Author's Note: This marks the beginning of the next part of the series, taking place about a year after Mutability. I decided to write this part while trying to pick a title for the last story. This story is prompted by the line I May Be A Monster But You're Dr. Frankenstein.
Note that I am not really sticking to any canon storyline in this fic regarding Azmuth's history and I took some creative liberties with Malware. Also, originally this was a romance story but I changed my mind and edited those out so apologies if there are any awkwardly placed romantic undertones left.
Life at the Plumber Academy had treated Rook well. No longer bound to the schedule of the seasons and the suns, he thrived. He grew a fair bit with all the training and exercise he was getting in. He enjoyed his classes, mind expanding with all the new things he was learning. Field skills, alien history, Plumber policies- It all fascinated him. He got to try different foods in the cafeteria and talk with dozens of species from across the galaxy. No longer was he forced to hide and conform. Here, he could flourish.
He'd gotten a taste of what life offworld could be like when Tetrax began telling him about other worlds and alien cultures but it was so different experiencing it first hand. He learned all the quirks and oddities of each new thing by interacting with them. And what he couldn't learn firsthand, he learned through word of mouth and books. It was everything a younger Rook had dreamed of and more.
Not to mention, having a friend like Scout certainly made his life a lot better.
He didn't face the same struggles making friends as he had when he first arrived on the base. Neither did Scout. The Plumber Academy was more difficult, rigorous, and strict than one would expect, and the bar was already pretty high to begin with. A lot of the jerks they'd encountered on the first day ended up dropping out or being banned from attending the school altogether. Everyone left actually wanted to be there so they tended to be the friendlier ones but Rook remembered who'd stayed at his side during the difficult days. He needed someone like that after what happened on Revonnah.
At the moment, the pair was lounging in Rook's dorm, Scout on Rook's bed and Rook sitting at the chair by his desk. They weren't roommates. The Academy didn't let students pick roommates and they rarely paired up unlike species. Rook's roommate was actually an Appoplexian which wasn't exactly a treat but the outlandish tiger was the extroverted type and often left Rook to his own devices in their room. And for that, Rook was grateful. It meant Scout could hang around more. Besides, the Loboan needed the chance to get away from his pungent Methosian roommate anyway. Who thought that match up was a good idea anyway?
Scout got Rook in a way that his roommate and his other classmates couldn't. He was quiet and soft-spoken but not shy and he knew how to have a good time. He was a bit more of a risk taker than Rook, though considerably less than some of the others Rook saw sneaking around the base at night or getting into fights during mealtime. It brought fun into Rook's life, something he'd almost forgotten about.
But they weren't getting into trouble tonight. The two were just relaxing. Or rather, studying. They were silent, which Rook appreciated. They didn't need to be making noise to enjoy being around each other. And the two really needed a good study environment right now. It was almost the end of their first semester and their first big exams were coming up.
A knock sounded at the door, pulling both of them from their focus. It surprised Rook, somewhat, but he didn't hesitate to respond. "You may come in!"
"Blonko," a deep voice rumbled as a large Tetramand turned the knob, opening the door. He poked his head in and blinked at the sight of Scout. He dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Scout."
"Good to see you, Bahrvad," Scout responded politely, waving his tail in greeting, and turned back to his e-reader. Rook smiled faintly at the familiarity. That was the other thing that made life at the Plumber Academy a bit more difficult for Rook- his Omnitrix and the Plumbers that oversaw him. Scout had been a bit put off by them early on so Rook was happy to see this kind of reaction after so long.
"When are your finals over?" Bahrvad asked, getting right into it. He remained in the doorway but took a few steps in to show this would be more than a quick chat.
Rook didn't need to check his calendar to know. "In four days, after the third dal."
"Okay. Good. Pack your things right after then. We're going on a trip."
Scout looked up, now interested. Rook was too. "What? Where?"
"You're getting a couple weeks off. Galvans practically run the system so the end of the year ends right at the beginning of Galvan springtime for holiday. There's going to be dozens of ships heading there right when your exams are over. We're tagging along."
"Why?" Scout asked. He got off his elbows and sat up to look at Rook. "Aren't you going to Revonnah for your break?"
Rook hesitated. He hadn't planned to do that. Scout knew about the Omnitrix but not his history with it so he couldn't blame him. Still, the prospect filled his stomach with tight unease. Not wanting to get into that right now, he shook his head. "I was just going to stay here with you. I guess I am going to Galvan Prime though."
"You can come too if you'd like, Scout," Bahrvad offered and it didn't sound like he was saying it just for politeness' sake. "Xylene and I don't want to be stuck entertaining him. Maybe having a friend will do him some good. And I'm sure you'll get plenty out of being on an alien world as well."
"I just might take you up on that," Scout responded, looking pleased, "but you still didn't answer my question."
"The Magistrata thinks it's time the Omnitrix-bearer learns about the origins of the Omnitrix. You're going to be meeting Azmuth."
"The First Thinker?" Rook and Scout exclaimed in unison. They exchanged a glance. They'd read plenty about Azmuth in their various classes. As Bahrvad had said, Galvans practically ran the system and they threw in plenty of notes about their beloved First Thinker whenever available. He was widely regarded as the smartest being in the galaxy and one of the greatest men history had ever seen. And they were going to meet him?
"You think Azmuth will be able to tell me about the Omnitrix?" Rook asked, looking down at the watch. He rarely used it nowadays but he'd removed the tape preventing him from touching the dial awhile ago. There was no way he could have forgotten about it, even if its usage didn't play a significant role in his daily life anymore.
"I certainly hope so," Bahrvad grunted. Rook sensed there was something he wasn't saying but didn't press. "Xylene will message you the details. Make sure you're ready when we're leaving. It's a long ride and we're not going to waste any time dilly dallying."
With that, Bahrvad withdrew from the doorway and softly shut the door behind him, leaving Scout and Blonko to themselves. Scout's tail was once again swishing, drawing Rook's attention. The Loboan's eyes were alight with excitement unlike any Rook had seen before. "This is exciting, isn't it?"
Rook tried to avoid the growing feeling of dread in his stomach. He covered the glow of the Omnitrix with his palm and offered Scout his best smile. "It certainly is."
Galvan Prime was… Well, it was no Revonnah. And it seemed it was no Anur Transyl either, judging by Scout's reaction. The Loboan practically plastered himself against the window the moment their ship entered the planet's atmosphere. At least Rook had the decency to stare out the window from his seat but Scout had his full muzzle pressed against the window, snout splitting and everything, as he looked out at the sights beyond.
Galvan Prime's atmosphere was a gorgeous blend of blues and greens that made the back of Rook's mind hum with scientific curiosity. The surface had a large crater on one side, something Rook was sure had a lot of history to it. Maybe something to do with Galvan B, its moon, but Galvans were surprisingly tight lipped about that so Rook knew better than to ask. Still, it only added to the beauty. The whole thing was gorgeous, especially compared to the farmland and rocky terrain he was used to.
The clouds that whirled the ship as it descended were faintly blue which Rook found fascinating. He'd only ever seen white clouds. He wondered what made them this way. He'd probably find out sooner or later during his time here. They were staying for a while, afterall. They parted easily as the ship dropped down into the landing hub, dozens of other ships coming down across the platform around them. It was large considering how small Galvans were but Galvan Prime seemed to be the center of a lot of things concerning extraterrestrial affairs so Rook supposed they'd have to make a lot of accommodations.
A hot wind slammed into Rook the moment he stepped out of the ship. Not intolerable but he immediately knew he, Scout, and Xylene would have to be careful to hydrate during their stay. Bahrvad and all the other Galvans unpiling from the ship seemed to enjoy it though. Rook supposed it was nice, if he ignored the way it made his fur tickle.
Bahrvad stepped away to speak with one of the Galvans managing the hub, a stout little thing that didn't seem to be happy to be there. Xylene tried to round up the Galvans that they'd flown with to count them out but they were already slipping past her by the time she took out her roster. She let out an annoyed grunt and put her hands on her hips. "Galvans! Honestly! Why I outta-"
"I don't think they're going to appreciate any anti-Galvan talk here, Magister," Scout interrupted, dipping his head slightly. She gave him a hard look. He flicked an ear toward the horizon, toward the nearest Galvan settlement. "You told us to be on our best behavior. I don't think you want to be messing this up when we're so close."
Xylene sighed and crossed her arms. "I can't believe I'm back here. Everytime I'm here and I listen to all the Galvans' self-superior attitude, I- ugh! You two are lucky Bahrvad's here. He's so much better with Galvans than I am."
Rook found that surprising. He'd always thought Xylene's species and Galvans shared a lot of similarities. He almost voiced the thought before he thought better of it. Xylene seemed on edge. He didn't want to make this any worse for her, or turn her against him.
Scout shook out his fur. "So… Why'd all the Galvans run off? Even that little one who's always annoying my chemistry teacher ran off. He didn't seem like the type."
"The hot wind dries out the filmy layer on the female Galvans' skin. Galvans find it attractive. The spring is kind of like courting season for them," Xylene explained, shifting her weight onto one hip with a dull look in her eyes. "I'm sure they were just eager to get started."
Rook tried not to make a face. He knew some species mated and courted based on season but he'd kind of always figured that was something animals tended to do more than civilized species. He didn't really want to watch a bunch of Galvans pairing up while he was still dealing with his own feelings regarding… He hadn't thought about Rayona in a long time and he didn't want to start now.
Xylene seemed to misunderstand his distaste. "Don't worry. We're not going to be here when mating begins and Galvans tend to be private about it anyway."
Scout buried his nose in his tail. "Some warning would have been nice."
"You won't be seeing much of it," Bahrvad interjected, coming over. "It's really only your classmates' generation who will be interested right now. And they won't be staying at the extraterrestrial quarters. They'll all be heading home. You can still visit them if you want but you'll have to go to the native residential areas."
"So we will be staying with other aliens?" Rook asked, trying to push the conversation away from all things romance.
Bahrvad nodded and beckoned for the trio to follow him. "They're expecting us. Come on, let's get you settled then Xylene and I will give you the tour of the place."
Turns out, there wasn't all that much to see. Galvans were small and so were their lives. Bahrvad and Xylene didn't even need to bother with a vehicle. One step was dozens of Galvan steps and the group was able to travel rather quickly. Rook realized why Bahrvad said they probably wouldn't be spending any time in the native residential areas. The tallest of their toadstool houses barely came up to Rook's hip. If even something as small as a Splixon tripped, they could do catastrophic damage to a home. Someone as tall as Rook or big as Scout could easily take out a whole block by accident. Both of them were able to balance better than most but Rook thought it was for the best that they avoid risking it.
There were a number of Plumber facilities and laboratories scattered around that were a better size but none of them really caught Rook's interest. He couldn't go in the labs and he'd seen plenty of Plumber bases before. He could find science anywhere. Maybe not as advanced but it wasn't like he'd be able to understand something this advanced anyway. He wanted something uniquely Galvan.
The sports arenas were interesting. With Galvan technology, they were able to develop a number of games that Rook had never seen. When they entered the arena, a group of non-Plumber Galvans were flying around with jetpacks, using rackets to swat some kind of ball made of leaves through hoops and over nets. It looked very complex. Unfortunately, both Rook's feline instincts and Scout's canine urges caused the pair to over-fixate on the ball. Bahrvad noticed quickly and dragged them out before either of them could even think about chasing it.
"Is this what the whole trip is going to be like? You never letting us have any fun?" Scout whined as the group headed away from the arena. "I know technically this is a Plumber trip but it's our holiday break too."
"You two will have plenty of recreational time to yourselves once you're familiar with the area," Bahrvad told him firmly, tone dry and flat. "Right now, you two are under close supervision."
Scout's tail fluffed up and Rook's ears flattened. Xylene seemed amused by their annoyance. She broke away from the group slightly and pulled the door open to their next destination. "Don't be a drag. Come, I think you two will like this one."
"Galvan Historical Museum," Scout read slowly, taking a moment to translate the Galvan text into spoken language. His ears perked up. "This is where the First Thinker's lab is, right?"
"He might not be here right now," Xylene told them before Rook could react. Scout's ears drooped. Rook wanted to reach out and put them back up. He knew Scout wasn't that upset but canine-like species always looked so pitiful when they did that. "Azmuth spent a long time away from Galvan Prime before Bahrvad and I sought him out and convinced him to come back to Galvan Prime. He's been back for awhile but he still leaves routinely to transport his equipment and research back from Xenon."
"That was you?" Scout asked, ears perking up once more. Rook couldn't help but smile. Were all Loboans so emotive or was it just Scout? "We read about that in Introduction To Intergalactic History. The newer chapters, obviously, but it was still in there. There weren't any names though."
"It's easier to do your job protecting something that's meant to be a secret when people don't know who you are or what you look like," Bahrvad responded with a grunt. "There isn't much glory in being a Plumber."
Scout looked like he wanted to ask more questions but Xylene was getting impatient holding the door open. "Azmuth isn't why we brought you here. This is an alien history museum. I think there's plenty you two will find interesting here."
Scout and Rook stepped in, immediately getting washed in artificial light and gentle air conditioning. Right off the bat, Rook noticed some beautiful alien skeletons on display. He wanted to rush up to them immediately for inspection but his attention was grabbed by the other aliens wandering around the museum. Not totally unfamiliar but Rook had never seen lifeforms like these with his own eyes. They were a techno-based lifeform, not a carbon-based one like most of the species Rook knew. Their gel-like bodies, those brilliant markings, that mechanical hum- it felt strange looking at them. And not just because the glow of their stripes made his eyes sting. Still, he found he could not look away. They were fascinating things.
"Galvanic Mechamorphs?" he asked, looking to his superiors for confirmation.
"They work as security guards here," Bahrvad informed them, waving one down to clear their entry, "though there are a lot more here than usual."
"Hey, I'm just here to get paid, not ask questions. I think it's great they're hiring more of us around here," the Galvanic Mechamorph guard piped up as he held up a tablet to the Tetramand's Plumber badge. An animation appeared on the screen as the information was exchanged. Except, come to think of it, it probably wasn't just an animation. The Galvanic Mechamorph was watching it so intently that it had to mean something. When the machine beeped, he looked up and gave Bahrvad a nod. "You're clear. Welcome back, Magister. Make sure your students don't wreck anything."
"I'll try," Bahrvad replied and gave the guard a casual salute before heading in. Rook and Scout scurried after him, eyes wide with interest regarding everything around them. Rook's feet itched to move more quickly but he withheld, not wanting to overstep or anger their supervisors. Bahrvad snorted at the sight of this. "You're not my offspring and I'm not your parent. Stop acting like children. You're here as visitors, go look at things."
The pair grinned. Not wasting any time, Scout grabbed Rook's hand and pulled him over to the skeleton in the natural history museum that the Revonnahgander had spotted on the way in. "Look at this thing! It's huge! I've never seen anything like it! What do you think it is?"
"Omnivoracious," Rook read off the sign. He ran his fingers over it slowly as he skimmed for interesting details. Huh, apparently it was a predator from the Galvan race's early days. Extinct now but once a formidable foe. He looked back up at it, taking in the powerful stance of its wings, jagged ribs, wicked beak, and the long fingers of its wings. He could easily picture this thing plucking up Galvans off the riverbank and gobbling them down. "It looks kind of like Terrorsaur. I wonder if they are related."
"Terrorsaur? Oh, your hallucinatory pterodactyl bird. I don't really get why you name them but that's a cool name, I guess," Scout commented. He rose up onto his hindpaws to peer up at the skeleton's face. "The beak looks a bit different. I bet, uh, Terrorsaur isn't much of a hunter. You probably shouldn't turn into one here though."
Rook heard the unspoken question and the not so subtle curiosity. Now that they were away from the Academy, Scout expected Rook to use the Omnitrix. It wasn't a bold assumption but it wasn't one Rook wanted to entertain at the moment. Instead, he explained, "I think Terrorsaur likes larger prey anyway. That is what the psychic abilities and hallucinations are for."
"That makes sense," Scout responded and looked away, seemingly already bored of the Omnivoracious. "Hey, we're in the Hall of Predators. Maybe they'll have a Phantasian."
Rook grimaced. "I hope not."
"How come?" Scout tipped his head at his friend. "Don't you want to learn about them?"
Rook opened his mouth then paused, trying to find the right words. "Terrorsaur is not an animal. He is an intelligent being and can talk like you and me. His species just does not like to speak much which is why hunters treat them the way they do. They do not understand that they are sentient life. And Terrorsaur is not any Phantasian. He is me. It would not be quite like you seeing a Loboan skeleton but it may be like seeing one of your Ectonurite or Thep Khufan neighbors"
Scout winced. "Neither of those species have skeletons but I see your point. Sorry if that sounded insensitive, Rook."
Rook offered a smile, not wanting his friend to remain saddened for long. "Do not worry yourself. I have only actually seen three species in the Omnitrix with my own eyes. It is never something I have thought about until now."
Scout nodded but still looked uneasy. "Just, like, tell me if I'm being weird. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
Rook felt a flash of warmth in his chest. "I will. You know I am quite vocal when I am displeased."
Scout snorted. Rook wasn't sure if it was because he thought Rook's words were an understatement or if he didn't believe him. "Let's just look at some more predators. I think I see a rodent up there. Fish I expected but not rodents."
Rook looked up with interest. He knew muroids used to hunt at the riverside before they decided amber ogia made a better diet. It would be nice to see some kind of older version of the rodents he was so familiar with. But just as he and Scout stepped toward the next display, an alarm blared through the museum.
Rook jumped, startled, and looked around. Had he somehow set that alarm off? Scout whined and put his ears back, sensitive hearing not liking the sharp, blaring noise. Rook couldn't help but put a comforting hand on Scout's shoulder. Galvans were surprisingly accommodating but was it that hard to change the alarms? They were an advanced people. He figured they would have evolved technology past the point of needing audible alarms.
The Galvanic Mechamorph guards rushed past both pairs of Plumbers so they clearly weren't the reason for the commotion. Rook and Scout shot Xylene and Bahrvad a look from across the room before silently agreeing to run after the guards and see what was up.
Bahrvad and Xylene seemed familiar with the building so Rook and Scout fell behind them and let them lead the way. The fleshy mandibles of Scout's muzzle twitched, ready to spread and release his sonic howl if needed, and Rook's hand went to the Omnitrix. He dialed up XLR8, figuring that the Kinceleran's speed could at the very least complement Bahrvad's strength no matter what foe they came across. He hoped he wouldn't have to use him though.
Both Scout and Rook skidded as Bahrvad and Xylene suddenly veered into a doorway on the left of the hallway. Scout's claws scraped up the metallic flooring but managed to save them both before the two slid too far. Rook was on his feet in a heartbeat and Scout was quickly charging after him on all fours, bursting into the room only seconds after the pair of Magisters.
The room was a lightshow. It overloaded Rook's sensitive eyes and for a moment, he was blind. Scout let out a displeased whine but he still seemed much better off. He let out a sonic blast, clearing a pathway before he and Bahrvad lunged to tackle whatever it was to the ground.
Xylene tossed Rook a blaster and Rook began shooting as soon as he could tell he wasn't hitting his allies. There were a few Galvans running around. They weren't doing much more than getting underfoot but the Galvanic Mechamorphs were doing some good. A number of them were already down but the rest were firing green energy beams across the room or scrambling to remove any reactive substances from the firezone.
Rook blinked, the spots clearing from his vision, and realized that Bahrvad and Scout were wrestling with some large, malleable mass. It was red and black, though distinctly a different shade from the Tetramand's hide or the Loboan's fur so Rook didn't have to worry much about accidentally hitting the wrong target. He still couldn't tell what it was though. Maybe one of the Galvans could but they were nowhere in si- Oh there one was.
"Malware!" an elderly Galvan called from atop a platform. Rook had seen these kinds of platforms here and there on both Galvan Prime and his school campus. They were used so Galvans could get somewhat on eye level with larger species. This one didn't do much to help the old Galvan look much less puny though. In another situation, it would have been funny to see this one yelling so much. "Settle down!"
"No!" the red being, Malware, roared. He reared up, throwing Bahrvad and Scout off him. The guards suddenly shrank back in fear. Whatever this Malware thing was, they didn't like him. And he didn't seem to like the Galvans. "I've been here for months! It's your fault I'm like this. Why aren't you fixing me?"
"Albedo!" the old Galvan yelled, ignoring Malware's demands.
"Already on it!" a higher, younger voice yelled back. Rook barely blinked and a glass container suddenly fell over Malware, trapping the creature and making him roar with outrage. But before he could break it, three rods erected from the floor, crackling with power. It took Rook a split second to realize what was about to happen.
He didn't have time to use the Omnitrix if he wanted to. He rushed forward and grabbed the nearest body he could, Bahrvad's, but there was no way he could have carried the Tetramand if he wanted to. Thankfully, Bahrvad didn't need carrying. Rook's hands on his shoulders was enough to snap him out of his daze. Reaching out with his four arms, he grabbed Scout by the scruff and two nearby Galvanic Mechamorphs as fast as he could and barreled himself and Rook out of there just as the electricity shot from the rods, forming a triangular field of crackling power around the glass container.
"Nice save!" a Galvan congratulated, appearing from behind a machine. He was smiling. In that moment, Rook decided he liked this one significantly more than the old Galvan. Even if he almost fried Scout, Bahrvad, and the guards. "And thank you for the distraction! You got Malware in just the right place."
"Pipe down, Albedo," the old Galvan complained, hopping off his platform. He eyed Xylene. "What are you doing here? Aren't you done bothering me now that the Omnimatrix is stuck on that kid?"
"His name is Rook Blonko and he's here to see you, Azmuth," Xylene answered, crossing her arms in displeasure. If Rook wasn't already on the ground, he may have fallen over in surprise. This was Azmuth?
Azmuth glanced over at him. He looked unimpressed. Granted, if Rook saw himself right now he'd probably be unimpressed too. His waist was half pinned under Bahrvad's shoulder and one of his arms was tangled up in Scout and one of the guard's mess of limbs. Both his and Scout's fur was sticking up in unflattering places thanks to the nearby electrical field. And to top things off, Rook was pretty sure his Omnitrix hand was somewhere inside the other Galvanic Mechamorph.
Azmuth snorted and looked away. "Albedo, go entertain our guests. I'm busy. You, Tetramand, help me get Malware back into his containment unit. Maybe Xylene can figure out what's wrong with it so I can work on another project."
"You know her name but not mine?" Bahrvad muttered under his breath as he pushed himself to his feet. He gave Rook and Scout an apologetic look before stepping away.
"Are you guys okay?" Scout asked, shaking out his pelt.
"Yeah," one of the guards groaned as she pulled herself together. She offered a hand to the other Galvanic Mechamorph and gave him a once over, making sure nothing was missing.
"Honestly, seeing Azmuth is more shocking than Malware," Rook admitted as he sat up. Scout took his hand and pulled him up the rest of the way. "Is that really the First Thinker?"
"You'd think he'd have a better attitude, right?" the second guard commented, earning himself a slap from the other Galvanic Mechamorph. "Ow! Hey!"
"We should get back to work," the other guard told them, "and it seems like you two have plans with Azmuth's assistant."
"I'm more than just Azmuth's assistant," the Galvan complained, drawing Rook's attention to his presence. Rook hadn't seen him approach. He really needed to get used to being around such small beings. The Galvan huffed and looked up at Rook and Scout. "I'm Albedo. As the guards said, I'm the First Thinker's assistant, though… It doesn't matter. Who are you supposed to be?"
"I'm Scout Alazraqui and this is Rook Blonko," Scout introduced with a loose gesture. Albedo raised an eyebrow, prompting them to explain what those names should mean. Rook tapped his Omnitrix. Albedo's eyes widened with recognition.
"You're the Omnitrix bearer," Albedo realized aloud. Rook wasn't very good at reading Galvan facial expressions but he could tell Albedo was excited. Thrilled, maybe even awed. That was a good thing, right? "Let's go for a walk. We have a lot to talk about."
The path Albedo selected was nice, Rook supposed, but he was eager to talk. Thankfully, it seemed so was Albedo.
"I never thought I'd see the Omnitrix. I've seen Azmuth's sketches and plans, of course, but seeing the real thing is so different. It's just been gone for so long," Albedo chattered as they entered a small park, rambling slightly. He rode some kind of hovering device to keep up with his taller companions but Scout and Rook still had to slow down a fair amount. Rook found he didn't mind. It was a small sacrifice for a chance to talk with such a brilliant mind.
"I hadn't heard of it before I met Rook," Scout told him. Behind him, his tail swooshed lazily but somehow Rook still felt like his words were more calculated than casual. He tried to slap those thoughts away. He was being paranoid. "I almost didn't believe it when he told me. Sounds too amazing to be true, right?"
"Indeed," Albedo agreed, nodding along. "Which form did he choose to prove it to you?"
"Oh, I've never seen him transform. I mean, it's kind of hard not to believe the Omnitrix can do what it can with a bunch of textbooks telling you it can."
Surprise flooded Rook's features. "You have never seen me transform?"
Scout tipped his head. "Um… No? I thought you weren't supposed to use the Omnitrix at the base."
No, he definitely did. He'd sparred with Bahrvad as Four Arms countless times. Xylene had allotted salt water pools specifically for Tidetail Wave to swim in. He remembered weaving through the vents as Wildvine. Had Scout really not been there for any of that?
Albedo didn't seem to pick up on the sudden concoction of feelings that were welling up in Rook's belly. "It's a good thing, I suppose, that you're getting your full Academy education instead of using the Omnitrix to make things easier. I imagine it's a hard temptation to resist. You know, using a Kineceleran's speed during agility tests or a Planchaküle's intellect for exams, that sort of thing. I don't understand why Azmuth hates it so much. It's truly an amazing creation."
If either of them saw Rook stumble, neither commented on it. Rook opened his mouth to say something but his mouth suddenly went dry and his ears were ringing a bit too much for him to form a coherent thought. Azmuth hated the Omnitrix? Why? Did he… Had he used the device himself? Could he understand the strife it'd caused Rook? Or was he as oblivious as everyone else? Tetrax, Shar, Wat-Senn, Xylene, Bahrvad, even Scout- They expected him to use it. They didn't understand why he couldn't. Would Azmuth? Or was he like the others? If he was, Rook couldn't fathom why he'd dislike it. Even Rook, for all his ambivalence, had to admit it was a phenomenal thing.
"Azmuth hates the Omnitrix?" Rook said once he'd regained his bearings.
Albedo nodded. "You know he disappeared for awhile, right? I don't know the full story but I hear the Omnitrix had something to do with it. He gets all angry whenever I bring it up. I think it's his best work and I'd love to study it. Since he lost it, I've always wanted to recreate it but ever since I told him, he barely even lets me look at the old blueprints."
"Do you want mine?" Rook offered before he knew what he was saying. Albedo and Scout stopped abruptly, gaping. Rook frowned. He hadn't expected… whatever this was. He tried again. "You may get more use out of it than me. Do you want the Omnitrix, Albedo?"
Albedo looked a bit startled but recovered quickly. To Rook's surprise, he shook his head. "No. I wish I could but no."
"Why not?"
"It's not compatible with everyone. It's a wonder it ended up on someone who survived the transformations, let alone adapted to utilize them. And besides," Albedo explained, "it doesn't come off. Even if I wanted the Omnitrix, you can't remove it."
Rook's stomach dropped. "What?"
"Are you okay, Rook?" Scout asked, sounding worried.
"I…"
"Ship!"
"Ship?" Rook repeated, confused. His head snapped up as movement caught his eye. "What's that?"
"Ship!" the voice cried again as a tiny Galvanic Mechamorph launched itself out of the park bushes and knocked Albedo clean off his hoverpad.
