"Mmm... So warm," Ben whispered and snuggled closer to the warmth that held him. "So you are finally awake," a voice said. "Huh?!"Ben's eyes snapped open; he saw that Rook was carrying him on his back. "Rook?" Ben quickly pulled back and looked around and saw it was night and they were in town. "What? What are you doing?" Ben asked freaking out. "I am carrying you home because you told me to keep your secret," Rook answered. "Huh?" Then Ben remembered before he passed out that he begged Rook not to tell anyone about his nosebleed. "What about the blood on the staircase?" Ben asked still tensed. "I had to clean it up so no one would see it," Rook explained. Ben relaxed and laid back against Rook's back.
"Uhh thank you," Ben whispered and buried his face in Rook's shoulder. "No problem." After a few minutes, Ben jumped off Rook's back. "Huh?" Rook turned to see that Ben was standing away from him. "I'm sorry. But it seems like a have a problem well ever I'm near you," Ben said and backed up even farther from Rook with tears in his eyes. "Ben." "So, just stay away from me!" Ben yelled and ran away. Rook found out my secret, Ben thought, what do I do? What do I do?! WHAT DO I DO?!
The next day... What was that about yesterday? Rook asked himself. "You seem distracted today Rook Blonko," an older Revonnahgander woman said. Rook looked at his mother, Rook Bralla, and then looked at rest of his family, they all had worried looks on their faces.
"Umm," Rook wasn't sure what to say since he promised Ben he wouldn't tell anyone about yesterday. "Blonko are you feeling alright?" Rook Shar asked. "Yes I am alright," Rook answered smiling to reassure his sister and smiled to reassure his other sisters and brother."I should go to the Plumber base," Rook stood up from the dining room table in his apartment. "Yes. Thank you Rook Blonko for letting us stay here while the problems back home are being fixed," Rook Da said. Rook smiled a little ", of course father."
Meanwhile with Ben... Ben was lying in bed with a sad look on his face. What do I do? Ben thought, sighed, and rolled over. I can't be a Plumber anymore, not since Rook saw me biting Psyphon. Not to mention... Ben remembered how safe and cozy he felt last night when Rook carried him on his back.
Ben blushed a dark shade of red and pulled a blanket over his face screaming ",I'm so embarrassed!" Then Sandra walked into his room and asked ", why are you embarrassed?" "Huh?" Ben pulled back the blanket and saw his mom as she smacked her slipper on the side of his head. "HOW DARE YOU TRY TO SKIP WORK TODAY! YOU HAVE SOME NERVE YOUNG MAN!" She yelled angrily. "Now, now Sandra. Please try to calm down," Carl said trying to calm down his wife. Ben was crying for a few minutes. After he was done, Ben explained to his parents about the past few days. "Your blood throbs?" Sandra and Carl asked at the same time.
"Yes. Every time my new partner gets near me, my blood affinity makes my blood throb and my nose will..." Ben blushed a bright red ", it'll bleed." "Every time he gets near you..." "Your blood..." Ben's parents looked at each other in concern. "Maybe I'll just have to give up and quit being a Plumber," Ben looked down in shame. "NO YOU WON'T!" Carl yelled his eyes bright red and Ben gasped in shock. "The universe needs you Ben. So you will not quit the Plumbers. Understood?" Carl glared at his son. "Now tell us. Have you been having any other problems we should know about?" I can't tell her, Ben thought nervously, I can't tell her that Rook knows my secret. I just can't.
"Well hurry up and ready for work," Sandra ordered. "What? But I was thinking about taking the day off," Ben whined. "Don't act so spoiled! You're the one who insists on using all the lights in this house!" Ben did what he was told and drove to work, but not before driving to Mr. Smoothes for a drink. When he got to base, he already saw Max and Rook waiting for him. Ben did his best to hide his fear from Rook as he walked up to them drinking his smoothie. "Sorry I'm late," Ben said to Max. Max gave Ben a small scolding and walked away leaving the two alone. They stood in an awkward silence for a few seconds until Ben said ", come on Rook lets go. I'm parked over here." "We'll take mine," Rook pointed to a orange and cream colored truck behind a black tank that Ben thought was his, but it drove off.
Ben frowned in disappointment, but awed in amazement when the truck transformed into an awesome space ship. They got in the ship and flew through a tunnel to the surface, but Rook turned the ship back into its truck form. They drove in silence. Man this is so awkward Ben thought plus with Rook this close my blood might... Ben slurped his smoothie getting a little bored and nervous. Rook noticed this and asked ", I'm not familiar with human emotional cues, but are you angry at me?" Ben snapped out of his stupor and said ", huh? No. I'm not angry at you I'm just..." Ben looked away with a light blush on his face.
"Ben about yesterday..." Rook was cut off by Ben. "Please Rook can we not talk about it? Please," Ben asked. Rook nodded, but was still concerned about his partner. They spent most of the night trying to find some action or an evil villain to take down, but nothing much happened until they found a couple of Mega-Watts that needed their help. They chased down the Mega-Watts to a warehouse by the docks. Ben turned into Clockwork when he chased them and turned back. Ben was doubled over, he was exhausted and panting. Rook swooped down next to him, a cable retracting into his Proto-Tool. "Are you hurt Ben?" Rook asked concerned.
Bump! Bump! Ben gasped and covered his nose. "*Pant* give a sec so I don't hurl." "It's a miracle they didn't escape a Cronosapian," Rook said a little surprised. "That's the thing," Ben panted ", I think they wanted me to follow them." "Do you need more time?" Rook asked in concern. Ben waved him off ", no. But in you see my face turning green Step Back." Rook was confused, but followed Ben as he walked to the warehouse. They snuck into the warehouse and hid behind a big crate and what they saw there shocked them. The Mega-Watts they followed were trying to free their friends and waving to ask Ben and Rook for help.
"I see it, but I don't believe it," Ben turned to Rook ", the Mega-Watts need our help." "Someone has set up a factory that uses them as a power source," Rook said. Then Rook noticed someone coming and grabbed Ben's shoulder, pulling him behind the crate. He squeaked a little. Bump! Ben clutched his chest in pain. Oh no! They weren't that good at hiding as two goons attacked them and trapped Ben and Rook in an electricity sphere. Bump! Bump! Oh no! Rook and I are so close together my blood's gonna come out! Ben thought. Then the goons leader, Fistrik, came and explained their plan to Ben and Rook.
Soon Ben and Rook escape the sphere, thanks to Rook, and battle the face-painted humans. The two Plumbers defeated Fistrik thanks to teamwork and Ben's new alien, Gravattack. Then Plumber prisoner transport ships arrived, with Max, and arrested the baddies. Ben and Rook were standing on the side as the Proto-Truck landed near them. Grandpa Max walked up to his grandson and his partner and said ", I hear there's a colony of Mega-Watts that helps power Undertown." Ben and Rook were both surprised and Ben asked ", since when?" "Since now," Max pointed to the container of happy Mega-Watts. Ben smiled ", anytime guys."
"The Tennyson legends usually end with some kind of blended beverage," Rook said. "Smoothies? They're more of a daytime thing," Ben started walking to the ship ", at night it's chili fries." Rook groaned ", ok." Max stopped them before they got on the ship. "Before you go I need to tell you two something." The Un-Vampire and Revonnahgander turned their attention to the elder Vampire. "Starting tomorrow you guys are getting another partner," Max told them. They blinked as Max walked away away from to talk to other Plumbers. Ben and Rook climbed into the ship and flew off. "Who do you think our new partner is gonna be?" Ben asked.
"I am not sure," Rook answered noticing that Ben's face was red and he was breathing heavily. He wanted to ask if he was alright, but decided not since Ben might start acting weird. So the rest of flight was spent in silence. Rook took Ben to get some chili fries and dropped him off on the street near his house, as Ben requested. They said their goodbyes and Ben walked home. Wow, ANOTHER new partner, Ben thought, I wonder who or what its gonna be. Ben was at his house. "I'm home," Ben said as he walked in and noticed his parents were in the kitchen. He signed, walked to his room, ate his fries, took off his bra, and fell asleep on his bed.
The next day... Ben woke up, ate breakfast, made lunch for later, and ran to the base. He got out of the elevator and saw Rook waiting for him. Bump! Ben walked slowly and nervously to the Revonnahgander. "Umm hey Rook," Ben greeted him nervously. "Oh hello Ben," Rook said. They stood in silence. Perhaps I should try talking to Ben about what happened during the last few days, Rook thought. But before he could Max walked up to them with someone standing behind him. "Ben. Rook." They turned their attention to him. "Here's your new partner. You may know her Ben," Max asked and stepped a side.
It was a tall (she almost as tall as Rook but is still a few inches shorter), young 17 year old Vampire girl with really long red hair, a black headband, red eyes, on her left hand she has a orange gem in the shape of a sun and on her right hand was a gray gem in the shape of a full moon(if you watch Steven Universe you will understand),a red school girl-like outfit, black knee high socks, red 3 inch high heels, a small black backpack on her back (hidden behind her hair), and holding a Pikachu in her arms like a teddy bear. The Pikachu was female with two pink flowers one on the each side of her head, and a leaf necklace with one of those flowers in middle around her neck.
"Wait a minute. Karina Marko?!" Ben asked happily. "Hey Ben. Its been a while," Karina said smiling. Ben and Karina hugged a little and the Pikachu leaped out of Karina's arms and started licking Ben's face. Ben laughed, grabbed the Pikachu and gave her a hug ", hey Lightning-Flower." Lightning-Flower smiled at him and looked over Ben's shoulder. She looked at Rook and growled angrily at him. Ben noticed this and introduced Rook. "Guys this my partner, Rook Blonko." "Hello," Karina said shaking Rook's furred hand. "Hello."
Lightning-Flower was still growling. "It's ok bud. This is our new partner," Karina took her Pokémon from Ben. Lightning-Flower relaxed, and settled back into her trainer's arms. "Maybe the four of you should go on patrol," Max suggested. "Yeah," Ben said. Max walked away leaving them alone. So the four of them climbed into the Proto-Truck, not before Karina put on a big black sun hat and black gloves. The patrol was spent with Karina and Ben catching up. While they did, Rook learned that she is the princess of Xenxis and that Xenxis had interesting creature called Pokémon and dragons and she & Ben were friends when they were kids. Plus that Karina sometimes calls Ben 'little brother' and that Ben calls her 'big sister'.
The patrol lasted for hours, with trip to Mr. Smoothes at the end. Suddenly Lightning-Flower ran off and Karina had to go after her, leaving the other two alone. Ben and Rook sat in an awkward silence. "Ben, you quit school to be a Plumber?" Rook asked. Ben turned his attention to Rook then quickly looked away in fear when he saw Rook looking at him. "Uhh yeah. I wanted to be like my grandpa. Plus the pay is really good and my mother been pushing me to be more independent so I have to for the things I want. So I try to put money as one of my main priorities. Yeah she be a real pain about it some times," Ben said and began laughing nervously.
"So that is why," Rook started and Ben turned his head to him in confusion ", you should never put money first Ben." Rook grew angry and turned so he was face to face with Ben and said ", so stop doing those things!" "Huh? What things?" Ben asked in more confusion. "Remember I told that I saw. You and Psyphon in Undertown during our first mission together," Rook said. Ben gasped ", th-that was..." "I do not know what kind of relationship you have or why you are with a middle age criminal," He turned away ", but he doesn't care about you as long as you are a beautiful boy. You must end it."
"Middle age criminal and teenage boy?" Ben asked. Suddenly it hit him, Rook thought he was a prosititude! Ben gasped in utter shock ", THERE'S NO WAY I'D DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT! HOW COULD YOU THINK I WAS THAT KIND OF PERSON!" "Then why are you talking like that?" Rook asked in confusion and turned to face the embarrassed Un-Vampire. "I'm telling you, you got it wrong!" Ben yelled. "Got it wrong?" Ben froze a little, blushed a dark pink, and backed away from the Revonnahghander. So he didn't realize that I was biting Psyphon Ben thought, but now he's completely misunderstood me. I can't tell him the truth. What should I do?
"Hey guys I'm back." They turned their attention to where the voice came from. They saw it was just Karina with Lightning-Flower at her feet, but now Karina had a human man with her, his arm around her waist. "Big sister?" "Hey just who are those guys?" the man asked. "Don't worry that's just my little brother and his friend," Karina said reassuringly. "Now don't tell me you have to go, we were just about to have some fun," the man said blushing. "Sorry looks like it wasn't meant to be," Karina smirked as he let her go.
Karina turned to him and gently grabbed his face. "This is so you don't forget me," she pulled him into a passionate kiss. Ben and Rook awkwardly stared at them, both really embarrassed. "Umm... I think I should leave now," Rook said, ran to his truck and drove off. "Rook!" Ben yelled in shock ", hey! Wait a minute!" Karina waved bye to the man and watched Rook drive away ", so him huh?" "Awww man stupid Karina! Just because he completely misunderstanding everything I said doesn't mean you come back acting all weird and scaring him!" Ben screamed. Suddenly Karina got behind him and started hitting him (or whatever Ren Maaka does to his sister) on his head very hard.
Ben whined in pain ", OWWWWW!" "I took the trouble to get him to leave and you give me attitude!" She said angrily. "'Took the trouble'?" he asked after Karina let him go. "Your family wanted me to find out more about your blood's affinity." "My blood's... affinity?"
Meanwhile with Rook... Rook parked in front of his apartment building. "Why did I ran away?" Rook asked ", then again what is going on?" Rook walked up to his place and went in. "Hello Blonko," Shar greeted him with a smile. "Hello." Rook looked around and noticed that Bralla was gone. "Where is mother?" "Your mother went out," Da said. "Went out?"
Now back to Ben and Karina... The three went to a small cafe. "You probably think," Karina started ", I'm some hunger slut that only wants one thing from men." "You mean you're not?" Ben asked. Then a small silence loomed over them. "Well that's only half of it." "Then I was right," the Un-Vampire said feeling smug. "But... the other part is about drinking my blood's affinity," she looked serious. "Yeah your blood's affinity." "Your mom likes liar's blood, your dad prefers a proud person's blood, Gwen likes a jealous person's blood, and stress is my blood affinity," Karina explained. Lightning-Flower pulled a picture out of Karina's bag and handed it to her. "Here's a picture of Flynn, the man you saw me with early," she gave it to him.
Ben looked at the picture and gasped in shock ", whoa! He's totally different!" "Yeah, he looks stressed out right?" Karina crossed her arm ", at the time of that picture he wasn't doing so well at his job. But after I drank his blood his depressed personality turned bright and in a matter of minutes he became so happy and energetic you'd hardly know its him." "Gwen always told me sucking someone's blood was a good thing," Ben looked down at the picture ", until I learned about my blood preference, I didn't believe her." Karina turned her head towards the window and Ben copied her. "We vampires have an instinct and this instinct draws us to the people with the blood type we need."
She smirked and leaned over the towards Ben ", I never thought my misfit little brother who creates blood would have the same instinct." Bump! Ben's blood increased as he was shocked that Karina knew that he wasn't a blood sucking vampire. "Well yeah. My blood's affinity is unhappiness so-" Lightning-Flower cut him off ", how do you even know that?" "Huh?" "What Lighting-Flower is trying to say is that are you sure your blood type is unhappiness?" Ben was confused. "You are an Un-Vampire. So you probably don't really know," Lightning-Flower commented. "Yeah maybe you're not reacting to Rook's unhappiness, but maybe some other emotion," Karina explained.
Maybe they're right, he thought, I didn't even really know about that instinct. "So what is my blood preference?" Suddenly Karina started hitting Ben again while saying ", instead of asking stupid questions we need to learn more about your blood's affinity!" The three left the cafe and started walking around Bellwood. "If you don't know that then you won't be able to do anything about the while you're drawn to him," Karina explained. "You make it sound so easy," Ben whined. Then he heard a train sign and turned to see Rook Bralla standing there with an expressionless face.
Bump! Ben's eyes widened and he clenched his chest. Bump! Bump! Ben started panting, his face turning dark red. Bump! Bump! "That woman huh?" Karina asked. He nodded. Bump! "There's something strange about her." Bralla took a step towards the moving train and Ben ran to her. He grabbed her arm and screamed ", LOOK OUT!" He let her go after the train left. "What are you doing?!" Ben asked in anger ", you can't kill yourself!" "Kill myself?" Bralla was confused and shocked by the Un-Vampire. "Oh dear. Did it look like? I was not..." Tears started to form in her eyes ", I could not." Then Rook Bralla started crying. Ben started freaking out ", why are you crying!?"
Karina and Lightning-Flower walked up to them ", why did you have to go and make her cry?" After calming the older Revonnahghander down, the two vampires and the Pikachu took her back to the cafe. "My apologizes. I fear I have over reacted back there," Bralla said sitting across the young vampires. "It's no problem, really," Karina said in a sweet voice ", if you have a problem you can always tell us." Ben turned to his friend an embarrassed expression on his face. My sister sure is being nosey right now.
"Well you see," the older woman looked down in embarrassment ", I went shopping today and the male workers at a store started to sexually harass me. They did not leave me alone even after I told them I am married and have five children." The two teens' eyes widened in shock.
Meanwhile with Rook... "My mother was harassed?!" Rook asked the manager of the store, Bralla was at, in shock. "Yes, she was harassed by one of my employees," the manager said a little upset ", they were both kicked out. Since then the store lost a lot of customers and it's her fault." The manager turned to Rook and backed away from him in fear as Rook glared at him. Then Rook ran out of the store to look for his mom. Why must something like this always happen? Rook asked himself, why can't father and I protect her? Damn it!
"I see," Karina's pupils dilated into slits ", well those guys are to blame. They obviously think of women only as sex toys." Ben looked at his friend and thought like she's one to talk. She probably lets men use her as a sex toy all the time. Not that I care since I'm not into girls. But I really hope my reacting to this lady doesn't mean I'll be like that when I'm her age. "You see my family had to come to Earth because of some trouble on our home," Bralla explained ", I thought if I could help my eldest son, who now has to stay on Earth, I would be able to help the rest of my family. How I can face them after what happened." Then she started crying into her hands.
Ben felt bad for her, but suddenly... Bump! He gasped and quickly covered his nose. "Ben?" Karina looked at him in concern. "It's still increasing," Ben whispered ", big sister what should I do?" The older Vampire smirked ", then why don't you just bite her?" Ben was surprised and felt a little frightened. "Don't worry, I'll clean up the mess for you." Then when the older woman stopped crying, Karina suggested they go somewhere else and she agreed. The three (including Lightning-Flower stayed quiet during the whole time they talked) walked to Bellwood Park and Rook was walking into the park too.
"I feel as if they are taking me to a secluded place," the Revonnahghander whispered to herself as she walked behind the two vampires. "Is it really ok to do this?" Ben asked in a hushed tone ", I'm kind of scared." "This is not the time to be having second thoughts your blood's at its limit right?" Karina whispered back ", let your instincts take over and bite her. Lets what vampires are suppose to do." Ben turned to look at his new victim, he started breathing heavily, his face turning pink, his fangs growing longer, and his eyes turning from toxic green to sickly yellow. They walked into the center of the park, Ben's blood still increasing.
I can't take it anymore! He ran to Rook Bralla, his arms around her neck. She gasped in surprise. "I'm sorry. I can't hold it in anymore," Ben whispered shaking a little. "What?!" "I-" Ben hissed and bared his fangs at her and she screamed in horror. Then Rook came just as Ben sunk his fangs into her, giving her his blood. Ben and my mother?! Rook thought, what are they doing here?! Then a quick image of Ben biting Psyphon flashed into Rook's mind. This is just like before! When Ben was done pulled his fangs out of her neck, let her go and collapsed to his knees. Bralla turned to Karina, who's eyes and body started to glow yellow. She put her hand of the older woman's forehead and erased her memory.
Karina took her hand away and looked at her. Just then one of the old employees from that store came. Karina and Lightning-Flower quickly grabbed Ben and hid in the shadows. "You! It's because of you I lost my job! You dumbass!" The man started scolding ", how are you gonna make it up to me? Look at me!" She turned to him and quickly grew furious. "Mother!" Rook ran to her just as she punched the guy in the face, knocking him to the ground. "YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH YOU JACKASS!" Rook Bralla yelled ", WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU CAN TREAT ME LIKE DIRT?! SO YOU ARE MAN. WELL I AM A WOMAN!" She smiled and looked at her hands.
"What was that?" She asked happily ", I have never felt so empowered like before!" She started laughing loudly for a bit, but stopped when she sensed Rook was behind her. "Oh! Hello Rook Blonko! Why are you here? Did you come to walk me home?" "Umm not really," Rook looked around the center ", mother who was that woman and boy you were with?" "Huh? What?" Rook signed ", never mind." Bralla smiled ", you are a strange child," she started to walk away ", come now. I am sure everyone is very hungry." What is going on? Then the two Revonnahghanders walked off as Karina watched them from the bushes with Ben passed out on her lap.
"I guess I should've suspected they were related since Rook looks just like her," Karina whispered at looked down at her friend. "Looks like Ben was right after all. His blood's affinity IS unhappiness." Karina signed in exhaustion ", aww man being attracted to another's misfortune. What an unlucky little brother I got."