guestsurprise, who owns Salwa, asked for this one. Here you go, Amiga! Enjoy!
Ben 10 belongs to Cartoon Network and Man of Action. I only own Rachel.
Chasing Away Paranoia with Tickles
Rachel reviewed the video on the camera again, trying to find an answer to why Salwa was out late at night patrolling the house. She had noticed that for the past week, the young hybrid had been patrolling the house late at night and, according to Four Arms, had been training all day as well. This greatly concerned the twenty-two-year-old woman.
"I know she hasn't had a normal childhood before she came to live here permanently, but she knows she's safe here," she said to herself when it suddenly hit her. "Safe," she repeated to herself, the answer she was looking for hitting her in the face. "The Forever Knights."
Ever since the Forever King had learned that Salwa had betrayed them, he had ordered his Knights to cause a few disturbances. Thankfully, Salwa and a few of the aliens had managed to quell the disturbances and drive back the Knights into retreat, which the Knights had done so after losing some of their numbers in the fights.
But Salwa was still afraid that the Knights would find her at the Mansion, despite the invisible, protective shield around it that blocked various tracking signals.
Rachel now stood up and decided to call a meeting with the few aliens that were currently at the Mansion with her. She sent the message for them to meet her in the To'kustars' quarters before heading down there herself. She landed on the bed and lay there a moment before attempting to get up. She felt large fingers wrap around her gently and help her stand upright. "Are you alright, Rach?" Ultimate Way Big asked her.
She nodded. "I'm good," she said, smiling at him reassuringly.
A few moments later, Upgrade, Astrodactyl, and Ultimate Echo Echo came down the slide too, landing on the bed and sitting near Rachel, who waited until the To'kustar brothers were sitting too before clearing her throat.
"Guys, I need your help. I've been noticing Salwa has been out late patrolling around the Mansion and Four Arms informed me that Salwa has been training all day long," she said.
"Why is she doing that?" Upgrade asked. "She's safe here."
"Is it the Forever Knights?" Way Big asked.
Rachel nodded. "They're the cause of Salwa's paranoia," she said. "Ever since they found out about her betrayal, they've been attacking in revenge."
"And we've driven them back," said Astrodactyl.
"But she's fought the Knights for a long time," said Ultimate Echo Echo. "Her paranoia stems from her past, which allows her no peace of mind, despite the fact that she's safe here."
"Which means she can't relax and enjoy living here where she's safe," said Ultimate Way Big.
Rachel nodded again. "We need to help her," she said. "And there's only one way I think will be the most effective."
The aliens caught on her train of thought immediately. "The most effective and the most fun too," said Upgrade with a chuckle.
Later that day, Salwa had just come back from patrolling in town and went to the workout room, suddenly stopping when she saw one piece of the equipment was black and had green circuitry lines all over it. Sensing it wasn't normal, she backed up.
"Hi, Salwa," said a computerized voice and Upgrade disengaged from the exercise equipment to take on his black and white humanoid form. "I hear you need some help relaxing."
Salwa took off running after he said that and he chased after her. "Let's get her, guys," he said into his Plumber badge. The other four aliens and Rachel received the message and got ready.
The young hybrid heard a jetpack behind her and saw a flying dinosaur after her and ran down the hallway, nearly running into a blue robot, who tried to grab her, but she evaded him quickly.
She suddenly felt something wrap around her and saw the first alien she had seen in the workout room had caught her and he picked her up despite her struggling. "Come on, they're waiting," he said as all three headed down the slide to the giant aliens' quarters below.
Salwa struggled harder and managed to get free, but as she tried flying out, the To'kustars blocked her path. "Hold up, Salwa," Way Big said gently as he gently caught her. She didn't struggle as she trusted the giant alien, but she didn't seem keen on meeting the other three. Ultimate Way Big then came up with Rachel on his shoulder.
"Salwa, it's okay," she said. "Upgrade, Astrodactyl, and Ultimate Echo Echo won't hurt you."
The young girl didn't move out of Way Big's hand as he gently rubbed her back. Astrodactyl flew up to Salwa and she flinched. "Hey, easy," he said gently. "No need to be afraid of your own family."
She looked up at him and he gently lifted her up to her feet and carried her over to the giant bed as the giants came over and Ultimate Way Big let Rachel hop off his shoulder and into his hand before coming over to the others and sitting down.
Ultimate Echo Echo came up to Salwa. "Hey, kiddo, we heard you were having a hard time relaxing," he said. "You know you don't need to be on watch for the Knights constantly."
"But they could attack when we're not ready for them," Salwa protested quietly.
"Salwa, the Mansion has the best security system that the Plumbers themselves installed and Frankenstrike has updated it with the necessary software to block out ever known signal. Not only that, one or more of the aliens patrol the grounds daily and would alert us if someone tried to break into the Mansion or if our enemies were trying to close in," Rachel said gently as she used Ultimate Way Big's fingers for a back rest as he made sure she didn't fall out of his hand.
"You can relax and enjoy a day without being afraid, Salwa," said Way Big with a smile.
Salwa didn't look reassured and it didn't go unnoticed. "Oh, brothers," Rachel singsonged knowingly, a huge smile on her face.
The five aliens nodded. "Tickle her!" Upgrade commanded.
Salwa got up and managed to get away from the three aliens and also stayed away from the giant brothers, who simply watched for a bit before Ultimate Way Big joined in by blocking Salwa's path with his free hand, making the young girl turn and crash into Upgrade, who grabbed her in time and gently pinned her down. "Rach, you want to start the tickle torture?" He asked.
Nodding, Rachel jumped the small distance from Ultimate Way Big's hand to the bed, landing on her feet and going over to them, a big smile on her face as she began tickling Salwa on her feet.
The young girl began laughing and the five aliens joined in with the giants tickling her sides while Ultimate Echo Echo tickled her stomach, Astrodactyl tickled her knees, and Upgrade tickled her neck. Salwa struggled harder as she laughed, but they didn't let up.
"NOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Salwa laughed.
Rachel grinned. "Tickle turns!" She said suddenly.
This meant that they would each take turns tickling Salwa, who laughed harder as Upgrade started tickling her to pieces. "Cootchie, cootchie, coo!" He said teasingly.
She squeaked cutely at that as she tried to stop him, but was unable to.
Astrodactyl and Way Big then each tickled her before giving her a chance to rest a bit. Salwa immediately tried to escape after she got her breath back, but Ultimate Echo Echo caught her fast. "We're not done with you yet, kiddo," he chuckled in amusement as he tickled her sides and she let out another laugh.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Salwa's laughter was too contagious to ignore and the others were laughing as well as Ultimate Way Big then tickled the young girl. After a moment, he let her up and Rachel stepped in to tickle her niece again.
Salwa's throat began to hurt then and her laughter went silent as she grabbed her aunt's hands. "Aunt Rachel," she managed to gasp out.
Smiling, the older woman nodded and stopped, motioning Ultimate Way Big to get the throat spray to help the young girl.
After the medicine was sprayed down her throat and she had rested a moment, Salwa sat up and looked saddened. "I'm sorry, Aunt Rachel," she said.
"For what, hon?" Rachel asked.
"For letting my fear get the best of me," said Salwa.
Rachel smiled gently. "Honey, that happens to all of us sometimes," she said softly.
"And we help each other to get past that fear," said Astrodactyl.
"So that our family can feel safe," said Ultimate Echo Echo as the five aliens and human hugged their niece, who returned the hugs happily and gratefully.
"I'll remember that," she said.
I truly couldn't ask for a better family, she thought to herself as she enjoyed the warm, protective hugs from her loving family.
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GoldGuardian2418