A/N: Hey there. It has been a while.

I apologise for my absense, especially to those who have been sending worried messages asking me if something bad happened, if I had abandoned this story and if I was doing fine.

Life can get hard in a few months, let alone a year, and I am sure you all understand that working and studying is too important these days, and also very tiring.

However, I want to let all of you know that there has not been a single day in which my thoughts were not led to this story. You cannot imagine the pleasure that writing these chapters brought me. It still took some time, but at last, here they are.

And yes, there are two chapters. Is the least I can do for the people that keep sending tons of support via private messages and reviews. One of them only aims to deepen the characters' bond, so not much plot there, but I am certain that it will not mean a bother since you are reading this fic for one reason ;)

Oh, and I know it is a little late, but I wish you all an excellent year.

Especial thanks to Devak and Pirate Without Ship for their unconditional support and a violent bear hug for Ice-Woman n AVG, who has to deal with my frustratingly slow replies and in return proofreads my story faster than light itself. You guys rock!

As for everyone reading, please, enjoy.

For the fifth time, as if Wat-Senn had been deprived of his Plumber Badge, the only answer Shar got was the sound of faint static. She lowered the communication device to her lap in an act of surrender and stared at it bitterly, clenching its edges with a weak, shaking hand.

"It is useless," she mumbled, wiping away the tears blurring her sight. "And it is entirely my fault. Had I made a better decision, he would be with us right now, at our disposal and safe. "

Rook'

s eyes flitted from the windshield and focused on his sister. His facial muscles worked to keep the serious expression he always wore behind the ship controls, but they loosened inevitably at Shar's affliction. "Do not take responsibility for his disappearance, sister. Wat-Senn could not anticipate this and neither could us."

"But if I had led you there directly, like Ben suggested..."

Shar trailed off long enough. Ben tore his gaze away from the ship's window and set it on her, his elbow against the door and his cheek resting heavily on his knuckles. He loathed the maddening, overall pointless phrase 'told you' only when delivered at him. And yet, as much as Ben would have liked to say those words to someone as smart and rational as Shar (or much better, Gwen or Rook), this wasn't the proper context.

Ben could be a little stubborn, rather conceited and far too reckless among many other bad things, but heartless was out of the list.

"Hey, no regrets. That probably wouldn't make a difference," he said, his voice a hint of reasonable irritation. It bothered him when good people were unfair to themselves. "This isn't your fault. You did what your dad thought best for your family, what you two thought best for them. Even if Wat-Senn was attacked while we were eating or hours ago, you're not to blame; none of us is to blame, okay?"

Shar snivelled and closed her eyes, her mind struggling to regard those words as true. Rook only cast another compassionate glance and bit his lip with sympathy to avoid further talking. Consolatory speeches were pointless to him. He knew that the person who actually stood a chance of soothing his sister's pain was Wat-Senn in the flesh.

Ben, on the other hand, wouldn't just sit around and watch Shar take the blame. Sighing an audible exhalation, he moved closer and spoke in a more caring tone.

"Listen, I'm worried about Wat-Senn as much as you are, but it's too soon to mourn over his death. He may still be around, hold captive or hostage and stuff. We don't know about all those missing farmers' whereabouts and no one found their bodies." He rested his hand on her shoulder and Shar opened her damp eyes forcibly. "Get my point?"

She blinked under the tender touch, allowing two tears to roll down her cheeks before giving a stiff, decisive nod.

"Good, now chill out and focus on things out of the ordinary. Don't drop your guard. That way we'll get to whoever laid a finger on Wat-Senn." He patted her shoulder. "Everything's gonna be fine. We'll fix this."

Shar breathed in and nodded again, then eyed the spot Ben was patting. "Thank you, but may I ask what are you doing with your hand?"

Oh, Déjà vu.

No, wait. That actually had happened to Ben before.

"It's just an 'earthling' gesture. Haven't you seen it? Not so hard to understand." Ben repeated the action once more for emphasis. "See? There, there... It's supposed to be comforting."

Shar seemed hesitant to answer. "I do not intend to offend you, Ben, but the motion of your hand is not working."

Ben gave himself the pleasure of chuckling. Ah, the memories... He wished this was about a missing shot. "Most times it doesn't, I know, but it's almost a reflex by now." He waved the hand in the air, scooted away, and continued to look out the window. "Whatever. Let's see if we find something of interest. I don't want us to be out of the loop for much longer."

Still puzzled and ignorant about a vast number of expressions, the Plumber Cadet turned to her brother for translation. "My time on Earth without a partner like him did not help my poor knowledge of human language; what loop is he talking about?"

"I am not certain about that one. If I am correct, he meant that it is time for gaining information and becoming involved in the case."

"Yes..." Ben averted his gaze to the siblings, pondering about something his brain alone deemed feasible. "In fact, that's precisely what I meant." He lifted the Omnitrix wrist with abrupt determination and the holographic interface came out. But before scrolling through the aliens' body shapes, he paused. He saw the disapproving look on the Revonnahganders' faces out of the corner of his eye, and they were definitely demanding an explanation.

Ben looked at them blankly, then at the watch, and then at the siblings again. He finally let out a snort. "Oh, I know what you guys are thinking: Ben Tennyson is about to break his promise."

"And surely, I know what you are thinking," Rook went on dryly, dragging his intense gaze ahead. "For you, it is acceptable to make an exception for the purpose of either an encounter with the roots of this massacre or a trace of Wat-Senn."

"Bingo! What a great connection, partner!" Ben exclaimed teasingly, enthusiastically. "We'll split up! I'm going to transform into a flying alien, look 'round every corner of nearby villages to make this faster, and deal with your nasty stares later."

Rook tightened the grip on the steering wheel, but he forbore from objecting. "Remember that this is an exception. And please, try not to attract the habitants' attention."

"Count on it. I'll not even get that close to the villagers! Got something to say, farm-girl?"

Shar pursed her lips and shrugged weakly. "At this point, my priority is Sheriff Wat-Senn."

"So what are we waiting for? Let's get this show on the road!" Ben's fingers skimmed through the holographic circle showing all alien forms up for selection. "Though it's not as if I was asking for permission, anyway." Upon choosing one, the front plate of the Omnitrix slid open and Ben slammed his palm on the core, triggering a transformation.

Rook squinted at the burst of shimmering green light while Shar covered the side of her face to block it out. When the blinding veil of light wore off, it revealed a tiny, yellow bug-like alien standing on the passenger seat.

Ben examined his small form and whined in that cute voice his fangirls loved so much. "Aw, man!"

"Ball Weevil cannot fly, Ben," Rook remarked matter-of-fact, sounding remotely disgruntled.

"Thanks, Captain Obvious!"

Rook slowed the ship down and pressed a button on the dashboard to activate the automatic opening above. "Not to mention that you should not transform in the ship."

"I got it, Rook. Sorry." Ben jumped to Shar's shoulder, climbed up her head without warning and threw himself out.

"In the event that you discern unconventional activity, come to us quickly!" Rook reminded him.

Ben performed a military salute with his short leg before pressing the Omnitrix symbol. "All right, Omnitrix, take two!" A new brilliant flash lit up above the Revonnahganders' heads and Ben changed to Astrodactyl, stretching out the retractable wings hidden in his jet-pack. "Ah, that's much better! So long, guys!"

He flew away from the ship, leaving a shiny, light-green trail behind his movements. The Revonnahganders watched him fly to the right. "Well, it is beseeming to explore our planet with the assistance of the Omnitrix," Rook admitted, looking out to scan the area. "There are certain sectors that the Proto-TRUK cannot accede due to mountain ranges and our terrains are far too uneven for walking. Trying will slow us down."

"No need to employ persuasion. I will not protest." Shar settled her brooding eyes on the Plumber Badge. "Do you think we will be able to handle this by ourselves?"

Rook took a minute to articulate a honest answer. "I wish I could say something positive, but the truth is that whoever we are hunting down clearly know a lot about the Plumbers and have gained enormous advantage. The main symbol of justice in our planet has disappeared because of them, so I do not have an encouraging answer."

"No. Neither do I." Shar pressed the badge to her heart longingly. "I really hope Wat-Senn is alive. I do not know what I would do if..." She left the idea untold. Ben was right, she shouldn't think about the possibilities. "You might be correct in your assumption. They were aware of the connection between him and the Plumbers."

Rook's gaze shifted to his sister, his body tensing with alarm. "Which means they must be aware of your connection with the Plumbers as well."

"...Probably."

Despite his nagging worry, Rook didn't have the time to consider all the risks his presumption entailed, for he caught a glimpse of Astrodactyl flying back at full speed. He hastened to press the button again and Shar slid to Ben's usual spot just as quickly, leaving the middle seat available.

In a matter of seconds, Ben hopped into the ship in his human form and fell safely between the siblings. "Head southeast. I think something happened or is about to happen in one of the villages!"

The following sharp, unexpected veer forced Ben and Shar into motion. Their resistance to sudden changes of direction wasn't strong enough; Shar knocked into Ben and he slammed into Rook's side awkwardly, digging his elbow somewhere along the alien's ribs and stomach and squashing his plump cheek against Rook's armoured shoulder. When the ship set about flying straight, Ben and Shar were forced to the other side together.

Ben grunted and pulled his body into a vertical position. "Wow, take it easy, Vin Diesel! We're in a ship, not in a washing machine!"

Rook didn't seem to care much about Ben's angry remarks... Or the way he had called him. "What did you see that is so suspicious?"

"There was a bunch of Revonnahganders gathered in front of some terraces," explained Ben, rubbing his sore cheek.

"But are you certain that it was something serious? Shar queried, quickly recovered. "It is common for farmers to gather prior to the harvest festival."

"Yeah, but it's not normal to hold people in agony sprawled on the ground, is it?"

Rook didn't need to hear the rest. "Guide me. Where shall we head?"

Following Ben's directions, they reached highlands hard to see through and landed on the first smooth field they saw. They sprinted across the huge village until the terraces, farmhouses and a significant part of shocked habitants came into view, plenty of them astonished, horrified, or holding scythes in attack position. The trio halted behind them, their steps drawing unwanted attention to Ben. He earned a few strange peeks courtesy of the last row of Revonnahganders, but the farmers had something else to regard as striking in front of them, and so did Ben.

He rested his hand on a large rock at the left and lifted his gaze to the terraces. His eyebrows shot up in confusion.

A group of about thirty Revonnahganders stood in the level above, bearing pointed, high-tech batons, curved daggers attached to their belts, and carrying large blasters with thick straps and backpack versions of harvesters. Their colourful clothing contrasted a lot with the common farmer garments decorated with shades of brown, yellow and orange. The females up there wore red dresses featuring black swirling motifs, pleated and fairly loose both below the waist and at the end of their wide sleeves, and the males were clothed in black arm and leg wraps and light-blue, sleeveless tunics with white accents. All of them wore versions of typical footgear but in its respective colours.

The two Revonnahganders a couple of steps ahead, however, were the ones who actually got into the limelight. Before them, almost on the terrace's edge, stood a female with blue face and narrow markings framed by curtains of wavy, side-parted purple hair. She carried an metallic baton as tall as herself and was accompanied by an earnest, spruce, imperturbable black-haired male, who kept his hands clasped behind him and bore no more than twin blasters hanging from his erect back.

Thanks to the alien girl's impressive height, it was difficult for Ben's visual inspection to arrive at deeper conclusions. If he didn't take into account her good figure and bitter eyes, the Revonnahgander had the face of a sixteen-year-old. She looked too young to own those admirable looks and such a hard, rancorous gaze, and perhaps she was tooyoung in comparison to her fellow member, likely to be around his late twenties. The guy's abundant, short-length layered hairstyle played well for the age factor though; so did his blue face adorned with thin, rare markings ending at his cheeks. It was his correct stance and cold expression that didn't make him look any younger than he may appear to be.

There were distinctive attires and personal ornaments on them, too. Silver bands enclosed the alien girl's upper-arms and she wore a skirt similar to the lower half of the red dresses, a pair of black boots with thick heels and a black leather corset with shoulder straps. The older Revonnahgander donned a combat robe of the colours worn by males, scarcely baggy leg wraps tucked neatly into a pair of dark-blue military boots and a matching belt around his waist. The outer garment spread to the sides below the blue band, reaching his knees, and the gap between its folded lapels revealed a shirt of chain mail.

Ben was genuinely surprised that he hadn't caught sight of them while searching. How did he miss the group? They all were uniformed to stand out and differ from the local population, as if they were some sort of rising party or something similar. The pair at the front even had an intimidating figure and a natural air of superiority that could persist with or without distinctive clothing and modern weapons.

Angry at his lack of observation, Ben lowered his gaze to the field and peered through the crowd, searching for something else to analyse. He was aghast when he spotted not one hurt farmer, but three, all of them lying on the grass and wrapped in someone's arms. He didn't manage to see more, but it was enough to have him on alert and questioning Astrodactyl's vision.

Certain that the siblings beside him had examined the same anomalies, Ben elbowed his partner gently, eyes again glued to the group of armed native aliens. He had missed a few important things, but he was sure his new suspicion was true. "I think we found them."

Rook kept looking ahead, completely wide-eyed, then he shook his head in disbelief. No way. His own people couldn't be criminals, couldn't be murderers. That long-haired girl didn't even look much older than Rook Shim! And where would that 'clan' get those deadly weapons? His species had always been righteous and hard-working. Why would those Revonnahganders be willing to kill?

So deep in confusion, no one acknowledged the alien child standing on the rocks next to Ben, frantically stretching his neck to get a better view. Defeated by his undeveloped height, he sat on his haunches and poked Ben's arm. "Why are they dressed like that?"

The hero glanced at him briefly before turning to the front. "I don't know, they must be–" He paused at once and checked on the new source of voice for a second time. He blinked questioningly at Rook Ben, but the latter only broke into an innocent grin.

Unsure of what to do, say or ask, Ben yanked Rook's arm to grab his visual attention. "Um, guys..."

As Rook Ben implored mercy through waving a nervous hello, his elder siblings stared in blank astonishment... Until Shar broke the silence and muttered between gritted teeth, "What are you doing here brat?!"

"Eh... It is a long story."

Shar pushed Ben and Rook out of her way and leant forward, pointing a finger to his brother's face. "You sneaked into the ship, did you not?"

"Well... I was not originally going to, but–"

"But?!"

Rook Ben swallowed hard. "When you arrived back in our village and rushed to the ship, I hid in the back because I was looking for something interesting," he explained lamely, fidgeting with his fingers. "I did not get off because I was curious..."

At that point, Rook had put a hand to his forehead, given a sigh and turned back to the centre of attention without further questions.

At that point, Shar's reprimanding look had become a narrow, threatening glare.

Rook Ben bit his lip and shrunk. "And bored, I was mainly bored."

"This is the last time you will see sunlight."

The short alien flinched and put his hands together in a pleading gesture. "Please, do not tell mother and father!"

"Telling them is the first thing I am going to–"

"Shh, be silent! They are talking! Put our brother down and keep him close!"

Shar gave her brother another seething look before complying. Angry or not, part of her still feared that Rook Ben saw a ferocious scene, but the rest of her being was begging for information to clear her doubts. She hauled Rook Ben next to her to keep an eye on him. "We have not finished, brat."

"But I want to see what is happening!" the alien whined, ready to make a dash for the rocks that served as his platform.

His sister yanked him back swiftly. "Do not look! Be quiet and let us listen!"

The tall female at the fore rapped her high-tech staff on the ground, sweeping her hard eyes over the dead bodies and the first rows of Revonnahganders that insisted on hissing and baring their pointed canines at her.

"I'd appreciate that you farmers cease to resist. Your attempts to confront us are futile, and you'll only get your friends and families killed if you persist." She pointed the pole weapon at one bleeding elder, causing the kneeling female in tears to hug his lifeless form tighter. "Shall I remind you that we've already tried to inculcate our ideals the peaceful way? You should consider this a fair warning."

"Fair?" the weeping farmer choked out, the word tumbling sourly from her mouth. "I fail to see how this is fair! I doubt you understand the concept of fairness at all!"

"What is your sanguinary clan's ultimate aim?" another Revonnahgander demanded, clutching his scythe menacingly. "You enter into our village, carrying weapons created by outsiders, then murder three respected members of our community without valid reasons, and for what purpose?!"

"Your threats do not have impact on us!" exclaimed an indignant female somewhere in the field. "If you were not able to convince us peacefully, what makes you think we will support your senseless ideology through violence?!"

The alien girl flipped her thick hair and uttered a delicate snigger; a spontaneous sound that contrary to the cute giggles that escaped Rook's sisters was neither tender nor innocent.

Ben didn't like this Revonnahgander, not one bit.

"I'm afraid that we did have reasons to end those old farmers' life," the Revonnahgander explained. "But it has nothing to do with your support; we solely wanted to illustrate the measures we'll take in case you keep rising against us like they did. Since your inclination to tradition knows no boundaries, and you're all willing to send into exile those who believe that outsiders and their major technological creations should be allowed in Revonnah, then we're more than pleased to fight to death, for our ideals' sake."

The crowd remained silent, watching attentively and listening, always listening. Something bigger was coming. She was not done yet and everybody knew it.

Only one farmer handed her toddler daughter to her eldest son and motioned for him to back away as she took a bold step – her expression mirrored outstanding bravery when she addressed the younger alien. "You do not own the right to murder my neighbours because they disagree with your revolutionary ideology. We will not witness this terrible iniquity and do nothing about it!"

The teenager cracked a patronizing smirk. The mother's interruption seemed to be amusing her. "I figured that out. As a matter of fact, most of you won't stay out of the way and watch your traditional lifestyle crumble to the ground. Which leaves two options available: you can accept our last invitation to adapt and merge with the new order, or you might as well keep on protesting and fighting until we have erasedyoufrom this planet."

Rook Ben clung harder to Shar. His mind was frightened of those people's intentions, of the fact that they weren't brainwashed. It was beyond his sense of comprehension. That group was freely stating they would kill anyone with a different outlook on life, and it was for real? But that was insane!

"Regardless of your choice, however, I suggest that you don't try to hinder the imminent fall of your traditions," the girl went on calmly, expertly, as if she had played the role of an orator on countless occasions. "We want this planet to achieve exceptional progress once and for all! We can't rest until this mundane lifestyle comes to an end, until this dull system you've created sinks, and we won't stop until we are free to exploit the real potential of these promising lands, the real potential of the invaluable resource you refuse to take full advantage of!"

The crowd looked on, lips snarled with rage. No matter how deserving of hate she was, not a soul knew how to interrupt her. There was just something about the alien that stole away her hearer's words, leaving them bound to wait until the end of her speech. Maybe it was the way she spoke so highly of their planet, the importance of her warnings, or the fact that her clan was armed to the teeth. Whatever the reason, farmers wanted to hear her out and not only for the purpose of making a cutting rejoinder.

"There is more to your precious fruit than harvest, there is more to Revonnah than simple farmers, and you are all aware that we can do much better! But if you insist on being narrow-minded, if you don't harbour the same ambitions that we have and you decide to get in the way, then we'll gladly assume responsibility for burying you, right next to your tedious customs."

Blonko clenched his fists. Her voice was hypnotic, she had every attitude to be a magnificent public speaker, and yet the arrogance, the contractions; the whole violent nonsense exceeded the limits of his tolerance. Rook was about to voice his indignation, loud and clear and blunt, but a male elder expressed opposition first and he had no other choice than to hold his tongue, for one more minute.

"What you are saying is unthinkable! No one here will take part in this senseless movement! How can you aspire to destroy our transmission of costumes and beliefs, considering that you were also born and raised in an identical village attached to traditions? You are just an ungrateful, misguided rebel, and no one in this territory will become your follower!"

"Oh, I did grow up in a traditional village," the girl conceded, her eyes momentarily twinkling with sardonic amusement. "And I was excluded from your community at early age, because of my personal beliefs." She paused to view her metallic staff lovingly. "Although I'm not complaining. Being a rootless wanderer took me far. Believe it or not, nowadays I have a wide range of loyal supporters, more than you think it's attainable, and lots of inhabitants have yet to unite with us..."

Her shoulders slackened as she straightened up, tapping the pole on the ground. "In fact, by standing on this mountain, I can tell how many of you are tempted into helping us purge this planet of tradition," she declared, her piercing eyes hardening and roaming around the nearest Revonnahganders. "And I can also tell who will be promoting our cause by the end of the day, just by the thoughtful looks on their faces."

If possible, her features got even darker when a strand of purple hair fell slightly over her left eye. "You, future comrades, don't have to be scared of exile anymore like I used to be. A new era is about to begin. The long-awaited opportunity to fight for your ambitions has finally come! Gather the courage to do it and join us, make the right choice and search for us, when no one is looking around, just like the rest of our community did...!"

She lowered her tone, but that enticing voice secretly addressing particular groups was still tinged with consuming passion and steely determination. "We'll be waiting for you with arms wide open, brothers and sisters. I'm sure you'll know where to find us when you have convinced yourselves, and I must guarantee one thing: you won't ever regret that choice..."

"I have heard enough!" shouted another aging Revonnahgander, swinging his scythe. "We will not permit this! You will no longer cause disturbance to our dwellings!"

Upon hearing his firm statement, many farmers with children started to back off in anticipation while the rest advanced, bearing their scythes in a defensive position.

The clan approached the terrace's edge to stand by their leaders, daggers and electric batons in hand. The girl flashed a tiny smirk for a brief moment, and assumed her fiercest, most humourless expression the next. "I must warn you, once this battle begins, there's no way back."

The much older Revonnahgander was soon surrounded by an important number of farmers prepared to attack. "We will not recoil at your sharpness and threats."

"I expected as much," she said in a collected tone, then extended the staff towards the crowd ominously. "Finish them all."

And everything unfolded quickly from there.

Lots of her followers jumped from the terraces, the farmers raised their scythes high in the air and suddenly, both sides were engaged in a fight of stabs, blows, electric shocks and firing of blasters. Horrified habitants ran off with their children through the storm of lethal beams, screaming and avoiding shots fired from the few members who stayed up as more Revonnahganders carrying scythes skittered across the chaotic crowd to aid their neighbours.

In the midst of the hubbub of panic screams and agitated families, Ben stood still and wide-eyed, watching unlucky farmers get shot in their attempt to save youngsters and defeated fighters fall stabbed or electrocuted to the ground. He was transfixed by those trained, bloodthirsty revolutionaries dodging scythes and blows almost effortlessly each time.

No Incurseans. No offworlders. Not an invasion.

The enemies were Revonnahganders.

So incredibly astounded, Ben didn't notice the blast aimed randomly just a few meters away from him. But Rook did, much to his luck, and he had the time to hasten and tackle the boy out of the way.

Ben groaned when his back met the hard ground and his friend's weight crushed him. "Dude, what was that for? Are you okay?"

Rook got off and pulled him to his feet roughly. "They almost shoot you down! Pay attention and be more careful!" He looked at his siblings and saw Rook Ben still clinging to his sister, trembling uncontrollably. "Shar, get him out of here!"

"I cannot leave you alone, Blonko!"

Another ray was fired in their direction, but it hit the rocks next to them instead. Rook Ben squealed and Shar hugged him protectively, dragging him away as Rook grabbed his Proto-Tool. "Leave now! And beware the shots!" He turned to his partner. "Ben!"

"I know, let's put a stop to this!"

Dodging inhabitants and whirring beams of energy, both made a sprint for the nearest clashes. Rook didn't waste a second. He aimed and shot down several members of the clan before they landed a hit of any kind in any farmer. Soon enough, after inflicting flesh wounds to six different criminals, he attracted sufficient attention to supplant some farmers as a target.

What he wasn't expecting, though, was to become a target for the voice of the clan so early. The rebel leader had made her way through the shaken mass of Revonnahganders rapidly, but Rook managed to dodge the first strike, jumping away from the electricity coursing up and down the double-pointed head of the staff.

"Nice weapon you have there. It surprises me that these die-hard traditionalists didn't insult you for owning such an object. Unless..." She feigned surprise. "Oh, let me guess, you're a Plumber, aren't you?"

Rook's Proto-Tool turned into a common staff. He wouldn't even try to reason with someone like her. "My identity is not your concern."

"You're right. My concern is that beautiful weapon."

"You would never understand the complex features of my Proto-Tool."

"You think so? Why don't you lend me that 'Proto-Tool'? If using it I manage to kill you, I'll keep it. Deal?"

Rook glowered at the cynical girl, his eyes ablaze with anger. It was a shame that someone so comely like her owned such a rotten personality.

Grunting, he swung his staff fast, but the teenager fended off using her own long weapon and put some distance by delivering a hefty kick to his stomach. The Plumber stumbled back and she seized the opportunity to plant her staff on the ground and vault in the air. Rook blocked too high and the girl's boots slammed nar into his stomach once more, knocking him out of breath and onto the field. With a hot-blooded cry, she thrust the staff already emitting electricity toward him, but Rook rolled aside from the strike and sprang to his feet, his own staff extended unwaveringly and on the defensive.

Their defiant glares met briefly before she charged at him again.

Simultaneously, through the uneasy, rushing multitude, Ben spotted two cornered children backing against the wall of a farmhouse. A female anti-traditionalist was approaching them slowly, holding a curved dagger high above her head. Ben didn't think twice. He picked up the scythe lying beside a lifeless farmer and hurried. He grabbed the opposite ends of the shaft and shoved the rebel, previously sliding one of his feet between hers, giving the children an opportunity to escape while she tripped over. Ben stepped onto her wrist shortly after, causing her to whimper and loosen the grip on the dagger which he didn't hesitate to kick out of sight and reach.

As Ben ran away to help others with a scythe he didn't have the guts to use accordingly, he glanced around and realised that there were more members of the clan than before, as if they had duplicated or something when he wasn't looking.

The idea of using the Omnitrix soon crossed his mind. His inner voice was screaming at him that this wasn't the proper time to prove his bravery and skills, that this was the sort of threat to which Blonko and Da had referred in regards to the Omnitrix, but he ignored it all. Ben wouldn't use the watch, didn't want to use the watch.

Looking around, he turned to a farmer girl engaged in an unfair one-knife combat, ready to help. However, his sight was blocked by an oncoming elbow that hit him square in the eye and he staggered away like a blind boy, covering his damaged eye and blinking madly to see the attacker as clear as possible. "Oh, this is so going to bruise tomorrow!"

He found the same female he didn't have the will to kill standing right in front of him, this time in a taller male's company.

"An offworlder?" the latter said, amazed at the irony. "You're fighting for the wrong side, child! Why do you support these villagers? You're not even entirely welcomed here!"

Ben uncovered his eye. "It's not that bad. At least they no longer beat me up thinking I'm a locust." Both Revonnahganders looked angrily perplexed. Ben waved his hand dismissively, blinking a little more. "Ah, you shoulda been there."

Without warning, he used the blunt base of the scythe to thump the female's ribcage full force. She groaned loudly, but she managed to dig her heels on the ground and hold onto the pole, dragging the human closer to land a severe blow on his cheek. Ben's grip slackened and the scythe slipped away from his hands, leaving him empty-handed before two armed maniacs.

Enraged at Ben's audacity, the taller male got a move on and slashed at him. Ben ducked just under the wire, but the sharp dagger's edge still pierced the fragile skin of his left forearm. Ben felt blood ooze out, felt the stinging coursing through the large cut, yet he barely hissed in pain and backed off, still intending to fight until his back bumped into a wall.

Ben cursed in his head.

Great.

Cornered between two armed maniacs.

They marched on balefully, scythe prepared and dagger high in the air. Ben's pulse quickened as his confidence faded in a heartbeat. When they pounced on him, he braced for the pain and touched the Omnitrix instinctively even though he knew it was too late – his eyes squeezed shut as one last thought flashed bright through the battle cries and shrieks of terror: because of his mistimed boldness, he was going to die here.

But the stabs didn't come.

Ben heard an electric discharge followed by a high-pitched screech, the sound of a fist meeting skin, and finally another discharge plus a powerful grunt. Two bodies and a pair of weapons fell to the ground shortly after, and his heart resumed its racing beating. Ben cracked one eye open and found a farmer holding out one of those infamous, metallic batons with electricity flowing up and down its tip and a blaster on his back.

He turned around, and his voice sounded quite worried when he spoke. "Are you all right? Did they harm you?"

Ben had never been so grateful in his life. "No, I... I-I'm okay..." He could only gawk after his pathetic stutter. Except for his black hair that was a little dishevelled in comparison, the guy looked mostly like a normal Revonnahgander: lean and muscular, dressed in black leg wraps and a sleeveless, brown tunic similar to any farmer's clothing.

Ben was honestly mesmerized by his aspect, for he hadn't seen a Revonnahgander with a Mohawk hairstyle since... Well, that awful, unforgettable 'Fist Rook' incident, and even so, this guy had messy, plentiful hair also at the sides of his head, as if it grew too much and too fast to handle.

Ben had to admit that the unshaved and rather spiky haircut actually suited him, though, and that the whiteness of his oval face looked excellent with those thick markings that ended at his cheeks. It reminded Ben of eyeliner applied over pale skin, the kind of make-up that 'freaks' would wear back on Earth, but he frankly thought they looked... Pretty cool on him.

"Yes, I'm totally okay... Nothing I can't handle, uh, thanks."

The Revonnahgander didn't seem convinced. He scanned the boy up and down out of curiosity, causing Ben to flinch a little and bend his fingers awkwardly. The farmer fixed his gaze on his left arm and pointed at the large bleeding cut, perhaps far too worried for a stranger. "No, you are not! That wound looks painfully deep. You must watch your back better! Do you not own a weapon?"

"Well, I..." Ben glanced at the Omnitrix doubtfully. Nope, that hadn't counted at the moment of his almost-death. This dude didn't know him, which probably meant he didn't know about the Omnitrix either. "...Took that scythe. But don't think I can use it."

"I see." The farmer nodded in understanding. "You do not feel comfortable at the sight of blood."

Ben shrugged. "Not particularly."

"Here." He extended his arm, offering the electric baton. "You can have this. If you touch the target for no more than a second, I guarantee that you will not see fatal burns or traumatic effects. You will only render them unconscious or reduce their mobility like I did."

Ben stared at the object, open-mouthed with wonder. Why was this Revonnahgander being so polite to him in the middle of a civil fight? Didn't he care that Ben was an off-worlder? "Dude, that's yours! Well, you must have stolen it, but still! What are you going to use?"

The alien smiled. "I appreciate your worry, but as you may see, this is not the only weapon I have 'stolen.'" He pressed the short pole against Ben's chest. "Please, do take it. You may help me banish these mistaken revolutionaries."

Ben kept staring doubtfully, but the distant screams and eventual noises of blasters firing persuaded him into borrowing the weapon. "Okay, when you put it that way..."

The farmer winked at him before running back to the battle, motioning for the human to follow. Ben became paralyzed for another nanosecond.

'Okay...? That was weird.'

But maybe not completely unpleasant.

Ben shook his thoughts in order and realised that he had an interesting, easy-to-handle weapon within reach. His lips curved upwards as he caught up with his saviour. Who knew? He might survive without the Omnitrix after all.

.

Further in the village, Rook stopped running to hide behind a local house, successfully dodging the onrushing rain of laser-beams that hit the walls of a farm-house across him. Except for some lifeless bodies, he was alone in there, resting his back against the side of the building with a heaving chest and a pair of stunned ears. He wiped the perspiration from his brow and changed the Proto-Tool to its reliable blaster form, leaning out the wall to get a good shot.

Alas, someone targeted him first.

Rook gasped and ducked the shot by the skin of his teeth, jolting and turning around the house to emerge from the opposite side. The Plumber fired in the direction he presumed his foe was, but the laser whirred past the later, only revealing Rook's position. The calculating revolutionary glowered and pointed his twin blasters at Rook, shooting multiple times as he approached the farm-house.

Rook dodged and recoiled once again, watching for an instant how the blind laser-shots flew by and pierced nearby terraces and houses. He grunted with frustration. Even that criminal had her own partner for backing. Where in the universe was Ben?

Dear God, was he doing fine?

Rook wouldn't wait to find out. He pulled out his Plumber Badge, retreated further into the sector and hid several houses away, bending over and shielding the side of his head. "Ben! Where are you? Are you safe?"

His ears met the sound of radio signals at first, but Ben was quick to answer. "Rook? What do you want? I'm trying to save some people here!" The transmission was briefly interrupted. Rook could have sworn that the heard a discharge and a long, pained scream before his partner resumed the breathy speak. "What happens? Are you all right?"

"Ben, where are you? You were supposed to follow me!"

"Sorry dude, got distracted." The same noises again. "I shouldn't be too far away. Tell me where you are."

The agitated atmosphere and background sounds on both sides didn't make it any easier for Rook's dull hearing. "What?"

"Tell me where you are! Describe the place!"

"I am cornered near the farm-houses, next to the mountains! Several rebels are after me, including–" The end of a blaster appeared in the corner of Rook's eye.

"Their leaders?" a calm voice finished for him.

Rook looked up at the blue, emotionless face with short markings behind the weapon, then at the finger hovering over the trigger. The words caught in his throat.

"Rook? Something wrong?"

"Yes, Rook," the murderer droned as his finger touched the trigger, "Is something wrong?"

The Plumber stared, his mouth gaping open and his mind in a daze. He was surprised at his own actions, nevertheless, when his leg stretched out on its own and knocked the anti-traditionalist. Rook made a fast, random sprint and mingled with the battlers in the centre of the village, and realised just then that despite the great number of attackers, his people were also landing effective blows. And perhaps it was his imagination, but were they increasing in number, too?

"Blonko!"

Rook stopped dead in his tracks upon hearing his sister's voice. His eyes roamed desperately round what had become a battlefield until he spotted his siblings at the mercy of the same female he fought minutes ago.

Shar's hold on Rook Ben tightened as the rebel activated her staff. Blonko panicked. He scurried towards them at full speed and jumped in between, his Proto-Tool turning into an energy shield straightaway. The electrified head collided with the orange barrier and the sparks back-fired on the female, sending her back forcefully.

She hissed at the mild discharge, teeth bared and nostrils flaring. "I knew I should have killed you with my own hands!"

Notwithstanding her wild fury, Rook had already changed his weapon to a blaster and the girl froze in her movements when he pointed it gloriously at her face. But his victory was short-lived.

"I would not do that if I were you," said a familiar stern voice from somewhere behind him. "You shoot her, I shoot them."

The criminal alien smirked at Rook's faltering expression. "Hey, Barloc, may I know why you didn't finish this bothersome Plumber earlier?" she teased darkly, her sinister, condescending eyes fixed on Rook.

Her partner didn't mind her. "Drop your weapon."

Rook lost stiffness. He swallowed hard, but otherwise didn't lower the Proto-Tool. He did acknowledge this Barloc, like his partner had called him, but he didn't have to glance over his shoulder to get a view of the whole scene. He could easily hear his siblings' thumping hearts and picture the twin blasters pointed at them.

Only when more rebels surrounded them did he bow his head in defeat and put down the high-tech weapon.

"That's a Plumber," jested the alien girl with an unwavering smirk. "Now keep being a good boy and do as I told you. We might give you a quick and pain-free death as a reward."

Rook pursed his lips in frustration and looked up at her, then at the rest of the group as if searching for a way to escape, and he finally glanced over at his terrified siblings at gunpoint. He dropped the Proto-Tool miserably and turned back at the girl, his hands up in a sign of defeat. "What do you want?"

The anti-traditionalist leader leered at him, her eyes promptly flickering to Shar. "You two are coming with us."

Rook tilted his head skeptically. "Coming with you?"

"You might be of use. We know a little about you, so you are coming with us."

"You will not take my sister anywhere."

The female's patience began to thin. "Look, fallen police, you're in no position to challenge me, so shut your mouth or I'll cut out your damn tongue." She extended the staff and prodded Rook's chest brusquely, nodding at the right. "Walk."

.

Ben dodged the powerful punch nimbly, ramming the metallic pole into the alien's cheek and hitting him across the neck once, twice, thrice, until he fell unconscious to the ground. Ben sighed and spun on his heels to face a very startled ally.

"Oh my," muttered the farmer, clearing his throat. "You are... Considerably good at this, despite your size."

Ben quirked an eyebrow. "Is that supposed to be flattering?"

The alien made another sound and gripped his blaster. "Forgive me, I did not mean to offend, but due to your physical appearance I was not expecting you to be so... skilled."

Ben shrugged. This guy definitely didn't know who he was talking to and he had more urgent matters to resolve than telling him. "It seems you judged me wrong. Listen, I need to find my friend. I think he's in big trouble."

"Big trouble, huh? Well, you may want a big troop." Without missing a beat, the farmer gave out his orders to some nearby armed fighters. "You, move on to local dwellings! Someone there could need help. The rest, come with us!"

Minutes later, after running cautiously by well-balanced battles, Ben caught a glimpse of his partner and siblings in the distance.

"Man, they're cornered!"

His new ally put a hand over his forehead and squinted. "It appears that they had subdued your friend. Come on, we must aid them now!"

The group of revolutionaries must have been too busy, for none of them noticed that Ben and his allies where charging towards them. Just as the farmer pointed his blaster at Barloc's head and his teammates grabbed the rest of their foes, each putting a dagger against their necks, the female got an electrical discharge and fell writhing and moaning to the ground.

Through her continuous twisting, she tried to reach out for her staff, but Ben stomped on it by instinct, almost grinning in triumph. Barloc stopped posing a threat the moment he shoved both blasters into the back holsters and rushed to help his partner up. She leaned against him weakly as Ben's saviour aimed his blaster at them.

"You will not stop this until someone injures you badly, right Ithera?"

The twitching girl gathered all her strength to snarl at him. "I'm going to destroy you one of these days, bastard."

"You will not get another opportunity, I am afraid." He prowled around them and stood behind, pointing the blaster to Barloc's nape. "Let's test your clan's loyalty, shall we?"

Rook understood the farmer's intentions and leaded his petrified siblings out of the way. Barloc understood as well and dragged his groaning partner along, approaching the battlefield. When two members turned around, the farmer leaned forward and commanded sharply into Barloc's ear. "Tell them to leave this village."

A few more unsure rebels turned at them, wide-eyed and waiting for orders. Ithera tried to be the voice, shaking her head to move the hair out of her face, but only a weak, pained grunt fell from her mouth.

This strangely seemed to double Barloc's serenity. "You heard him. You know what to do."

The group of revolutionaries exchanged glances before nodding, but just as they backed away, one of the threatened Revonnahganders plunged his head back hard enough to injure the traditionalist's face. Once free, he tackled the farmer to the ground, stripping him of the space gun and burying a thick dagger somewhere in his back.

The rest soon followed. Two of them got their throats stabbed in their escape attempt while the rest push their way through, distracting and startling their enemies in the process. All occurred too abruptly. Shar barely managed to shield Rook Ben and Blonko's first reaction was to rush to their side protectively. Ben was far too unfocused to avoid the oncoming blow that landed right into his nose, sending him to the ground and next to the farmer.

Groaning and wincing, Ben covered his bloody nose with one hand, his head with the other, and watched against his will how Barloc pulled Ithera away and ran off with his followers, shifting nervously from side to side so that no one stepped onto him. In his peripheral vision, he saw Rook protect his siblings, the two rebels lying lifeless near them, and the helping Revonnahgander still struggling to get the attacker off of him.

Ben realised just then that he hadn't released the electrical weapon and his courage didn't falter this time. The discharge was brief still strong enough to render the rebel unconscious.

The farmer hissed and trembled as he shoved the body aside, but he smiled through nonetheless. "Sweet Ogia, I felt that discharge!" he wheezed out, his gaze twinkling with mirth despite his heavy lungs and his ally's blood-soaked nose.

Even with red liquid streaming down his mouth and chin, Ben couldn't help panting and smiling either. "Yeah, sorry 'bout that."

"Sorry? He could have killed me!" The injured alien laughed and stretched to pat Ben's shoulder with a broad, sweet, contagious smile. "Thank you."

Ben returned the appreciative gesture just as warmly and tiredly. "Don't thank me. I owed you."

.

"Sir!" a female anti-traditionalist addressed Barloc as he inspected the steep slope, the same group still guarding him. "Most harvesters are full!"

"Then we shall withdraw from this village! Tell the rest!"

The Revonnahgander in red complied and Ithera leaned further into his pensive partner, a self-satisfied smirk flickering at the corners of her mouth. "I love it when things go as planned."

Barloc hold onto the long arm lying around his neck and pulled her waist closer for the next move. "Despite the fact that you were electrocuted by the enemy?"

Ithera snorted. "Ah, don't mind him. I'll get my revenge. That coward boy's going to regret not having killed me. Let's go."

Although the rebels weren't exactly losing, they began to retreat. Rook scanned the area and saw them run both after their leaders and in opposite directions, sliding down the slopes with ease even while carrying full back-pack harvesters. Some infuriated villagers threw their scythes as they withdrew, but the clan in general was fast and agile. It was a matter of seconds before most of them got away unscathed. A great number of villagers neared the edges in order to give chase, but they must have reasoned that it would be much wiser to let the clan slip.

Dispirited silence reigned the broken village after they left. With the cold-blooded, indiscriminate massacre gone, distressed murmurs and shuddering sobs soon replaced battle cries and horror screams. Soft pleas for return and forgiveness echoed through the land. Jittery neighbours started asking each other whether they had seen someone in particular, but the discouraging answer remained the same.

All around, despondent families mourned over lifeless bodies and single farmers in tears fell to their knees to embrace their deceased loved ones, crying into their necks inconsolably and begging them not to leave.

Rook looked at his choked up brother and then at the place surrounded by wounded farmers, damaged property, blood-stained scythes and corpses, and he tasted the agony of every resident as if the village were his own.

The once beautiful, organic landscape had been ruined. The small grassy plots have been washed in dark gore that pooled around dead farmers of both genders and all ages; the low whistles of wind died out between moans of pain and the stench of charred fur and skin overwhelmed the fresh smell of nature. Rook gazed up at a wretched villager not much younger than himself carrying the dead body of an older male and felt his own eyes dampen.

This couldn't be happening to these people. They didn't deserve it. Their world yielded one of the most powerful resources in all galaxies and not once did they try to use it for misdeeds or to subdue the rest of the universe and prove superiority. They were blameless farmers who work hard in their little world. How come the seed of cruelty had managed to sprout within part of his people? How come the idea of wrongdoing originated in his peaceful home-world?

"T-they... They are monsters," whispered Shar brokenly with trembling, hugging her terrified brother closer for the comfort of both. "How could they do this?"

Rook blinked hard to dry his eyes and shook off all the questions gnawing at his shocked mind. He dragged his gaze away for his own good and saw Ben resting his palms on the grass almost thoughtfully, as if considering to crawl after the criminals.

With the perturbing environment and the traumatic effect exerted on his young brother, Rook had forgotten that his partner was still practically lying on the ground. The farmer beside him was in the same position, but he seemed to find it more difficult to resist his own weight.

Snuffling one last time, Rook jogged up to Ben without missing a beat and crouched next to him, placing his hand on the boy's back. He gasped in horror when Ben turned his neck. "Ben! Your nose is bleeding!"

But Ben's mouth was still hanging open to offer calming words, which just made the bloody sight all the more disturbing. Rook's state of mind barely endured his friend's leakage of vital fluid. "T-they did this to you?" he asked aloud in disbelief, cupping Ben's face with shaking hands. "Ben, I-I am sorry."

"Dude, I'm fine!" the teen whined stubbornly, pulling his head back on purpose to stop the blood, but obviously altering its course and directing the flow down his throat. "Oh, gross!" Ben spluttered, choking on the metallic taste.

"What are you doing? Do not pull your head back!"

"Well I have to stop the nosebleed one way or another!"

"But you do not have to swallow your own blood!"

"So what," Ben hissed, trashing about, his gaze still mirroring fright and consternation. "You want me to spit it out? I won't do that!"

"Do you know how unhealthy is swallowing too much blood? It is like ingesting any other toxin and it can actually lead to–" Rook grabbed Ben's arms to keep him still. "Would you stop moving? It is not helpful!"

"Rook, quit it! This is nothing! Why don't you help him instead!? Look at the nasty cut he's got in his lower-back!"

Rook followed Ben's finger. Indeed, the farmer's tunic had a thin hole tainted with a large, wet circle of dark blood, and where the Plumber expected a thoughtful or bewildered expression to cross his eyes, he found a pained one instead. "Oh. My apologies."

The farmer hissed upon shifting, but his smile, although frail, was still present. "Do not worry. You do not have to help me, it is no more than a minor cut."

"Minor cut?" asked Ben, incredulous. So much that he attempted yet again to jerk away. "Who are you trying to fool?"

Rook stilled him for a second time. The farmer laughed a little. "I could ask you the same question." He rose to his feet unsteadily and knelt in front of Ben, another mild wince betraying his smile for a second.

Rook's eyes grew to the size of golf balls the moment he placed his large hands on Ben's cheeks and leaned closer for observation. He gave him a sharp, questioning look, but the farmer paid no mind as he angled Ben's face to the side. The human solely blinked in response.

"It does look severe, but I do not believe it is broken."

Ben sighed in relief. "Glad to hear that. I don't want a crooked nose."

The Revonnahgander's hands crept down his shoulders, and Ben was genuinely surprised at how small they made his shoulders feel. "Is there any other injury?"

"No, I-I don't think so." Between the aliens' grip, their meticulous attention and his own blood trickling down his upper lip, Ben began to become somewhat nervous, especially due to the stranger's proximity. It was not unpleasant, really. Just weird.

Contrarily, Rook did find it unpleasant. And very much unpleasant. It was the oblivious farmer who wouldn't get the hint or notice the hostile glare. Rook was indisputably grateful to him, but the bad vibes he got whenever the defender touched Ben so openly were far too difficult to ignore. Some of his people admired or at least respected Ben, Rook might embrace that, but no one had ever gone as far as to touch him in that cordial manner. Showing such level of affability to off-worlders went against his species' demeanour.

It apparently was an idea this shameless farmer didn't share.

"Ben!"

Rook Ben, presumably running to hug-tackle his hero, came to a standstill upon facing his idol's conditions. His knees nearly buckled beneath him as more tears brimmed his big eyes. "W-what happened to you?"

Ben wiped off his chin and mouth, cracking a tiny, reassuring smile. "Nothing serious, buddy. They just hit me in the nose."

"B-but there is a lot of blood, will you get better?"

"Sure thing! I mean, it doesn't even hurt anymore!"

Liar. It did hurt, as heck. Rook Ben was must have noticed, because his expression worsened every time Ben spat out red. Of course the alien wouldn't buy it. He was young, not stupid.

Shar bent over to match her brother's height level, rubbing soothing circles in his arms and resting her chin on his shoulder consolingly. "Ben can endure this, brother. He is very strong, remember?"

The tears didn't cease to prickle the child's eyelids, but he relaxed significantly after releasing a repressed exhalation, much to Rook's relief.

Mostly out of respect, the farmer had spared a glance at the siblings over his shoulder, though it continued vexing Rook the fact that he hadn't got his hands off Ben yet.

As sour looks weren't transmitting the message, or the alien in brown merely refused to receive it, the Plumber cleared his throat and removed one of the farmer's hands as politely as he managed, earning his first glance of acknowledgment since the villager had knelt down.

"Excuse me," Rook began, eying the puzzled farmer. "I do really appreciate your help, but may I know...?"

"Oh, you are right. How uncouth of me," the Revonnahgander apologised, pushing his body up gingerly. "My name is Neeraj – Lanth Neeraj. I come from a remote South village that was brutally attacked by these traitors months ago."

"South village," Shar repeated to herself. "How did you ended up here?"

"I have been pursuing them since then, every step they take."

"So you are seeking retribution."

"Partly, but I establish as a priority keeping most of their assaults within limits. I do not wish for other Revonnahganders to undergo this appalling experience of losing an entire home – my main aim is to reduce damage as far as possible with the help of my fellows."

Rook listened keenly as he helped Ben up, his hands in contact with the boy's back and chest during every single move. Ben normally wouldn't be bothered or alarmed by his friend's touch, except he doubted that was a worried kind of physical contact anymore. In fact, it hovered between protective and... something else? Whatever. It wasn't time to think about such trivial issues.

"I'm sorry about your village, dude. Must have been terrible."

"What you are doing is highly admirable," Shar added with sympathy. "No wonder rivalry grew between you and those criminals."

"I presume they must be tired of our encounters as much as I am tired of their escapes."

Rook's neutral expression twisted into a mild frown. He squeezed Ben a little and pulled him closer inconspicuously. Something didn't fit. "Are you implying that murders in general began a long time ago?"

"That is something for which I have no accurate answer. It has been half a year since I started to witness breaking and entering into dwellings followed by wilful killing or kidnapping, but even then these first-degree crimes were not nearly as frequent. Statistically, they reached their peak during the last weeks in some regions."

"Neeraj!" called a fast-approaching fighter, bearing small spots of dry blood on his tunic. "They could not make it to the silos, but most reserves are empty and plenty of crops have been reaped."

Any trace of a smile vanished from Neeraj's face. "What about the villagers?"

"Twenty-eight residents died in battle, the majority of them elder males. So far we have found over fifty wounded farmers and multiple families reported a vast number of missing relatives. Taking into account the last update, there is a total of thirty-two disappearances."

"How many anti-traditionalists did we capture?"

"None, I am afraid. Injured criminals managed to escape on this occasion and a few others died in this territory."

Judging by the abrupt glint of bitterness in his eyes, that particular piece of information felt like a blow to Neeraj's spirit. "Then you shall proceed. Dispossess the dead ones of their weapons and help these people bury their loved ones. Sadly there is nothing else for us to do. Villagers will eventually move on, and as long as their silos are full, they will be able to survive."

"As you order, Neeraj."

When the defender spun around, he found himself being watched with burning interest.

Ben put the back of his hand against his nose to carefully wipe it off. "It's like you and your pals are the guys' archenemies."

Neeraj gave a modest half shrug. "Well, someone had to be."

"Thank you for your help, Lanth Neeraj," Rook sort of forced himself to say. Never mind personal dislike; this Revonnahgander was on the good side and he was worth genuine gratitude. "You saved my siblings and I would like to stay in the village to return the favour, but as you can see, my friend is injured and my brother has been profoundly affected by these vicious events."

"Oh, you mean you do not leave here?"

"No. My relatives and I reside in a northern village."

"A northern village?" Neeraj's eyes became huge. "Is it being attacked?"

"Of course not. I would not escape if my home was threatened."

"Certainly! I would not be able to think otherwise! I just cannot imagine how you arrived in here, that is all. There is an important distance separating these lands."

"Yeah, it's a very long story. We'll have to leave it for another day," Ben answered for his friend, voice gentle and thankful but a tad rushed. He threw an arm around Rook's back to gain physical support. The nosebleed had stopped, leaving him feeling fairly dizzy and debilitated. "We should get going."

"Yes, please." Shar agreed quietly, holding onto her shuddering brother. "We cannot keep observing these unfortunate habitants so stagnantly..." She looked down at Rook Ben. The village's misery was too raw for someone so young. Past crimes that took place before him were minimal compared to this massacre. "Staying will not improve anybody's mood. It was a pleasure to meet you. I am glad the rest of my people have someone as valiant as you on their side."

"Although I would have preferred meeting you all under better circumstances, the pleasure was mine. Be careful on the way."

"Good luck." Rook wrapped an arm around Ben and started following his siblings back to the ship, but his partner gave no more than a couple of dragged steps. Rook turned to see why the abrupt stop and found Lanth Neeraj holding onto Ben's Omnitrix wrist.

"Excuse me, since I told you my name, do you think you could...?"

"Oh, sure." Ben let go to rub his neck. "I'm Benjamin Tennyson, you can call me Ben I guess, and they're–"

"All right, Ben," the defender interrupted, simpering sweetly. "If we ever meet again, I hope it is in a more tranquil setting. Please, take care of yourself."

The dumbstruck human couldn't withhold a small, benign smile. "Same goes to you. See you around, and thank you."

Neeraj threw Ben another wink. He turned on his heels and jogged in the farmhouses' direction. Ben opted for ignoring what that might have conveyed and tried to resume walking, but Rook's intent glare acted as a barrier.

"What?"

When Rook opened his mouth, Ben thought he would literally spat at him, but then he looked down at Ben's stained shirt and closed it again, his hard expression turning soft. "Nothing. Do you think you can walk without my aid?"

"I'm okay," the hero say, walking past him. "But if you see me reel sideways, you'd better catch me."

During the silent ride, Blonko and Shar agreed that it was up to their father to decide whether they should warn the rest of their family as soon as possible or keep it to themselves a little longer.