The Teddy Bear...From the Sea of Stars

The day before their journey was to resume...Benny suddenly declared that it wanted to go to the church to pray. Philia and Ansel was going to accompany it, but Nao declared that she would take it to the church. Nao went so far as to arrange a private prayer room usually reserved for nobles. To avoid the crowds, she would take Benny around sundown so Benny made sure to look its nicest.

"I'm so clean!" Benny held its hands up in the air, clearly pleased. "Philia! Philia! Do I smell nice too? Does my cotton give a nice softness beneath my fabric? Oh! Wait, check out my hands! Nao changed my hands for me! Feel it! Feel it!"

"Yes, yes, I'll check for you."

Philia began to squish Benny's offered hand. It does look different, having a new fabric layer that was clearly different from its original design and even has a cute paw print-like shape. Philia blinked and began to press continuously. Benny is quite pleased as it is swaying cheerfully to the rhythm of Philia's presses, its free hand lifting up and down at the same rhythm. Ansel was reading up until this point, but when he didn't hear either of them speaking...he was clearly weirded out at this scene.

"What in the world are you two doing?"

"Hey...Ansel..." Philia is still pressing with one hand, using her other one to usher Ansel over. "Come here, hurry."

"Why?"

"Hurry, hurry..."

"Okay, okay..."

Ansel rolled his eyes as he put down his book to come over. He knelt down beside Philia and Benny offered his other hand to him. That's when he began pressing...and suddenly, the two teens were just kneeling there pressing at Benny's hands as it is practically vibrating with joy.

"Did you change out your cotton or something?"

"I added a bit more cotton here and there, but Nao sewed on a extra fabric on my hands and filled it up as much as possible to make it easier for me to hold things!"

"It's so...squishy and kinda addicting..."

"What sort of cotton is this...It feels so soft and plump..."

"It reminds me of the paws of cats..."

"See! See! Ah! look!"

Both teens were holding out their hands as Benny pulled its hands away. Their fingers were flexing a bit, a bit at a loss. The two watched as Benny ran towards a nearby broom and was able to hold it with one hand. The two froze up seeing this as Benny doesn't even have fingers or thumbs! Benny cheerfully began running around with it in both hands.

"Look! Look! I can grab stuff with these hands! I can even tie my own ribbon too!"

"What sort of hands did she make for you?!"

"Hold up, don't tell me...did she seriously spend the last two days sewing on rune spells into the paw pattern...?"

"Dunno! I'm going to go show the wolves!"

Philia and Ansel thought that the queen dowager spoiled Benny...but Nao is just as bad!  The two began to calculate the amount of money that the new materials would have cost, not to mention the amount of mana needed to sew an inscription into the fabric. They decided to stop thinking about it, knowing that neither of them would be able to make that much money to do something so...insignificant to most...but precious to the cheerful teddy bear.

"Do you think I could do something like that in the future?"

"I am so not hunting Arachne just for you to get its silk threading! Those things are disgustedly gross!"

The wolves were also curious about Benny's new ability to grab things with its modified hands. Benny didn't realize that letting Nao modify its body a tiny bit inspired both Philia and Ansel to do something for it...nor did it realize that the interest in how Benny can grab things would help Ansel in the future.

"What are you all doing?" Nao arrived in time to see Benny making ribbons using the bandages the wolves are wearing. "Don't untangle her bandages."

"Oh, I'm not supposed to?"

"You're not supposed to."

"Sorry, Nao."

"You clearly didn't mean any harm, let me fix this then we can head to the church."

"Hehehehe! I can't wait!"

"Why did you want to go to the church, Benny?"

"Someone told me that I don't have to pray to the gods, I can pray to Marie!"

"Did they now?"

"I wonder who that girl was...I can't remember what she looks like at all, but she disappeared all of a sudden...I was surprised..."

"Oh?"

"Yeah! Oh, I almost forgot."

"What did you forget?"

"Wait, wait!" Benny ran inside and towards its bag. Nao came in to see Benny hanging halfway into its bag, its legs wiggling in the air. "I'm stuck! Someone, save me!"

"What are you doing?" Ansel is the one who pulled it out. "What were you looking for?"

"Acorn!"

"Acorn...what do you need an acorn for?"

"It's one of the acorns I'm keeping, but look! It's turning into a plant!" Benny held it up with both hands. "I thought it would be bad to bring it with me so I want to plant this at the church. I remember that someone said you have to bring offerings when going to the church...I didn't the first time, but this time I have something!"

"That's not a very-ow!"

"Sounds like a good offering to me." Philia looked away from Ansel who is rubbing his arm after she smacked him. "Here, I'll give you this so use this as an offering too."

"Oooh, shiny!"

"It's a gold coin. Just put it in the offering bowl with the acorn."

"Okay!"

"That's sacra-ow!" Ansel rubbed his other arm after Nao smacked him this time. "Why are you two hitting me?!"

"Benny is using actual money with his personal offering, so keep silent."

"Benny, I'll give you another shiny coin too."

"Thank you, Nao!"

"..." Philia and Nao stared at Ansel and he got annoyed at the pair. "Don't look at me to give it a gold coin! I don't come from a rich family nor am I an old-owowowowowow!"

"I'm still young, you snot nosed brat!"

"Ow! I give up, I give up! Philia, help me!"

"Haaaah..." Philia could only sigh at Ansel getting his ear twisted by Nao. "Then, pay me back later."

"Why do I have to pay you back?!"

"Here, this is Ansel's portion."

"Hehehehe, three shinies..."

"Do you intend on making me be in debt with you? There's no way I can pay you back when we're traveling and in case you've forgotten...I'm just a squire! I barely make enough as is!"

"Then, hurry up and become a knight. If that fails, just become a mage. Mages earn five times more than any knight does."

"Don't be stupid, I want to be a knight."

Nao decided to take Benny while the two teenagers were busy arguing. Benny is holding the four objects in its tiny hands as if they were precious items. Nao didn't speak throughout the journey to the church, instead chose to listen to Benny's cheerful humming. Nao took the back entrance to the church, her steps silent throughout the long white halls.

"Nao, have you been here before? You know where you're going..." Benny trailed after Nao who kept her pace slow in consideration of its small stride. "No one is around either...but...but...I feel as if..."

Long white halls...a trio of individuals...the setting sun's orange rays pouring in through the large windows. The one who led the way is a young petite woman...smaller than her companions who walked five steps behind her.

"As if I have also been here before...but...I don't remember this..."

"You did come here before, Benny. In truth...this city was different back then...not a trade city...but a fortress..."

"I was here before...? Why don't remember?"

"Back then, Marie would take you everywhere...scared to lose you, to the last tether to her world. Asahi wasn't so fortunate, he only had his memories and an old book that was lost...stolen away by fanatics..."

Nao paused in her steps...turning around. Her gaze isn't settled upon Benny, but straightforward towards something...no...someone at her own height. Benny stared up at her, wondering who she is thinking about. There is a glint in her gaze as she finally looked downwards...steadier than they ever had been since Benny had seen her. She is focused, steady...and resolved.

"Enter alone. At the depths of the room is a large chalice...place your offering to the Gods...and speak...speak whatever you wish...Benny the Teddy Bear...artifact from another world."

"Nao?"

"Go." Nao silently reached out, not averting her gaze as the door opened with the gentlest touch. "Enter."

"...Okay..."

"Enter. Enter and offer your prayers. You who shall help deliver this world...to the promised day..."

The doors shut behind Benny...making it look towards those imposing and large doors...far too large for a teddy bear the size of an infant. Benny held the offering in its hands...going to the depths of the room as Nao said. It saw many statues in the room on either side of the room.

"Deeper in the room..."

The two accompanying the woman stood at either side of the door, daring not to enter as it swung open without anyone to touch it. The doors shut behind her...and she took in a deep breath before striding forward. Her gaze is resolute as she walked forward, her steps clear and steady.

"I will not pray to Gods who dare to abandon us in this world...! Who entertain themselves on our sacrifices...!"

"I must place the offering..."

Benny stood before the large bowl surrounded by several windows, it shined as if absorbing the sunlight that pours in. Benny reached out, allowing its offerings to drop into the bowl.

A young woman dug into her bag...producing a familiar object she cherished more than her own life...a constant companion who has been with her since she arrived in this strange world...who gave her comfort even though it cannot speak nor move. Holding precious memories of a world she can barely remember now that she has grown. She held her precious item above the offering basin.

"Goddess who governs over scribes...who writes the true history as it is and not manipulated by lies. I shall offer my all...to write out a future not manipulated by others!"

"I want my prayers to reach her...to my precious Marie..."

"Let this be my final prayer before I depart...! With no one to witness this except you...Benny..."

"I want to see you again, Marie."

"Impart my memories upon this child...of my innocence and prayers of a lost child...To act as a vessel for my resolve...that I shall leave behind to fulfill my duty."

"I was created for your sake, Marie. By your great-granny...to accompany you...I was made with love...love for your sake..."

"...I'm sorry...Benny...but your duty...it shall one day arrive...so wait for me..."

"...I knew...a teddy bear has no place outside of childhood...but...but...wait for me...I'll find you soon...Marie..."

"No matter..."

"No matter how far I must go..."

"One day..."

"In the future..."

"I shall rewrite fate itself..."

"Let's be reunited!"

"Change the very stars in the skies!"

"Because I love you very much, Marie!"

"...Because I grew to love this world...and I don't want anyone to suffer like we had."

Benny's gaze is focused upon its beloved Marie...her eyes wetting with unshed tears...that's all it saw before she dropped it into the chalice...and...and...there is nothing, but darkness...and a sea of stars. It wasn't sure how much time passed...before it was lifted up.

"I have heard your prayer and received your offering...But I have no need for something so precious."

Who is this?

Benny is frozen in place...as the sun is setting...and the stars began to shine. Benny fell over, unable to move...but its conscious is still there? It couldn't move...but it could sense something...something...almost familiar.

"I, too, shall await the promised day..."

Benny heard a familiar girl's voice...this voice...the very same girl it had met when it first visited a church. Benny didn't understand how she is here, how she entered this room that was sealed off.

"That's why...I shall manipulate the future one last time...to return to you...the most precious and cherished teddy bear...I'll engrave it into the stars itself...that you will be reunited."