Hey there^^

it's time for the monthly chapter of 'A different journey' ... oh wait, I'm a bit late. So I'm sorry that I didn't upload in April. But well I got a bit lazy and then had some stuff to do for my studies and every time I opened the document to write on I was mostly blocked. So this chapter is shorter but at least I got to a point where it felt fine to end the chapter. Because I don't like keeping chapters shorter than needed. I only do that if it is needed for building up tension or to underline the last sentence even more.

So yeah, I will only keep chapters short if I need to for the story otherwise the upload will be late. But I don't leave this story unfinished. So I will probably change the upload plan to I just upload when the next chapter is finished. I hope that maybe I will get some more chapters done in summer. So maybe I will get a little more ahead of this story and then will return to an upload plan with maybe twice a month. But no promises there.

buterflypuss: Thank you^^

yukino76: happy to read that^^ I intend to do some more because I don't really have to think about fitting it in the context while writing them. It is relaxing^^

SakuraKoi: Thanks =) And aw the profile picture is cute with the dog. I only noticed it now^^'

~Chapter 12 – False Faces~

Conis was surprised when she that the breakfast was very varied like the dinner yesterday. The cook really took his job seriously or as Ain had said he was trying to impress the blue-haired young woman and her.

"Here you go, Conis-chan", Sanji said and placed a steaming cup in front of her. "Thank you, Sanji", she thanked him and took a sip from it. Well, she wanted to.

"Oi, Sanji. More Food."

That was the demand from Luffy. The black-haired boy was already stuffing his face with food. Even stealing some food from Ace's plate while the older one had fallen asleep. How was Luffy able to eat that much?

"Don't question it. It is better not to wonder how Luffy can eat that much without gaining weight", Law said and held his plate towards the eating boy.

"Oi, Trafalgar. Eat your bread on your own!", Sanji said angrily. He didn't seem to appreciate it much that Law gave away the bread to Luffy.

"I won't eat this demonic product", the surgeon said without moving a muscle. He seemed dead-serious about the fact that bread is something bad.

"It is not a demonic product. It is very healthy. Something you as a doctor should know!"

"Sanji, please don't try to reason with Law there. He is a lost case like his adopted father." "Oi, I never said that he is my adopted father."

Conis could only watch. It was a funny sight to see two grown men argue about bread. Even if Sanji had stepped down but only because Ain told him, too.

"Oi, Luffy, stop it."

The breakfast was somewhat chaotic, but she couldn't help but laugh about it.

"Island in sight."

Ain felt a bit relieved when Zoro had shouted down from the crow's nest. It had been some time since they had left Louge Town. There hadn't been a stop, yet, except the Twin Peaks. So she hadn't had the chance to buy some clothes for herself as she left everything except her weapons and the clothes she wore in Logue Town.

It was the same for Bartolomeo who had left with them in a haste.

Her reddish-brown eyes wandered over to Conis. The blonde didn't have any exchange clothes either. For her it must have been even harder as her start of a journey was even more unpredicted than her own.

But the island was also a way to call the others and let them know that she wasn't in Logue Town any longer.

Her eyes fell on Luffy. The black-haired boy was cheering something about adventure and first Grandline Island on his own journey.

It didn't feel right to maybe try and leave them now. Sure, they may be pirates at the moment. But maybe she was able to convince to stop being pirates and join their ranks for a better world. That would be nice.

Because she didn't like the thought of fighting against them. Especially Ace, Law and Luffy. She saw them growing up since Luffy was around ten or eleven. She wasn't sure at the moment. So it was only natural to develop a soft spot for them.

Because no one could tell Ain, that he or she met Luffy as a child and spent some time around him only to start hating him. No, that wasn't possible. Only if you were heartless.

"Ain-san?"

Conis' voice interrupted her thoughts. Ain turned around to look at the blonde. The Skypiean looked a bit unsure and uncomfortable as she was wearing clothes borrowed by Ace as it was easier to hide the blonde's wings since the first mate was a bit bulkier while Conis' frame was rather slim.

"Do you want to go shopping? We could try to find some more fitting clothes for you. I have to go shopping, too. So it wouldn't make much of a difference if we went together. We can also take Bartolomeo along as he needs some more clothes, too", Ain said with a slight smile. For one to get her thoughts back on the track and on the other hand, she didn't want to give someone an opportunity to read her mind because she wasn't careful enough with her facial expression.

"Ain-chan~ and Conis-chan~ are going shopping. Let me tag along to carry all those heavy bags you will have", Sanji swept in front of them with hearts in his eyes.

"No, not needed."

"Oi, ero-cook, don't run away from your task." "I'm not running away from my task. I'll just give the ladies a higher priority. But you wouldn't know how to act like a gentleman, you shitty marimo."

Ain immediately felt a headache started to grow. How could two grown-up men argue that much like little children?

It was easy to see why Law's motherly Omega instincts were a bit triggered by that even if the surgeon tried really hard not to act on that feeling if it didn't involve Luffy.

"Shut the fuck up, you two."

There was the statement to stop them from the black-haired Omega. These two really seemed to get on Law's nerves when he started to curse at them just for their biggering.

"Oi, Law, don't curse when my baby brother is around!"

Ain wanted to face-palm. She had a feeling Luffy would hear a lot worse when they really want to be pirates. So covering the youngest's ears wouldn't do much in her opinion.

"Ace, you know that he will probably hear lots of worse words when you dock somewhere and you can't be with him? Also, Sanji cruses as well", she carefully mentioned only to be met with one of Ace's death glares while he was still covering Luffy's ears.

"Ne Ace, what was is so bad about saying 'Fuck'?", their captain asked while poking his nose.

Ain suppressed a laugh. The face of Luffy literally screamed that he didn't really care about the word and its meaning but despite the somewhat impolite gesture, it also had some kind of an innocent charm which she had only noticed around Luffy.

This combined with Ace's shocked face was definitely worth the laugh.

"We will reach the island in less than ten minutes."

This statement from Bepo stopped everything spark of the discussion because there were still some preparations to take before they would go on land.

The island was nice. Even if the name sounded not nice, at least that's what Ain said. But Luffy couldn't really understand her feelings about the name Machigatta.

There was a small village close to the port and a big forest. It would have been nice to try and hunt there, but Law held him and Ace back. First, they had to do the shopping then they could maybe hunt depending on their Logue Pose.

It had made him pout. Because shopping even if it involved food was boring. Also, he couldn't understand why Sanji was slightly skipping and singing something about Ain and Conis shopping.

"Ne, Ace, did Sanji hit his head or something?", he innocently asked his big brother who was looking around. "Probably."

But suddenly the answer wasn't interesting any longer. Because a group of funny looking people blocked their way.

"Well, well, look what we have here. A fortune of 90,000,000 berrie. If we hand them over to the government, we can get a promotion maybe."

Luffy saw Law's annoyed look. "Can we beat them up without holding back?", he asked. Because it was clear that these people wouldn't leave them alone.

"Well, there are enough~ Zoro, Sanji consider them training", Law said and that was Luffy's clue to ran into the fight.

Bartolomeo looked a bit sceptic at the blue-haired woman in front of them. The one who Ain had been called in 'Princess Vivie' in surprise.

Why should a princess be here? Also, the blue haired one didn't look or act like one. He had seen some royalties in Logue Town and to be true they all had a stick up their "asses if you asked him. So this one couldn't be a princess.

"I don't know who you are talking to. I'm Miss Wednesday." The voice was a bit shaken and she didn't really look them in the eyes.

"She's lying…" "She is just as worst as Luffy."

"These men are annoying", Luffy grumbled as he sat down on a roof. Normally he enjoyed a good fight. But this one had been annoying. It also got him separated from the others. Why did they always get lost? Were they stupid or something?

Luffy massaged his temple with two fingers. A habit he picked up when Law had done it for him to focus more during the Observation Haki training.

Oh right, he could use Haki to find the others. Especially Ace's and Law's auras were something he would be able to detect even in his sleep.

But before he could focus, the young captain was distracted by what happened in the street.

A tall black-haired woman stood there with some men who looked like the idiots who attacked them, but also with two other women and two men who did look stronger. He didn't know why. But he felt the most danger came from the black-haired man with dread looks and sunglasses.

"So we shall eliminate her?" "Yes, that is what Mister 0 has said." "I already have the perfect plan. I just follow my lead. We will get the traitor and the little fortune that is walking around the island."

Luffy narrowed his eyes at the black-haired man with a three on his head. Strange hairstyle.

"Just tell Mister 0 that I will handle everything."

Mister 0? What a stupid name. Who would choose such a name?

His eyes were back on the street. Only the black-haired woman was still standing there. She didn't look very happy. But her aura did feel nice so maybe he could just ask for the way to the harbour. Because he had decided it was too loud to concentrate.

"Ne, are you a slave to them?", he asked and jumped down from the roof. A surprised look was on her face. But not long.

"Why should I be a slave to them?", the woman seemed confused about this question. "Because you don't look happy while talking to them and you don't seem to like you want to talk with them at all."

The facial expression of the woman didn't change much but Luffy could see the surprise in her eyes.

"If you don't want to do it then why do you do it?"

The woman smiled and then only patted his head. "It's complicated."

"It can't be. You just have to become a pirate to become free", Luffy said. He didn't understand why people made their life complicated by doing stuff they clearly didn't want to do.

"Is that an invention, Monkey D Luffy?"

Ain bit her lip in concentration. She had to think of something really quick before this wax-guy found a way to get around Bartolomeo's barrier.

They had to protect Conis and the princess. That's for sure. But it also was tiering because Bartolomeo couldn't let the barrier down for one second.

There was this bomb guy who was shooting whatever at them and it just exploded and also there was the wax.

But they needed to get out the barrier area to get either away from their opponents or fight them.

"How much longer can you keep the barrier up?", Ain asked. She needed time. Even if she hit the ground with her power it wouldn't help them.

Before Bartolomeo could answer, a bomb exploded on the ground and made it harder for them to stand.

Ain had a bad feeling when the barrier appeared and disappeared in seconds.

She could hear Conis and Vivie scream slightly in panic.

But there didn't came another bomb or wax at them.

"Who do you think you are daring to hurt a lady?"

Ain's eyes widened quite in surprise. She hadn't expected Sanji to show up. But the cook had shown up just on time to save them by kicking the wax-guy into the bomb guy so the main force of their opponents was shortly unable to do something.

"Who are you?"

"I am the knight in shining armour for the ladies."

Told you the chapter was shorter... But I guess it did much for the story to give you some sneak peeks ahead^^
see you at the next chapter