This story has been working in my mind for a bit. :)

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

A/N: This story is the sequel to "Reminding You How Good It Is To Have Someone Who Cares", which can be found on my page.

Another One Needing Protection

Rachel stared out the window for a moment before feeling arms come around her waist and she turned to see Courtney behind her. "Hey, sweetie," she said, smiling at her oldest daughter. "Your father and uncle Whampire will be home soon and your uncles Snare-Oh and Kuphulu just arrived a few minutes ago."

Courtney giggled. "Yeah," she said. "I just escaped a tickle torture from them."

Tendrils suddenly appeared behind her. "Did you now?" Snare-Oh asked, looking devious and sounding playful.

"You don't escape from us that easily, little one," Kuphulu said, catching Courtney in a hug and tickling her sides, making her laugh as both he and Snare-Oh gently dragged their niece to the rec room and continued tickling her.

Rachel smiled again before her mind went back to what she had been thinking about. Ever since she had convinced Zambanza to come to the mansion if she fell upon hard times, she was thinking about what would happen if the young girl didn't get a chance to do so, like if she got injured and couldn't escape.

She could really use someone to watch over her in case that happens, she thought to herself.

"If that frown droops any lower, I just might have to chase you into the Tickle Forest."

Hearing the familiar voice behind her, Rachel turned to find Jocu smiling at her and she smiled. "Sorry, Jocu, I was deep in thought," she said. "I was thinking about Zambanza."

"The young magician who you have somewhat convinced that she needs a good home?" He asked.

"The same," the young woman replied. "I made her promise to come here if she ran into trouble, but I'm worried about if she gets injured and can't run away."

She looked at him. "Jocu, would you do me a big favor?" She asked.

He had a feeling he knew what she was going to ask, but nodded. "Yes?" He asked.

"Keep an eye on Zambanza, please?" She asked, looking earnest. "I would feel better knowing that if she was in trouble, there's someone who can be there quick for her."

Jocu quirked an eyebrow at her. "You don't want me to 'convince' her to come here to stay?" He said.

Rachel chuckled, but then sobered. "No," she said. "That's…not going to work this time. I want Zambanza to come here on her own. She's been through so much. The other day, I had to use her wand against her to get her to stay in one place long enough to listen to me."

He looked curious. "You didn't tickle her?" He asked.

"Who says I didn't?" She retorted without heat. "Zambanza tickled me and I got her back. She's very ticklish."

That piqued Jocu's interest. "Is she now?" He asked, smiling.

"Oh, yes," Rachel said, smiling at him. "You would have a blast with her."

"I might just go find her and pay her a visit," he said with an all-too-familiar smile.

The young woman giggled. "You may have better luck in the Tickle Forest," she suggested. "Have the Tickle Trees catch her and then get her wand away from her. That way, she's your 'prisoner' until you release her."

"Ah, yes," he said. "I believe I will do that. Before I go, one quick question."

"Yes?" Rachel asked.

"Is there a couple here looking to adopt Zambanza?"

"Yes," the owner of the Grant Mansion replied. "There is one couple who is very serious about adopting her, but like I said, we're waiting for her to come here on her own. She's been on her own for so long, the idea of having two parents again is something she's not quite ready to grasp yet, but I think she really does want that deep down."

Jocu nodded and pulled Rachel into a warm hug. "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye out for her and if she does get injured and can't get away, I'll step in to help her," he promised.

She hugged him in return. "Thank you, Jocu," she said. "You've taken a load off my mind."

The Lauhinian's ears then perked up. "I believe I hear Rook's Proto-Truk," he said.

A huge smile came to Rachel's face and she looked out the window to see her fiancée's vehicle pulling in and her eyes sparkled happily, making Jocu chuckle and she looked up at him. "Go on," he said with a smile. "Go greet the man that puts that smile on your face. I'll take care of Zambanza."

She hugged him again. "Thank you, Jocu," she said before running out the front door. "Rook!" She called out, smiling hugely as she ran out to greet him.

Jocu watched from the window, smiling as Rook lifted Rachel off her feet in a big hug and pulled her into a loving kiss and saw Whampire take off to look for his fiancée. After a moment, he snapped his fingers and teleported home, concentrating a moment and soon smiled. "There she is," he said, having located Zambanza. The ten-year-old was currently at her hideout and was nursing what looked like a burn mark on her arm. Concerned, the Lauhinian snapped his fingers, teleporting the girl into the Tickle Forest.

Zambanza jumped when she found her surroundings changed in the blink of an eye and she pulled out her wand, but felt something grab her and she saw it was vines, but there were much different than what she was used to seeing. The vines looked feathery and one gently took her wand from her. "Hey!" She cried out and saw the vine give it to a red, four-armed being. "Give that back! That's mine!"

Jocu chuckled in amusement as he watched the young girl struggle against the feathery vines, but couldn't escape. "I'm afraid struggling will do no good," he said. "The Tickle Trees hold onto their 'victim' until they've tickled them good."

"Tickle Trees?! There's no such thing!" She protested.

"Not on Earth, no," he replied. "But in the Tickle Realm, yes."

Zambanza didn't get a chance to protest again because the Tickle Tree that had her got to work and began tickling her and some feathery vines joined in. Having not expected the sudden tickle attack, she let out a squeal before she dissolved into giggles. "My, my," Jocu said, smiling. "Rachel wasn't kidding about you being ticklish."

The young girl squealed and laughed, trying to escape, but to no avail. The vines held her securely as she was tickled by the tree and the vines, but after a bit, the tree and vines backed away, save for the ones keeping her tied up and Jocu approached her, raising his hands and hovering his fingers over her. Zambanza instantly giggled and gave him a pleading look, to which he smiled. "You may have sated the Tickle Tree's curiosity, but my curiosity hasn't been sated yet," he said, gently lifting her shirt up just enough to expose her stomach. "And I'm sensing your stomach is your tickle spot."

The magician was trapped. Without her wand, she couldn't escape, but she was having some fun too. Ever since Rachel had tickled her good the last time they had met, she had been wanting to be tickled again, but had been too embarrassed to go to the mansion and ask. Jocu smiled at her and wiggled his fingers into her stomach, which made her let out the loudest laugh he had ever heard from her yet.

Finally, he stopped and snapped his fingers and the vines holding the now-tired girl released her gently and he lifted her up into his arms. "Do you feel better, Zambanza?" He asked.

She looked up at him. "How do you know my name?" She asked. "And…how do you know Miss Rachel?"

"Rachel is one of my dearest friends and she told me your name," he said, carrying her in his arms as if she was a smaller child. "She was worried about you and asked me if I'd keep an eye on you in case you got injured and couldn't get away from your enemies."

Zambanza looked up at him. "She didn't send you to tell me that I need to go to the Mansion?" She asked.

Jocu smiled. The ten-year-old was smart. "No," he replied. "She wants to give you the chance to do that on your own."

The young girl was curious and then winced and looked at the burn on her arm. Jocu noticed too. "What happened to your arm?" He asked curiously.

"Had a run in with Psyphon and the creep threw fire at me," she said. "One shot hit my arm."

Jocu took her inside the Tickle Castle and healed her arm, to her surprise and she looked up at him. "What are you exactly?" She asked. "Are you…an alien?"

"No," he said gently. "I'm a Tickle Monster."

Normally, she would have scoffed, but after being tickled by sentient trees, she wasn't so quick to brush off what he said. "And…Miss Rachel asked you to watch over me?" She asked.

"Yes," he replied, his voice still gentle. "She's worried about you and just wants you to be safe."

Zambanza looked away for a moment and then looked at him. "If you know her very well, do you think she'd ever lie about caring about someone who…is like me?"

The red-furred Lauhinian smiled gently. "No," he replied. "She wouldn't lie about something like that."

She nodded and looked at him again. "Can you…give her a message for me?" She asked.

His ears perked up. "Yes?"

"Please tell her I'm still considering the adoption thing, but…I have been thinking about…if she'd be willing to loan me a room there for a bit? My hideout isn't the safest place right now."

He smiled. "I'll ask her," he said. "Wait here. I'll be right back."

Barely ten seconds later, he reappeared. "She said yes," he said. "Whenever you're ready, just head up to the Mansion. Or if you wish, I can take you there too."

Zambanza looked at him. "Um, how will I contact you?" She asked.

"Just speak my name aloud and I'll come, little one. My name is Jocu."

"Jocu," she said and nodded before looking up at him. "Um, thank you."

He smiled and lifted her up into his arms again, giving her a gentle hug before teleporting her back to her hideout, where she started getting things together.

Jocu smiled, knowing this meant that perhaps Zambanza would become a permanent member of the Grant Mansion soon.

Well, there's someone else watching over Zambanza. And yes, there is a couple that is looking to adopt her too. I will reveal who in a later story. :)

In the meantime, please leave a review, but no flames!

GoldGuardian2418