Disclaimer: Ben 10 and Bleach do not belong to me.
Well, everyone. Here's the next chapter and the date between Ben and Harribel. I would like to thank Pyromania101, Sallem Cortez 004, Vandenbz, and everyone else who contributed to the making of this chapter. Sadly, there's no battles or fights in this one. The reason is because I decided to use this chapter to go ahead and cover most of the relationship issues instead of taking separate chapters to finish it. I'll discuss more at the end of the chapter. For now, enjoy the show:
The Date
"Class dismissed. Enjoy your weekend."
No sooner had the words left Harribel's lips did her last class for the day clamor to get out of their seats and towards the door. Harribel let out a small smile at their eagerness. But she couldn't blame them. It was Friday after all. The day before the weekend. It was also the day before something very special in Harribel's case.
The rest of the week had gone by in a flash to the former Espada ever since the whole time-travel thing. She had never been so happy in her life. She and Ben were going to have their first official date. She remembered when she and Ben returned back to the others at the cave. Ben had the biggest smile on his face as he announced their date to the others. The fact that he had said it so proudly along with that big smile made Harribel warm just thinking about it. Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun had naturally given them the biggest congratulations. She was touched that the girls would support her so much despite loving Ben as much as she did. Kevin had started another round of his typical teasing to poor Ben, much to her beloved's annoyance. Yoruichi was just as bad, but aside from a slight blush, Ben had chosen to ignore her remarks. Harribel figured that his experiences in the past had loosened him up a bit. He hadn't bragged about their kiss to the others but she had a feeling that he wanted it to be something special just between them. Starrk and Lilynette had also congratulated them. The only two who hadn't said anything was Gwen and Nelliel.
Harribel went over to her desk. She had to stay behind and get everything set for Monday. She was used to it but it still annoyed her since she couldn't be with Ben, where she really wanted to be. But, all things considered, teaching wasn't such a bad job. When she first started, she felt like a fish out of water. How ironic. But she soon got the hang of things in no time. In fact, she had already managed to earn the respect of both students and teachers alike. She was no-nonsense without being overly strict, very intelligent and level-headed. Many times in the teachers' lounge her colleagues asked her how she could stand the more unruly students. To Harribel, they were nothing compared to her life back in Hueco Mundo. Many of the students and teachers saw her as a role model and Harribel was moved by the fact.
Course, not everything was happy smiles and rainbows. There were the trouble-makers and class clowns who enjoyed disrupting class whenever possible. The other teachers were more than happy to point out which ones to keep an eye on. Those students probably thought she was some kind of pushover who'd run at the first sign of being over her head. Harribel was more than satisfied to put such rabble-rousers in their place. She made sure their punishments were tough but fair. However some would still complain to their parents simply because they didn't like being punished. If they didn't like it, they shouldn't bother acting up. And if they didn't want to learn they shouldn't bother attending school anyway. If they weren't willing to learn things that would get them ahead in life, let them learn the hard way. Some parents were unaware of what their children were doing and were convinced that Harribel was some kind of wicked witch. Harribel made sure they knew the truth about their students which usually followed with strings of apologizes and assurance that they would punish their kids for the deception. Other parents actually sided with their children and tried to put Harribel in what they thought should be her place. Harribel stood her ground and put the parents in their place not unlike what she did to Harangue. This too earned her respect from the other teachers.
Aside from that, Harribel also knew that she was turning heads for a completely different reason. She was well aware that she was beautiful and had become the latest object of lust for those who tended to think with something else instead of their brains. Students (boys and surprisingly some girls) and teachers had developed a crush on the new Spanish teacher. There was also those single dads who offered to take her to dinner as an apology for their misbehaving children. Harribel found it rather annoying. She already had her king and he was more than enough.
She was so caught up in her thoughts that she gave a slight jump when she heard a knock on her door. "Come in!" She called, not really in the mood to leave her desk due to her paperwork. The door opened and much to Harribel's surprise, it was none other than Gwen Tennyson, dressed up in her school's uniform.
"Gwen?"
"Hi, Harribel," Gwen greeted. "I'm sorry for dropping in like this. I wanted to see you after our classes were over. Are you busy?"
"I was just just getting the classroom in order for Monday but you can come in. I wouldn't mind some company."
Gwen gave a little smile as she walked into the classroom and closed the door behind her.
"So, how's things?"
"Not bad, all things considered. Though I have trouble getting some of my students to actually pay attention."
Gwen grinned. "I guess their eyes on something else other than their books."
"Unfortunately." Harribel sighed. "Anyone like that in your school?"
"A few," Gwen admitted. "How's Ben taking it?"
Harribel smiled. "I've seen him look ready to punch a few people who have given me...certain glances."
Gwen nodded. "He can be pretty thick-headed most of the time but his heart's in the right place."
Harribel was surprised. Gwen had never been fond of she and the other girls all loving Ben and had kept things mainly neutral around them. For Gwen to be so outgoing with her was unexpected.
"Harribel...I need to talk to you about Ben."
Harribel looked at the red-head. "What? Is something wrong?"
Gwen shook her head. "Nah. Nothing's wrong. It's, well..." She walked over to the door and peaked her head out. Once she was certain nobody was gonna eavesdrop on them, she walked back to Harribel's desk. "How much do you know about Julie?"
That name caught Harribel off guard. Julie. Ben's ex-girlfriend. To be perfectly honest, all she knew was that the two of them had a relationship that apparently didn't quite end well.
"Not much, I'm afraid. All I know for certain was that their relationship ended terribly."
Gwen sighed now as she looked at her feet. "Yeah. I...I know that this isn't my place to say but since you girls really care about Ben, you deserve to know."
If Harribel hadn't been giving Gwen her full attention, she was now.
"Julie...she was helping us bust some of our enemies and she got hurt. Really bad. Bad enough to get sent to the hospital. Ben was devastated. Whenever he wasn't at school or chasing bad guys, he'd be right at her side. He'd even lose sleep, hoping that she would get better and fearing she wouldn't."
Harribel was amazed. When she thought terribly, she had no idea it had been that bad.
"Julie's parents," Gwen went on."...they hated Ben since then. They yelled at him, called him names. Said Harangue was right about him all along. Ben...he just took it all. As if a part of him actually agreed with what they were saying."
Harribel was furious now. Yes, it was sad that their daughter had gotten hurt but how dare they blame Ben when he was already blaming himself.
"Soon as Julie recovered, they moved away. Don't know where but probably as far away from Bellwood as they could. Julie didn't want to go, though. Unlike her parents, she never blamed Ben for what happened. She tried to explain to them that she knew perfectly well what she was getting into when she went with us, but her parents didn't care. I know they were just looking out for their daughter but I can still remember the look on Ben's face as they drove off."
Harribel could imagine. Ben must have been in so much pain that day and just thinking about it made her hurt inside.
"Course once word got out that Ben was single, girls started flocking to him like moths. We encouraged Ben to give them a chance, hoping that one of them could help him move on. Unfortunately it turned out most of them were only interested in dating Ben to boost their social status. There were some nice girls that wanted to date him for who he was but they couldn't stand his hero life and left. Poor Ben started thinking he wasn't good enough or didn't deserve someone special in his life. Kevin and I tried to cheer him up but nothing worked. Ben slowly started getting better but he never felt the same way around women...until you girls came along."
Gwen walked over to the desk and looked Harribel right in the eye. There was no anger, no condeming. In fact, it looked like her eyes were pleading.
"You girls love Ben for who he is and it's obvious that you can all handle the trouble that follows him around. When Ben told us that you two were going on a date, I saw a light in his eyes that hadn't been there since Julie left. You make him happy. So I'm gonna ask this of you the same I'll ask of the others." Then in a soft whisper she said. "Please take good care of my cousin."
Harribel's jaw actually hung open before she got up from the desk, walked over to Gwen, and gently embraced her.
"Gwen. Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I know it was must have been hard. I promise you that I will never let anything or anyone hurt him ever again. I may not speak for the others but I am quite certain they will agree with me."
Gwen smiled as she gave Harribel a hug back before letting go. "Thanks, Harribel. I'm really sorry for the way I treated you back then. I see now that you, and the other girls, are good people. And I'm glad that you care about my cousin so much. I hope you and Ben enjoy your date tomorrow."
Harribel smiled now. "Thank you."
As Gwen left the room and Harribel went back to her desk, the former Espada thought to herself. If you are hurting, my king, then I will do everything I can to make the pain go away.
Harribel wasn't the only one thinking about the upcoming date. Nelliel was also thinking about it, as well as their kiss, while working at her new job: the local bookstore. For Nelliel, whose favorite pastime back in Hueco Mundo was reading, it was perfect. So many wonderful new books to read and learn about. She got along great with her coworkers and her boss had come to appreciate her since her beauty had attracted costumers. Though it was annoying when some preferred to simply hit on Nelliel rather than buy something. For Nelliel, it was annoying because she was technically...taken.
"Something wrong, Nelliel?"
Nelliel, who had been daydreaming while putting up a new shipment of books, was startled out of her thoughts. She turned her head towards the one who disturbed her. Standing nearby was a girl with short, reddish hair. Her arms were crossed but her eyes held nothing but concern. She was Anne, a senior coworker and really nice. Kind of like the big sister of the store, she and Nelliel had become friends instantly upon meeting.
"Sorry about that, Anne," Nelliel said as she started picking up the pace. "I guess my mind wondered."
"I noticed," Anne said with a small smile. "Let me guess: boy trouble?" When Nelliel stared at her, she shrugged. "I've seen that look before." She looked around the store to see if there were any eavesdropping costumers. It was a slow day and the store was practically empty except for the employees. "Want to talk about it?"
Nelliel sighed as she resumed her work. "There's this guy I'm in love with. Only problem is that...I have some competition."
Anne whistled. "Trying to find a way to get his attention, huh?"
"Something like that." Nelliel knew it was far too complicated to try and explain the real story.
"Well, I wouldn't worry. You're a really nice girl, Nelliel. Really smart. Not to mention you're a total knock-out. If he can't see that you're the perfect girl, he ain't worth your time. What's this guy like?"
Nelliel's face finally lit up at the question. "Brave. Caring. Willing to put his life in danger for the sake of others. But he can be a bit overconfident." She giggled. "And lets the attention go his head sometimes. Really likes to show off."
Anne sported a knowing smirk on her face. "You two close?"
"Yes. Or...we were. Now I'm not so sure."
Anne tipped her chin thoughtfully before snapping her fingers. "I think I know the problem. You mentioned competition. Have they been spending a lot of time with him lately?"
Not sure where she was going with this, Nelliel nodded.
"And what about you?"
Nelliel fidgeted. "Well..."
Anne grinned. "Tell me more about this competition."
"Well, we're all friends. Or something like that. We all care about him and he cares about us. But we want to be more than friends and...and he can be such a prude!"
Anne was taken aback but Nelliel's outburst.
"I love him but he can be so frustrating at times. And then the others had to go and spend some time with him and..."
"I definitely know what the problem is now," Anne said, in an effort to calm Nelliel down. "Sounds to me like you and these other girls are crazy about this. Really crazy. And he's been hesitant to take that next step. Or maybe he felt bad about having to choose."
Nelliel frowned. She knew that was the case.
"At least he's thoughtful but a girl doesn't like having to wait. From what you're saying, these other girls decided to take initiative, spend quality time with him, and now he's starting to see them in a whole new light."
Nelliel pondered over Anne's words. "Yeah. Yeah, something like that. Wow."
Anne grinned. "I want to be a psychiatrist after college so I read up on those books here."
"Anne...what should I do?"
"Well, first off, you're serious about this guy right?"
"Absolutely."
"Then there's only one thing to do. You gotta take initiative now. Be a little assertive. Show this guy that you want him and you won't take no for an answer."
"I don't want to scare him away."
"Well, it looks like he won't make the first move so it's up to you. Come on girl, you're smart, you're sweet, and you're sexy. Most guys would pay for a chance to be with a girl like you. It's time he finally saw what a good thing he's got."
Nelliel weighed her options carefully. She didn't want to scare Ben but Anne had a point. She may be an Arrancar but she was a still a woman. She tried to be patient but she had needs and Ben was the only guy she wanted to fulfill those needs. She had agreed to share with Harribel but now she wondered if Harribel was going to follow through.
Oh no, you don't, Nelliel thought firmly. I'll share if I have to but I will not give him up.
"Seriously? Nothing? Zilch?"
"Nada."
Ben and Kevin were at the latter's garage. While Ben was looking forward to his upcoming date with Harribel, he had noticed something very odd. It had been quiet lately. Way too quiet. Usually by now one of Ben's foes would be out causing trouble. Not that Ben minded but...
"Something's not right here. I mean, at least the Forever Knights should be off doing something. Are you sure?"
Ben had gone to Kevin, hoping that his pal's connections with the criminal underground would help.
Kevin shrugged. "I'm telling you, Tennyson, your baddies have gone under the radar."
Ben shook his head and started pacing back and forth. "This doesn't make any sense."
"Maybe they heard about how you trashed Overlord without using the Ultimatrix and you've got them running scared?"
"Doubt it. If actually having an alien device that lets me turn into a bunch of different aliens didn't scare them for good, this wouldn't."
"Probably figured you were nothing without it. Now that they know you don't really need it to kick their butts..."
"Wishful thinking but still not buying it. They've got to be up to something."
"What's the matter, scared they're gonna interrupt your date?"
Ben glared. Yes, when he told the group he and Harribel were going on a date, Kevin wasted no time in teasing poor Ben.
"Maybe they've decided to team up into one big Anti-Ben group?"
Ben groaned. He had already put up with stuff like that plenty of times. The Negative Ten being a prime example.
"I wouldn't worry about your enemies just yet," Kevin said. "You've got something worse coming this Saturday."
Ben snorted. "Oh yeah? What?"
"Grimmjow."
Ben's eyes widened. Then he ran over to the wall and started pounding his head on it. "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"
Kevin shook his head. "Can't believe you forgot he drops in every Saturday."
"I can't deal with him right now."
"Relax. Maybe we can get Ulquiorra, Starrk, heck or even Nelliel to keep him busy. I mean, they're all stronger than he is right?"
"I don't know. I mean, they might be busy..."
"Okay, Nelliel I can understand. Ulquiorra, he and I are working on what to feed Harangue but Starrk? Busy?"
"Alright, good point there. But still..."
"We'll worry about that later. So, where you taking Harribel on your date? Can't really go anywhere around here without sticking out. Need me to get her an ID mask? Or better yet, you?"
Ben scratched the back of his head. "Nah. I've got something in mind. We're going to the lake."
"Where we met your grandma?"
"Yeah. I thought maybe a nice picnic and a swim would be good."
Kevin whistled. "Not exactly the romantic walk by the beach but sure close enough. Well, who knew you had it in you, Tennyson? I'm proud of ya."
Ben rolled his eyes.
"Look, no offense. But ever since Julie left, you acted well, not you when you were around women. Granted you were having some really bad luck with girls at the time but still. I'm glad Harribel and the others were able to get your head outta your butt."
"You're never gonna let me live this down are you?"
"As long as I live, Tennyson."
Ben groaned.
"So. Since you're dating Harribel, does this mean you've picked her?"
That got Ben's attention. "Err. Uh..."
It was Kevin's turn to roll his eyes. Ben looked at the ground. "I don't know. I like her. I really really like her. But...but the others..."
"What about them?"
"I care about them too. And I..."
"You're still scared about hurting their feelings if you choose."
"Yeah."
"So don't."
Ben blinked. "Pardon?"
"Hear me out first," Kevin said. "We all know how the girls feel about you and you don't want to hurt their feelings by choosing. Kind of a no-brainer here."
"But...but..."
"And what if it turns out they're actually cool with sharing? That makes things easier. They get their guy and you get five babes. Besides, after all the stuff you've done for them, do you really think they'd ever be happy with some other guy" Ben frowned. Kevin sighed. "Look, see what they want. If they want to share, then go for it. Everybody wins. If not...then good luck."
Ben groaned. "Thanks a lot, Kevin."
Kevin grinned. "It's what I do. Speaking of which, if you ever need help finding good dating spots for your girls, come see me. I know all the dating hot spots for humans and aliens alike."
Ben was surprised. "Err, thanks. You're being strangely helpful today. Did Gwen put you up to this?"
Kevin laughed. "Nah. Just feel like looking out for ya, buddy."
Meanwhile, Gwen was walking with Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun home. Apparently the three got themselves thrown into detention because some poor punk made a lewd comment about Harribel and they decided to teach him a lesson. Nothing too bad but by now all the guys in school learned to watch what they said. The three were originally going to have Ben pick them up or just go home with Harribel. It was still a mystery how no one figured out they were all staying at Ben's house yet. But since Gwen found out they were in detention, she thought it was the perfect opportunity to speak to them.
"You sure love getting into trouble," Gwen said in amusement as they left the school.
"That jerk insulted Harribel-sama!" Apacci snapped. "Like we were gonna let him get away with it!"
"Just be grateful Harribel was there to stop you or else things would have gotten worse. You girls looked ready to send that guy to the emergency room."
"He should have kept his mouth shut," Mila Rose told her darkly.
Gwen sighed. "Girls. I'm glad you stood up for Harribel but you need to calm down."
"We're not going to just stand by and allow anyone to mistreat those we care about," Sung-Sun replied firmly.
Gwen sighed again as she forced herself to relax. These girls were rather stubborn and stuck to their beliefs. If their upcoming conversation didn't involve Ben, she would have called him to deal with the situation.
"I'm not saying that it's wrong for you to do that, but if you don't learn some restraint, there could be serious consequences."
The girls all glared at Gwen. She had never been very fond of them before.
"But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about. I wanted to talk about Ben."
That got the girls' attention but what did Gwen want? They already had enough lectures from her.
"I want to say thanks."
Well the girls hadn't been sure what to expect but that certainly wasn't it.
"Look, the whole "all of you hitting on my cousin" thing still needs some getting used...but I can see that you really do care about Ben. He was having some problems finding a good relationship before he got sent to Hueco Mundo. He matters a lot to you and I'm grateful for that."
Then she continued the same way she did with Harribel, explaining Ben's rough love life and how she wanted the girls to take care of Ben for her. When they got Ben's house, the girls were surprisingly quiet as Gwen's words repeated themselves in their heads. Carl and Sandra weren't home and neither was Ben. So the girls just went and started doing their homework. They weren't really interested in school but Harribel wanted them to do good in their classes. So they did their school work more out of obligation than anything else. But there was something else on their minds right now anyway. Gwen's words aside, the girls found themselves frustrated. Despite their shared agreement that Harribel would be the one for Ben, after regaining their memories from the past...they were finding it hard to keep that agreement. Kevin had been right, they couldn't see themselves being happy with some other guy. They didn't mind keeping him away from Nelliel but they didn't want to take him away from Harribel. They were also unaware that they were all thinking the same thing. So they kept quiet out of fear that they would be called out by each other.
That night at dinner, most of the group was feeling awkward. Ben because of what Kevin told him, Nelliel because of her new-found determination, and the girls because of their uncertain feelings. Harribel on the other hand was showing a more affectionate side that had never been seen before. She wasn't acting anywhere near as bad as Yoruichi, fortunately: just some gentle touches like brushing her hand against Ben's as well as more openly warm glances. The girls were surprised at the way their mistress was acting but also felt glad that Ben had brought out this happier side to her. Nelliel on the other hand had gripped her napkin tightly all through dinner. She would spot whenever Harribel oh so subtly touched Ben and the glances they shared. She was ready to confront Harribel about it but decided she would wait until after their date. But only because she didn't want to make Ben upset. Carl and Sandra noticed the tension during dinner but didn't say anything. They were trying to be more understanding of Ben's situation and give him his space. They only hoped that he would come to them if he needed help with anything.
When dinner was over, Apacci, Mila-Rose, and Sung-Sun were staying up to see if there was anything good on TV.
"Try not to have the TV too loud!" Sandra called as she and Carl went to their room.
Nelliel was trying to keep her mind off things with some of the books she bought at the bookstore. Employee discount was a wonderful thing. Unfortunately the book she had been reading was a romantic book and she was having a hard time not picturing herself and Ben as the characters. She really wanted to confront Harribel about whether they were still going to share. But she didn't want to ruin their date and possibly make Ben mad at her. Harribel on the other hand was wondering what Ben had in mind for their date. She didn't know but she was sure it was going to be wonderful.
In his room, Ben was just lying on his bed. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't nervous. He was more nervous than his first date with Julie. No offense to Julie but Harribel was on a whole other level. Despite how strong her feelings were for him, he still didn't want to mess up. She deserved to be happy. He also couldn't get Kevin's words out of his head. Not choose? Ben had to admit that would make things easier. And he cared about the girls a lot...
I don't know about this.
"Ben?"
Harribel's voice brought him out of his thoughts. Turning his head to the door he froze when he noticed that Harribel was already in her night clothes. A rather sexy slip that hugged her body perfectly; showing off her curves and ample bust while stopping mid-thigh, allowing him an excellent view of her shapely legs. He really hoped that he wasn't drooling right now.
"Y-yeah?" he said, trying to look casual about the whole thing. But Harribel wasn't fooled. She saw Ben's reaction and felt quite pleased with the result.
"I was wondering what you had in mind for our date tomorrow."
Ben's nervousness shot back up again. Managing to somehow pry his eyes from the heavenly view before him, he hoped she wouldn't be disappointed.
"I...I wanted to take you out to this lake nearby. A nice picnic, some swimming." He panicked when he realized that didn't sound very romantic. "Er, if you don't want to do that I could..."
Harribel smiled. "I'd like that." She thought it was sweet that Ben wanted to do something so personal and casual with her. "I'll be sure to bring my bikini." Her smile grew as Ben's face reddened. Apparently he forgot that little detail. Feeling mischievous she walked over to Ben and gave him a slight peck. "I'm really looking forward to this." With that, she turned around to leave, throwing an extra sway in her hips that she could feel Ben's eyes on. As she left, Ben lowered himself into bed trying to cool his racing blood, wondering what he could have done to deserve such a goddess. After managing to calm himself down, he set his alarm and decided to get ready for bed. Since they were having the date at night, he wanted to make sure he was full of energy tomorrow.
Saturday morning came. Sandra had gone down to the kitchen to get some breakfast and spotted her son. He was looking into the refrigerator and seemed quite frantic judging from the sound of his voice.
"Ben?" Her voice startled Ben, causing him to jump and bonk his head inside the fridge. Sandra had to stifle her laughter as Ben turned to face her, rubbing his now sore cranium. "Sorry about that, sweetie. But what are you doing?"
Ben huffed as he looked back at the fridge. "I was trying to find some food to bring for my date with Tia but..."
"Date with Tia?" Sandra repeated. She crossed her arms. "And when were you going to tell us about this?"
Ben cringed when he realized that he had been caught. "Well..."
"Afraid of how we'd react?"
Ben, unable to say anything, simply nodded.
"It took me a while but I've gotten used to it. I don't mind that you're going on a date with Tia but I do hope you've thought this through."
"I know. I'm taking Tia out to the lake nearby. We're going at night so we don't need to worry about anyone seeing us."
Sandra nodded. "Sounds good to me. Just be careful okay?"
Ben nodded, smiling at his mom was cool with it. "I will. Thanks, mom."
"Now, let's see if I can help you find some nice foods Tia would like to eat."
"Mom!"
Apacci was in the living room, playing video games. Ben had really gotten her hooked on the stuff. She particularly enjoyed fighting games (no surprise there). Gwen had surprisingly recommended it, thinking that video games would make a good outlet for Apacci's anger and aggression. But while Apacci was a great gamer, she wasn't a good loser and was prone to violent fits whenever she lost. Ben and the others had to restrain her before she wound up breaking something in real life. They were all just grateful that Apacci couldn't use her Hollow powers.
Mila Rose was preparing to go to the gym. Since her gigai made her human, she figured she might as well keep in shape. She was in the bathroom donning a black sports bra and tight spandex shorts. Once she was done, she looked at herself in the mirror. Staring back at her was a perfect Amazonian build. Not too slender and not too bulky. An excellent display of masculinity without losing her femininity. Like Harribel, she was well aware of her looks. She knew that she was sexy and more than certain she could definitely get Ben's attention. She decided to hurry up and head out before Ben spotted her. This day was Harribel-sama's and Mila Rose didn't want to be responsible for any sort of disruption. Maybe some other time.
Sung-Sun was looking through articles that Carl had been kind enough to give her. She wanted to find a job as quickly as possible. Aside from the fact that she and the other girls needed to earn their keep, she wanted to earn money to get Ben a present. After all the things he had done for them, he deserved something special in return. Unfortunately a woman whose expertise was solely in fighting left very few job options.
Harribel herself was getting everything in order. Towels, bikini, would she need sunscreen? She didn't know what time Ben wanted to go so she thought she might pack it anyway. Besides, she had seen on TV shows how women often had a man rub sunscreen on their backs. Smirking a little at the thought, she decided to pack it just in case.
Nelliel was back at the bookstore, as she was scheduled to work today. She didn't mind but she was rather frustrated knowing that Ben and Harribel would be doing who knows what while she was stuck working.
Ben found himself shooed out of the kitchen by his mother. Apparently she didn't trust him to pick some good foods for him and Harribel to have on their date. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Ben tried to figure out what he was going to do in the meantime. He'd like to take Harribel to the lake right now but it would be too risky with all those stupid paparazzi. When he entered his room, he spotted something lying on the windowsill. Curious, he walked over and noticed that it was an ID mask with a note nearby.
"An ID mask?" Did Kevin leave this here? He looked at this window. It was locked tight and there was no signs of a breaking in. Besides, if Kevin wanted him to have the ID mask, why not just hand it to him at the door? Or better yet, how about yesterday? Course, Ben had said at the time that he didn't want one.
"And yet," Ben said aloud. An ID mask would be easier. But what would he look like once he put it on? In true Ben Tennyson fashion, Ben donned the ID mask. Looking over in the mirror, Ben's eyes widened at the sight before him. Then remembering that there was a note next to the ID mask, Ben went over and started reading it. He read it once, twice, and a third time to make sure that he wasn't seeing things. Looking back and forth between the note and the image in the mirror, Ben could feel a grin beginning to form.
"So, Harribel-sama," Sung-Sun said to her mistress sitting next to her. "Are you excited about your date?"
Harribel gave her subordinate a small smile but felt a slight hint of guilt. Her girls felt the same she did about Ben. They deserved to be happy just as much as she did. Nelliel had told her during the summer about sharing. While Nelliel may had been referring to just the two of them, Harribel wondered if adding the other girls would make things a bit easier. Plus, Ben wouldn't have to choose and all the girls would be happy. But would Ben be okay with that decision?
"Hey, girls."
Apacci, Harribel, and Sung-Sun all turned their heads at the deep voice that had addressed them. They were shocked to see a tall, muscular man standing at the top of the stairs with his fists on his hips. One thing was for certain...he had not been there before. If Harribel was outside her gigai, she would already be beside this intruder, her blade at his throat. She cursed herself for being currently invalid.
"Who are you?!" Apacci demanded. "And how the hell did you get in here?!"
The man laughed, which only infuriated Apacci. "You don't recognize me?" He started walking down the stairs, allowing the girls to get a better look at his face. He had brownish hair and a beard but his eyes, his eyes were green and they looked just like...
"B-Ben?!" Sung-Sun gasped. Harribel and Apacci were equally speechless at the sight before them.
"Bingo!" The man laughed. Suddenly the man grabbed his face and seemed to pull it off. But then stood the teenage Ben holding what seemed to be some kind of mask in his hand. "Surprised?"
"How'd you do that?!" Apacci asked.
"A little gift from Paradox," Ben explained as he put the mask on, being replaced with his bigger, buffer self. "It's called an ID mask. It can be used to change people's appearance. Somehow Paradox got it to make me look like my future self."
"Whoa, what a minute," Apacci interrupted. "You mean...that's how you're gonna look like in the future?"
"Yep," Ben grinned. "So...what do you think?"
Harribel studied the future Ben a little closer. He was certainly more muscular with than his sixteen year old self, with such broad shoulders. She found herself liking Ben's new beard. It rather suited him. All in all, Harribel thought that he was very handsome.
So did Apacci and Sung-Sun as they studied the new Ben up and down, sporting blushes on their faces.
"With this, we don't have to worry about those news people!" Ben grinned and Harribel found herself liking his smile. "We can go to the beach as soon as you want to."
"Will now be a good time?" Harribel asked.
"I think so." Everyone turned to see Sandra sticking her head out the kitchen, looking at her now older son. "I overheard everything." She approached Ben. "So this is really how you'll look in the future?"
Ben nodded. As Sandra analyzed her son, she smiled. "My boy's gonna grow up to be quite a handsome man." She narrowed her eyes at his beard. "Though you could do with a shave."
"Aw come on, Mom. I like the beard. Makes me look more dashing."
Sandra sighed. "I suppose so." She looked over her son's new physique. "Looks like you've been working out too."
Ben grinned as he started flexing his muscles. "Hey, you gotta be in great shape when you're saving the world all the time."
Sandra laughed. "I suppose this could work. If anyone asks, we'll just say that you're your Uncle Benjamin."
"I didn't know Ben had another uncle." Sung-Sun said.
"He does now," Sandra replied playfully. "We'll just say that he's the one Ben got his looks from."
"Pretending to be your own uncle?" Apacci snickered. "I like it."
"Well, Ben," Sandra addressed her son again. "I picked out plenty of good food for you and Harribel to enjoy."
"Once we get our stuff together we can go ahead and leave," Harribel suggested. "If that's alright with you, Ben."
Ben gave that stunning grin of his. "Sure thing, Tia. We'll leave here in about ten to fifteen minutes. I'll go and get my stuff packed."
Ben turned around and started heading up the stairs, still keeping the ID mask on. The girls all stared as Ben retreated into his room. Once he was gone...
"Whoa!" Apacci breathed. "So that's what he's gonna look like when he's older?"
Both she and Sung-Sun had been caught off guard by this development. Though they loved Ben dearly they had no idea that he was going to grow up to be such a stud. Both of them were suddenly very eager for the future to hurry up. They wondered how Mila Rose and Nelliel would have reacted if they had been here.
Like her Fraccion, Harribel couldn't help but admire her king's appearance. That beard of his certainly suited a king. And Ben theorized that he would stop aging once his body reached a certain age. Personally she wouldn't mind if that was when he stopped aging. But something nagged at her mind. How in the world did Ben know what he would look like in the future? She figured she would ask him these things on the way to the lake. Speaking of which, she decided to go and get the rest of her stuff together too.
But unknown to everyone in the household, they had a little spy. A certain black cat who had been watching everyone from the house window. It wasn't easy hearing due to the windows being down, but this one's special hearing made up for it.
"My, my, Ben," the cat said to itself after seeing what had transpired. "I definitely think you'll be more fun to play with than Ichigo."
Soon, Ben and Harribel were all set. Ben carried the towels, the picnic basket, and a bag full of things like sunscreen and such. Harribel offered to carry some but Ben insisted. His mother was quite proud of him for being such a gentleman. The two headed towards Ben's car. Like a gentleman, Ben opened the passenger side door for her. Smiling sweetly at him, Harribel sat herself inside. Ben quickly got into the driver's side, started up the car, pulled out the driveway, and they were off. Unlike before, Ben seemed to be boosting an air of confidence. He had even donned a pair of sunglasses and that grin of his had never left his face. It felt so weird, but not unpleasantly so. Finally Harribel spoke up.
"Ben?"
"Yeah?"
"How exactly do you know that this is what you'll look like in the future? And did Paradox really give you that mask?"
"Well, in that order: I know this is what my future self will look like because...I met him."
Harribel blinked. "You...met your future self?!"
"Started going by Ben 10,000 then. On the count of being able to use 10,000 of my aliens at the time."
"Y-you could use 10,000 of your aliens?!"
"Yeah. But he never mentioned Hollows, Shinigami, or...or..."
"Or us," Harribel realized. She looked at her hands resting in her lap.
"Hey, nothing's set in stone," Ben said firmly. "I'm not losing any of you."
Harribel felt warm. The determination in which he said that combined with his new older voice gave her pleasant shivers.
"And Paradox left a note for me next to the mask. Well...he said I could consider it an apology for some of the things he's put me through."
Harribel rolled her eyes. "He's been meddling quite a bit in your business lately."
"Hey, I'm sure he's got a reason. The guy knows everything so what he's doing has got to be important. Besides, considering that I got to meet you girls, I'm not really complaining."
Did Ben have any idea how he was making her feel by talking like that? It was as if he finally stopped feeling scared and just went with the flow of things. How long she had waited for him to do this.
"Paradox got this ID mask from somewhere in the future, which explains how advanced it is. Usually ID masks can only change your appearance but this one can makes me sound like my older self too."
"Quite fascinating." Harribel admitted. "And exactly how many years in the future will this be?"
"I think around 15 or so."
Harribel smiled. "Good things are worth waiting for."
Despite Ben's new-found confidence, he was still caught off guard by that statement. Though it was comforting to know that she liked how he'd look in the future.
"I am glad that you had time to do this. Ulquiorra had called me earlier. Apparently he will be dealing with Grimmjow when he shows up."
"Really?" Ben asked. "What about..."
"Ulquiorra's going to make sure that they take their battle back in Hueco Mundo. He knows that you would not want anything bad to happen here."
Ben let out a sigh of relief. "Remind me to thank Ulquiorra when we get back."
The two then engaged in regular conversation until they finally reached the lake. Much to their pleasant surprise, there was no one else there. They got out and Ben started setting everything up.
"There it is, Tia." Ben pointed to the body of water ahead of them. "It ain't exactly a beach but..."
"I don't mind, Ben," Harribel reassured him. "I like it. This whole place all to ourselves. Is that why you chose it?"
"Well...sort of. I want to show you something." Ben guided Harribel to a tree where the words Max and Verdona were carved. "This place was special to my grandparents, so I thought you'd like it too," he explained with a smile.
Harribel smiled softly back and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "Thank you, Ben. I really like it. Shall we go for a swim or would you like to eat first?"
"We might as well eat first. Wouldn't want the food getting cold. Course, we'll have to wait an hour before swimming."
"Which means it will just the two of us for even longer? I like the sound of that."
Ben gave her that dazzling grin again. "Well in that case, bon appetit!"
He went to work spreading out the towels like a blanket, then pulling out some plates from the basket itself.
"Now let's see what my mom packed us," Ben said as he took a look inside. What he saw caused him to roll his eyes.
"What's wrong?" Tia asked.
"Sandwiches. My mom packed sandwiches. I know this isn't exactly a five-star restaurant but I was hoping for something a little more...romantic."
Tia laughed, a sound that Ben had come to adore, given the rough life she had before meeting him. "Ben, I'm perfectly fine with sandwiches."
Ben sighed, still looking apologetic. Tia gave him a little peck on the cheek to make him feel better. He playfully raised an eyebrow at her. "You really like doing that, don't you?"
"I think you already know the answer to that, Ben."
Ben smiled. "Yeah, I think I do."
And so the two began enjoying the sandwiches that Sandra made. Turkey and ham. Being a firm believer in healthy eating, Sandra had also packed some fresh fruits for the two to eat. Tia was currently munching on an apple while Ben was drinking from a soda he had pulled from the cooler. He noticed Tia had a far-off look while absentmindedly eating her apple. "Something wrong?"
Tia shook her head. "No. Not really. It's just so strange."
"What is?"
"The fact that I'm here, doing this. There's nothing wrong with this, I like this. But before...when I couldn't remember you...I never would have imagined that I would ever experience a life like this. I always thought my life would be about survival of the fittest. Even as one of the Espada, I always had to keep my guard up. Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun were the only ones I could completely trust. Except at the time when I fully believed in...him. Even back then, I think a part of me really wondered if actually following him would ever make my life and the girls' lives easier."
Tia, Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun had made it quite clear that they did not want to hear Aizen's name ever again. Considering how he had brainwashed them into being his followers, no one could blame them.
"And now that I'm actually experiencing this, a life like this. It's almost too good to be true."
Ben, feeling bold, scooted closer to Tia and wrapped his arms around her. "This is real, Tia. Don't worry, I'll make sure you never have to live like that again."
Tia buried her face into Ben's shoulder, enjoying the feel of his arms around her, his body next to hers.
"Well, now. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I never would have believed it."
Ben and Tia were both startled by this new voice and turned to see a most unusual sight. Floating in front of them was some sort of being that Tia had never seen before. It had the appearance of a vague humanoid female, it's body a darkish purple color while what seemed to be hair made of pinkish light wavered through the air. It was looking at the two with a smirk on it's face. Tia was about to demand who this mysterious being was before it looked over at Ben. "Hello, Ben" it said warmly.
Confused, Tia looked at Ben and saw that his eyes were wide and his mouth hanging open. After a moment he managed to let out one word. "Grandma?"
Shocked, Tia looked back and forth between the being and Ben. This was his grandmother?!
"It's so good to see you after so long." She started floating around him, taking in his new appearance. "An ID Mask, eh? Not bad. Not bad at all. But is it really necessary?"
"It kinda was," Ben said. "Oh, by the way, Grandma, this is Tia Harribel. Tia, this is my Grandma."
"Verdona," the being said, even offering her hand to Tia. "Never thought my grandson would win over a Hollow."
These words shocked both Ben and Tia. "Grandma?! You know about Hollows?!"
"Hollows, Shinigami, Soul Society, I know all about them," Verdona said. "We Anodites are free-spirited wanderers of the universe. That includes even places like Soul Society."
"But...how?!"
"Reishi, spirit particles, are the opposite of Mana, life energy. Shinigami and Hollows are our opposites in a way." She looked at Tia some more. "Your energy practically screams Hollow but you certainly don't look like any I've seen before."
"I'm an Arrancar," Tia explained. "The next evolution to Hollows."
"Really now? Never met one of those before." She looked at Tia's chest and smirked again. "Your evolution was certainly kind to you." She laughed at Tia's annoyed look. "I'm just teasing."
"But...wow," Ben scratched his head. "I had no idea that you knew about Shinigami and stuff."
"Oh they're all over the universe, Ben. Guiding deceased beings onto the next life."
Verdona mentioned this so casually like it was an everyday thing but it was a complete shocker to Ben and Tia. Alien Shinigami? Were there alien Soul Societies or did everyone go to the same place?
"I'm glad to see you Grandma, but what are you doing here?"
"Max called me," Verdona said.
Ben remembered that he had told his grandpa about his date with Tia.
"He told me all about your great adventures in this great war of yours, Ben. I'm really proud of you."
Ben smiled. He wasn't used to compliments from his grandma, who favored Gwen since she inherited the Spark of Anodites.
"And you." She floated over to Harribel. "You don't know how lucky you are. Ben's a good boy so you better appreciate him."
"I do and will," Tia said politely. "Thank you."
"Since the two of you must be serious, I'll give you some advice." Verdona giggled in a way that made Ben concerned. "Just between us, I'll let you in a little something about male Tennysons. They have very limber tongues. Max certainly did."
Ben cringed. "Grandma!"
"And they're good with their hands. Very good. Trust me, I know."
Ben covered his ears. "I can't hear you! I can't hear you!"
Tia was staring at the energy being as she felt her cheeks redden, her mind suddenly playing certain fantasies thanks to Verdona's words.
"Oh don't be such a prude, Ben," Verdona teased her grandson. "A lady likes her man to be a little bold now and then. I'm sure Tia wouldn't mind, would you?"
Tia folded her arms and tried to look neutral but the ever increasing blush spoiled it.
"I bet you're surprised," Verdona decided to change topic for the moment. "Didn't expect Ben to have an alien for a grandma?"
"Well...not really."
"I had a feeling. I am an Anodite from the planet Anodyne. We are otherwise known as Energy-beings. We control mana, the energy of life itself. Kinda like how you Hollows are capable of using spirit energy. But with proper training, we are capable of doing the most incredible things. Even shaping parts of reality itself. Sure we're nowhere near as potent as Celestialsapiens in that regard but we can sure get more "Wows" then they can. Honestly, Celestialsapiens spend all their time debating and arguing instead of having fun like us. Other beings can use mana but their abilities are severely limited. A common misconception about their control of mana is that they perform magic. Kinda like how Shinigami can use spirit energy for their Kido spells."
Ben's eyes widened when he remembered one of the Shinigami offering to teach Gwen Kido. "Would it be possible for one to learn how to use the other?"
"You mean a Shinigami using Mana and an Anodite using Kido?" Verdona tapped her chin. "Well, I've never heard of such a thing before but we Anodites don't like to believe in something like impossible. It may be difficult given the different forms of energy but with some hard work it might be accomplished."
"Gwen would be happy to hear that," Tia said. "A Shinigami offered to teach Gwen Kido."
"Really?" Verdona's interest was piqued. "Well if anyone can do it, she can. Now I don't want to ruin anything, so I guess I'll leave you two alone now. Take care, Ben."
Ben smiled. "Bye, Grandma."
"Goodbye, Tia. It was nice meeting you."
"The same here, Mrs. Tennyson."
"Oh please, don't be so formal. Call me Verdona. Oh and Ben?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't make me wait too long for great-grandchildren now!"
Ben's face had gone supernova despite wearing an ID mask. Tia's face wasn't that much different. "Grandma!"
With a laugh, Verdona disappeared in a blinding flash of purple light.
"Your grandmother is quite theatrical," Tia commented once her blush died down.
"Yeah, I think most Anodites are like that."
Tia smiled. "Well, we have an hour before we're able to swim. Why not tell me about some of your adventures?"
Ben chuckled. "Oh man, the things I could tell you..."
In that moment, Tia was given an hour's worth of stories about Ben's multiple adventures. She had no idea how a one could experience so many amazing things...and most of them were when he was ten years old. Obviously her king was born to be a hero.
"Were you seriously about to beat Kevin just because he didn't tell you about the Triffin?" Tia asked, amused of Ben's current tale of how he had been stuck as Rath.
"Nah, just scare him up some. But if he had actually bothered to tell us, I probably wouldn't have made such an idiot of myself as Rath."
"Perhaps...though from what I've gathered, you usually act the fool anyway."
"Hey!" But both of them simply laughed.
"Well," Tia said once the laughter got out of their systems. "I think it's time for us to go swimming."
"Er, right." Ben took off his ID mask.
"What's wrong? The ID mask doesn't work in water?"
"Oh this one can. But I've got to change my clothes first and then change the setting for the ID mask so I look more like I'm ready for swimming." He headed off behind some bushes to go change despite nobody being there. Tia figured he was still somewhat shy around her. Smiling, she simply removed her own clothes, as she had been wearing her bikini underneath. She stood there wearing a matching ocean blue bikini top and bottom. She had come to despise the color white since it reminded her of her time serving under...him so she decided to go with other colors.
"I'm back!"
Tia turned her head and her eyes widened. Ben had his ID mask on and was definitely set to look like swimming. He was only wearing a pair of swim trunks, allowing Tia a perfect view of his bare, ripped chest. Ben on the other hand was mesmerized by seeing Tia in her new bikini. She truly was a goddess.
"Well, then," Tia said as she managed to recover. "Shall we?"
"Yeah, let's," Ben said, equally flustered.
"But first," Tia went over to her bag and pulled out a bottle of sunscreen. "Could you pour the sunscreen on my back please?"
Ben was sure he felt his heart stop and yet he was still standing. Tia seemed unaware of this as she spread her towel out, lay down on her stomach, and undid her bikini top, leaving her back completely bare. "I'd really appreciate it, Ben."
Taking a huge gulp, Ben went over to the sunscreen and poured some on his free hand. Making sure he had enough, he started rubbing it on Tia's back, taking in how soft and smooth her skin felt. Tia, on the other hand, had to fight back a moan as Ben ever so gently rubbed the lotion on her. His hand were not very rough or even calloused though she figured it was because Ben did most of his heroics in his aliens forms instead of his human form. Her mind wandered to how Verdona said male Tennysons were very good with their hands and from the way Ben was applying the lotion to her, that Anodite was definitely right. Once she was certain that she had enough on her back, she stopped Ben, redid her top and started applying the rest of the lotion to her body. Ben quickly got out his own lotion and started applying it. With their sunscreen applied, the two of them dove into the water. Ben felt that instant chill that usually happened but if Tia was affected, she didn't show it. Perhaps it had something to do with her water related Hollow powers. Or the fact that she had been a Shark Hollow. Or maybe she was just tolerable to cold temperature.
"This is quite relaxing," Tia said as she backstroked through the water.
"Not to mention fun," Ben added. Then he splashed her. The sudden action startled Tia and her upper body was completely drenched. Shaking her head she faced Ben. At first she looked furious and Ben started to panic, thinking he had done something stupid. But then her face had a challenging look on it now.
"Benjamin Kirby Tennyson," she said. "You want to fight me in water?" And then splashed him.
This resulted in the two actually having a splash fight with each other. Sure it was something juvenile but Tia could not remember when she had such fun before. Probably never. But then Ben managed to swim through her splashes, playfully picked her up, and gave her a gentle toss into the water. She surfaced, mock glaring at Ben. But then she grabbed him by the arm and actually flipped him into the water. Ben surfaced coughing and sputtering due to getting water up his nose.
"Very funny." He muttered once he got his breath back. Tia simply smirk in a superior way towards him.
Afterwards the two simply swam for a bit, talking, a few playful splashes but after a while they were tired. As they got out of the lake, Ben took in Tia's form. The water dripping from her body suited her quite nicely, increasing the already lovely vision she was. Tia on the other hand was thinking the same about Ben. He actually looked wet despite wearing that ID mask and she enjoyed seeing the droplets of water roll down his muscles. The two got to their towels and started drying themselves off. As they were drying themselves...
"So...limber tongue?"
Ben froze.
"Good with your hands?"
Oh crap!
Ben turned to see Tia slowly approaching him. The way she was looking at him was both unsettling and pleasant. Normally this was when Ben would freak out and start babbling like a buffoon. But no. Not this time. Tia had been through so much so she deserved some happiness. Even if he didn't feel the same way, he knew that he could come to love her. He was never going to let her be sad again. He surprised Tia by wrapping his arms around her, placing one hand on the small of her back and the other at the back of her neck. Gwen had often forced him and Kevin to watch chick-flicks in the past and he remembered that the guy usually held the girl like this when he kissed her. Tia was caught-off guard by this unexpected move but that all changed when she looked into his eyes. Eyes that showed affection and caring. Slowly she wrapped her arms around his neck and the two brought their lips together.
Again, the kiss felt positively electric and in such a pleasant way. Both allowed suppressed instincts to guide them as the pair deepened the kiss. But then Ben felt something press against his teeth, trying to get into his mouth. It was...Tia's tongue?! His mouth opened in surprise, allowing Tia the chance to send her tongue into his mouth, stroking Ben's wisdom teeth before touching his own tongue, coaxing him to play. Ben quickly responded, his tongue joining in a rhythmic dance with hers. But Tia wasn't done yet. Removing her arms from around him, Tia gently grabbed his wrists and slowly guided them to her backside. Ben was surprised by this sudden action but also touched that Tia trusted him enough to do this. He responded with a gentle squeeze, causing Tia to let out a blissful moan and pick up pace with her tongue. Soon the need to breathe caused them to part. The couple pressed their foreheads against each other, taking gulps of air. But both had pleasant smiles on their faces.
"Amazing," Tia sighed. "Verdona was certainly right."
Ben smiled. "I'm glad you're satisfied."
Tia looked at him, her lips now swollen and shiny. Looking like that made her just so kissable. But then Tia reached for Ben's face and pulled off the ID mask. The regular Ben stood before her.
"Tia, wha..."
"I want to kiss the real you, Ben."
"But, we might..."
"I don't care right now. Ben...please?"
Ben looked up at Tia, her face pleading. Giving her a smile, he reached up and kissed her again. Rather than worry about height difference, Tia gently lowered herself to the ground causing Ben to be on top of her. But the two were too busy dancing with their tongues again to notice. Once again, they parted. Ben looked down at the former Espada and she him. All her feelings were conveyed in those beautiful green eyes of hers. And within him, Ben felt a desire. A desire to always protect this woman. To make sure that she was always happy.
And Tia could see it within his own green eyes. How much she wished that those eyes would look at her and no other. But she knew that was selfish of her. And it was an issue that she knew needed to be brought up.
"Ben?"
"Yes?" Ben whispered to her.
"You know how we all feel about you."
Ben sighed, closing his eyes. "Yeah."
"If we agree to share you, will you be fine with that?"
Ben's eyes widened. "Tia..."
"I wish I could keep you all to myself, but the others deserve to be happy too." She caressed his cheek. "It wouldn't be fair for only me to have you. If the others do agree that we are to share, will it be alright with you?"
Ben sighed again as he got off Tia and sat up, Tia sitting up after him. He pondered Kevin's words, telling him how easy this would be.
Is that really fair? For me to do this to them? He asked himself.
Why not? A part of him actually rationalized. Kevin's right. After all you've done for them, they won't take any other guy. If it's Ben 10 they want, it's Ben 10 they get.
But, but...
You may not love them all now but give it a try and who knows? Couldn't hurt.
Could I though? Could I really love all five of them?
Well, your grandma doesn't believe in the word impossible. And she is your grandma after all.
Ben somehow mentally sighed. He wasn't sure about this but...Tia was right. The girls really deserved happiness and if sharing him made them happy...
"Tia," he said. "If the others are cool with sharing...I'm cool with it."
Tia blinked in surprise. "Ben?"
"I want to make you all happy. If sharing will do that, I'm all up for it."
Tia didn't respond verbally. Instead she pushed him to the ground and resumed their make-out session.
The two of them had soon decided it was time to head home. They had gotten their stuff together and Ben had his ID mask back on. The two didn't say anything to each other on the way home but both felt very happy from the experience. If anyone would come upon the lake, they would find a tree with these letters carved onto it:
B+T.
The two got home, exiting the car and heading towards the front door. Ben opened the door and held it for Tia. Tia responded with a gentle kiss before going inside. Ben followed her, spotting Mila Rose and Nelliel in the living room. Nelliel was reading a new book while Mila Rose was watching a wrestling match on TV. Sung-Sun and Apacci were nowhere to be found.
"Hey girls," Ben said.
Mila Rose and Nelliel both turned their heads to see who had addressed them. Their reactions to seeing Ben's older self were the same priceless ones as Tia, Apacci, and Sung-Sun. Mila Rose was the first to recover, getting off the couch and walking over to Ben. Her eyes blinked furiously, as if that would make what she was seeing somehow clearer.
"It's Ben, Mila Rose," Tia said.
Ben frowned at her. "Tia, you ruined the surprise."
"B-ben?!" Mila Rose stared at Ben up and down. "H-how?!"
Ben laughed as he pulled off the ID mask. "Little gift from Paradox. Used it to go on my date with Tia without having to worry about any hounding reporters. Pretty cool, huh? Paradox got it to look like how I'll appear in the future."
Nelliel gaped. "You mean...?"
"That's how he's going to look in the future," Tia finished, not wanting this to become a worn out gag.
Nelliel couldn't get that older Ben out of her mind. His appearance made him look like one of those dashing rogues out of her stories. The fact that Tia not only got to spend a day with Ben but also with him looking like that made her blood boil angrily.
Mila Rose had also taken a liking to Ben's new appearance. Those muscles and that beard? All he needed was some proper clothes and he would look like a true warrior.
Sung-Sun and Apacci soon arrived. Apparently the two had been job searching together. Sung-sun had applied at a local restaurant as a waitress but quickly changed her mind when she noticed what a sleaze the manager really was. Apacci on the other hand got the boot when she lost her temper and mouthed off the person giving her the job interview. Needless to say they came home in a sour mood but that all changed when they saw that Tia and Ben were back.
"Harribel-sama!" They ran over to their mistress. "How was your date?"
Tia looked over at Ben, smiling sweetly. "It was wonderful."
Nelliel clutched her book tightly at hearing Tia's suggestive tone while the Tres Bestias all sported blushes now. Ben really felt awkward now.
"I'm, uh, gonna go put my stuff up now." That said, he quickly dashed up the stairs to his room.
"So what did you do?" Sung-Sun asked, being the first to come back to her senses.
"First we ate," Tia said. "Which reminds me, I should thank Sandra for all the food she packed for us. After we were done eating, we met Ben's grandmother."
"Really?" The girls were surprised. "What's she like?"
"Playful but insightful. Also has a sense of humor. She's also an alien called an Anodite."
"An alien?!"
"That means...Ben is part alien?" Sung-Sun realized. Not that it bothered them any. Ben was still Ben after all.
"Anodites control mana, the opposite of spirit particles. She even knew about the existence of Shinigami and Hollows, claiming that there are even alien Shinigami."
The girls were amazed by this new revelation.
"Once she left, Ben and I talked for a bit before going for a swim."
"Did you two kiss?" Apacci asked suddenly. Judging from how intently the other girls were looking at her, Tia figured this was the part of the date they were anxious to hear.
"Why yes," Tia replied.
The Tres Bestias gasped, happy for their mistress but also slightly envious. "How was the kiss?" Mila Rose asked.
"Absolutely perfect," Tia said with a happy sigh. "I will say this about Ben...his tongue is quite limber."
Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun's eyes all bugged out when they realized what their mistress just meant. Nelliel's grip on her book increased dangerously.
"And he's very good with his hands."
The girls' blushes intensified with the implications of that statement.
RIIIIP
The other girls all turned to Nelliel, who had accidentally ripped her book right in half out of anger. "Oops," she said, giving them a fake smile with an extremely cheerful demeanor. "I guess I ruined my book."
Tia could obviously tell why Nelliel was so upset so she decided this was a perfect time to bring up what she needed. "All of you. There's something we need to discuss."
All the girls gave Tia their full attention.
"How do you feel...about sharing Ben?"
Nelliel gasped. This was exactly what she wanted to confront Tia about. What was she going to say? The Tres Bestias on the other hand looked at each other nervously. They weren't sure how to tell their mistress that they were willing to let her have Ben...although they were now having second thoughts about that.
"I am willing share Ben if the rest of you are." The other four girls stared at Tia but she wasn't finished. "And if we agree to share him, Ben is willing to go along with it."
Now all four girls gasped. Ben was cool with them sharing him?
"He's doing this so that we can be happy," Tia explained. "Yes, at the moment he is doing it more out of obligation but I am certain that, if we are willing to work together, we can show him how happy all of us can be." She looked at the girls. "So...what do you say?"
The Tres Bestias looked at each other. This was perfect. Although they wanted their mistress to be happy, she wanted to make sure they were all happy. Nelliel was biting her lower lip. She had been willing to share with Tia, the other three not so much. But if this was the only way she could be with Ben... "If the rest of you are willing share, I will too."
The Tres Bestias frowned. They wouldn't mind sharing Ben with Tia but Nelliel? Yeah they still didn't get along with her so much. But they had a feeling that if they didn't agree to share with her too, then they might miss their actual chance to be with Ben. Apacci and Mila Rose then nodded. "It's agreed," Sung-Sun spoke.
Tia smiled. This would certainly make things easier for them all. And they could show Ben that this could in fact work for the better. But...Tia had one last surprise for Ben tonight.
That night, Ben was sitting up in bed, staring at the ceiling. His mind wondered to all that had happened to day. It was really nice. He was still a bit unsure about this whole situation but...well, couldn't hurt to try.
"Ben?"
Ben was snapped out of his musing by Tia's voice. She was standing at his doorway, wearing a long night robe. Ben couldn't help but notice that she even looked sexy in something that completely covered her.
"Hey, Tia. What's up?"
Tia tried to think of a subtle way to explain what she wanted. "I believe it's my turn now."
Ben was genuinely confused. "Turn?"
"You've slept with Nelliel, Sung-Sun, Mila Rose, and Apacci. I would like a chance now."
Ben blushed as he recalled all those times Nelliel would sleepwalk into his room as well as when he was technically cuddling with the other girls back in Hueco Mundo. Tia did have a point. It really was her turn now. Surprised that he wasn't all that bothered by this, Ben moved over to make some space for her. Smiling, Tia closed the door behind her. And then she removed her robe. Ben's breath hitched when he saw that she was wearing a black lacy pair of bra and panties. If he hadn't been drooling at her previous nightwear he certainly was now.
"T-tia..."
"Don't worry, Ben. I was just want to look sexy for my king."
"King?!"
"Yes, Ben," Tia crawled into bed, wrapping her arms around him. "You are my king."
His hormones raging within him more than at the beach, Ben slowly wrapped his arms around Tia. She responded by pulling him next to her, where he could feel her soft breasts pressing against him and her hot breath on his neck. Oh, this was torture! Fighting to control himself, Ben made sure the blanket covered them both to keep them warm. As his heartbeat started to return to normal Ben noticed that this was actually really nice.
"Goodnight, Ben," Tia whispered, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek. Ben smiled.
"Goodnight, Tia."
As the two started drifting into a comfortable sleep, another was having restless sleep. Nelliel was tossing and turning, her mind filled with all kinds of unpleasant thoughts. While sharing may have been easier for the group overall, it certainly wasn't easier with Nelliel. Sharing with Tia was one thing but now she had to put up with the other three. She knew that they didn't really like her and she wondered if they would ever get along. How could she know if they would actually share? What if they decided to hog Ben all to themselves? She wanted to be with Ben!
As thoughts like this continued to plague her troubled mind, her body started to move on it's own. Before, she had this nasty habit where she would sleep-walk to Ben's room and cuddle up right beside him in the night. Despite her efforts, she couldn't break the habit. Reluctantly, Ben was forced to attached a joy buzzer to his door handle, giving Nelliel a mild shock whenever it would happen. Something like shock therapy. Neither really liked doing this but it was a mild shock and Nelliel could handle worse, even in her gigai. She eventually stopped, allowing Ben to remove the buzzer and things were finally back to normal. Apparently Ben didn't consider that old habits really die hard. She wanted to seek Ben. To feel his body next to hers. Like on automatic pilot, she walked all the way to Ben's room and went inside. She was unaware of course of the additional guest in the bed but all that mattered to her was being with her man. Slowly she crept into bed behind him, wrapping her arms around his chest and snuggling herself into his back. The feel of him next to her put her mind at ease and a blissful smile on her lips. And for the rest of the night, things were peaceful. Unfortunately this peace would not last because once morning came, when Sandra came to check up on her son...
"BENJAMIN KIRBY TENNYSON!"
At Los Soledad, Ulquiorra was engulfed in some books he had checked out from the library. With nothing better to do, aside from conversing with his asinine fellow Arrancar, he actually preferred reading books. He would spend hours in the library, just reading, and by closing time he would borrow a few books he was interested in reading back home in Los Soledad like he was now. He and Grimmjow had ended their conflict. The Sexta was furious to learn that Ben wasn't there to fight him but didn't miss on a chance to take on Ulquiorra. Needless to say their fight was a bit more...destructive than his typical ones with Ben. But Grimmjow relented when Starrk showed up as backup in case Grimmjow got too rowdy. Grimmjow relented but demanded that Ben be prepared next time around. With that out of the way, Ulquiorra had returned to Los Soledad and dove into his books.
He wanted to learn more about humanity.
He also wanted to learn more about the concept of love.
However, the books he read gave him more questions than answers.
"Humans are so confusing," Ulquiorra said as he put the book he had been reading down. He must have been looking in the wrong places. He needed answers. But where could he go? He considered asking Kevin. For some reason, he felt a kinship with the Osmosian. Perhaps the ex-con could give him some help with this predicament. But he would have to wait as he knew how early it was and Kevin was probably asleep. As he waited for time to pass, he found himself thinking of that woman who started plaguing his thoughts for some time now. Orihime Inoue.
But unknown to Ben and his pals, trouble was brewing.
"Loly, are you sure this is a good idea?" The Arrancar known as Menoly asked nervously.
"Of course it is, Menoly!" Loly snapped. "Ben Tennyson took Aizen-sama away from us! He has to pay! Fortunately he has so many enemies, getting rid of him should be a piece of cake!"
"But if he could get rid of Aizen-sama..."
"It was dumb luck, nothing more!" Loly snapped angrily. The idea of Ben actually being stronger than Aizen was impossible to her, ridiculous even! "But we'll have an advantage on our side. Once we gathered up all of Ben's enemies, we can learn his strengths, his weaknesses. We'll crush him for sure!"
"But how are we supposed to communicate with them?" Menoly asked. "What if they aren't spiritually aware?"
"Then we'll communicate some other way!" Loly barked. "Nothing's going to stand in the way of my revenge! Nothing!"
End of Chapter
Well, everyone. I hope you liked this latest chapter. This is one of my longer works and I'm surprised I got this all written down. Well, the harem seems to be resolved fro the time being. Since you guys wanted a harem fic (ugh), this is how the list will go: 1. Harribel, 2. Nelliel, 3. Sung-Sun, 4. Mila-Rose, 5. Apacci.
I know this chapter didn't have any action in it, but like I said earlier, I wanted to get the major relationship parts (Such at setting the harem issue in-story) out of the way first, then move on to the action. There will still be romance of course but this is Ben 10 after all so there just has to be action.
I think I might start incorporating elements of Ben 10 Omniverse including some of Ben's new aliens. Also, Ben's gonna stop shouting out the names of his aliens. I'll put some more Bleach elements into the story but that comes later. Also, I may leave the Xcution arc out of this story. That seems like something for Ichigo-only. Though there could be a plot where Xcution asks Ben to use Alien X in a bid to try and steal his powers instead of Ichigo's but that's a bit of a stretch. The Vandenreich will become antagonists later on in the story and the Zanpakuto Rebellion arc will also take place. But I do need to make some Ben 10 related conflict. I know a lot of you were disappointed how the actual show ended so maybe I could make a twist on things. Maybe make it a bit more Lovecraftian where Diagon tries to awaken some of his brothers like Cthulhu or so. Lovecraft had a strange sense of storytelling but one can't deny that he made great villain characters.
Course, if you guys have any suggestions for conflicts with Ben's foes, feel free to suggest them.
By the way, my fellow author, Sallem Cortez 004 now wants Yoruichi to join the harem. He wants her to, I don't want her to (I like Yoruichi but she wasn't part of the original love interests roster), but instead of going back and forth in an endless debate, we'll be leaving that decision up to your viewers with my latest poll. Should Yoruichi join Ben's harem or not? You decide.