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open 🪶 the world owes me a debt, and i've come to collect.
Status: Open.
Where: All around.
What: Oops, all MANTA stuff. And a not-date with Cid.
Warnings: FFXVI spoilers, foul language, suggestive content. The usual.
🗡️ i. bite-sized blessings
Fool her once, shame on her. Fool her twice—]
You little brat!
[—it's managed to grab at her hair, and it pulls, before swooping away from her grappling hands with a chirp, as if it thinks this is some sort of game!?
Someone please help this woman. Or this dragon. She has yet to hear all about how this thing is meant to be returned to Elah, so if you are looking for said pink dragon, here it is.]
🗡️ ii. a steamy winter heist
[It was the exorbitant prices that drew Benedikta to the job first. The black market was always open, and she was always willing. Call it doing someone else's dirty work, if it put a good sack of coin into her pocket, then who is she to complain? Besides, it's not as if stealing something off a ship in the dead of night was difficult—she's done it dozens of times before.
The fact that it was a special sort of tea was only a bonus, so of course she would pocket some for herself... Maybe a handful. Or maybe a whole crate if she could get away with it.
Now, that is the question, isn't it?]
She has her pipe between her teeth as she almost always does before a job like this, letting the smoke swirl on her tongue before letting it billow outward.]
So, that there is the ship? [She scoffs.] She is certainly impressive.
[As large as a rich, black-market-selling merchant's ship should be. Which is why she's agreed to a "two-person" job.]
༄ b. caught red-handed. [Or, maybe she wasn't feeling so charitable.
As if being caught matters all that much to her. She's in the middle of making off with a whole crate—and the last one, too; people have been busy—of these tea bags (there must be hundreds of them in here) when she hears footsteps coming. She hardly flinches, if at all, and stands there with it tucked haphazardly under her arm while she stares the other person down with a smile before she tosses her head back.
Yep. You saw right. A whole box.]
Sorry. As they say, the early bird and all. A shame you came all this way only to come out empty-handed, but try again another night.
[There may have been a threat underlining her voice somewhere.]
🗡️ iii. poke 'n prance
[Well, at the very least, being paired up with Benedikta for a challenge like this cannot get any better... or worse than this, depending on who you ask. Having a history of torturing others means that she knows exactly where to put the sword and how much pain it will inflict. After all, when fishing for information, it is best to poke and prod it out of someone, and you can't very well gain much from a dead person, now can you?
Which is why she walks up with her own sword in her hand with all the confidence and arrogance of a pretty peacock, her fingers caressing the sharp edge of her blade, from hilt all the way to its jagged tip.]
Now, pay close attention to where I stick you because we can only do this once. Perhaps twice, if you can withstand it.
[She smiles, so sweet and saccharine and sarcastic.]
So, consider this a valuable lesson.
🗡️ iv. coins of the crescent
[Well. What she thought would be a nice, peaceful ride out to this island to fetch some coins turned out to be... well, everything but. It had been fine for the most part, but as the island came into view through the fog, things had started to tip and tip and tip until everything went fucking tits up.
Not only did the crew start to howl and turn rabid, much like those stupid wolves she can hear in the distance, but so did the captain, and now the ship is wayward on the seas at the behest of the waves. Fortunately, she can use the winds to guide them true, but it will take a little more concentration than what she can afford as she drives her sword into the shoulder of one infected crew that lunges at her with what could only be thought of as a kitten's claws.
Don't worry, that won't kill him, but it will send him reeling to the ground wailing in pain, and she kicks him in the gut to quiet him.
Whoever might be standing near her, she will shout at them with no shortage of rage in her voice as she gives her sword a brandish, the blood spraying from her blade.]
Might anyone spare a moment to take care of them while I attempt to not crash this fucking ship!?
[Must she do everything!?]
🗡️ v. untitled goose bounty 2
[Well, this is certainly not what she was expecting to see when she arrived on Eltrut, or tried to. She'd heard sounds from above across the ship's deck first—the worried shouts of the crew and riftfarers alike. Benedikta had been enjoying the peaceful ride in her cabin aboard the Stormbringer, and had half a mind to ignore the noise and go right back to sleep...
...
Until she hears something else.
The loud, low, rumbling sound of a... honk?
Something visceral shatters through Benedikta's whole body then, forcing her to sit up when the flashbacks of those eight-headed geese attacked her not even a month ago. She rushes to her feet and then out the door, shoving people out of her way as she storms up to the deck where she beholds—]
You've got to be fucking kidding me.
[—an eight-headed(?) goose large enough that it could peck out Eltrut's eye.
Much, much larger than she recalls it being.
And she is pulled out of her reverie only by the sounds of magitech cannons being blasted off.]
I see it's come back for another taste.
🗡️ vi. wildcard
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... You're going to need a bigger bed first.
[She's still not letting that go.
More than that, it's partly honest, but the sarcasm that oozes from her is mostly to hide the heavier notes in her voice.
And out they go into the night air, and it's a little colder than she remembers it being when they had arrived. Though, she had been wearing her fur scarf and a proper dress rather than having most of her skin and all of her legs exposed to the sea breeze. She shivers but says nothing about it as she looks up to the sky, still dark except for the moon and the stars.]
Where to next?
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[A soft chuckle as he glances at her before they head outside, and upon feeling that shiver next to him, he tugs her a little closer to him.]
Think we'll head down below deck, show you what all we have. It's a few levels with a lot of room. Enough for a dedicated workroom, too.
[Because of course he would want to have a place to tinker around on ship, even if it's for smaller projects or on ship repairs.
And as he speaks he'll be guiding her to the entrance down nearest them.]
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[He needs a whole workroom to tinker, too. This man, she swears... his hands could never sit still for long. That much has never changed about him.]
With some space for me to sit, I hope.
[Because if he remembers, Benedikta never did like being separated from him for long. Even when he was working, fixing things, building things, or simply writing or sketching, she was always perched nearby. Lounging with a book, sleeping, or watching him silently as he worked away.
So, there's something of a grin as she lets him tuck her at his side, a flicker in her gaze when she glances up at him as he takes her through that door.]
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[A wink as he leans in a little.]
Could break that one in, too.
[This man.]
But—[His voice softens just a touch as they reach the entranceway to the stairs, the shadows falling over them.]—there will always be room for you.
[Not just his workshop or even in his quarters. But this ship in general. A place for her to rest, and if she ever wanted to claim a small space for her own, she could.
And from there Cid will take her through the ship. In many ways it's not so different from the ships of their world, with enough cabins to fill sixty or so people. Some were single bed, others bunk, either capable of changing as needed and two shared communal baths on each end. Not that he anticipates it ever getting that full, but more than enough to run a ship of this size. Which is also not the largest, but he aimed for a ship built for speed and maneuverability, not for war.
What weapons it has will be enough to hold its own, and with six Dominants on board, will they really need to worry? (Yes, six, Benedikta included). Not to mention the powers and skill of the rest of the crew. But he's also working with Mid and others to design tools and weapons to help enhance and fortify the ship further, and he also makes mention of his he's already working on devices that are meant to stun or cause mild damage but enough to debilitate a target, especially against people or even monsters.
When the inevitable question of why is asked, he just responds that while killing is of course a necessity at times, for others it might not be so needed. If they just need to make a quick plunder and get away, he would prefer it not to be a bloody massacre if they're not all criminals themselves. Then there are the prospective bounties where being kept alive is worth more than dead.
Not to mention Mid doesn't want to design anything that could be used and abused for war. It's something she told him was her wish in the future, and it is one he holds close to his heart. Especially since he, too, shares that sentiment, expression darkening a bit when he recalls some of his own old designs used to work in ways not intended. Or were more effective than he imagined.
Truly like father like daughter.
Other places of note were that other workroom for the inventers of the crew to use, including himself, so if she was hoping for something private, well... A bit hard pressed there. Then the kitchens and galley, with tables and even a proper bar fitted to give it a more tavern like feel. Here he mentions his little "veggie" members, who are already creating recipes and meals based off their interestingly expansive knowledge of vegetables. They have branched off to other ingredients, of course, and he thinks at least one has fully converted back to meat ("Poor sod, seems he always enjoyed meat before he was brainwashed to vegetables, and now he's swung back even harder."). But it's here he'll mention how he's thinking of giving these lads an outlet and start a small business of sorts in Eltrut. Just one of those cart stalls to serve vegetable based meals and drinks, test it out and see.
He's a even thinking of somehow making a garden or greenhouse of sorts on the ship. Nothing too big, have to keep in mind of space and weight, but perhaps something to hang from the overhangs or focus on indoor plants with some artifical lighting. Kaveh has basically plant magic that might be able to work. But it would be beneficial if they could grow their own, even if it's just something basic, so they could have what they need no matter where they are traveling out at sea. Of course, their future island base would have something more substantial, but that would take more time.
As he continues to show her the lower decks and hull, he shows an area of which will also be designated for livestock and horses or chocobos for traveling if needed ("Yuffie and Clive both have their chocobos so seems only fitting. Wonder if there any out there in the wild... Been a while since I had my own."). The rest is storage and then—
The engine room.
He won't bore her with the details, but he is clearly excited about this. Is it better than the mythril engines he and Mid designed? Eh, who's to say. But she can better believe the two of them will work to upgrade the engines here to make this ship even faster. He already boasts how the mythril engines allowed the Enterprise to catch up to and outpace the Einherjar, so he can only imagine what they could do with the advanced tech of this world. They just need to study up and work on getting the materials once they are ready.
As they head back up he'll briefly talk about the island base he hopes to find for the crew. With it being made of both Armadas, something a bit more central and undisclosed would be beneficial for everyone. But he doesn't have too much concrete ideas yet, though he wouldn't mind something in the cliffsides again. Part joke, part serious.
Back up top, he takes her to the navigation and communications room, which is similar to what they saw back on the Stormbringer when they first arrived in this world. It's a bit updated, but otherwise standard for all ships.
Up the stairs they go to enter the helm, which is also a bit different. Instead of completely exposed to the elements, it's like the smaller boats and is covered with large windows. With its direct connection to the navigation room, it makes it easier for the two to communicate, but there is still plenty for the helmsman to work with to control the ship and have their own map and tools to help plot the course.
Ad he leans against the wheel, he grins at Benedikta.]
So? What do you think?
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It certainly is an impressive ship, to say the least. She's far from being anything like the Einherjar, but she is extraordinary in her own right. Remarkable that he can even sail this thing with a much smaller crew, though he always was stubborn in a number of ways that she shouldn't be so surprised. Not that he holds back on bragging about it, or his ship. Six Dominants, his cult, Mid working on tools to enhance the ship... Not to mention this crew of riftfarers he's managed to snatch up.
Needless to say, it earns several rolls of her eyes.
Through the kitchens where she grabs a small snack—just a small bite of bread that she can grab and go—and the empty spaces where he supposedly wants to build a greenhouse and a stable, with her warning him that the latter would just make the stink of chocobo linger.
She has little interest in the engine room, and he speaks in a whole other tongue when he brings up mythril engines, and when he brags about how his old ship could easily outsail the Einherjar. More rolling of her eyes, and it will be Benedikta that drags him out of there by the hand before he can get too far into it that they may never leave.
The same could be said about the navigation and communications room. More jargon, more things she doesn't understand and doesn't care to, but she will allow him a minute to get it out of his system once and for all.
The helm is... a bit disappointing. She had always preferred the open type—the kind that could look over the ship and feel the wind in one's hair as they stood at the wheel. None of this closed off stuff with windows. Besides someplace up high, it was always Benedikta's favourite place to be. The next highest point, in both position and power upon a ship where she could see everything that was going on. Watch how the sails caught the breeze, listened to the splash of the ocean...
And when he leans against the wheel, Benedikta looks out the windows with something of a tired expression, and an equally tired sigh before she sets her empty wine glass down on the nearest surface.]
It's... fine. [One hand reaches out to grip the wheel, and then the other, until she traps him against it between her arms.] Not everything I expected it to be, but... it's very you.
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Well... I do have two other things to show you.
[And he'll reach back to hit a button, and in the next moment there is the sound of several clicks and whooshes before the windows and roof above them move. The windows descend into the console wall behind him while the roof retracts behind Benedikta to form a small wall behind the stair opening, creating a low wall where it once was completely open.]
Rigged it up myself. "Retractable" I hear is the term for something that changes like this.
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And cold as it may be, she presses herself back up to him for his warmth as that light from the moon finally hits him, and as she traps him again, he'll see that arch of her brow clear as day.]
I suppose that's fairly impressive.
[Just fairly.
She's about to ask him how he managed it, but she bites her tongue because she doesn't need him going on and on about things she doesn't understand.]
What inspired this?
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The cover is good and all, but I do like being able to see the sky, especially at night. Even with all the new tech, never hurts to rely on your roots and know the stars.
And....
[His arms tighten around her as he leans in closer to her ear.]
In case a little bird wants to drop by.
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And will the little bird find the captain at the helm when she does?
[He always did look good in command...]
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And what will she do if she does?
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[Leaning in closer, Benedikta brings her lips near his ear, her voice a low whisper as her thigh presses a little further between his legs.]
He wouldn't mind, would he?
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[His hands travel lower until they are at her hips, pulling her up a little more to meet him as his own lips brush against her skin.]
She's welcome anytime... And for after.
[A playful nip.]
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Good. Because it sounds like we'll have to break this in, too.
[And after a moment of letting her hot, wine-stained breath linger at his ear, she tries to slip away from him, pretending that it's to get a better look at the stars and not at all to tease him.]
But whether that happens or not might depend on what the second surprise is...
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I think you'll like it.
[And walking down towards the main mast in the center of the main deck.]
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[As if anything could top the surprise that was the roof of the helm, and she even glances back at the wheel for a moment before following after him, leaving her wine glass behind for someone else to pick up later so that she can occupy her hand with his instead, hers slipping right into it when she catches up to him.]
So far, I'm seeing nothing worth noting.
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Nothing? You wound me, my dear.
[And just after she takes his hand, he suddenly tightens that hold to swing her around so that she's pressed up against his chest.]
Reckon this is my last shot then.
[And she will soon feel that familiar buzz of aether and levin gathering around him.]
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She wraps her arms around his shoulders in preparation, knowing full well what's coming, but not what to expect when they get to wherever he's taking her...]
You'd best make it good.
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Already they can feel the cool wind, the scent of the sea carried with it.]
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And up above, the stars and the moon.
Her lips part in a quiet, subdued gasp, but no less surprised, and all of that mock pride and teasing have all but faded, as if swept away by the cool breeze.]
Well.
[She's a touch breathless after a few beats of silence.]
You've certainly outdone yourself with this one, Cidolfus.
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[He leans back against the railing, grinning as he watches her.]
And it can be all yours, free to do as you like.
[It's such a simple thing, really. No glam no glitter, nothing elaborate at all. But that's because he knows—when it comes to something like this, all she wants is a place to rest and be herself for a bit. A place to stretch her legs, look out on the horizon, feel the wind, and be above it all.]
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She huffs a soft laugh, fingers running over the polished wood rail before they curl around it. She lifts herself up, hoists her legs over it, and sits.]
Clever trick. Still trying to get me to join, are you?
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[A cheeky click of his tongue and wink as he moves to lean against the railing next to her.]
Our arrangement... Is good for you, true. It would be good for you to strike out on your own, make a terrifying name of yourself.
But.
[He looks up at her, his expression a touch softer.]
You will always find a place here for you. Wherever we are, whenever you want it. It can be your home, too.
[He can be. But of course that's still too much too soon, so for now, he just wants her to know she has a place to rest her weary wings...and hope she knows the deeper sentiments behind it.]
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Home was never a place for her. Never a warm bed, nor four walls, or a roof over her head. It was never a city or a town. It was not even in the skies with her wings spread as wide as they could go.
Her home was always him, and that is something she's only just come to remember again here in this world, six years later. It was always in his arms wrapped as tight around her as they could go.
And he is getting just a touch too sentimental for her that not even the winds could cool her off. She can feel the way his gaze softens. Can feel how it burns through her. She doesn't dare look at him beyond that glance she ventures through the corner of her eye before she's focusing on the moon again.
But she takes his hand and pulls, gently, signaling for him to come closer, and whenever he obliges, she will bring it to her waist, setting it down and making him go the rest of the way around her.]
You drive a hard bargain, Cidolfus.
[Her own voice has gone softer.]
No wonder you've so many under your wings now.
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Maybe so.
[Yet there is one who still refuses to take shelter, or even want to hold his wing. And no matter how many he may take in...there is still only one he wants.]
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So long as this place remains my own, I suppose... I could look over my options again.
[What options, she reminds herself. There are no other options. She's stuck in this world with no place to return to, no life to return to... Barnabas is gone, and she isn't so sure that she deserves a chance to strike out on her own, no matter how easily she could.
Slowly, her hands move from where they're curled over the railing to wrap over his instead, her fingers slotting lazily with his.]
... At least the view isn't shit from up here.
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💚💜 fin.