"Protect Iceburg?" Alex repeats, eyes narrowing. "He's got the whole Galley-La Company under him. How is he in danger? What, are strong pirates after him, or—wait..."
His voice trails off as he seemingly puts the pieces together.
"You asked about the Marines... are you suspecting them of making a move against him?"
"I suspect as much," Kokoro replies, her expression now growing solemn. "I admit, I'm somewhat desperate. I've grown old... but I love that kid like he's my own son. I am worried about him. I don't even know why I'm asking strangers like you—especially people like you with huge bounties on your heads—but for some reason, I trust you. I can't offer you much of a reward. If there's anything you want, just name it. I'll do my best to fulfill any request you might have. If you truly want to help an old hag like me, I'd be delighted."
"We are accepting that request," Alex says without hesitation, his voice firm.
[Secret Quest Accepted]
Why wouldn't we? There's no penalty. I only see an upside here. Now... gotta think fast. Is there something we even want?
"As for the reward... there's no real need for it," Alex continues with a relaxed smile, then adds sheepishly, "Maybe you could write us a letter of introduction to Iceburg? Let him know we're not here to cause trouble... or that he can hire us, even. Our only goals are to rest, explore the city, and, more importantly, hunt rogue pirates. Maybe our interests align more than you think?"
As his words trail off, Benezia studies him in silence, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.
Does she have a better idea?
Princess Jewel demands gems, jewels, coins—shiny things! That's the least this Peasant mermaid can do! Can't she dive underground and get Princess Jewel some pearls at least?
"Shut up, Jewel! She doesn't have any of those things, and do you really expect her to dive down to the ocean floor just to get you some pearls? It's not like she is a mermaid or something," Tereza snaps, rolling her eyes, clearly irritated by Jewel's greed.
"Nagagagaga, the spider wants pearls?" Kokoro cackles, clearly amused. "I've never heard of a spider interested in jewelry before—but I suppose her name makes sense now. You know what? Why not? Back in my youth, I was a real beauty—always wearing the finest pearls... back home. Since moving to lan—this part of the Grand Line, I haven't bothered with them, but I'll get you some pearls if your pet wants them. The letter's a good idea too. How about I give you a few blankets and pillows, and you sleep for a few hours until the sun rises? I'll prepare the letter and the pearls for you while you get some rest."
She probably was really beautiful in her youth... I vaguely remember her actually looking decent when she was young, like many other ugly characters. I guess this is as good as it's gonna get.
"We'll gladly accept your offer," Alex says, smiling.
"Make yourself comfortable," Kokoro nods, then shuffles off. A moment later, she returns with a pile of blankets and pillows, laying them out on the table. "I'll wake you up in a couple of hours."
She disappears once more, leaving the group alone in the dim, cozy room.
Princess Jewel won! She earned valuable Pearls! Princess Jewel is the most intelligent spider in the entire Grand Line!
Not much of a standard.... That might actually be true.
Alex, choosing to ignore her overly enthusiastic "victory speech," walks over to the table and grabs the offered blankets and pillows. He hands one to each of the girls and keeps a set for himself before lying down on the small couch nearby.
Jewel, still glowing with satisfaction, scuttles up onto Alex's chest and burrows under part of the blanket, curling up on top of him like always, comfortably resting on his body.
"Good night, I guess," Alex murmurs, letting his body relax.
But just as his eyes begin to close, he notices Benezia standing in front of him.
"What is it?" he asks, voice low.
"You did a great job," Benezia says suddenly. "I didn't expect this little detour to amount to anything... yet it turned out to be surprisingly fruitful. All of the players I've interviewed—none of them ever encountered a situation like this. I'm afraid I gave you bad advice earlier. I owe you an apology. It seems like I'm failing miserably in my role. Not only did we run into two disturbingly dangerous events on Sandy Island... but it seems even my counsel has lost its value."
"Why are you doubting yourself?" Alex asks, his tone casual but firm. "This is your first mission—experience is everything, you should know that. You interviewed shitty players. Sure, you learned a few things, but the truly important stuff? You can only learn that by experiencing it firsthand. I've gained a lot of experience myself by now... plus, I've got a decent hunch for things—along with a lot of LUK, hehe. I guess my game knowledge paid off."
"Anyway, just calm down already. Seeing you doubt yourself kind of breaks my almost godly image of you," Alex adds, finally giving her a faint smile.
Benezia nods, slowly composing herself. "You are most certainly correct. I shouldn't doubt myself. In any case, I'm impressed by your actions. I'll be watching you more closely from now on... I'm curious what you'll come up with next."
"Don't expect too much," Alex mutters, finally closing his eyes.
A few hours later, he wakes up, the outside world still cloaked in darkness.
But his eyes quickly adjust, and he sees Benezia sitting silently in a corner. Her eyes shimmer faintly with a glowing blue hue—a sign that she's using her biotics.
Is she meditating?
Alex glances down and notices Jewel is still sleeping comfortably on his chest. For once, the tiny spider is asleep, her red eyes shut as she rests peacefully.
Gently, he lifts her up and places her on the couch before quietly getting up and walking over to Benezia's corner.
He sits down beside her and whispers, "Can't sleep?"
"No," she answers plainly.
"..."
Alex exhales, slow and quiet, before asking, "Why?"
"I'm having trouble adjusting to the situation. I also can't help but think about... my world, and to be honest... my daughter."
Alex pauses for a moment, then asks, "Did you see... what eventually happens? Did you finish the games with Jewel? You should know there is a so-called happy ending. That includes Liara."
"I did, and I'm immensely grateful and relieved," Benezia replies, her voice low. "I'm more than satisfied with some of the outcomes. However..." she pauses briefly, "... assuming that one of the more positive outcomes will happen. It's just—I still have regrets. I see my daughter struggling with herself, and I am partly to blame for that. I was not a good mother. I have failed in my duties."
"Well... regrets are annoying, I get why you can't sleep," Alex says, his voice softer now. "But you're in luck. I've got so many regrets, I've stopped counting. You, on the other hand—you might have regrets... but you also have possibilities... a chance for some kind of redemption."
"What do you mean?" she asks, staring him in the eyes.
"I've told you about the mission item—the [Spectre License] I obtained during the last mission," Alex says, turning to face her fully, ready to explain it to her once again.
[Spectre License]
Quality: Purple
Type: World Item / Quest Item
Effect: Allows the player to enter the World of Mass Effect, with all the previous events taken into consideration.
Effect: Player will automatically enter this world exactly 48 hours after using this item.
Effect: Depending on the Player's level, there will be debuffs applied to the player, starting at lvl 10.
Requirements: Level 7-20
Note: Spectres are not trained, but chosen. Individuals forged in the fire of service and battle—those whose actions elevate them above the rank and file.
Note: This item cannot be traded, discarded, or sold. It will disappear after use.
He then explains, trying his best to remain calm, "What I mean is simple. While I have regrets, I can't really do much about them. You, on the other hand, have the opportunity to make them disappear forever. You can apologize to your daughter face-to-face. Maybe even offer some sort of guidance for her future. If you feel bad, then do something about it—make up for your past mistakes."
"I didn't quite consider the possibility," Benezia admits softly. "But... how can I face her? After everything that happened?"
"Do you know the reason why I recruited you as a Supporter?" Alex suddenly asks.
Before she can respond, he continues, "It's because I'm weak. She cried in front of me and literally begged me to do something—to save you. To be frank, you weren't my first choice... seeing as you were pretty much one of the major villains. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. She was so desperate, and I am a sucker for beautiful women begging me. Despite knowing that she was merely a fictional character, turned alive by the Realm, I still couldn't help but feel for her. To make it short, your daughter saved you. She's the reason you're here now. You owe her far more than you think. And what I can tell you, with absolute certainty, is that she truly loves you. She'd probably want nothing more than to see you again. While you can't stay with her forever, you can spend some time with her—at least once. Maybe twice if we're lucky. You should aim for that moment... and make the best of it."
"..."
Benezia stares into Alex's eyes but doesn't say a word.
I guess sometimes I can actually say something profound. Either that... or I said something so dumb she's too stunned to respond.
"Using words..." Benezia starts, pausing for a long moment, "...would feel wrong. It wouldn't accurately convey my intentions or my feelings. May I ask you for permission to transmit them... directly?"
"Okay?" Alex replies, not really following what she's saying.
She suddenly reaches forward and grabs his hands, making him tense up.
Wait—does she mean?!
Her black eyes lock onto his, quickly turning pitch black as she softly says, "Embrace Eternity."
A jolt runs through him like an electric current, and in an instant, Alex feels a powerful connection—just like when he melded with Liara.
But unlike the passionate, heated meld with Liara, which was combined with sex, this one is different. Benezia's meld carries no lust, no flirtation. It's a slow, steady current of appreciation, of gratitude... of long-buried pain, her entire feelings. Through it, she tries to show him her remorse, her failures as a mother, her quiet hopes for the future, as well as her gratefulness.
I need to stay calm... no panicking. Don't embarrass yourself. Damn it, why does this feel so good?!
Ten minutes pass in utter silence. And yet, despite not speaking a word, Alex feels like he's exchanged more with Benezia than he has with most of his family across his entire life. Not only has he learned more about her true character and feelings, but she also knows more about himself. Much more than he was comfortable sharing with.
When the melding ends, he blinks—and finds his cheeks wet.
I always cried during sad movies... This was worse. But now I know exactly how she feels about her daughter. This was a little too intimate—it feels extremely embarrassing. It's like sharing thoughts and having a really frank conversation where you don't hide a thing.
"I'm sorry for holding you up," Benezia says gently. "It felt... satisfying to share those feelings with someone. Also, not only did you willingly receive them, you gave me something in return—a purpose. A goal. For that... I'm truly grateful."
"No problem," Alex mutters, wiping his tears, visibly embarrassed. "As long as you feel better. Let's sleep for a few hours at least—tomorrow will be an important day."
He turns around and walks back toward the couch, but before he reaches it, Benezia quickly rises and steps behind him, gently placing her hands on his shoulders.
"While I'm flattered that you see me that way... I'm not sure I'm in a good place to reciprocate those feelings at the current moment. Still... when we have a moment of privacy, I'd like to get to know you even better," she says, causing Alex to freeze slightly.
Then, without warning, she steps beside him, leans in, and plants a light kiss on his cheek, as well as rubbing her hands through his hair and stroking his face, before walking past him and settling into a nearby chair, closing her eyes peacefully.
Alex, caught completely off guard, blushes as he returns to the couch.
That was... something. I guess I'd better get some rest now. Dammit, I won't be able to sleep... calm down.
Just as he settles in under his blanket, he feels a dozen red eyes staring at him menacingly.
"..."
Shit.
------------------------------------------------
A/N: Always thankful for Power Stones, Comments, and Reviews. Thank you for reading!
If you are interested, then please support me at patreon.com/FRWriter
80+ Early chapters available - I will still release on WN daily!! Thank you!
New Chapters every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday!
Bored? Complains? Demands? Check out the Discord: https://discord.gg/puVqWsf3y9
Thank you for supporting the story with Power Stones!