Chapter 255: Chapter 255: The Deal
Ben flew with Raki in his arms. She was in the princess position. She looked crossed but blushed. Ben thought she was hard to read. She was happy but mad. He thought, women but she looked cute.
"You are cute," Ben remarked.
Raki took her gun and shoved it in her face. "One more word," Raki warned.
Ben smiled. They approached the Miss Love and Ben landed on the deck. Raki got off his arms. She looked at Ben and looked away. Ben turned back into his human form.
"You know this is kidnapping," Raki said.
"I know, but I want you to remember I will never harm you. You are a beautiful charming woman, you have been fighting, I want you, I want to help you," Ben declared, his determination shining through in his words.
Raki paused for a second. He had kidnapped her but saved her. He fought against the Priests. He was not their enemy for sure. "Why did you save that girl?" Raki asked.
"Girl, which one?" Ben responded.
Raki thought for a second. Which one, he just said, who does he think he is, which one, she thought. He is handsome for sure but which one, does he save other people, he could be a good person. Raki's feelings were conflicted. "The girl you saved and went against him," Raki replied .
"Conis, you mean yes she was brave to do that.," Ben commented. He paused. "She is a nice person who will always try to do her best.," Ben added.
"But why?" Raki asked. She was curious why a stranger would help someone, risk their life for someone they don't know.
"Why, ask?" Ben said. Ben paused again. He built up the tension. Raki leaned forward, she was eager to know. "She was doing the right thing, her heart is in the right place, she wanted to help us, so I will help her and she has joined us now," Ben explained.
Raki thought for a second. She was wondering what his agenda was. He was obviously smart and had a plan but what was it, she thought. "You said she joined?" Raki asked.
"Yes she joined my crew and I want you to join my crew," Ben stated.
Raki's gaze met Ben's as she spoke, her eyes reflecting the weight of her mission. "We have a mission, Ben – to save my people, to lend them a hand and free them," she expressed with conviction.
Ben observed her earnestness. "You need help for your goal. You are strong but you know we beat that priest, he attacked us but we did," Ben said.
Raki responded, "We can as well." As she said that she had doubts.She was not sure, could they. They did, they beat a priest and it was within the first few hours.
Ben grinned, "You can but you can't at the same time." He added, "You are going to need all the help you can get."
"What do you want?" Raki asked. He was smart.He was not going to do it for free.
He smiled. "Like, I said, I will never do anything you don't want. I care for you. I want you to join my crew and I will help you," Ben offered.
Raki thought for a second. She thought about Aisa, Kamakiri, and Wyper. There were many others. She thought they all lived in fear, hidden. Enel could hear them and monitor them. She thought that he was not a bad person. Her gut feeling was telling her to do it. Her mind thought it was not logical. She thought about the dream with a man, with him.
"Fine, I will join you crew if you defeat Enel," Raki stated.
"Deal," Ben said. He smiled.
Raki sighed. At that moment, Alvida, Vivi, Marianne, Zala, Saphir and Conis entered the deck. They were there but overhearing the conversation.
"Another one my love," Alvidat teased.
"Ben that was mean," she pouted. Marianne nodded.
"Did he not give you a similar deal?" Zala pointed out.
"He did but," Vivi replied.
"He did?" Raki asked.
"Yes, my country was about to be taken over by an evil warlord, a civil war was about to break out in full scale, he tricked the people thinking my father, the king was evil, he took water from other people, he was evil," Vivi explained. Her voice had anger in it.
She paused. A smile appeared on her face. Her eyes lit up. She looked at Ben. "At first, I thought he was strange, he said things and did things, but he promised to help me and my country for me. That was a strange but warm feeling. He can be a bit of a pervert, but he protects us, makes us stronger," Vivi explained further. Her voice was filled with affection.
Raki looked at her. She felt jealous. A girl in love. Ben looked embarrassed. "My love will help you," Alvida said.
"He has helped me and protected my sister," Sahpir added.
"He protected me from him, I believe in him," Conis stated. Raki looked at Conis, she was that girl who went against God. She noted her back was on fire but she did not seem to mind. She looked a bit relaxed.
"You are that girl," Raki remarked.
"Girl?" Conis questioned.
"The one that went against Enel," Raki said.
Conis looked a bit scared. She knew she did. She looked at Ben. Her facial expression changed. She looked determined and nodded. "I was only doing what I thought was right," Conis said. She then looked down. Ben walked over and put a hand on her shoulder.
Raki was speechless. "It's time for the girls talk," Alvida stated.
"Girls talk?" Raki questioned.
"When someone new joins the crew we have a talk," Marianne replied.
"We had one today," Zala commented.
"We will have one every time someone joins," Alvida firmly said.
"I have not joined the crew.." Raki tried to say.
"My love will keep his deal,we will all make sure he does and work together," Alvida remarked. She looked serious. She stared into Raki`s eyes.
Alvida grabbed her hand and started to drag across the deck to the dining hall. "My love no eavesdropping," Alvida said as they got into the dining hall.
"I feel like this has happened before," Marianne commented.
"It has happened many times," Vivi replied. They all went to the dining hall. Ben was by himself outside. He looked to see the Miss Love Duck going down the slope. He held on. The Miss Love Duck went down and then hit a lake. The downward slope was gentle. He looked to see the altar with a ship at the top. There was a shark on the surface with its belly up. Ben looked to see a man with a strawhat. He was smiling.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone