A/N: Ben 10 doesn't belong to me in the least.
Weeks passed with no further incident. Meena had since returned to normal, her smiley, cheerful self and Pierce had been careful not to bring up her time limit. Rachel ignored him for the most part and she and Mark got back together. Connor didn't grieve long. Fitori, ever cryptic and aloof, faded to the background, but they all knew he was there, watching and waiting, biding his time. He was just doing his job, after-all. Meena, albeit nervously, revealed herself to Rachel, who was overjoyed she finally knew the younger's secret. And Rachel, in return, explained the ears and tail weren't fake and her family was mixed, human and a species called Felilis. Meena had absolutely no idea.
But all happiness eventually comes to an end.
Meena looked at the door, seeing the form of Fitori standing there silently. Rachel smiled cruelly in greeting. "Well hello, lovey."
"Mefaalis. We need to talk." Meena frowned at him, her eyes shooting around at the customers in the diner. None were paying attention. "Now."
"I can't just—"
"You either come now or I will drag you out of here." Rachel hissed at him, hands reaching away from her body, nails gleaming. Meena saw pain in his eyes, something she wasn't accustomed to. She held up her hands, stopping Rachel from advancing on the man.
"M-Miss Rachel, I'll take my break now…" She untied her apron, tossing it back behind the counter, moving towards her bodyguard.
"Sweetie, don't let him—"
"I-it's fine, Miss Rachel, it's fine," Meena interrupted her, looking up at Fitori carefully. He turned, holding the door open for her. She gave a small smile back to Rachel before leaving the diner. Fitori's bangs hid his eyes, hiding them from her view. "Fitori?" He continued to walk towards a table placed out in the grass, away from the diner. He saw Pierce making his way up the road, ID mask in place, like them, but ignored the teen, turning dark eyes down to glare at his young charge. "What's happened?"
"I told you they took hostages. I told you they were getting restless. They know there's a deadline, but they want to make sure this happens, make sure you don't run away." His form shuddered and he closed his eyes. She stared up at him, tears welling in her eyes.
Her people… They put their lives into a sixteen year old's hands and placed their trust that their enemies would honor the truce. They obviously chose wrong.
Pierce was just about to call out, to ask what was wrong when he spoke again. "There's only been one execution out of the estimated twenty hostages." She closed her own eyes, bowing her head. "I'm sorry, Princess."
"I can't… That they would…" She turned her head to the side, squeezing her eyes shut. "All because Father's stubborn…!"
"Princess. They killed Xantres." Her eyes flew open and she looked up at him in horror. He held her gaze. Her lips parted, tears coursing down her cheeks. He pulled a small device from his pocket, handing it to her wordlessly. Her fingers trembled as she took it, her sight blurred. "They sent this." He walked away, pulling Pierce back down the hill, only telling him she needed a minute. Pierce saw her distress and decided, this once, to listen to the man. Rachel watched from the window as they stood some feet away from her.
A moment, and she clicked it on. Her friend smiled up at her. "Mefaalis. I wish I could talk to you right now, but, it seems I can't." She covered her mouth with a hand, sinking to the ground. "No matter what, this isn't your fault. But I'll know you'll blame yourself any way." He pulled a hand through his hair, looking away from her. "Sorry about… about everything. This isn't your fight, but you're sacrificed anyway. I wish I could help more, but… Mefaalis, you're the best friend I could have." He looked back up at her, a smile on his lips again, eyes determined. "It was stupid, I know, but I was too close to their home world. I've never seen it before and then… Well, I've been here for a few days now. Seems their ambassadors recognized me from their visits and…" He shrugged helplessly and she knew what he was getting at. "I'm thinking… that boy you like so much… Maybe the Gods have sentenced you to stick with him. Maybe you shouldn't come home." He shrugged once again and she tried to breathe. "But, I know you'll go through with it, because of me. But, maybe, before you go, maybe you should share how you really feel. You've never been good at that and I know your excuse is that you're the weak youngest sister. My answer to that is that you've just never been properly taught. In expressing emotions and your powers. The Royal Family isn't all that great with those." She heard something in the background and she watched him turn his face away, listening to the voices. "Alright." He looked back at her, smiling. "Famavar, Mefaalis." He disappeared and she screamed, power surging around her, dust rising up and swirling.
Fitori started, looking back at her while Pierce pulled away. Rachel ran to the door, kicking it open and rushing out. The few patrons of the diner rose, moving towards the window and staring out of them, some in awe, some in fear.
She screamed again, high and blood chilling, grief and rage mixed together. Pierce and Rachel were pushed back by her power, sliding towards Fitori, who had braced himself for such a reaction. "Sweetie, you need to calm down!" The ground shook, bits of earth and rock rising up, twirling around her collapsed form and Fitori grabbed Rachel as she stumbled. They watched as she let out another blood curdling scream, the ground beneath her sinking, a crater forming as she released her energy, her anger. "Meena!"
"Words won't do you any good," Fitori stated, raising his voice to be heard over the roar of the earth. "She's beyond anything you could say to her right now." Rachel looked up at him and Pierce steadied himself, raising his arms to shield his eyes from the whirlwind. He started towards her, taking slow steps against the raging winds.
"What do you mean?! What's wrong with her?!" Rachel screeched, ready to claw his eyes out. Fitori gazed across at the brunette he was charged with while she spent her time on this planet. He let out a breath, keeping his sight away from the golden eyed mixed female.
"Her friend was murdered. Some might say because of her." Rachel snarled at him, pulling away from his grasp. Pierce was yards ahead of her, inching closer and closer, eyes practically closed from the wind.
"Meena!" She was bowed on the ground, hands holding tightly to her head, power still surging, still surrounding her. "Meena, it's me! It's Pierce!" She was sobbing, her form racked with pain. "Meena!"
And then it all disappeared and she fell to her side. He stumbled forward, not expecting the sudden lack of resistance, tripping closer to her. Connor stood before her, gazing down at her. His ID mask was off and he didn't seem to care one bit. "I wasn't expecting that, Mefaalis. But, now it seems that your time is up." His voice was level, even. Calm. Cold. He kneeled down, picking her up in his arms and lifting her easily. Shifting her closer to him, he used one hand to pull off her ID mask. Again, Pierce was assaulted by pink as her hair tumbled to the ground. That was what set her apart from humans, the floor length pink hair and pink marks on each side of her nose. "Fitori, it's time we took our leave of this planet." Rachel stared at him and Pierce stepped forward. "Don't be stupid. Her time is up. Fair and square, down to the day." Rachel's bottom lip trembled. Connor's—or should he say Covron?— look softened slightly. "She's not going home to die, Rachel, if that's what you're thinking." Fitori rose up into the sky, pulling off his own ID mask, showing dark red hair tied back like Covron's and red marks on his cheeks.
Meena turned her face away from her brother, gazing at them blearily. She reached a slow hand out, tears still running down her cheeks. "P-Pierce…" Something changed in Covron's expression.
"Where are you going?" Pierce took another step and Covron gave him a dark look, but Pierce saw something else. Pity?
"Where you can't follow." They shot into the sky and disappeared from sight, small specks in the clouds before fading completely from their sight. He ducked his face, hands curled into fists, jaw clenched tight. Rachel tugged a hand through her hair, glowering up at the sky.
"Oy. Pierce." She stalked towards him, pulling harshly on his shoulder. He glared at her. "Don't give me that, you idiot. We're going after her."
"There's no point, Rach." She slapped him, his head whipping to the side. She snarled at him, her nails digging into his skin.
"Get with the program, Pierce!"
"Back off, Rachel!" She pulled away, sneering at him, teeth showing. "There. Is. No. Point." Her sneer disappeared and she crossed her arms.
"Fine. I'll crash the wedding myself." She turned on her heel, muttering to herself as she pulled open the door. "Ohhh Michael~!" Mike stared at her, his eyes wide. She smiled sweetly. "I'll be leaving now, taking a few vacation days. You understand, right?" He nodded dumbly. "Wonderful! I'll take pictures!" She untied her own apron, tossing it to him, humming as she skipped out of the diner. The customers watched her go in fear. "Now, let's see… I'll need a dress of-course, something fancy, high heels, definitely high heels—black, definitely black… maybe a summer dress? No, no no no, jeans, yeah, jeans and a button down—the blue one? No, the purple, definitely purple!" She grabbed Pierce by the arm, pulling him, her nails drawing blood. "And you, ohohoho, you," she was strong, he would give her that. "You're wearing a tux. I can't have you objecting in this!" She tugged off his mask, frowning down at his green and black clothes.
"I'm not going anywhere, Rac—"
"To hell you are! You're going with me to Marea and we're rescuing the Princess! I'm calling Kevin!" She fished out her cell phone, punching in a few numbers. "Levin?! I need a ride! No, your fancy ship, idiot! Damsel in distress and we're going after her! Whaddya mean 'who'? You, me, the Tennysons, Pierce, Helen and Manny!" Her face grew dark and Pierce pulled away from her, stepping back a good few feet. Her free hand clenched into a fist, her eyes narrowing. "Levin, I swear to all that is Holy, if you don't give me a ride… I'm calling my Mother." Even Pierce flinched. "Good, we're in agreement. I need to pack a few things, so, just swing by Pierce's in, oh, an hour? Great! See you then!" She turned her eyes to Pierce, giving him an oddly blank look. "You idiot. She's not sick. She's not dying. Her time limit was until she had to go home, not for her death."
"If you're so knowledgeable, Calico, what's going on?" He crossed his arms. He wouldn't let her know how angry he was, mainly at himself for not trying to get to her sooner, for not trying to stop her brother.
She grinned, showing her canines. "Fact One: I do my research. Fact Two: Matarians can use telepathy. Fact Three: Covron can use telepathy. Fact Fo—DON'T INTERUPT!—Four: Meena's getting hitched to end a war that her father started with his stubbornness. Any questions?"
"Say that again?" She rolled her eyes, striding close and grabbing his face.
"Read. My. Lips. SHE'S BEING USED AS A PAWN AND SHE'S GETTING MARRIED! ARE YOU HEARING WEDDING BELLS YET?!" He stumbled back, trying to regain hearing in his ears. "She's being used and her husband-to-be—" here she clasped her hands over her chest, fluttering her lashes, "—killed her best friend to ensure her cooperation. Now, I need to pick a dress. I suggest you tell Manny and Helen what's going on and have them pack something nice. This is to be a formal event, get it, Lover-Boy?" He glared at her, then his eyes shifted to the sky. "Aha, I see it clicking."
"The stubborn fool… Why didn't she tell us?" Rachel shrugged, turning and continuing on her way towards the town of Bellwood. "Rachel, why wouldn't she—"
"Tell you? Because she wasn't supposed to fall in-love right before her wedding. Duh. And she probably didn't want us getting hurt, or some nonsense like that. Too late now. I'm going crash this big time." He jogged after her. "You better have a tux, otherwise, we're gonna have some problems." He shot her a dirty look. "Don't give me that, I know you."
And chapter 14 is done~!