Maiden- Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I'll try to get more up soon. And I know this chapter is a little short, but while i'm working on getting the plot to unfold, this is sorta like a transgression into more major chapters.
Ben 10; Ultimate Alien
Holding Out For A Hero
Chapter 3- Ventus Avias
"The ring is approximately a hundred miles south of here." Gwen stated, floating cross legged just outside the car. "We should rest tonight and get a jump start in the morning."
Everyone nodded, knowing if they were to go up against any alien right now, they'd loose from exhaustion. Kevin went around to the trunk and pulled out four sleeping bags. Ben used the Ultimatrix to transform into Diamondhead and made a fairly spacious tent from tandanite. Kevin and Gwen made themselves comfortable on one side of the tent while Ben laid down his sleeping bag with Vera's fairly close to it.
"Comming to bed?" he asked the thunderbird hybrid. "A girl needs her beauty sleep right?" A crooked grin played at Vera's lips, she found the green eyed teen charming but refused to let him get under her skin.
"I will in a bit." she responded, her voice a tad lighter now. "I just need some time to myself, to clear my head." Ben nodded and kicked off his shoes and jacket, crawling under the thick blankets.
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Jade eyes opened tiredly and the brunette hero sat up, unsure of how long he'd been asleep or even if it was morning. The Ultimatrix didnt tell time and Anur was always dark. Turning to his side, he noticed Vera had yet to retire. Curious and somewhat worried, Ben pulled his shoes on and threw his jacket over his shoulder, creeping out of the tent as to not wake his cousin and best friend. The Anur winds had picked up and were quite cold, he shivered from the sudden temperature change and turned in the direction of the car. Vera sat on the black Thunderbird's hood, hugging her knees to her body and shaking violently.
"What are you doing out here!" Ben nearly yelled. He draped his jacket over the half frozen girl and climbed atop the car's hood to sit behind her with his legs on either side of the hybrid girl. He pulled her into his chest to try and warm her. "You're freezing cold." he whispered into her ear. Vera wore a hot blush as she felt his arms circle around her waist.
"The cold helps me think."
"What's soo heavy on your mind that it almost caused you hypothermia?"
"...what if my mother's ring starts another war?" her answer was barely above a whisper, but Ben's heightened sences picked it up.
"Why would it do that?"
"Because thier are some crooks and thieves out thier that would give anything to have that gem. My homeworld is the only source of it and Ventus dosent produce but 50 kilos every hundred years."
"Don't worry." Ben half chuckled. "You have me, Gwen and Kevin on your side."
"A tempermental osmosian, a smart mouthed anodite, and a lucky kid with a fancy watch? Yeah, I feel safe." she drawled, but hid the slight smile she wore with her ebony hair.
"You should." Ben's arms tightened thier hold on her, almost possessively. "You should also get to sleep. We need to be up in a few hours to resume our search." Vera nodded and allowed Ben to slip off the hood with her in his arms, carrying her back to the tent.
"You know I can walk, right?" she asked, noticing he'd yet to put her down.
"Yeah, but I feel like being a gentalmen." he smirked, hoisting her a little higher. It surprised the Ultimatrix user that such a strong and well toned girl could be soo light. Once inside, Ben sat Vera down on her sleeping bag and crawled inside his. He smiled softly at the thunderbird and closed his green eyes, sleep overtaking him.
"Thank you...for everything." Vera whispered before following his lead.
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Obsidian eyes opened in disdain. The light coming in from the makeshift tandanite tent was really annoying to the Levin boy. He groaned and turned his head, trying to block out the light, but came within an inches' distance from Gwen. Her emerald eyes were still closed in slumber, auburn hair laied like a blanket around her shoulders and her pink lips were slighlty parted. He blushed lightly and rose from his spot, careful not to wake her. After stretching, he saw Ben, curled up in a tight ball underneath his sleeping bag, and Vera laying atop hers just a few inches to the right of him. She seemed to be shivering, so Kevin easily lifted her up off the blankets and tucked her under. Instantly, she relaxed as warmth surrounded her. After slipping his shoes back on, Kevin left the tent as quietly as he could. The winds had died down consiterably since that night, but it was still rather cold. He leaned against the cool metal of Vera's car, deep in thought. So much so, that he didn't hear Gwen comming up beside him.
"What are you doing out here?" she asked, snapping him out of his trance.
"Just thinking." he replied, passively.
"About?"
"Benji's seemed t'have been smitten with our new little friend."
"Do you not trust her?"
"Huh? No, it's nothing like that. I'm just concerned maybe he's using Vera as a rebound or somethin' for Julie. I mean they look similar, save for the eyes and skin color."
"But their personalities are polar opposites...besides, why are you soo concerned about Ben all of a sudden?"
Kevin sighed deeply and stared at the ground, shoving his hands into his pocket out of nervous habit.
"Ur couz is the only person i've ever consitered a 'friend'...hell, he's probably the closest thing i've had to a best friend. You know i'm not the emotional type, but I still have feelings, even if I don't show 'em. I don't wanna see him hurt again. That's to say if Vera leaves after this lil adventure or rejects him."
Gwen wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's torso, squeezing ever soo slightly.
"Ben's a tough guy. He can handle himself."
"Yeah, in a fight or somethin, but he's always been kinda 'girl-ish' with relationship stuff. He told me he and Julie never even kissed."
"Really?" the anodite asked, her head snapping up. Emerald eyes showing amusement and surprise.
"Yeah, but you didn't hear it from me."
Gwen raised her head and pecked her boyfriend on the lips before retreating back into the tent. She was surprised to see Vera already up and ready to go. She sat atop her rolled up sleeping bag, staring in disgust at a still sleeping and heavily drooling Ben.
"Hey, doofus!" Gwen called, nudging her cousin with her foot. "Wake up."
"Five more minutes, mom." he mumbled before pulling the blankets over his head.
"I've got this." Vera smirked, reaching into her backpack. She grabbed a bottle of water and uncapped it, pouring a decent amount on Ben's sleeping head. He jolted from the ground in a blind fuss. His eyes darting around the tent with his hand ready to hit the ultimatrix.
"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty." Vera smirked, seeing Ben relax a little and run a hand through his wet hair.
"That was harsh, guys." Ben huffed.
"Not my fault you're a heavy sleeper. Now, if you would be soo kind as to get your ass in gear, we have a ring to find."
Both girls left Ben to dress and collect his things, opting to wait for him outside in the car.
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"Got a lock on the ring yet, Gwen?" Vera asked from the driver's seat of her Ford Thunderbird. The redheaded Anodite sat in a lotus position in the backseat beside Kevin, levitating slightly above the leather seats.
"Yeah, i'm sensing it's mana on that planet below us."
The Souix girl crained her neck to see out the window and her eyes instantly filled with a look of disdain.
"Ventus." she spat.
"Ventus? You mean your homeworld?" Kevin asked.
"Yeah. And i'm not thrilled about a homecomming."
"Why not?" Ben inquired.
"Cause...hybrids aren't really popular among homeworlds. Something about being inferior and weak. I'm the only thunderbird/human hybrid known and I was always teased and taunted when I was little."
"Relax." Gwen offered. "I'm sure it's not that bad."
"You'd be surprised." Vera grumbled, taking the ship down for a landing.
Ventus was amazingly beautiful. It's skies were black and starry and the scenery wasn't too bad either. The trees were of all different colors and the trunks were all twisted into a strange knot. A constant and refreshing breeze wafted throughout the air, creating a scence of serenity.
"It's gorgeous here." Gwen commented, her emerald eyes serveying the area.
"Yeah, I suppose." Vera responded, halfheartedly. A few seconds later, a much larger thunderbird approached them. He looked almost like Vera in hero form, save for his wings and talons being white and his eyes blue.
"State your buisness." he asked gruffly.
"Veridian Lakota. I come here on buisness."
"Ah, Veridian. You've grown." the creature replied, his voice a note gentler. "Still small for a Waka Kaiya, though. Have your powers developed yet? Or are you just a pitiful human?"
Vera snarled at the elder, her hands sparkling with electricity.
"Such a temper." came a third voice. Vera took her eyes off the offending Waka Kaiya and onto a new face. This one was just as tall, but his wings and talons were solid black. His eyes, however, were mirror images of Vera's. "You take after your mother in her earlier days."
"Dad..."