A story by guestsurprise and myself! Enjoy!
Ben was on his way back to the mansion with Rook and Rachel after a long mission. It was a long day and he really needed the rest.
"I can't wait to get home," Ben said.
"Me either. Especially to give my love here the treatment," Rook grinned cheekily, now nudging Rachel. Ben rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"I forgot this was Valentine's day," Ben said in annoyance.
"What's wrong with that?" Rachel asked.
"It's too mushy! All that affection and all that gross stuff," Ben said, now making a face.
"Hey! This holiday isn't mushy," Sasha said, now coming out to speak with them as they walked up the stairs to the mansion. But she was cut off as Whampire ran up behind her, spun her around, and kissed her.
"MMM!" Sasha said in surprise, but deepening the kiss when she realized it was him. Ben rolled his eyes once more and walked past them.
"I think I proved my point. This holiday is DISGUSTING!" Ben said, now walking inside. Sasha gently squirmed free of her lover and followed him, with Rachel and Rook in tow.
"Now come back here! One kiss from Whampire doesn't prove a point," Sasha smiled, now walking ahead and blocking Ben off.
"HEY!" Ben said, now feeling Sasha gently place her hands on his shoulders and Rachel hug him around the waist.
"Loosen up Ben. Valentine's day is not just for lovers; it's to show anyone, including friends and family, how much you love them," Sasha cooed, now hugging him.
Ben chuckled a bit and hugged both of the sisters back, but he grimaced again when he looked and saw Four Arms kissing Gena and when he looked the other way he saw Vamps kissing Aleu.
"Ugh, I've had enough. Sorry girls, but this holiday isn't for me. I'm not the affectionate type," Ben said, now gently letting them go and walking back out the mansion.
"Ben wait! Don't go!" Rachel said, but was held back by Rook.
"Ben hold on!" Sasha called.
"Let him go Sasha," Whampire said, now gently getting her arm.
"Guys, why did you hold us back?" Rachel asked, now looking at her fiancé with some agitation.
"Yeah, we don't want him to leave and miss this wonderful day with us." Sasha added.
Both aliens smirked and pointed to the darkness. When the girls looked over, they squealed in glee as Jocu came out from the darkness.
"We sensed he arrived," Whampire grinned, now shaking hands with the red prince as did Rook.
"Jocu!" Both girls smiled, now running over and hugging him. He returned their hugs and then looked at the way Ben went.
"So….Ben isn't in the Valentine's day mood I see," Jocu smiled.
"Yeah, he mentioned he does not like this holiday," Rook said.
"Really? And why is that?" Jocu inquired.
"Well, we usually spend this time with our fiances. But we also have a large Valentine party as well to make sure that no one feels left out," Sasha said.
"Ben knows that, but he acted like he doesn't want to be a part of any of it this year." Rachel added.
"But now that we see you are here…perhaps you can convince him?" Rook smirked.
"You all just leave it to me." Jocu chuckled. We'll have Ben celebrate our special holiday!"
Jocu closed his eyes and concentrated. Within seconds, Vivo and Blithe appeared and looked more devious than ever. Rook and Whampire's eyes widened! They had met Jocu, but not the other brothers. But introductions could wait…they needed to find Ben.
"Brothers…Ben is not in the mood for affection." Jocu smiled evilly.
"Oh really?" Blithe smirked.
"And on such a wonderful holiday as this? What a pity." Vivo smiled, just as deviously as Jocu.
"A pity indeed. Let's go and see if we can change his mind." Jocu grinned, now snapping his fingers and teleporting all of them after Ben. After they disappeared, Rachel and Sasha grinned in true joy. Somehow they trusted that the brothers would bring Ben back to them for Valentine's day.
Meanwhile…
Ben was just walking into his house when he heard gentle chuckles. Ben smiled to himself and turned on the light, now seeing Jocu laying on the bed, Blithe leaning on the wall, and Vivo sitting on his couch. All of them had very devious looking faces!
"Now what are you three troublemakers doing here?" Ben joked.
"Oh just here to pay you a visit," Blithe smiled.
"Mr. Grumpy." Vivo added, with a gleam in his eyes. Ben swallowed hard…somehow they found out that he absolutely despised Valentine's Day!
"Why Ben, you're sweating. Come and let us reassure you that all is well," Jocu smiled, now showing his fangs. Ben's eyes opened wide with that! Everyone knew that when Jocu smiled like that you were in trouble!
"N-No thanks! You guys stay back!" Ben commanded. But Jocu only winked and snapped his fingers, teleporting them all back to the castle!
Ben landed with a thud on a soft patch of feathers in the garden. As he turned around to get his senses, he felt Jocu gently nuzzle his neck and Vivo nuzzle his cheek! Blithe curled up and purred against his legs!
"GAH! GUYS NO!" Ben squeaked out.
"Why not?" Vivo purred.
"B-Because I don't like affection! I'm not into hugging and kissing!" Ben huffed, now turning away. The brothers then began purring and rubbing against him more!
"Oh Ben…we do not hug and kiss." Jocu said. "We Tickle monsters just have a similar holiday to Valentine's Day. We call it Cuddle Day!"
"Cuddle Day?! Oh, no!" Ben tried to escape, but Jocu snapped his fingers and the feather bush ensnared him.
"Yes. Rest assured, we wish to show you our affection towards you our way." Blithe added.
"And, Vivo said, making Ben turn to him. "We DO have a way to make you cooperate and learn to enjoy it."
"Oh no!" Ben gasped out.
"Oh yes…" Jocu smiled. He snapped his fingers again.
"GYAAAAH! Let me go!" Ben struggled as he was held captive in a part of the Tickle Forest he's never seen before. His arms were stretched out by long feather vines.
To his horror, Jocu and Vivo invited the rest of their brothers, Jest, Amio, Jape, Jovi, and Blithe.
"Sorry, Ben. But this is the only way we can make you celebrate Cuddle Day!" Jocu said. "Empress Risa will begin the ceremony!"
Right on cue, Empress Risa emerged from the forest. Ben's heart sank because Risa was not only a master of tickles, but she also had a crush on Ben. She had on her white feather headdress and in her hand she held a wand with many feathers on it.
"Hello, Ben." said Risa as she approached the teen. "Are you ready for some cuddles?"
Ben shook his head. "NO! Absolutely not! I don't like cuddles!"
"Oh, you will soon enough." Risa took her wand and tickled Ben's bare feet. He fought back his laughter has his toes wriggled around. Then, to his amazement, his feet started floating off the ground!
"Hey! What the-?!"
Risa giggled. "We don't want your feet missing out on the fun." She emphasized this by tickled the bottom of Ben's feet with her wand.
Ben closed his mouth to fight back his laughter.
"I love it when you try to resist." Risa said. "It makes us want to tickle you more!" Her wand's feathers glowed and slowly ran it over Ben's shirt and pants, making them disappear!
"Oh, no!" Ben yelped. Now all he had on was his shorts!
"It gets better!" Risa waved her wand in the air Ben's eyes widened in horror as he saw the magic affect the Tickle monsters. Their fur became bushier and longer!
"AAAAAAH! Oh, no!"
"Cuddle time!" Jocu said. He and Vivo began. They rubbed themselves against Ben's torso, purring like affectionate cats.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! THAT TICKLES!" Ben laughed. Thanks to Risa's magic, their fur was extra soft and tickly.
"Relax, Ben! Enjoy the cuddles!" Jest said, snuggling against Ben's cheek.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ben was helpless as the monsters snuggled, purred, and cuddled against him. It tickled so bad, he couldn't stop laughing.
Amio rubbed against the bottom of Ben's feet. The little monster giggled when he felt Ben's toes wriggling.
The monsters decided to give Ben a break to catch his breath. "See, Ben? Don't you feel the love?" asked Jocu.
Before Ben could answer, he went back to giggling when he felt Amio tickle his feet. "Hahahahahahahaha! Come on! Quit it!"
"Save some tickles for me!" Risa willed the vines to bring Ben towards her. Risa used her wand to tickle all over Ben's upper body.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! NO! NOT THE FEATHERS! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Tickle, tickle, tickle!" Risa teased. Her feather wand was more tickly than the Tickle monsters' fur. It made Ben laugh like crazy.
"Don't forget his tummy!" Jocu reminded.
"Coming up!" Risa tickled right in the middle of Ben's tummy, his laughter escalating.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! AHA-AHA-AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
As Ben laughed, the trees in the forest grew heart shaped fruits! They were red, ripe and shiny.
"That's it!" Jocu said. Risa stopped tickling and released Ben. Jocu held Ben in his arms.
"Great job, Ben! Thanks to you, the love plums have bloomed!" Vivo said.
"L-Love plums?" Ben gasped, exhausted from the tickling.
Jocu handed Ben a plum. "Here. Have a bite."
Ben was starving. So he bit into it without hesitation. His eyes widen. "WHOA! This is delicious!" He felt his energy returning.
The monsters began harvesting the plums. "Love plums are a very rare fruit that only blooms on this day when enough ticklish laughter is produced!" Risa explained.
"And here's your share for helping us, Ben!" Jocu gave Ben a huge basket of love plums.
"Wow! Thanks, guys!" Ben smiled. "Happy Valentine's Day!"
"Happy Valentine's Day!" They monsters hugged and cuddled against Ben. The hero laughed, both from the cuddles and joy given from his friends.
Ben and the monsters returned to the mansion with plenty of love plums to share.
"So, how was your Valentine's Day, Ben?" Rachel asked with a knowing smile.
"Besides being tickled silly, pretty good." Ben smiled and ate another plum. "Who knew?"
Happy Valentine's Day, guestsurprise! This was my Valentine's treat for you!