The Six Sectors

Chapter Twenty-Seven - Benjamin

Ben did not know why Nori and Helo was being lovey-dovey with each other. As they packed up to go to Pacifi, Helo would occasionally nuzzle Nori. Nori would blush just slightly, and smile more than before. Which is saying something. Ben shrugged. It could be that Helo confessed feelings for her. He loaded the last set of materials.

"We should be all set soon." Ben said as he brushed off his hands. Helo nodded.

"I'll have everyone load up." He turned back to Nori. "I have to drive. We'll continue this in Pacifi - in your home."

"Oh, yeah, can you guys swim?" Nori asks, looking around everyone.

"Yes, why?" Nassa asked.

"I can't. My cybernetics are only waterproof so much." Wheatley showed his metal arm under his cloak.

"I can." Ben and Kaithenne said in unison. Ben blushed, his heart thumping at that. He had a bad crush on Kaithenne - his heart ached for her. Helo rubbed the back of his neck.

"I can, just not really well..." he said sheepishly.

"... My house is above the water on the seaside border of Pacifi," Nori said.

"I'm sure we'll all be fine." Benjamin clapped his hands. "Alright, everybody load up!" Helo hopped into the driver's seat. "Helo, no crazy driving." Helo frowned.

"Aw..." he started the engine. Granny Forge watched from outside the forge.

"Be safe, all of you. I wrote to President Herizo with the help of Levi. He's expecting you all." She explained. Helo got on the new goggles Ben got him. Ben was glad he liked them so much. He figured they were a still working pair. Plus, he looked good in them.

"Thank you, Granny." Ben said as Helo sped off. The hovercraft felt weird to ride in, but it was better than the Ijetixian van.

"Nori, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't there boats at the harbor that people can borrow for one hour periods?" Aeris asked.

Nori nodded. "But I don't know how to use a boat. I usually just swim where I need to go."

"Honestly a beach sounds nice." Wheatley spoke up as he took off his robe. Ben had updated his robotics. The metal surrounding his optic was smooth and looked like an actual head. His flesh arm had tubes, but implanted more thanks to the tools provided. His arm was stronger as well, same as his shoulder piece. Ben upgraded the armor, the people at Synthcy had upgraded him as a whole. "I even wrote to Cicada. He'll be there." The Gryllitaur was also a friend of Ben's from Wheatley and Ben's hanging out.

"We all could use a break." Ben agreed. He looked out the window. "Have you ever met President Herizo, Nori?"

"This may sound weird, but I don't really meet that many people," She says, "But I do know that he's a mermaid. Anyway, would anyone be willing to jump off cliffs with me?"

"I will!" Helo called, keeping his eyes on the road. Wheatley shook his head.

"Nope."

"Yeah no," Nassa said, "I want to though! Alkippe you're crazy." The group laughed.

"Count me in!" Ben chimed. He had never done that before. Besides, Pacifi sounded like a paradise.

"Yay!" Nori yelled.

"I think I'd like to try," Saturn added. Aeris didn't say anything. Kaithenne nodded.

"Me too. We don't really have cliffs in Oncewynn, really." She said with a smile. Ben got off his seat and went up front.

"Helo, can we talk?" He asked the Cyberican.

"Yeah?" Helo answered, keeping his eyes on the road. Ben swallowed.

"How did you and Nori get together?" Helo smiled.

"Ben, I see those googly-opticeyes you make at Kaithenne. But my way can't be your way. Every couple is different." Helo cocked his head. "I do recommend talking to her, however." Ben smiled.

"Thanks, man."

"Anytime." Ben made his way back to the back of the hovercar.

"How long will it take until we get there?" Nori asked.

"We're close, I think." Helo said, looking at the gps.

"I'm just glad we're getting closer to the capital." Wheatley grumps.

"I guess so," Nori said, "To be honest I'm just excited to see the ocean again." Ben smiled.

"We can get some food too. Anything you recommend?" Ben asked.

"The day before I got captured I found a nice little cafe and they served PANCAKES!" Nori exclaimed.

Ben cocked his head. Pancakes? In Pacifi cuisine?

"You're joking." Wheatley deadpans. Ben guessed he had never had one before.

"No I'm not. It was really good!" Nori insists. Ben laughed.

"I think we all agree Pacifi only has fish stuff." Wheatley continues, being the saltiest he's been the whole trip. "It's in the name. Pacifi - from the American word Pacific. As in the the Pacific Ocean."

Nori turned to face Wheatley, her smile turning sinister, "I will slap you. And I am not kidding. Yes, Pacifi is based upon sea products, but we have non sea products too."

"Oh really? Name one other food not with fish in Pacifi?" Wheatley crossed his arms. Ben snickered as the two saltiest people fought.

"First of all, not all seafood has to do with fish. Do you think crab is fish? Do you think SEAWEED is fish? Actually seaweed snacks sound really good right now- ANYWAY, we have omelets too."

"Alrighty, Ocean Girl, then what of most of the population? Mermaids, selkies, nereids -" Wheatley counted off.

"No fighting or I'll turn this car around." Helo joked. Ben thought it sounded like a dad.

"Why the dad moment, Helo? You and Nori expecting something?" He joked. Helo froze and Wheatley forgot his argument and cackled.

"OMINUCLEUS!!" He wheezed. Nassa let out a mix of a laugh and a growl, as if she wanted to be mad but couldn't not laugh. Aeris merely sighed in disappointment. Saturn, however, laughed very hard and clutched his stomach.

"Eh?" Nori didn't seem to understand, then she turned to face Wheatley, "If you're gonna insult me, try to use one I haven't heard before, thank you," And she turned to look out the window of the car.

Helo turned to see the others. "You guys are the absolute worst!" He laughed. Ben chortled. He was glad he could just mess around with the other guys in the area. They were his best friends, after all. If he was to be married (to Kaithenne, hopefully), he would make them his groomsmen, Wheatley his best man. He sighed. Oh, Kaithenne.

"This is the most fun car ride I've ever been in- and the only, other than being transported to Ijetix. I didn't really leave Lerivia, at least not that far away," Saturn commented.

"Most likely because we are the most chaotic group ever to exist." Ben added. Kaithenne smiled.

"Yeah, we're a big family." She said. Ben tried to not blush.

"Yeah!" Saturn grinned, "And I think Nassa is the only one here who doesn't like the chaos."

"That is because it's literally chaos, Saturn," Nassa grumbled.

"She isn't the only one," Aeris then added.

Ben smiled. "Helo, are we close?"

"Welcome to Pacifi, everyone!" Helo said back.