Love After Love Drabbles: Volume VI

LOVE AFTER LOVE DRABBLES: VOLUME VI

Episode 25: While You Were Away

"Young One?" Rook said in surprise, as he looked upon the pilot of the crashed ship. "Is that you?"

Rook and Ben walked up to the young rhevonnahghander. As soon as Rook was standing in front of his little brother he exclaimed, "When did you learn to pilot a ship?!"

"Ohhh," Young One replied sheepishly, "while you were away." The boy then looked behind his brother to the emerald-eyed human and said, "Rook Ben!" before running to Ben and jumping into his arms.

" 'Rook Ben'?" Ben asked amused.

"Of course. You are to be wed to my brother. You are family!" Young One replied.

Ben blushed bright red before looking to Rook. Rook was also blushing, but he also looked to find the whole thing...appealing. To be honest, Ben found it quite appealing to be taking Rook's name.

Returning to the matter at hand, Rook asked, "Does Father know what you have done to this Harvester?"

Young One chose not to answer and instead said, "Rhevonnah has been invaded, you must help!"

Ben set Young One down on his feet as Rook, who was examining the modifications Young One had made to the Harvester, said, "An invasion? Our family! Are-are they...?"

"I do not know," Young One replied, also fearful for the fate of his family as well as his people. "I went to find you and Rook Ben 10 as soon as it happened."

Rook placed his hands on Young Ones shoulders and said, "You are quite brave, Little Brother. Ben?"

Ben smiled and said, "Do you even have to ask?"

-BRoken-

Ben was feeling incredibly uneasy right then. He had caused quite a bit of trouble during his last visit to Rhevonnah, and Rook Da had made it quite clear that he would not have Ben on Rhevonnah ever again, much less in his house. But, here Ben was, at the Rook family's table...with much less food on it than last time. Things were getting even weirder with ever word that Rook Da spoke.

"Rook Da used contractions when he spoke," Young One whispered to his brother.

"Yes," Rook replied, "several. Most shameful to hear that sort of talk from our father."

"Some thing's way off," Ben added, "and it isn't the grammar." Deciding to put his theory to the test, Ben plastered on as fake and sweet a smile as he could muster and said, "So, Rook Da, Blonko and I have been thinking about getting married on Earth...in a traditional Earth ceremony."

"Oh?" Rook Da replied, clearly not that interested.

"What are you doing?" Rook hissed.

"Just watch," Ben replied, and then continued, "Absolutely! Blonko's told me all about how he wants to forfeit his rhevonnahghander heritage and fully embrace earth culture. We've decided that he'll drop his family name and take on my own after we get married."

Rook's eyes widened as he realised what Ben was doing. Under normal circumstances, Rook Da would be absolutely furious at these statements, but currently, Rook Da looked rather bored and only seemed to be humoring them with half-hearted replies.

"I see. Good for you Rook Blonko, though I suppose I should start calling you Blonko T-t-t-tennyson then, yes?"

Ben's and Rook's eyes narrowed at the suspicious behavior, both of them concerned at the lack of fury in Rook Da.

-BRoken-

Later, after Psychobos, Attea, and the Incurseans were gone, and the mind control device had been crippled beyond repair, Rook and Ben stood before Rook Da, Rook Shar, Young One and the Sheriff.

"I will stay here and fight beside you," Rook said.

"No, you must go back to Earth," Rook Da replied. "We are in control of our thoughts. We can take care of ourselves."

"But father.."

"Rhevonnah is one small part of the war," Rook Da said, to appease his son. "Go back to Earth; find out what the Incurseans are really after, and stop them"

"Your dads right," Ben said to Rook, "the frog's next move is gonna be some place else."

"Rook Blonko, you have accomplished so much off-world," Rook Da said, as he walked toward his son. "I am proud of you. Why do you think Rook Shar wants to be a Plumber?"

"Shar! You do?"

"Uh, yeah!" Rook Shar replied.

"And why do you think Young One wants to visit the stars?" Rook Da continued. "You have become a hero while you were away."

Rook Da then turned to Ben and narrowed his eyes before saying, "I expect my son to uphold his rhevonnahghander culture irregardless of his mating to you. I will not have him forsake his surname!"

Ben chuckled sheepishly and said, "That was a joke! Totally didn't mean it!"

Rook Da smirked and replied, "Good to know, Rook Ben Tennyson."

Episode 26: Frogs of War

This was quickly becoming the worst day of Ben's life. Not only were the Incurseans on their way to invade Earth, but Ben was being forced to take on the role of public speaker! Ben hated public speaking: having the collective eyes of an immense crowd upon you, hanging on to your every word. If Ben didn't pick the right words, he'd end up making things worse.

So, there Ben was, standing before a crowd, with a giant hole peering into Undertown behind them, bits of garbage being thrown at him while the crowd spat venomous things at him.

"Ben Tennyson!" Will Harangue, a television newscaster Ben once had the misfortune of meeting, cried out, "The people demand answers! How long have you been a traitor to your species?"

"Uh, who with the what now?" Ben answered, confusedly.

Will then asked, "Are you out to destroy humanity, or merely enslave it?"

"That's not...I mean, hey!"

"On a scale of one to ten, one being global apocalypse and ten being complete obliteration of the space/time continuum, how dangerous is this alien population?"

"Trust me," Ben said, with ever ounce of resolve he had, "I've been to Undertown, and they're decent folks trying to make an honest living. They may look different, but aliens are totally and completely harmless." As Ben spoke, he resumed his earlier pastime of fiddling with the omnitrix. "Heck, my fiancé is an alien, and he's as sweet and gentle as they come!"

This caused an alarming outcry from the crowd below. Will Harangue's frown grew as he then said, "So not only are you conspiring with aliens, but you even admit to have intimate relations with one!"

Ben blushed and said, "Rook and I haven't had intimate relations! We hug, we kiss, but we haven't had sex! I'm 16 for crying out loud!" Ben took a deep breath then said, "Look, my work lets me live in the skin of countless aliens, and I've always used their abilities to save this planet and the universe a couple dozen times! Maybe more!"

The next thing Ben heard was the omnitrix making a chirping sound before saying, "Randomizer function, activated."

-BRoken-

The Proto-TRUK bucked harshly as one of the Incursean ships landed a hit on its aft-starboard section.

"Magister Tenysson!" Rook exclaimed over the comm, "my ships has sustained extensive damage!"

Rook put all his might and concentration on stabilizing the Proto-TRUK's course, directing it straight towards Amelius' flagship.

"Rook!" Max replied over the comm, "Don't do it! There has to be another way! What about Ben?"

"What about Ben?" Ben asked, as he revealed himself having stowed away in one of the Proto-TRUK's lockers. "I'm with you, Rook: floor it!"

Rook turned around and grinned; the Bearer of his Heart's Flame could not be shaken from something he put his mind to doing.

"I should have known you would stow away," Rook said fondly.

"Just until the omnitrix recharge," Ben replied. "It's 'Blaze of Glory' time!"

Rook's grin widened as he said, "Consider it floored, Beloved."

And so, Rook drove the Proto-TRUK right into the upper section of Amelius' flagship. Seconds before it hit, Ben caught a break and managed to transform into Bloxx. Bloxx quickly surrounded Rook, and as the Proto-TRUK impacted, Bloxx was sent hurtling through the windshield. Bloxx waited for the automatic force-field to kick in and seal off the hull breach before releasing Rook.

-BRoken-

A month had passed since Ben had been exiled from the Sol System, and Rook still could not forgive himself. At the time, it had seemed the best option to disappear while everyone else was focused on the mutated and feral tokustars falling from the sky. Now, Rook wasn't so sure; he'd left his Beloved, the Bearer of his Heart's Flame, high and dry. He hoped that Ben was still alive out there and willing to forgive him.

For now, he occupied himself gathering allies to help fight the Incurseans. Cooper and Gwen had been more than willing to jump in and help. Blukic had also volunteered, after Driba had been captured. Argit was a hard sell, but with a little persuasion from Gwen he hopped onboard. Currently, the five of them were trying to make a run for someplace where they could hide for a bit after a successful detonation of an Incursean hover-tank. It was a diversion, of course, while they raided an Incursean barrack for weapons. Unfortunately, the Incurseans had tracked them and, thanks to Argit's big mouth, were now firing at them. With Argit in Rook's arm and Blukic in Gwen's, they ran to a nearby garage and found a three-wheeled dune-buggy. Cooper grinned and used his technopathic powers to upgrade the buggy using scraps of metal nearby. When he was finished, the buggy had a dorsal-mounted laser-turret and doors! Rook manned the turret, and fired upon the hover-tank chasing them.

"It is not piercing their amor!" Rook cried over the sound of rushing wind as Cooper drove the buggy haphazardly through the streets of Belwood.

"Sorry, Rook," Cooper replied, "best I could do on short notice!"

Another hover-tank came busting through a building. Cooper barely evaded it, but grinned when he saw the other hover-tank crash right into it. His grin fell, though, when their path became blocked by a Mr. Smoothie's sign. Instead, Cooper took a nearby ramp up to the bridge above them and carried on.

"Look out!" Gwen cried as the Incurseans wheel-tank came rolling through. Behind them was another hover-tank. Cooper had no choice but to through it in reverse and crash through a shop and out onto a restaurants veranda one-level below them. They were now crossing another bridge when the hand of a feral tokustar shot out at them. Cooper made a quick u-turn and shot up the slab of concrete and flew right into a nearby strip mall. Cooper, Rook, Gwen, Argit, and Blukic jumped out as the tokustar reached through a store and grabbed the buggy. Their only hope now was to hide in a nearby watch repair shop.

Once the tokustar had left, the shop owner stepped out to see if the coast was clear. Deciding it was, he said, "You can come out, it's gone."

"Thanks," Gwen said as she stepped out, Blukic wrapped in her arms.

"You do realize that harbouring resistance fighters is dangerous," Rook said as he stepped out.

"Yeah," Cooper added, stepping out too, "these guys shoot or stomp first, and ask questions never."

"Plenty folks out there like me, ready to help," the shop owner replied.

"Uh, can I have these batteries," Blukic piped up holding two watch batteries.

Back at Mr. Baumann's shop, the team reflected on the event sof the day.

"It is unfortunate that we had to abandon those weapons," Rook said to Cooper. "We need more than this to mount a full counter-attack."

"Rook, we barely dodged the Way-Bad's for two weeks getting this stuff to Belwood," Cooper replied. "I'm sorry, but I'm not about to get blasted by the frogs. Besides, just give me some metal bits and pieces and I can build you all the weapons you want!"

"And as proven today, those weapons might not be powerful enough to get through the armor of Incursean hover-tanks, much less their war-ships," Rook replied.

"Fact is, guys," Gwen cut in, "these raids aren't doing us much good! If a frontal assault is out, then it's time we tried something big...like busting Grandpa Max out of Plumber Headquarters!"

"So we just barge in?" Cooper asked with a wry grin. "Now you're sounding like-"

"-Like Ben," Gwen finished.

"And Driba," Blukic said. "I miss him so much I' been contradicting myself!"

At that moment, an image of Emperor Amelius appeared and gave a world-wide message to Earth. At it's conclusion, Argit said, "Gwenny's right. Nothing we do is gonna make a difference! Well, nothing short of snatching Psychobos and shutting down his mind-control gizmo."

"Go on," Cooper prodded.

Argit made a squeak as he thought for a second and then exclaimed, "I got it! We disarm Amelius' ship, right? But he works out'a Plumbers headquarters."

"So when he heads back into town.." Cooper said, catching on to Argit's plan.

"...We grab him!" Argit finished with a satisfied grin.

"You wanted something big," Cooper said to Gwen.

"Rook?" Gwen asked the rhevonnahghander.

"It does seem strategically sound," Rook replied with a playful grin, "And yet, Argit though of it!"

"What can I say, I'm only dangerous when I'm cornered," Argit said.

-BRoken-

The team, along with their rescuer, Bull Frag, were now on Attea's ship and running for dear life. Rook was piloting while Gwen starred out one of the view-ports and Cooper stood behind Rook with Blukic on his shoulder.

"How is everybody?" Gwen asked, walking away from the view-port.

"To tell the truth, I'm feelin' a bit existential," Blukic replied.

"She means 'Are you hurt?'," Cooper clarified.

"No she doesn't!" Blukic shot back before realizing he wasn't talking to Driba. "Hn, nothing," he said to Cooper dejectedly.

Bull Frag cleared his throat and said, "I didn't hear a 'thank you'."

Gwen, Blukic, and Cooper just starred at Bull Frag suspiciously, and when Bull Frag put his hand to his ear so as to better hear their 'thank you's, Gwen shot a mana bolt at him, knocking him out.

When he came to, Bull Frag found himself bound by mana to a chair in some rusty little room, the walls lined with wooden cargo boxes of every shape and size. In front of him was a small wooden table with a lamp on it. Gwen and Cooper stood on opposite sides of the table while Blukic sat on the table, right next to the lamp.

"Hey, why'd you hit me?" he asked.

"Because you're a filthy Incursean," Cooper responded.

Blukic then turned on the lamp, which was pointed right at Bull Frag's face.

"I am not!" Bull Frag exclaimed. "I helped you escape!"

"Yes, why is that, filthy Incursean?" Rook growled at Bull Frag, not quite trusting their guest. Rook denied ever noticing a flash of hurt cross Bull Frag's face.

"Isn't it obvious?" Bull Frag asked. "Gwen, tell 'em who I am!"

"Uh, do you know this Incursean, Gwen?" Cooper asked, now very confused.

Gwen narrowed her eyes and approached Bull Frag. Bending at the knee's so that she was at eye-level with the Incursean, she starred through his stylish shades, past his eyes, and into the core of his being.

"He's cool," she said with a smile before backing away. She then motioned for Blukic to turn off the light, which he did. She then removed the mana-bindings as she said, "Rook, scan the room for enemy surveillance."

"I did my sweep this morning, Flame-sister," Rook said, using the proper name for his eventual cousin-in-law.

"Before you found out Argit was playing both sides, handsome," Bull Frag said with a smirk.

"I beg your pardon?" Rook said, a little surprised by the endearment. It reminded him of...no, impossible!

Bull Frag grinned and said, "Sorry, I got this problem where I can't help flirtin' with pretty things. And you, serpent-tongue, sure are a piece o' eye-candy!"

Rook rolled his eyes before pulling off his Proto-Tool from his shoulder and beginning his sweep.

"And how do we know you're not?" Cooper asked as Bull Frag stood up.

"You'll know," Bull Frag replied. "When it's safe I'll explain everything."

-BRoken-

"Hang on, hang on," Cooper cried out, "Bull Frag is Ben?"

"Who else would come up with a dumb name like Bull Frag?" Gwen replied.

"Whatever, 'Bull Frag' is awesome!" Bull Frag said.

Gwen smiled and elbowed Bull Frag in the gut before saying, "I knew it was you as soon as you showed up."

Bull Frag smiled back and said, "I know, but I couldn't risk the Incurseans finding out I was back on Earth. That's why I couldn't say nothin' 'till I knew we were in the clear."

"Oh you better believe it!" Attea exclaimed. "My daddy will fry you alive for coming back! And the rest of this miserable planet!"

"Course, you're kinda mixed up about me, aren't you?" Bull Frag asked with a grin. He then walked over to Attea and said, "It's exciting, going against what daddy says, huh?"

Attea blushed and said, "What? Well, uh...I...mehhh."

"Now that I'm an Incursean, Attea, I'm seein' you in a whole new way."

"Which way...how...say what?!" Attea cried confusedly.

"Your special," Bull Frag said. "Those big eyes, that cute little cap, that vicious indifference!"

"Oh...well...it's an instinct, you know? I'm just naturally cold-blooded!" Attea was then knocked unconscious by a mana bolt from Gwen.

"Ugh, I'm gonna throw up!" Cooper exclaimed. "That. Was. Disgusting!"

Bull Frag grinned and said, "I told ya! I'm an incurable flirt!"

Ben then disengaged the life-form lock, and explained to Gwen, Cooper, Blukic, Driba, and Grandpa Max about how he'd managed to get back to Earth and stay in his new Incursean form. Just then, Gwen's communicator chirped; Rook was contacting them.

"Rook? What's going on?" Gwen asked.

"We have located Dr. Psychobos," Rook answered.

"Is that good news or bad...handsome?" Ben asked, not being able to keep from using the endearment Bull Frag had used earlier.

"Ben!" Rook exclaimed with relief and joy, "I suspected that was you! I can not imagine any Incursean having a reason to call me 'handsome'. I have missed you, Flame Bearer."

"Back at you, handsome."

END VOLUME VI

LOVE AFTER LOVE OMAKES

Bull Frag: "I am not! I helped you escape!"

Rook: "Yes, why is that, Filthy Incursean?"

Bull Frag: "Lean in a little closer, sweet-cheeks." (gives dirty grin) "And I'll whisper it to you, along with some favorite positions of mine."

Rook: (backs up blushing)

Cooper: "Shut it, salvamander! And quit hitting on Rook, he's taken."

Rook: (woeful) "Maybe not..."

Bull Frag: "Your upset: your boyfriend got spaced. I respect that but..."

Cooper: "What if he's wearing a wire? Better search him."

Bull Frag: (as Rook pats him down) "Hey, try going for the pistol I have strapped to my thigh."

Rook: (deadpan) "I will not be searching there."

Cooper: (as Gwen stares into Bull Frag's eyes) "I'm not searching either!"

Rook: "He is less likely to get turned on if it's you!"

Cooper: "What are you saying?"

Rook: "You do not turn males on. There I said it!"

Gwen: "He's cool."

Cooper: "Honey?"

-BRoken-

Bull Frag: "You sure you wanna just leave those cuffs, sweet-thing?" (eyes Rook) "I can think of a few uses we can put them to."

Rook: "How about I leave you cuffed to a pipe and leave you here?"

Bull Frag: "That'd be one..though your lover-boy already had his own, huh?"

(Rook's eyes momentarily widen, as he told no one about the silver bracelet he gave to Ben)

-BRoken-

(Cooper uses barrier device, like from Mass Effect, to block shots as Bull Frag tongue-whips a guard unconscious as Rook drop-kicks the other)

Bull Frag: "Ooh, gorgeous and can kick butt; you are one fine package, Kitty-Cat."

Rook: "High praise coming from a member of a blood-thirsty race."

Bull Frag: "Hey, I'm a lover, not a fighter." (wiggles eyebrows) "A lover with several hearts in excellence."

(Rook blushes, but Cooper and Gwen step through)

Cooper: "We hate to interrupt a budding make-out session..."

Gwen: "But a little help here?"

-BRoken-

Ben: "You know, Rook. I can still turn into Bull Frag." (waggles eyes, makes shark-like grin) "Maybe do a little 'cross-species experimenting'?"

Rook: "Do we not do that already?"

Ben: "I mean..." (whispers into Rook's ear)

Rook: "Oh! You mean like...'fringeing'?"

Ben: "I think you mean 'rimming', and yeah, we could do that too."

-BRoken-

Rook: "You seemed quite taken by Attea's borderline sociopathic behavior."

Ben: "No I wasn't!"

Rook: (quickly and violently pins Ben up against a wall while adopting a crazed look, complete with a 'Joker' grin) "Perhaps if I were to begin my conquest of earth by taking you, here and now, you would be a tad more responsive?"

Ben: "Wow...you are so sexy when you're crazy!"

-BRoken-

Attea: "You want to come with, Tennyson?" (Rook's ears twitch at her suggestion) "You know, lose that monkey face and turn back into Bull Frag. Get a taste of female pleasures?"

Ben: "How many times do I have to say it. I. Am. Gay!"

Rook: "Perhaps if you were to get a gender-change, princess."

Attea: "Is that even possible?"

Rook: "It is a surgical procedure performed quite regularly here on Earth."

Gwen: "And Frogs do it naturally."

Ben: "Rook! You're not helping! And neither are you Gwen!"

END OMAKES