Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN BEN 10 OR AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER. THEY BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS. THIS STORY IS BASED ON THE FANFIC, "BEN BENDER" BY CODECRASH.
*Gasp* An author's note at the beginning of the story, that's very rare! Well, yeah. Just a note, this chapter was suppose to be added on chapter 9, but like I said, I don't want that chapter to be as long as a codex. And Happy 2014 to you all!
X: Bonfire
Flying to the other side of the island, avoiding the detection of he island's natives, Appa flew Aang and the gang to the directed path to where the aircraft was landing. Confusion and chatter dominated the beasts back as Aang clearly wanted to know how or where that craft came from? Who pilots it and the like?
When they finally landed, they went into an epic search for their blind earth bender. And so far, there was no dice upon her visage.
"Toph?" Katara called.
"Toph?" Sokka joined.
"Toph?" Aang called.
They were looking for her everywhere, from the peak of the island's volcano, to the dangerously infested beaches of the island's firebending natives. Where is that little blind girl anyway? The team was worried sick!
"Just like her, to wander around the island without anyone knowing!" Katara grunted angrily.
"Wherever she is, she had not left this island yet, or I just hope so that she didn't," Aang said.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I miss her!" Sokka said with a sigh.
Even Katara had to say something about her disappearance, "I just sure hope she turns up soon, wherever she is," Katara sighed.
"Aww, that was so sweet!" said a foreign voice. Team Avatar quickly turned around to see Toph alive and well. Nothing about had changed except for her attire of clothing. She wore a white T-shirt with a lone black, vertical stripe cutting across the middle, and cargo shorts. Everyone gathered around to hug their little earth bender. However, a thought had came to Katara just before Aang.
"Toph, where'd you get that attire, and where'd you been? We've been looking for you for the past 3 days?" she asked, "Not only that, why were you doing in a Fire Nation ship?"
"Excuse me Katara, but I think it's an Earth Kingdom airship, the Fire Nation's themes are black and red with an emblem of a fire," Sokka corrected.
Katara glared at him.
This grabbed everyone's interest. Where was she? And why was she doing on that ship?It was unlike any ship they had ever seen. It wasn't a War blimp or anything. Toph took a deep breath to tell her team the long explanation.
"First of all, the ship didn't belong to any kingdom," she began, "If you look in the inside, the plane seemed a bit more futuristic..."
"Wait, you could see?" Sokka was stunned, not only him, but Katara and Aang all shared the exact same dumbstruck looks.
"Yeah, you weren't the only one," said Toph.
Sokka scoffed, "You couldn't see. Heck of that's the case, how come your eyes are pale now?"
"Because the pill I used to help me see had dried out, genius. And oh, for proof that could see, you have big fat eyes, Katara looks a bit tacky, and Aang had black hair, though the arrow on his head is still visible. And oh, Sokka, try to find a bag that don't match. That is so not manly," she said, "And oh, try to work out more, you like a walking stick with hair."
Sokka angrily twitched his left eye, "What are you talking about, it is manly! And I am buff! - ish."
"You know the color of my...wait, hold up...what?" Aang stuttered.
"Anyway,"Toph continued, "Two of my new friends of mine told me that the only reason why they are her is because they have to find the Avatar!"
"But I'm right here! they could have just..."
"Not you twinkle toes, their Avatar," she said, earning several confused faces.
"What are you talking about?" Aang asked.
"Enlighten us, which Avatar? Because, I may not be that big on stuff like this, but all I know is that there is only one Avatar," Sokka said.
"Sure," Toph sarcastically remarked, "And I suspect that Aang had some strange watch called the Omnitrix, if I can recall thats the name of it, right? And oh, I suspect that Aang can transform into ten sets of monsters from out of this world who defeated a warlord capible on destroying the heavens? Right? Right? And, also I ALSO suspect that Aang doesn't need to activate his Avatar state to kick some ass, or this saved the world millions of times including against an alien race who are a lot racist and genocidal than the Fire Nation. Then sure, there is only one Avatar! And his name is Aang 10!" She threw up a big sarcastic thumbs up.
Everyone was silent until Katara broke the silence, "Aang 10?"
"Kick some ass? Huh?" Sokka added the confusion.
Toph sighed, "What I meant to say is that Aang might be strong and powerful to our eyes, but we're talking about a person who is not from this world, and trust me, I've been around Kevin and Gwen long enough for me to absorb everything to what I need to know."
"Who's Gwen and Kevin?" Katara asked.
"People who brought me here, now they said that they are going to meet us at the invasion and..."
"Whoa, before we get too far in this," Aang began, "What do they need from us?"
"They need our help to find someone, someone who is as equally powerful as Twinkle Toes here," said Toph, earning Aang's glare.
"Who?" Sokka asked.
"Some guy named Ben Tennyson," Toph said, "They need our help to try and look for him. Like Aang, he is their world's Avatar. Plus he, Gwen, and Kevin are the only ones who have information on how to defeat the guys in ninja wear," said Toph! "The guys that attacked us the other day."
"Fire Nation soldiers?" Sokka guessed.
"No, not even close. Compared to them and their God, it makes Aang fighting the Fire Lord look like a bully on the playground being confronted by the school's loner," Toph finished in a grave tone; however unaware to the team, a lone Esoterica lurked behind he bushes undetected as it listened in and then finally disappearing in thin air.
/+\
(Before Toph Regrouped)
The Rustbucket III finally landed behind the Firebending infested natives, away from the beaches and everything, hiding in plain sight in the forests. As it finally hums to the ground, everything in its path began to thrust out of its way.
Thud.
Coming out of the Cargo bay, Toph came out wearing different style of clothing, her old attire was hung on the rack by Kevin's car, earning Kevin to complain to Gwen about Toph's germs in which earned him a great, strong long glare from her despite that she couldn't see anymore. Gwen was baffled about this, and yet intrigued. She was blind but yet, she seemed fine, even though when her eyes were restored, she still acted the same way, not only that walked the same way when she first came out of the small Sick Bay sector of the ship.
Bothering not to ask, Gwen gave Toph some more mana pills for her to take whenever she needed them.
"Thanks," said Toph, "Now. Who do you say to whom my team was suppose to look for?" Toph asked.
"Wait a minute, so the people riding on a bison - who can fly for some reason was your team?" Kevin asked, a bit amazed.
Toph pulled on his cheeks by forcibly earth bending the ground to tumble his balance for him to fall half way over to his knees to bend causing him to face Toph face to face.
"You're too cute to be talking," Toph pinched Kevin's face causing Gwen to chuckle a little, thinking that it was rather funny to see Toph once again flirting around Kevin. And for a 12 year old to be doing that, it was worth a laugh.
Gwen cleared her throat. "We want you and your friends to come help us look for our cousin, our world is in grave danger."
Toph pushed Kevin out of the way as she puts her hands on her hips, "As long as my foot get to kick some fiery glutes..." she said with enthusiasm as she stomped on the ground, causing it to shake and then erupt a small pebble from the ground; Toph then molded and re shaped the rugged surface of the rock into a rock shaped-kid sized saber, "...you can count me in!"
"Great," said Gwen, handing Toph a Plumbers' badge, though Gwen could have just gave her a simple walkie-talkie, or any simple technology, but Toph had shown that she could operate some quantities of their technologies back when she had clear visage on the ship. That and they don't have walkie-talkies.
"What is this?" Toph asked.
"This is a Plumbers' Badge, it allows you to communicate with anyone who have access to any Plumber tech," Kevin explained.
"Advanced," Toph finished.
"I know that your eyesight might not..."
"I don't have a problem with my sight, thank you," Toph informed causing Gwent o blink, "I can see by earthbending."
"So you can see by rocks?" Kevin asked.
"That and I can see through small quakes from the ground..."
"So your like the 12 year old version of Daredevil," Kevin and Gwen commented in unison.
"Awesome!" Gwen said, "Sorry."
"Don't worry, I get that all the time, sister," she said.
"So do you know what to do?" Kevin asked.
"You betcha," Toph fist pumped, "Get my friends together to get - whom?"
"Ben," Gwen said.
"Ben, and meet you at - where?"
"Well where did you say the invasion was going to begin?" Gwen asked.
"Somewhere on the main island of the Fire Nation, Twinkle Toes wasn't that specific," Toph said, confusing Kevin.
"Twinkle Toes?" Kevin said, furrowing.
"Well if anything change, contact us through there and we'll get there as soon as possible," said Gwen.
"Right," said Toph. After all of that, they said their goodbyes and they departed. Just before Toph rejoined back her team, she took that one pill that Gwen gave her and began to feel her visage coming back rapidly - only to see Sokka.
"Ew, that is what Sokka actually looks like? ,am he really needs to...bulk up," Toph said.
/+\
At the beach house, the royal members of the Fire Nation, including their guest, Ben Tennyson were sitting by the porch eating their evening meal. Ben couldn't stop gorging himself, remembering of how his grandfather would feed both he and Gwen with some extraterrestrial foreign meals. Though, this meal was slightly different, but it was worth eating than to having to taste some live, alien squid.
"I never seen anyone eat this fast," Ty Lee commented, she tapped on Ben's shoulder who stopped to see everyone staring at him, "Were you that hungry?" she asked.
Ben reddened in embarrassment; he didn't want anyone watch him while he eats, or of course stare at him as he gobble up his food without even chewing. The two, twin old women, Lo and Li looked at Ben in both admiration and disgust.
"Sorry, in most times, my grandfather would often feed me and my cousin live squid," Ben said, slurping a noodle into his mouth.
"Interesting," Azula began, "Anyway..."
"Those guys from the court, don't pay them any attention," Ty Lee intercepted, still angry at the event that unfolded, "You can beat them with one arm behind your back!" Ben was touched by Ty Lee's words so much that it rendered him speechless.
"Ty Lee?" Azula furrowed.
"Sorry, Princess Azula," Ty Lee said apologetically. She resumed eating her food as Ben witnessed a lone, small tear snaking down on her face. What made it what caused her to feel this way against those guys? Just before Ben questioned Ty Lee, Azula intercepted.
"Anyway, I was wondering Ben..."
"I'm sorry to spoil interrupt you," Ben began, "But who are those jerks anyway?"
"They're..." Zuko began.
"Chet and Ronjon," Azula finished, earning Zuko's trademark glare, "The island's natives and admiration for the nation's admiral. We met them before. But tis nothing that you can worry about," said Azula.
"Why? I mean they have to be the best players on the beach. And plus, how are you so sure that..."
"I'm sure. Don't doubt it," Azula said.
"But the..."
"Don't doubt it," she continued, "They won't come prepared to what is about to come once we meet them again."
Ben acknowledged, normally, he'll expect Azula to either attack him for vengeance, set him up for some battle, or worse try to indirectly gain vengeance. But for some reason on another, she seemed practically normal-ish. She seemed pretty overconfident, that was a bad sign, even to Ben's standards. He was unaware of rather the two or one of them are firebenders, or if the admiral is a firebender.
What was even shocking that Ty Lee was extraordinarily quiet. Again, normally she'll be going all fangirl around Ben, now she was just as broody. What has those jerks did to her emotionally that caused her to not only wallow in shame, but to threaten their lives, encourage Ben to use Rath - even though he wanted to, and then sit there and eat quietly while keeping a frown. This was what he didn't expect to see.
"Ty Lee?" Ben began.
"Ben, she's going to be okay," Azula said, "Let her toughen it out, she always do."
Zuko glared at her. Sure, he had seen Ty Lee emotionally down before, but this was far than being a typical Ty Lee mood swing, this was...this was abnormal. After hearing Azula's rude comment, she dropped her fork and left the dining court. Ben widened his eyes further to see that she had slammed the door - hard. Azula didn't expect that. None of them expect that.
"Whoops," she said.
"I'm going to check out what's wrong," Ben said, hurrying to get into the house. Puts his jacket on and then left to go after her. This interested Zuko more than ever before. Seeing Azula trying to stop Ben from going to get Azula verbally was only a low before the storm, but that was not only the case, Ty Lee out of all people stormed out not saying a word. Chet and Ronjon's insults was the spark, and Azula's comment was the bomb.
"Nice," Mai said sarcastically to Azula. Thankfully she ignored her comment. Zuko began to think.
~What are you Ben Tennyson? What is your purpose here? What is your destiny for being here?~
...
Ben was looking for Ty Lee for the longest time, but no dice. He called her name, but again no dice until he caught her crying on her bed mat crying. Why was she crying, Ben thought. Ship was by her trying to comfort by anyways he can. Ben was hurt. He didn't want to see a friend to feel this way.
"Ty Lee?" he called softly.
Ty Lee didn't respond. Ben moved closer before he sat on his knees and rubbed on her arm softly, "Ty Lee, are you okay?"
Ty Lee turned around and saw Ben with a worried expression across his face. That was another reason why she was melancholy. She didn't want nor him or her friends to feel what she feels.
"I'm sorry about Azula, I swear I don't..."
"It's not Azula," she said with a soft, sadden tone, "Trust me it's not her."
"Then what is it?" Ben asked, sitting next to her as Ship cuddled around her. She petted him, cooing the mechanical, sentient being.
Ty Lee didn't say anything. Her feelings had been crushed enough. Ben was at that state where he would refuse to leave her in peace for her to think and recover, but the other side of her was telling her other self not too for some reason. She felt confused and lost, like a leaf flying off from a branch of a tree as it sailed in the air, flying away from its home in the forest to the alien landscape of the urbanized world. Lost and bewildered, forcing it to live alone as the years roll by, that was what Ty Lee's feelings were defined. A lone leaf flying in the air currents, alone in that cool autumn morning, painfully watching the other leaves flourish as one flock than a lone bird who had lost its will to fly. Ty Lee felt truly alone.
She couldn't even face him until Ben scoots over to her, continually rubbing her, "Ty Lee, if there is anything..."
"I'm so sorry, Ben," she sobbed lightly, "But I can't do this."
"Do what? What are you talking about?" Ben asked, confused.
Ty Lee faced him, "Ben, do you think I'm...a clone?"
Ben furrowed, "A clone? You? Why you say that?"
Ty Lee lowered her head, "I was...they...I just..." Ty Lee was beginning to break down crying, Ben held her close, wiping the tears from her hazel brown eyes, "I don't want to feel like I'm a tool, like I'm just an object. Do you think that I'm...a clone? A look alike?"
"No, why would you say that about yourself?" Ben asked.
Ty Lee didn't say anything else, Ben quickly sinking in on what Ty Lee was trying to say. ~Circus Freak!~ Those jerks. Ben wrapped his arms around her, shocking her.
"Don't you ever listen to those guys, you aren't a clone," he said, lifting her chin and wiping her tears, "And trust me, I know clones. And I should know."
Ty Lee smiled. Ben was a good guy! She looked at him for a very long moment. As Ben complimented her about how she was not a clone, she couldn't help but fathom the feelings that were entering inside her. As well as confusion and some doubts here and there, but there was one thing that was for certain.
"And if you want to see a real clone..."
Ty Lee grabbed Ben's arm just before he activated the Ultimatrix, steadily pulling to her arms, hugging him. Ben slowly hugged her back. She broke the hug with a tearful, sweet smile across her face, "You really think that..."
"Amazing, funny, yeah! Did I stutter?" Ben asked, pecking her on the forehead, making her to blush slightly, "Now come on, I think that Zuko and Azula are getting tired of waiting. What do you say?" he asked hanging up his jacket.
Ty Lee nodded, "I would like that, Ben," she said getting up, "You're a good friend. Thank you."
Ben smiled, "What are friends for?"
Ty Lee smiled as she watched Ben hang up his jacket, "Oh, and be ready, we're going to kick those guys butts in a moment!"
"Yeah, they won't know what hit them!" Ty Lee yelled in enthusiasm, her cockiness slowly coming back. As Ben left to rejoin the others, Ty Lee slowly frowned. As the others got ready to go back to the beach to confront the guys that teased them, Ty Lee looked at the coat rack and saw Ben's jacket, being mesmerized as she began to lightly dream.
"Ty Lee, get out here! We're getting ready for the tournament!" Azula declared.
"I'm on my way, Azula!" Ty Lee said as the others began to leave. Ben gave her a playful salute, Ty Lee, instead of a salute, she simply gave him a small wave and her lovable smile. Just before she left, she looked at Ben's jacket, feeling on it and firmly grabbing the jacket's arm and then finally hugging it.
"Thank you," she said softy kissing it on the arm.
...
Later on the same evening, the sun was nearly down. Ben, Azula (who was eyeing on Ben), Mai, Zuko, and Ty Lee were approaching the volleyball courtyard. Waiting for them were Chet, Ronjon and the island's natives. Half of them were their minions, while the other half were the people who just wanted to have fun. At Azula's team, Azula eyed on Ben pretty closely. Ty Lee seemed to be pretty close to Ben then ever before, or what it seemed like it. This in case was nothing new. Watching Ty Lee walking closely to Ben, Azula couldn't help but feel some kind of loneliness. Though it wasn't visible on her face, nobody noticed it. Not even Zuko.
"Well, well, well," Chet finally began, "Ready to give up your little trump card?"
Ty Lee wanted to say something. She just wanted to strike the dude in his solar perplex region so bad that it could give her nothing but pure satisfaction, no matter the cost. Ben had to indirectly calm her down.
"I bet that we can beat you in one swoop!" she yelled.
"Right," Ronjon said, "And this is coming from a circus freak?" he chuckled cruelly.
"And how would you know that I would automatically join your group?" Ben waved his fist angrily at them.
"Everyone does," said Chet, "Plus, my dad's an admiral."
"Yeah, and I have the..." Ben said about to show off his Ultimatrix, until Zuko cuts him off by lowering his arm and nodding a big fat no-no. Ben groaned.
Ty Lee simply glared at him, her murderous eyes were tidally locked on him as she mouthed to Ben indirectly, "Turn into Rath."
Ben turned around to see her shaking her fist, "Ty Lee?"
"I'm okay," she said, angrily, now turning to face him with a semi-calmed expression, "Just go ahead and kick their butts hard if you have to!"
Ben smiled, nodding in understanding, "You don't have to tell me twice!"
Ty Lee smiled, that sweet moment was soon interrupted when Azula cleared her throat calling Ben and the gang over.
Ronjon did the same for his group as both teams huddled together.
...
In Azula's team, they began to come up with a plan, mainly Azula.
"Okay, you see that girl over there?" she asked pointing to the girl way back of the opposing team's huddling group, "Her leg's her weak spot..."
As Azula continued to come up plans after plans for each team member, he was impressed on how she was organized. She could be a member of the Plumbers' easily!
"Ben, you are our trump card. Use your animalbending to transform into Rath and knock out the competition if all else fails," she said.
"Animalbending," Ty Lee giggled.
"Oh, its going to be more than just Rath," Ben said, disappointing Ty Lee a little bit because Rath was her favorite, plus she wanted to see the looks on their faces when they see Rath.
"Aww, no Rath?" Ty Lee pouted.
Ben chuckled at Ty Lee's childish nature, "Trust me," he said. Ty Lee smiled, making the competitive Azula to be slightly annoyed of Ben and Ty Lee - mostly Ty Lee. When both teams broke, they scattered to their strategic patterns. The more powerful were in the front - but Ben in this case was in the middle.
"Let's just hope that blue bird thing can hit..." Ronjon threw the ball and struck it with his fist, "THIS!"
Zuko moved first to try to pound it but no dice. Mai struck the ball from hitting the ground and kicked it over the fence towards the other team only for the other a boy from the opposing team to countermand it by striking it headfirst and then was kicked by a girl. Flying in immediately, Ty Lee jumped in midair and kicked the ball to the opposing team, landing on the net completely balanced while the ball painfully struck a boy's face so hard that his molars exerted out from the back of his mouth, drawing blood in the process.
"Out!" Chet yelled, catching the ball and then striking it, and then was kicked by Ronjon. The ball flew over again only to be delivered a high roundhouse kick by Azula, as the ball flew over towards Ty Lee, Ty Lee flipped over the net back to her range and kicked the ball, while bending her body at an impossible 98 degrees before flipping to the ground and then countermanded the ball struck by the boy in the opposing team; Ben was impressed by Ty Lee's stamina, also he was more than impressed by Azula trying very hard to win the game! If that was really her goal. He hadn't been around her that much, but he did had a feeling that he and his friend Ty Lee were being watched. Pretty creepy.
Getting roughly tired, Chet aggressively punched the ball straight at Zuko who was way in the back. Zuko jumped forward to strike it, but when the ball made contact to his leg...
SNAP!
Zuko spun around in the air like a thrown pencil before he crashed to the ground screaming in pain.
"Oops, sorry did that hurt?" Ronjon asked tauntingly.
Azula and he gang - mostly Mai rushed over to aid Zuko. Ben hurried over, attempting to play. However, he was currently suspicious on why the opposing team wasn't striking Ben.
"He's out of the game," Azula said.
"I'm going to accompany Zuko," said Mai.
"Make that two," she muttered, "Okay Ben, Ty Lee, we're on out own."
"Good, we can take them? Right Ben?" Ty Lee said enthusiastically towards her friend.
Ben only nodded. He got ready. It was his turn to serve.
"Ready where you are pet," Chet said tauntingly.
Ben growled. He was now officially annoyed at these so much that it made dealing with JT and Cash look like taking an aspirin.
"I'll show you ready," said Ben getting ready to serve. He struck the ball across the net and was countermanded by Chet. Acting like a projectile missile, the ball tore through the net in an attempt to strike Ben, but before Ben had a chance to move out of the way, Ty Lee pushed Ben out of the way to strike it since it was coming in too fast, but unfortunately, the ball made a violent impact on her arm, breaking it. It was struck, towards the net. Ben got up to see Ty Lee badly hurt. Chet kicked the ball forward towards Ty Lee, aiming for her face. But was countered by Azula. She kicked the ball in the air only to kick it across the net, knocking out a boy in the process.
"Ben are you okay.." Azula sounded worried, however she saw that it was Ty Lee who was hurt, not Ben.
"Looks like another one of your team members are out. Bye-bye circus freak!" Chet waved.
If Ty Lee could stand, she could just walk over to the other side and knock the guy out. "Ben, Ty Lee's out, its time for us to..."
"I got it. They're going to pay for what they did," Ben growled in a dark tone, making Azula to blink. Laughing while physically hurting someone was a big no-no to Ben, but the sound of his voice was so menacing that compared to her father, it sounded more like a bossy, spoiled child. Hurting Ty Lee could have not the only one that set him off, so what was it?
"Go get them," she smiled as Mai grabbed and carried her out of the court. Azula was impressed, but was slightly scared of Ben then ever. Not only for his plethora of transformation, but just how angry he was when someone had hurt one of his friends, something in which made Azula to feel a certain way about it, a feeling that made her a bit confused towards Ty Lee and Ben.
"Aww, don't worry. Once you ditch them, you'll wish that you'll never leave," said Ronjon.
"Oh, you'll have a second thought about that," said Ben, lifiting his arm showing the Ultimatrix, "I promised her that I'll win it for her, and a promise I will keep."
Azula was no stranger to aggression and rage as she had experienced with a certain no-longer-banished prince, but this wasn't just any kind of rage, this was just wrathful vengeance with a very dark tone.
"Let's see how you guys would like it if you mess with, Ditto!" And without hesitation, Ben slammed the dial down.
...
In his veins, a green energy ball erupted from the pistol of the Ultimatrix core as it raced through out his blood stream, quickly mutating his cells in an exponential rate.
...
When the light died down, standing in Ben's place was a small white, living amplifier with the number 10 on its back that resembled more like an MP3 player. It bore the Ultimatrix crest on its chest.
"ECHO ECHO!" Echo Echo yelled, and then grunted, "I, said, Ditto, stupid, watch!"
Ty Lee who was watching it became worried. She wanted to go out there and get Ben out of there. Mai was confused about Ty Lee, she was willing to put her whole life on the line just for him? Man what did Ben do?
"Ben? What are you doing?" she asked to herself.
Zuko also thought the same thing, he was beginning to feel for Ben like a little brother, Mai was the same way too. But as for Azula, it was too difficult to read at the moment.
"Ben? What is that?" Azula asked, "And what watch?"
"Echo, Echo, that's, who," said Echo Echo in a computerized voice, "Now, come, on, we, got, a, game, to, win!"
Azula nodded, however, she was kinda worried about Ben's cockiness. That's the first. She had no idea what that thing is, or what could it do.
Everyone from the opposing team had their mouths open. First a blue bird moth man, then a planetary monster, now a small creature who pauses in every word? Yep, they're in big trouble, or at least they thought so.
"Bwahahaha!" Chet yelled, "You're animalbending skills had backfired on you huh? Ben?"
Everyone laughed.
"Can, we, at, least, get, back, on, the, game, I, don't, want, to, hurt, you, from, here," Echo Echo warned.
"What are you going to do? Cutify me to death?" Chet taunted.
Echo Echo rose a brow and turned to his teammates, "Did, this, guy, just, called, me, cute? I, mean, did, a, man, just, call, another, man, cute?" This made him to baffle, earning Ty Lee to laugh. Everyone from Azula's team - save for her - were laughing at Chet. Who was confused why. Azula glared at Chet for making a comment about him. Nobody seemed to notice that blue fire was slowly circulating through Azula's fist. Everyone stopped laughing when Azula made an angry outburst towards Chet and Ronjon.
"That is enough!" Azula roared angrily, "You leave him alone!"
Everyone from Azula's team were shocked. Was she defending Ben? Ben was also shocked about this, now easily he could just blast them. He had that advantage, but she didn't known that.
"And who are you talking to Ms. Destructor of the World?" Chet taunted.
"I'm saying that you underestimate..."
"Underestimate what? You're an underestimation from back here, demon!" Ronjon taunted.
"I'm not saying that..."
"Is the devil talking? Or is that you? I forgot!" Ronjon told.
"Hey hot head, get a life!" said a boy.
"Don't make me angry," Azula said dangerously.
"Or what you'll explode?" Chet yelled.
"I'm telling you..." she glowed her fists oceanic blue, just before she retorted more, a boy threw a volleyball at her face.
"Failure, man. Man what a loser!" said Ronjon.
Soon everyone began to cry out "loser" despite her intentions - even though Azula's team were incognito. The name calling and everything else were just getting worse. Not only Azula was being targeted, Ty Lee, Mai, and Zuko were also targets - including Ben, pressuring him to join their side. Azula began to cry
"Ah, one left!" Chet yelled.
"Actually, she's a lot better than you think," one Echo Echo said.
Azula turned around to see Ben defending her. "Sure, she might be a little off at time, that I'm not going to lie, but she is strong willed more than you! I mean come on, you called me cute! What kind of man call another man cute?" Echo Echo joaned.
Azula's team chuckled - including herself.
Chet was outraged, he marched right up to Ben's face readying his fist to be thrown to Ben's face.
"Don't ever mock me," Chet said.
"I'll make fun of..."
"How about you leave him alone," Azula said jumping in front of Ben. Zuko and the others surrounded Chet; in response, Chet's team reemerged from the rubble to defend him.
"You have the gall to make a fool out of me loser?" Chet got into Azula's face ready to punch her in her mouth, "I could kill you for that."
"You kill her, I'll kill you," Zuko threatened the boy with his ignited fist. Ronjon pushed Zuko, making his arm to cramp up again, making Zuko to scream again. Mai caught him before he hit the floor.
"Your group of freaks..."
"Stop it."
"...have no idea what kind of an ugly little piece of..."
"Shut up!" Azula exploded causing a wave of fire to blow people away from her and cried, blasting her way out of the group and back to the home. Ben was astonished, Azula was in fact defending him! Ty Lee was widened about this, maybe Azula did feel some way about him. Some way!
"Look at little demon go!" Chet laughed.
Just as Azula's team dangerously moved close to end this guy's life, Ben cleared his throat, "No."
Ty Lee and the others stopped.
"But..."
"That's enough Ty Lee, they aren't even worth it," said Ben, "I'm going to go find her."
"What about us?" Mai asked.
"Try to make sure that they don't do anything stupid when..."
They were already gone.
"Whatever, let them do whatever you want. Zuko, can you do that magic fire thing?" he asked.
"Yeah why?" Zuko asked.
"Can you create a bon fire, I think its time for us to wind down and let our anger subside," said Ben.
"Alright, we understand," Ty Lee said, "Just be careful okay."
Ben nodded and left.
Zuko furrowed his brow on Ty Lee. She seemed worried about Ben more than ever. Like all goes, this is not going to end well to some degree. Maybe it's time for him and Ben to have a little talk after he finished doing what he needs to do.
...
Ben was walking beach house to try to look for them, however, he overlooked that there was a party going on the other side of the beach. It had taken him a few hours to look for her, maybe because the whole try to look for her in the beach house sounded too simple for Ben. He had experience with the likes of simple things eventually leading up to difficult situations, while in this case, he made it difficult by looking in all sections of the exterior side of the beach house. Getting pretty tired, he began to turn his luck on the inside. Just before he went up the steps, he heard a squeaking sound from his arm. He turned around and saw Ship wrapped around his arm, shaped like a digital watch with the correct time.
"Ship?" Ship asked.
"I'm looking Azula," Ben said, "Look Ship, I don't have time for..."
Then the sounds of music were overheard by the house on the other side of the beach. Ben sighed and glared at the house; he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Even in this universe, bad people thrive," he said.
"Bad people what?" Zuko said from behind, making Ben to jump.
"What the...dude, don't do that!" Ben yelled.
"When we get home, there is someone I want you to meet - immediately," said Zuko, "Also the guys over there at the house, Chet, she actually dated him for two minutes - well until he ditched her. Leaving her. There is more, but I don't want you to stay out here all night. The thing is that she cant stand being alone. So do what you have to do, okay," said Zuko.
Ben nodded, "You have my word."
Zuko smiled and puts his hand over his shoulders, "Yeah, you're alright Ben Tennyson." Ben nodded understandingly and smiled as Zuko walked away. Well that was a bit awkward. Shrugging, Ben walked upstairs to see a sleeping Li and Lo, but then an idea sparked to Ben. He turned to Ship, who was shaped as a watch.
"Ship, I have to ask you a little something," said Ben.
"Ship!" Ship exclaimed.
...
In the beach house, Ben was continually looking for Azula. He looked high and low for her until he reached to the back of the house - which was a nice courtyard believe it or not. Sitting there crying was Princess Azula wiping her tears with a wet rag.
"Azula?" Ben began.
"What do you want?" Azula asked, not looking at Ben.
"I've come to see if you're doing alright," said Ben, "You're brother's worried about you and..."
"Zuzu is worried about me? That's a laugh," said Azula, her voice cracking.
"No really, all of us including..." Ben was trying to comfort her anyway he could, but Azula pushed him aside angrily and stood up.
"Why are you wasting your time here?" she asked furiously getting up with her fists igniting navy blue making Ben to jump.
"I'm sorry, it's just that I'm..."
"What? You and Ty Lee are a couple! Why can't you comfort her?"
"But..."
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She barked, igniting her self on fire until the fire swallowed her up, engulfing her on fire. She had no control at this point.
"Azula!" Ben screamed in terror as he saw that the flames she ignited from her chi combusted; the fire was frying her alive. She panicked, she screamed, she did all what she could, but the fire just won't die. She was crying in immense, torturous pain. Without no hesitation, Ben quickly activated the Ultimatrix, and slammed the dial.
...
A green energy ball races through Ben's veins and multiplied throughout his circulatory system, making his cells to rapidly reproduce in an abnormal rate. Ben was mutating rapidly as the green light electrically sparked his cells, reprogramming them into that of a program of a machine. Ben developed red mechanical skin. His body was becoming overwhelmingly artificial until...
...
...Ben's body resembled a red mollusk-like creature with an unmovable mouth with port holes in his hands. It had glowing green eyes and black spots on his shoulders and legs, and to top of all up, he had four fingers as claws.
"WATER HAZARD!" Water Hazard exclaimed as he immediately ported his hands directly at Azula and shot powerful jets of water on her, immediately killing off the flames. When the flames died off, Water Hazard touched the badge on his chest, instantly transforming back into Ben in a form of an emerald green flash.
Azula panted, her body ached as it screamed from the pain she endured. She was lucky to have Ben around to put out the flames. There were minor burns here and there, but not too severe. She shook and glanced at Ben who extended his hand.
"You...saved me?" Azula was shocked. Why would Ben save her? All or what he had done to him, he could have just let her burn but in all, he didn't, "You could have just let me burn."
"Then that won't be too heroic now wouldn't it?" Ben asked.
"Why help me? Why save me at all? After all I...I..." Azula couldn't say it. She was too shocked that Ben would save her like that. He defended her and then saved her. No one had ever done that except for those who were forced to. Mai and Ty Lee might have saved her life more than once on some occasions, but it was out of fear than admiration. Ben did this from the bottom of his heart. That was unheard of.
"You what?" Ben asked.
Azula lowered her head, "Are you and Ty Lee a couple? Why couldn't you be with her?"
"And leave you here to mope around? Come on, you're acting like Batman when he's not taking his anti-depressants?" Ben joked making Azula to smile, "And plus, Ty Lee and I are cool, like we are!"
Azula smiled and hugged him, not letting him go.
"Whoa I didn't expect that," said Ben.
Azula chuckled and playfully punched Ben on the gut in which Ben responded with a traditional, "Ow." They both laughed and delight.
"But here's my question," said Ben.
Azula nodded.
"Why did you defend me?" Ben asked.
"Those guys have no right to underestimate you, plus, I think that you are more than what they say," she said with a rare tender tone, something in which Ben did no catch. Ben smiled nonetheless.
"So how are you going to get revenge on those...oh wow," Azula paused when she saw a gigantic, neon green mushroom cloud lighting up the night. Azula was mesmerized, yet confused. Where'd that cloud come from. When she turned took at Ben, she turned to see a dark, Azula-esque smile across his face, a face in which made her to blink - again.
"Did you? Did...what?"
"You're talking revenge I'm talking pay back!" Ben laughed. Azula joined.
"So you made that?" Azula was impressed, "But, I didn't expect you to...wait? How'd?"
"My pet Ship. He's responsible for that," said Ben, until his Ultimatrix began to beep, confusing the Fire Nation princess, "And speak of the devil."
Ben began to fidget around his Ultimatrix; Azula never got around by asking Ben about the watch, but now it was the time to ask. Ben was a mystery, and she wants to know more about him, starting by the basics.
"Ben? Why do you fidget with your device?" she finally asked.
Ben stopped. That was a bad move on Ben's part. He know he still didn't trust Azula. He know he didn't want to hurt her feelings by not telling her everything as he did with Ty Lee. Ben didn't want to risk his secret to be used against him.
"I was just...uh," Ben scratched his head. Azula analyzed that Ben still didn't trust her. She had no idea why. She silently understood, sighing sadly, knowing that it would have to take time for Ben to completely trust. Right now he sympathized with her to a degree, but completely trusting, oh no.
"That's okay. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Azula said, kissing Ben on the cheek, "All I want is to spend this moment watching this phenomena with you."
"Gee, um thanks," said Ben, clueless that Azula was moving closer to him.
"You know its kinda of silly, Ty Lee told me some things about you. And rather I thought it showed some kind of weakness, I..."
"Wait, Ty Lee told you about me?" Ben asked.
"Yeah! She also told me that you're a good friend and..."
Suddenly...
"Ahh, get away from us! I promise, I won't drink anymore!" yelled Chet's voice from the Ultimatrix.
"SHIP!" Ship yelled angrily as the sounds of lasers blasting the environment around them.
"Intense," Azula commented, turning around to Ben's face, she had a yet friendly look if not already, "Did you really mean what you said back there?"
"Back where?"
"At the court. You said that I was more than what they perceived me to be. Did you mean that?"
"Every word! Why would I lie?" Ben asked.
Lie, and that was what Azula did. Since the day they met, she had been lying to him about the Avatar and the whole war, and for what? Ben wasn't evil, and he wasn't there power! He was there for justice and equality! The more she hears about the word, the more sickened she became. She felt a league of leeches cramping around her stomach, sucking on her blood.
"Oh, thank you for defending me," she said, "I appreciate it."
"You don't have to tell me over and over again," Ben chuckled, Azula cuddled around him slightly, "Say, by tomorrow, do you want to take a stroll with me along the beach?"
"What?"
"Do you want to walk with me?" he asked.
Azula had put up a small smile, "I would be happy to, Ben Tennyson." Ben smiled as Azula reared in slowly puckering her lips until - Ty Lee came in to get Ben only to see Azula with Ben wiping her tears.
"Whoa, um hi!" Ty Lee said.
"Ty Lee why are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Zuko?" Azula asked, reddened in the face. Thankfully, Ty Lee didn't caught the whole Azula blushing thing.
"I want for Ben to see...oh why, you can see from out here? That's cool!" she exclaimed excitedly.
Ben chuckled. "Do you want to come out with the rest of us and look at it? Everyone's gazing at it! It's just as bright as the moons above the sky!"
Ben and Azula exchanged faces and approved.
"Awesome!" Ty Lee said with a smile hugging Ben before breaking and waving to Azula, "Hey Azula! - oh my, what happened to her?"
"She..."
"I was caught in a fire," Azula finished, "You don't need to worry, he already saved me before the fire could feaster on."
"Oh, that's great!" Ty Lee said, "I'm really proud of you Ben." She kissed him on the cheek. Ben blushed, making Azula to turn away a little bit.
"Are you coming Ben?" Ty Lee asked.
"Yeah!" Ben said.
"Great, I can't wait to see you there! Zuko was um how do you say, wilding out!" Ty Lee exclaimed.
Ben laughed; Ty Lee left, "Say, do you..."
"No, you can go," Azula said.
"Are you sure, it surely won't be the same without..."
"No, I'm fine. You have a good time," Azula said convincing Ben with a sweet smile. Ben nodded understandingly and left.
Azula saw Ben leave the courtyard, she felt utterly disgusted for some reason. She had no idea how or why. It was just there. It felt like something was fighting from within her, battling for control. It was like a huge nuclear reaction undergoing within her, a violent chemical, nuclear reaction. But there was one known fact that had been confirmed.
"I shall reap what I sow," she said with tears slithering down on her face. As she sat down and cried silently through the night, a lone figure stood by, acting like a spiritual enigma. He wasn't trying to be there, but he was. This man wore a white lab coat, goggles, khaki pants, and classy shoes. To top it all off, he had a thick British accent to boot.
"Ben is getting along rather nicely," said the man also known as Professor Paradox.
Author's Notes
Hello guys of the Internet! This is your favorite author, Mr. Raleigh D who gave you ANOTHER super-chapter! Man this is becoming a trend, but at least you guys are satisfied.
For the people who have seen the episode "The Beach", you guys might have recognized those two obnoxious characters, Chet and Ronjon. Yeah, I hated them. I don't know why though. I just hated them! At least Ship taught them a lesson.
Disclaimer: If you like this book, don't read the following text below. You have been warned.
And for the people who caught the theme of the fanfic, yes there is a theme in this fanfic, one to which you can track all the way back to chapter one! I hope it wasn't forced.
Also, I heard of people putting Mary Sues/Gary Stues. I'm pretty much afraid of this. Did you think I have made Ben in this fanfic a Gary Stu? If so let me know, because I'm practically scared. I don't want this fic to be the next Twilight - superhero version! Seriously, I just watched Breaking Dawn pt. 2 and Bella is jumping around trees like she's Spiderman! If that's the case, then put her in New York so she can fight the goddamn Green Goblin, or Electro, or Venom! YES VENOM! FUCK YEAH!
Or hell Man of Steel! Her blandness could be the cause of the destruction of, I don't know, 99.99989% of Metropolis!
Also if you are going to write a Twilight fanfic with Edward in the DBZ universe, please, please, please put Broly in it! I want Broly to go Broly on his ass! Yeah, that's a true badass! I know people are going to put Blade in it which is fine, shit, if Blade was in the Twilight universe, then it'll be a little bit, no A LOT interesting! Blade fuck these bitches up! Teach them how a real vampire roll, and I'm not talking about Vampire Academy, which that shit is more butch than Twilight! No really, it is! IT IS GODDAMMIT!
:::
Do you like pirates?
Do you like dinosaurs?
Do you like superheroes?
Do you like superpowered pirates riding on a flying pirate ship fighting sentient dinosaurs?
If so, then you'll like my original fic on fictionpress!
Read Legends of the Sky-Titans! Available online, trust me you will be satisfied!
:::
Anyway, for my Benzula fans, I hope you guys enjoyed it, and also for the Ben Lee fans, I hope you guys enjoyed it! This is your wacky favorite author, Mr. Raleigh D signing out for the night and I'll catch you guys next time!
D-Man out!