Rojo POV
I wake up and try to open my eyes, only for me to feel something soft wrapped tightly around my head, after struggling a bit, I able to get away, turns out the girl brat sneaked into her grandpa'smy bed, wrapped her legs around my head and hugged my thighs.
I look at Ben sitting at the desk, glasses I've never seen him using, working on his laptop, he slides a coffee mug in my direction without even looking at me. I join him at the desk after getting my legs free from Gwen's hug.
- Fuck, nothing better than a cup of coffee in the morning – He chuckles and keeps typing before taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes – Tell me you didn't pull another all nightery, kid…
Fine, I won't – He shrugs and opens another energy drink, I roll my eyes and take the can from him, he glares at me, but I ignore him and put the can back on the fridge – You suck, you know that, right?
- I'm the adult here, I gotta be the party pooper – I shrug as he lays down on the couch and closes the laptop – Now go take a nap, the girl can eat breakfast on her own, I'll make sure she won't eat the whole pantry.
He just grunts and turns to the side. I go sit on the driver's seat while sipping on my coffee, kid's a brat, but he can make a great coffee. It takes another hour before the girl wakes up. I hear her bones pop and crack as she stretches, her yawn sounding more like an animal's growl.
- Where Ben? – She asks me, still half asleep and rubbing her eyes.
- He's sleeping, pulled another all-nighter – She nods before raiding the fridge, a 3kg bag of fries, fried eggs and 3 2-liter bottles of soda. Where does all that food go?
She picks him up and takes him to bed, cuddling him before going back to sleep. Guess I'm on my own then…
Ben POV
I wake up around lunchtime to the smell of bacon and Gwen eating my hair again, I look at the kitchen to see Rojo wearing an apron while cooking.
- Huh, so you CAN look like a girl…
- You DO know I'm holding a frying pan full of boiling fat, right? – She raises an eyebrow at me, I just shrug and get up, carrying Gwen with me to the bathroom, Rojo just chuckles – Hey brat, you got something on your back.
After a quick shower and helping Gwen get dressed, I sit her at the desk as Rojo sets down the plates for me and her, while setting down a large Tupperware for Gwen, filling it to the brim with scrambled eggs and bacon.
- So, what are the plans for today? – Rojo asks while stabbing the bacon with her claws and eating it.
- We need clothes for you and more sweaters for Gwen, they're almost all gone – Gwen nods while stuffing her face with food.
- Oh, and that too! – Gwen says, pointing at the tv, showing a magic exhibition happening close by – And then we go for ice cream!
Gwen says happily, I can't help but agree.
After eating, we get dressed and leave, walking around and checking stores one by one, Rojo doesn't get much, mostly a few band shirts, sleeveless jackets, some pants and skirts. I was surprised tho, with how much she liked choosing clothes for Gwen, "Doesn't go well with her eyes" this, "Matches her hair" that, I could see Gwen's eyes starting to spin, I chuckle and pat her head, telling Rojo we had enough, I could see Gwen's thankful look.
After we carry everything to the Rust Bucket, we take a small break for a snack before going to the magic exhibition, it was funny seeing the looks people gave Gwen who's carrying a massive ice cream cone, almost half her size.
We look around the place, I'm mostly watching Gwen's reactions to the pieces in the museum, her head tilt and turn, trying to understand what's on display, sometimes she asks me questions about them, I answer all that I can, I'm still pretty stupid, after.
Something catches my attention tho, I see blue, almost invisible threads wrapping around everyone else. When they try going for us, I quickly pull Gwen and Rojo out of the way, they don't have time to question it before everyone but us starts floating.
- Uh, so that's what those do – I say to myself as I see the threads pulling people up like dolls.
- Hey brat, what the hell was that? – Rojo asks, confused.
- Those blue threads wrapped around them, it's what's holding them up, it tried getting us, but I moved us just in time – Rojo looks even more confused, eyes darting between me and the floating people.
- Blue thread? What are you talking about? I can't see anything like that – I look at Gwen, who just nods in confusion, am I the only one who can see that?
Suddenly a red smoke starts seeping in from the stained-glass windows, it all accumulates in one spot, solidifying into a human shape, I think I've seen him before…
- That seems like a lot of trouble to sneak in without paying, old man, did you wanna see the exhibition THAT much? – I ask as he looks around, he turns to look at me and chuckles.
- So, we meet again, boy, surely you won't try to stop me? – He says as his staff glows a menacing blue, I just shrug.
- Why would I? It's none of my business, y'know? Just leave me be and I'll do the same for you – He looks amused before his eyes drift to Gwen and Rojo.
- And which one of those was the one you were looking for? I hope you found her well? – He says as he waves his staff over the glass case covering a book, making it melt.
- Does it matter? Thank you for the help tho, I don't think I could have found her without your help- – Before I can finish, the wall besides us explodes, throwing me and the girls to the floor.
I cough a few times, seeing someone walking in from the dust cloud.
- Uncle! They have so many relics here! I bet they have no idea what even HALF of those can do! – The girl that was with the old man last time shows up, holding a bag full of clearly stolen items.
I hear sniffling by my side and turn to see Gwen, tears in her eyes as she looks at her ice cream, now spilled on the floor, covered in dust. I don't even have time to try and comfort her before she slams her palm on the watch.
- YOU FUCKING BITCH! – Her voice even more distorted than normal, I watch Gwen turn into Gwen Arms, but even bigger than usual, veins bulging, spikes all over her hardened skin, eyes glowing, teeth turned into tusks. This is the first time I saw Gwen so broken since this all started – CAN'T WE HAVE A FUCKING DAY OFF?!
She brings her fist down on the silver haired girl, who looked in shock, only for a barrier to form around her just in time, protecting her. Even so, I see the barrier crack, the old man looks shocked, but wastes no time spinning his staff and sending Gwen flying to the other side of the museum.
- Control your pet, b- – I unload my pistol at him before he can finish that damn phrase, a few gets through the crack in his shield and hit his arm.
Just in time, Gwen roar in anger and charges at the old man, her fist going straight through his shield and hitting, well, his whole body? And sends him through a few walls, she then turns to the girl, who's still frozen in shock on the floor.
I see people falling to the floor as the old man is either dead or knocked out, I feel Rojo shake my shoulder, I can see that she's telling me something, her mouth is moving, but my head's too busy trying to understand what caused this new form change on Gwen, I shake my head, gotta stop Gwen now, THEN I can diagnose Gwen and the watch.
I walk up to Gwen and the girl, shooting her on the leg, she screams in pain, I hit her with the back of the gun to the side of her head.
- Hey, you know what you did wrong? – I ask, gun pointed at her head.
- Y-You bastard! Do you know who I- ARGH! – I shoot her leg again.
- Not the answer I wanted, and since you seem too stupid to know the right answer, I'll help you, you made my Gwen spill her ice cream, so you'll apologize and pay for a new ice cream, got it? Your dear uncle ain't here to save you, Gwen sent him through the wall for trying to help you.
Shaking, she nods, reaching into her voodoo looking side bag and pulled a few crumpled bills off of it and hands it to me. I hit her again with the back of the gun, knocking her out and taking the small book she was carrying. I take a deep breath before turning to Gwen, who quickly hugs me, resting her head on my shoulder.
I listen to her muffled, distorted crying sounds turn into a violent coughing fit, I feel her blood run down my back with each cough. I knew this would happen, it always does after a violent transformation, and this has been the most violent one so far. I see Rojo silently approaching us as the watch times out, Gwen's body shrinking as her muscles lock and spasm violently under her torn and ripped bleeding skin, visible to anyone. Rojo quickly covers Gwen's naked torso with her new jacket, not caring at all about the blood getting on it.
I toss Rojo the keys to the Rust Bucket, she catches them, nods and quickly runs out as I slowly guide Gwen outside, ignore the people on the floor, broken bones, open fractures, dead people? Who cares, I only care about Gwen. I whisper comforting words to Gwen, knowing they're having no effect, her glazed, soulless eyes, leaking tears mixed with blood.
I see Rojo pull up in front of the museum, almost running over a few people as she cuts in front of other cars and drives onto the sidewalk. I carefully guide Gwen there, taking her inside and setting her down on my bed as Rojo drives off, I hear the police sirens in the distance, too late, assholes, someone already did your job.
I spend the next few ours cleaning and stitching Gwen up, she's sleeping now after passing out from crying too much. Rojo asks me what the hell happened, what do I tell her, when I myself have no idea?
After running a few (Admittedly scuffed) diagnosis scripts I wrote, I got the basic idea of what happened. Hysterical strength, y'know those stories when a mom lifts a car to save her kid? It's basically that, Gwen had a meltdown, her body thought she was in a life-or-death situation, sent that to the watch, and its only answer was pump more then double the amount of DNA modifier it already does, giving Gwen some sort of adrenaline driven mode with double the power and 10x the damage to her body.
The Corruptrix registered that as a new mode to it, like the lifeform lock or the randomizer more (Which is a stupid function, what kind of idiot would add that to this fucking watch?). I named it Crash Out Mode and quickly locked it away. Gwen's not using that anymore.
Simulating other "Crash Out" forms only make me even more sure of that decision, forms and after effects that made me almost throw up in fear and anger, I'll kill whoever made this watch after making them fix Gwen. I'll make them suffer, rip their body piece BY FUCKING P-
- That's enough, kiddo – I hear Rojo talk, her voice gentle like never before, my eyes focus on her, then down to her hands, holding mine as I dig my nails on my left shoulder, blood pooling at my feet. Blood dripping down my chin as I had chew and bitten my lips – That's enough for today, focus on Gwen, she needs you, and I'm here if… WHEN you need me, got it?
Breathing heavily, I nod. Getting up and walking on shaking legs to the bathroom to clean my new wounds. After that and a long shower, Rojo sits me down next to Gwen's sleeping form, drying and tying my hair, even making one of grandpa's weird herbal teas to get me to sleep.
It takes 3 days for Gwen to wake up, and another week for her to heal from the Crash Out wounds. I only leave her side to eat and shower at Rojo's insistence, we never once stop until we reach the next Plumber base, Gwen's quieter and clingier than usual, I have no idea what to do but to give her affection back, what am I supposed to do? Rojo says I'm doing great, but am I really? I'm just not sure of anything anymore. I'll… Follow Rojo's advice for now, guess she's not so bad after all, huh?
