"We are never coming back to this planet right?" Asked Ben.
Tetrax chuckled. "No worries Ben, after Gar gives us the information we need tonight, we'll leave as soon as possible."
Tetrax and Ben were walking down the magnificent hallway of the Tetramand palace. There were trophies hanging on the walls everywhere, mostly the heads of monsters and super large weapons. Ben found it kind of intimidating, knowing that the entire palace was filled with powerful warriors who liked to tear monsters up before breakfast every morning.
Ben was anxious to leave the planet quickly. Firstly because he was tired of looking over his shoulder when he was walking through the halls of the palace, (ever since his duel with Looma, many Tetramands now wanted to fight Ben so as to prove their mettle.) And secondly, Looma had been staring daggers at Mikoto ever since the duel. At breakfast, in the hallways, even in the woman's baths. Mikoto and Ben were both becoming extremely paranoid thanks to this planet. The sooner they left, the better.
"So Ben, what are you going to do?" said Tetrax.
"About what?"
Tetrax chuckled again. "Come on Ben, I may not be completely familiar on human customs, but even I can tell that your display back at the fight wasn't just some fake love testimony to save Mikoto's life, you really do have a thing for her don't you?"
Ben went extremely red. "Er......to be honest.......I haven't had a chance to talk to Mikoto about it yet.........what with Looma always just around the corner................"
Tetrax nodded in agreement. "Tetramand women are known for being quite jealous, and destructive."
"And besides, what would I say?"
"You would tell her the truth as it is, that you meant every word you said, and you would realize that she feels the same about you." said Tetrax.
"Y-ya actually think I have a shot with her?" said Ben his eyes widening.
Tetrax sighed. "Ben, seriously, the fact that both of you love each other has been so obvious to everyone but the two of you."
"Th-that obvious!?"
"Yep, even Touma noticed, and I have a feeling that he's pretty dense when it comes to noticing love."
Ben went silent. Could it be that Mikoto had been showing such obvious signs of feelings for him and he just didn't pay attention? Well there was that moment on the Resolute when he and Mikoto almost........... Ben suddenly felt his lips sweating. Maybe he should talk to Mikoto about this.
Ben sighed. "All right, I'll speak with her before dinner tonight.....If Looma isn't around. Think you could do a distraction for me?"
"Oh no Ben." Said Tetrax shaking his head. "I already told you. Me and Looma don't have a pleasant history, I can probably thank my lucky stars she hasn't recognized me yet."
Ben gave Tetrax one the 'oh have a heart' looks that he used to give his parents. Tetrax sighed, why did humans have to have so many endearing facial expressions?
"Fine." Said Tetrax. "But you owe me one."
Later, right before dinner, Ben caught up with Mikoto as she was walking down to the dining hall. "Hey Sparks, got a moment?"
"Sure." Said Mikoto. "But we should probably go somewhere more private." Mikoto pointed at the figure of Looma Red Wind who was watching with the expression of one wanting to to cause as much hurt as possible.
Ben nodded at Tetrax who was a distance away. Tetrax shrugged and walked over to Looma and began talking to her. Mikoto looked at Ben with a surprised grin on her face.
"Well you came prepared."
Ben grinned as well. "Come on, let's go before Looma wises up to us."
Ben and Mikoto moved into a large storage room which was just down the hall. The place was filled with weapons and car engine blocks. Tetramands were huge fans of Earth made vehicles and could make top engine blocks better then any species in the galaxy (except Galvans and Cerebrocrustaceans*, but those species never really concentrated much on 'primitive' Earth made tech).
"So," said Mikoto. "What did you want to talk about?"
"Well........"said Ben blushing and scratching his head. "It's about that battle.......earlier."
"Yes?"
"You didn't happen to hear everything I said to take your place in the duel.......did you?"
"Yeah, I heard." Said Mikoto with a smile. "So.....?"
"Well, I just wanted to say that.........uh.....ummm......"
"Yes?" Said Mikoto as if urging him to speak his mind.
"I.......meant.............every.....word......" Ben said, his head feeling as hot as if he had turned into NRG*.
Mikoto smiled more broadly this time. "And.....?"
"And the truth is.......I lo-..........I lo-........I love..........I love y-...........I-..........."
Mikoto rolled her eyes. "Oh for Pete's sake." She moved in wrapped her arms around the back of Ben's neck, and kissed him full on the lips.
It was complete bliss. The universe felt like it had twisted itself into Benverse. There were rivers of Mr. Smoothies. The air was made of breathable sweetness. And the most beautiful, brave, and wonderful girl in this world was kissing him with lips that tasted better then a strawberry milkshake in July.
And of course, like all good things, it came to an end after around 10 seconds.
Ben noticed some flashes going off and he and Mikoto broke apart to find Argit standing from behind an engine block and taking pictures with his Kineceleran* fast frame digital camera.
"ARGIT!!!!!?????"
"Oh boy!" Said Argit. "Forget stealing the Omnitrix blueprints. When I sell this to the Galactic media, I'll have enough money to buy my own planet!!"
"ARGIT!!" Mikoto shouted. "Give us that camera right now!!!!"
"Sorry." Said Argit grinning. "But I have a better idea. You see I have it from a reliable source that Azmuth has moved a new lab into Academy City, and that he took all the plans and research related to the Omnitrix with him."
"So that's what you were doing back in Academy City." Ben growled. "You were following me to see if I would take you to Azmuth's new lab."
" That's right." Said Argit sinisterly. "And now you're going to promise to show me where that lab is, or I'll show the entire Universe this picture, including your little friend Kuroko and that charmer Princess Looma."
"K-Kuroko!!?" Said Ben already feeling the countless drop kicks Mikoto's overly obsessed friend would be throwing at him, and how long he would probably have to remain Chromastone just to avoid the injuries.
"L-Looma!!!??" Said Mikoto like she was going to faint. "She'll crush me........"
Ben and Mikoto looked at each other for a moment...........then they started laughing.
Argit looked at the two of them as if they had lost their minds. "W-what's so funny?!"
"You call that blackmail?" Said Ben. "I expected better from a con artist like you Argit. Tell Looma? Yeah, she'll get mad. But Tetramand honor dictates that since I beat her in battle, I'm like her liege lord. As long as I say she can't beat up Mikoto, whether she likes it or not, she'll have to listen."
"And Kuroko?" Said Mikoto. "Sure she has major love issues, but even if she does something drastically weird, it's not like she'll try to kill Ben or anything. Plus I'll be around to keep her in line." (For those of you who haven't read or watched A Certain Magical Index or A Certain Scientific Railgun, know that Kuroko is a downright lesbian with an over obsessive crush on Mikoto.)
"W-well......."said Argit struggling for words. "I'll still show the entire media!!!"
"Go right ahead." Said Mikoto.
"To quote a friend of mine." Said Ben. "The fact we liked each other before now.......was pretty obvious to everybody."
"Ah.......ah........" Argit looked completely dumbfounded. "I'll tell them!!!!! I mean it!!!!!!"
Ben and Mikoto merely smiled. They turned around and walked out holding hands, feeling all the more blissful to be in the other's company.
Later Ben and Mikoto sat together at dinner. Both of them chatted happily with each other as if they were on vacation.
"What's got them so happy?" Index muttered. "A few hours ago they wanted to leave this planet as quick as they could, but now they look like they want to buy a house here."
"Index." Said Touma. "That's what we call the miracle of love."
"You mean like God's grace and all that?" Asked Index thinking as usual, like a nun.
"Not that kind of love." Said Touma. "I'm talking about the kind of love that sweeps you off your feet and throws you head first without a care in the world into a combination of bliss, sadness, anger, happiness, and stupidity."
"I don't get it." Said Index frowning.
"You will." Said Touma. "We all have to eventually, even us single types."
Touma turned his attention to Tetrax, who looked like he had a slight crack in his indestructible crystal skin. "What happened to you?"
"Looma." Said Tetrax. "She remembered me."
Touma and Index looked around until they saw Looma staring daggers at Tetrax. Her expression to him was even more terrifying then when she was looking at Mikoto.
"What's the deal between you two?" Asked Index. "It's like you're quarreling lovers."
At that remark, Tetrax turned a darker shade of light crystal blue.
Touma raised an eyebrow. "So you two do have a thing for each other."
Tetrax looked at Touma seriously. "Look, whatever was between us is long over okay? Just do me a favor and don't mention this to anyone else."
"So what happened to you two?"
"Like I said before." Said Tetrax with a note of finality. "It ended."
Gar suddenly rose from his seat. The entire dining room went silent.
"What a time this has been!!" Said Gar jovially. "To Misaka I say congratulations on earning her man's heart. To my daughter, I wish her the best condolences."
"I need not your condolences father." Said Looma. "For I was defeated by a true warrior, and that is the greatest complement there is." However Looma still looked at Mikoto like she wanted to eat her.
"Now I believe." Said Gar. "It is time I gave my honored guests some long overdue information. You seek the Ancient Ones yes?"
Ben nodded. "Yeah, that's who we're looking for."
"Then I will warn you." Said Gar. "The Ancient Ones dwell on the far side of the Anur system. Though Zs'Skayr the high lord Ectonurite has not been sighted around his old domain for many a year, going into that system is even dangerous for us Tetramands. Do you still wish to proceed?"
Ben nodded determinedly.
"Good, then listen carefully." Said Gar. "When you reach the Anur system, you will find a moon known as Luna Lobo, look for a cave there known as the Passage of Beginnings. There will be another cave next to it known as the Passage of Diagon, it will try and draw you towards itself, but you must not let it. Once inside the Passage of Beginnings, you will find a key hole which can only be opened when inserted with 0 energy."
"0 energy?"
"It's what powers the Omnitrix."Said Tetrax. "It is known as the rarest, yet safest source of energy in over 20 galaxies. A power core created from it can run any device for an eternity. Azmuth invented the substance himself, and only he knows how to make it, so you can see why it's so rare."
Gar nodded. "Yes, Azmuth used to know the Ancient Ones before they moved to the Anur System. They entrusted Azmuth with the knowledge to create the key to their hiding place, while I was entrusted by Azmuth to safeguard the location until the time was right."
"The power core." Murmured Mikoto. "The Omnitrix's power core is the key!"
Gar nodded. "Yes, very good Miss Misaka. That was indeed Azmuth's intention, though I understand that wasn't his main reason for creating the Omnitrix."
"Well I guess that settles it." Said Ben. "Thank you for telling us this."
"Before you go Ben." Said Gar. "My daughter has a request for you."
"Errr...." Said Ben. "Okay....?"
Looma stood up from the table. "Ben Tennyson, warrior who is also many warriors. As one you have defeated in battle, it is the tradition of the House of Red Wind that I protect you until I perish."
"Oh no." Said Ben. "You don't mean........?"
"It matters not if you refuse!!! For since it is my duty as a member as the House of Red Wind, I will clutch onto the hull of your ship till it passes the atmosphere if I have to!!!!!!"
Mikoto slapped a hand to her forehead. "Well this trip just got a whole lot longer."
*Ben 10's Cerebrocrustacean form is known as Brainstorm. Brainstorm is a crab-like alien with a humongous brain that is capable of generating and controlling electricity. Brainstorm also has analytical skills and intelligence near that of Galvans, (though Galvans are still smarter). Cerebrocrustaceans actually evolved the ability to generate electricity after their previous planets, Encephalonous 1, 2, and 3 were depleted of their vital electrical storms by overconsumption. Now Cerebrocrustaceans use their new abilities as a means to keep Encephalonous 4 from being depleted like the other planets. (Take note, that in the universe of this fan fiction, Cerebrocrustaceans are one of the few species who were able to develop espers).
*NRG is Ben 10's Prypiatosian-B form. NRG is completely comprised of dangerous radioactive energy which results in the Omnitrix developing a suit resembling that of an oven to protect others from the harmful radiation whenever Ben using this form. While in this suit, NRG can still use his power to generate intense heat and fire heat rays from the gaps in his helmet, while the near indestructible suit allows him to take a lot of hits. While outside the suit however, which Ben can do for short periods of time, NRG is almost as powerful as Atomix, being capable of flight, and being able to throw massive energy blasts, and consume energy to make himself more powerful.