(A/N: Warning: the themes mentioned in the previous chapter are continued in this one. There could also be some parts that could be a trigger or a little disturbing, but nothing to really have any concern about.
As mentioned previously, my other theory will be explained in this chapter. Not until the end of the chapter and there is a reason for that.
Also, before I forget, one of the most powerful characters in "Ben 10" will be making an appearance. I won't spoil who it is since that would kind of make the point of reading this chapter pointless.)
O~V~O-0-X-0-O~V~O
As soon as he made the request, Slade was the one who volunteered himself to go get him, much to the dismay of Robin. Ben and Beast Boy went along with him and assured him that they would make sure he does exactly that and nothing else.
They came back with him just a few minutes later. He was standing, but was slumped over and had to lean on someone as they half-supported, half-dragged him over to the sofa.
"This is him," Ben told his friend as they carefully set him down.
"He does not look well," he observed.
He held the side of his head, "I... feel... better than I... did an... hour ago."
"Don't look any better," Kevin remarked, to which he received a weak glare in return.
"I have never seen a Tyro Yagon beforehand," Reinrassig commented.
"Is that what he is?" the Osmosian asked. "I thought they were all wiped out ten years ago."
"Not all... just the majority. You're looking... at the... only one in... this entire... solar system," he claimed, his voice wretched yet slightly prideful.
"Tell me, how do you fare with Angelos inhabiting your body?" the Highbreed questioned, getting straight to the topic at hand, his voice full of seriousness and slight curiosity.
"Sick, tired…" he trailed off, leaning his head on Slade's shoulder when he started to feel a little dizzy. "What more can... I say?"
"Have you noticed anything unusual?" he asked.
"I have felt... weakness in my limbs and… my vision is a little blurry," he replied.
"Not to mention you lashed out at us while you were asleep," Cyborg mentioned.
"I- what?" he inquired, very confused.
"Yeah, you were asleep and started thrashing," Ben told him.
He shot up from Slade's shoulder in utter shock. His face turned into one full of guilt and fear at this information.
"I was able to calm you down. Don't worry, you didn't hurt anyone," Raven reassured.
"Is there anything else unusual?" Reinrassig asked.
He shook his head and held his head again when it caused him a little pain. He finally answered when the pain stopped, "Nothing... I have noticed."
"I have," Gwen spoke.
"You... have? What is it?" he asked, almost sounding a little scared.
"Your hands. I noticed in the infirmary that your hands were pale compared to the rest of your body," she explained.
He looked down at his hands to see for himself and jumped with a light squeak. This was something that had never happened to him before and it scared him. Sure, similar things had happened when he was younger, but never this.
"What the hell?!" he shrieked, his voice was still weak, though his words were clearer.
The Highbreed took a closer look and all four of his eyes widened, "This is bad. Listen to me, you have to stop resisting."
"Resisting?" Beast Boy repeated. "I thought you said it was, like, trying to control him or something?"
"Yes and no," he responded cryptically.
"Okay, stop with the riddles," Kevin interjected roughly. "What's wrong with him?"
"Though his mind might give into it, his body won't. His body is resisting, which will only make it worse. It is the Xenocite DNA that is the cause of this," he explained.
Ben turned to his friends, "Remember that guy we helped, uh, Tyler? He was a DNAlien too and he was able to resist the Xenocite. His mind fought back, but his body didn't. Don't you see? That's exactly what's going on here."
"What's going to happen if he doesn't stop resisting?" Cyborg asked.
"It will take over his body and there will be nothing we can do to turn him back once it happens," he answered ominously.
Everybody's eyes widened in shock and their jaws dropped at what they were just told. It was a truly terrifying thought to think about, especially when someone has either witnessed it, gone through it, or is going through it.
"Is there any way to stop it before it takes complete control over his body?" Robin questioned.
"There is," he confirmed, "but it is quite high-risk and it may not be suitable for him."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ben asked, his voice fearful and his eyes as wide as saucers.
"Most of the medical equipment we have is suitable for Highbreed only, not a Tyro Yagon," he replied.
"And, unfortunately, there's nothing on Earth that can help him," Gwen added.
"Tyro Yagon medical equipment is quite hard to come by," he mentioned, "they are scarce in numbers."
"Don't remind me," he spat lowly, most likely to himself if anything, though it was clearly heard by everyone, including Reinrassig.
"You watch your tone when speaking to me, mongr-" he paused briefly, "Tyro Yagon."
"Sorry," he apologized. "I... I just hate being... reminded of what happened... to my people."
"Apology accepted," he forgave him, slightly impressing Ben and his team, especially since they were very familiar with the typical behavior of the Highbreed, "XL Terrestrial."
"You can... just call me XL or Xilo," he gave a small, soft smile.
"Just out of curiosity," Ben started, getting his attention, "what exactly happened to your people?"
His expression went bitter, "It was the Kreel... warriors of the Sangtee Empire. Those bastards took everything from me... and millions more."
"The Kreel scum have enslaved and conquered many beings across the universe," Reinrassig mentioned. "Along with their strongest ally, the Vernethians, they are powerful."
XL shuddered at the mere mention of the tyrants that made him an orphan, "Don't talk about those... bastards."
Robin then remembered something and realized something else that hit him like a ton of bricks, "We once met a Vernethian, Val-Yor, he said he-"
"Val-Yor?!" both XL and Reinrassig angrily shouted in unison.
"Where and when did you meet that scum?" the Highbreed Supreme inquired in extreme fury, as if he was interrogating them.
"We saw some kind of machines fly right by our Tower, then he showed up and took them out," he explained, somewhat hastily. "He told us they were Locrix and that they were trying to wipe out all organic life in the universe."
"Lies!" he roared suddenly.
"Woah, woah, Reiny, just chill out a little," Ben tried to calm down his friend.
"Back then, I thought they came to Earth to harm us," he continued, "but looking back, I think they were actually trying to get away from him."
"Those Vernethian dirtbags are nothing more than liars who care about nothing but themselves! They would wipe out an entire race just to earn fast money!" XL declared angrily, the first time he was able to keep his voice from slurring.
As a result of this outburst, he felt a sudden rush of pain and dizziness in his head. He had to lean on Slade's shoulder again, he was nearly close to passing out again.
Kevin went over to them and tapped on his cheek in an attempt to keep him awake. He looked up at Reinrassig, "I don't mean to be rude here, but he's going to pass out in two minutes. Better speed this up."
"Xilo, please listen, you must stop resisting, allow it to control you. If you don't, you may lose your sense of self forever," he warned in a disquiet voice.
At that moment it felt as if everything had suddenly stopped for several days, when it was just a second. His eyes were now wide open and sharp, the expression on his face was blank and determined.
He stood up from the couch and walked up to the screen. He looked up at the being on the screen and knelt down like a knight to his king.
"Highbreed Supreme, I am yours to command," his voice was flat and formal sounding and almost robotic.
"XL?" Ben questioned quietly and in shock.
He stood up slowly and turned his head slightly in his direction, "Not XL Terrestrial, he is sleeping."
Kevin looked down at his girlfriend, "Gwen?"
"I'm on it," she raised her hand and closed her eyes. She opened her eyes and informed everyone, "He's not kidding, XL is asleep deep in his subconscious."
"Angelos," Reinrassig called to him, getting his attention, "there has been a change of plans. Your orders are to remove yourself from his body and return to me."
"I wish I could, Supreme One, I have inhabited his body too long, I cannot separate from him," he notified him, his tone was of someone who was begging for forgiveness.
"What do you mean you can't separate from him?" Robin asked, clearly concerned and suspicious.
"When I entered his body, my physical form turned into bodily fluids and spread throughout his body," he explained. "It would be difficult for my body to gather together and reshape into my normal form. It would also be deadly. There are countless ways it could kill him. None would be pleasant to see."
"So... so it's too late?" Gwen asked sadly.
"Is there no way to save him?" Starfire asked, her tone of voice the same as hers.
"No," a new voice spoke, "there is a way."
They all looked in the direction of the new voice and saw a middle-aged man wearing a lab coat and goggles around his neck standing in the room. The Titans looked at him in shock because none of the alarms went off and he just suddenly appeared out of thin air.
"How did you get in?!" Robin demanded, reaching for his utility belt, but was surprised to find nothing there. "Where's-"
He held up the missing item in question, "I took it from you before I arrived."
"Guys, this is Professor Paradox," Ben introduced him to them. "He's a time-traveler who helps us out sometimes."
"But only in the most serious cases," Gwen added.
"Have you explained to them what was discovered yet?" he asked Angelos.
"I have not," he replied flatly. He looked up at his commander, "Should I?"
"Yes, you should," he answered.
He nodded and explained what was discovered, "An investigation into reported attacks done by the Locrix uncovered reports of theft in the same quadrants of the galaxy. The items stolen were parts needed to construct a weapon that will ensure the destruction of all known life in the universe."
Paradox took over from there, "The weapon he speaks of is called a Chronoton Detonator, it-"
"Can stop time. Permanently," Robin finished, grimly and stoically.
"Correct. Should the weapon go off, it would disrupt the fabric of space time and rip a hole in the universe itself," he explained.
"We strongly believe it to the work of the Vernethians," Reinrassig chimed in.
"What makes you so sure that it's the Vernethians anyway?" Ben asked. "Maybe that's just your bias talking."
"It is against the honor of the entire Highbreed race to lie about such things," he proclaimed proudly.
"At most of the crime scenes, the cameras were obliterated. However, at the last theft, the thief got careless and left one camera working. The image is not clear, however, the perpetrator is undoubtedly Vernethian," Angelos informed.
"But why? Why would they want to stop time forever?" Cyborg asked.
Kevin agreed with what he was saying, "Chromedome has a point. Wouldn't they be frozen in time forever too?"
"Along with the stolen equipment for a Chronoton Detonator, there have been reports of stolen time-traveling and spaceship devices," Angelos started.
"If assembled correctly, those devices can be used to shield the Vernethian home planet of any sudden time-disruption," Paradox continued.
"And thus protecting the Vernethians from being affected by the Chronoton Detonator!" Reinrassig finished.
"From the sound of it, it seems to me that these Vernethians are quite arrogant and audacious," Slade finally spoke after being silent the entire time.
"What are you getting at, Slade?" Robin questioned harshly and clearly hostilely.
"All I'm saying is that they're taking a lot of risks and you should know from experience that a plan such as this never works out," he pointed out calmly.
As much as no one, especially Robin, would like to admit it, he was right once again. They all knew from past experiences that most complex and egotistical plans never work out in the aggressors' favor, though sometimes that wasn't always the case.
"Nevertheless, they need to be taken out if they really are bold enough to go through with their plan," Gwen stated.
"There has to be a way to stop them before they get the chance to activate it!" Robin asserted.
"There is-" Angelos began to say, but then he was cut off by a sudden coughing fit. It was so severe that blood began to spew out of his mouth and splatter on the floor; it mirrored a crime scene. He was beginning to stagger and looked to be on the bridge of collapse.
Slade stood up and allowed him to lean on him to help him stand. He patted his back gently in an attempt to help ease his coughs.
"X- XL Terrestrial is awakening!" he rasped.
"Quick, tell us how to stop it!" Ben implored.
Too late. Just as he was about to say something, he closed his eyes and his head fell limply against Slade's chest.
He groaned as he slowly opened his eyes and rubbed them. He looked up at Slade in confusion, then looked down and saw that he was standing.
"What happened? Did I have a blackout or something?" he asked sleepily.
"Or something," Beast Boy replied, his voice flat.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he inquired, rubbing an eye.
"You better sit down for this one," Slade told him as they went over to the sofa.
"Wait, wait, what?" he asked after it was all over. It was the expected reaction after taking in everything he was just told.
"Angelos took over your body in order to tell us why it was sent to Earth," Robin informed, choosing his words wisely.
His reaction after hearing this, however, was unexpected. Instead of freaking out or looking at them in confusion, he calmly asks, "What did he tell you?"
"He told us about mysterious thefts near reported Locrix attacks and that what was stolen will pretty much destroy all life," Cyborg explained.
"All life except for the Vernethians," Reinrassig spat.
"And, unfortunately, Angelos is the only one who knows how to stop it," Gwen added.
"He was about to tell us, then you woke up," Kevin finished.
"Oh, so I guess it's all my fault," he commented, scratching the back of his head.
"What woke you up anyway?" Raven asked.
"Nightmare, I think," he replied. "It was as if someone or something was trying to take over my mind and soul. It frightened me so severely that it caused me to awaken."
He looked down at his hands and saw that they looked normal again, but for how long? Who's to say that he won't become ill again? Who's to say that it won't take over his body again? Will he truly lose who he is forever?
As if he knew what he was thinking, Ben mentioned, "Because it's been, well, inside you for so long, it can't leave your body."
"Oh," his response was desolate, "so I guess it's hopeless."
Reinrassig was tempted to tell him, "No, it is not," though he was certain that it would be a lie if he did so and lying would strain his pride and the pride of his entire race. Though, at this rate, he may as well take the chance.
'There is a way,' he reminded himself mentally.
'The way' was incredibly high-risk and the chances of it succeeding were slim. Perhaps it was worth the gamble, after all if it works, it would keep his species' pride intact.
He debated on whether or not to speak up about 'the way.' There were many things that he had to consider, not just if it would work, but also the reaction of his people.
Meanwhile, while he was debating, Paradox also needed to speak to him. It was important, but then again everything he says seems to be important.
"Young Xilo," he spoke, getting his attention, "I would like to have a word with you."
He nodded and stood up, only to quickly fall back down. He looked up at him with a nervous and embarrassed smile.
He held his chin, "Hm, you might slow them down." He extended his hand down to him, "Here, grab my hand."
He grabbed it and stood again, this time he didn't fall back down onto the sofa. In fact, his legs didn't feel weak at all, they were strong; normal.
"My legs," he gaped down at them, "they feel-"
"Better?" Paradox finished with a grin. He nodded. "Good. No time to waste."
They walked towards the doorway and started talking. Nothing they were talking about could be heard, they were too far away and were speaking quietly. After just a few minutes, they rejoined the others.
"Try not to forget," he told him.
"I won't. I have a good memory," XL assured with a proud smile.
"Hey, if you're giving free advice, I want some!" Beast Boy chirped.
"Well, I could tell you not to play with the nuclear fusion grenade, but I know you won't listen," he deadpanned.
"Don't play with the what?" he asked nervously, scratching the back of his head.
"My point," he then addressed everyone else. "You're on your own from here." He disappeared in a flash of blue light.
By that time, Reinrassig had made his decision. "All of you," he spoke, getting the attention of everyone in the room, "come to Augstaka. We will discuss what must be done upon your arrival."
O~V~O-0-X-0-O~V~O
(A/N: I got this done a lot faster than I expected. I really thought that it wouldn't be done for another week.
I'm working on the next chapters of "Fast Friends" and "Interstellar Roots" currently. I updated "No More Chains" just a few days ago. If you want, you guys can check them out.
Now, time to explain my other theory. Hopefully, you guys think it's just a little interesting.
Did anyone notice that the Locrix that appeared in the beginning of the episode "Troq" didn't attack anyone? If they really are a malevolent race with the sole intention of wiping out all organic life, then I'd expect them to start attacking the second they enter Earth's atmosphere, but they didn't. In fact, they didn't attack at all. The only time we see them attack is if they felt threatened, such as when they were battling Val-Yor or when their planet was suddenly invaded.
Sure, someone could say that they were too focused on Val-Yor to attack anyone on Earth, but I'm looking at this from the point of view of the Locrix. When you look at it from that point of view, you realize that there's something inconsistent here. Case in point, the planets that were (supposedly) attacked (we'll get back to this later), were millions of light-years from Earth at the very least. So why would they be in that part of the galaxy so far away from their home plant? I'm suggesting that they were trying to escape from Val-Yor in order to find help.
Not only that, but does anyone think that the "evidence photos" that are shown to the Titans are a little suspicious? The aliens that are attacked are the exact same ones that Starfire tries to take refuge with. Those races are shown to be quite primitive, even more so than humans, who better for a staged attack?
Who's really to say that they are truly malevolent? Val-Yor. It's his word against a race of beings that can't talk. The fact that they only seem to attack if someone or something attacks them, indicates that something is amiss here.
What do you guys think? Do you think I make a pretty compelling case or not really? I'd love to hear your thoughts about this.)