Chapter 5 concluded: Research Whoas and Oh Nos (Part 3)
In the guest room where Benson had decided to take refuge, he leaned against the closed door taking several breaths as several of his emotions that he normally kept bottled up raged within him. Indignant, forlorn, and ultimately frightened of what was going to happen to him now, he blinked several times as he tried to keep the excess moisture of tears from building as he tried to swallow another lump that had formed in his throat. Sliding down against the door and curling into a tight ball, Benson lowered his head, his ears mimicking the action and laying back against his head and wrapping his arms tightly around himself, not caring that his new claws dug painfully into his arms as he trembled trying to keep his emotions in check. He wanted to give in to his emotions, to scream and cry and just tear the place apart in a fit of rage. But he knew that doing that would not only seal his fate and trigger (or worse complete) the transformation, it would make the others more afraid of him than they already were.
"No matter what happens it's hopeless," Benson thought despondently.
"Then why fight it anymore?" A separate voice seemed to speak up. Benson's head and ears shot up as he recognized the voice to be the same internal one that he had heard twice before but instead of sounding dark and angry, it seemed compassionate and gentle.
"Huh?" Benson uttered confused before the mark on his arm faintly began to glow. At first Benson panicked, thinking the transformation was starting up again, but this time around it was a bit different. It was an almost warm and soothing feeling instead of harsh and throbbing. Benson's vision seemed to swim and he screwed his eyes and shook his head in an attempt to clear it. But when he opened his eyes Benson found himself drifting in what appeared to be an endless void. He flailed his arms in surprise as he tried to correct his balance before his feet managed to rest on a nonexistent floor.
"What is this?" He questioned aloud as he surveyed the empty expanse of space.
"This is our linkage plane," the voice answered from behind Benson. Startled, he turned only to see the very same Rage Wolf with the lightning bolt shaped scar across its eye and solid gray fur that first bit him standing rather proudly on all fours.
"You," Benson mumbled accusingly. "You mean all this time that strange voice that I've been hearing in my head was you?"
"It is true," it replied. "My name is Menneske, leader and alpha male of the Tisquantum-Ty-Ohni. Of course, being the one to turn you, it is only natural we be connected. And once the transformation completes itself you will be connected and bound to the rest of the pack my brother."
"Don't call me that!" Benson snapped pointing a threatening finger to the canine. "I'm not your brother and I don't want to be! I just want to go back to my old life! I want to be normal again!"
"And what good would that do you?" The alpha male asked rather calmly.
"What do you mean?" Benson asked suspiciously narrowing his eyes at the werewolf before him.
"I've been watching you very closely for a while brother Benson and even without our link, I could feel your general discontent with your life," it answered before standing on its hind legs. "And after what I've witnessed, it's no wonder why." It raised a clawed hand/paw that summoned a swirling mass that showed alternating images of Benson yelling at Mordecai and Rigby as the park around them was in shambles from one of their misadventures, Maellard belittling Benson in Maellard's office, and Benson sitting alone and looking upset in his easy chair back in his apartment.
"Employees who barely respect you and bring nothing but trouble, an employer that treats you like dirt, and wasting the rest of your years alone and generally feeling unwanted. You really think you would be happy going back to that?" Benson was silent as he watched the images. Deep down he admitted the werewolf had a point, especially after overhearing the harsh words of Maellard. Not to mention it wasn't even yesterday when he was contemplating similar things about his life choices. However he put those thoughts aside and hardened his resolve before turning his attention back to the Rage Wolf known as Menneske.
"And what makes being a Rage Wolf so appealing? And why turn me into one anyway?"
"Among our kind, the amount of anger we possess determines our status and rank within the pack. And you have great potential brother Benson, we've seen that." Menneske focused on the swirling mass as the still picture changed into a video replaying Benson in full rage mode that time Pops had forbid Benson from yelling at Mordecai and Rigby and he nearly leveled the whole park as a result of keeping his anger bottled up before finally unleashing his fury on Mordecai and Rigby. A look between realization and embarrassment dawned on his face as he averted his gaze from the replaying images.
"The kind of divine rage that you wield is very powerful among us Rage Wolves. You could be someone with us! Far greater than you could ever be at that park." The determination Benson had was slowly but surely chipping away.
"I…I already am somebody…" Benson said although rather unconvincingly.
"Are you?" Menneske asked tilting his head in a seemingly knowing way. Benson did not meet its eyes. "Think about it and about those you do not wish to see hurt," the Rage Wolf said before showing one last image of the park employees before switching to an image of Audrey before the swirling pictures finally dissipated. Benson caught this and shot a glare to the Rage Wolf but before he could do or say anything else, the surrounding void seemed to waver and slowly fade in a white light. The last thing Benson could hear was Menneske's voice.
"Whether you accept our legacy right away or not, it does not change things. We are coming for you soon brother. Be prepared." Once more he screwed his eyes shut against the harsh light that surrounded him. When his eyes snapped open again he was back in the guest room slumped against the door. Benson slowly sat up, blinking his eyes several times as his mind processed all he had been told in the link, particularly the last parts of it all.
"We are coming for you brother. Be prepared." Those words echoed in his head as Benson gulped in worry. He shakily got to his feet placing one hand on the door behind him for balance when his ears twitched at the sounds of several pairs of footsteps coming down the hall towards the room he was in. Benson didn't need his increased senses to know who they were. Especially when one pair of feet padded across the floor in a telltale rhythmic beat and the various scents of each person that Benson immediately recognized (particularly the strong smell of wing sauce and sweat of one said person). The footsteps stopped outside the door before a gentle knock came.
"Benson," Pops' voice timidly called from the other side of the door where the rest of the other park workers were with him. "Are you alright my good man?" Benson's eye twitched slightly at that question. How did they honestly think he would be feeling right now? However he refrained from giving a sarcastic quip like he normally would have done.
"…I'm fine," Benson croaked grimly through the door. A brief silence came from the other side before another voice responded that Benson recognized as Mordecai's.
"Listen Benson, I know what you may have heard down there was…harsh. And I know that the last thing you want to hear right now are empty promises that everything's going to work out. Maybe it won't. But no matter what happens you should know that you're not alone in this."
"Indeed, we're your friends," Pops chimed in.
"We've always got your back bro," Muscle Man added followed by a grunt of agreement from Skips.
"Besides, maybe it'll be really cool being a Rage Wolf," Rigby suggested. Immediately following that comment however was the sound of a muffled "ow", which Benson could only assume meant that the smaller raccoon got punched in the arm again. Regardless, Benson felt a small warmth in his chest at his employees' words as a faint smile graced his lips. Maybe they had a point. So he was a bit harrier now and perhaps in desperate need of a nail trimming, it's not like he was dying. Maybe they could make Maellard reconsider finding another park manager. After all, the last time Maellard tried to replace him, the whole Susan incident took place and she would have demolished the park as well as crush the old lolliman if Benson hadn't stepped in when he did. He was still an asset. He could still—
"Think about those you do not wish to see hurt." Benson's thoughts froze as that ominous sentence that the leader Rage Wolf had told him echoed in his head. His optimistic attitude slowly faded as he realized things would never be that simple. Even if the Rage Wolves did decide to back off, he couldn't fight against his own anger. It was part of him, a part he often times hated, but a part of him nonetheless. And he couldn't bear to think of what would happen if his employees, the closest things he may ever have to friends, got hurt or worse because of him. He wasn't worth it.
"Benson?" Mordecai's voice spoke up again worriedly after not hearing a peep from his boss.
"…Please…Just go away," Benson finally muttered loud enough for them to hear. On the other side of the door the others, who had been hoping Benson would say something more positive, merely deflated upon hearing the desolation in their boss' voice.
"But—" Pops started before Skips placed a hand to his shoulder. The lolliman turned to look at the yeti but he simply shook his head in a way that said "leave him be". Disheartened, the employees reluctantly complied and left. Benson stared at the door listening as their footsteps went down the hall and faded away. When he was sure they were gone, Benson turned and walked over to the room's window that faced the west. The sun was almost completely set in the distance and night was beginning to fall as he stared out over the park.
"This place really is pretty nice when its not in ruins by crazy people or…monsters," the last word of that thought made him cringe as he looked down at his clawed hands.
"You really think you could be happy here...You could be someone with us…Think about those you do not wish to see hurt…We are coming for you brother."
"Shut up!" he snapped inwardly to the repeating words in his head as he screwed his eyes shut and clenched his fists. He stayed like that for a good moment in an attempt to banish any other thoughts but his own. Eventually he composed himself and opened his eyes to look out once more at the park. Several more moments passed before he made his decision. He unlocked and opened the window.
"It's better this way," he thought as he placed on foot on the windowsill to jump out onto the second story roofing. However, before he could get any further out the window, Benson's ears twitched as he could hear another set of footsteps come from down the hallway to his room. He growled irritated and turned back to the door as the footsteps once more stopped outside his door.
"I said to go—" Benson snapped but he stopped once the scent of lavender and vanilla entered his nostrils. "Audrey?" he timidly questioned.
"…How'd you know it was me?" She asked from the other side of the door. Benson crawled back in from the windowsill and approached the shut door.
"I could smell you-your perfume," he quickly corrected in a panic. She didn't need to be freaked out around him any more than she already was.
"Uh, I'm not wearing perfume."
"…Oh," was all Benson could muster as he flushed slightly red. "I'm sorry," he muttered.
"Don't worry about it Benson," Audrey said reassuringly. "I know what you're going through must be hard and I probably could never understand what it must be like to go through all this. But I still want to stay beside you during it."
"W-Why?" Benson asked baffled. "I thought…I thought that you would never want to see much less speak to me again after you found out the truth. And that after everything that's happened, you would have just seen me as some kind of freak."
"Benson," Audrey started with slight bemusement. "I would never think that! Even if you do have a bit of a temper on you, so what? Everyone has his or her faults."
"Yeah well, it's too bad Maellard doesn't feel the same way," Benson muttered under his breath but Audrey, who was straining to hear him from the other side of the door, heard him regardless.
"Well who cares what he or that researcher or his assistant or anyone else has to say," Audrey asserted. "When I look at you I don't see a Rage Wolf or a freak, I just see the funny, sweet gumball machine that I've fallen for."
"What?" Benson questioned making sure he had heard that last part right. Audrey blushed and placed a hand over her mouth at what she had just let slip. "You…you really like me that much?" Benson asked stunned. Audrey was silent for a minute before she spoke again.
"Yes…I do," Audrey admitted. "I have since the first time we met. I understand if you don't feel the same way but—"
"That's not it at all!" Benson exclaimed his full attention on the woman who stood beyond the door. "The truth is…I really like you a lot too Audrey. You were one of the things that kept me sane whenever I had a bad day. Today included. I've always wanted to impress you because I thought that if you saw me for who I really was, some lonely park manager with an anger problem that…that I'd lose the only bit of comfort I had in my life."
"Benson," Audrey started clearly affected by his words. Benson turned away from the door slightly in embarrassment. He couldn't believe he just told Audrey all that, even if it was true. "Is this door locked?" Audrey suddenly asked.
"Huh?" Benson uttered questioningly. "Uh, no. Why do you—" Benson started confused but the sound of the door opening cut him off. He turned to see Audrey come into the room and close the door behind her. "Audrey?" Before he could do or say anything more she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him, pulling the hybrid gumball machine into a hug. Benson immediately stiffened in surprise at first but slowly relaxed and melted into her embrace. He returned the hug, careful not to let his sharp claws get tangled in the threads of Audrey's sweater. Being slightly shorter than Audrey, he was able to rest his head against her shoulder as he turned his head slightly to the side and inhaled her scent. They stayed like that motionless for a good minute and Benson wished it could last forever. Unfortunately, the sound of several paws thudding against the earth caused Benson's ears to perk up in alarm. Benson broke the hug and turned his attention towards the still open window.
"Benson?" Audrey asked confused by his sudden behavior. He did not answer right away as his ears twitched and swiveled as he tried to get an accurate estimate. "Benson what is it?" Audrey repeated again, worry creeping into her voice. Benson finally turned to face her, wolf-like eyes wide with fear.
"They're coming."
Author's Notes: Whew, the drama and not to mention length of this overall chapter! I realize that Benson might seem a little OOC in this chapter but this is sort of intended because it's meant to dive more into the part of Benson we don't normally see from the angry, sarcastic gumball machine that we all know best from the actual show. I was also a little stuck on which direction I wanted to go during the Rage Wolf psychic link scene. In the end I went for what was written. I also really wanted to write in that fluffy little Benson x Audrey moment. Poor guy needed some love before he fell into absolute depression. And I know that in the show they're technically dating but it seems more passive than an actual mutual relationship since it they hardly spend any time together or it isn't hinted that they spend time together nearly as often as they should if they're actually dating and I wanted to show it as more of a serious relationship (I know it's not supposed to be a major focus of the show but again, Muscle Man and Starla have had more screen time together then Benson and Audrey have). Nonetheless I enjoyed it even though romance isn't really my thing. Anyways, the next chapter will not be up for a while because I've been having a bad case of writer's block but hopefully I'll get over it (the heat hasn't been helping). Until the next chapter, please read, review and enjoy!