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Silence Underneath

.six

The Fool Who Believes in the Fool

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One day.

It had only been one fucking day.

In the events of that day, Ben's life had changed in more ways than he could ever comprehend. In that day, he was taken from his home, thought to be dead, used, forced into slave labor to the point of exhaustion, and used again.

One. Fucking. Day.

Benjamin Tennyson was no longer his name. It no longer belonged to him. His new name, or rather, his 'label' was Benn'ak. Slave. It's what he became. It's what he is.

If it was any other occasion, he would slap the Omnitrix and all his troubles would be over with, easy as that. But this time there was nothing he could do about it, all because he was a stupid, pathetic, worthless, useless human being.

He never even tried to fight. Oh no. In order to live in this hellhole, he had to adapt. Sit back and be the good little slave and follow orders. Obey Rokknar. Obey Trojjin. To their every whim and desire.

Even if he did do something it wouldn't matter. He was certain it would only make the situation worse.

He would still wake up to Trojjin..

He would still be a slave.

The pain would never ever stop.

Becoming part of Trojjin's routine was the only way he could secure his survival. He had to survive. He may have sacrificed his body, but he refused to let his mind succumb to the depths of hell.

Not again.

Irissin saved him the first time. She calls him Benny and he calls her Iris. Further names to isolate themselves from Rokknar's hold on them all.

When he first met her, his mind, his sanity was hanging by its threads, barely clinging on. The guards tried to take him away to work, but she stood up for him, having a unusual wide knowledge of human needs. But that wasn't how she saved him.

She saved him because she sent him home. If only for a little while.

Out of a muscular and intimidating body, came a sweet, caring voice that reminded him of his mother.

It was only for a minute, but in that minute… he was in his mother's arms.

And that was more than he could ever ask for.

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Morning came soon enough, with Ben waking up and finding himself pushed against the wall, hitting it with each thrust.

He stayed still. He stayed silent.

Since arriving the planet Cloacina, he could never keep track of time anymore. He waited until Trojjin was finished, who soon after dropped him to the ground. Ben slowly lifted himself off the floor and grabbed the rags the prison had given him.

He barely pulled the filthy pants over his legs before the guards walked in and put Trojjin in his cuffs, and connecting chains to his, leading both out of their cell without a single word.

Work came and went. Less painful than his first experience, but still painful none the less. They made him repeat the process. First Humongousaur, then Echo Echo. Destroy the cliff, locate the rocks. As an extra surprise, they changed him into Chromastone to give the Sentinel Vehicles an indefinite amount of energy.

The green glow of the Omnitrix engulfed him as he became human again, his knees buckled from under him almost immediately and crashed to the ground, sending dust clouds spiraling around him.

Ben weakly looked up, and watched all the other aliens do their jobs, which were made ten times easier due to his 'help'.

He watched Trojjin lift three giant pieces of crystal onto his shoulders and tossing them into a giant metal container of sorts. A Chimera Sui Genesis carried several small pieces and one big one, following Trojjin's motion and tossed them in.

He recognized a Vulpimancer. A Loboan. At least one of each species that he had seen in the Omnitrix, and a plethora of others as well. All holding a grim expression, all looking, almost bored.

Amongst the sea of aliens, he spotted Iris, digging up covered crystals with one hand, and tucking them underneath her arms.

A slight smile appeared on his face and he pulled his shirt over his face again, but it quickly vanished. His ears perking up to the sound behind him. Two guards whispering.

"So what do you think of Rokknar's new find? In my opinion, I think it's pathetic."

"I think it's a waste to have still alive. He just should have let me rip that device from his arm and kill him. Put it to better use than using it on some human."

"You heard right? The slave is Trojjin's new pet."

"It won't last a month."

"Feh. I doubt it will even last a week."

"It lasted a day so far with Trojjin, maybe we should help kill it faster."

"Rokknar said to keep the boy alive, Geiruen."

"Fine then. Let's just have some fun. Cloacina knows how long that has been."

Ben froze.

Every hair on his body stood up on end.

'No no no no no not them too!'

"Geiruen! Rehal! Take Benn'ak back to the mess hall. All the other slaves are heading in! Pay attention!

"Yes Sentinel!"

They grabbed Ben fiercely by the arm and reattached his cuffs, pushing him onto the hover bike. They reached the landing area and then the mess hall. Leaving his cuffs on as a guard dropped a tray food in front of him. Just like before.

As he sat down, his eyes lit up when he gazed at the company in front of him.

"Iris!"

"Hello Benny. You seem to be faring a bit better today. You will eat this time, correct?"

He couldn't help but smile a bit. "Yes, I'll eat. And I guess I knew what to expect today. Not like anything is gonna change."

Her ears drooped slightly as she reached across the table to touch the only part of his hand that was visible. His fingertips.

"Benny, please don't say that. You mustn't give up hope. Not-"

"Iris, can I ask your opinion on something?"

"She blinked. Of course"

Ben sighed sadly and looked up at her. His eyes tired and gray.

"Who's the bigger fool? The fool, or the fool who believes in him?"

Her gaze intensified and tightened her hold on his hand. "Benny you are not a fool."

A forced grin crept upon his miserable visage. "A friend from home used to call me one all the time. He used to be my enemy, but I guess he kinda turned into a friend when it boiled down to it."

"Home?" Her eyes widened. "You mean Earth?"

"Yeah… Iris I was wondering, how did you know so much about humans? I mean, yesterday you seemed to grasp the concept of sleep pretty well. If you don't mind me asking."

"Oh no, not at all." She smiled, this time with a hint of sadness. "For a short amount of time I spent on Earth, three years I imagine, I was married to a handsome Plumber named Derek Sorrenson. We had a child…his name was Kevin."

Ben's eyes widened. "Kevin?"

"Yes. He was taken from us when he was very young, four or five years of age. The same people who kidnapped him killed my husband, while I escaped. Rokknar found me a couples years later and enslaved me here. In human years, I believe it has been 40 or so."

"Iris…I-I don't know to say…I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry little one. Really."

"Don't take this the wrong way…but I figured you were a mother… you reminded me of mine."

Smiling, she grasped his hand in a protective yet gentle grip. "I'm glad, Benny."

She let go of his hand to eat the food that was on her tray and Ben did the same only more tentatively. Soon after, Iris folded her hands under he chin and looked at Ben with wide eyes.

"If you wouldn't mind Benny… tell me more about your family."

Ben smiled as well. Immensely enjoying the air of tranquility and peace that he had felt the night before. Slightly, he leaned forward.

"First I'll start with my cousin Gwen."

"Gwen?"

"Short for Gwendolyn."

"What a lovely name!"

"For the longest time we both thought that she was able to use magic, but it turned out that our Grandmother was an alien. Gwen had Anodite powers manifesting inside of her."

"Extraordinary."

"And then there's Kevin Levin. He's not family, he was the friend I was talking about earlier."

Slowly she nodded. "I see."

Ben told her about his powers, his past history. About what he, Gwen and Kevin used to do. He talked about his family history, on how he had a grandfather who was also a plumber. He talked about school. He talked about his fights. He talked about Julie.

Before both of them even realized it, break was over and they got sent of to work. As the guards pulled Ben along, he found himself looking back at Iris every few steps when a sudden realization hit him…

He had become completely and utterly dependent on her.

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