A Teddy Bear's Prayer

"If you feel unsure of your future, you should pray in a church. Marie would always go to the church to pray and seek guidance." Elizabeth is helping Benny put on its ribbon. "It is a place for the lost and confused."

"But I'm not confused." Benny looked up at her with its button eyes. "I know I am Benny. I know I'm Marie's teddy bear. I know that I have to find my Marie!"

"Benny, you can't focus on searching for Marie only."

"Why? I was made to protect Marie. I was made for Marie's sake."

"If you focus too much on Marie then you won't see the world around you."

"What do you mean?"

"You're very young, Benny. You don't know anything about the world. All you know is what Marie told you."

"Marie is the smartest girl ever!"

"...Yes, she's the smartest person ever."

Elizabeth's hand paused as if thinking about something, but she resumed adjusting Benny's ribbon, a hint of gold peeking out from within the inner lining of the ribbon. Elizabeth had arranged for someone to take Benny to the church as she couldn't leave the palace. This job obviously fell upon Ansel who is free due to being a squire and already knows about Benny.

"Good evening!" Benny waved its hand at Ansel...who looked like he didn't wish to be here. "How are you today?"

"I am...doing quite well." Ansel could only stare at the teddy bear before shaking his head. "Her majesty said that I am to escort you to the church."

"Granny Elizabeth said that this place is for those who are lost and confused. Have you ever gone to church?"

"Did she ever explain anything to you about the church we are going to?"

"Nope!"

"I didn't think so...The church we are going to is for the Goddess of the Scribes. It is a minor church, but is the only one that doesn't have as many individuals."

"Scribes?"

"Those who record history, laws, religion. Those who are record-keepers of the past and future."

"Do they have anything on my Marie?!"

"Unlikely."

"Oh..."

"..."

Ansel felt guilty for making Benny sad...which was an odd feeling for the teen considering Benny doesn't have any facial expressions to indicate happiness or sadness. Seeing Benny slumped forward as if depressed was a rather sad sight...but then Benny bounced upwards, hands in the air.

"It's fine! Even if they don't have anything on my Marie, then I can ask other things!"

"Other things?"

"Granny Elizabeth said that I can tell my Marie all about my adventure when we reunite! That's why I'm going to ask about all the places we can go that's pretty when we look for my Marie!"

"We're going to see Philia's grandmother! Not to Marie!"

"Philia's granny is going to help us, isn't she?"

"Well...she might..."

"M-Might?!" Benny's hands are on his face as if shocked. "S-she won't help me...?!"

"Philia's granny is a bit...weird...and a bit picky."

"Picky?"

"Yeah. Granny Estrella is kinda grouchy and a bit mean, but she's nice when she wants to be. When we were kids, she used to show us really beautiful magic."

"Beautiful magic?"

"She would carry us on her broomstick into the sky at night and show us shooting stars."

"Marie loves shooting stars! If you make a wish on them, they come true!"

"I heard about that. You can't say your wish aloud or it would never come true."

"Yeah, yeah!"

The two had to take a carriage out of the palace and Ansel let Benny peer out of the window with the curtain partially blocking him from view. Benny stared at any little girl who walked by really hard...obviously searching for its Marie. It took a while until the carriage came to a stop...leaving the city walls and down a dirt path.

"Young master, the path is too narrow past this point. You will have to walk the rest of the way."

"Understood. Benny, I'll have to carry you from here."

"I don't want that."

"It can't be helped. We have to get to the church quickly and the path is dangerous."

"I don't want to."

"Too bad."

"Nnoooooo! I don't want this! Put me down! Only Marie can carry me!"

Benny flailed its arms and legs, but was unable to do much considering all Ansel has to do is hold him from behind by its body. Benny doesn't have any muscle and as such, has no ability to strike at Ansel to force him put him down...nor does it have any fingers to try to force Ansel's fingers from its body. The driver of the carriage could only stare at them from a distance, thinking that the reason why they're going to this church from the outskirts of the city is because of the teddy bear being cursed.

"Now isn't that an amusing sight."

"I apologize, Father. I didn't intend on bringing it here screaming."

"Don't worry, don't worry. Long ago, there was an older sister I knew long ago who would drag her friends here by the ears."

"Is that...so?"

"Good day to you, Mr. Teddy Bear."

"Good day! Can you get Ansel to put me down?"

"Hahaha! Why not ask him yourself now that you've arrived?"

"Oh! Ansel! Put me down!" Benny paused then looked towards Ansel. "Please put me down!"

"Alright, alright."

"Yay!" Benny was put down and it ran over to the old priest. "Grandpa, is this the place where I can ask for my Marie?"

"I'm afraid that is up to the Goddess of this church."

"Is this Goddess a good person?"

"She is the Goddess of Scribes."

"Goddess of Scribes?" Ansel is frowning, obviously confused. "Out of all the churches to choose, why such a church...?"

"Come inside, Mr. Teddy Bear."

"Okay!"

"Benny, don't just follow people wherever."

"This grandpa isn't people, he's a person."

"I mean don't go following strangers!"

"But grandpa isn't a stranger anymore!"

"Aaaagggh..."

"No, this young man is right." The elderly priest knelt down in front of Benny. "No matter if you introduce yourself to someone, you mustn't go with someone you do not know well."

"I don't get it."

"You'll understand one day." The elderly priest stood up, dusting off his knees before opening the church. "Go inside, little one."

"Alright."

"Really..."

"Not you or I, young man."

"What?"

"We must wait here."

"But-"

Benny looked back when the doors were closed behind it. It stared at the door for a little bit before continuing deeper into the church. The interior of the church itself clearly showed its age with cracks or old exposed columns...but what drew Benny deeper into the church is the white statue of a robed woman holding a book. 

"Are you curious about that statue?"

"Huh?"

"This statue, are you curious about it?" A girl is sitting on a pew at the very front. She looked towards Benny curiously. "You seemed to be curious about it."

"I was wondering if this is a Goddess."

"No, it isn't a Goddess. it is simply a statue of one."

"Oh."

"Did you come here to pray?"

"I was told to come here to pray, but I don't know what to pray for other than to ask where my Marie is."

"There are many reasons to pray." The girl got up and she gently urged Benny to kneel before the statue. "Hold your hands like this. Press them together in front of you."

"Like this."

"There are many reasons to pray. Praying for safety, praying for hope, even praying for the health of their loved ones."

"I can pray for Marie?"

"If you wish to do so."

"Then I pray that Marie is happy and healthy even though I'm not beside her! I want my Marie to smile brightly and cheerfully!"

"That's a good wish."

"Thank you! Can this Goddess hear my prayers?"

"I wonder about that myself."

"I hope so."

"I hope so as well."

"Marie used to pray too. Granny Elizabeth told me that. Praying for guidance."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I wonder if Marie didn't understand things in school again. I remember one time that Marie came home and hugged me, crying how she got scolded in class."

"Why did you come to this church today, little bear?"

"I was told to do so. I'm supposed to go on an adventure to see find my Marie!"

"So if you weren't forced to do so, you wouldn't come in?"

"Hm..." Benny began patting its hands against its knees. "Because..."

"Because of what?"

"Because I'm a little scared."

"Oh?"

"What if the Goddess tells me that my Marie doesn't want me anymore?"

"Why wouldn't she?"

"Because she left me behind. I'm not stupid, everyone treats me nicely because I'm Marie's teddy bear. They don't care about me at all."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yeah! Who else would care for me except for Marie?"

"What about Granny Elizabeth?"

"Granny Elizabeth?"

"Didn't she tell you to come here to pray? If she didn't care, she wouldn't have told you to come here. She wouldn't have arranged for someone to bring you here."

"Oh..."

"Little bear, perhaps you shouldn't focus so much on Marie."

"No!" Benny stood up, stomping its foot. "No!"

"Why not?"

"Because I was made for Marie!"

"Well, you are still very young. Perhaps you will see things differently."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't worry so much, little bear. How about this, instead of coming to the churches to pray to the Gods, why not pray to Marie and tell her your journey so far?"

"I can do that?!"

"I'm sure they wouldn't mind."

"Really! Yay!"

"You just got to remember, you have to use your head."

"My head?!" Benny placed its hands on its head, obviously frightened. "I have to take out the cotton in my head!?"

"Pfff...!"

"It's not funny! I don't want to be ripped open! I'd lose too much cotton then I won't be as cute!"

"Hahahaha!"

"Don't laugh! It's not funny!"

"No, you silly little bear. I mean you have to think what you want to tell Marie in your head." The girl giggled again, patting Benny's head. "How about this? This time instead of praying to any Goddesses, just act as if you're talking with your beloved Marie."

"Yay!"

"Then shall we do it together?"

"Yes!"

The pair knelt in front of the statue, both silently praying with their hands clasped together. Benny was cheerfully swaying side to side...obviously thinking up all the snacks that was offered to it throughout its stay with Elizabeth. It kept thinking about how it wanted Marie to try them when they visit Elizabeth in the future.

"Silly little bear."

When Benny looked up, he is all alone? Benny got up and looked around for the girl that was just with him. He peered beneath the pews, behind the Goddess' statue, inside the altar...to no avail. Benny is in the middle of climbing up the statue when Ansel came inside.

"Ben-What are you doing inside of a church?!"

"Ooooohhhh~!"

"Not 'oh' you dumb doll!" Ansel rushed over, pulling him off the statue. "This is a Goddess statue, you dumb doll! You can't just climb all over it with your dirty hands and feet!"

"I'm not dirty! You're dirty!"

"You clearly have dirt on your feet!"

"This is dirty?"

"Ugggghh...Never climb on the statue belonging to a God or Goddess!"

"Why?"

"It's disrespectful! The Gods will smite you!"

"What's smite?"

"Hit by lighting!"

"Oh...what's lightning?"

"Philia...how I wish this was you and not me..."

"Did you have a nice prayer, Mr. Teddy Bear?"

"Yes! I prayed to Marie!"

"You can't just..."

"Now, now, young man. Let this little one choose it prays to. It doesn't understand religion like you or I. IT is still very young."

"I'm young?"

"Indeed."

"Oh. How old am I?"

"You should ask your owner when we find her."

"Oh! You're right!"

"Haaaaaaahhh..." Ansel could only sigh. "Let's just return to the palace..."

"No carrying me!"

"As if I want to listen to you screaming...how do you scream like that without a mouth...?"

"Just think of it like a healthy young child throwing a tantrum."

"A child, huh?"

Benny ran ahead, jumping up and down when it saw a butterfly...only to trip and fall on its face. Benny merely got up...and tried again almost going into a bush. Ansel had to quickly grab it by the back of its ribbon to stop it from running off.

"Don't leave the path."

"Oh!" Benny was placed back on its feet. "Okay! No leaving the path!"

Benny is an obedient child, but would still throw a tantrum if things it didn't like happened to it. Its thought process is also very childish. If not for the fact Ansel couldn't read its face, it would be rather cute to him.

"Ansel! Ansel!"

"What's wrong?"

"Praying is good!"

"...Is that so?"

"Yeah!"

Ansel couldn't help his thoughts how if it was anyone else...they might have been struck by lighting. Benny didn't seem to notice his stare, merely kicking its legs back and forth. When the carriage lurched, Benny was almost sent flying forward if not for Ansel catching it before falling

"Oh, thank you, Ansel!"

"...You're welcome."

Benny looked up at Ansel and thought for a moment.

His eyes are a pretty blue, it looks like the sky.

"What's wrong?"

"Huh? Nothing."

Benny was confused...wondering why it didn't realize Ansel's eyes were pretty. Marie liked sunny days because they could go out to play. Benny looked outside the carriage, staring at bright blue sky.

"Stop focusing on Marie...an adventure..."

Benny's greatest desire is to find Marie, but it also wanted to tell Marie all the things it has seen to reach her. It wanted to sit on Marie's lap, telling her all about his adventures. It wanted to make Marie smile as it told its story.

"Marie, this world is beautiful!"