The Teddy Bear and Miss Elf

"We finally made it..."

"Made it? Made it where?" Benny popped its head out of its bag. "Are we at your granny's house?"

"We're not even close to getting there! Get back inside!"

"I wanna see!"

"This time, I have to agree with Philia. This is the trading city, Kruz. It's dangerous compared to all the villages and towns we passed to get here."

"Why?"

"Magical artifacts, like you...can be bought and traded. We don't want to risk losing you so we have to keep you hidden."

"But you are both strong! Ansel knows magic! He can shoot lighting!"

"...Why is it that of all thing fascinates you?"

"I'll be okay!"

"You won't, so knock it off."

Philia knew it herself...while she is from a famous lineage...It won't change that her family status won't get her anywhere in this city. Ansel is even worse off as he's simply a commoner. The darkness in this trade city...if it wasn't for the fact that they were told to come here by the queen dowager, they wouldn't have ever come here. However, they were to meet someone from the era of Heroes...from the time when Otherworlders were aplenty.

"Philia, are you sure this is the right place?" Ansel had to drop off their horses at a reputable stable before heading to the inn they needed to go to. "It's basically on the outskirts of the city's walls...and it doesn't look..."

"Don't say it...!"

"It's rundown."

"Why here...?!"

"And it's a bar! Neither of us are old enough to drink!"

"I said don't say it!" Philia gave Ansel a dirty look. "I'm sure the inside must look better if her majesty suggested this place to us!"

"Wait, Philia-"

Philia froze up...seeing how desolate and abandoned the interior is. A rat scurried past, paused...looked straight at Philia...resulting in her releasing a high pitched scream, jumping at Ansel. Ansel ended up grabbing ahold of Philia, but the two fell over. Benny, who is in the bag, was suddenly being squished on both sides.

"It's a rat! Ansel! Kill it!"

"I-I'm flattening...! S-Save me...! Ansel...!"

"Don't make such a fuss about a rat or two."

"It's a rat! Who are you to tell me not to freak out?! Those things are diseased!"

"I didn't say that, Philia!"

"Eh, then...?"

Philia and Ansel looked towards the source of the voice...the two had completely missed the individual sitting at the only upright table in the entire bar...an elven woman. She looked at them...before tipping a bottle to her mouth, taking a large swig of it.

"Phew...nothing beats an afternoon drink!"

"You're a drunkard!"

"I'm free!" Benny managed to free itself and quickly began to run off. "I'm not going back in the bag!"

"Wait, Benny! Don't-"

"Oh? What a cute teddy bear."

"Yes! I'm Benny the teddy bear!" Benny stopped running and ran towards the elf woman. "Who are you? Wow! You're pretty! I think you're prettier than a flower!"

"What a sweet thing you are. I'm called Nao. Want a drink?"

"Don't offer alcohol to Benny!" Ansel grabbed Benny, pulling it back. "You're a horrible adult!"

"That's right, I'm a horrible adult...Ah...Marie..."

"Marie?!" Benny began to wiggle like crazy. It got free once again, jumping onto the elf's lap. "Where is my Marie?!"

"Should I tell you?"

"Yes! Please tell me!"

"Marie is-Bewh?!" Ansel and Philia both covered the woman's mouth. "HMPH?!"

"You should tell us that, not Benny"

"That's right! What are we going to do if it starts wailing if you give it bad news?!"

"..."

Nao didn't move for a moment before two suddenly found themselves floating in the air. Nao took a drink from her bottle, using the back of her hand to wipe away the bit of alcohol that dripped down the corner of her mouth.

"I heard that you were looking for Marie so I wanted to tease the little bear a bit. All of your reactions are a lot cuter than I thought."

"You're teasing Benny?!"

"What a horrible drunkard...even I'm not mean enough to the bear to tease it with information..."

"No, I'm not teasing the bear. Marie is still in this world."

"She is?!"

"She's alive?!"

"My Marie! My Marie!" Benny got onto the table and began to dance, spinning around cheerfully. "My Marie is waiting for me! I have to go-oh!"

"Not so fast, little bear." Nao snagged Benny by the back of its ribbon, stopping it from jumping off the table to rush out the door. "She isn't in this city."

"She isn't?" Benny stared at Nao. "My Marie is waiting for me! Oh, wait, you know where Marie is, right? Tell me! Tell me!"

"After it began to calm down...it reverts back to how it was when we first met..."

"It's louder now..."

"The Witch of the Slumbering Forest knows where she is."

"My great-grandmother does?!"

"Aaah..."

"Did her majesty tell you about-"

"Lizzie was the one who arranged everything. Your arrival here, your safe journey, everything. However, once you leave Kruz, your safety isn't guaranteed anymore."

"L-Lizzie...to refer to her majesty by such a nickname..."

"Miss Nao...who are you?"

"Me?" Nao merely smiled at the children. "Just an old elf who can't return to the forest...not until the promised day."

"Promised day?"

"I heard that before! The mean bird said that her master is waiting for the promised day too!"

"You mean the spirit in that forest?"

"Yeah! What's the promised day?"

"It's a secret."

"Eeeeehhh?!" Benny began to smack at her hand. "You meanie! Why won't you tell me after saying that?!"

"How cute, just like a child throwing a tantrum."

"Meanie! Meanie!"

"Benny."

"Yes?" Benny's hands are up, ready to keep striking. "What is it?"

"Have your adventure so far been fun?"

"Yeah!"

"That's good. Adventure really is the romance of all youths."

"Huh?"

"Now then, you two are here on Lizzie's recommendation. You're free to stay here as long as you want to prepare for your next destination...however...that is only if both of you are strong enough to leave."

"What...do you mean?"

"A female knight who is too hotheaded for her own good. No flexibility at all...and a squire with the potential to become a great mage...what a waste of talent..." Nao licked her lips, a grin on her face. "Just how I like kids. Sometimes, they need a bit of tough love to grow stronger."

Both Philia and Ansel shuddered at the look on the elf's face. Benny, not understanding and being too young, had clearly didn't understand what sort of torture its companions will surely undergo beneath Nao's...tender...care.

Neither Philia nor Ansel wanted to tell Benny what sort of torture they underwent while it slept at night. Nor did they tell it about the underground fight rings they were forced to enter every night. There were times when both teens thought about running away with Benny...it was hopeless as Nao would find out and beat them black and blue for their misbehavior.

"Sweep, sweep! Cleaning, cleaning!"

Benny is dancing around, holding a makeshift feather duster made from chicken feathers. It's wearing a tiny apron and a bandana on its head, giving it a very cute housekeeper look. It began to sweep and clean up any cobwebs it could reach...which wasn't very high and wasn't very useful.

"My Marie! My Marie! She's waiting for me~!"

"What a cheerful little thing it is."

"Instead of drinking and sitting there, how about you help us clean?!"

"That's right!" Ansel is wringing out a wet rag. "We have to train at night and you want us to clean your bar for you?"

"You're all staying here for free and you get training for free as well."

"We didn't ask for the training!"

"By the way." Nao stared at Benny. "You both keep referring to the bear as an it and not him or her. Is there a reason for that?"

"Huh?"

"The bear is just an inanimate object. Sure it can talk and is pretty emotional, but it still isn't a living being."

"That's a bit cruel. All things are alive in a sense. Benny isn't much different from a spirit, a newborn one at that."

"This thing?"

"It is?"

"I am?"

"Why are you asking that question?! Moreover, shouldn't you be the one to consider that first?!"

"So hotheaded..."

"I'm just a teddy bear." Benny placed its hand against its mouth. "Can I be a him or her? What is a him and her? I know Philia is a her because she's a girl and that Ansel is a him because he's a boy...but what makes them a boy and a girl?"

"..."

"..."

"Do you want to be a boy or a girl?"

"I don't know." Benny shook its whole head and body. "Why can't I just be Benny?"

"I suppose this topic is a bit delicate for such a young one. Well, there are spirits who are unisex so they usually pick whichever suits them..."

"What's unisex?"

"A person who is neither man nor woman."

"Like me?"

"In a way."

"Oh!"

"Well, enough chattering. You two, once you're done with cleaning go tell the carpenter to come by. Benny, I'll give you a bath after."

"Yay! You're so much better at cleaning me than Ansel or Philia! Philia keeps wringing me out like the rags and I get all flat in some places!"

"Oh?"

"Ansel isn't much better! He leaves too much water in me! My cotton will get all moldy!"

"Then, I'll teach Ansel how to bathe you properly using magic."

"Wow! Magic is amazing!"

"You only think its amazing because it benefits you too much!"

"That's not true! I think the lightning is cool!"

"Such a dumb bear..."

"At least its happy..."

"Nao, you're really nice! I'll make sure Marie and I come see you, okay?"

"...I look forward to it then."

"Hehehehe!"

Benny is dancing while swinging around its feather duster. Ansel and Philia were the only ones who noticed that sorrowful and guilty expression on Nao's face when she looked at Benny...but they had a feeling they shouldn't ask about it. If they ask...perhaps she would tell them that Marie is in this world...but...she is no longer alive...neither of them wanted to know nor carry such information...not when traveling with the innocent little bear who is looking forward to reuniting with its beloved Marie. Ansel already had a soft spot for Benny, thinking of it like a small child wanting to be with its mother...Philia didn't like the thought...of breaking its heart should it find out so soon.

"I met a nice elf lady in Kruz. She said she knew you, but wouldn't tell me anything! She was a bit mean, but she was also very nice because she helped Ansel and Philia get stronger! She also taught me a lot of interesting things! Since she's your friend, we should visit her soon! She likes drinks in a weird bottle. Ansel said that it's stuff adults can drink so we should definably get her some! Look! Look! She made me this feather duster!"