บท 82: Resolution : Assurance
With Robin agreeing to show them the way, Thomas installed the EMIYA card and entered the underground waterway alongside Caenis, Astolfo, and Vivi. Benienma sank into the shadows to scout ahead, so the group proceeded in relative silence until Robin remarked, "I see you've acquired an Install Card of your own..."
Feeling a mixture of confidence and apathy as a result of equipping the EMIYA card, Thomas calmly replied, "After learning about the existence of Install Cards, I immediately set out to acquire one. Not just to counteract Crocodile's, but to uncover the truth behind their origin."
Raising her brows, Robin asked, "And did you? Uncover the truth, I mean."
Nodding his head, Thomas offered a curt, "Indeed," without going into further detail. He believed he could trust Robin, but she had yet to join him or the Straw Hats. Until they were 'officially' allied, he had no plans of disclosing even more information to her.
Seeing through Thomas's thoughts, Robin narrowed her eyes slightly, her perennial smile becoming marginally more prominent as she remarked, "It appears you've wisened up since our previous encounter..."
"Not really," replied Thomas, adding, "I've just figured out the path I want to walk. Once this is over, I'll tell you the specifics."
With an expression that looked as though she was restraining a chuckle, Robin asked, "Does it have anything to do with the Prism Pirates? It was quite a surprise to learn such big-name Pirates were traveling with you...."
Shaking his head, Thomas answered, "I won't deny there is a connection, but my aspirations are my own. I'm even considering pawning them off on the Straw Hats for a while..."
Since Crocodile and Baroque Works had already cleared out most of the dangerous animals occupying the waterway, Caenis had little to do. As a result, she decided to insert herself into the conversation, grinning as she remarked, "I guess they would get in the way of you collecting women for your little imperial suite, huh?"
"Imperial suite...?" parroted Robin, unaware of the existence of the Enma-tei.
Narrowing his eyes, Thomas stated, "As I said before, we'll discuss the specifics once we've wrapped things up with Crocodile. But, to make a very long story short, I'm planning to conduct business and expand an information network throughout the Grand Line."
"I see..." muttered Robin. Then, after several seconds of contemplative silence, she postulated, "I take it this is your effort to ensure the events you are familiar with transpire as intended?"
Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "I've already given up on that. Now, I just want to experience a journey of my own. One that doesn't interfere with the growth of Lucy and the Straw Hats..."
Adopting a teasing expression and tone, Robin asked, "By 'collecting' women...?"
Exhaling through his nose, Thomas retorted, "By doing as I please and helping those in need..."
Nodding her head in approval, Vivi asserted, "Thomas may not be perfect, but he is a very considerate person. He didn't force me into a relationship. Rather, he tried talking me out of offering myself as a reward. I'm certain that any women who join him in the future will do so of their own volition."
Maintaining her usual smile, Robin asked, "Does that include me...?" while staring up at Thomas.
Though he felt somewhat exasperated, Thomas's expression and tone were calm as he replied, "That's up to you. I may be an opportunistic pervert, but I'm fairly content with the company I keep. I'm not going to force anyone to sleep with me."
With the corners of her smile curling up slightly, Robin mused, "I'll keep that in mind." She truthfully had no desire to sleep with 'anyone,' but she wasn't against skinship and using her feminine wiles to get her way. Not if it meant realizing the dream she had nearly given up on...
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While Thomas's group slowly and cautiously made their way through the underground waterway, a massive complex of cavernous aqueducts that seemed large enough to facilitate ships, Benienma bypassed most of the physical obstacles by passing through the 'boundary' between reality and imagination. Shadows served as a gateway to this sub-dimensional plane, a monochromatic representation of the world it existed beneath.
Though she would ordinarily need to be wary of phantoms and other beings trapped within the boundary, Benienma was able to make good progress as the world of One Piece functioned on different principles than the reality she originated. There were 'echoes' of entities passing through the boundary, but the only creatures capable of inhabiting it were herself and those summoned to work in the Enma-tei.
With nothing to bar her passage, it only took a few minutes for Benienma to locate Crocodile and the captive Cobra. When she did, her usually stoic expression turned grim as, rather than being held in chains or imprisoned, Cobra had been nailed to a stone column. He was being kept alive by an old man and a team of nurses, but Benienma could sense that his life was nearing its end. Yokai were especially sensitive to the essence of humans, and Cobra's had just about run out.
Having witnessed people being flayed, turned inside out, boiled alive, and even eaten, Benienma wasn't particularly bothered by Cobra's crucifixion. What concerned her was how her Master and his bride-to-be would react. Both were empathetic by nature and restrained by mortal sensitivities, so the sight of Cobra being strung up was bound to upset them...
Caught between her desire to protect her Master and allowing him the opportunity to grow, Benienma failed to notice a distortion in the space behind her. When she did, she spun around, eyes briefly widening as a very familiar figure appeared before her.
Staring down at Benienma with her snake-like eyes, Datsue-ba remarked, "You useless girl. This is an excellent opportunity to groom that boy into a proper Demon King. Why are you hesitating?"
Though she would ordinarily never talk back to her adoptive mother, Benienma's expression became firm as she asserted, "Master is a good man. He should not be wrapped up in the politics of Hell..."
Rolling her eyes, Datsue-ba lazily retorted, "There is no good or evil, only opportunity and intent. Your Master may be a good man, but humans are among the most fallible of all creatures. Without discipline and consistent guidance, every last one of them submits to temptation and desire..."
Shifting her gaze to Crocodile, who was currently frozen in time, Datsue-ba remarked, "Just look at this one. Pretending to be something she's not in a vain attempt to 'overwrite' her trauma. She believes she can create a peaceful utopia where all people live in harmony but actively perpetuates the suffering of millions, all to spite a single person."
Returning her gaze to Benienma, Datsue-ba added, "You've found yourself in an extraordinary set of circumstances, my fool of a daughter. The Gods of this world are either dead or sealed away. The essence and resources of this world are ripe for harvest. All you have to do is give your Master a push in the right direction..."
Catching her adoptive mother a little off guard, Benienma didn't hesitate to respond, "I refuse! Benienma's duty is to protect and serve her Master, not manipulate him! I will continue to send gold and essence through the Enma-tei, but I will not facilitate Hell gaining a foothold in this world...!"
Recovering from her shock, Datsue-ba's expression darkened, an intense and malicious aura exuding from her body as she asked, "You dare to defy me...?"
Puffing out her chest, Benienma replied, "You have no authority over this world, so my actions within cannot be seen as defiance."
Narrowing her eyes, Dotsue-ba hissed, "You ungrateful wretch...is this how you thank your Ou-sama and me for adopting you? You have the opportunity to spread our influence to an entirely new world and choose loyalty to your Master over piety to your family?"
Maintaining her resolution, Benienma asserted, "Benienma's gratitude towards Hahaue and Ou-sama is as vast as the sky. However, betraying one's Master is the penultimate shame, second only to betraying oneself. Benienma could not call herself a proud daughter of Enma-o if she lacked proper morals and integrity."
Unable to refute Benienma's words, Datsue-ba clicked her tongue in frustration. The Laws of Hell were pretty strict, so there was only so much she could say or do before incurring a penalty. Just manifesting without a contract was already toeing a dangerous line. If not for the absence of an 'overseer,' she would be in a lot of trouble.
Suppressing her anger, Datsue-ba's expression and tone softened as she said, "You've passed my test. Continue to serve your Master, and be sure to send funds and resources back to Hell. Your Ou-sama and I have high expectations for you..."
Though she knew her mother was lying about her presence being some kind of test, Benienma cupped her hands together and bowed her as a sign of deference. By the time she straightened her back, Datsue-ba was already gone, leaving behind a single black feather that slowly dissolved as the flow of time returned to normal...
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After descending several levels, Thomas and co found themselves on a stone bridge in a vast circular chamber. Several other bridges connected to a massive pillar more than a hundred meters in diameter, rising from a pool of surprisingly luminescent water to support the ceiling far overhead. It was a remarkable feat of engineering, but what caught Thomas's attention were the dozens of TNT-like explosives encircling the towering support structure.
"I was wondering how they planned to destroy the city by setting bombs this far underground..." remarked Thomas. "They're going to collapse the pillars supporting the artificial plateau..."
Nodding her head, Robin revealed, "There are a total of sixty-three pillars similar to this one. By collapsing just a few of them, the entire city would capsize, sinking into the massive reservoir atop which Alubarna was built."
"We must remove them!" exclaimed Vivi.
Crossing her arms, Robin retorted, "You're free to try, but disconnecting any of the bombs would cause the others to explode. It would also cause the timers for the others to trigger, an action that could only be stopped if you had access to the primary control switch..."
Hearing Robin's retort, Vivi once again felt helpless. Before she could succumb to it, however, Thomas confidently stated, "That might have been the case in any other circumstance, but you forgot one thing..."
Adopting a smile, Thomas briefly met Robin's gaze before looking down at Vivi as he said, "I'm here."
Though it wasn't his own power, Thomas didn't hesitate to use the EMIYA card's unique Trace ability to analyze the structure of the bombs before converting the explosive material within to inert sand. Then, as an added precaution, he drained nearly his entire reserves to use Reinforcement on the pillar itself, strengthening it to the point normal explosives wouldn't be able to scratch it.
After explaining what he had done, Vivi leaped into Thomas's embrace, linking her arms around his neck to give him a deep and passionate kiss. This particular pillar supported the palace, so even if the rest of the city were destroyed, the castle would remain intact. If they reinforced the pillar supporting the central square, they could evacuate all the people in Alubarna to safety.
As it was a fairly good idea, Thomas permitted Astolfo to escort Vivi back to the castle so they could begin organizing the evacuation. There was a chance that Crocodile might set off the explosives in retaliation, but Robin had made it clear that destroying Alubarna was a last resort. Unless they went around trying to disable 'all' the explosives, he wouldn't go out of his way to set them off early. After all, his penultimate goal was to rule over Alabasta as its King, not destroy it outright...
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(A/N: EMIYA Card OP...)
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