Alien Species Mentioned in this Chapter:
Necrofriggian (Big Chill's Species), Loboan (Blitzwolfer's Species), Revonnahgander (Rook's Species), Nagasapien (Ssserpent's Species), Cerebrocrustacean (Brainstorm's Species), Lenopan (Cousin Lucy's Species)
Living on a ship was… less than pleasant.
Oh, Scout loved it. He could look right out the window, see the void of space, and the view was always different. He was with his friends. He'd set paw on dozens of planets and moons whenever the ship landed. But, he was an active creature by nature and the lack of space could be frustrating at times. Patton was pretty good at keeping him calm though.
At the moment, Patton, shifted into his human form, was sitting on one of the benches in the back of the ship with Scout sprawled over his lap. The Lenopan was grinning like he was having the time of his life as he scratched the Loboan's ears. Scout still got confused, judgmental looks from Rook whenever he let Patton pet him and he had to admit that it was a bit embarrassing but by Luna Lobo, it felt so good. Not to mention it eased his need to pace.
Scout wagged his tail idly as he lazily watched Rook and Logan navigate the ship's controls. A screen blinked, informing him the group was entering the right sector but he didn't think too much of it. He was too relaxed right now to care. It didn't seem the others felt the same way though.
"Patton," Virgil spoke up, "can I ask you something? I've been curious."
"Sure thing kiddo! Fire away," Patton said with a smile. "What is it?"
"I just… You never talk about your homeworld," Virgil said. Scout felt Patton stiffen for a split second before resuming his scratching. It was probably nothing but… it felt important. Scout didn't speak up, trusting his brother to ask the questions to get the answers he needed, but he didn't let it go. He felt it, he was certain of that, and it meant something. "It's fine if you don't want to talk about it but…"
"Indeed," Logan spoke up from the passenger seat. He spun the chair around, turning to face the rest of the aliens behind him. "You were hesitant to come here at all. If there's anything we should know about Lenotelma, it's better we hear it now."
"Yeah…" Patton said, rubbing the back of his neck with his freehand. His scratches got rougher and his form slipped for a few seconds, fingers turning to mud, but Scout didn't comment on it. He let out a concerned whine and lifted his head to butt Patton softly. Patton smiled, comforted by the wordless affection, and continued. "It's not really anything bad. I just don't get along with my family anymore."
"Any reason why?" Scout asked. He wanted to sit up, sensing the atmosphere was growing more serious, but he didn't have the heart to pull away from the Lenopan. Call it his canine instincts but he could feel how much Patton needed his furry friend's presence and comforting weight on his lap.
Patton ran his fingers through Scout's fur. "You know how Lenopans and Plumbers don't get along, right? Lenopans are… Well, obviously we're a sentient species but we've evolved from sludge which makes a lot of our emotions pretty unstable so we can get pretty violent."
Scout flicked his ear and shared a doubtful look with his brother. Patton didn't have a violent bone in his body. Well, he didn't have any bones but he wasn't a violent man by nature. Out of the six, Patton was the least inclined to fight. Oh sure, he could hold his own against the best of them and he worked as hard as the rest but he didn't see the allure of combat like many of the others did. Scout never would've guessed Patton's species were naturally aggressive.
"Do you experience…" Logan trailed off.
Patton shrugged. "It's like… instinct? I have pretty good control over it though. Anyway, a lot of offworld Lenopans are criminals and they tangled with the Plumbers more than a handful of times, especially on Earth. We made peace but we don't really get along."
"Earth?" Rook echoed, a silent question hovering in the air. Everyone knew Patton's favor for a human form and his love of Earth things. Scout had a feeling they were going to get an explanation.
Patton nodded. "Long story short, my cousin married a human from a Plumber family. The wedding was on Earth and our side of the family planned on sabotaging the wedding."
"Damn," Dee spoke up, blinking. His tongue flickered. "That's… uh, not good."
Scout gave the Nagasapien a dull look to silence him but he appreciated the effort to be sympathetic. Scout didn't really have an interest in courtships himself but he knew Deceit had even less of an interest than he did. At least Deceit was paying attention so Scout supposed he deserved a few points for that.
Patton nodded, barely noticing Deceit's awkward contribution. "Yeah. All the Manns got into a fight with the Tennysons. My human cousins Ben and Gwen, my sister Lucy, and I got pulled away from the fight but… We ended up fighting for the Tennysons. Everything turned out fine- Camille and Joel got married and everyone ended up getting along- but my parents weren't exactly happy I turned against our family."
"Is your sister alright?"
"Why did you turn against your species?"
Virgil and Logan glanced at each other, having spoken at the same time.
Patton smiled stiffly. "Lucy's fine. I convinced her to stay out of the fight so technically she didn't do anything wrong. And why I fought with the Plumbers… I'm not really sure. I mean, you know I'm not really a fighter but I just… Geez, this is so hard to explain. It was a split second decision. I guess I just recognized the Manns as the problem in the situation? Camille and Joel did nothing wrong and I guess I'd gotten so fed up with my species… everything."
"Understandable," Deceit said, a faint hiss rolling of his tongue. Deceit's relationship with his species and homeworld, Scout knew it wasn't good. Probably even worse than Patton's. Scratch that. It was definitely worse. But now was about Patton and the Lenopans, not Deceit. He'd have to ask later.
"So the Tennysons gave you a recommendation after that?" Scout asked.
Patton shook his head, frowning ever so slightly. "Not quite. I went back to Lenotelma for a bit. It wasn't… Well, it wasn't awful. But, um, yeah. I didn't want to stay. I kept in contact with Ben, Gwen, and our Grandpa Max-"
"Max Tennyson?" Rook interrupted, orange eyes lighting up with interest. "Magister Tennyson is your grandfather?"
Patton smiled. "Yeah… Not by blood obviously but he's great. He's the one who suggested I apply for the Plumber Academy in the first place. And probably the reason I got in."
Scout flicked his tail absently. He'd spent nearly all waking hours with Patton for the past couple years and the Lenopan had never mentioned his human family, not even when the group learned about notable Magisters and the hero of ea- Wait.
Scout sat up, earning a few confused looks but he didn't care. "Your cousin Ben… He's Ben 10, isn't he?"
Patton nodded. Virgil nearly fell out of his seat. "Wait, what? Ben 10 is your cousin?"
Patton nodded again, looking confused again. "Haven't I mentioned it?"
The other five Plumbers shook their heads with wide eyed gazes never leaving their teammate. Patton grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. Logan sighed and put a claw to his face. "No matter. We're nearing Lenotelma. Anything we should know about the planet?"
"Oh it's great!" Patton chirped cheerfully. "There's swamp everywhere!"
Scout shivered and exchanged a glance with Rook. This wasn't going to be a pleasant experience. Hopefully it'd do Patton some good at least.
Lenotelma was… Virgil didn't know how to describe it. What to call it. It just wasn't… It wasn't Anur Transyl? He didn't know what he was expecting but he supposed he'd been expecting something familiar. He was used to jagged stone streets, impossibly dark clouds, and multitudes of citizens going about their day. There were cracks in the ground, ominous light leaking from the planet's core, and mazes of web reaching into the sky overhead. And then there was Luna Lobo. The ever present Luna Lobo. Anur Transyl wasn't his home, not really, but it was all he knew. And this… This wasn't...
He was sure Patton felt about Lenotelma the same way that he'd feel about Kylmyys. Virgil was built to live on Kylmyys and if he harbored the same feelings about Kylmyys as he did Anur Transyl or Luna Lobo, he was sure he'd never leave. An alien's homeplanet was… Well, their homeplanet. Virgil didn't know how to use words to encapsulate just how much they belonged there.
Lenotelma was covered in a dark, thick sludge akin to Patton's Sludgepuppy form. Virgil had only ever seen brown mud but this sludge was purple, though it didn't seem toxic in any way. It stretched across the land, turning it into a swampland, but it didn't look out of place. Tree-like pillars stretched out of the muck, reaching toward the sky like broken fingers. They looked to be made of the same sludge, only hardened. They reminded Virgil of stalagmites, though he'd never seen them in person. Trees, stalagmites, whatever they were, he just found them fascinating.
Rook landed the Protoship in a forest of these strange trees. The engines sent up the sludge below, temporarily created a clean place to land before slipping back and drowning the bottom of the ship in its mass. Rook's face was tight with borderline disgust, clearly unhappy about getting his ship dirty, which got a laugh out of Dee. Rook ignored him and glanced at Patton. "Where are we? Should we move closer?"
Patton shook his head. "These are the outskirts. We're a bit far from the city but any closer and we might get chased off."
The word city caught Virgil's attention. "City? So you don't just live…"
Virgil gestured vaguely out the window. Patton laughed with genuine amusement. "Of course not! Well, I did for a bit. Actually… Well, it's complicated. But no, we don't live in the swamps. Some do for short periods of time but they usually stick closer to the city. This is kind of… um… What would you call it? Wilderness? Yeah, wilderness. I know Sludges kind of had a bad rep as being half evolved but we're civilized."
Virgil's wingtips burned with cold embarrassment. "Oh, um, sorry. I wasn't trying to imply that…"
Patton just laughed in the way he always did and smiled brightly. "I know. Oh, you'll love it! Well, maybe not Scout or Rook… I don't know how fur reacts to muck… But I'm sure the rest of you will like it! It's so pretty!"
Dee made a snake-like purr of fondness and slithered down toward the back of the ship. "You can tell us about it on the way. If we're as far as you said, we should get walking if we're going to get to the city by… Does Lenotelma even have night?"
Patton nodded and followed after Dee, using his human hands to do what the Nagasapien and open the ship's hatch. "We're really far from the sun though? We have to be or we'll dry out."
"The Matope System has three suns," Rook reminded as he tapped at the Protoship's controls before turning away and following the others to the hatch. "Almost all the planets are covered in sludge but the inner planets are dried out into deserts while the outer planets can afford to be wetter."
"Oh I remember reading about that," Scout spoke up. "I remember how annoying it was to calculate the orbits of the outer planets and all the stuff with the seasons. Seemed pretty useless when we were in class but I guess it's coming in handy."
"Seasons are weird. Glad we don't have them back home," Virgil commented as the hatch opened. And he immediately wanted to close it. Or maybe not. He wasn't sure.
Conversation was forgotten as a rank odor slammed into them. Deceit and Rook physically recoiled while Scout was practically floored. Logan and Virgil, not having particularly sensitive senses, didn't react nearly as strongly but Virgil's face still wrinkled and Logan seemed displeased. Patton, on the other hand, seemed beyond thrilled to be slammed with the wave of stink.
Patton melted out of his human form and practically dived into the sludge below. Virgil felt a flash of panic in his chest as Patton disappeared into the pool like a liquid only for him to resurface a heartbeat later with a happy whoop. "By Matope's suns! I missed this!"
Momentarily distracted, a fond smile slipped onto Virgil's face. He'd always been under the impression Patton hated his homeworld. He shifted into human form, he never spoke of Lenopan culture, his verbal tics contained nothing uniquely Lenopan… Virgil was sure he'd learn why soon enough but for now he was happy seeing Patton happy.
Virgil glanced back at the aliens behind him and saw that Dee, Rook, and Scout had retrieved filter masks. Rook held up a pair to Logan and Virgil in offering but the two shook their heads. The smell was bad but not horrible, at least for them. Virgil wasn't sure what Cerebrocrustacean noses were sensitive to but he knew his own nose was designed to find colony members and food in space, not take in his surroundings on a planet. The scent was becoming more and more tolerable. He still had to step into it though.
The muck was cool to the touch yet oddly warm at the same time. Being a Nectrofriggian, Virgil knew he couldn't feel the temperature like the others. He could mostly just feel the thick texture and damp quality to it. He pulled his wings in tight, making sure to hold them above the sludge. He didn't want them dragging. That'd be a pain to clean. He was sure they'd all be caked with mud by the end of this trip but for now he was still holding onto hope.
Everyone, of course, wore Plumber issued armor. Deceit, Patton, and Virgil had to wear armor uniquely designed for their species' forms and abilities while Scout and Logan wore the traditional white armor and Rook wore Proto-Tech armor. With the exception of Patton and Rook, everyone's feet were exposed. It had a purpose but right now it seemed like a real big design flaw. Virgil sensed a long walk ahead of them. This wasn't going to be fun.
Dee eyed the ground with caution as he slithered out of the hull and into the swamp. His tongue flickered with displeasure but he was a stoic snake and a serious Plumber and no self-respecting Plumber would let some icky terrain stop him. Logan, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as tall as the Nagasapien and sank the moment he stepped off the ship, getting practically submerged in the stuff. Taking pity on him, Scout neatly plucked him out of the sludge with ease and placed him on his back.
"Thank you," Logan said before turning his gaze on the horizon. "Now shall we?"
Lenotelma was everything Patton remembered and more.
The swamps were a Sludgepuppy's natural habitat. Patton couldn't believe he forgot how easily he could travel through the mud in his Sludge form. Lenopans were birthed from the planet and nothing could change that. He was one with the swamp. Liquid form merging into its silt, Patton shot through the swamps like a fish through water. He left his friends behind but he hardly noticed. He was just so happy. He was home, reconnected with everything that defined his planet.
His body was just an extension of his home and they were together again. It just felt… right. Like he was whole again. No longer something small and alone, no longer galaxies away from his home, no longer disconnected from everything that made him what he was. He was part of something larger. He could feel so much. Every inch of the swamp, every dried crag jutting out of the pool, every Lenopan in the muck, Patton could feel all of it. He hadn't felt like this in so long. Years had passed since he sent foot on his homeworld and now he remembered exactly what he was missing.
Rushing through the swamp, Patton's form hurried in the direction of the city. There was a Sludge he needed to see. He could feel her lingering at the edge of the city, attention pricked. She could feel him too, probably even better than he could feel her. Lenopans were sensitive creatures. The sludge was their domain. It connected them but Patton was rejoining that link for the first time in years. He was having a hard time adjusting to being part of that again but his sister wasn't hindered by that same problem.
"Patton!"
"Lucy!"
They met halfway. Or maybe they didn't, Patton was never good at judging distance. Point was his sister knew he was here and rushed to see him. Patton knew he shouldn't be surprised but he was. His body emerged from the mud, his true form appearing in all its dripping glory, as Lucy pulled him into a tight hug. Their bodies pressed against each other, sludge rubbing off, but it was clear who was who. They just knew. This was his sister. He hadn't seen her in so long and he could hardly believe that his senses were telling him she was right next to him.
Lucy shifted into her human form and Patton felt something inside him dip in disappointment. He hated his Lenopan body but for some reason, he didn't today. He was happy. He had so many emotions that the surface of his skin was bubbling like boiling water. He was happy. His wide mouth just couldn't drop its dopey grin. He was just so happy. He was with his family again.
Lucy smiled up at him in that childish manner that was somehow just so real. She was a little sister looking up at her big brother whom she'd missed. Happy tears brimmed her round eyes as she offered her hands. Patton took them in a heartbeat, almost subconsciously. His mind was blank, solely focused on taking in the sight of her, but her touch ground him. Her solid hands on his liquid ones, they made everything real.
"Patton," a voice said from behind him. With a jerk, Patton looked over his shoulder to see Scout, Virgil, Rook, Deceit, and Logan approaching. It was Logan who'd spoken. Using his powers, he picked himself off Scout's back and dropped down into the sludge. His crabby legs were far too short for him to really move properly but he walked to Patton's side with ease and put a claw on his side.
Patton looked back to Lucy and with a fresh mind, he'd realized how much she'd changed. She'd grown. Her natural form, of course, had changed but her human form had grown with her. That wasn't what was most jarring though. The high of reunion had worn off and Patton could feel her spirit through the sludge. In his absence, she'd grown as an individual in a way Patton couldn't express with words. But, he did know one thing: Lucy wasn't his baby sister anymore and he wasn't her ever-present big brother.
Patton let his body return to his human form and the two smiled at each other with solid faces. His senses were still as sensitive as ever but he just felt different. This was who he was and now he was looking at who Lucy was. Since that day on Earth, they'd changed. She'd grown up without him and she'd become someone worthy of his pride. And he'd become someone worthy of hers. They'd become new people and they'd done so apart.
Still, what they had could never be broken.
"I missed you," he whispered, eyes watering behind his glasses.
"I missed you too," she responded quietly, pulling a hand away to wipe her eyes. Patton took the chance to do the same with his newly freed hand, jostling his glasses with the back of his wrist.
He cleared his throat and looked to his friends, his old smile returning to him. "Sorry about that. I had a moment."
"Understandable, especially considering you just explained your species' primeval nature and your relationship with emotions. Your avidity at contact with your homeworld and ardor at the sight of your sibling is to be expected," Logan responded, retracting his claw now that Patton was clearly back to himself.
"You lost yourself for a minute there, pal," Scout said in a light but slightly concerned tone. "You good?"
"Yeah," Patton said with a nod. And he meant it. He looked at Logan and gestured vaguely. "Like Logan said, emotional disconnect stuff happened for a sec there. Uh, anyway, this is my sister Lucy!"
"Nice to meet you Ms. Mann," Rook said, dipping his head respectfully. "We've heard good things about you."
"Formal much?" Deceit said with a roll of his eyes. He boxed Rook in the shoulder softly and flicked his forked tongue at Lucy. "Sup?"
Lucy blinked at the two for a minute before looking back to her brother. "So these are your friends?"
"Yeah! That's Rook, he's from Revonnah, great guy but kinda weird sometimes; that right there is Dee, also a great guy but very scary sometimes; this is Virgil, he's my son-"
"What?"
"-and that's Scout, his brother and therefore also my son-"
"I never agreed to that."
"-and he's also my dog friend-"
"What?"
"These introductions are becoming quite strange," Logan interrupted. He offered a claw to Lucy. "I believe the two of you are familiar with Earth greetings. This is a handshake. My name is Logan."
Lucy accepted his handshake. "It's so nice to meet you nice to meet you all! I hope Patton hasn't been causing any problems."
"Patton is the least likely of the group to cause problems," Rook said matter-of-factly.
Deceit shouldered him. "She knows that, that's not what she meant. That's just something people say. But he's right, Lucy. Your brother's great."
Lucy smiled and folded her hands, rocking on her feet slightly. "I'm glad to hear that. I was so worried about him becoming a Plumber. You know Sludgepuppies don't have a very good relationship with Plumbers and cadets aren't really allowed to call much."
"None of our species have a very good thing going with the Plumbers," Dee told her. "That's why we all got lumped together. Gave us something to bond over."
"I'd like to point out that Sludges and Nagas are notoriously known as criminals throughout the known universe," Logan stated. "Your situation is far worse than-"
"Our system literally does not let any foreigners inside and hate Plumbers," Scout pointed out.
"Nevermind, I stand corrected. Point is-"
"Just stop, Logan. I really don't think this is a necessary conversation," Virgil sighed, putting his face in the palm of one hand. "I don't think you're even going anywhere with this."
Lucy burst into giggles and elbowed her brothers. "Are they always like this?"
Patton's expression softened as he fondly smiled at the group. "Yeah. Yeah, they are. And I wouldn't change it for the universe."
"So what are you doing here?" Lucy asked eagerly. She paused briefly. "I hope it's not to see Mom and Dad. I don't know how… y'know, I don't know how nice they'd be."
"I'm not here to see them," Patton replied and even he wasn't sure if he was lying or not. "We just graduated so the Plumbers are letting all the new agents take a year to revisit their home planets and get used to being offworld. I was hoping to talk to the Mother Sludge and see if we could extend some kind of olive branch. And I wanted to see you. Obviously."
"Obviously." Lucy smirked good naturedly. That was his sister alright.
"Perhaps we could go visit this Mother Sludge while you spend some time with your sister," Rook suggested. "It seems you two have much to speak about."
"Oh. No. No, I should probably be the one to talk to her," Patton responded, feeling oddly anxious all of a sudden. "The Lenopans- Well, they're not exactly opposed to having foreigners on-world but I don't think they'd really like it if a non-Sludge went below the surface."
"There's more below the surface?" Deceit sounded interested. Patton always loved to indulge the Nagasapien but unfortunately today, he could not.
"Lucy, can you show them around while I'm gone?" Patton asked before glancing back at Deceit. "Maybe she'll show you something you'll like. Promise I won't be gone long."
"I've got you covered, Pat!" Lucy responded cheerfully, muddy form melding into the sludge around them. She beckoned the group after her. "Come on! We're not far from the launch hub. I know you'll like that!"
"Launch hub?" Logan and Rook echoed, intrigued, and began trailing after her. Scout and Virgil exchanged a glance before doing the same.
"Whatever," Deceit replied, crossing his arms as he lingered for a moment longer. He flicked his tongue and snaked over to his Lenopan teammate. Leaning in close, he whispered, "Be careful, Patton. I don't know how things are on Lenotelma but on Nagatria, the underground is bad news."
"I'll be careful," Patton promised him. "I'm a Plumber too, Dee."
"I know," Deceit sighed before slithering after the rest of the group, leaving Patton to his own devices.
Despite his companion's clear displeasure, Deceit was actually kind of liking this planet. The sludge was a bit uncomfortable but his serpentine form could slice through it pretty easily so he didn't have the same problem traveling as the rest of his friends. The stench wasn't that bad with a mask on. The warmth from the three suns was pretty nice as well, even if the suns were farther than he was used to. The sunlight rarely poked through the thick clouds but it was nice when it did.
It was the Lenopans' mark on the planet that he found interesting.
Scout, Virgil, and Rook had the same gobsmacked look on their faces when Lucy led them to the launch hub. They stood on a cliffside a fair distance from the site but all the aircrafts were still visible and the roars of their engines were still audible. They existed in organized disarray, dozens of ships constantly landing and taking off into the sky at every given moment. It reminded Dee a bit of Nagatria or Khoros, or even the Plumber Academy. Any planet with interplanetary connections had one of these hubs and they were stunning.
Dee knew Rook was a car buff but he didn't have the experience the Nagasapien had. Deceit had spent most of his life on planets with a big interplanetary car scene. He loved the stuff and had seen hundreds, if not thousands, of ships and could recognize even more but he'd never been to this corner of the galaxy before. A snake's eyes weren't particularly sharp so he couldn't tell what kinds of rides these were from this far away but he knew there were some powerful vessels out there. Rook, on the other hand, had never seen anything like this. This had to be exciting for him.
He kind of wanted to get closer but he doubted these crafts were all… uh, of the legal variety. Not that he cared much but Rook, as much as he loved cars, could be kind of a stick in the mud and they did have a civilian with them. He didn't particularly want to get in a fight or endanger his friend's sister at the moment.
"We should have landed here," Virgil grumbled. He shook his wings, as if for emphasis. A bit of muck splattered the ground around them. "Then we wouldn't have to walk through all this mud."
"You probably need permits or something," Scout commented, "and it's not like we want a bunch of aliens' grubby paws all over our ship or anything."
"You say grubby paws like you don't have grubby paws," Virgil snorted. Scout slapped him with his tail, splattering his brother with a face full of sludge. Virgil yelped and tried to block it but he was too slow. "Scout, you jerk!"
"It is quite fascinating seeing such a diverse sample of beings converging with little outside control to keep the peace," Logan noted, snapping his claws thoughtfully. "I'd expect there to be more fighting."
"They know they can't beat Sludges on our home turf," Lucy responded with a smile, "and they don't want to miss out on what Lenotelma has to offer."
Criminal opportunities, went unsaid. They all knew it but couldn't say it because then they'd have to deal with it. It was their job but six Plumbers was too few to really make any kind of dent in generations of criminal activity on a planet that thrived from it. That was okay though, probably. As long as they could keep their heads down, maybe they'd learn something or gain some valuable experience. At the very least, they could enjoy the beauty of it.
"I think that's a Starliner with Galvanic Mechamorph upgrades," Deceit spoke up, trying to shift the conversation. "Interesting mods."
"I think that is actually a Starskipper," Rook corrected, voice taking a competitive but amused tone to it, "but you are right about the Galvanic Mechamorph modifications."
Deceit punched him in the shoulder with the snout of one of his hands. "Stupid Revonnahgander eyes."
"Sharp Revonnahgander eyes."
"Stupid fourth-level intellects," Logan scoffed. The plates on his head raised slightly, exposing his brain and revealing the storm inside. "Your puny eyes can't even begin to understand what kind of vehicles are out there. I sense a Takion 930's engine out there. Truly a work of art."
"We should probably get moving or they'll do this all day," Scout said, putting a hand on Lucy's shoulder to lead her away from the trio. "What kind of grub you got here?"
Patton was a bit surprised the others let him leave alone. He felt like it was pretty obvious he wasn't visiting the Mother Sludge. At least not right away. His belly prickled with guilt as he slunk into the residential district. He'd taken advantage of his friends' trust but this was his business anyway. He didn't have to involve them.
The other Lenopeans, of course, sensed his approach. A few stuck their heads out of their homes. One or two called friendly greetings, saying how it's been so long since they've seen each other. Patton returned the pleasantries. It was nice to know his family drama hadn't affected his neighbors.
His parents were not any of the Lenopans who came out. It hurt, a bit, even though Patton knew it shouldn't. He didn't expect them to. He'd be more surprised if they did. Still, they were his parents and some deep, foolish part of Patton craved their acknowledgement.
He stuck to his Sludge form and slithered down the street up to his old family dwelling. The buildings were made of that same sun-dried mud poking out of the marsh across the planet, plenty solid enough to knock on if he needed but that wasn't Lenopan custom. Patton's parents knew he was there and were actively ignoring him.
Patton crossed his arms and waited. He didn't have all the time in the world but he could act like it. If his parents wanted him to leave, they'd have to come out and tell him themselves. He hoped that wasn't the case but Patton wasn't feeling terribly optimistic today.
Eventually, they came to the door.
"Patton," his father greeted gruffly, oozing through the opening. Patton's mother wasn't far behind. "We weren't expecting you."
"Yeah, well, it's not like you'd answer my calls if you had the right equipment," Patton responded coolly. He winced. He wasn't here to antagonize his parents. He tried again. "It's good to see you."
"Can't say the same."
"Now, now, dear. At least be amicable," Patton's mother chided her husband before turning to Patton. "I trust you've seen your sister already?"
Patton nodded. "She's with my friends now."
The pair now looked legitimately concerned, showing true emotion for the first time since Patton's arrival. "You left her alone with strangers?"
"Not strangers. My team. I trust them," Patton told them. He wished he had human hands to play with right now. Nervousness didn't transfer to a Lenopan body very well. "And besides, this is Lenotelma. If anything happened, she knows how to take care of herself."
His words didn't seem to appease his parents but it satisfied them enough. "What are you doing here, Patton?"
Patton thought for a moment. What was he doing here? He hadn't told his friends. He hadn't told Lucy. He didn't have any material things he needed to pick up. His parents were in no way connected to any level of Lenotelma's government so Plumber business didn't concern them. There was no logical reason for Patton to be here. But, logic was more up Logan's alley. Patton was the feelings guy.
"Closure," Patton said finally, watching his parents' expressions shift. "I know you don't- I know you don't want me in your lives. I just wanted to see you one last time, I guess, or hear why before I leave this place."
"Oh, Patton," his mother murmured, "we don't want you out of our lives."
Patton's heart did things he didn't want it to. He tried to remember his training. Manipulation was something covered in the Plumber Academy and Patton knew how to recognize it. He inhaled deeply and shook his head. "I don't want you in my life. At least not right now. You- You- I was a kid. And you threw me out. You didn't let the neighbors help me! You didn't let anyone help me! I had to rely on my cousins' in-laws to get anything!"
"Patton-"
Patton shook his head. He came here to listen but now, he was realizing that was the last thing he wanted to do. It wouldn't be good for him to hear his parents' excuses. It would fill him with doubt, make him come rushing back. No, he needed some time away. "I'm going to talk to the Mother Sludge about Plumber stuff. Maybe sometime I'll be back but not for awhile. Take good care of Lucy for me, okay?"
Patton's parents seemed to realize their son wasn't going to listen. Silently, they nodded and Patton slipped back into the sludge and slithered away with a satisfied feeling in his heart.
Logan loved Lenotelma's food.
His friends, however, did not.
Logan happily slurped on his mush of insects, plants, and raw nutrients. Lucy absorbed it directly into her system which Logan thought was a bit of a waste. Could you even really enjoy it that way? It seemed to eliminate what made food good. Though judging by the way Scout and Deceit gagged as they tried licking the substance off their plates, maybe absorption was an effective method of consumption.
At least Rook and Virgil seemed to be faring better. Virgil's species didn't eat solid food much so Logan doubted his taste buds were all that advanced. And after spending so long eating cafeteria food, Virgil had gained the ability to stomach a lot more than he was used to. The same went for Rook, most planets not having any food native to his homeworld and all. Neither of them seemed to be enjoying it much though.
"You don't have to eat it if you don't like it," Lucy told them, raising an eyebrow. Immediately, the four slumped over in relief and pushed their plates away from them.
"Thank Luna Lobo!"
"Brallada, I did not know how much more I could swallow."
"I've eaten sand that takes better than this."
"How do you eat this stuff? The texture is so weird!"
Lucy giggled, not seeming offended in the slightest. Logan raised his skull plates slightly, letting enough electricity escape to pull his friends' plates over to him. If they weren't going to enjoy their food, he certainly would!
The Mother Sludge sat deep in the core of the planet. It was a long journey but at least Patton didn't have to trek through the tunnels and caves. A Lenopan could just liquify and slip through the planet's various layers until they arrived at Lenotelma's innermost cavern. It still took some time though and only the most durable Lenopans could make it but for many, the dive was worth it to speak with the species' great leader.
Patton had only actually been here once but he'd been very young so he didn't remember it all that clearly. Even so, he knew everything he needed to. It was one of the first things young Sludgepuppies learned in school and it was a lesson repeated until they graduated. The Mother Sludge was the heart of the Lenopan's world, culture, and species. She was a collection of the best Sludges of history, a fusion of hundreds of Lenopans. She was one being with wisdom beyond anything a single-minded Lenopan could imagine. Even when one or two, even three, Sludgepuppies fused, their minds remained separate no matter how synced their bodies were. The Mother Sludge wasn't like that. She was a full assimilation and collection of all her parts' essence and will.
She was also very big.
Patton's hands began dripping as he meshed them together nervously. He shifted into his human form in an effort to keep himself from falling apart. Maybe it was the wrong move but this was the Mother Sludge. She was powerful, she would know he was a Lenopan. He approached slowly, intimidated by the Mother Sludge's towering form and the rich soil in her skin. She looked just as he remembered. Villainous and intimidating, almost, yet familiar. One of them, part of the world. Not evil, not an enemy, but not quite a friend.
"What brings you to the heart of Lenotelma?" the Mother Sludge rumbled, rearing up to get her body in order before her head snaked down, coming to eye level with Patton. Her head was massive, even just her eye dwarfing Patton.
"You know who I am." It was a statement, not a question. Patton didn't want to seem weak right now, despite the fact his legs felt like jelly right now. "I'm the Lenopan who became a Plumber."
"Yes," the Mother Sludge hissed but it didn't sound angry. It just sounded like the word took a long time to reach her mouth. She pulled her head back, eyes narrowing. "You caused me a lot of trouble, young Sludge. You wouldn't believe all the complaints I got."
"Mostly from criminals, right?" Patton asked. The Mother Sludge didn't respond so he assumed that was an affirmative. "I can't imagine you like what Lenotelma has become. Half our species is always offworld, leaving your reach, and doing all kinds of terrible things. And then they bring lowlives back here, taking up the space meant for your children."
The Mother Sludge seemed to recognize that Patton was trying to appeal to her desires but she didn't comment on it. Everything he'd said was true so far. "Our race is a proud one… But many of our people are dishonorable. I doubt there are any in this generation worthy of joining my consciousness."
"The Plumbers can help. I've talked to them. They're open to talking with you and some kind of plan to clean up Lenotelma's criminal activity. If you negotiate right, they'd probably let you oversee it," Patton told her. "They know they can't imprison Lenopans and most of their punishment methods wouldn't work. They'd just be an armed force on the surface helping to exercise your will. Round up the worst of them and improve the lives of everyone else."
"I don't like the idea of Plumbers on my planet," the Mother Sludge admitted, "but you have a point. Tell your Plumber leaders I am willing to speak with them but it must be on my terms."
Patton broke into a smile. He knew the Mother Sludge was wise but he thought he'd have to argue at least a little bit! This was more than he could've hoped for. But, it seemed the Mother Sludge was not finished.
"However, you and your friends can't stay," the Mother Sludge rumbled. Patton's face dropped. "Your presence is unsettling the natives."
"I understand. Their comfort is your priority. I don't want to impose," Patton responded, trying to keep an upbeat tone but unable to keep all of the hurt from straining his voice. "But may I ask one more thing?"
"What is it?"
"My sister if she ever comes here asking if she can attend the Plumber Academy…"
The Mother Sludge let out a throaty growl, contemplating his words. "I know of your family's struggles, Patton Mann. I do not like the idea of sending another of my children offworld but I believe your sister would be better at the Plumber Academy than with your parents."
Once again, Patton broke into a smile. "Thank you. Thank you so much."
The Mother Sludge snorted, looking amused. "Do not think me cruel, youngling. I may be ancient but I exist to love and serve people of Lenotelma. I only want what's best for them, and that includes you and your sister."
"How did your meeting go?" Rook asked as Patton returned to the ship. The rest of the group sitting on the ledge of the cargo bay, the Proto-ship's doors open. They'd be living in Lenotelma's stretch for weeks but the weather was nice and Rook thought the chance to relax properly was worth it.
Patton smiled but it looked a bit forced. "It went fine. The Mother Sludge is open to talking with the Plumbers. Just talking, no plans yet. I didn't want to ask for too much. But she said we had to leave."
"Oh no." Lucy looked a bit upset, hopping off her seat to take her brother's hand. "You just got here."
"I wasn't expecting for us to stay long," Patton told her, "but I promise I'll stay in contact with you. I actually asked the Mother Sludge to let you leave if you wanted to apply for the Plumber Academy. She agreed."
Lucy broke into a smile and threw her arms around her brother. "Thank you!"
Patton's hidden sorrow faded as he broke into a genuine grin and swung his sister around, laughing. Briefly, Rook thought of his own sister. He was sure Shar would love to attend the Plumber Academy. Maybe the two would attend together. Brallada, he hadn't seen her in so long.
"Should we get going?" Scout asked, claws making a noise against the metal of the Protoship as he got up. "This Mother Sludge lady sounds scary. Don't want to piss her off."
Patton regretfully let go of his sister and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, we should probably get going."
Patton and Lucy embraced once more, saying their goodbyes, and everyone clambered back into the Protoship, taking their usual spots. Rook took the pilot's seat. Logan took the copilot's seat. Patton and Virgil took a seat on either row of the space behind them. Scout plopped down on the floor between them. Dee coiled up in the free space in the back. They fit together so well yet there was still a heavy weight thrown over them, their spirit dampened by the sadness of one.
"Are you okay, Patton?" Rook asked as they pulled out of Lentotelma's orbit. He adjusted one of the mirrors in the front so he could see Patton's face.
Patton looked up at him, eyes a bit glossy behind his glasses but still smiling as brightly as ever. "No but I think I will be."
Satisfied, Rook turned his attention back to the flight and the Protoship took off for their next destination.
Author's Note: This chapter was edited a few months after I originally wrote it and pretty much all of the second half was written then so apologies if any transitions are awkward.
By the way, I am posting more Ben 10 stuff now. On Ao3, I have a collection of Ben 10 incorrect quotes called When Everything Goes Wrong: Ben 10 Edition. The incorrect quotes are being crossposted to my tumblr entity9silvergen. Status updates for new fics, both posted and unposted, are being posted on by secondary tumblr, entityupdates. I recently pumped out a 55K word Ben 10 fic in about 2 weeks so once I edit that, it's getting posted. Both tumblr accounts have some teasers. I'm also currently posting a Ben 10/ Kid Cosmic/ Green Lantern crossover both on here and Ao3. It's called I Used To Dream, I Used To Fly so check it out if you're interested.