's tone sounded genuinely worried, and the marimo wasn't the type of person who would make a joke on something like this. Sanji knew this very well from his interaction with Luffy, Nami and Vivi. And Usopp… heck from everyone else as well; Zoro was a serious person. He rarely joked around.

Sanji closed his eyes and sighed long. "Please tell me you're joking," Sanji was resigned, pleading even. He just couldn't get his head to agree on the idea of him being possessed by a spirit. But if that was true, it actually explained why his meds never worked. If it wasn't a medical condition, then… of course there was no use of taking medicine.

"I wanted to, believe me. But it's not a joke, ero-cook." ("Would you stop calling me like that?"-Sanji protested in annoyance.) "You're really possessed…," Zoro paused slightly, not sure if he stopped to care about his protest, but Sanji opened his eyes as Zoro was silent suddenly. The marimo looked hesitating.

Sanji raised his eyebrow at him. "What?"

"The rei that possessed you…," Zoro took a deep breath before continuing. "I know her."

Sanji scrunched up his face once again. "What?" He must have heard that wrong again. He really should check his hearing out to a doctor sometimes. Did Zoro just say he actually knew the spirit… or rei (he called it rei, right?), and it was a she?

"The rei," Zoro repeated. "I know the rei's identity," he looked slightly flushed, but Sanji didn't know why until his next words, "She was my fiancé, Tachibana Megumi." He finished it with a cough that poorly disguised his embarrassment.

There was a rather long uncomfortable silence before "WHAT?" Sanji screeched in shock after processing and digesting the information in his head. "Fianc-, seriously?" That had to be a joke, seriously. A. Big. JOKE!

"Yeah, that's why, that happened last night," Zoro mumbled slightly, not looking at Sanji, face still slightly red.

Heat rose from Sanji's neck to his face and Sanji blushed hard in embarrassment as well at that. He knew what 'that' referred to… the incident on the bed, in Zoro's room. His face was hot when he remembered how close he was to actually…. Sanji shook his head, didn't want to remember it. "I-, I see…," he didn't know what to say to that. Sure, that explained a lot. If the spirit was in love with Zoro… and if it lusted after him…

Sanji shuddered at that, paling visibly. Thank GOD he actually woke up from the possession. If not… he didn't want to think about that. Not that far. Don't go there, Sanji!

"Okay…, okay…. So, I'm possessed. Then what, marimo?" Sanji asked again after calming himself down.

"Well…, for starter, you have to stay away from any rei," Zoro said contemplatively.

"Right, good idea… Hellooo! Can't even see the thing here!" Sanji made a face at Zoro, giving him 'are you an idiot?' look.

"Oh… right, you're not equipped with the sight," Zoro mumbled begrudgingly in realization, clicking his tongue. "What an inconvenient body you have."

"Equipped… what am I? A Robot?" Sanji was indignant. Zoro talked like he was the normal one and not the other way around. Normal people didn't see any spirit, period.

Well, normal people didn't get possessed as well… not as easily as Sanji, anyway. That wasn't the problem here. He had to stay away from any spirit, so how would he do that without even notice he was being close to one?

"Maybe we should put something with haki near you…," Zoro mumbled again and Sanji couldn't help wondering 'What the heck is haki?' in a confused look.

"What do you think about O-Fuda (2)?" Zoro suggested suddenly with a slightly hopeful expression.

Like Sanji would knew how that made any difference. "I can get those from the temple?" Sanji wasn't sure if he was asking or answering. He had heard about those papers which apparently could protect people from evil spirit.

"You're okay with wearing it all the time?"

Sanji had no idea what that meant. Wearing paper on his body? Like sticking it on his skin?

Seemingly reading Sanji's perplexed expression Zoro continued, "You can fold it and put it in a small bag and wear it as an accessory."

Oh… okay, put it in a small package and wear it as a necklace-Sanji sighed slightly in relief.

"I can deal with it," Sanji agreed. But then he felt something was missing in this situation. He looked at Zoro with puzzled eyes. "Then… what happens now?"

"What what happens?" Zoro tilted his head aside slightly.

"Um…," Sanji was hesitating and looking at anywhere but Zoro, "You know… your fiancé…."

"Oh," Zoro looked rather surprised. "I… don't really know. I mean… I'm not so sure if she's gone or if she's still there… somewhere," he scratched his head lightly and maybe it was just Sanji, but he felt that Zoro hadn't told him everything, but he tried to focus of what the most urgent problem was.

"Wait, aren't you supposed to be a guy who can see? How come you weren't sure if you could see her?" Sanji was confused and feeling like protesting more. He didn't know why his world was suddenly turned upside down like this. Bearing his sleepwalking condition was hard enough, and now Zoro had to complicate it by telling him it wasn't sleepwalking but a possession.

Might as well tell Sanji that he was nuts. That would be easier.

"Well, like I said, ero-cook. This was the first time I saw something like this. Your presence… maybe my radar was blocked by whatever you're oozing off from that skinny body of yours."

"Hey!" The marimo was really rude. Sanji hated him more and more.

"My guardian, Smoker, is investigating this phenomenon. We can ask him later after he's back from work…." The green lawn-head continued, his tone calm, probably trying to reassure Sanji as well.

"Okay… so we wait," Sanji nodded slowly and rested his back on the backrest at the couch. He stared at the muted television program for two minutes before he was bored. He looked at Zoro's brooding feature and studied his face silently.

Then out of blue, he had the sudden urge to know Zoro better. "Tell me about your fiancé." He hadn't had enough time to think what he was doing before he shot out the question. He'd much wanted to bite his own tongue after that. Stupid mouth!

Zoro's head snapped to face Sanji and he stared at the blond for a moment until Sanji felt like squirming under that calculative measuring gaze. "Why do you want to know about that?" he finally asked.

"No particular reason. It's just… you don't strike me as a type of person who will settle down with one woman." Sanji shrugged before eyeing Zoro from head to toe in slow glance. He knew he made Zoro a little uncomfortable.

"Hey, that sounded a lot like I would be a harem master or something," Zoro deadpanned, but he wasn't sure if the marimo felt insulted. "Sure I will settle for a woman… someday," Zoro said, slowly looking away. "Kei… Megumi was a nice girl. Everyone liked her."

"Hmmm… and you did?" Sanji pressed further, eyes not leaving Zoro's face to read his expression.

"Of course," Zoro nodded, but his tone was flat and even.

"But you weren't really in love with her, were you?" Sanji guessed.

"Please. We were thirteen. We didn't even understand what that 'L' word really meant." Zoro rolled his eyes. "Didn't change the fact that I cared about her… a lot. She was a family."

Sanji was stunned for a moment before he felt a bit bad. "Sorry…," he said a bit guiltily. "Losing her must have been tough."

"It was… but it's been four years. I already moved on." Zoro closed his eyes now.

"Four years… that's kinda long… wait. Then… what made her wander around aimlessly?" Sanji inquired again, more tentatively this time.

"When she…," Zoro made a gulping sound before continuing, "-when she died… her body was never recovered. She wanted me to find her… literally."

"She wanted you to find her-!" Oh god. That was awful. Sanji made a horror look.

"If that helps her to move on, I will do pretty much anything," Zoro said with a small smile. "She deserves a proper burial… and a peaceful rest after all."

Sanji widened his eyes for a moment, fascinated by the soft look Zoro made on his face. Wow… that's…

Sanji blushed slightly as he realized that he was staring at Zoro with awe, not that he would admit that. Zoro had a really nice smiling expression. He always looked so gruff and serious (not that Sanji knew any better; he just met the guy a couple days ago), so it was a bit surprising. Sanji was just surprised. Really.

The marimo isn't so bad after all…

"You're right… marimo." That, Sanji could relent to, he was kind of glad that he found a thing about Zoro that he didn't despise. Under that hard mask and shell of indifference, laid a caring boy…

Maybe… just maybe… Sanji thought Zoro and he could be friends after all.

Zoro-Roronoa-Zoro

Smoker's House; Living Room: 20.30-

Smoker arrived at home with Zeff tailing behind him.

Yes, the father was following him to retrieve Sanji back, apparently. Smoker had informed him that Sanji was being watched by Zoro, a freeloader in Smoker's house, and they should be at home right then.

Smoker didn't come home the night before, so he was a bit worried if everything was still okay, but Zoro didn't contact him at all for any dangerous alert, so he assumed everything was under control.

When he opened the door of his house, an aroma of delicious dinner was wafting around the house. Smoker widened his eyes at that.

"Oh, it's Sanji's cooking." The blond old man behind Smoker said as he seemed noticing it. "I thought he was possessed?" He turned his face at Smoker, raising his eyebrows.

"I have no idea. Probably the rei was also a good cook," Smoker removed his coat and put it at the coat hanger beside the door. "Make yourself at home, Zeff. I'll call the boys," he said as he walked further forward to the kitchen.

"Zoro," he called his green haired freeloader as he entered the kitchen. What he found inside was the blond haired boy who was chopping some garlic.

"Oh," Sanji stopped his activity and looked over turned to face Smoker. "Ah… you must be Zoro's guardian, Smoker-san?"

"That would be me…," Smoker replied before setting his confusion, "Wait, you're supposed to know that… Megumi," he continued.

"Ah… no, not Megumi. Sanji, Blackleg Sanji," Sanji said with a nervous smile. "Um… Zoro said I was possessed, but somehow, last night I could regain the consciousness back," he turned off the cooking stove and cleaned his hand on the apron he had taken liberty to use from the hanger. Not that Smoker minded. He didn't use it. It was mostly used by Tashigi when she was around to cook something for him.

Smoker widened his eyes at that. "You're the real Sanji?" Sanji nodded. "How…? I meant… did Zoro actually perform a Jorei (3)?"

"Uh… Jorei?" Sanji looked really confused.

"Never mind, you have no idea what it is anyway. Where's Zoro?" Smoker changed the subject immediately. He didn't want to risk Sanji knowing too much about that world. With what he was capable of, it was wise to let Sanji stay in the dark. If he knew what he could do with his ability…, Smoker shuddered. He didn't want to have to think about that. If Sanji was a good guy, it would be no problem. But… if he wasn't…, then it would be like witch-hunting all over again.

It could be very nasty. Too horrible for a kid such as Sanji.

"He's taking a shower…," Sanji said, still looking slightly confused.

"Okay, we will wait until he finish," Smoker nodded. "Might as well finish your cooking, kid. Then we can talk about you and your… problem," he grunted in a slight annoyance. "By the way, you can prepare food for four. I have a guest you need to talk to." Then he went out to the living room again to accompany the guest, a.k.a. Sanji's father, Redleg Zeff.

"It's Sanji?" Zeff asked from the sofa.

"It is," Smoker said before sitting beside the old man.

Zeff smirked. "Record time. Usually it took four to five days minimum before he could go back to himself. Your freeloader must have done something incredible to take Sanji's consciousness back," he said, looking slightly pleased.

"What are you thinking?" Smoker narrowed his eyes, curious of what was in the old man's head.

"You said this Zoro also had ability, right? See something other people can't? Hear and feel what other people can't? Isn't that the synonym of a connector?" There was a gleam in Zeff's eyes that made Smoker a bit uneasy.

Smoker hesitated for a moment before answering "He is… but he's not a shaman. His body is rejecting the rei," he continued hastily before Zeff could think anything else.

"That's what I thought. He wasn't born to be a shaman, but somehow… he got the power, huh? Dying experience?" Zeff asked again, further digging into Zoro's ability origin.

"Death experience," Smoker corrected.

"Even better. He's one of a kind, huh?" Zeff's smirk widened accordingly.

"What is this all about?" Smoker asked back, a bit apprehensive. He didn't know what the old man was up to, but he was uncomfortable sharing information about Zoro to a stranger (even though he was from the same world). "What's with all the question?" he demanded.

Zeff closed his eyes and scoffed slightly. "He's the one."

"The one what?" Smoker was confused. This old man didn't make any sense at all.

"The priest I was talking about earlier." Zeff grinned now, and Smoker's face fault.

"Uh… sorry for interrupting your excitement, but Zoro isn't a priest," Smoker said with still confused look.

"Oh no…, the priest isn't a title, brat. It's a special name for a human like him."

"A human like what?"

Smoker snapped and looked up as Zoro joined them at the living room. The green haired boy looked at Smoker then at Zeff with curious expression. "Are you guys talking about me?" he asked, not letting his gaze wander from Zeff. "Who are you, old man?"

"Zoro," Smoker nodded at him and then looked at Zeff before he introduced the old man to the boy. "Redleg Zeff. Sanji's father."

"Oh…, sorry for that, uncle. Didn't know that you're the cook's old man. I'm Zoro," he nodded, rather politely.

"Zeff," the older man also nodded.

"So…, " Zoro walked around the couch to sit on the unoccupied seat, "Coming to pick up Sanji?"

"Yeah, and to talk to you," Zeff said.

"Okay… I also have some things to ask anyway," Zoro nodded, understanding.

Smoker watched them made a small chit-chat before Zoro took up the matter and laid it on the table. "It's about Sanji's condition… I assumed you're aware of that?"

Zeff laughed slightly. "The kid wanted to call his condition a sleepwalking condition. I got entirely another idea. I assumed you've got your other ideas too?"

Zoro looked hesitating for a second, looking at Smoker for permission and Smoker nodded. "Go ahead." It wasn't like he hadn't told him anyway.

"Really?" Zoro looked surprised. "Okay then… Sanji was possessed." He bluntly said it.

"I know," Zeff replied it cooly.

"You did? Then why haven't you said anything to him?" Zoro looked confused.

"He doesn't have to know that," Zeff shrugged.

"Well, he should. That way he can set precaution to avoid being possessed." Zoro argued.

"Avoid?" Zeff chuckled. "Oh, kid… you have no idea what you're talking about." Zef shook his head in amusement. "I take it, he's still fairly new in our world?" Apparently, he directed the question at Smoker even though he wasn't letting his gaze stray from Zoro, studying the boy from head to toe.

"Yep, he's just like a two months old baby," Smoker chuckled as well.

"Hey! I'm here you know!" Zoro protested for suddenly being a third person in the conversation.

"My bad, kid… but for Sanji, avoiding being possessed is almost impossible, since he's a Shaniwa." Zeff said, still smirking.

"A what?" Zoro looked even more confused than before.

Well, of course. The kid hadn't known about that, no one knew that term anymore since the shaniwa family was supposed to be extinct.

"A Shaniwa (3). A kind of shaman, and a powerful one to boot, but not by choice; He is a natural connector, whose body could channel any supernatural beings that got closer enough to him without any resistance, and he has no idea what is happening and he never will. It's in his blood. His body is like a natural container and he has no ability whatsoever to control it. This kind of shaman… there is only one of this kind of shaman in every generation, and this kind of shaman can be only born by one very special family." Smoker explained helpfully.

"A special shaman who can only be born in a special family…?" Zoro widened his eyes in disbelief at that.

"Yes… and the family's supposed to be extinct by now, but it seemed one is still around," Smoker looked at Zeff with narrowed eyes. "You changed your name after the last witch-hunting, huh?"

"It's hundred years ago, brat. And it's not my call. It's my wife's great-great great grandfather idea. Wiping our clan will only cause chaos," Zeff said with demeanor like he was a noble.

Smoker gritted his teeth in annoyance. "Your clan is a chaos!" he retorted heatedly. "You should have known what happened the last time a shaniwa existed. You should have known what she was capable of! She actually moved the earth board and raised the sea water and almost wiped some countries clean! And you still want to repeat the disaster?"

"Wait, wait! What is this about?" Zoro looked really lost in their conversation.

"It's god's will," Zeff said evenly, without being intimidated at all by the anger in Smoker's tone. "You humans just wanted to be free of all the rules bestowed by the universe. You're too cocky sometimes, crossing your own boundaries. Shaniwa merely sends the message from god."

"What-!" Smoker was enraged. "How dare you bring the name of God in your own selfish debacle…! Take that back at once!" He glared daggers at Zeff with all the fury he had.

"You guys… LISTEN WHEN PEOPLE ARE TALKING TO YOU!" Zoro shouted then, startling Smoker and Zeff, and actually cut the tension of their argument. "Jeez… I don't even understand a single thing you said! What the hell is it about disaster and god and shaniwa?" Zoro protested loudly.

"Zoro…," Smoker realized he had behaved like a brat in front of the brat and felt a little ashamed. "The shaniwa family… isn't like the other shaman family. Yes, shaman is dangerous because they hold the key to the secret of the other side to this side, but shaniwa is one hell of in different levels. Their body was born to be able to contain a lot of power from the other side, and sometimes… it's so powerful that God can even borrow their body to come to this world. It's not just the good ones. Evil can abuse the privilege as well and you know what happened if God like Ashura descends into this world, don't you?"

"God? Ashura?" Zoro looked totally perplexed, like he was about to explode from confusion.

"Right, it's too confusing. Anyway, their body is a magnet for supernatural beings. Nothing can protect the body from being possessed, except maybe the consciousness of the main resident of the body itself. But every living thing needs sleeping. At that time, there's no consciousness, so the body is easily possessed. Bottom-line, Shaniwa is too dangerous to be left alone. That's why there was a witch-hunt, to prevent them (evil beings) ending the world. And your friend, Sanji… is a shaniwa. A direct descendent of the previous shaniwa." Smoker said with a serious tone.

"So… basically… Sanji is a threat to this world?" Zoro looked dumbfounded by his own conclusion. "Wait, so he can call a god?" He made a ridiculous expression. "There is a God at all?"

"Zoro!" Smoker smacked the back of his head.

"Ow! What was that for!" the green haired boy protested.

"Do you even understand how serious this situation is?" Smoker yelled at him, totally annoyed at the boy's careless response.

"Well, what do you want me to do? Kill him? We can't do that. It's against the law! Sanji isn't a criminal and he doesn't know about what his body is capable of. He's the victim here. We should help him, not shunning him!" Zoro said with a strong look. "It's not his fault that he was born that way, you know," he continued.

Smoker looked surprised at the mature response and he didn't know how to argue the logic. True, it wasn't Sanji's fault. But it didn't mean he wasn't dangerous.

"You know…," Zeff said suddenly, earning Smoker and Zoro attention. "From all the problems mentioned, there's an easy solution in this room," he continued with calculative eyes.

"What?" Smoker and Zoro asked him at unison.

"You," Zeff pointed his finger at Zoro's direction.

There was a brief silence in the room before…

"Eeeeeh?" Zoro pointed at himself with a surprised, confused look.

End of Chapter 8

Tbc…

Note:

1) Megumi and Kei: are written in the same Kanji. They can be read as 'Kei' or 'Megumi' depending on the femininity. 'Kei' is more likely used to call a boy, and for the girl it's 'Megumi', but it's not reserved officially.

2) O-Fuda (Fuda): is a kind of talisman, made from sacred paper and ink, getting prayed at and hand-made by the priest (monk) from religious temple. It protects the one holding it from evil spirit (in Japan's belief).

3) Jorei: It's the same as removal, but for possession case.

A/N: Uwaah, the word-count is overwhelming… it's almost 17000 words. No wonder I take too long time posting this. Re-checking is a hassle T_T. Um, sorry for the wait. So… the plot turned like this. It's not like what I expected… because it's actually isn't finished. But, since the theme already shifted, this is the end of the 'Shaman' chapters, and I will continue it next in 'Shaniwa' chapters. I have no idea how long it'll take to finish. Anyway, what do you think? Long enough right? Interesting enough? Teasing enough? XD Tell me. Feed backs are my fuel to write more, everyone! Don't hesitate to push that review button, okay? Thanks for reading. XDDD

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