newbienovelistRD asked me how Kuphulu joined the Grant Mansion family and I realized that I hadn't done a story where he came to the Mansion but had only mentioned how he had. Well, this story will show how he became a member of the family. :)

Ben 10 belongs to Cartoon Network and Man of Action. I only own Rachel and Courtney.

Similar Pasts, But A Better Future

Kuphulu was at the mansion, the only alien there while Rachel and her oldest daughter Courtney were in the kitchen doing some baking. The Thep Khufan was looking at an old photo album of when he and his brother Snare-Oh were much younger and how they had changed over the years as his older brother had gone to be a Plumber and the younger one had turned to a life of crime.

He hadn't wanted to hurt anyone, but being offered a position where he could possibly have power, he had taken it, to the disappointment of his family. But that had changed the last time he had been arrested and then sentenced into exile. He remembered that day so well.

Years ago…

Kuphulu listened as the judge read the verdict against him and sentenced him into exile. The court didn't care where he spent his exile, as long as it wasn't on Anur Transyl. He was given a week to prepare for departure, but would be under constant watch.

He hadn't expected his brother to visit while he was packing, and at first he had turned away, expecting his older brother to scold him, but two arms had wrapped around him and he then clung to his older brother.

"Kuphulu," Snare-Oh said, speaking softly. "Scout told Magister Tennyson what had happened and the magister contacted me."

The younger Thep Khufan sighed. "So you know?" He asked.

"Yes," Snare-Oh said. "Have you decided where you're going to go?"

"No, not yet," Kuphulu said. "But I'm sure I'll find a planet to live on when I leave here."

The older mummy alien placed a hand on his shoulder. "I live on Earth," he said. "With a human and other aliens."

His brother turned to him in surprise. "What?" He asked.

Snare-Oh nodded. "Rachel Jocklin," he said, showing his brother a picture of the young woman. "She is a dear friend of mine, more like a little sister to me."

Kuphulu looked stunned. "She…accepted you?" He asked.

"Yes," his older brother replied. "Why don't you come with me to Earth and I'll talk to her about seeing if you can live at the Mansion too?"

At first, the younger alien mummy wasn't sure, but finally agreed after some persuasion. They had arrived at the Mansion hours later and Rachel greeted them at the door, having already spoken to Snare-Oh and learning that his younger brother was coming.

"Rachel, I'm worried about him," the older alien brother had said to her. "Can…Can he stay with us? Please?"

Knowing that exile was a harsh punishment and knowing it would put Snare-Oh's mind at ease, Rachel nodded. "Of course," she said with a smile and turned to Kuphulu. "Welcome to the Grant Mansion, Kuphulu."

The warm greeting was one he wasn't used to, but he nodded to her. "Thank you, Miss Jocklin," he said softly.

"Well, why don't I give you a tour and you can select your room?" She said cheerfully.

Her cheerfulness was hard to ignore and he felt his spirits perk up a bit as Rachel gave him a tour and at the end of the tour, he had chosen one of the basements to be his room. "Are you sure?" Rachel asked, concerned. "It's a bit drafty down there."

"I don't mind," he said honestly. "Actually make me think of back home."

Deciding that if it made him comfortable, Rachel had agreed and helped him get it ready, putting blankets in the closet in case he got cold and then Snare-Oh presented him with a house-warming gift. It was a beautiful sarcophagus and Kuphulu was shocked. He had never owned a sarcophagus in his life and he at first was unsure about accepting the gift, but Snare-Oh insisted, saying his brother was going to have a proper bed from then on. The kindness had brought tears to Kuphulu's eyes and eased some of the pain of never begin able to ever return to his home planet.

Present…

Kuphulu heard footsteps and turned to find a pre-teen girl enter his room. "Kuphulu?" She asked.

He nodded. "Yes?" He inquired.

"Mom was wondering what you'd like for dinner," she said.

His mind registering that this was Courtney, Rachel's oldest daughter, he stood up. "Well, let's go see your mother then," he said and they both headed downstairs.

Courtney looked at him curiously and decided to speak. "You remind me of Uncle Snare-Oh," she said.

Surprised the child wasn't afraid of him, he then smiled at her. "Ah, so you've met my brother," he said.

She stopped in surprise. "Uncle Snare-Oh is your brother?" She asked, stunned.

He nodded and she lit up. "Cool! I've got two mummy uncles!"

Chuckling at her response, he grunted a bit in surprise when she glomped him and he returned the hug. "You're rather fearless, little one," he remarked.

She giggled. "Well, you're related to Uncle Snare-Oh and he's gentle," she said. "So you must be a gentle alien too."

He smiled at her. "Well, I try to be," he admitted before looking mischievous. "But just like my brother, I love tickling children."

Squeaking, she went to run, but his tendrils gently snagged around her and pulled her back to him and as he held her in a hug and tickled her sides, his loose tendrils tickled her neck and ears, making her laugh as she tried to get away.

"Mom! Help!" She managed to laugh out as she squirmed, but Kuphulu picked her up, playfully but gently throwing her up on his shoulder as he then began tickling her knees. "EEEK! NOT MY KNEES! HEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHEEAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Oh? Your knees are your tickle spot?" He asked, lifting her up and setting her down on the couch in the living room and his loose tendrils slip up her pant legs until they reached her knees and wiggled, making her squeal again as she squirmed and tried to push away his hands that were tickling her stomach to pieces.

Rachel was in the kitchen when she heard the laughter and followed it to the living room where she found Kuphulu tickling Courtney to pieces and she giggled before tapping his arm and he took that as a sign that she had reached her limit. She looked up at him before looking curious. "Uncle Kuphulu, how did you come to the mansion?" She asked.

He smiled before looking a bit sober. "Well, I came here because my brother brought me here, but your mother offered me a place to stay after I had been exiled," he said.

"Exiled?" She asked.

He nodded. "I used to be a criminal," he said. "But after I was arrested and exiled, I changed my ways and Magister Tennyson helped me to get into the Plumber's program."

Courtney looked up at him. "I know how that feels," she said. "I was forced to become a thief by my foster parents until Mom and Dad adopted me."

Kuphulu gently pulled her into a hug, holding her and rubbing her back soothingly. "We might have come from hard pasts," he said. "But one thing your mother has done is given both of us a chance for a better future."

"Aww, Kuphulu," Rachel said with a smile, entering the room and hugging him and her daughter. The alien mummy returned the hug and Courtney hugged her mother happily too.

"Now, about dinner…," the owner of the Grant Mansion said.

"What about that Cabbage Parmesan you were talking about the other day?" Kuphulu suggested.

She smiled. "That's an excellent idea!" She said. "You guys want to help?"

Smiling, the three headed for the kitchen to get dinner going and Courtney hugged her uncle again. "The cool thing about my future is that I have some awesome uncles to spend it with," she said.

"And I have a cute niece to spend time with too," the Thep Khufan said, gently tweaking her nose in affection and making her laugh.

Rachel smiled at them. The two might have had similar pasts, but as Kuphulu had said, they now had a brighter future.

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GoldGuardian2418