Chapter 197

"So things didn't go as planned, captain?" Byron asked as he lazed about on the Black Pearl's deck with several others after noticing Johnny's arrival.

"She tried to out-drink me. Get me drunk and tongue loosed..." Johnny replied, smiling as he approached his Byron and the others. "Big mistake. She drank herself into a stupor, and I don't do necrophilia," he added, with a chuckle, shaking his head.

"What's this about?" Elly asked from the side, raising an eyebrow, her gaze alternating between Johnny and Byron.

"Went on a date with a CP9 chick," Johnny replied with a shrug as he sat next to Byron, cross-legged. "Didn't go as planned for both of us," he added, scratching his head.

"Define planned," Elly flatly remarked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Getting laid for me. Capturing me or getting information about our crew for her," Johnny replied with a smirk, waving a hand. "None of us got what we wanted, but she got the short end of the stick, if you ask me," he added with a smug expression.

"You're such a pervert, captain! And it's only gotten worse since this degenerate came along!" Elly said with a sigh, messaging her forehead as she looked at Byron.

"Hey! I'll have you know the captain is even worse than me!" Byron said as he glared at Elly, causing Johnny to chuckle as he shook his head.

"Indeed. Birds of a feather flock together," Kozue commented from the side as she came from the lower decks, reading one of her erotic books, with Lagoo perched on her shoulder.

"I don't wanna hear that from you, of all people," Johnny dismissively replied, smiling as Iago called loudly and flew to his shoulder.

"Whatever," Elly said, rolling her eyes. "What did you mean the CP9 girl had the short end of the stick, captain?" Elly asked with a curious expression, tilting her head.

"Oh, well, she drank herself into a stupor for once," Johnny replied as he ruffled Iago's plumage, much to the latter's satisfaction as he softly called, leaning into Johnny's hand.

"And when I picked her up to drop her back, she probably assumed the worse," he added, smirking in amusement. "Her colleague just looked at her with contempt without bothering to say as much as a word when it happened," he concluded, shaking his head.

And as much as Johnny wanted to wickedly laugh and claim it was all a part of his plan to plant a seed of doubt into Khalifa's mind about her line of business, even he wasn't that shameless as it was nothing more than a stroke of luck.

"What?! That's horrible!" Elly said with a wide-eyed expression. "How can he do that to his comrade?!" she angrily asked, seemingly exasperated.

"These people, the Cipher Pole agents, aren't much for camaraderie," Johnny replied with a shrug of his shoulder. "They're killing machines, bred and raised to do the world government's bidding since childhood," he explained with a disgusted expression.

"Either way, it's none of our business," Johnny remarked, shaking his head. "I also had a chat with Iceburg this morning," Johnny added, changing the subject.

"He said he had two people that might fit in with the crew..." Johnny said, proceeding to explain the conversation he had with Iceburg.

...

"I'll meet up with him tomorrow morning, and we'll see what comes out of it," Johnny concluded, stretching his limbs with a lazy expression.

"Sounds interesting! I'll come along," Wilson, who had arrived during Johnny's explanation, said with a smile, earning a nod from Johnny.

"I'll tag along if that's ok, captain," Elly said, making her intentions known and getting a nod from Johnny.

"Sure. Be ready to go tomorrow morning," Johnny said with a shrug. "Oh, and one more thing before I forget," he added, smiling as he reached into his pocket, taking out a stack of wanted posters.

"We have new bounties, but let's wait for everyone to get back..." Johnny concluded, stowing away the posters, much to the dismay of everyone present, but they agreed nonetheless.

...

"Alright, since everyone is here, let's get started," Johnny said, smiling as he briefly looked at his crewmates, all gathered on the Black Pearl's deck.

Johnny turned his attention back to the wanted posters. "White ape, Wilson, wanted dead or alive. Bounty: 115 million berries," Johnny remarked, handing out the wanted poster to Wilson.

"Like I said, I'm not a goddamned ape! And I'm not white! I'm Silver!" Wilson exclaimed with a scowl, promptly shredding the wanted posture to shreds, making everyone chuckle.

"Tell it to the marines, buddy," Johnny amusedly said, shaking his head as he moved to the next wanted poster. "Demon Cloud, Laffite, wanted dead or alive. Bounty: 110 million berries," he remarked, handing the wanted poster to the navigator.

"Do I really look like a demon?" Laffite asked, raising an eyebrow. "First Demon Sherrif, and now Demon Cloud..." he added, head tilted sideways.

"They're just jealous of your good looks," Johnny said, chuckling as he turned to the next poster. "Death God, Doc Q, wanted dead or alive. Bounty: 95 million berries," he remarked, handing the paper to Doc.

"At least they got a new portrait of me," Doc said with a smirk, looking at his wanted poster. "The old one made me look like a corpse," he added with a chuckle.

"Yeah, it's not like you used to look like a corpse or anything," Johnny said, rolling his eyes. "Fire Bird, Byron, wanted dead or alive. Bounty: 80 million berries," Johnny stated, handing the wanted poster to the blonde musician.

"Looking good, if I do say so myself," Byron remarked, grinning as he looked at his portrait, wielding two flaming axes while charging towards a group of marines.

"Instant Death, Kozue, wanted dead or alive. Bounty: 69 million berries," Johnny remarked, raising an eyebrow at the number as he handed Kozue her wanted poster.

"69, huh? That's a good number. I like it," Kozue said, nodding as she gave the wanted poster a brief look with a smile on her face.

"You would, wouldn't you? Damn pervert..." Johnny muttered under his breath, shaking his head as he moved on to the next one. "Blood Warden, Domino, wanted dead or alive. Bounty: 63 million berries," Johnny remarked, handing the Domino her wanted poster.

"Oh, they got me wielding a spear. Good!" Domino said, smiling as she looked at the poster. "The old bastard should get the hint when he sees it," she added, chuckling with a shake of her head.

"Deadlock Elizabeth wanted dead or alive. Bounty: 60 million berries," Johnny remarked, handing Elly her wanted poster.

"I'm falling behind!" Elly said, pouting as she looked at the number on her wanted poster. "I need to get more action, captain!" she added, glaring at Johnny.

"No worries, plenty of that coming your way," Johnny said with a shrug, waving a hand to the side. "Death Surgeon, Law wanted dead or alive. Bounty: 53 million berries," he remarked, handing Law his wanted poster.

Law took the poster, gave it a brief look, and put it away without any reaction, much to everyone's exasperation, but no one said anything about it.

"Apologetic Bepo wanted dead or alive. Bounty: 25 million berries," Johnny remarked, handing Bepo his wanted poster.

"Apologetic...?" Bepo said in a depressed tone, his face turning blue. "I'm sorry for being so apologetic!" he exclaimed, bowing his head.

"Stop apologizing!" everyone present exclaimed in one voice, making Bepo's downcast expression even more blue as he began apologizing again.

"Whatever," Johnny said, exasperated as he shook his head. "My bounty went up all the way to 250 million berries, and Bob still didn't get a bounty," he added, turning to look at the mustached cook.

"That's for the better," Bob carelessly replied to no one surprise as everyone smiled.

"Anyway..." Johnny remarked, smiling as he took his whisky bottle. "Let me get my guitar... This calls for a party!"