"You are not very good at drawing. Or writing for that matter."
Tetrax tried not to let his expression sour as he continued his work marking up the wall on the outside of Wat-Sen's mountains. When he decided to train the Omnitrix bearer, he did not expect to get nitpicked by his sister so much but it felt like she'd taken even more of an interest in badgering him than anyone had taken in Blonko's training. He tried not to let it bother him.
"I'm not an artist," Tetrax replied as he etched the curve of a Revonnan character into the wall. Their language didn't come easy to him but he thought he'd been doing alright until Shar started teasing him. "And this isn't meant to look pretty. It's meant to be informative."
"Like your ransom letter," she commented dryly. Tetrax turned to look at her but she didn't look angry so he figured it was fine. "What were those drawings for anyway? They were terrible."
"Forgive me for being considerate and saving you some travel time." Tetrax leaned over, digging his sharpened finger into the stone a little harder than necessary. "You guys don't know what these aliens are called. I thought drawing their icons was a pretty good idea."
"It is," she conceded, eyeing the engravings. "Hopefully these will help my brother branch out."
"What will help me branch out?" Blonko asked, coming over with Wat-Sen trailing close behind.
"Tetrax's new drawings," Shar told him, not even glancing in his direction. "You have had the Omnitrix forever and you only use Tidetail Wave and XLR8! You do not turn into Antigravitesla and I have not even seen Archfiend or Terrorsaur."
"It has not been forever. It has only been a month."
"Months are really long on Revonnah compared to other planets," Tetrax commented.
"You are not helping, Tetrax."
"But maybe seeing all your aliens at once and having someone to describe their powers will help you," Shar continued and Tetrax felt a flash of gratitude for her presence. Blonko didn't mind transforming but he was having a hard time getting him to transform into new ones. As Shar had said, he didn't even like turning into Terrorsaur or Archfiend and it took a lot of convincing to get him to turn into Antigravitesla.
"It is helpful to see all the forms at once," Blonko conceded, eyes skimming over the drawings with a hunger for understanding. Tetrax had been disappointed to learn that Blonko only had access to ten aliens, rather than the library of thousands that the legends had promised, but right now he was grateful. As eager as Blonko was to learn about alien life, that eagerness had been slightly subdued when it came to certain aliens. Tetrax wasn't quite sure why and he never asked but it was probably a good thing the young Revonnahgander only had ten aliens to choose from. Plus, that made it easier to focus on mastering them.
"Do you recognize any of them?" Tetrax asked Wat-Sen, thinking it may be best to keep the olive branch stretched out when Blonko's training was involved. Tetrax may be the stronger and more experienced alien but Blonko had come to Wat-Sen first and Tetrax didn't want to intrude. Besides, he was a Plumber. He probably had a plethora of knowledge about various species on a level that Tetrax did not.
"I was happy to see a Tetramand. Not very surprised though," Wat-Sen responded, almost predictably. Tetrax didn't know if it was because Tetramands were just very well known species or if his drawings were just so bad that the four arms was the only thing that made any of them decipherable. He knew it was probably the former but Shar was making Tetrax self-conscious of his drawing skills. Maybe he'd practice later. "They're powerful but I imagine their abilities would be easy to control. Good for someone just learning how to wield the Omnitrix."
"Which one is a Tetramand?" Blonko asked. Tetrax pointed it out for him on the list. Rook's hand went to the Omnitrix subconsciously, running over the buttons and dials as if he wanted to queue the alien up right now to compare.
"Why is its name Tetramand?" Shar asked and Tetrax mentally prepared himself for the coming onslaught of questions.
"I think the word Tetramand just means four arms," Tetrax explained. He put a finger on the drawing's extremities. "See, look. The four arms are what the species is most known for."
"Other than their military history," Wat-Sen added helpfully.
"Right. Other than their military history."
"What are the names of the aliens I already have used?" Blonko asked. Tetrax gave him a slight nod of approval. It was a good question.
"I've already told you Tidetail Wave is a Delphinus, or dolphin as the people of Earth call it," Wat-Sen told him, running his fingers through his beard, "but I'm not sure about the others. I've never seen anything like them."
"Their homeworlds are pretty far from here, towards the edges of their galaxy I think," Tetrax explained, not blaming the old magister for not recognizing them. "I haven't seen them all in person myself. I already told you that Terrorsaurs are sometimes caught and used in prisons but I saw one once at an exotic pet auction and learned quite a bit about them. They're called Phantasians, or hallucinatory pterodactyl birds more colloquially."
Blonko looked a bit disturbed at the mention of the Phantasians' mistreatment. It surprised Tetrax somewhat. He was under the impression that Blonko didn't like Terrorsaur much. But, he supposed, there was a difference between displeasure at being something and displeasure at the knowledge that a being he's been is frequently harmed. Tetrax could understand that. If a Petrosapien was being captured and used like that… Actually, he did know what that felt like. He'd heard rumors of the conditions Petrosapien performers on Appoplexia endured when a bad Appoplexian got their paws on them. He knew the feeling one felt when something despicable happened to one's own.
"What is a pterodactyl?" Shar asked. Tetrax wanted to roll his eyes. Shar, as fond as he was of her, seemed obsessed with asking the stupid questions. He opened his mouth to tell her so before realizing he didn't actually know what a pterodactyl was.
"It's an Earth dinosaur," Wat-Sen told her with elderly patience.
"What is an Earth dinosaur?" Blonko and Shar asked in unison.
"They're old, dead lizards."
"Terrorsaur is not a lizard. He is a bird."
"Just because it's can fly doesn't mean it's-" Wat-Sen cut himself off and took a deep breath, recentering himself, and pointed at Tetrax's drawing of XLR8. "This is a Kineceleran. They're very fast."
"We know that," Shar responded. She pointed at Antigravitesla. "What is this one?"
"Volvitras," Tetrax told them. "They have the ability to manipulate gravitational fields. Not quite like the Galilean- they actually live on old Galileans that get big enough- but it's similar. Oh, and they can tap into electrical fields as well."
Blonko frowned. "I do not think it is electrical fields that Antigravitesla is tapping into. It is like… an internal power. Perhaps he generates his own electricity?"
Blonko shot Tetrax a questioning look but the Peterosapien could only shrug. "I've never met one. You could be right."
"And what about Archfiend?"
"I think they're called Pantophages. Maybe Engikobo or just hellfire demons but that might be something else. I've never actually seen one but I knew a guy who fought one. Real nasty burns on that guy. Phantophages have the ability to summon hellfire. That's, uh, different from regular fire. It takes a lot of control to use but, um, I heard that hellfire comes from another realm where it never stops burning. And there's, uh, a spiritual aspect to it, I think."
"That sounds terrifying," Blonko said. He looked concerned. "When I turned into Archfiend, I had very little control. What if I burn someone?"
"Burning is taboo in Revonnan culture," Wat-Sen whispered to Tetrax and the bounty hunter suddenly understood Blonko's hesitance to use the demonic form. "It's considered extremely cruel to burn another. In some villages, brandings are the highest form of punishment. They let everyone know what you did. Anyone with a burn gets shunned. Unless, of course, they were burned in an accident but even then, any Revonnahgander with a burn on their fur has almost no chance of attracting a mate."
Tetrax nodded and tried to muster his most comforting smile. "Well, lucky for you Petrosapiens can't burn. And I think the way I control my crystals is a bit similar to how Methanosian control their fire and vines. I'm sure that'll somehow transfer to Archfiend. And besides, Archfiend wasn't who I wanted to focus on today."
"Are you not going to tell us about the other aliens?" Blonko asked and Tetrax shook his head.
"Another time," he promised. "I'll start telling you about them when you start practicing with them. Today, I want you to try out the Segmentasapien."
"Segmentasapien?" Wat-Sen echoed as Tetrax tapped the drawing of the aforementioned alien. He leaned over, peering at it a bit closer with his beady eyes. "I've heard of 'em but I didn't know that's what they look like."
"What does a Segmentasapien do?" Blonko asked, sounding curious but cautious. As he should. Tetrax was glad he didn't have to teach the boy the risks and dangers of utilizing these aliens' powers like he would with another child.
"They have the power to build," Wat-Sen explained. He glanced at Tetrax. "It's a bit like a Petrosapien's ability."
Tetrax nodded in confirmation. "A Segmentasapien can shapeshift, like I can, but it's much more versatile. It's constructs break a lot easier than peranite but a Segmentasapien has incredible healing ability and can generate new pieces near infinitely."
Blonko's eyes widened in awe. He dialed up his Segmentasapien form and held up his wrist, eyes flickering between the icon on his watch and the drawing Tetrax had made on the mountain wall. "It sounds like an amazing alien."
"Transform into it and I'll show you how to make constructs," Tetrax instructed, excitement bubbling up inside him. He didn't try to quash it. To his delight, Blonko didn't respond with his usual resistance and slammed his hand down on the Omnitrix.
"Bloxx!"
Shar had to admit, after awhile, watching Blonko train could get a bit boring but it looked like he was having fun at least. With no gruesome appearance, fire, wildly uncontrollable powers, or language barrier, Bloxx had a chance to shine.
He could stretch his arms, allowing Bloxx to walk around with the view of a bird; he could meld into fun new shapes and forms, bringing a grin to his face as fluid sensations filled his body; and he could build colorful towers, perfect for climbing and swinging on. Shar hadn't seen her brother enjoy himself like this since he was a child. By the time he timed out, Blonko was smiling more than Shar had ever seen him. And that included all the times he'd thought he was alone with Rayona.
"The constructs do not disappear?" Blonko asked, running his hand over the organosilicon structure.
"For Petrosapiens, it depends on the intention. If you want them to stay, they'll stay. If you don't, they won't," Tetrax explained. "But, it's a good thing they stayed. When the Omnitrix recharges, turn into Antigravitesla. We can practice your control on the blocks you made."
Shar clapped lightly from where she sat at the edge of the clearing. Antigravitesla was her favorite of all Blonko's transformations! Not only was he the first one she saw, he was, in her opinion, the most powerful and most useful. Plus, it could be kind of funny to see her brother send himself flying. She understood why Blonko did not though.
"Antigravitesla!"
The tall alien stood before them, hands on his hips and a determined yet uneasy expression overtaking his features. Tetrax stood close to him and began explaining what he wanted him to do. "You have the power to manipulate either your own or something else's gravitational field. Right now I just want you to figure out which is easier for you to control. You can even try moving things with your electricity, if you want. Think you can do that before you time out?"
"I believe so."
"What was that?"
"Yes. I can."
"That's what I like to hear," Tetrax replied with a satisfied smirk. He glanced at Shar and Wat-Sen's seating place. "You may want to find a better place to watch."
"I think we're good," Wat-Sen responded. He stretched his arms a bit, grunting, before leaning back to lie down. "I think I'm going to spend the afternoon catching some sun."
"You are so lazy," Shar sighed but didn't linger on it. Antigravitesla was getting ready to use his powers. He wiggled his fingers in anticipation but did nothing.
"Start by trying to grab their gravitational fields," Tetrax ordered, correctly assuming Antigravitesla needed some direct instructions to get him going. The Volvitras nodded and reached out, curling his fingers as he caught one of Bloxx's smaller towers. Tetrax frowned. "I don't think you need to move your hands like that. You're not literally grabbing them."
"It helps," Antigravitesla swore, not looking away from his efforts. His eyebrows crinkled with concentration as he tried pulling the tower ever so slightly. It moved a painfully small amount but Shar did have to say she was impressed by his painstaking effort and fine control he was displaying. Assuming this was what he was trying to do, that is.
Tetrax looked over Antigravitesla's peculiar quirks but didn't say anything. "Try putting a bit more strength into it. The fine control is nice but not very useful."
If Antigravitesla made a face, Shar couldn't see with his back turned. Blonko was the responsible sibling of the family but he was not above the occasional childish act. She wondered how his sillier expression translated to alien faces. Antigravitesla didn't look too different from a Revonnahgander but he had some unique features so she imagined it would be pretty entertaining.
Antigravitesla was still straining as he swept his arms, moving the tower a bit farther. Shar knew it wasn't difficult for him to use his gravitational powers. He was really focusing on control. She'd seen him like this when he started training in Revonnah Kai but never to this degree. He really wanted to master his powers.
Or, he was afraid of hurting someone. That was a very real possibility as well.
The tower fell over, knocking into another one. Tetrax put a hand on Antigravitesla's shoulder before he could complain or criticize himself. "That's okay. You were doing really well. Try again. Try picking it back up."
Antigravitesla didn't verbally respond but he extended his arms again and tried to pick the tower back up. He twisted his hands, trying to get the tower upright again. It took a few seconds and a lot of effort but he managed to do it.
"Well done," Tetrax told him and Shar could've sworn she saw Antigravitesla's back straighten a bit as if pleased. Da didn't compliment the kids much. Bralla never spoke much but when she did, it was rarely praise. Shar supposed it was nice for Blonko to have someone to recognize his capabilities and tell him these things. She wondered if she would ever have someone like that.
Wat-Sen let out a loud, half-choked snore from beside her. She got him a dull glance. Blonko got Tetrax and she was stuck with this guy? Unfair.
"Try switching fields," Tetrax instructed. Antigravitesla set the tower down and nodded. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and focused his powers. That's when things started to go wrong.
Instead of only the targeted tower moving, everything lurched. Only a bit. It was enough to make Antigravitesla freeze. He didn't release his hold though. Tucking in his arms and lowering his fists, he tried to set everything down but failed. A few of the blocks began orbiting each other, while others moved farther or closer and some just fell over entirely.
"I think we've identified part of the problem," Tetrax commented but Antigravitesla didn't give up. He floated up a few inches, toes still touching the ground, and managed to stop the orbiting blocks but knocked over a few more towers in the process. "Try to put everything back where it was, if you can. Only use your own field."
Antigravitesla did as he was told and dropped the blocks, scattering them everywhere. He moved a hand, sweeping it, and tried to upright a tower but all of them ended up moving. The alien made a noise of frustration and kept trying. He yanked his arms inward, making all the objects jerk, then lifted his arms. This time, they all moved uniformly.
It looked like Antigravitesla was making progress but one moment Shar blinked and the next Antigravitesla was zooming past the peak of the mountain, screaming in surprise as he threw himself into the sky. For a second, both she and Tetrax failed to react. Then everything caught up with them.
"Blonko!"
"Kid!"
Wat-Sen snorted himself half-awake at the yelling. Shar grabbed him by the shoulders and began shaking him. "Magister, wake up! We need to catch Blonko before he hurls himself half way across Revonnah!"
Luckily, Antigravitesla was close to the ground when he timed out so Blonko didn't have far to fall but the whole ordeal was overall very unpleasant. He thought he'd been doing alright at first but he wasn't expecting that surge of power that sent him into the sky. After that, it was just a game of quick, automatic reactions with each twist and tumble to keep himself from plummeting. Overall, it was a very stressful experience and Blonko was glad it was over. He wouldn't be turning into Antigravitesla anytime soon. Even Terrorsaur sounded like a better choice than that. At least he could fly properly.
Blonko wasn't sure where he was. He'd been flying for the better part of an Omnitrix charge but he'd been changing direction so constantly that it was impossible to say how far he'd really gotten. He didn't recognize his surroundings though. Blonko didn't leave his village's territory often but he was at least somewhat familiar with the lands around the one he called home. This place didn't look familiar in the slightest.
He began walking, the familiar feeling of Revonnah's surface under his feet bringing him comfort. At least that was the same. But the ground was so flat. He swore he could see the horizon. There were no mountains, peaks, hills, or particularly large rocks blocking his view. There were crops around him, scattered about like the wild amber ogia plants that his family and their neighbors tended to back home, but no terraces. At least not that he could see. And he was fairly certain the posts planted about were indicators of some kind of entrance underground which he found strange. Amber ogia plants were delicate. They needed the light from Revonnah's suns to grow. They couldn't grow in the darkness under the surface. Maybe they were doing something else down there.
Blonko tried not to dwell on it. Instead, he focused his mind on trying to recall what glimpses he'd caught of the land when he was hurling through the air as Antigravitesla. He'd been corkscrewing through the air most of the time so he couldn't make anything clear or tangible from his memories but he didn't know what else to do so he kept trying. Maybe he'd at least get an idea of what direction to go. He could be walking farther for all he knew.
If the situation were any different, Blonko would have been fascinated but right now he could only focus on his dread. Were Wat-Sen, Shar, and Tetrax looking for him? Did they even have a method of tracking him? How far were they? How long would this take? Would Da find out? What if he did? Would he ban Blonko from visiting Wat-Sen? What if he didn't make it home at all?
Blonko was starting to wonder if he'd been foolish all those months ago when he mentioned to his father that he wanted to apply to the Plumber Academy. After all, if this was how he reacted when he was somewhere new, how ready could he really be to leave home? And that wasn't even considering the fact he'd be going offworld.
Speaking of going offworld, Blonko heard a noise he knew did not naturally occur on Revonnah. He looked around, trying to pinpoint where it was coming from, when he saw a ship fly overhead. It caught him off guard completely, shocked to see such a sight on his home planet. Breaking into a run, he tried to follow it. It was the only reference he had for any kind of direction at the moment. Besides, aliens! Even if the Omnitrix made him a bit more hesitant when it came to alien matters, Blonko was still the same Revonnahgander who dreamed of reaching the stars.
Thankfully, the ship didn't leave his line of sight. It was descending, not just flying by. There was a village, some kind of base, or some other importance nearby. And that meant people. Maybe someone could give him directions or even give him a ride back home.
The village looked not unlike his own. There were minor differences but every village had its own quirks and unique traits. Sometimes a region had different materials or needed to be more reinforced than others. In the end, they were all Revonnahganders though and they did not stray too far from tradition.
This village, however, Blonko could tell was a bit different. As he neared, he noticed the clear signs of wealth. A few more decorations here and there, better tools, that sort of thing. That wasn't what stood out to him though. If this ship was any kind of indicator, this was one of the few villages on Revonnah that traded with extraterrestrial life.
Blonko was breathing hard by the time he entered the village but he wasn't tired enough to be unable to be sneaky. He lingered in the shadows of homes, noticing how smooth and fine the wood was, and ducked behind crates and rocks when available. These were Revonnahganders, sure, but he'd never been in a village like this. He couldn't be too careful.
Revonnahganders trickled from their homes as a panel from the ship dropped down and aliens began to trickle out. Blonko noticed that these Revonnahganders wore different garb than they did back home. Maybe they had a specialized labor system or perhaps he managed to launch himself so far that he ended up in a region with weather unlike his own. It didn't really matter though. Normally Blonko would find these differences fascinating but right now he was more interested in the aliens coming off board the large merchant vessel.
Blonko didn't know what an alien merchant was supposed to look like but these ones seemed to fit the description he'd imagine. Average stature, pale skin, nice clothes but not too nice- Just normal people doing business. They unpiled crates of goods from their ship, setting up small booths to talk trade with the villagers.
A second group of aliens trickled out of the ship. Blonko didn't question it at first but a ripple of confusion spread through the villagers, alerting him that something was abnormal. These aliens weren't part of the merchant crew. Had the merchants been pirated? Was this a hostage situation? Blonko's hand moved toward the Omnitrix before his eye caught a glimpse of a Plumber badge.
"Don't worry. We're not here to cause trouble," a beautiful woman with skin as minty as Antigravitesla and long, flowing tentacles announced. She held up her badge. "My name is Xylene. I'm a Uxorite from the Ringa Morr. My partner here is Bahrvad. He's a Tetramand from Khoros. We're Plumbers who were passing through this region before our ship sustained damage. We're assisting your friends here until we can return to base."
Something in Blonko's mind lit up at the word Tetramand. That was the alien Wat-Sen had recognized. His fingers toyed with the dial of the Omnitrix before he gave into the urge and selected the form, letting the silhouette of the unused alien appear. Blonko held up his wrist and tried comparing his alien's icon to this Bahrvad character. They definitely looked the same.
The villagers stopped questioning the newcomers' presence, trusting them easily, and began bringing out their amber ogia. The merchants began setting out their offerings, mostly materials and foregin foods but also the occasional trinket. Xylene helped them set up while Bahrvad followed the villagers to help bring out the amber ogia crates.
Wat-Sen had said Tetramands' powers were easy to control, right? Then this could be a good learning opportunity. Tetrax was a great teacher, especially with Bloxx, but nothing beat the real deal.
Blonko stuck to his hiding places and snuck around to follow Bahrvad. He kept his distance but kept a close eye on him. The alien was big, bigger than Tetrax, and had four arms of solid muscle. Was that a Tetramand's power? Muscle? That was likely but also it was a very real possibility that Bahrvad was just in good shape.
Blonko eyed the Tetramand carefully, watching how his muscles rippled and his toes dug into the ground as he lifted a crate. He hoisted it onto his shoulder easily and picked up a second without any trouble. Definitely strong.
Blonko looked back at the Omnitrix's icon. The silhouette's arms looked pretty bulky as well. He was probably right about strength being this alien's power but he couldn't be certain. Afterall, Antigravitesla had a second power and Terrorsaur's true abilities weren't all that obvious either. His fingers were itching to press down on the dial though. He knew he shouldn't, not when he was trying to hide, but by Revonnah's suns, he wanted to. Bahrvad's back was turned. The villagers were retreating with him, carrying smaller crates back to the ship. Now would be the perfect time.
His hand came down on the Omnitrix.
He was glad he did because this transformation felt incredible. He could feel his bones grow and his arms each split into two. He grew tall, layers of muscle growing over his once slender form, and his fur turned into a thick coating of skin. Everything felt so dense and heavy but he felt so strong that his body felt like it weighed nothing. Just for a split second, while the light of the Omnitrix consumed him. When it died down, he just felt powerful.
The name Four Arms rang in his mind but he kept his mouth shut. Four Arms sounded like a silly name but that's what the alien wanted to be called so that's what he was going to call himself. Four Arms blinked both sets of eyes and looked down at his giant hands. He wasn't as ripped as Bahrvad, the Plumber had the kind of muscle that could only come from a lifetime of hard work, but he was well-muscled. He wanted to try something out.
There was a crate of amber ogia next to him. That was probably pretty heavy. The results would be disastrous if he dropped it but he had four hands so Four Arms was fairly confident that he wouldn't. Bending his knees and pressing his toes into the ground like Bahrvad had, Four Arms braced himself to lift the box before him. Only it was lighter than he thought. And something inside of it was moving. And then wood was splintering.
This box did not contain amber ogia.
"Muroid!" he shrieked as the rodent flew onto the box and barreled into him. It wasn't very strong and Four Arms could barely feel it but it surprised him so much that he toppled over and landed on the ground with a muroid on his chest. The creature seemed as panicked as he was, its ugly face obstructing his view, screaming just as much as he was.
Four Arms tried wrestling it off but the sun was in his eyes and the muroid's claws were caught on his shirt. Why was Four Arms even wearing a shirt? He didn't need one. And it was white which just wasn't a good color for- Not the time. Not when there was a muroid stuck to him.
He knew he must have looked pathetic, hundreds of pounds of muscle rolling on the ground, trying to fight a rodent a quarter of his size. Absently, he could tell that spectators were gathering but the muroid was still stuck to him and that was all he could focus on right now.
Then someone was lifting the muroid off him.
"Easy, boy," a farmer said as Bahrvad handed the muroid off to him. The farmer snuggled it like- like some kind of domesticated pet. Disgusting. It made Four Arms want to barf. "That Tetramand scared you bad, did he?"
"What's a Tetramand doing on Revonnah?" Bahrvad asked, wasting no time getting into the juicy stuff. He towered over Four Arms, who was still lying in the dirt. Four Arms tried pushing himself up into a seated position then to his feet but a second shadow washed over him as Xylene joined her partner. Two powerful standing over him looking angry was a bit too much for Four Arms to handle and he leaned back down into a more submissive position.
"Would you, um, believe that I am lost?" Four Arms offered weakly. Neither Plumber seemed fazed. He tried again. "Any chance I could get a ride back to Magister Wat-Sen?"
"So how did you end up on this backwater planet?" Bahrvad asked as the ship zoomed over Revonnah's surface back towards lands that Four Arms could call familiar.
If Four Arms were a Revonnahgander, his fur would be fluffed up right now and his ears would be pressed back but he wasn't a Revonnahgander and he didn't know how to express his distaste for Bahrvad's word choice as a Tetramand. He chose to ignore it. "I believe Magister Wat-Sen would do a better job explaining than I would."
"That's fair," Bahrvad replied, leaning back in his seat beside the spot where Xylene was piloting the ship. This wasn't the merchant ship, it was a smaller skimmer used for quick flights off route, so it was a bit cramped to have two Tetramands on board. Four Arms had to sit in the back but he found that he didn't mind. These Plumbers were fascinating. "At least tell me if you're Red Wind or Plumber."
"Excuse me?"
"Red Wind or Plumber?" Bahrvad repeated, turning around. "How did you get off Khoros? Which are you?"
"Oh. Um, neither," Four Arms replied. He paused for a moment. "I do hope to attend the Plumber Academy though but I doubt my parents will give me permission anytime soon."
"They want you to keep up the family legacy, eh?" Bahrvad chuckled. Four Arms almost asked how Bahrvad knew of his troubles before remembering he thought he was a Tetramand. "My parents were the same way. I was actually in the Red Wind for awhile before the Plumbers picked me up."
"If you want to be a Plumber, you're lucky you got off your homeworld this young," Xylene commented, speaking up from where she was playing with some switches on the control panel. Four Arms didn't actually know if they were doing anything or if she was just trying to figure out if they would.
"Yeah. Lucky," Four Arms mumbled and fell silent. He really didn't feel lucky. Maybe he was. The Omnitrix gave him a connection to what lay beyond Revonnah but even that couldn't really compare to being offworld. Now that would be truly lucky, though he was beginning to doubt that was what he really wanted.
He'd pondered it earlier. Asking his father to let him leave Revonnah was one thing. He didn't actually think Da would agree. He was reaching for the unattainable. But now that he had the Omnitrix and was getting first hand experience with the strangeness and danger of alien life, he wasn't so sure that was what he wanted.
Four Arms wasn't ready to give up on his dreams quite yet but he wasn't ready to pursue them yet either. Finding the Omnitrix was a step forward and it opened up a whole new world but it also presented some new obstacles. Archfiend was a wake up call for how different and scary the universe was. Antigravitesla told that he'd have to work out hard and things wouldn't always go his way. Terrorsaur… Well, he'd scared Rayona. If anything, that just reminded him that he was still needed here. If he wasn't here, something so much worse than Terrorsaur could hurt his village. His village-
Oh wait, he needed to be keeping an eye out for his village so Xylene didn't overshoot. Had he really gotten so caught up in his thoughts? "Bring the ship down here. I recognize that mountain. That's the one Magister Wat-Sen lives in."
"Are you sure?" Xylene asked but she was already letting the ship descend. "They all look the same to me."
"Aquatic life," Bahrvad snorted. "Each mountain is beautiful and unique. A Tetramand's eye is gifted to spot such intricacies."
Four Arms wanted to say he recognized it because he lived here but he didn't say anything. Xylene was rolling her eyes fondly and the moment was… not quite sweet but one Four Arms didn't want to interrupt.
"Blonko!" Shar shouted as the ship touched the ground and the trio began heading down the stairs onto flat ground. Four Arms barely had the chance to count out that everyone was there before Shar tackled him into a hug. "I am so relieved that you are okay! Tetrax and Magister Wat-Sen were practically tearing apart their trackers trying to figure out where you went!"
"Blonko?" Xylene echoed, looking confused. She glanced at Wat-Sen who avoided her gaze, nose scrunching as he scratched the back of his neck in thought.
"That's a strange name for a Tetramand," Bahrvad commented. Tetrax looked away and twiddled his fingers. He wanted
The Omnitrix chose that moment to time out.
A slender, blue-furred Revonnahgander appeared in Four Arms place, startling the pair of Plumbers. Blonko tried his best to smile. "Um… Surprise? Not a Tetramand?"
Xylene and Bahrvad looked ready to faint. Eyes as wide as amber ogia blossoms, their eyes roamed up and down the Revonnahgander's lean form in disbelief, trying to figure out what just happened. Wat-Sen coughed into his fist, drawing their attention.
"Is there any chance I could ask for your discretion on this? No? I didn't think so."
Author's Note: Both Xylene and Bahrvad are canon characters. In canon, Xylene is Max's ex and was involved in the Omnitrix's arrival on Earth (Alien Force Season 3: The Visitor) while Bahrvad is a random Tetramand we see in the background once in awhile (Omniverse episodes Catfight, No Honor Among Bros, and Stuck On You). Since Xylene is only seen in one episode and since Bahrvad isn't developed at all, I am taking a few liberties with their characters but it will be nothing extreme.
