In a Funk

by Magiccatprincess

Rook was pretty sure that no one -except for maybe, Magister Tennyson and Gwen, knew what it must have been like when Ben had first gotten the Omnitrix. What it was like for a ten-year-old to be constantly attacked by aliens, to have villains threat to cut your arm off AKA: Ben isn't himself and Rook wants to help.

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10.

In a Funk.

It hurt, it hurt, it hurt! God it hurt so much!

He didn't know which of his enemies it was. Vilgax? Albedo? Khyber? He could barely see anything, but he knew that they were everywhere and that he couldn't stop them.

Help us Ben!

Was that Kevin? Was he here to?! Was he being tortured too? Was it his fault?

We need you, Ben. Help us!

No! Not Grandpa Max too!

More pain, more red! Cuts and slices against his back. Electricity going through his entire being.

Please! Ben! Help!

Ben!

Gwen...

Rook...

No!

Help us Ben Tennyson!

You're the only one can!

Nameless people. People he was supposed to protect. He struggled against his bonds, trying to break free. Trying to beat the pain so he could help them. He froze when he felt something cold against his wrist.

"Prepare to die Ben Tennyson."

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In all honesty Rook was getting worried. For the past two days Ben had been acting off. He was no longer his cheerful often cocky self. Instead he was quiet, less alert and his emerald eyes lacked their usual spark.

Ben still did his job, going about rescuing people, fighting bad guys, but he did it without his usual attitude. No wisecracks or complaints. If it weren't for Ben's way of speech Rook would be worried that Albedo was tricking him again.

He'd tried asking the brown-haired teenager about the cause to this change, but Ben had just brushed it off.

Well, he may not be familiar with human emotions but he was familiar with Ben Tennyson. At least Rook thought so. Their partnership might not be long, but he was sure that he and Ben could be considered friends now.

Rook was sure that there was something wrong with Ben.

If only he knew how to proceed next.

Magister Tennyson was off-planet so Rook could not ask him for advice. That left the next best thing...

So when Ben was busy assisting Blukic and Driba, the Revonnahgander took the proto-truck and flew it to the college Miss. Tennyson went to.

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Gwen remained quiet while Rook explained the situation and when he finished all she was "I see..."

They were on a bench a few yards from her school.

"I was hoping- that seeing you have known Ben for a longer period of time than I have, that you would know what is troubling him." Rook said looking and the redhead, a subtle worried expression on his face.

"Don't worry Rook." Gwen a replied, despite her words her smile held some sadness. "This isn't something new."

"Ben has suffered through a drastic change of personality before?"

"Not exactly..." Gwen sighed. "It's the nightmares."

"Nightmares?" Rook repeated frowning.

Gwen nodded, her eyes downcast. "Ben has them from time to time, he gets quiet after he had one. Grandpa Max is the only one he'll talk about them to." She suddenly looked confused. "Wait, Revonnahganders have nightmares to right?" She asked wondering if she'd only been confusing the poor guy.

"Yes," Rook nodded. "it is just that I had not expected if for someone like Ben to regularly suffer from night terrors."

The anidote couldn't help but smile a small smile at that. "Most people don't. Heck most people are surprised Ben even has a serious side. People tend to forget that he's been dealing with aliens trying to kill him since he was ten-years-old."

Rook blinked, he hadn't thought of it like that. At the plumber academy he had read all about 'the great Ben Tennyson' he'd heard the tales before of course, back at Revonnah when he was younger. At the time he hadn't stopped to think about the fact that Earth's greatest hero was two-years his junior.

In fact, Rook was pretty sure that no one -except for maybe, Magister Tennyson and Gwen, knew what it must have been like when Ben had first gotten the Omnitrix. What it was like for a ten-year-old to be constantly attacked by aliens, to have villains threat to cut your arm off.

"Don't worry Rook," Gwen tried to assure her cousin's partner. "Ben always bounces back after awhile." She got up and grabbed her bag. "I gotta go to close. Call me if you need anything."

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That evening, when he and Ben were patrolling the city, Rook was still thinking about his conversation with Gwen. It was a good thing seeing that Ben was not interested in talking. That was made clear when he hadn't even answered Rook's question about Mr. Smoothie's new 'peppered strawberry' flavour.

The emerald-eyed teen had just grunted and continued to gaze out of the window.

Gwen had said that Ben only talked about his dreams with his grandfather, but magister Tennyson would not return to earth in another four days and the Revonnahgander hated to see his friend so distressed, but Rook also knew that Ben would not like to talk about it with him.

Recalling what he did when one of his younger siblings suffered through night terrors of their own, Rook decided to try what he did then. After all he was sure Ben had to be tired. "Hey, Ben?"

"Hm?" The sixteen-year-old replied not looking away from the window.

"Did I ever tell you about Cayan and the three Muroids?"

Now Ben turned to him. "What?"

"It is a story." Rook clarified. "Just like alien-X." He said it more out of habit actually.

"Alien-X is real Rook." Ben sighed, sounding exhausted. "You've seen him, remember?"

Rook nodded, his eyes back on the road. "So I have, its' use however-" He did not expect Ben to interrupt him.

"Alien-X is just like in the stories only ten times more dangerous, which is why it'd be a disaster if Albedo or any other bad guy who thinks he's worth something ever gets nasty hands on him! Which is why all info about alien-X is classified!" Ben snapped surprising his friends.

After that they traveled in a silence much more painful than before. One with neither Ben nor Rook at one another.

The silenced continued un till Rook parked the Proto-truck at Plumbers HQ. Surprisingly Ben was the one to break it. "Look man," the teenager sighed. "I'm sorry for snapping at you. It's just that... I'm not myself today. I'm in a funk I guess..."

"Your unusual behaviour has not gone unnoticed." Rook replied more than a bit relieved by the fact that Ben was apologizing. Maybe he should press his luck. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Ben looked down. "Not really." He answered truthfully. "No offense, dude, but this isn't really the kind of stuff I like to talk about."

"How do you get out of this 'funk'?" Rook asked sounding unsure as he used, the to him, unfamiliar term.

Ben shrugged. "I dunno man, usually I'm kept so busy my mind just wanders away from the nightmar- the stuff that's bugging me."

"I see." Rook nodded. After all distracted mind is a careless mind, and though that was awful during battle, right now a distraction appeared to be just what Ben reacquired. "Ben, when one of my siblings was distressed I often told them tales to distract them from their troubles. Would you want me to try this method?"

At first Ben wanted to say no, but decided against it. "Alright, but no fairy tales, tell me about... I dunno normal things from your planet. Fun experiences or something."

"Fun experiences..." Rook repeated, his eyes grew when one came to his mind. "Well there was that time when Young One decided it was wise to try herding muroids..."

With a fond smile on his face Rook told the story and when he finished that one the Revonnahgander started telling the young hero about the time the village elders had somehow believed that the Amber Ogia had been poisoned when that had not been the case.

Ben laughed when Rook finished the tale. "Oh man I wish I could have seen their faces! That reminds me of the time Gwen and I faced an alien that could control old people, when we were kids. Zombie old people now that's creepy dude!"

As Ben told the story he didn't sound proud or cocky for once when talking about a past victory. He talked about it like it was a fond memory. And now thinking back to it like this, Ben discovered that it really was a fond a memory.

The two friends shared stories for a good two hours.

"Rook?"

"Yes?"

"Do you still want to know more about alien-X?" Ben asked sounding relaxed.

"If do not wish to share this information with me than it is fine if-"

"Naw man," Ben shook his head. "You're my partner so you get past that classified nonsense. Heck, you might actually need to know this stuff." Ben sharing a smile with his best friend. "Alien-X is just like the stories. He's my most powerful and most useless alien."

"I do not see how that makes any form of sense."

Ben smirked. "Alien-X has three personalities, all three of 'em need to agree on something for alien-X to do anything. So basically I need to hold a full debate with two bozos before I can even take one loosy step forward, let alone save the universe."

That sounded... troublesome. "Thank you for sharing this information."

"No problem, man." Ben answered arms behind his head as he leant back against his chair. "Hey Rook?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for sticking with me." Ben said surprising his partner. "I can handle all the fight and aliens trying to take over, but I guess it's good to know that I don't have to do it alone. You know?"

Rook smiled at his friend. "Anytime Ben-dude."