If only a single star would illuminate the night, it would remind her of home. So close, yet so far away. A distant dream laying in the past. But the past was the past! Nobody ever gained anything by dreaming about it. It was gone. She had to do with what she had right now. Though, she sure liked the way the artificial light of the street lamp reflected off her glimmering, black scales.

It was then that her tongue picked up a scent. So sweet and fruity, with a tinge of earthiness. The snake slithered along the walls. Somebody had not closed their window as they went to sleep.
She forced her way through the opening and dropped down on the floor. A sound going unnoticed by the brunette sleeping in the bed. Oh, Hera knew that one. What a coincidence!

The snake dropped down enjoying the sensation of the soft floor on her stomach after all those uncomfortable rocky stones and the gravel she had to endure. She traveled through the sheets and under the pillow before deciding to place herself on Ben's chest. Hera stared at the girl, watched the mouth open slightly to exhale and feel the sinking and heaving of her bust.
It was not what she wanted. Slowly she increased her weight weighting down the brunette and spat down the brunettes throat ,as she gasped for breath, out of spite.

Ben woke up choking and put a hand around her throat, bucking up as if trying to get someone off her. There was something, slithering down her throat again and forcing her to gasp for air.
What was this? Her eyes swirled around and her head started to hurt. She closed her eyes while reaching for the light. With the room being illuminated, she started to rip off the bedsheets and only stopped after she was sure that there was nothing. It was an hallucination. Surely, the stress of the recent days must have gotten to her head. Or maybe it was never there to begin with? She sat on the floor, borrowing her face in the palms of her hands. Was she losing it?

...

After several minutes she stood up on shaky legs and walked to the kitchen to get herself a glass of cold water. As she turned on the faucet she could her footsteps and soon the voice of her mother.

"Are you feeling alright Ben?". Sandra Tennyson was still very sleepy and tired, woken up by Ben's shuffling around.

"Mom, I didn't mean to wake you." Ben turned off the faucet and faced the sleepy woman. Sandra sat down at the table and looked at her new, old offspring. The older woman opened her mouth to say something but closed it again and looked down at the hands in her lap.

"Mom, I have to ask you something."

Sandra looked up and smiled at Ben, "Of course Ben. Just ask.".

"Am I losing my mind? Am I going crazy?"

Sandra blinked at her, obviously surprised. "You're just going through a big change. It'll get better" she smiled at her. "You know what's the best way to ensure a good grasp on reality?" it was a rhetoric question and Sandra answered it herself, "A good night's sleep.".

Ben watched after her mother as she stood up and walked out, and then set down her glass. Yes, a good night's sleep-

...

The snake still sat safely under Ben's bed, staring at the busy feet until she stepped out of the room. Hera had enough of Ben for tonight. That small house the human lived in was pitiful and she preferred tall and wide buildings. Of course she'd favor a temple or similar institutions, but in this city this was hard to come by. It was surprising though, how many people lived in this city. When did mankind become so numerous? What anastonishing development! They were like little pests, rats, or other such vermin.
The pseudo-goddess had to take the next best thing she had on her disposal at the moment and settled down with an old, whitewashed building. It was tall and bold, and old, brittle and swaying, standing on its last legs. But she liked the color and the tall columns still standing proudly as if challenging the world to take them down.
But wait, there was more.
She noticed it as she forced her way through a broken window. The faint sound of sweet music. Who would have expected a song so beautiful to play in those ruins? Certainly not her.

At first Chadwick had wondered why there was a perfectly tuned piano sitting on the stage. But while it was there he should play it. He was early anyway and could waste a little time, while his patient, and he used that term loosely, was busy being addled by prescription drugs.
It wasn't his fault when she was high on morphine. Sure, he gave them to her, but she used it. His fingers traveled over the polished keys. It was wonderful how the music traveled through the room.
What a shame that this place was soon going to be torn down to make space for a new building complex.

Hera watched from the balcony, obscured by the darkness and the drapes, which had once seen a more glamorous time.

Just as the king stood up and went down the stage a little human, dressed in red, flanked by two in pink entered the room.A red visor reflected the area around her, then fixated the Forever King.
The two in the pink suits brought a large black box and opened it so he could look inside.
Chadwick wasn't pleased as the red one stepped in front of him, obstructing his view.

"You don't look like an Anastasia." a voice, filtered through an electric sound-manipulator stated.
The king glared hatefully at the smaller criminal. He really hated that he could not see their eyes with that stupid helmet of theirs. A red gloved finger pointed towards the black haired, drug addled woman behind him. "That's Anastasia?"
He wasn't even able to say anything as Red stood in front of Shishkin and waved a hand in front of her face, "Wow! She's pretty high."

Chadwick sighed, "As her doctor-"

"Oh?"

"-and partner in crime," he continued, "I am eligible to receive the parcel."

"Hold it! That's for Shishkin!" the robotic voiced buzzed and Chadwick observed how Red bumped against the helmet with their fist.

While all of this was going on, the black shadow decided to make her way down, slinking down the balcony and slithering her way next to the knocked-out woman. Now that she thought about it, this was a very nice white fur-coat she wore. It looked very warm and she had to admit that it was a little cold. She traveled upwards and nestled in the nape of the woman's neck.

Anastasia jerked up as she felt the snake's scales in her nape and threw the heavy thing against the wall, causing Chadwick and Red to turn towards the coughing woman and then to the black viper in the corner."How dare you!" the viper hissed, extending her arms.

The woman wanted to walk back but instead she fell down and tried to rob away before giving up. She was far too weak and unstable to do anything right now. The sudden turn of events startled Chadwick who gaped at the grotesque transformation happening in front of him. A few meters besides him Red took out a gun and fired a shot at the creature. Well, that definitively got Hera's attention.

"Fool!" she declared, her voice booming through the room, "I am Hera!".

The gun fell to the ground and so did the one who shot her. Red removed the motorcycle helmet and Chadwick was surprised that the red one was a woman with flaxen hair.

"Hera!" Daisy called out to the black one, "Forgive me! I have not realized it was you. I did not expect you to come so early.". The monstrous humanoid leaned over the seats, her neck extending to a ridiculous length, it dropped on the floor as she pushed her human sized head towards the blonde. The king was not sure if he should be afraid or amused at the gross scene in front of him.

"Early?" she asked, "I come when it pleases me.".

Chadwick was out of his element, taking several steps back to put some distance between him and that tar-baby clinging to the wall. He certainly never met one of those before. "I demand to know who you are." he yelled at the ebony creature, who had not paid him much mind before.

Hera took the little knight without warning and shook him, then turned him upside down.
"Who are you?" she echoed turned him around in her hand, like a new toy. She held him up by his cape and shook him a little more. The king got a quite dizzy and as he was put back on the ground he tried to regain his bearings for a moment.

"I" he started to yell, "am the Forever King.". A nd I don't like being shaken and stirred like a cheap cocktail, he added mentally.

"A king?" Hera looked around, confused, "Where are your subjects?".

Chadwick shook his hand, a dismissive gesture, and mumbled something under his breath, before he too dropped to a knee. Not like he needed to, but he could barely stand.

The monster counted the people in the room. Five. No, there were far too few.

"Daisy-" she returned to her follower, "I told you I gave you time to prepare. And you give me five people?"

Chadwick raised an eyebrow at the flaxen woman. Daisy? Really?

The blonde woman looked bashfully to the ground, "I am sorry, big one, but I just came out of jail today and eh- building a temple, recreating a cult- those things need time. We're not back in ancient- Greece. Nowadays people don't buy into everything the see, you know-special eff-"

"Spare me your explanations!". Hera shrunk in size, but at this point Chadwick had regained his senses and a plan.

"Big one, Hera, goddess and mistress, may I have a request?". Sure, he was not sure what she- if that was even a she- was, but he'd better play it safe, this time.

Hera shot up towards the ceiling and stared down at him, "And what do you request, worm?"

"It's Chadwick." he corrected her, gritted his teeth, and continued,"I have heard you need followers? A temple? Someone from your stature and might could- do the ultimate feat nobody of us mortals has ever done before, gaining countless followers. They will praise you and shout your name to the heavens."

The pseudo- goddess let herself be coaxed by the knight. "Of course!" she boasted, "I am after all a goddess!"

Chadwick grinned, "Have you heard of Ben Tennyson?"

"I was the one who caused her trouble and pain. Punishment for her horrible crime!" she boasted, puffing out her inhuman chest which for some reason was growing thousands of tiny little arms, which seemed to shake each others hands. Was she literally congratulating herself?

The knight decided to ignore the nightmarish display of power and instead focused on her echoing voice and the words she spoke; "But what if we could intensify the tor- punishment you have put on her? She does deserve it, does she not?"
Hera agreed. In hindsight what she had done upon her did not seem to cause her as much distress as she wanted.

"And" Chadwick continued, "to unite against one threat- what could be a better way to gain followers?".

Hera nodded, "Yes! I like you!". Her hand hovered over his head for a minute but retreated.

A death glare was sent to the king by Daisy who raised her voice, pointed at him and accused the man of manipulating Hera. A thousand eyes stared at her, "Silence!" Hera commanded and the red one complied.

"My- queen ," Chadwick defended himself, "it would be an insult to even try to manipulate you! But she might not be such a good subject- After all, I might not have known you from the start, but she- she raised a weapon against you, shot you even!". Hera looked at the red one. All color waned from Daisy's skin. The wannabe-all mighty nodded, "Truly, it can not be helped. It surely is a crime to raise your weapon against your own Goddess- to try to hurt her- that must be punished."

Chadwick closed his eyes, still kneeing as Red started to scream.

Hot! Oh dear, god, it was too hot! The skin on one side of her face was slowly getting loose and curled up. It was burning and smoking and an odd smell filled the hall. But she had to take her punishment. There was no escape from Hera, for anybody.
She held the other half of her face. It was horrible burned and badly scarred now, shaking as she knelt back into her old position, gritting her teeth. Chadwick was going to pay for this, she swore.

...

It was an oddly sunny day at Friedkin University as Ben stepped out of her car and took her bag from the backseat. During the night she did a lot of thinking and recalled the words of the old man.
Learning magic seemed like a good way to spent some time and it wasn't like the Plumbers needed her. Actually, they had just rejected her, kicked her out, even.
Gwen should be in the library, she assumed and made her way there. The brunette opened the heavy door and walked through the aisles, skipping over the titles of books while she waited for her cousin. A few of them sounded interesting others, not so much. Most of them had esoteric themes. Ben was more one for action and sci-fi and less non-fiction books and grimoires.
She flipped through a book, scowling at the strange letters and drawings. She could make out Zodiac-signs and stars and that was about it. One of the drawings was quite strange and depicted- she wasn't really sure and turned the book around a few times to determine what she was looking at.

"You're holding the book upside-down." the voice of Hex behind her remarked dryly.

Quickly, she put the book back and pretended she hadn't looked at it. Where did that guy come from? She squinted at the older man and crossed her arms. "Hex." she greeted him.

"Professor Hex." he corrected her, "Ben Tennyson."

She pouted, "Dr. Tennyson.". Two could play that game.

The old man, shook his head, "What makes you think you are deserving of such a title?"

"And you deserve yours?" she retorted, then she exhaled, "I am not here to argue with you.".

Hex put his hands on his hips, concluding that the brunette was there to see Gwen. The wizard motioned towards her bag. "Bags are not allowed inside the library." the wizard informed her then gestured to Ben to follow him. He was checking the room first and the he removed a book. A hidden door opened up to let them in. The brunette was unsure if she should follow him but did it anyways. She still wore the Omnitrix and an ambush was unlikely.

The Professor gestured towards the couch, on which Ben put her bag. She walked towards what she assumed to be Gwen's own private little library. More grimoires. She groaned and put back the book she had just pulled out. More strange letters and words she didn't know.
The master wizard asked her what she wanted from Gwen which she honestly answered.

"You are aware that I am just as good of a teacher as your cousin." Hex said, as he followed her during her inspection.

She rolled her eyes at the old man, "Yeah, right. Gwen is- a lot better than you. Besides, I rather- not be your student."

The old master wizard felt offended and put a hand on her shoulder which she quickly shook off, "I have years of experience behind me! Besides, your cousin has her own problems."

Ben raised an eyebrow, "And you're problem-free? Why do you want to teach me magic so badly?".

"Well, it is just- that Gwen might be overwhelmed by-dealing with your needs."

Ben froze in her steps and turned around, as she suddenly recalled something Chadzmuth had told her way back, yesterday. "Have you talked to my lawyer one of those days?" she inquired, giving him an intent look.

The wizard appeared surprised and bashfully admitted that he might have talked to him. "I can't believe it. You were the 'magically inclined person' who told him I need to get laid?"

Hex went bright red underneath his tattoo and held up his hands, "I never said- those were not my exact words.".

"I-" she shook her head, pointing at him "I can see why you're suddenly so eager into getting me as your student." Ben was suddenly overcome with deep sadness and her hand sank down crossing her arms in front of her chest again and letting her head sink down.
"I miss being a guy" she said suddenly "at least people saw me as the guy with the Omnitrix or a hero- I- I don't really want to know what they see in me now."

Hex exhaled and massaged his brow, "Listen. Chadzmuth never said it was about you. I didn't mean for it to come out like that. I just- think that you need- to-" he shook his head and tried again.
"Your mind, body and soul have to become one. You're divided-".

Ben interrupted him, "Bezel already gave me that speech. I don't need to hear it again. So- sleeping with you will fix all my problems?".

More blood shot up the old wizard's head and he put up his hands, to defend himself "N-no! What kind of man do you think I am?"

"The dirty kind." Ben stated with brutal honesty, "Why else did you take this job? Surrounded by girls like, 50 years younger than you. Don't tell me you don't like the attention.".

Before the discussion could go any further Gwen stepped into the room surprised at Ben and Hex standing in her living room. "Professor Hex, Ben, what are you doing here?" she put her bag next to Ben's on the couch after eying it suspiciously. Ben greeted her and told her she came to learn, while Hex told her he had just shown her around.

"In my own personal opinion Ben should be my student." Hex argued.

Ben shook her head, "You know me Gwen. I'll be a good student! You only need to teach me a few spells."

The red haired witch looked uncomfortable, and held up a hand "Wow! Stop! Who says I'm going to teach you? Hex is a great teacher Ben." she turned towards her grimoires and put one right-side up again. It was the same one Ben had taken out earlier.

Ben tried to win Gwen over. "But you have the time to teach me. Just a few spells Gwen!" she begged. In hindsight begging might not be the best idea to convince somebody.

Gwen shook her head, "You think magic is just saying a few magic words and then stuff happens?". Her voice grew cold and she glared at Ben, "It's a complicated and difficult science!"
Had the brunette offended her cousin?

"Sorry." she excused her words. "But you make it look so easy." Ben mumbled under her breath.

Gwen however heard it and decided to correct Ben, "It took me years of practice and training!". Finally she decided to ask another question:"What's up with the bag?".

The brunette answered by stating that she was going to stay over for a few days.

"You can stay overnight. But tomorrow, you have to find another place to stay. I have finals soon and need time to learn."

Ben sighed and looked around, "At least I can see Kevin again. Where's he?"

Just now she noticed that Gwen's place was oddly clean. Too clean, almost empty. And curiously there were no dog-toys anywhere. After several minutes she still had not gotten an answer and repeated her question. Hadn't they heard her?

"We broke up." Gwen admitted, trailing a finger over one of her grimoires.

The brunette gaped at her and then laughed, as if the red-head had told her a bad joke."What? That- that can't be."

"It is. He took Zed and his car and went off campus yesterday. I am surprised he hasn't called you.".

Of course he hadn't called me, Ben remembered that her phone was off and had been for a while now. Ben swallowed, "I'm sure he'll come back.". Gwen met Ben's sight and bit her lower lips as if to keep in something.

"Now Ben, why don't you go with your new teacher and let him teach you a few easy spells and tell me then how easy it was?" Gwen's voice seemed distant and mocking. Shivers went down Ben's spine and she and Hex turned around. The brunette was unsure if she wanted to stay over-night after all.

...

While Ben was busy trying to learn magic, which sounded easier than it was Anastasia had recovered from her drug high and was beleaguering her doctor. But she wasn't the only one.
Chadwick had a lot to do today and was less than enthusiastic about the freeloaders in his home. Why did they follow himback home? He hadn't even fed them! Hera had curled up in the middle of the table and he was sure that the red one was giving him the stink eye behind her visor. "Why is everyone here?", Chadwick lowered his eyelids and folded his newspaper, trying his best to ignore Shishkin drinking his wine.
How did she break the lock to his wine cellar?

"You should shave!" the drunken Russian slurred and Chadwick evaded the slim hand trying to grip his beard before she tried ripping it out.

As she realized that she had grasped air her hand went instead for the second bottle of wine, helplessly trying to get out the cork. The viper on the table curled around his hot cup of coffee staring in the black substance and smelling it with her tongue. No coffee for him this morning then.

Red looked at a curious little machine working non-stop in the corner, "What is that thing?".

"Auto-caller." he replied. Why didn't he turn it off? It had been going for a while now and Ben probably had turned off her phone long ago.

The vile reptile on the table slithered over to the little fruit basket. Oh great, now he could throw out that one too, the Forever King thought as the apple dried up and became brown.
He went to his notes and noticed that his pen was missing. Chadwick glared at the snake and massaged his brow. That thing had just swallowed his pen. Hera was indeed a living, thinking being, right? You'd think that she'd knew what was eatable and what was not. If he went to bed tonight he should check for snakes, he might burn the mattress too to be on the safe side.

...

Another reptilian, had just beaten up a giant chicken and contemplated her life-choices as she stood above him. She let him go after he once again declared that he did not know where Attea was.
Liam escaped with a broken wing and some dented pride, leaving her alone with Raff.
Her lackey sighed, suggesting another, newer approach. None of the people here should or would know her whereabouts. His queen turned towards him; "What's your plan?"

The Proto-TRUK drove past them and a spark went up in the lackey. "We just have to get the right people.", he suggested.

They watched as Rook and Tack stepped out of the truck and went into a little shop, where they were discussing loudly with a little, amphibian alien. "Plumbers? Hm-" she was quiet for a while, "but foot-soldiers won't do, Raff."

Raff pointed to the taller alien, the Revonnahgander, "But my queen, that's not a foot-soldier, that's a Magister. High-ranking members of the Plumbers."

"In that case," she grinned showing her little, sharp teeth, "I like your plan."

...

It was comical, how one little frog could demand so much respect from someone several times his size. Tack tried his best to keep up with protocol while Rook tried to calm down Pakmar from his rage-high. It was not an easy task. The little toad yelled at Tack, "Where's Ben?" he spat on the ground, "At least he got stuff done!"

Rook took a deep breath, why was everybody asking where Ben was? He motioned towards his partners and explained to the angry extra-terrestrial that it was important for them to follow protocol and to be easy on Tack. It was his first day on earth.
Pakmar spat down at the ground again and dismissed Rook.

The Revonnahgander faced Tack, "If you would be so kind and explain to Pakmar why protocol is important.".

Pah! Bureaucratic torture, that's what this is!" the toad shouted and Rook went outside to take a breather while his partner was busy with the toad.

Of course, he felt a little bad about leaving his partner alone, but he could deal with it. He picked up his phone and tried to call Ben, for naught. Unbeknownst to him, the brunette's phone was still turned off.

"I guess I just call Gwen-", he perked up as he felt a peck on his neck and his hand subconsciously reached for it.

There was a small arrow. A tiny needle at its end, red where it had pierced his skin. He wanted to call out to Tack but his tongue didn't follow his directions. Next his legs gave out and then everything was dark.

...

As soon as Tack realized that his partner was gone he called Magister Tennyson.

"Rook has gone missing?" the Magister yelled into the phone, "Have you tried tracking-". His eyes widened in disbelieve, "You have his Proto-tool but he's gone?" Tack on the other end of the phone sounded concern and asked how he should proceed. "Go back to the HQ." Max ordered, "We'll search for Rook."

...

Polema stood in front of the chair, wondering what to do with that bound Plumber now. But first she had to wake him up before doing anything. So she took a bucket of cold water and dumped it over the feline. She slapped the still dizzy Revonnahgander who quickly regained his senses and glared at her, the his eyes widened.

"Aren't you-" he gaped at her.

"Polema." she introduced herself, "Queen of the Incurseans.". The tone in her voice suggested that she cared little about the title. A forked tongue slipped out between her sharp teeth. "Now, I think you know where Attea is?"

Rook shook his head, "No!"

The reptile laughed, "Really? I don't think so-" she turned towards Raff who presented her with various tool, "Tell me Raff, which one is your favorite?"

...

During that time at Friedkin University, Hex assisted Ben as best as he could : "Now breath in and out and-"

Ben opened her eyes to stare at the old man next to hear, "I bet I could concentrate a lot better if you'd let me.".

He sighed and opened his own eyes, "I'm just trying to help.".

"I can breath, it's not that hard!" she replied, "When are we getting to the actual stuff?".

He furrowed his brow and gestured towards the stone, "Before you can do anything like that you have to first be conscious of your surroundings."

She stared at the stone, "It's a friggin' stone. It's grey and smooth.".

The old wizard shook his head, "You have to be the stone, feel the stone-"

"-and what else? Take it out for dinner? Marry it?" she continued, rolling her eyes. This was ridiculous.

"If you can not concentrate on a stone how will you be able to concentrate at all?" Hex asked her and stood up, dusting off his clothes. "You're a lost cause-" he shook his head and massaged his brow. Ben frowned and put out her tongue, then she turned around and walked towards the cafeteria. Not like she could concentrate with an empty stomach anyways!

...

Ben was very quickly once again reminded of her new lot in life. Why was it so hard to eat in peace and quiet for a change?
In the past it was random aliens popping up now it was frat-boys and college-girls bothering her. Yes, Ben liked attention, she reveled in it. But today was really not the day she was up for it .
Especially with all those invasive questions she did not want to answer .

"Have you tried anything yet?" the girl next to her asked, making Ben choke on her fries.

She continued talking, "You know- If I'd turn into a guy I think I'd take my new body for a test drive.".

Another girl laughed, and then leaned closer towards Ben, before asking a question of her own, "So- are you and Hex- you know?". The brunette looked up in sheer horror at the grinning pink haired girl. Merely thinking about her together with that old witch- she was barely able to keep her meal inside her stomach. Ben excused herself and ran off, back into the library to escape from her new little fan-club.

...

Once back , she had finally lost her followers and hid out in Gwen's living room. The red-head looked agitated as she came in a few minutes later.

"Ben!" the red-haired witch gasped for air, indicating that she'd ran all the way from, where ever she just came, probably class. "It's Rook!"

The brunette sat up, all attention focused on Gwen. She finally got back some air and tried again, "Rook went missing!"