As Alex lies in his bed, staring into a familiar set of red eyes, he sighs and reaches out, grabbing the culprit, who is staring at him, and pulls her close to himself.
He ends up pressing Jewel against his chest, somehow calming her down, and closes his eyes.
Maybe it's because of everything that happened earlier, but the sensation of her smooth, cool body in his arms is oddly comforting to him—and before he knows it, sleep takes him.
Wrapped in that quiet, oddly soothing presence, he finally manages to fully relax, his body sinking deeper into the couch. Despite the strange surroundings, he feels comfortable. The thoughts of how he managed to ease Benezia's worries—and even grow a little closer to her—leave him content and quite satisfied with the current situation.
Time passes in a flash.
Suddenly, a loud stomp jerks him awake. Kokoro marches into the room with her usual chaotic energy, and beside her stands a small girl with green-blond pigtails, holding a blue rabbit in her arms.
"Nagagagaga! Slept well?" Kokoro yells, practically shaking the room with her voice.
Fuck... I could've slept just a little longer. I was finally starting to unwind. This is so frustrating. I suddenly hate her voice!
"No... but it's fine," Alex mutters, rubbing his face. "Once we're in Water 7, I'll rent the most expensive hotel and actually relax for once. A week or two should be enough."
Maybe I'll also ask Tereza for... well, better keep that thought to myself—wouldn't want to upset the spider... again. Thankfully, last night didn't escalate any further.
"Grandma, who are these people?" Chimney asks, her eyes wide with curiosity as she surveys the group. Her gaze quickly zeroes in on Jewel, who's still curled up against Alex's chest.
"What a cute insect!" she squeals.
Soulmate... may I eliminate this Peasant?
Don't be ridiculous. She's just a kid.
"Her name's Jewel," Alex says calmly. "And she's not an insect—she's a spider. Though I get why you'd mix that up, it's a pretty common mistake."
"Nagagaga, as much as I'm enjoying this scene," Kokoro interjects, "you need to get moving. I've prepared the letter and your tickets. Why don't you take the Sea Train to Water 7 and enjoy the ride?"
No sooner does she say it, than the sound of a distant bell echoes from outside.
Kokoro steps forward and presses a sealed envelope and three tickets into Alex's hands.
Still groggy and caught off guard by the sudden shift in pace, Alex stumbles outside and is greeted by the sight of the massive, iconic Sea Train—Puffing Tom—pulling into the station.
"Incredible," he mutters, taking in the imposing steel train resting on the rails, steam hissing as it comes to a halt.
With Benezia and Tereza following behind, Alex boards the train, and the three of them quickly find a private, closed-off cabin where they can sit down and breathe for a moment.
As Puffing Tom departs, Alex watches through the window as Kokoro, Chimney, and her rabbit Gonbe wave at them from the platform. He raises a hand in return, offering them a small wave before leaning back into the cushioned seat with a long sigh.
"This isn't bad," he says, adjusting slightly. "It almost feels like a proper train from my world. This place is weirdly modern in some ways. I rather like it!"
"It's certainly an experience," Benezia says, giving him a small, genuine smile—weak, but somehow appearing quite powerful to Alex.
She's a little different....
Tereza stares at her, shocked, obviously also noticing the difference. "Are you... in a good mood, Benezia?"
"I'm trying to adjust my perspective and world-view, at least marginally," Benezia says vaguely. "Also... I'm sorry if I come across as cold or unfeeling."
This is all Soulmate's fault! Princess Jewel feels neglected.
Irritated by Jewel's dramatic sulking, Alex lifts her into his lap and begins gently stroking her.
❤️
Am I... being blackmailed by a pet? No... still, this spider.... Whatever.
Enjoying the endless view across the ocean as the Puffing Tom speeds across the water's surface, Alex opens the window, letting the cold, refreshing wind hit his skin.
The breeze feels good—so good, in fact, that he leans back, closes his eyes, and drifts off back to sleep.
A few hours later, he's pulled from sleep by voices echoing from the hallway outside their small cabin. High-pitched and impatient, screeching and crying loudly.
"Are we there yet?!"
"I want to go home!"
"I'm feeling sick."
A group of children whines loudly.
"We'll be there in thirty minutes! Shut up or I'll tell your dad about your behaviour," a stern female voice snaps back, obviously annoyed and frustrated.
Damn... annoying kids and their even more annoying mothers.
"Alex," Benezia speaks up, her voice soft but clear, "can you hand me that letter we received from the mermaid?"
I didn't think about it. It's probably a good idea to inspect it.
Alex gives a nod and passes it over.
"It's sealed," Benezia says, examining it closely.
"I'm no master forger, and this kind of antique sealing method is beyond my expertise. Looks like it's just wax and a stamp... primitive, but seemingly functional," Benezia analyzes.
She frowns slightly. "I could open it, but there's a risk. If Iceburg realizes it's been tampered with, the letter might have the opposite effect than intended."
"That would be bad..." Tereza agrees, her expression serious.
"Usually, these things end badly," Alex adds. "Maybe try holding it up against the light."
Benezia does as he suggests, carefully lifting the envelope and angling it under the nearest light source—but it's no use.
"We could always open it and present the letter without the envelope," she considers, "but that could come off as suspicious."
"I think there is a risk we're walking into our graves. For example, the letter could read: 'These three pirates are vile criminals, please stop them,' or something like that. Like the great Marshal of the Alliance likes to say, 'never trust an elf!'... much less a mermaid... right?"
Princess Jewel doesn't think the mermaid hag will betray Soulmate.
"Why?" Alex asks, turning to look at her with genuine curiosity. "If you're just guessing, I'll obviously share your hope—but I have no way of actually telling. It could be a trap. I just don't believe it is. Still, the risk and threat are real."
Princess Jewel, much like Soulmate, can vaguely read the Auras of others. She can also detect hostility. Also, Princess Jewel doesn't believe the mermaid would risk her life—or her granddaughter's life—just to betray Soulmate for no clear reason.
"Her granddaughter's life?" Alex asks full of confusion. "You mean... we'd take revenge if she betrayed us. I guess pirates would do that, that's true. That's a pretty logical argument, Jewel. If you'd stop acting like a silly spider more often, you really would be seen as a genius."
"I fully agree with the little one," Benezia says, smiling faintly. "It's a well-structured and rational argument, one that I fully agree with and endorse."
"Let's just go with it," Alex decides.
Finally, and exactly as that one mother claimed earlier, the Sea Train begins to slow down, and Water 7 comes into view almost precisely thirty minutes later. As the city and the small island it rests on gradually become visible through the window, Alex can't help but compare it to a few places in his memory.
"The design's vaguely similar to Alubarna... which in turn reminds me a bit of Midgar. Japanese people really like their Pizza-shaped cities, huh?" Alex remarks.
"Round circles are interesting, I guess," Tereza says, "but I don't see the appeal. Prague is a truly beautiful city—and it couldn't be more different from a circle."
"Well... this isn't Prague, that's for sure," Alex replies with a grin. "The secret of this island is that it's slowly sinking. Every year, a huge tidal wave—the Aqua Laguna—hits it. There used to be mountains and forests here, on this island, but now, parts of the main city have already vanished underwater. That's not relevant for the mission, though. Aside from that, Water 7 is famous for its shipwrights. The most important of them is the Galley-La Company, run by the city's mayor, Iceburg."
"Well, I'm glad you didn't forget the backstory," Tereza mutters, unimpressed. "Even I knew that much, though."
"We've got two tasks that need to be handled right away," Alex continues, ignoring her. "As well as a bunch of smaller ones, too. First, we need to contact Nico Robin and get the details about our mission contact from Baroque works. Then we have the letter for Iceburg... and our little secret quest."
"What else?" Tereza asks.
Alex pauses for a moment, running through the list in his mind, before answering with a sigh, "We have to sell our loot... I've picked up so much garbage that I need to sell it—my inventory is too full of junk. We also need to hand in the heads of Bellamy and Sarquiss to our contact. Then we need to rest, check out the shops, summon Menchi, and most importantly, keep an eye out for Players. Finally, we should consider hunting more pirates."
"Indeed," Benezia agrees. "Aside from that, we must research the more important characters in this city. Cutty Flam, also known as Franky, and the CP9 agents rumored to be hiding here are both valid targets. If the situation demands it, pure violence might be the most effective option. We have the opportunity to obtain rare and powerful treasures from significant figures like them. We should at least consider doing just that."
I can't deny... getting rid of the CP9 agents would not be easy, but the rewards would be worth it. I can't even imagine what we could get. Devil fruits, skillbooks, weapons. I guess we could give it a try... no! We need to give it a try!
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