AN: This is the last warning. If you do not favor reading through scenes of some explicit content, leave the page now.
If you don't mind, well then, it's free. And no, I am not one of those douchebags that tell you something's free when there is really a catch behind it.
This episode of BTA steps aside from the all of the battles and the tournaments that the Bean Titans undergo, and focuses on the family itself. The focus here is put on the New 12, who still has not attained FULL unity in the team. They have cleaned up the dysfunction in the group; however, there are still some hindrances among a few of the members. So that means we will have to take... DRASTIC MEASURES.
I will not hold back on the information I give out to you, the viewing audience. What you see is what you get, even if it may be portrayed as sick and wrong.
And once again: I don't own any source of the referenced material I mention now and later, nor do I own any of the entities involved with those sources. I just have Beanie Babies sitting at home, and I'm using my imagination to make something out of them... for the pure fun of it.
If you're ready, read on.
~BTA Part 14: Getting Comfortable~
Chapter 1 — The Invitation
Current time: Saturday, September 1st. 3:00 PM, at the Home Base.
The Bean Titans have not heard any alerts about any troubles around the country, not even from Wrinkle's Syndicate. It seemed that ever since the Heartless attack, Wrinkle has not stirred up any trouble. It appeared to the Bean Titans that they finally had some spare time on their hands, and after witnessing the might of Bahamut Fury, some of that time was to be used for training.
Today began their "free time", as all other Bean Titans were required to train before either the Legendary 12 or the New 12. Sweet thought that there might be a case where the other Bean Titans may be involved in battle that they did not request, so they must be ready enough to handle them. The other 24 Bean Titans were free for the rest of the day.
The scene opens, showing the New 12 in the grand living room of the Home Base. They were each minding their own business... until Slowpoke started something, creeping up to Bongo.
"Say, Bongo... how's your girl coming along?" he asked his brother.
"Um, fine...?" Bongo replied, inflecting his voice.
"So... how is she?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Come on, banana-for-brains. You had to have slept with her at least once already." Slowpoke figured.
"Dude! First off, our relationship isn't but a month old now. Plus, with all this trouble happening around now, how could we even find time?"
"Dude, it should only take at least half an hour. How much time would you need?"
"Plenty, okay? We're together already, Slow-bro... isn't that enough?" Bongo asked him.
Slowpoke pondered on it for a quick moment. "Nah, this is only starting to get fun." he responded, leaving his brother to find Ewey in the kitchen, making herself some popcorn for a movie she was planning on watching.
The lamb glanced over. "Oh no, here he comes..." she thought, feeling uncomfortable around Slowpoke. It almost annoyed her.
Hoppity and Ears were nearby.
"Hey, Ewey. So, I heard you and Bongo went at it last night." Slowpoke joked, trying to gossip.
"Yeah, made out. But not that." she replied.
"Oh, and what would "that" be?"
Ewey turned and gripped Slowpoke's shirt hard. "All right, look here..." she began, looking him dead in his eyes. "Ever since you paired me up with Bongo, you've been like a flea—annoying beyond imagination. I don't like that one bit."
Slowpoke smirked. "Hey now, can't you take a joke? Not to be a pest or anything, but isn't that how you and Bongo got close, before you were even a couple?"
Ewey rolled her eyes while taking a heavy breath to suppress her growing frustration. She then put a hand toward his face. "End of discussion." she retorted, grabbing her popcorn and going to the grand living room couch.
"Uh, Slowpoke?" called Ears. "I think it's safe to say that you... just got denied."
Slowpoke nonchalantly raised his fist towards the bunny. "I'm gonna say it to you now... ix or bricks."
Hoppity exhaled, thinking that this is all just unnecessary.
"Fine, I'll butt out." Ears said, as Slowpoke walked away.
"You know Ears," Hoppity began, "I can tolerate his threat towards you, but the way he's constantly buzzing around Bongo and Ewey is getting kind of old. Something's gotta give. Hmm... I wonder what Christina's thinking."
The pink bunny looked towards the skunk to read her mind. Christina was actually watching Slowpoke talking to the two Titans, and had a slightly jealous look on her face, that was also mixed with a bit of anxious desire.
"I feel like I lost Slowpoke's attention... and I don't even know what I did." Christina thought.
"What's she thinking?" Ears asked Hoppity.
"She's saying that Slowpoke's found a new hobby... and she isn't included in it."
"That's not good. A girlfriend should have attention when she needs it."
Hoppity smiled lightly and looked at Ears. "Ears?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks." she replied, lightly kissing his cheek.
"No prob. My point exactly." Ears said.
"New 12." Mooch called them all to assemble, after receiving a message through his Titans' communicator.
"What is it this time?" Felix asked.
"Did the Legendary 12 lie to us again, and there actually IS trouble?" Bongo guessed.
"No. This time, it's good news." Mooch replied, taking a pause afterwards. "We, the New 12 alone, are invited to stay a week at Team Z's place."
"On their... island?" Sly inquired.
"Sweet!" Felix and Bonnie cheered in unison.
"Come to think of it, we've never been to their place. None of us have. With all this trouble going around lately, Team Z seems distant to us." Lucy said.
"Well, since they've beaten all of the Acolytes, they must be doing something right." Ewey said.
Megan was in thought. "They specifically invited us... what does that mean?" she wondered.
"I hope we're gonna party!" Bongo boasted.
"Well then... there's only one way to find out for sure. Pack some things together—all 12 of us are attending." Mooch announced, grabbing his sword and heading off to his room.
The rest of the team followed after him.
/\/\/\/\/\/\
In his room, Mooch felt his zanpakutō rumble in its sheath. Mooch knew then that something was up.
"Zen? What's the problem?" Mooch asked.
There was no answer, but the rumbling did stop.
"Strange... I guess I'll just keep packing then." Mooch proceeded, letting the random moment pass for now.
The rumbling resumed after a few dead seconds. Mooch grabbed his blade with both hands now, trying to find out what the problem is.
(Background music: "Nothing Anymore" — Bleach.)
"Zen! What's going on? Are you trying to—"
"Mooch... you should know better by now." replied his zanpakutō, which then emitted a bright white light from out of the bottom of itself, engulfing Mooch's room in light for about five seconds.
When the light faded, a light-skinned male dressed in big black robes appeared in the room. He had long black hair that stopped at the middle of his back. His appearance was that of a samurai (only without most of his silver and gold armor, where the only pieces were covering his shoulders and thighs), as a blade was hanging from his side.
"Who is this?" Mooch questioned, before he noticed that the black-colored metal on his own blade was gone, after unsheathing it in self-defense. It was just a plain silver sword.
"You call me by my full name... Zen no Kyoudoutai." the man corrected him.
Mooch was startled. "You mean... you're my zanpakutō, in human form?"
"In spirit form. I am what resided within your blade, which explains why it doesn't have a black color on it right now."
Mooch began to understand. "So, is there a problem right now? Usually, when you vibrate, it means you need to obtain something of dire importance." he asked again.
"I wouldn't consider it much of a problem... but I have obtained the thing I need at the moment: your attention."
"What do you mean?"
"Allow me to explain. The reason why I separated from your blade is because you must help me without necessarily having my help."
Mooch was baffled. "What?"
"As you know, there are 12 clear aspects of the zodiac, each one pertaining to the signs. Ten of those are the ten elements known to you, and just to let you know for certain... the other two are things that you have known for quite a while now. My bankai is one of those other two aspects, and the other is you yourself, Mooch."
"I'm an aspect of the zodiac?" Mooch questioned himself.
"You aren't the Chosen One for nothing. Now, I have to put you to the test by letting you take my role, as you have witnessed before seeing both the Mirror of the Zodiac and Kingdom Light; this time, you separate from me. Mooch, you must find the significance behind thirteenth zodiacal aspect, Ophiuchus."
Mooch was left speechless for a second. "There's... a 13th one? But how?"
"Even though we see each other face-to-face right now, I can still hear your thoughts." Zen no Kyoudoutai told him. "In exchange for my inclusion for this "gathering" of Team Z's, I will give you only one hint that will help you discover the secret of the thirteenth aspect. Listen well: "A group that refuses to be bounded together... will experience a quick and unpleasant demise. A united group will live long." No special abilities will be involved since I am not cooperating in this effort. It is up to you, Mooch."
Without hesitation, Mooch sheathed his normal sword, got behind Zen no Kyoudoutai by Flash Step and touched his back. "There's no need to hide the emblem on the back of your robes."
Zen no Kyoudoutai chuckled. "I'm not hiding it."
"Huh?"
"As a matter of fact, it's not there. All thirteen of them are scattered on my robes, blind to the naked eye."
Mooch moved the spirit's hair away and did not find an emblem. "So you're saying that when I find out what the 13th sign means, all thirteen will reassemble on your back and you'll go back to my blade without me ever knowing about it?"
"Precisely."
"All right then. Even though it puts more work on my shoulders, as the leader of the New 12 and as the Chosen One... I accept your challenge." Mooch replied.
"Good. I'll be in the B-Jet." Zen no Kyoudoutai said, leaving in a Flash Step.
Mooch sighed and collapsed backward so that he was laying on his bed. "He knows Flash Step too... this isn't gonna take one day to understand all of this."
A knock was heard on his door. Mooch got up to answer it, and Megan was on the other side.
"Megan? What's up?" the gibbon asked.
"There's some man in black robes sitting inside of the B-Jet. I think he's a samurai." Megan told him.
"Believe it or not, he's Zen no Kyoudoutai."
"Your sword? How is that possible?"
Mooch showed her the blade. "It's not black. Somehow he separated himself from it, and invited himself into our meeting with Team Z."
"Why'd he do that?"
"Who knows?" Mooch wondered, while knowing the true reason behind it.
"Well, the rest of us are ready. We're waiting on you." Megan said, leaving Mooch's doorway.
"I'll be right there." Mooch responded as she left.
/-/
Onward! To Team Z's island.
