"Former Ruler?" Sanji asked.
"Wait let me get my crew here," Ben said. Ben with the help of Kaya got everyone across to the Going Merry. HQ said she would stay back to keep an eye on the Miss Love Duck. Kaya, Alvida, Mikita, Honey, Nojiko, Vivi, Marianne, Zala, Robin and Saphir were all on the Miss Love Duck.
Luffy was eating cooked fish. "Ladies, do you want some food cooked by me?" Sanji asked.
"Food sounds nice," Vivi replied.
"Cant say no to that," Mikita added.
"You have made your crew bigger," Luffy said and added, "Nice to meet you both, I am Luffy who will be the Pirate King."
"You don't have to keep saying that," Usopp said.
"It's our pleasure," Saphir and Zala replied
"The gender balance is off," Chopper observed with his usual perceptive insight.
"There are a lot of things off," Zoro added, a sense of suspicion lacing his words. He couldn't shake the feeling that Ben was concealing something.
"More ladies," Sanji muttered to himself, his eyes lighting up at the prospect.
Nami and Nojiko embraced each other warmly. "Good to see you again, sis," Nami expressed with genuine delight.
"Good to see you as well," Nojiko replied, reciprocating the sentiment.
With a playful glint in her eye, Nami teased, "Is Ben behaving?"
A smile adorned Nojiko's face as she responded, "Best behavior." If only she knew. Nojiko thought of keeping it a secret for now. She knew Nami would join eventually but not now.
"Okay, now that everyone is here," Ben said.
"Gan Fall was once the ruler until Enel came and took over. He is a brutal dictator controlling the people. Enel has the Goro Goro no Mi or the lightning fruit. He can hear everything around those island, and he strikes people down if they bad mouth him," Ben explained.
"That is awful," Saphir said.
"Like Crocodile," Vivi said. Her eyes flashed red. Nojiko cleared her throat. She thought Vivi was about to lose it.
"We should stop him," Chopper said.
"The Goro Goro No Mi means he can control lightning, that is a powerful fruit but," Robin said looking at Luffy.
"But?" Usopp asked.
"Rubber can counter it," Ben replied.
"That is genius," Marianne said.
"It is," Nami smiled, in joy.
[Quest 11: The False Ruler
Description: The people of Skypiea are being controlled by a false god
Conditions:
Defeat Enel
Defeat Ohm
Defeat Satori
Defeat Shura
Defeat Gedatsu
Defeat Yama
Defeat Hotori
Defeat Kotori
Defeat Divine Soldiers
Make love with Alvida doggystyle (0/1)
Have a threesome with Zala and Mikita (0/1)
Make love with Kaya in seated scissors position (0/1)
Make love with Vivi 69 position (0/1)
Make love with Robin (0/1)
Get Saphir to give you a blowjob (0/1)
Rewards:
Oni Oni no Mi, Model: Wendigo
Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Aswang
Gekido Gekido no Mi
Hakkin Hakkin no Mi
Access to a hidden lab in Skypiea
]
(A lot of items to complete again, Sweetie)
(The quest is poised to become more arduous; nonetheless, the rewards awaiting at its culmination will unquestionably justify the increased challenges.)
(Thank you Sweetie.)
"Why are you telling us this and how do you know?" Zoro asked.
"My devil fruit let me know of big threats and why I am telling you this, we don't have a reputation of keeping out of trouble do we," Ben replied. Ben thought that technically that was the truth to some extent.
"He is right, you all are magnets of trouble," Nami remarked.
"That keeps it fun, sis," Nojiko added.
"That is right," Luffy agreed.
"You shut-up," Nami said in fury at Luffy. She turned to her sister. "You have been influenced," Nojiko said.
"Ben," Nami shouted.
Zoro looked at Ben. "Okay, we should be on our guard," Zoro commented.
"We should always be on our guard," Zala said. She paused. "But sometimes you need to relax," she added.
"I can make some delicious food for you ladies," Sanji offered.
"I want some as well," Luffy shouted.
"None for you," Sanji responded.
"We should get going," Ben said and added, "This ocean is only one side and there does not seem too much here, we will probably see more on top."
"Yes, we should," Mikita added. She nodded.
"Also, Ben, whoever this guy is, I am going to take him out," Luffy declared.
Ben smiled. "We did say that," Ben replied.
"You took the last one and the one before that," Luffy said.
"We will always have each other's back," Ben stated.
Luffy smiled. He walked up. "That we will have," Luffy replied.
"One more thing, Luffy," Ben spoke with a hint of gravity, his words hanging in the air like a looming storm. "That round guy we just encountered, he goes by the name Blackbeard."
Luffy raised an eyebrow, the mention of Blackbeard not stirring much reaction from him. "He has bad taste in food," Luffy nonchalantly remarked, seemingly unfazed by the revelation.
Ben added, "Blackbeard is the man Ace has been searching for."
The Straw Hat crew collective gasp echoed through the ship. Ben's girls, perceptive and reserved, stayed silent.
"Ace is strong," Luffy declared, his voice resonating with unwavering confidence.
"That he is," Ben acknowledged. Although he is not Blackbeard level strong. "I am with you, Luffy," Ben said.
Lufy smiled and showed his teeth. "I am too," Luffy replied.
"Okay girls, let's head back to the Miss Love Duck," Ben ordered. The girls nodded.
Kaya transformed into her hybrid form. "My turn this time," Nojiko said.
"Me too," Honey added. They both ran to Ben and hugged him
"Okay," Ben replied.
"You," Sanji said in fury.
Ben and Kaya fly back the girls to the Miss Love Duck.
"Okay, let's go," Ben said. Nojiko nodded and headed to the Bridge. The other girls stayed on the deck with Ben.
"My love, did you get a quest?" Alvida inquired, her eyes gleaming with curiosity as she turned to Ben, eager for details.
A smile played on Ben's lips as he nodded in response. "Yes, I did," he confirmed.
Kaya, chimed, "Pervert."
"We don't know the quest yet," Vivi interjected. She had a feeling that she was right.
"I would be happy to help," Honey volunteered with a warm smile.
"It does involve some tasks with you girls, however, not too long this time," Ben explained.
The atmosphere grew a bit somber as the realization set in, and the expressions on their faces shifted to a mix of disappointment and sadness. Ben noted their reactions and hastened to reassure them. "But that does not mean you can't do it," he quickly added, his words injecting a renewed spark of hope into the room.
Ben knew it was important for them all to be included within the quest however the rewards will take long to get. The Miss Love Duck started sailing on the white sea. It was making good progress. The Going Merry was behind them. Luffy, Chopper and Usopp were playing around. Nami was scolding them.
They reached a large fluffy cloud. "We are here," Ben remarked.
"Here?" Marianne asked. She looked at the large fluffy cloud in front of them.
"Yes, it will be fun," Ben replied. Marianne nodded. Ben transformed in the hybrid form and picked up Marianne and flew onto the cloud. He dropped Marianne on the cloud. Marianne fell down and bounced on the cloud.
"This is fun," Marianne said. Ben also jumped down and bounced up. He thought this was like a bouncy castle.
"That looks fun," Vivi said.
"It does but is blocking our path," Robin remarked.
"Yes, the Miss Love Duck will not be able to pass that," Mikita added. Ben and Marianne bounced up and down. They then headed back to the Miss Love Duck.
"Does anyone else want to try that?" Ben asked.
"Yes," they all replied. Ben took each one of the girls and bounced them up and down on the cloud. Alvida and Mikita were both clinging onto Ben. Zala and Honey held onto Ben and bounced when it was their turn. Kaya and Vivi were close to Ben as they bounced up on the cloud. Robin also participated. Saphir thought of adventure as she bounced.
Each girl had their turn and they enjoyed themself. "I should get Nojiko," Ben said.
The Miss Love Duck started to move again. "Guess, she does not want to," Kaya added. They carefully navigated left and right through the clouds.
They saw a golden entrance. There was a grand tunnel. On top of the structure it was written "Heaven Gate" in bold letters.
"Wow," Honey exclaimed, her eyes widening in genuine awe as she surveyed the scene before them.
"This is impressive," Zala added, her voice filled with a mix of admiration and curiosity.
"It's like a toll gate," Ben observed.
"Are we going to pay for it, my love?" Alvida inquired.
"Yes, we will," Vivi affirmed.
"Are we not pirates?" Mikita asked.
"We are paying for it," Vivi reiterated. She looked serious.
"Princess has spoken," Robin teased.
"Yes she has so my love will have to follow," Alvida added. They all laughed. Vivi blushed a bit. Ben hugged her.
"We will pay," Ben replied. He knew he had money on the ship and lots of it from the raids.
"I will get it," Mikita said.
"I can help," Saphir offered. Ben nodded.
They approached the Heaven's Gate and saw pillars on either side. "There is someone there," Kaya spotted.
They saw a short elderly woman with an extensively wrinkled face walk into sight. She had purple hair, put into two buns. She has thin arms, and wore a pink tunic, and had small white wings on her.
"It's an old lady," Honey blurted out.
"Yes it is," Ben replied.
The Miss Love Duck got closer. "I am Amazon, the Heaven`s Gate Inspector," she introduced herself.
"Are you here for sightseeing or war?" Amazon asked.
"Yes, we are for sighting seeing ," Ben replied.
"We would like to go up," Vivi requested
"War?" Mikita commented.
"It does not matter," Amazon replied.
"It will be 1 billion extol per person," Amazon added.
"Extol?" Zala asked.
"What is that in berries?" Honey asked.
"That sounds expensive my love," Alvida asked.
"We have 12 people so that is 12 billion extol," Robin worked out.
"Can we get a discount?" Marianne asked.
"It is 1 billion extol per person but you can go without paying," Amazon replied.
"Really?" Vivi asked.
"I just ask about your intentions," Amazon replied.
Ben smiled. "She will take pictures of us and we will be wanted for not paying," Ben said.
"So we will be criminals," Kaya added.
"We will be fighting him sooner or later so it does not matter," Ben stated.
They all looked at Vivi. She twiddled her thumbs. "We are not paying because we have a greater plan. If we pay now then it will take longer to run into him so he will hurt more people. In that case we will not pay and he will come after us quicker," Vivi rationalised.
Ben thought that was some mental gymnastics to justify. "Exactly," Alvida replied.
"We want to beat him quicker so that will work," Robin added.
"We don't have enough money so we will not pay,," Ben said.
"Okay," Amazon replied. They knew the consequences and still did not pay.
At that moment a giant shrimp came from the water. Its pincers grabbed the Miss Love Duck. It lifted it on its back. The shrimp was orange and had large eyes. It had a protective shell. The shrimp looked like it was struggling.
Nojiko came running down. "Captain, we are being taken control by a sea monster," Nojiko said.
"Don't worry, it will take us up," Ben said. Mikita and Saphir came with a sack of gold.
"We got it, Captain," Saphir said.
"Thanks girls but we don't need it," Ben responded.
"But Vivi," Mikita said.
"I am okay," Vivi meekly replied.
The Going Merry also pulled up behind them. "Mrs, they are with us, let them through as well please, they are short of money," Ben requested.
Amazon nodded.
The Miss Love Duck moved forward being carried by the giant shrimp. Their eyes widened in amazement as they beheld a mesmerising sight a series of loop-de-loops spiralling upwards.