Jasper showed me the way to get to Industrial using the map and was there shortly. The beggars, whom I appeared in front of, ran away in terror when I arrived. I opened the door to the sewers.
"Is anyone here? Walter? Swiftie?" I called.
"Ben? Everyone arms down I know him!" a voice yelled. Men came out of hiding places and Major Swift appeared as well.
"What the blazes is going on here?"
"Just a sneak attack thing. Page this is Ben! Ben this is Page, leader of the Bowerstone Resistance."
A lovely dark skinned woman appeared.
"Another soldier? Brilliant."
"It's nice to meet you dear lady. My name is Ben."
"I'm Page. And if your smart stay away from me."
"That's what they all say, well anyway where is Rose? Is she here?"
"From what I recall she's helping some...Mages you would call them, but they're odd folk." Walter announced walking in.
"Oh hey Wally. Nice to see you." I smiled.
"From what I've heard from Rose you two went on a quest together. Is that true?"
"Yeah it is."
"Just asking out of curiosity of mind, she's never asked anyone to go along with her. Not even me. What did she tell you?"
"That she felt lonely on some quests."
"But she always has Tommy. And she's never told me that she was lonely before."
"Maybe she has a soft spot for Ben!" Swift laughed.
"Really? Did anything happen between you two?" Walter spoke gruffly, heading into "protective father mode."
"No, not really." I sweated.
"Avo please don't make Rose tell him about me falling on her." I thought.
"If I find out that you and Rose did something I'll pound you."
"Right...I think I'm going to the pub... Bye Swiftie, bye Wally!"
I sped out of the hideout to the Riviter's Rest tavern. I ordered a few drinks and sipped away, thoughts of Rose in my head.
"How lovely she looked in her nightclothes," I thought. "I like it when her hair is do-ARGH! What is wrong with you Ben Finn? Why can't I stop thinking about her? Rose, a rebel Princess! She's nice and pretty, but what is so special about her that she rooted in my brain? Other than she's a Hero...WHY? WHY? WHY?"
I began banging my head against the table, then everyone in the tavern stared at me. I tittered a bit and continued drinking.
"So yer first time drinkin' lass?" the bartender asked.
"Yeah, I just had a really tough task and I heard drinking helps." a woman replied.
"It sher does."
I regcognized the voice right away. Rose was sitting at the bar in a Practical Princess dress coloured (in the UK there's a "u" in words like colour and honour) light purple dye.
"Rose?"
She looked up, smiled at me. She gestured her figure and I was drawn to her side.
"You-your drinking?" I asked.
"Yeah, just wanted to try it."
"Ok, just don't get drunk."
"What happens when you get drunk?"
I turned away and spoke:
"A lot of things can happen. You can go crazy and party, you can confess your secrets, you can flirt with everyone you see and you can get hallucinations."
I turned to look back at her. About twenty-five pints of ale mugs laid beside her. She was giggling and drooling as she finished her twenty-sixth.
"ROSE HOW DID YOU DO THAT!" I exclaimed.
"Oh hiya Benny! *hic* Your hair looks so soft! I wanna nap in it!" Rose giggled. She put her head on my hair and leaned on me causing me to fall. When we fell she giggled again.
"You need a bath Benny. But I do too! Let's take a bath!"
"Ok, back to the HQ."
I helped her up and let her lean on me.
"Hey, you gotta pay the ale bill." the server announced.
"Rose you got gold on you?"
"I spent all my gold on doggie treats and houses!"
"Pay up, NOW." The barman spoke.
"Alright I'll pay, how much?" I asked.
"2,500 gold."
"R0se are you sure you-"
"I want a puppy!" she laughed into my chest.
"Ok, 2,500 it is."
"I'm broke." I thought.
"Benny's a gentlemen! Thank you Benny!" Rose blushed giving me a hug. I hugged her back slightly, then she nuzzled my neck.
"Rose, not here. We should go back." I whispered, gently breathing my hot breath on her ear.
"Ben, carry me." She pleaded. Even before I could say "yes" she hopped on my back. I quickly caught her thighs before she fell. I felt her chest on my neck and I blushed.
"Go horsey!" she commanded.
"Yes ma'am." I laughed. Her faithful companion waited outside, curious and confused.
"Don't worry Tommy, she's just drunk."
"*Whine!*"
"She'll be fine."
"*Happy Bark!*"
"I just hope she doesn't become a drunkard."
"*Curious Whine*"
"It's when you drink a lot of ale too much, it can kill you."
"*Whimpers Sadly*"
"Nah, Rose isn't the type."
"*Happy Bark!*"
"But at least she flirts with me when she's drunk."
"*Growl*"
"Ok, no need to get feisty."
After "chatting" with the dog and Rose drooling on my back while I walked to the base we finally reached it. It was late noon.
"Page! I think you'll need another bed for Rose!" I called. Page walked in and saw the drunken Rose, still giggling and spouting nonsense.
"Now look what you did! You got her drunk!" Page exclaimed.
"Who got who drunk?" Walter asked popping out his head.
"Oh hiya Walter! *Hic* Benny was a good boy! He paid my ale bill! *hic* But we need baths! Let's go take a bath Benny!" Rose screamed.
"I-WILL-KILL-YOU!" Walter exclaimed pulling out his sword.
"No, no, no, no! Rose got herself drunk!" I tried explaining. Walter proceeded charging at me with his blade.
"Wally-kins! It's my fault! Leave Benny alone!" Rose cried.
"Walter stop! Let Rose get sober and she'll tell you!" Swift stepped in. Walter backed off a bit, sheathed his blade. Rose sighed in relief and jumped off my back.
"I'm sorry Benny, it's all my fault. Do you hate me now?" she sobbed.
"No, I don't hate you. I'll never hate you." I told her.
"I feel stupid! Mommy you should be ashamed of your daughter!"
Rose began shaking her fist at the sky, as if Sparrow could see her.
*MEANWHILE IN THE AFTERLIFE*
"Oh dear Alex, Rose is at it again." Sparrow sighed. Brushing back her long white hair.
"Let's just hope she wins the Revolution." Alex spoke.
"You doubt our daughter?"
"No. But I doubt that boy she's with."
"Oh will you let it go? We were an unlikely match too. And look how well we were."
"Dead or not, we're still her parents. And I have a right to be nervous."
"Why do we even worry in the afterlife?"
"Don't ask me, ask the writer."
"Writer?"
*BACK TO LIFE*
"Ben, my head is starting to hurt. I think I'm getting sober..." Rose groaned on her bed.
"Do you remember the stuff you said?" I asked.
"No bath for you."
"Good."
"And I'll pay you back."
"Thanks!"
"Sorry about what happened, I feel stupid. Send Walter in I'll explain."
"Hey Wally! Rose is sober now!"
"She better be!" a voice grumbled.
I heard angry footsteps approach. Walter stormed in, obviously angry at Rose and I.
"Hey Walter." Rose laughed weakly.
"So? Did he or did he not get you drunk?"
"I got myself drunk. Those stupid Geeks were annoying."
"Geek?"
"It's a new word I invented."
"Ok. But still what would your mother say if she knew you got drunk?"
"Gail told me once after mum and dad had a big fight when she was little and she got drunk."
"Well that was before. What would your father, may he rest in peace, say if he knew you got drunk?"
"He'd be mad."
"Like you are." I added.
"Shut up Ben!" Walter yelled.
"Leave him alone!" Rose snapped.
"Rose, I promised your parents when they passed after the death of Gail and Thomas, your poor late sister and brother, that myself and Jasper would take care of you. I'm just doing what's right."
"Mum wanted me to be happy too. She told me that she wished me to be moral, but she would be content for whatever I chose. And I am not corrupt."
"But are you really happy right now?"
"Now that I'm having a hangover, no. And you being mad at Ben doesn't make me happy either."
"I have a right to be mad at him!"
"What does this have to do with me? I'm the one who brought her back before she set the pub on fire or something." I asked
"He influenced you to get drunk!"
"I did not! She's never seen me drink before and I never talked about it."
"He didn't do anything!" Rose defended.
"Rose, you've never been so defiant towards anyone like this. WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!" Walter demanded. Rose took a deep breathe.
"Ben can you leave for tonight? I need to talk privately with Walter."
"Alright Rose, I will." I nodded. I walked out of the room and shut the door. Tempted to listen but I decided not to.
