Ben walked up the stairs to the Dining room. He saw Zala, HQ and Conis serving Alvida ,Kaya, Mikita, Honey,Vivi, Marianne, Robin, Saphir, and Raki who were sitting around the table. The dining table was large however it was getting to its limits. The entire room was a bit cramped however it felt cosy. He noticed Nojiko had not arrived yet. He thought she was still getting ready.
"Hi All," Ben greeted. They chatter around the room, got quiet and all their eyes lit like fire. The smiles on their faces grew wider.
They all greeted back. Ben saw there was a seat between Kaya and Mikita and sat down between them.
Ben offered Kaya a warm smile. "Don't do anything perverted," Kaya chided.
His smile broadened as he gently held her waist. "I said don't," she reiterated, her tone light.
Ben's grip became more assured, yet Kaya didn't resist; instead, she remained comfortably within his embrace.
"I want this too," Mikita interjected.
Ben's smile turned tender, and he wrapped his arms around Mikita. "Of course," Ben replied.
"Kaya, thank you for sacrificing yourself for us," Robin quipped with a hint of mischief. She had a cheeky smile on her face.
"I'm happy to," Kaya declared, her voice brimming with pride.
"I would have taken the hit for my friend," Vivi shouted.
"We all would for my love," Alvida added. Honey and Marianne nodded.
Raki gazed around the room, taking in the displays of affection. "Does this happen all the time?" she inquired. She thought it was strange but a good strange.
Zala nodded affirmatively. "It certainly does," she confirmed with a soft smile.
Saphir's eyes twinkled with curiosity. "You don't like it?" she probed gently.
Raki hastened to clarify, "No, it's nice, just a bit unusual for me," she admitted.
The girls smiled. "You will get more and more for my love," Alvida teased.
She looked at Ben. He was a good looking strong man. She looked away.
HQ walked towards Ben. "Master, I am sorry for not assisting you last night and this morning," HQ apologies while bowing her head. She added, "I accept any punishment from you."
The room got silent. "I will not punish you," Ben stated. "I have said this before, if you make a mistake or if you have to retreat for whatever reason, do it. Your safety is more important to me than anything else," Ben added.
They all smiled hearing that. They knew however it was always good to hear that. Conis and Raki heart beat skipped a beat.
"You are very kind Master," HQ replied.
Alvida coughed. Honey smiled. "Sorry my love, something went down my throat," Alvida remarked as she winked.
"Something to share?" Mikita asked. She had a cunning smile on her face.
"Not for the dinner table," Kaya affirmed.
The girls giggled.
"Master, I also have taken a blood sample from Enel for the Goro Goro no Mi," HQ confirmed.
"Amazing," Ben replied. He thought that was incredible to use. It was a very powerful devil fruit.
"That will be strong to have my love," Alvida replied. Ben nodded and agreed.
Raki and Conis were surprised to hear that. They had been told about the labs and how blood samples could be used to replicate devil fruits for the A.S.S. "That power was used to torment us," Conis remarked.
"He destroyed an entire island with it," Raki added.
"It is a powerful fruit which can be used for great evil but in the right hands its could be used for good," Robin said.
"She is right there and I trust all the A.S.S models," Ben added.
"They have been helping us the entire time," Honey added.
Nojiko stepped into the dining room. "My mum is one of them," she stated. "I know it's not really her, yet somehow it is," she added. Raki and Conis nodded. They both knew they had nothing to worry about.
Alvida turned to Ben. "My love, who's going to use this one?" she inquired.
Ben shrugged, "I'm not sure. We've amassed more devil fruit samples than the A.S.S. Models at this point," he responded.
"A.S.S. Model PR and A.S.S. Model NT have chosen their devil fruit for their use," HQ chimed in.
"Alright, I'll check in with the girls to see how far they've progressed with that," Ben remarked.
Alvida's lips curled into a teasing smile. "I'm certain they're missing you, my love," she said playfully.
"And Honey," she added with a wink, her teasing tone lightening the mood.
"We have not heard from Sumi in a few days," Honey said.
"Or my sisters," Saphir said.
"We will talk to them in the evening, they might be busy now," Ben said. Sapgir nodded.
The other girls giggled. "Not at the dining table," Kaya said.
"Master, I did not see Enel`s body," HQ revealed.
"He is alive?" Conis said. She looked shocked but not scared.
Raki gritted her teeth and clenched her fist. "He should have been dead," Raki remarked.
"Enel has suffered a severe defeat; his pride and ego are in tatters," he explained. "And his forces have been thoroughly vanquished."
Alvida's voice was resolute, her determination unwavering. "Should he dare to return, we will face him united and prevail over him once more," she declared confidently.
Vivi nodded in firm agreement, her eyes alight with the fire of shared conviction. "Together, we will overcome," she affirmed.
Raki and Conis believed them. "It's just annoying. he lived after all he had done," Raki explained.
"Sometimes it is not worth killing them," Vivi explained.
"She is right there, revenge can be hollow," Robin added.
"They saw destroying your dreams is worse than death," Ben said. "Enel's dream was using the Maxim to go to the moon," he explained. "We should take the Maxim for ourselves to use in the future," Ben added.
Raki agreed. "We should take it before he uses it," Raki remarked.
"Let's go there then," Mikita remarked.
"What is the Maxim?" Marianne asked.