Ben stepped out of the steaming shower in the room. He thought each guest room had running water. He smiled. The water was still bead-clinging to his broad shoulders. He reached for a fresh change of clothes, but all he found was a pair of tight blue shorts.
He stared at them for a second. Ben thought another day, another pair of shorts. He thought about whose idea it was and smiled. He pulled them on, and the thin, elastic fabric immediately hugged his muscular thighs. He looked down and saw it left absolutely nothing to the imagination regarding the heavy bulge resting beneath the blue material.
Ben walked outside the room and saw Alvida, Robin, Zala, and Marguerite waiting for him.
"Good morning," Ben greeted them.
They all looked at Ben and smiled.
"Good morning my love," Alvida said as she stepped forward. Her eyes went towards his blue shorts. She licked her lips. She stepped into his space, the scent of her rose-perfumed skin filled the air. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a deep, lingering kiss. Their lips were pressed together and then Alvida withdrew. "That was for the delicious breakfast," she whispered against his lips. Her hand trailed down his chest.
"Alvida, don't hog our captain to yourself,"Zala remarked as she saw her kissing him.
"What gave you that idea?" Alvida said as she took a step back. Her fingertips traced his chest.
"Just a hunch," Robin said.
Marguerite thought men were strange. They had to be kissed like that. She thought the idea of kissing a man was unsettling however she looked at Ben. She thought maybe.
Robin stepped forward. She looked calm however her eyes told a different story. "It is only right," she said as she leaned in. Her raven hair brushed against Ben's shoulder as she pressed her lips firmly to his. The kiss was steady and possessive. She pressed her lips and kissed him. Ben kissed back. She pulled back just an inch. Her fingers grazed his jawline. "Every day you become more interesting, Captain. Those blue shorts are a fascinating choice for a man," she remarked.
"They are a good choice," Zala remarked as she looked at his bulge.
"These were the only clothes I had," Ben said as he held Robin in his arms.
"Well it was Conis` turn today to pick today," Robin responded as she held her arms around his neck.
Ben thought even Conis. He thought they all had similar choices. He sighed.
"She said it was only fair to keep it like the rest," Robin added.
"My love does like it," Alvida said. "And we do as well," she added.
Robin took a step back. "All yours," Robin said as she looked at Zala.
Zala simply stepped into his arms and tilted her head back. She kissed Ben. Their lips were locked together. She pressed her lips firmly and kissed with passion. She finally broke away and she traced the line of his abdominal muscles with a fingernail. "You're looking particularly ready today, Ben," she said. "I think the blue brings out the predator in you," she teased.
Ben smiled. He cleared his throat. "I am thankful you all are here," Ben said.
"Very humble," Robin remarked with a mysterious smile.
"Marguerite, you should greet my love as well," Alvida said. "It is tradition," she added.
"It is?" Marguerite asked. Suddenly, a pair of arms spawned from Marguerite's shoulders. Robin gently but firmly shoved the young Kuja warrior forward.
Marguerite stumbled. She let out a small yelp as she flew toward Ben. He reacted instantly and reached out with his large hands and caught her by the waist.
"Very bold of you, Marguerite," Zala remarked. A playful smirk on her face.
Marguerite looked at him. Her hands instinctively rested on his bare, rock-solid chest. "Are you okay, Marguerite?" Ben asked.
"He feels so solid," Marguerite whispered. Her fingers splayed across his pectoral muscles. Her eyes drifted down to the blue shorts. She saw the prominent bulge up close. "What is that?" she asked.
"He certainly does feel solid," Alvida agreed as she leaned her hip against the wall. "And that is also solid," she added.
"Well it is soft and hard," Robin remarked as her eyes went to the bulge.
Marguerite stayed close to him. She thought a man was different. He also smelled different. She moved her hands and squeezed his cheek.
"Hey," Ben said as he felt his cheeks being pulled.
"They are normal," Marguerite said as she let go.
Zala chuckled. "Very bold," she added.
Ben cleared his throat. "Well, let's go and find the lab," Ben said.
"Robin mentioned that it is like a bathtub with a lift with things that make noise," Marguerite said as she looked at Ben. Her golden hair caught the sunlight.
"That is one way to describe it," Ben said as he looked at Robin.
Robin smiled.
"I've lived on this island my entire life, Captain," she said. "I've hunted every corner of these forests. There is no such place here," she added.
Ben offered a knowing smirk. "That's because it's hidden, Marguerite," he responded
"It's not meant to be found by the casual observer," Zala said. "Even if they are in plain sight," she added.
(Sweetie, Hidden Lab on Amazon Lily)
[Redeeming Hidden Lab on Amazon Lily]
There was a pause.
[The location of the lab is on a cliffside on the far side of the island. Entry revealed upon proximity. ]
(Thank you Sweetie.)
"The lab is on the cliffside, on the far side of the island," Ben announced.
Marguerite shook her head. "I've patrolled those cliffs a thousand times, Captain," she replied. "I have seen nothing like a white bath tub," she added.
"Only one way to find out," Zala remarked as she looked at the jungle.
"Time for a trip my love," Alvida added with a smirk.
They all headed outside. Alvida and Zala moved in close. Alvida leaned towards Ben. Her large breast touched his right arm. Zala pressed firmly against his left arm. Her large breast also touched it.
Ben could feel the soft, unmistakable pressure of their breasts against his skin as they walked ahead. He thought this was heaven.
"You both are close," Ben remarked with a smile on her face.
Zala looked up at him. Her eyes were dark and playful. "And?" she challenged.
"We are where we should be my love," Alvida added as she leaned forward and kissed his neck.
Robin looked at Marguerite. "Have you ever actually left this island, Marguerite?" she asked.
The Kuja warrior blinked. "No. Never," she replied. "I was going to leave when I became a Kuja Pirate," she added.
"Well now you are a Love Pirate," Robin replied softly. "You will have new experiences," she said.
Ben thought she had emphasised the word experiences.
After an hour, they arrived at a seemingly unremarkable stretch of the cliffside. It was a wall of solid, weathered grey stone.
Marguerite stepped forward. "This is the place where I have been on the look out for," she said.
"My love?" Alvida asked.
(Sweetie, where is it here? Could you tell me please? Pretty please?)
[Okay, only for you. You need to touch the far side of the cliff with your hand.]
(Thank you Sweetie, you are the best!)
Ben thought he could hear giggles for a second.
"Sweetie just told where it is," Ben said as he walked forward. He reached out and placed his palm flat against the rock that looked like nothing more than a natural crack.
The ground shuddered. With a hiss of ancient hydraulics, a massive slab of the cliffside receded and slid perfectly to the left, revealing a gleaming, sterile white corridor and a high-tech lift.
Marguerite's jaw literally dropped. She stepped back. Her hand trembled as she pointed at the smooth, white walls. "This is impossible," she said.
Alvid let out a triumphant laugh as she held Ben's arm tighter. "That's my love for you," she purred. "He is always finding the treasures others are too blind to see," she added.
Zala raised an eyebrow. "You certainly have a knack for opening doors, Ben," she said.
Robin looked at the opening. She put her hand on her chin. "Could it be?" she questioned.
"Could it be what?" Ben asked as he looked at her. He thought Robin was thinking of something.
"Well, the records of any of these labs are never mentioned," Robin responded. She smiled. "It is almost like the world is creating them for you Ben," she added and chuckled.
"Even the world loves, my love," Alvida said.
Ben thought that could be possible. He thought a lot of these items were not present in the original. He smiled. "Well either way, let's go and see it," Ben said.
They stepped into the lift. They saw the panel which had "D" written on it. Zala pressed the button. "Like the labs on the other islands," she said.
The lift descented. Marguerite was caught off guard. The floor dropped away faster than any natural ledge, and she gasped. Her knees buckled as she lost her balance.
Ben reacted instantly and caught her around the waist and pulled her against his chest. "Are you okay?" Ben asked.
Marguerite gripped his shoulders for support. "That caught me off guard," she said.
"I have got you," Ben said.
Marguerite took a step back. She smiled.
At that moment, the doors hissed opened. They girls looked to see a laboratory.
In the center of the expansive floor stood a massive, hexagonal command table. They walked forward and saw the holographic displays flickering to life. Surrounding the center hub were rows of sleek, obsidian-colored server banks.
Against the far walls, glass display cases rose from the floor to the ceiling. Inside them were smooth, bulbous teardrop shapes that tapered towards the top and narrowed into a thin neck at the bottom. This neck connects to a wide flat, flared base.
There were robotic arms suspended from the ceiling at tables nearby.
Marguerite walked toward one of the cases. "What is that?" she whispered.
"It looks like some object," Alvida said as she looked around.
Ben thought they looked like butt plugs.
Robin turned her attention to the text on the wall. Her eyes widened. "It is the ancient language," she said.
"What does it say?" Zala questioned as she looked at the text.
"The power to transfigure the very essence of a squeeze," Robin read aloud. "To compress the physical world until the pressure yields a new reality," she added.
(Sweetie do you know what it means?)
[Portable, Layered, Universal, Grounded or P.L.U.G is a device which allows the user to access a suit of power by squeezing them.]
Ben thought it was an interesting acronym. He thought only he would get those.
[Thank you Sweetie, you are the best.)
"Sweetie told me you need to squeeze them and it will give a power suit," Ben explained.
"Power Suit?" Marguerite asked.
"Yes, it should have more strength and durability," Ben replied. He thought it would be like the Raid Suits. He thought those ones worked from Can.
Zala smiled. She picked up a high-tech device featuring a sleek, metallic blue finish and a transparent outer casing. Inside the core there was a glowing fiber-optic circuitry and digital data streams were visible. The base was detailed with mechanical supports, cooling vents, and pulsing cyan energy rings. "So I need to squeeze it," Zala said as she squeezed it. At that moment, there was a bright light.
"Zala?" Marguerite questioned.
As the light went Zala appeared in a striking and high-gloss ensemble dominated by a vibrant, electric blue. She wore a form-fitting, latex-style bodysuit featuring a deep plunging neckline and intricate gold accents. It had heart-shaped buckles and delicate gold chains that drape across her hips. A massive, high-collared cape in a matching sapphire hue billows behind her. It was lined with a subtle gold trim. Her outfit was completed by opera-length gloves and thigh-high stiletto boots cinched with multiple buckled straps.
"That is impressive," Marguerite remarked as she looked at Zala.
"So, that small core acts as a catalyst for a full-scale tactical suit," Robin remarked. Her eyes twinkled with intellectual delight.
"It does," Ben replied, his voice a low rumble of satisfaction. He turned his gaze toward Zala. "You look incredible, Zala. That suit was made for you," he added.
Zala ran a hand over the reinforced plating on her hip. "It feels like a second skin," she remarked. "Thank you, Ben," she added.
"We could all have one," Alvida cut in as her eyes hungrily scanned the row of P.L.U.G. units resting.
"Yes, that is a good idea," Ben replied.
Marguerite stepped forward. "Can I try one as well, Ben?" she asked.
"You don't even have to ask, Marguerite," Ben responded as he stepped closer to her. He placed a steady hand on her shoulder. "Anything of mine is yours," he added. "Besides, Sweetie would have told us about any negative side effects," he remarked.
Marguerite reached out. Her fingers trembled slightly as she picked up a yellow high-tech P.L.U.G. The device featured a sleek, metallic transparent outer casing that revealed a core of pulsing fiber-optic circuitry. Digital data streams flickered deep inside, supported by a base of cooling vents and glowing cyan energy rings.
She hesitated for a heartbeat, the hum of the device vibrating against her palm.
"If you're unsure, you don't have to do it," Ben said gently.
"No, I want to be strong as well," Marguerite responded firmly. She took a deep breath and squeezed the core.
The room was instantly swallowed by a blinding, golden radiance. A swirl of digital particles encased her, weaving together like threads of light.
When the glow faded, Marguerite stood transformed. She wore a striking, form-fitting yellow and black superhero jumpsuit that hugged every curve of her athletic frame. The glossy yellow material was broken up by sharp black panels on her hips and torso. The high stand-up collar fastened with a metallic clasp, plunging into a deep V-neckline that formed a stylized heart-shaped window on her chest, revealing a daring amount of cleavage.She had armored gauntlets with segmented bands. A long, flowing yellow cape draped from her shoulders. She had matching armored boots.
"Marguerite," Ben breathed as his eyes traveled over the new suit. "You look amazing," he added.
Marguerite looked down at her hands, the yellow cape fluttering. She felt the strength of the P.L.U.G. coursing through her. "I feel like I could tear a small mountain," she whispered.
Ben smiled. "I bet you can," Ben responded. He thought he could give her a devil fruit as well.
"My love, we should bring everyone here," Alvida said.
"Yes, let's get them," Robin agreed.
"I bet they would love this," Zala said. "I can't wait to show Mikita this," she remarked. "She would be so jealous right now," she added.
"Okay, let's get them," Ben said. They all nodded and headed outside the lab.