Redbat132, who owns Dana, asked for this one. Here you go, Amiga! Enjoy! :)
Ben 10 belongs to Cartoon Network and Man of Action. I only own Phantasmo, Melodica, Sasha, and Rachel.
Nothing Like The Monster You Fear
Dana hugged Ghostfreak. "Be safe," she said to him.
"Don't worry, young one, I will," he promised, kissing her forehead in affection. "Are you sure you'll be okay here by yourself?"
She nodded. "Ben said he'd stop by later and I promised Rachel I'd hold the fort down while she and the others were out."
He nodded. "Alright," he said. "Hopefully we'll all be home later."
She smiled and waved as he transported to Plumber HQ. She then turned to see if any of the housework needed to be done. Rachel had told her she didn't have to, but she really wanted to as she appreciated the owner of the Grant Mansion taking her in and she liked to show her appreciation. "She even accepted me back after the whole incident where I believed Zs'Skayr," she said softly, her mind going back to the conversation she had with Rachel when she had returned after learning the evil Ectonurite had just wanted her for his own evil plans and didn't care about her.
Flashback...
"I believed him, Rachel," Dana said, tears running down her face. "I really thought he was my father."
Rachel gently held the girl in a hug. "Sweetie, you didn't know," she said gently. "And you wanted to know where you came from. That's okay."
"But I should have known he was a liar," the young girl said.
"How could you have known, Dana?" The young woman asked gently. "We never told you that Zs'Skayr was our enemy and frankly, we had hoped to never see him again."
Tears were still running down Dana's face. "How can you forgive me after I betrayed you?" She asked.
Rachel held out her arms and Dana went into the hug as the young woman began rubbing her back gently. "Honey, you didn't betray us," she said. "To betray someone is to join the enemy with the intent of hurting the ones who helped you and took you in. Zs'Skayr fed into your desire to find out who you were and led you astray and you had no prior knowledge that he was our enemy. Besides, you didn't go with him so that you could help him take over the world, did you?"
"No," Dana replied, her tears slowing down now. "I...I would have never done that."
Rachel smiled gently. "See? You didn't betray us, honey. That's why I didn't get upset with you, though I was mad that Zs'Skayr lied to you like that."
"Yeah," the girl said softly.
Seeing she was still upset, the older woman smirked and tackled her, making her yelp in surprise before she felt fingers wiggling playfully against her sides and she burst into laughter, her sadness fading as the owner of the Grant Mansion tickled her to cheer her up.
Flashback end
Dana was grateful for Rachel, who had helped her see that she had done nothing wrong and was still wanted, but the incident with Zs'Skayr made her sad and left the hole she had in her heart for wanting parents much bigger now and it was painful. "I don't know if I want parents now," she said to herself, tears falling down her face. The wound of Zs'Skayr's betrayal ran deep and she hung her head before moving to get the vacuum, hoping some housework would help her get her mind off of that incident.
Little did she know that she wasn't the only one in the house at the moment.
Phantasmo had been in the dungeon taking a nap and had come upstairs to grab a snack when he heard crying and grew curious, going invisible to investigate, his purple eye widening in surprise at seeing a young female Ectonurite in the living room. She looked to be in her late teens and he was astounded as he watched her transform to his human form. Ah, this must be Dana, the one my son was telling me about the other day, he thought to himself as he decided to watch her for a bit.
As Dana continued cleaning the living room, she came across some pictures of the family and felt her heart ache. She didn't think badly of those who had parents, but she did wish she could have parents who loved her and cared about her. She shrugged. "No, I don't need parents," she said to herself, though she knew that wasn't true.
Phantasmo decided to make his appearance. "You don't have parents, young one?" He asked gently.
Dana whirled around in shock, her eyes widening and she screamed. "Zs'Skayr!" She then bolted from the room, changing to her Ectonurite form. "Get away from me!"
Normally he hated when someone compared him to that abomination, but he recalled Ghostfreak telling him about how Dana had been tricked by Zs'Skayr and was almost killed as a result. "Well, I better go set this right," he said, flying quickly to find the girl.
Dana flew as fast as she could, trying to remember the code to sound the intruder alert, but then remembered that Ghostfreak had set the alarm when he had left, so that meant the intruder had been inside the house when the alarm had been set. Panicking, she flew around and looked for a place to hide, turning around and shrieking when she saw the elder Ectonurite on her tail.
"Wait, child!" She heard him call to her. "Wait!"
"Go away!" She yelled, flying faster now to try and escape him, finding herself in the laundry room where she had an idea, quickly moving herself to where she was hovering near the top of the entrance to the laundry room and she had one of the baskets in her hands, ready to drop it down on the intruder and trap him.
Phantasmo paused as he sensed that she was in the room and he went invisible, peeking cautiously into the room and soon finding her holding a basket and ready to drop it on him. Smiling, he snuck up quietly behind her and gently grabbed her from behind, tightening his hold on her as she screamed and squirmed to get free as he became visible once more.
"Let me go! Let me go!" Dana demanded, trying to smack him, but purple-and-black striped tentacles wrapped around her wrists and a few wrapped around her waist, holding her along with the two arms that held her in a firm, yet gentle, bear hug. She shivered fearfully and some tears escaped her eyes, but one hand, which she noticed had a purple cuff around the wrist, reached up and gently wiped away her tears.
"Shh, calm down, child," she heard him coo into her ear. "I'm not going to hurt you, Dana."
She noted that his voice was much better sounding than Zs'Skayr's and it had a gentler tone too, which helped her to calm down. "Good girl," she heard him say. "Are you going to stay put if I let you go?"
Dana nodded, wanting to know who this ghost was. She then felt the tentacles let her go and she turned to face him. Now seeing him up close, she saw he didn't look like the monster she had thought was her father. This Ectonurite had grayish-white skin, a purple eye, purple-and-black striped tentacles, and purple cuffs on his wrists with slightly-rusted chains. She then realized he had spoken her name. "How do you know my name?" She asked.
He chuckled in amusement. "My son, Ghostfreak, told me all about you," he said.
She gasped. "You're Ghostfreak's dad?" She asked in surprise.
He chuckled again. "Yes, I am," he replied before looking curious. "Forgive my curiosity, but I've never seen an Ectonurite able to change forms like you can, little one."
Dana looked away at that. "It...It's one of my powers," she said. "It doesn't make me fully Ectonurite."
"What do you mean?" He asked, worried at her sadness.
She looked at him. "I'm not a real Ectonurite," she said. "Just some fake that...that was created in a freak accident."
She felt gentle hands on her shoulders. "Surely that's not true, little one," he said gently.
"But it is," she said. "You saw for yourself."
With that, she transformed back to her human form, her eyes still sad.
Phantasmo fell into thought before an idea struck him. "Well, I believe you're a real Ectonurite, Dana," he said. "And I know how to prove it."
She looked at him. "You do?" She asked. "How?"
He smiled. "Meet me in the dungeon in a few minutes," he said and went to fly out the laundry room when she caught his arm suddenly.
"Wait!" She said. "Who are you?"
He smiled again. "I'm Phantasmo, little one," he said, gently ruffling her hair playfully. "I'll see you in a bit."
With that, he flew off and Dana, her curiosity growing and desire to know if she really was a real Ectonurite, headed for the dungeon, wondering what Phantasmo had in mind.
The elder Ectonurite gathered a few items and headed for the dungeon, pleased to see Dana was already there. "Ah, good, you're here," he said with a smile. "I'm curious. Do you know how to use your tentacles to grab someone or something?"
"A little bit," she admitted. "I haven't done it to many times. Why?"
"An Ectonurite's tentacles are their strongest weapon," he explained. "Possession is one thing, but sometimes you have to restrain your enemy before you can possess him and that's where your tentacles come in."
That made sense. "So, while I have my other powers, I should also work on making my tentacles stronger and work on my aim with them?" She asked.
Phantasmo was impressed. "You catch on fast, little one," he said approvingly. "And yes to your question."
Liking this Ectonurite, Dana looked at him hopefully. "Can you teach me?" She asked eagerly.
He chuckled. "I'd be honored to, Dana," he said, amused at her eagerness. "If you're ready, try to grab me with your tentacles."
Eager to please her new teacher and wanting to learn, she transformed into her alien form, unleashing her tentacles and extending them towards Phantasmo, who moved suddenly and gently grabbed her tentacles, tying them into a knot around one of the beams that went from the ceiling to the floor. He made sure the knot wasn't tight, but that it was one she couldn't easily undo. "Hey!" She cried out in surprise, trying to get her tentacles free when suddenly her wrists were cuffed to a nearby torture table. "What are you doing?"
Phantasmo smiled. "Are you comfortable enough, young one?" He asked. "You're not in pain, are you?"
Sensing his concern, though wondering what he had in mind, she checked and didn't feel any pain nor discomfort. "No," she answered. "But you still didn't answer my question."
He chuckled. "You want to know if you are a real Ectonurite and not an experimental fake, don't you?" He asked.
"Yes?" She said hesitantly and questioningly.
She felt a powder land on her lightly and she sneezed a little. "Bless you," he said with a chuckle.
Dana tried going intangible, but to her horror, she couldn't. She was trapped, unable to move with her tentacles stretched out. "Don't worry, little one, it's just one of Frankenstrike's powders," she heard her captor say. "It'll wear off after a bit."
She tried struggling again, but couldn't move. "What are you going to do to me?" She asked worriedly.
A gentle hand rested on her head. "Don't be frightened, Dana. This won't hurt a bit. You have my word," he said. "This test is going to prove that you're not a fake as that monster led you to believe."
"How?" She asked.
He smiled. "Ectonurite's have a very sensitive spot around their tentacles when they are exposed and stretched out," he explained. "It's similar to the armpits but in multiple tentacle form."
"But...my underarms in my humans form aren't ticklish," she said.
He chuckled. "Ah, but the area I'm talking about is," he said. "You probably didn't know as you've never had anyone tickle your tentacles when they're stretched out, have you?"
"No," she admitted. She hadn't known and Phantasmo was going to use that to his full advantage. He unleashed a few of his tentacles, which grabbed some feathers that he had collected earlier while his clawed hands reached for Dana.
"Cootchie, cootchie, coo!" He cooed as feathers and gentle claws 'attacked' the tentacles.
Dana let out a squeal of surprise before bursting into laughter. Phantasmo hadn't been kidding about the tentacles having a very sensitive spot.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! STOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOP!" She pleaded. "OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO! THAHAHAHAHAHAT TIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHICKLES!"
"I can tell, little one," he said in amusement as he continued tickling her tentacles. "Who's a ticklish little Ectonurite? Hmm?"
His teasing only made it worse and Dana was lost in laughter. She had always thought that around her wings on her back was her weak spot in a tickle torture, but it turns out that this sensitive spot on her tentacles was five times as ticklish as the area around her wings. She squealed again as the tickling continued before Phantasmo decided to give her a break, gently untying her tentacles to allow her to retract them. Taking some deep breaths, she retracted her tentacles, giggling a little as the ticklish sensation lingered for a bit. "Well, that proves it," she heard him say, making her look at him in confusion. He chuckled and elaborated. "A fake Ectonurite would not be ticklish on their tentacles. Real Ectonurites, however, are ticklish there and work to keep that spot protected as it is quite sensitive."
Dana giggled. "You weren't kidding," she said.
He chuckled before grinning and wiggling his claws and tentacles at her. "And now, to tickle you for running from me," he said playfully.
She squeaked before falling into laughter again as tentacles and claws tickled her neck, stomach, sides, and tail. "Tickle, tickle, tickle, little one," he cooed.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The girl laughed, enjoying herself, despite laughing crazily.
Chuckling again, Phantasmo saw Dana had had enough and he released her. "That powder should have worn off by now," he said, to which the young Ectonurite tried to go intangible and found that she could.
Happy and feeling better, Dana glomped the elder Ectonurite, who was surprised, but he chuckled, returning the hug, gently stroking her head with one hand. "Do you feel better now, little one?" He asked.
She nodded. "Yes, thank you, Phantasmo," she said.
He smiled and remembered how Dana wished for a family, even if she tried to convince herself she didn't need parents. "You know, you do deserve parents, Dana," he said. "It never hurts to have someone you can turn to."
She sighed, but nodded. "I...I would like that," she admitted.
Phantasmo smiled. "Well, would you be adverse to me adopting you?" He asked. "You'd gain a mother too, as I'm engaged to be married."
Dana was surprised. "What?" She asked, wondering if she heard right. "You...You would...adopt me?"
He nodded. "If you'd like," he said.
She was stunned before she looked at him. "But...would your wife accept me too?" She asked.
"I'm sure my wife-to-be would love you, Dana," he said with a smile. "Would you like to meet her?"
Unsure, but nodding, she followed Phantasmo to another room, where he knocked on the door. "Melodica? Are you in there, my love?" The elder Ectonurite asked.
A gasp was heard and the door opened to reveal a female Thep Khufan. "Phantasmo! You're home!" She said, throwing her arms around him.
Chuckling, he held her in his arms and kissed her. "I missed you, my lovely rose," he said with a smile.
"And I missed you, my handsome hunk," she said with a giggle before spying Dana hiding behind him. "Oh! Who's this?"
The curious and gentle inquiry made Dana stay put instead of fleeing and Phantasmo gently brought the young Ectonurite closer. "Melodica, this is Dana, the young one who can transform into a human," he said.
Melodica gasped. "My goodness! I've heard so much about you from my sons, my dear!" She said excitedly.
Dana blinked. "Your sons?" She asked.
The female alien giggled. "Snare-Oh and Kuphulu," she said.
The young one gasped. "Really?" She asked. "They're some of my best friends!"
"Well, they just might be your brothers soon, if you want us to adopt you, Dana," Phantasmo said.
"That's right. You don't have parents yet, do you, my dear?" Melodica asked gently.
"Not yet," Dana said softly. "But...I would like parents...if that's possible."
Melodica pulled her into a warm hug. "You wouldn't mind a Thep Khufan and an Ectonurite for your parents, would you, sweetie?" She asked.
The young Ectonurite looked at them hopefully. "You...You mean it? Really?" She asked hopefully.
Both of them nodded and Dana felt tears come to her eye and roll down her face, but she didn't care as she hugged both her new parents-to-be, still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that these two wanted her as their daughter and were willing to take her in. She could hardly believe it.
"Hey, guys. I'm ba...," Rachel said as she came up the stairs, but trailed off at seeing the three hugging each other. "What'd I miss?" She asked curiously.
Dana flew over excitedly and wrapped Rachel in a hug, spinning around happily. "Whoa!" The young woman exclaimed with a laugh as she held on before being set back on solid ground and receiving another hug from the young girl.
"Miss Rachel, I'm being adopted," she said happily.
Rachel blinked in surprise before smiling and looking at Phantasmo and Melodica, who nodded. Smiling again, the older woman hugged the young girl back. "See? I told you that you deserved parents," she said with a smile. "And you know what this means, don't you?
"What?" Dana asked.
"As you'll be Ghostfreak, Snare-Oh, and Kuphulu's little sister, you'll be my little sister too."
Dana lit up at that. "You mean it?" She asked.
Rachel nodded and the young Ectonurite squealed happily. "I get to have two big sisters and three big brothers!" She said, referring to Rachel's younger sister, Sasha.
The older woman chuckled and looked at Phantasmo and Melodica. "Well, if you two are ready, I can call the family judge," she said.
"Please," Melodica said as her husband-to-be nodded.
Moments later, the judge came over and the paperwork was all signed, making it official that Dana was now Melodica and Phantasmo's daughter. When Ghostfreak, Snare-Oh, and Kuphulu heard that, they cheered and welcomed Dana as their new little sister.
Rachel whipped together a party with some help from the others and Ben came, carrying a large cake for the celebration.
As the party went well into the night, Ben smiled as he watched his best friend laughing and having a great time with her new family. "I'm happy for her," he said to Rachel. "She finally has the family she's always wanted and deserved."
"Very true," Rachel said. "And to think, it wouldn't have been possible if you hadn't met her, hmm?"
He nodded. "I'm glad I did meet her," he said. "She's one of the best."
Dana heard that and looked at Ben, waving to him and he waved back before she gave him a big hug. Thanks to him, she felt like she belonged and thanks to Phantasmo, she learned he was nothing like the monster she had feared before.
At long last, she had a loving, caring family and the ache in her heart was finally healed.
Please leave a review, but no flames!
GoldGuardian2418