In moments, the entire arena was evacuated and only Hancock, Marigold, Sandersonia and Ben were there. "You said you wanted to join me to join your crew," Hancock said.
"Yes, I wanted you to join us," Ben responded.
"Why?" Hancock questioned. "For what reason? Do you want me to be your slave, so you can ravish me every night?" she shouted.
"Typical man," Marigold spat. "They all want the same thing. They want to own the Pirate Empress," she added.
"No," Ben stated firmly, looking Hancock directly in her eyes. "I wanted you to join me of your own free will. I will never force you with anything. I want you because you are strong, and because I think you're tired of being afraid."
"Free will?" Hancock whispered. "You speak of things you do not understand. Men only see me as a prize. They see this face and they want to possess it. Why should I believe you are any different?" she said.
Sandersonia looked up from the ground, her hand still trembling as she held her cloak tight. "He protected me," she said. "He could have let everyone see. Why did you help us?" she asked.
"Because no one deserves to be defined by a brand they didn't ask for," Ben replied.
Marigold looked at her sisters, then back at Ben. The hatred in her eyes had been replaced by a confused, burning intensity. "You say you won't force her. But you're a man. If she says no, will you just walk away? Will you leave us alone?" she asked.
"If that's what she wants," Ben said as she crossed his arms. "Like I said, I will never force anyone," he added.
Hancock felt a sharp pain in her chest. A tightening she had never felt before. She looked at Ben and really looked at him. "Everyone back to the Kuja castle now," she shouted.
After an hour Ben stood inside the Kuja castle. Marigold and Sandersonia were next to him.
They were sitting in front of a purple curtain.
"I am sorry if I hurt anyone of you both," Ben said.
"I did slam your head," Sandersonia said as she felt guilty.
Ben smiled. "It is fine, I have been worse," Ben responded. He thought the battle against Rob Lucci was the hardest he had ever fought. He was pushed to his limits but he was able to defeat him.
Marigold crossed her arms. "If anybody had seen what is on our backs, there is no way that we could stay in this country," she said.
"You can come inside," Hancock said. "Come inside, Man," she added.
Ben moved forward and opened the curtain. He looked to see Hancock completely nude. Her skin was perfectly silk and smooth. Her breasts were large and spectacularly round. She had dark, firm nipples. Her stomach was flat.
"Wow," Ben said. She looked stunning.
"Interesting you were previously not affected," Hancock said as she looked at him.
Ben thought what was the reason behind that.
"Very well," Hancock touched her hair. She bit her lip. Her body started to shake. Salome turned around and Hancock`s back was facing Ben. "This mark," Hancock said. "You know about it," she added as she moved her hair and showed her bare back. She showed the red mark on it. It looked like the foot of the dragon.
"What exactly do you know?" Hancock asked as her voice trembled.
"The Hoof of the Soaring Dragon," Ben responded. His voice dropped and he clenched his fist so hard his knuckles turned white. He felt angry towards the people who placed that mark upon them.
"How could you possibly know about that?" Hancock gasped.
"Yes, how do you know?" a new voice questioned. Gloriosa walked toward them. Her staff on the floor.
"Elder Nyon. How did you get in here?" Hancock shouted. There was a purple cloth over her private part.
Ben looked at the old woman. He thought that was Gloriosa. The former empress of Kuja Island. He thought in her youth, she had been a beauty of the Kuja. He briefly wondered if someone like Ain's powers could ever restore that former glory. He thought he had to focus.
He snapped back to the Empress. "This mark deeply affects you," Ben said softly. "Please, tell me about it," he said. He thought it would be better for her to explain it.
Gloriosa studied Ben closely. He was a different kind of man. She thought she hadn't seen one like this in decades. "Don't be afraid, Hancock. Tell him whatever you wish to share," she advised. She looked at Ben again and saw the shadow of a former Captain she once knew however he was different. "You are a pirate, Demon King Ben, am I right? The Captain of the Love Pirates," she added as she held up several newspapers. "The bounty says Vice-Captain, but looking at you, you are the one in charge," she remarked.
"Yes, I am the Captain," Ben confirmed.
"Love Pirates?" Marigold questioned as her brow furrowed.
"It is a group of powerful women, similar to the Kuja, but with him as the only male," Gloriosa explained. "They have laid waste to kingdoms and caused massive damage to Enies Lobby," she responded.
Sandersonia and Marigold looked shocked. "So he is the worst kind of criminal?" Sandersonia accused.
"No," Ben countered. "We saved Alabasta from the Warlord Crocodile. You can ask Vivi about it yourself, "Ben said. "And on Mecha Island, we took down a tyrant who planned to conquer the world," he added.
Hancock's breath hitched. "You actually challenged the World Government? Personally?" she questioned.
"We burnt their flag to the ground," Ben stated flatly.
The sisters stood frozen.
"What would you do if you faced a Celestial Dragon?" Hancock asked. Her voice barely a whisper.
"Punch them in the face," Ben responded without hesitation. "Just like a friend of mine did," he added with a smile on his face.
"What?!" Gloriosa exclaimed. "Who would dare?" she questioned.
"You'll see it in the news soon enough," Ben replied. He thought of Luffy at Sabaody. He had avoided the Archipelago for now. He knew the Straw Hats had their own destiny there, but he thought one day he would deliver a punch of his own.
"I don't sense a lie in him," Sandersonia whispered.
"So you would truly stand against the Dragons if given the chance?" Hancock questioned. She looked him in the eye.
"I plan on taking them all down," Ben replied.
Hancock looked at him. She felt the weight of his conviction. "Such people still exist," she said. "Someone who doesn't care for their own life, so long as they face them. Just like him," she added.
"Fisher Tiger?" Ben asked.
"You know of him too?"
"Bits and pieces," Ben said. "But I want to hear your truth," he added.
Hancock closed her eyes and took a steadying breath. "You know the mark. The Mark of the Celestial Dragons. A symbol that can never be erased, forever marking the bearer as a lesser human as a slave," she added.
Ben's anger flared again. He thought of the power within him. He thought HQ had mentioned he could do something. "Hancock, please. Let me touch it," he said.
"Touch it?" Gloriosa asked. "For what purpose?"she questioned.
"Please. Trust me," Ben replied.
Hancock looked into his eyes and saw no lust. She nodded slowly and turned around. She moved her hair to reveal the hated brand.
"What are you planning?" Marigold asked as she stepped forward.
"Let him," Hancock commanded.
"I will never hurt you," Ben promised as he stepped close. He saw the mark up close. It made his blood boil. Ben thought that no living soul should be branded like cattle. He placed his hand over the scarred skin and focused his energy.
The mark began to glow with a strange, pulsing light.
"Ahhh," Hancock let out a soft moan. "It feels so warm," she added. She could feel her mind getting clouded. Her body was getting hot. There was a blush on her face.
"What are you doing to her?!" Marigold shouted.
"Wait," Gloriosa said, mesmerized. "Look," she added.
The mark began to shift and flow like liquid. The red Hoof of the Dragon dissolved and transformed into a symmetrical tribal design, It had a multi-layered heart containing a club symbol, It was framed by gothic spikes and swirling tendrils. The colors shifted from a deep indigo to a luminous magenta.
Ben thought this looked like a succubus tattoo. He thought he had not erased it but he had overwritten it. He stepped back, and as he did, the mark faded from sight and turned invisible against her skin.
"I... I'm sorry," Ben said as he thought he might have overstepped.
"It's gone!" Marigold cried out.
"How?" Sandersonia gasped.
"Why are you sorry?" Hancock asked in a voice so soft it was unrecognizable. There were tears streaming down her cheeks as she turned to face him. Her face was deeply flushed. "You did something for me that no one else could. You freed me," she added. Hancock smiled. It was a genuine, radiant smile.
Marigold and Sandersonia began to sob with relief. "Can you do it for us? Please," Marigold begged.
Marigold and Sandersonia began to sob with relief, the weight of a decade of hidden shame finally cracking. "Can you do it for us? Please!" Marigold begged, her voice thick with tears.
"Of course," Ben said softly.
He walked over to Marigold first. She took her jacket off and turned around. She undid her the top of her garment to reveal the Hoof of the Dragon on her skin. Ben reached out and touched the mark. The brand began to glow with a fierce, pulsating light.
"Ahh!" Marigold cried out as her head snapped back. She felt a wave of intense, lovely warmth spread from the mark through her entire body. The slave mark dissolved and shifted into the dark, elegant tribal heart design before fading away into her skin. She slumped forward slightly,
"It gone," Gloriosa confirmed
Ben then turned to Sandersonia. She followed her sister's lead and took her top off and turned her back. Ben saw her mark and stepped toward her and placed his hand firmly over the brand. He channeled his power once again.
"Ahhh," Sandersonia moaned. Her body arched at his touch. "My body, it feels so different," she added. Her face went bright red. Her cheeks burned with a feverish heat as the glow enveloped her. She felt the cold, lingering sting of the Celestial Dragons vanish and it was replaced by the thrumming, protective energy of him. The new tattoo bloomed across her back for a moment and then disappeared.
Sandersonia turned back to him. Her eyes shimmering and dazed with a mix of relief and newfound devotion. "You saved us all," she whispered.
"I hope so," Ben responded. He thought the marks hadn't truly vanished. He thought they had transformed. Ben thought the brand of the Dragon was gone and replaced by another mark.
Hancock covered herself with her coat. Her eyes never left him. "If you hadn't removed the mark, would you still have liked me, knowing I was a slave?" she questioned.
"I like you because you are you," Ben stated firmly. "The mark never changed that," he added.
Hancock's heart hammered in her chest. She began to pant slightly. She felt a strange fever taking hold of her. "I have taken a liking to you, Ben," she said.
Ben smiled. He thought Hancock was falling in love with him. He looked at her closely. She had a hard shell on the outside but inside she was a scared girl. "My crew is nearby. Can they come ashore? We'd like to stay for a few days," he said.
"Sure," Hancock said. Her face turned even redder as she began to hurry away. "I need to go rest," she added.
"But Sis, what if there are men?" Marigold asked.
"They are all women," Ben clarified. "I'm the only man," he added.
"They can come!" Hancock called out over her shoulder as she rushed out the room.
"Can we talk later? There is something else I want to discuss," Ben shouted after her.
"Yes," she cried back as she disappeared from view.
Ben smiled. He thought he had a path to the Empress's heart.