Chapter 448: New Bounties

Ben carried Alvida in his arms princess style upstairs to the Dining Room. Alvida snuggled up. She put her head on his chest. She had a wide smile on her face. They walked up and got to the Dining Room where everyone was there. Kaya, Mikita, Honey, Nojiko, Vivi, Marianne, Zala, Saphir, Conis, Raki, Maya, NT, Robin and Kalifa were all there. 

The lively chatter inside momentarily paused. Kaya sat and looked at Ben and sighed. Mikita leaned back in her chair with a playful smirk, crossing her arms as if amused by the sight. Honey bounced up from her seat. Nojiko lips curling into a small smile.

Vivi smiled, she remembered how Ben carried her princess style. Marianne smiled. Zala gave a subtle nod of acknowledgment. Saphir and Conis sat together, exchanging glances before turning their attention fully to Ben and Alvida. Raki leaned back, folding her arms across her chest. Maya looked and blushed slightly. Kalifa had a notepad and wrote something down. 

Robin's dark eyes shimmered, her lips curled into a knowing smirk as she watched the scene unfold. 

"Hello, all," Ben greeted.

"Pervert," Kaya responded.

Nojiko giggled. "She is just jealous," Nojiko remarked. 

"I am not," Kaya said. 

"It is sexual harassment," Kalifa said.

"There seems to be a lot of that," Robin teased and winked at Ben. They all giggled. 

Honey "Hi, Ben! And Alvida! You two look cozy," Honey remarked. 

"And tired," Mikita called out with a wink, her smirk widening.

Zala chuckled softly. "Nice entrance, Ben," she said, her voice cool yet teasing.

Conis cheeks flushed slightly as she smiled. "It's good to see you both," she added. 

"Welcome back," Robin said, her voice as smooth as ever, her smirk never leaving her lips.

"A very busy Captain," Raki remarked. She smiled. 

"Good to see you all as well," Ben said. He looked at NT who had the newspaper in her hand. 

"Ben you can sit here," Marianne called out. Ben nodded and sat down with Alvida in his hands. 

"She is tired for sure," Zala confirmed. They all giggled. 

"So what is the news?" Ben asked. 

"The World Government has issued updated bounties for us," Mikita responded. 

"It took them a little while," Ben responded. "How are they reporting the news?" Ben asked. 

"It seems like they are blaming the Straw-Love Alliance for the trespassing and property destruction of Enies Lobby," Zala responded. 

"It seems like they are trying to downplay our actions," Nojiko added. 

"We did more than property destruction," Raki added. 

"There was a lot of destruction," Maya said. 

"Is there anything about Robin or Bonney?" Ben asked. 

"No, nothing on a prisoner or mention of an escapee," Mikita responded as she looked at Ben and put her arms on the table. 

"It might be embarrassing for the World Government to mention that," Conis said. 

"Given how they have suppressed the story, they want to downplay it as much as possible," Ben said. 

"What are our new bounties in that case?" Ben asked.

"You seem to be excited," Kaya remarked. 

"It is exciting to see Ben`s," Marianne agreed. 

"Should we do it from highest to lowest?" Kalifa asked. 

They all nodded. There was a moment of silence while Kalifa took out paper from the notes. She showed the first bounty. It was Alvida posing with Seraphina in her hand. She had a smile on her face. "Iron Mace Alvida with 305,000,000 Beli," Kalifa announced. 

"Wow, that is high," Vivi remarked. 

"They must still Alvida is the Captain," Kaya said. 

"My love, I keep telling them," Alvida said. 

"It is fine, I don't mind, I love you," Ben responded. They both smiled and looked at each other. 

Kalifa cleared her throat. She showed the second bounty. "Next is Demon King Ben with 300,000,000 Beli," Kalifa said. They saw the picture of Ben in his hybrid form. His fist glowed as he was about to swing at something. 

"That is a cool picture," Marianne said. 

"It is," Maya agreed.

"I wonder where they got it," Conis said. 

"It is still a high bounty and that means we have two people with 300,000,000 Beli," Nojiko remarked. 

"There will be a lot of eyes on us," Robin remarked. 

"Then we have my bounty at 120,000,000 Beli," Kalifa said. The poster was blank and only had her name. 

"Why is it blank?" Honey asked. 

"They may not have my photo," Kalifa responded. 

"But why do you have a bounty?" Saphir asked. 

"Kalifa has been with the World Government for years so they might be worried she will be spilling secrets," Robin said. 

"I can see them doing that," Ben agreed. 

"I am happy with my decision," Kalifa stated. They all nodded.

"We will be with you," Vivi said. Ben nodded and agreed. 

"Then we have Iron Giant at 100,000,000 Beli," Kalifa said as she showed a picture of the Mech towered above the buildings. 

"Mech got on as well," Marianne said. 

"Well she is amazing," Honey added as she nodded. 

"I am surprised that got a bounty," Raki remarked. 

"I think they see Mech as a large giant on our crew," Ben said, thinking about the situation logically. 

"Then we have Demon Child Robin at 80,000,000 Beli," Kalifa said. The poster showed Robin wearing her black jacket and had her hands ready to fight. 

"Robin, you are looking good," Ben said as he felt Alvida snuggle with him.

"She looks like she is about to fight them all," Vivi added. 

"She did break Spandam good," Conis agreed. 

"I am surprised her bounty is not higher," Raki remarked. 

"Maybe they are keeping it low on purpose," Zala responded. They all looked at each other. 

Robin smiled and drank her tea. 

"Then we have Zala The Cutter at 65,000,000 Beli," Kalifa announced. The poster showed Zala with her hand turned into a large spikey ball looking at something. 

"They got a good shot of you," Mikita remarked. 

"It looks like someone is about to get hurt," Vivi said. 

"They should be," Raki added. 

"Then we have Painter Marianne at 49,000,000 Beli," Kalifa said as she showed the bounty poster. Marianne was holding a paintbrush in one hand and a paint palette on the other hand.

"A scary painter," Robin teased. 

"Getting those Blue Gorillas on our side was important," Kaya said. 

"Good job," Ben added as he smiled at Marianne. 

"After that, we have Kaya The Sky Angel at 30,000,000 Beli," Kalifa said. The bounty poster showed Kaya in her beast form. 

"You look majestic," Ben remarked. 

"A beauty in the sky," Nojiko added. 

"Yes, like an angel," Vivi agreed. 

Kaya blushed. "That is embarrassing," she muttered. "This is my first bounty," Kaya added. 

"It is and is 30,000,000," Zala said.

"The Marines know you are a threat to them," Robin added. 

"Then we have Ugly Raki at 25,000,000 Beli," Kalifa said, which showed a picture of Raki`s monster form. 

"That is just rude," Conis said in horror. 

"Very disrespectful," Mikita added in disgust. 

"I think it's beautiful," Marianne said, looking at Raki.

"Me too," Maya agreed and nodded. 

"I don't care," Raki responded as she drank her drink. 

"You are beautiful," Ben said. 

"Sexual harassment," Kalifa said. They all nodded. Kalifa then showed Honey`s bounty poster. She was wearing her usual clothes. "Honey Queen at 17,800,000 Beli," Kalifa stated. 

"That is an increase," Marianne said. 

"I would say it low given what Honey is capable of," Zala said. 

"She can be our secret weapon," Ben said as he winked at her. 

"Then we have Iron Crusher Mikita at 17,500,000 Beli," Kalifa said. It showed a picture of Mikita wearing her yellow dress walking. 

"That is a nice pose," Zala said. 

"Striking for sure," Robin said. 

Mikita sighed. "I think it looks good," Ben said and smiled at Mikita. 

"Then we have Tempest Nojiko at 15,000,000 Beli," Kalifa said. It showed a picture of Nojiko in her yellow tank top with an orange in her hand. 

"Tempest," Kaya teased, looking at Nojiko. 

"She is the weather wizard," Raki remarked. She thought creating weather clouds is an extremely powerful ability. 

"A good name for her," Conis agreed. 

"After that we have Conis the Burning Bird at 14,500,000 Beli," Kalifa said. It showed a picture of Conis wearing her pink dress. She was holding her heat lance in one hand. 

"That is an interesting nickname," Robin said. 

"It does suit her," Mikita added.

Conis blushed. "It is a bit embarrassing," Conis said, looking flushed. 

"I think it's cute for you," Ben said. Conis looked back and nodded. She smiled thinking Ben likes it. 

"Then we have Sapphire Saphir at 10,000,000 Beli," Kalifa said. She showed the bounty poster of Saphir holding her spear. 

"The Marines need someone who can give better names," Zala remarked. 

"It is a good name and describes Saphir well," Maya said.

"I do like it as well," Ben agreed and smiled at Saphir. 

"Thank you," Saphir whispered. 

"And finally we have Priest Maya with 5,000,000 Beli," Kalifa said, showing Maya holding a sword. 

"Maya should have gotten higher since she fought multiple Captains," Zala remarked. 

"I guess they are underplaying her," Robin said.

"It can work in our favour," Ben added.

"My Grandmother might be worried now," Maya said. 

Ben smiled. "They will be fine," Ben said, looking at her. 

Maya nodded. She had just seen her grandmother and she talked about this with her. She remembered her saying, he is trouble but he is your trouble. She blushed and nodded. 

"Is that all bounties?" Kaya asked. 

"Yes there is," Kalifa responded. 

"That is strange," Nojiko responded. 

"Strange?" Marianne asked. 

"Vivi did not get a bounty," Ben responded. 

Vivi on the one hand was happy she did not get a bounty but at the same time, she was sad she did not get a bounty. She was part of the crew. 

"Like Ben said before, it could work out in our favour the longer you don't get a bounty," Robin said. 

"Robin is right, it might do and you are still a part of us. I don't care what the Marines or World Government thinks," Ben stated. 

"I am happy you are happy," Vivi said. She smiled at Ben. 

"My love, is the quest now complete?" Alvida asked. 

"It is," Ben confirmed.