guestsurprise, who owns Tyina, asked for this one. Here you go, Amiga! Enjoy!
Ben 10 belongs to Cartoon Network and Man of Action. I only own Rachel and Sasha.
Actions Speak More Than Words
Tyina was carefully marking some potions she had when Rook came in. "What are you doing, Tyina?" He asked her.
"Marking these potions," she answered. "They're some of the ones the Knights used on me in their experiments."
Rook placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly, knowing she didn't like remembering what the Knights had done to her, although she had a lasting reminder with her metal arm and metal leg. She had just finished marking one potion and held it up. "This one made me stronger," she said. "I remember because it was the only potion that didn't taste nasty."
She then handed it to him. "You should try it. You'll get stronger with it," she encouraged.
"Well, I'm not too sure," he said as he watched her pour some in a clean beaker and hold it up to him. He took it and patted her shoulder. "Okay," he said and drank some of it.
He suddenly dropped the beaker, which fell with crash to the floor and broke, and grabbed his throat. "Rook?!" Tyina asked in alarm. "Are you okay!?"
The Revonnahgander felt his throat stop hurting after a bit and he went to speak, but to his and Tyina's shock, his voice was gone. Rachel came running in. "I heard glass breaking," she said urgently. "Are you two okay?"
Tyina had a very sad and guilty look on her face and Rook turned to Rachel, trying to speak, but there was no sound. "Rook, what's wrong, honey?" she asked.
"It's my fault," said Tyina. "I gave him a potion that was supposed to make him stronger, but it made him lose his voice."
The young girl had tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Rook," she said and then turned to the other potions. "Wait, maybe one of these can counter the negative effects of that other one."
Rook was willing to try, but the next two potions he drank didn't help at all. Apparently, the negative effects of the strength potion cancelled out the other potions. Tyina was now in tears.
"We need to see Frankenstrike immediately," said Rachel gently as she took Rook's arm and gently pulled him to the scientist's lab. Tyina followed as she felt very guilty for causing Rook to lose his voice.
Frankenstrike examined Rook's throat and said there was thankfully no damage to Rook's vocal cords, but it would be a few days before he recovered as Frankenstrike had to made a medicine to counter the effects.
Tyina felt awful that Rook wouldn't have his voice for a few days and she ran out of the lab with tears running down her face. Snare-Oh and Feedback had noticed her crying and Rachel explained to them.
Rook gently touched Rachel's shoulder and used some sign language to tell her he didn't blame Tyina as it was an accident. She smiled. "It may have been an accident, honey, but Tyina blames herself when things go wrong with her potions. Remember the time she turned me into a female Conductoid by mistake?"
Rook looked at Rachel in surprise, but Feedback laughed. "I remember," he said. "She was very upset about that and it took a lot of tickles and family love to show her that we weren't upset at her."
Rook smiled a bit and then pointed to himself and said something again in sign language. "That's a good idea," said Rachel. "But be prepared. She might not be willing to listen so readily."
She then realized her faux pass and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, honey," she said.
He smiled and drew her in for a kiss before leaving the lab to go find Tyina.
It didn't take him long to realize Rachel had been right. Tyina was avoiding him and the other aliens tried to help, but the young girl always knew that they were stalling her so that Rook could catch up to her.
A couple days passed with Tyina isolating herself and avoiding everyone, especially Rook. "I keep hurting people by accident, even if I mean well," she said to herself as she felt tears fill her eyes again.
Rook hadn't given up searching for Tyina and soon heard her crying again. He followed the sound to her door and tried the knob carefully, but it was locked like the past two days he had tried when he heard Tyina crying. He now fell into thought and saw Ghostfreak come out of his room.
"Need some help?" asked the Ectonurite.
Rook nodded and indicated that the door was locked and saw Ghostfreak go invisible and heard the lock turn, giving him a hint that the alien had unlocked the door. He now grabbed the knob and opened the door quietly, but Tyina turned and saw him and quickly went out to her balcony and jumped up on the roof, moving quickly.
Rook shook his head and followed. He wasn't going to lose her this time. He was able to keep up with her and she kept running, managing to avoid him just in time.
Tyina ran down the roof and onto another balcony, going inside and running out the door of the room she entered, which had been Whampire's room. Both he and Sasha were surprised when the young girl ran out the door and saw Rook come in a moment later, giving them an apologetic look for barging in on them.
"Tyina's still avoiding you, huh?" asked Sasha.
Rook nodded and looked frustrated, using some sign language to express his frustration. Sasha nodded. "Do you want us to help you?" she asked.
He smiled at his future sister-in-law's thoughtfulness and gently shook his head, indicating he would eventually catch Tyina. Sasha hugged him with sisterly affection and he gratefully returned the hug before taking off to find Tyina. Whampire came up behind Sasha and rested his hands on her shoulders. "Do you think he'll be able to get her to realize he doesn't blame her?" she asked him.
Whampire smiled. "My angel, if there's one thing Rook is, it's persistent," he said. "How do you think he convinced Rachel to listen to him when she ran off after running into him the first time?"
Sasha laughed a bit. "Good point," she said. "Just like you were persistent when you saved me from my ex-boyfriend."
The Vladat smiled and pulled her into a deep kiss as they sat back down on the bed and Whampire held Sasha close, making her snuggle into his arms and hold onto him, letting out a loving sigh.
Meanwhile, Rook had finally managed to corner Tyina and grabbed her as she tried to get by him. She tried to squirm out of his arms, but Rook was too strong for her and he held her until she finally stopped struggling and she looked up at him with tears running down her face and he lifted one hand and gently wiped away her tears and he gently kissed her forehead affectionately.
Tyina looked up at him. "Uncle Rook, I'm sorry," she said sadly. "I was trying to…,"
Rook held up a hand in the silent gesture of 'silence' and she stopped speaking, surprised to see him smiling before she felt fingers playfully poke her ribs, making her give a surprised giggle before the Revonnahgander caught her and held her so that her back was to his chest as he hugged her and blew raspberries into her neck, making her giggles become laughter.
Rook's shoulders gently shook as he silently chuckled, wiggling his fingers into the young girl's stomach and sides.
"AHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! ROOK! HEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHEE!" Tyina laughed out loud.
Rook smiled and tickle-attacked the young girl's underarms next and that was it. Tyina couldn't stand up and Rook gently pinned her to the floor, tickling her ribs.
She really couldn't do more than laugh at this point, and let out a loud squeal when Rook lifted her shirt up to the bottom of her ribcage and blew multiple raspberries into her stomach.
She was then starting to lose her breath. "Uncle Rook," she gasped out. "Please."
Smiling, he stopped and cradled her in his arms. Her head rested on his shoulder and she felt him being stroking her head gently to help her calm down. She looked at him. "Are you trying to say you don't blame me for losing your voice?" she asked.
He smiled and nodded before saying something in sign language. She looked at him in surprise. "But it is my fault," she said. "I…,"
She stopped when he shook his head and poked her stomach, making her giggle again before Rook stood up and carried her to Frankenstrike's lab, where the scientist had the medicine ready. The Revonnahgander gently set the young girl on the medical berth and she sat there, watching as he accepted the medicine from Frankenstrike and drank it.
Tyina was very anxious at that moment. "Uncle Rook?" she asked.
"Yes?" he answered and smiled.
Tyina gasped and then let out a squeal that made both Frankenstrike and Rook cover their ears, but both were smiling. "Uncle Rook, your voice is back!" The young girl said as she glomped him.
Chuckling, Rook returned her hug and kissed her forehead affectionately. "Yes," he said with a smile.
Tyina suddenly felt sadness fill her and Rook instantly noticed. "Tyina, either you stop blaming yourself or Frankenstrike and I will tie you up and tickle you," he said teasingly, making her giggle a little, but she then was sad again.
"I'm really sorry, Uncle Rook," she said.
He rubbed her back. "Tyina, I forgive you," he said. "It was just an accident."
He then tilted her face up to look at him. "Now, come on, cheer up," he said, giving her underarms a playful poke, making her giggle before she smiled up at him. "That's the Tyina we know," he said, accepting another hug from her.
Rachel came in. "Hey, guys," she said.
Rook turned to her. "Hello, Baby," he said.
Rachel gasped and smiled. "Rook, you can talk again!" she exclaimed, running up to him. He caught her and held her as he spun in a circle. She smiled and kissed him full on the mouth, which he returned passionately.
Tyina giggled a little and Frankenstrike placed a hand on her shoulder, making her look at him. "You know, Tyina, actions always speak more than words," he said.
She smiled. "I understand that now," she said. "Thanks to Uncle Rook and everyone else."
She gasped a little when suddenly an arm wrapped around her from behind and she turned to see it was Rook and she hugged him again. "Thanks for everything, Uncle Rook," she said.
He smiled. "Well, I wouldn't be a good uncle if I didn't show my nieces and nephews that I care about them too much to let them blame themselves for accidents," he said, making her smile as Rachel and Frankenstrike joined them for a group hug.
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GoldGuardian2418