OKAY! So, new chapter of CIAS, shorter than the last two (haha, those were miracles) take it away Disclaimer!

Disclaimer: Nope.

Alicia: DO IT!

Disclaimer: Alicia owns EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING.

Alicia: **cups hand over Disclaimer's mouth** Haha, funny joke Disclaimer! Actually, I, Tenshi D. Alicia, own nothing, So please forget about this bakahead and enjoy the chapter! **drags away Disclaimer kicking and screaming**

Grand Line

When Alice awoke the next morning, she threw her pillow over her head in embarrassment.

Oh my god! Why why why why why? What was I thinking last night?! Why did I sing!? Oh my god I'm so embarrassed…. Alice let her emotions stew for a bit, turning beet red beneath her pillow.

When she finally got up, she looked at herself in the mirror. Ratty clothes, scraggly hair, dark eyes… She was a wreck. She frowned. What sort of dreams did she have to make her look so haggard?

On second thought, she didn't want to know.

Once Alice dressed and washed her face, she quietly opened the door. It didn't seem like anyone was up yet. That was good. She tiptoed down the hall, making no noise as she slipped past the captain's quarters and the crew's quarters. She got a glimpse of Bepo, Shachi and Penguin sleeping on top of one another as she passed by. She snickered.

She made it to the kitchen. She was starving. She hopped up onto a stool and went about getting breakfast- boiling milk, mixing batter, squeezing lemons- until Alice realized that she was only cooking for herself, not for the crew.

That isn't fair! She thought. I should make breakfast for everyone! So Alice started making a real breakfast. Pancakes, toast, eggs, bacon, fruits, meats, breads, pastries, everything! She mixed batter, whipped creams, and measures syrups. She beat eggs, flipped pancakes, and toasted bread. She fried bacon and made her specialty, a walnut chip coffee cake.

Once everything was laid out, hot foods covered and the liquor cabinet locked, only then did Alice sit down to drink her cup of cocoa and eat her cereal and toast.

"Oh! I forgot the coffee!" Alice jumped up and ran back into the kitchen to put on the coffee pot. She was just coming back out, carrying the fresh coffee, when the crew started to file in, yawing and stretching.

The look on their faces fed Alice's ego like nothing else. Huge platters of toast and pastries! Piles upon piles of pancakes! Bowls of boiled eggs and fruit and small jars of jam! Plates of bacon and sausages and ham! And the golden brown coffee cake that sat in the middle of it all, like the jewel set in a crown.

The crew fell onto the food like ravenous animals. Meat and eggs were devoured in seconds. Juices and drinks were chugged straight up. Breads and pancakes got tossed around, screams of "Pass the butter!" and "My syrup!" and "MEEEEAT!"

Alice laughed, carried by the crowd. Looking around, she didn't see Law. She hopped around, balancing her plate and mug in one hand, a plate of food for Law in the other.

When Law arrived, he looked half dead and half adorable. Alice felt her heart flutter at the sight of him. His hair was mussed and his eyes were droopy. He shuffled around, and everyone parted for him. They knew better than to be fooled by their captain's appearance- He got stronger when he's half asleep.

Law plopped down at his chair, and nearly fell back to sleep within two seconds. Alice slid a plate of food and a mug of coffee his way. He perked up after that. His eyes cleared after his first sip, then he knocked back the whole mug in one go.

"Seconds." He ordered. Alice was already there, re-filling his mug.

"Try the coffee cake" She advised, and walked out of the galley to clean up the kitchen. Her head popped back into the galley. "And don't worry about the mess guys, I'll clean up later."

Law left promptly to go work on paperwork, taking with him cake and coffee.

"If captain ever tries to get rid of her we all go on strike." Shachi stated flatly. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Law!" Alice chanted. "Law!" A vein appeared on Law's head, throbbing.

"Laaaw!" Alice whined, poking Law in the back and trying to get his attention. Law was at his desk, trying to do some work, but Alice kept interrupting him.

"What. Do. You. WANT?" He said, turning around so suddenly he nearly smacked Alice in the face.

"I want to shop for new clothes!" Alice huffed, and sank to her knees on the floor, pouting. Law sighed, still seated in his chair.

"Alice, I have to work…"

"Then let me go with Shachi and Penguin! And Bepo too!" She said, waving her arms madly.

"Alice…" Law sighed.

"Laaaaw!" She mimicked.

Law gritted his teeth. On one hand, if he sent her to shop, he could get some work done. On the other, the odds of Alice coming back unscathed were little to none. Penguin and Shachi were not exactly the best supervisors.

"Please Law! Please?" Alice begged, making prayer hands and frantically bobbing up and down on the floor. Law sighed.

"Fine, you can go." He said. Alice squealed with joy, and tried to throw herself at him. He stopped her, seating her back on the floor.

"Rule one. You may not wander on your own at any given time. Rule two. If you some much as hear the word Marine, you come back immediately. Rule three. If Penguin or Shachi somehow get intoxicated, you are to stop whatever you are doing and return immediately with Bepo. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" Alice saluted him, and dashed out the door to tell everyone to get ready.

Law sighed. Exactly what would this expedition cost him; financial wise, and sanity wise?

Alice had raced throughout the whole ship trying to find Penguin and Shachi. Now that she was more comfortable on the ship, she seemed to fit right in. She was like a bright, smiling ball of light that bounced around the ship. Everyone stuck their heads out of their rooms to smile and wave as she passed by, turning corners at speeds that would never be mentioned in front of the captain.

Alice screeched to a stop in front of the engine room. She found Penguin wheeled under a pipe, and Shachi handing him tools. Both had unzipped their boiler suits and tied them around their waists, exposing the black shirts beneath.

"Law said I could go shopping. You guys are coming too- get ready!" And she was off again to wake up Bepo, wherever he had decided to take his afternoon nap.

"Did you understand what she just said?" Shachi asked Penguin, who had wheeled himself out from under the pipe.

"I got this-She's going shopping, we're going with her." Penguin said.

The two men blushed at that little thought…

"Bepoo!" Alice jumped on top of the sleeping bear. Bepo woke violently, jerking upwards as Alice landed in the middle of his back.

"Ow ow owww… What the… Alice…?" Bepo rubbed his head.

Alice started beating his back with her tiny fists. "Bepoo! Come on! Law said I could go shopping!" Bepo turned around and looked at her.

"Oh, he said yes?" Bepo said, standing up and brushing himself off. Alice grabbed his hand and started dragging him in the direction of the hall. She didn't get very far, trying to drag the polar bear across the floor.

"Yes, he said yes, now let's go! I wanna go!" Alice whined, then pouted, then sunk to her knees and stared at Bepo with puppy dog eyes. It worked like a charm.

"Alright, alright, let's go." Bepo sighed, and Alice trotted along by his side, rejoicing as they made their way to the upper deck.

"Have I ever mentioned…."

"How much…"

"I hate shopping?"

"Knock it off."

"Uh…"

"DON'T JUST STAND THERE!"

"I'm sorry!"

"Quit beating on Bepo!" POW!

"Ow ow ow…"

Alice was having a hard time shopping. She just didn't know where to go! She had never had to shop before. Shachi and Penguin noticed her struggle.

"Hey Alice, do you know where you wanna go?" Penguin asked her, leaning over her shoulder.

"No… I don't even know where to start!" Alice admitted. Trying to cover up her mistake would only embarrass herself.

"I see…" Penguin gave Shachi and look, and Shachi returned it. Grinning devilishly, the pair stared at Alice with a malicious glint in their eyes. Bepo and Alice huddled closer together, nervously looking back.

What are they up to…?

Law sighed. It had been a while now- He should come out soon. He was sick of waiting in this dank alley for this person, and was getting annoyed. And the Dark Doctor was not the nicest person when he was annoyed.

Sure enough, a man came through a door into the alley, wearing a chef's outfit. He had ash gray hair held back by a black headband with two white stripes. He sighed, and pulled a cigarette box out of his pocket.

"Gotta get a light…" He muttered, pulling a lighter from his other pocket. He lit a cigarette and brought it to his lips, breathing deeply. He exhaled, sighing shakily into the night air, now gray with smoke. Law wrinkled his nose, then walked up to the man.

"Hello. I take it you must be Haru Suzushima." He said in his smooth baritone. The gray haired man looked up, face cast in light from the dim bulb above their heads. He grinned, his cigarette still between his lips.

"Sure am. Did you need anything mister? The entrance is round front- I could show you if wante-" Law held up a hand to stop him.

"Mister Haru, I have have business with only on individual here; you." He said, eyes glinting. The man's grin slowly softened, his jovial eyes becoming serious. "I want you to join my crew."

"Well I'll be. Trafalgar Law, I ain't seen you for so long I thought you were a member of the mafia!" The ask blond exclaimed, extending a hand to grab Law's and shake it. Surprisingly, Law gripped his hand and shook back.

"I agree, it's been too long. Daros is still with us though." Law said. Haru exclaimed in excitement, ranting about how good it would be to see him again and what has Law been up to and have you found a girlfriend yet? Law grinned slyly at this.

"Haru, I want you to come with us out to sea." Law said. Haru gave him a serious look.

"I don't know Law. I've got a life here, a job, friends, things are good."

Law smiled. "I know you Haru. You want adventure, not monotony. We leave in a day. I'll see you there." Law said, turning around to leave. Haru sighed, then smiled. He would be there. He didn't know why, but Law was the only man he would follow, and he knew he would be there.

Law knew too.

Alice was getting tugged along by Penguin, laughing as they wound through the streets in the twilight. Shachi was ahead, and Bepo was behind them, fighting to keep up. Alice was dressed in new clothes, a white sundress with blue ribbons, and was holding onto a stuffed animal that Shachi had bought her. It was a snow leopard that Alice had named Shino.

Bepo carried her new clothes, most of which Penguin had picked out for her. The man had great fashion sense, and Alice knew she would look good in her new clothes. Shachi hadn't been of much help; but he got her the leopard, so he wasn't useless.

"Come on Alice, this way!"

Alice and Penguin darted through a crowd, weaving through throngs of people. Alice let go of Penguin's hand for a second, getting swept up by the people.

"Crap! Alice!"

Alice stumbled to a halt in front of the entrance to an alley. A man in a long coat was standing there too. "Need any help young lady?" Alice nodded, and he took her hand. Leading her out of the dark alley, she spotted her friends up ahead.

"Look, there are your friends." The man said, letting go of her hand. Turning her head towards him, Alice smiled.

"Thanks mister!" She said. The man smiled gently, pushing her in the direction of her frantic friends.

"Go on now, and don't get swept away, little angle." He murmured. Alice ran over to Shachi and Penguin, and they both scolded her for running away. "Don't be destroyed, my little angle…" The man murmured, drifting back into the darkness of the alley.

Okay guys, REVIEW, and see ya next time! Jaa-ne ^_^!

Disclaimer: **pile of bloody limbs** O-oi... Dying... Here...