Work Text:
Ben didn’t know why this instance in particular set him off so much. He had no problem when Kevin or Gwen opened his soda cans. There was no reason why Rook should be any different.
Okay, that was a lie. Ben knew there were plenty of reasons why Rook was different. He was new, not that new but he was part of Ben’s fresh start at Bellwood University after Gwen and Kevin went off to Friedkin so he was new enough that Ben got self conscious more easily. Plus, Rook was trans too. It was easy to get jealous over his friend’s height and strength when Ben knew he couldn’t blame his own shortcomings on the cards he’d been dealt.
That was what led him to making a new reddit account and u/throwaway_herotyme posting a request for advice late one Thursday night. He’d seen the subreddit recommended here and there. Didn’t hurt to give it a shot, right?
16M here. been on blockers since age 10, been on t for two years, and live a very active lifestyle. but i still have to ask my friends to open my soda bottle for me. any tips on bulking up?
Ben hadn’t expected to get a response so quickly. He thought about putting off reading it until the next morning but the username made him snort. He had to read it.
firstoff, glad youre trying to improve yourself, man. takes a lot of guts. second off, ditch the soda and invest in whey protein, it’ll do wonders for your physique. visit your local gym its the best place to start. good luck on your journey!!
u/fisting_champion’s words were kind and he kind of had a point. Ben got plenty of exercise running around fighting aliens and playing sports with the Kinceleran kids but he supposed he shouldn’t expect that to pack any real muscle onto his body or excuse his poor college student diet. His smoothie outings were probably the only real nutrients he got. Maybe he should invest in a blender and make some at home? He could get some protein powder into that probably.
Ben started going over the possibilities in his mind but quickly found himself distracted by u/fisting_champion’s username again. Was that fisting as in boxing or fisting as in… fisting? Boxing made more sense for a dude who was into fitness but the username was so unfortunate that it couldn’t be a coincidence. He had to find out or he’d be up all night wondering.
To his luck and surprise, clicking on u/fisting_champion’s profile didn’t send a nsfw warning onto his screen. And even more lucky and surprising, his profile said he was active in some of the local subreddits. Ben hadn’t even realized Undertown had a subreddit. He tapped the join button so he could check it out later and debated if he should message this u/fisting_champion guy or turn in. He had class tomorrow morning but how many trans guys were there in Bellwood that knew about Undertown? That was too good of an opportunity to pass up.
Ben clicked to start a DM.
fisting_champion
redditor for 5 y ⋅ 466,572 karma
Active in r/FTMFitness, r/Bellwood, and r/Undertown
June 9
u/throwaway_herotyme
hi
thanks for the advice!
planning on getting a blender/ some whey protein this weekend
u/fisting_champion
hey!
that’s great to hear bro!
glad i could be of some help
u/throwaway_herotyme
:)
so uh
idk how to ask this but you got any trans friendly gym recs?
the thing at the top of the dms says that youre active on r/bellwood and r/undertown
figured it didnt hurt to ask
u/fisting_champion
woah
thats a crazy coincidence bro
alien, enhanced, or just a regular human bro?
if you dont mind me asking
u/throwaway_herotyme
dw dw lol
idk how to answer that really
u/fisting_champion
no pressure bro
u/throwaway_herotyme
oh i wasnt deflecting
i actually dont know how to answer
technically ive got some alien family but i look human
and dont have powers
well i can sort of shapeshift but thats unrelated
so kind of an alien, enhanced, and just a regular human bro
as you put it
u/fisting_champion
yeah sounds like you could use an alien gym
im enhanced myself so
had to find a new gym after my dna got fucked with yknow
the one i use is super welcoming and trans friendly
ive got some human/ nonenhanced trans bros who use it no issue
id offer to meet up and show you wear it is but im getting top on monday
so no gym for me for awhile
but its near pakmar’s new joint if you know him
u/throwaway_herotyme
congrats on top!! i hope it goes well
im a loyal baumann customer lol
wouldnt be caught dead at pakmars
/hj pakmar actually just hates me
but yeah ik where that is
thanks!
u/fisting_champion
no prob
hope to see you sometime
if you want to meet up in a month or two, id be down
not to sound like a creep or anything
ur free to bring a bro
u/throwaway_herotyme
ty!
i think ill take you up on that
one of my buddies is trans/ alien and hes pretty into working out
but he just does bodyweight stuff
too scared to use bellwood gyms even with the recent pro alien bills
which i totally get
u/fisting_champion
aw hell yeah bro
bodyweight is a good way to get started
if you cant go to the gym rn
or if youre still nervous going to a new place
then bodyweight stuff would be a good thing to do
to work up to weights/ equipment
u/throwaway_herotyme
really?
good to know
ill ask him if he could give me some tips
i think my friend would be happy to have a work out buddy
i probs couldve asked before
but ive been kind of shy about this kind of stuff before
sorry
u didnt really need to know that
u/fisting_champion
dw bro
i feel you on that
i gotta go to sleep btw
gotta wrap up some work in the morning
since i cant work for a couple months after top
feel free to dm me tho!
would love to hear about your progress
no pressure tho
and if you dont feel ready to go to the gym in a month or two
hit me up and ill introduce you to my bros
or ask one of my bros if he wants to give you a hand
depending on how recovery goes
u/throwaway_herotyme
ty!!
gn
Hope your surgery goes well
u/fisting_champion
thanks!
Gn to you 2
As predicted, Rook was pretty excited when Ben expressed interest in joining his workouts. Ben couldn’t do half the exercises Rook could, not in human form at least, but he didn’t let himself get discouraged. Stumbling in front of Rook was one thing, getting immediately wiped out at the gym was another. He wanted to build up at least a bit of strength before meeting u/fisting_champion in person. Speaking of which, he should probably learn the guy’s name instead of just calling him Fisting Champion in his head.
It paid off though. Ben didn’t notice a lot of change but K8-E commented that he was looking good after a soccer game and Kevin said he was looking buff during a visit to Friedkin. Maybe they were just being nice but nice words were nice words and Ben appreciated them. True or not, they pushed him to put the extra effort in even when he didn’t want to. By the time the two month mark since contacting u/fisting_champion rolled around, Ben was feeling pretty confident.
fisting_champion
redditor for 5 y ⋅ 466,769 karma
Active in r/FTMFitness, r/Bellwood, and r/Undertown
August 12
u/throwaway_herotyme
hi!
i wanted to check in to see how youre doing
and see if you were serious about that gym offer
u/fisting_champion
hey bro!!
im doing good
had a couple complications but nothing in the surgical area
thank fuck
healing good, def ready to go out n shit
not ready to start lifting again
doc said light stuff like three pounders
so probs a good time for you to start lifting
since youll be with a guy on the lightest dummies
u/throwaway_herotyme
sounds great!
gimme a sec
ill send a link to a when2meet
its this nice tool where everyone can put in their schedule
and it shows when everyone is free
that way we can figure out a time when were both free
and my buddy and anyone you want to invite is good to go
u/fisting_champion
accidentally just gave my phone screen a thumbs up
u/throwaway_herotyme
lol
u/fisting_champion
lmao
“Where did you meet this guy again?” Rook asked as he and Ben picked their way through Undertown. Rook had one of their university hoodies on, despite Ben’s protests that he’d overheat. For all his nervousness about being a beginner and a human in an alien gym, at least he didn’t have to worry about not being able to bind at the gym. Bless puberty blockers. Poor Rook though. At least he brought a backpack full of water bottles.
“Reddit,” Ben answered, not bothering to turn to see Rook’s frown, “and I know what you’re going to say about strangers on the internet but I looked at his user history and he’s definitely from here and everyone knows there aren’t any axe murderers in Undertown.”
“There are still criminals, Ben.”
“Yeah, but even the criminals treat Undertownians like family. And he even suggested I bring a buddy so I don’t have to worry about getting kidnapped!”
“Or he just wants to kidnap both of us.”
“He’d need some pretty damn good luck,” Ben snorted, tapping the band of his Omnitrix. “Even if I didn’t have this puppy, you could kick his ass.”
“I appreciate your faith in me, Ben, but flattery will get you no where.”
“Doesn’t hurt to try. Now hurry up before Pakmar sees me. My guy says the place is called Gym Argit.”
“After the mayor?”
“Yeah. You know, like gym rat? Because Argit looks like a rat? Look, I know it’s a bad name. My guy said Argit made a big donation a few months ago and they changed the name. It used to be called Fitness Freaks.”
“That sounds like it would be controversial among an alien population.”
“Yeah, probably. Hey, look, there’s a buff dude. He looks like he knows where the gym is. Let’s ask him.”
The man Ben spotted was tall and absolutely shredded, muscular arms clearly visible in his sleeveless shirt. It had a skull on it, matching the aesthetic of his tattoos and spiked orange hair. Not something Ben normally thought was cool but this guy absolutely rocked it. So did the guy next to him, a shorter boy around Ben’s age with a streak of orange hair and a skull t-shirt. The style was a bit tamer than the other guy’s but he pulled the look off just as well. Totally hot, or maybe that was just gender envy. Ben had a hard time distinguishing the two. Didn’t matter though. Next time he went shopping, Ben was definitely getting more black than green. These two looked awesome.
“Either of you Hero Tyme?” the taller guy called as Ben and Rook neared.
Ben raised a hand. “Yeah, that’s me. You Fisting Champion?”
“Fisting Champion?” the shorter boy spluttered, bursting out laughing. The taller man shot him a glare but he didn’t swallow his laughter. “I’m sorry, man, it’s just- Fisting Champion? Really, Ricky?”
“I made the user before I knew what fisting was and it stuck,” the man grumbled before offering a hand. “They call me Fistrick around here but my friends call me Rick, or Ricky when they want to be assholes. My bro here is Corvo. No cool nickname.”
“Like Fistrick is a cool name,” Corvo snarked, still laughing.
“I’m Ben. Undertownians call me Ben 10,” Ben introduced, ignoring Corvo’s commentary, as he reached to shake Fistrick’s hand. “My friend’s Rook Blonko. No cool nickname.”
“I do not wish to have one,” Rook said good naturedly. “Most efforts have been utter failures.”
“I hear you on that.” Corvo grinned and knocked fists with Rook. “Undertownians aren’t really the creative type.”
“Hey, don’t knock it ‘till you try it,” Fistrick joked before turning back to the newcomers. “You two ready to pound some iron? Or you need to warm up?”
“We’re on K8-E’s soccer team. Just came from a practice sesh. Trying to keep up with ML-E is all the warm up anyone needs.”
“Nice. No one binding right now?”
“Don’t need to.”
“My people use breast bindings, not bras, so technically yes but I am wearing the loose ones,” Rook responded. “They are our equivalent of a sports bra so no need to worry.”
“You already know I know better than to come in here with a binder on,” Corvo snorted and Ben tried not to visibly react. He hadn’t realized Corvo was trans too. Fistrick had mentioned having trans friends but it was a massive comfort knowing there was a regular human trans guy here, one with a similar body type to boot. Plus, he didn’t have many trans friends and he sorely needed more.
“Awesome.” Fistrick turned, waving the others to follow. “Come on, bros. You’re going to love it here. Let’s get started!”
Ben did, in fact, love it there. With so many aliens of different satures, it didn’t really feel like he stood out any, something Ben wasn’t very used to. And Fistrick being on lighter weights made things easier. With Corvo introducing Rook to the bench press, Ben found himself in the corner with some racks of lighter dumbbells and barbells. Fistrick helped him secure the clips on the weights and showed him the proper motion, even though he couldn’t do it himself at the moment.
Ben found himself and Rook coming to Gym Argit after more and more games with the Kinceleran kids, and then coming on days where they didn’t have games. They ran into Fistrick and Corvo more often than not, and later their friends Thug and Hoodlum. Thug had top surgery about a month after Fistrick and was taking it slow as well. Ben was just happy to have another work out buddy.
Months passed and Ben felt the improvement. He’d probably never be as broad as Fistrick or Rook but he could see the changes on his arms, probably thanks to the protein-boosted smoothies he was now drinking. His dad said it looked like he was squeezing out a couple more inches, which was a pleasant surprise. Ben had been 5’2” at age eleven, only reaching 5’3” after he started running around with the Kincelerans. He’d been almost certain he was done growing but Fistrick’s guidance changed that.
But, more importantly, Ben made some new friends, ones that were alien, human, and trans. Getting some extra muscle was amazing but he wouldn’t trade away friendship for it. It started slow, getting a meal after hitting the gym to inviting Fistrick’s boys to soccer and hockey practice to warm up, eventually leading to Corvo joining their games and hanging out with Fistrick at some of Genghis Ken’s establishments even on rest days. His friendship with Kevin had started slow too but the two were thick as thieves now. Ben genuinely thought he’d get just as tight with Fistrick and Corvo one of these days.
When Fistrick invited Ben and Rook to his warehouse, Ben didn’t bat an eye.
Maybe he should have.
“I have to admit, I may have an ulterior motive inviting you here,” Fistrick said after Rook whispered that he saw Hoodlum walking by with some tech that was at least a level four, a level illegal on Earth. Ben wasn’t sure if Fistrick had heard him or if he was just being upfront. Either way, he was starting to get a bit uneasy. “Nothing bad, bro. Promise. Want a protein shake?”
“Maybe later,” Ben told him. He had a piece of level twenty technology on his wrist. He wanted to know what Fistrick was doing. “What’s up?”
“Ever wonder how I got the name Fistrick?”
“Ever wonder how I got the name Ben 10?”
“Touché, bro. Touché. So I’m a bit of a small time crime lord-slash-arms dealer. You want in on a job?”
“What?” Ben and Rook said in unison. They exchanged a glance and Ben saw his own confusion reflected on Rook’s face. The whiplash was enough for send either of them reeling. How had they gotten from protein to crime?
“I mainly reverse engineer alien weapons and sell them to whoever wants them and can pay. Sometimes I dabble with some original tech but usually don’t sell that. Like the Nosedeenian power plant? All me. Don’t worry, bros, those bros are cool with it. Couple of them tried to get into lifting a couple years back, tried helping them out. They don’t really have muscles so it didn’t really work out but we remained on good terms. They help out with jobs sometimes.”
Ben blinked a few times. The Megawatts were strong and he knew Ester’s people benefitted from the electricity they generated. He didn’t know Fistrick had a hand in that, though that seemed a bit out of character for a self-proclaimed crime lord. “So why do you need us?”
“We’ve got a big job coming up. Not one I’d usually take but we’re running low on funds, having to take time off and all. Plus top surgery’s pretty expensive. Thug got insurance for his but the bastards rejected mine. Now, I’d never cut any corners when it comes to my health and body so I paid that shit in full and lost most of my cushion cash. Have to make it up somehow. Could use some extra bros backing me up. The job’s worth it, even if I have to give you two some of the cut.”
Ben glanced at Rook again. Ben usually leaned toward hero work, having fought off the DNAliens a couple years ago and having regular run-ins with villains when he first got the Omnitrix. This was out of his usual wheelhouse but he wasn’t a cop or anything. Ester stole sometimes and Kevin got into trouble pretty regularly and he turned a blind eye to that. He’d never even seen Rook jaywalk though. Ben had no idea how the guy felt about crime, let alone committing it. “Could we have a minute to talk about it?”
“Oh, yeah, bros. Want me to step out?”
“We can just go in the corner,” Ben told him, tugging Rook’s sleeve until he followed him to the edge of the garage. Dropping his voice, he asked, “So what are you thinking?”
“I engaged in some… less than savory acts to leave Revonnah. I worked for the Red Wind for a while before deciding to pursue a formal education. I thought the Earth would be the end of my more rouge-like lifestyle,” Rook admitted, making Ben lean back ever so slightly in shock. Ben never knew any of that, though it made sense. From what he knew, Revonnah wasn’t the most progressive planet. It made sense Rook would have to escape through some illegal means. And traveling through the galaxy was pretty rough unless you were rich or had a job that required it. Criminals though, they were able to get around fast.
“So is that a no?”
“I was not finished,” Rook told him. “I would like to point out we both have sizable student loans and I am on university health insurance, which I rely on for hrt and I will lose when I graduate. I am paying for my education and transition myself. Your parents are rather generous but you are still paying for part of it and you are expected to pay for some of it, not to mention you are their only child so at some point you will need to support them financially.”
“I’m not totally sure what you’re getting at here, Rook.”
“We need money,” Rook said plainly. “All of my funds are going into housing, tuition, and food. I hope to get top surgery one day but I cannot afford it right now, let alone a surgeon that operates on aliens. However, Fistrick was able to pay for his surgery, likely at an Undertownian hospital considering he is not entirely human anymore, without insurance through this job. Even if I do not work as long as he did or get the same cut, top surgery will be a more attainable goal if I am more caught up on my existing bills.”
“So you think crime is the way to get ahead on that?”
“I have an on-campus part time job that I do not enjoy, pays minimum wage, and does not utilize my mechanical ability or combat skills. Most of my income comes from odd jobs, which are infrequent and unreliable,” Rook responded, almost deadpan. “I have several roommates to afford rent. I cannot sell my vehicle because I need it for work and to commute.”
“Bellwood does have pretty bad public transportation,” Ben murmured but Rook was still going.
“Unless I want to drop out of school, my other options are to pick up another job or invest in a hobby that pays, which would not put much of a dent in my current troubles and would likely interfere with my school work. I am not struggling yet but I would need a miracle to get me ahead enough that finances are not a major stressor.”
“I hear you on that,” Ben murmured. “I don’t know what this job is paying but it’s probably better than anything working for Mr. Baumann would pay me if I started getting regular hours. I could use the money. Most college students would go pretty far lengths to get some cash, huh?”
Rook nodded. “You enrolled early so you have the benefit of living at home and the university providing you with scholarships but they will not be as easy on you once your first year finishes and you become of legal age.”
Ben winced. “Yeah, good point. I couldn’t take a lot of classes I needed this quarter since they’re in the morning and I live too far. At some point I’ll need to live on campus or get a place nearby. Can’t really afford that right now. And I don’t really want to start the conversation about any more transition stuff right now since I, like, just asked them to pay for college early. Plus t prices got jacked recently. I had to switch back to injections.”
Rook nodded. “I have been participating in a syringe exchange program. I do not think it is meant for me but I have been too afraid to ask.”
Ben winced. “Yeah, I just buy in bulk. Those things are expensive.”
“This is becoming an increasingly depressing conversation.”
“Totally. So, tuition, housing, hrt, maybe surgery… Anything else?”
“Food. Utilities. Textbooks. Other school supplies. Insurance. Gas. You have other medicines as well.”
“Yeah, we really need this money.” Ben sighed before raising his voice to call over to Fistrick. “We’re in!”
“Nice! Glad to have you on the crew, bros!”
Fistrick’s description of his job was pretty spot on. Once Ben and Rook agreed, he stuck them in front of a workstation and showed them how to put a blaster together, walking each of them through it until they were able to do it themselves. Honestly, Ben thought it was better instruction than he’d gotten at some of the jobs he’d tried before. Fistrick was a helpful guy. Ben supposed he shouldn’t expect that to change when crime was involved.
Still, Rook had proficient engineering skills and had experience working with cars. Ben was good at picking things apart and understanding them but he was also studying computer science. This wasn’t exactly challenging for them. And after building a few guns, Ben got the nerve to voice it.
“There’s a demand for existing stuff. Way more reliable than looking for buyers for modded weapons. That way we’re relying on their rep, not our own,” Fistrick explained, pausing to take a gulp of his smoothie. “Corvo here managed to get in contact with Psyphon’s gang. We’re filling in for Inspector 13. You know, the rouge Techadon bro? He normally supplies Psyphon with his goons’ weapons but Psyphon hasn’t been able to contact him for awhile, I hear, so we’re filling in. If we do this right, we might be able to replace him as Psyphon’s supplier.”
“Psyphon?” Ben echoed, anxiety worming its way into his stomach. “Vilgax’s lackey?”
“Yeah, you heard of him, bro?”
“I, uh, have beef with his old boss. He might recognize me.”
To his surprise, Fistrick grinned. “You really think I’d let you and Rook run around with my gang looking like that? Nah, bro. I’ve got something in the works for you two. Psyphon won’t recognize you if you punched him in the face, bro.”
Ben turned to Corvo, tilting his head in question. The boy set his screwdriver down and matched Fistrick’s grin. “Don’t worry, man. You won’t be disappointed. Promise.”
It’d be a couple weeks before Ben and Rook saw what Fistrick had in mind. Ben certainly wasn’t disappointed by what he saw. Fistrick had provided a plethora of new clothing options, all fitting the gang’s whole aesthetic perfectly. Practically every trans guy’s dream, or at least Ben’s. He’d never gotten the chance to explore like this, not with his constant, overwhelming need to be normal. That didn’t matter here though. With Fistrick, he could be as queer and alien as he wanted.
“Raid the closet, bros!” Fistrick encouraged, waving the two forward. Corvo, Thug, and Hoodlum loitered around behind him, all already decked out in their gang get up. Ben had seen them in it here and there but never with Fistrick in his mask and the rest with freshly dyed hair and dark eyeliner. Would he get eyeliner? Or hair dye? The orange contrasted with all the black really nicely. He’d have to ask later.
Ben and Rook both tried a lot of things, spinning around for the gang and listening to whatever suggestions they threw out. Both were going pretty far out of their comfort zones and Ben was loving it. He eventually settled on a short open vest with a cropped low cut shirt underneath covering his chest. The black of the undershirt complimented the orange of the vest nicely and the lack of sleeves really showed off all the work he’d been putting in, just like all the other members of the crew. Jeans replaced his cargo pants and tall boots replaced his sneakers, both surprisingly comfortable. They were designed to run around in, he supposed. But what tied it all together were the accessories. Corvo offered a black choker as Fistrick wrapped up his hands and Ben was sold.
Rook adopted a shirt much like Fistrick’s, complete with a front-facing skull and torn off sleeves. Ben hadn’t noticed Rook had so many stripes on his arms but they really highlighted all the studs both of them were wearing. Once Hoodlum got him some brass knuckles and Thug restyled his hair, Ben hardly recognized the man he’d once thought was a square. Rook looked totally wicked.
Speaking of hair, Ben didn’t even have to ask for Corvo to offer to dye it for him. His hair was light enough that he didn’t have to bleach it, meaning he could probably get it out if his parents threw a fit and it’d be easy to redo himself. And he’d definitely be dying it again. Green was still definitely his color but orange wasn’t bad. It was different and different was what he was going for. None of them wanted Ben Tennyson to get connected to any of their upcoming operations.
The day of the job was creeping up on them. After class, Ben and Rook would head to the warehouse to squeeze in some reps between building Psyphon’s weapons. It felt like no time at all before they were all dressing up in their gear, arming up, and heading out.
“You sure you don’t want a gun, bro?” Fistrick asked as they finished loading up the truck.
“I’ve got everything I need here,” Ben responded, holding up his Omnitrix. “Hopefully I won’t have to use it but I’m a good guy to have around if things go South.”
“Here’s hoping,” Fistrick agreed and hopped behind the wheel before calling over his shoulder. “Buckle up, bros! Fistrick’s back in business!”
Ben liked to think he was a good planner. He came out on top of enough fights over the years that he figured it was fair to say that. He thought he’d planned ahead for this job as well as he planned for any other fight, maybe even better. Ben knew what he was supposed to do and what everyone else was supposed to do. They’d spent hours going over the plan and how to come out on top if everything went to shit. But there were some things that just couldn’t be planned for.
Psyphon was already at the meet up spot when Fistrick’s trucks rolled up, his gang members scattered across the junkyard. Ben recognized a handful like Sweet-Eels Sparklefunk and Thunderpig, the unforgettable faces around the shadier parts of Undertown, but there were a handful Ben didn’t know the names of. No one new, thankfully. Looking back, maybe that would’ve put him on guard enough to sense something was wrong.
“You have my weapons?” Psyphon asked, strolling to the front of the assembled aliens. He was relaxed, confident. If Ben were the hero here, he might’ve found it irritating. Now, it just made him nervous. Psyphon was a powerful figure in Undertown. They had to get this right.
Fistrick nodded as he stepped out of his truck, weapon in hand. It looked like a standard blaster but Ben knew just how complicated the innerworkings were. These things were desirable, desirable enough for Psyphon to seek a new supplier instead of waiting for his old one to contact him. Fistrick tossed it to Psyphon easily as the rest of the crew moved to get ready to start unloading when their boss gave the word. “Check out the merch, bro. Fistrick’s work is nothing but satisfactory.”
Psyphon caught the weapon in one clawed hand and began looking over it thoughtfully. He waved a hand and one of his henchmen stepped forward to present a couple metal briefcases. Fistrick cracked them open, looking inside, and seemed happy about its contents. Ben and his fellow goons took that as the cue to start unpacking the crates.
“How smooth is the shift from precise to radius blasts?” Psyphon asked right before the sound of a blaster cut through the scene. For a moment, Ben was worried Psyphon accientally misfired but the weapon was knocked clean out of his hands, clattering to the floor. “Who was that?”
“Red spots!” Corvo yelled and Ben whipped around to see where he was pointing. Up in the overhead pipes of Undertown and coming out from behind the various trash piles around the yard, Ben spotted a couple dozen figures in very, very familiar armor.
“Plumbers,” Ben hissed under his breath and quickly dialed up his Omnitrix. He looked pretty different from the last time he’d worked with them but he didn’t want to take any chances now that he was on the other side. “Goop? Alright!”
He was going for Four Arms but a massive ball of slime wasn’t exactly a bad thing to have in a fight. Goop surged up, blocking a few shots taken at Corvo next to him, and lunged forward, slamming into the nearest Plumber with his full weight behind him.
“Aw hell yeah, bro! Time to brawl!” Fistrick whooped. Looking at Psyphon’s gang, he called, “You bros are welcome to bust into these crates. I got my money. The weapons are yours.”
Some of the gang members dove for the crates, desperate to have something to give them an edge in the coming fight, but Ben didn’t see who, too busy lobbing a chunk of goo at a nearby Plumber. This one he recognized, or at least he thought he did. Red armor meant Alpha Squad, right? He’d met them before. He couldn’t remember any of their names though. The man grunted as the blunt force of the projectile nailed him in the chest, forcing him back. Ben wondered if he should crank up his acidity. It didn’t seem like Goop was going to do a lot of damage with that armor in the way.
“Polymorph!” the man yelled as he tried to righten himself. “Aim for the Projector!”
It took Ben a moment too long to realize what he meant by that and that moment was long enough for someone to take a sniping shot at the device he used to control his body. In the roar of the fight, the sound of the lone blast that took him out was impossible to single out but the sound of all two hundred pounds of Goop splattering against the floor wasn’t. Quicker than a heartbeat, the tide of battle switched and Ben was down for the count.
“Bro!”
Fistrick’s cry was the last thing he heard before the Plumber grabbed his Anti-Gravity Projector and Ben was plunged into static.
Ben had been knocked out before, of course he had, but this was nothing like being knocked out. Being knocked out hurt. Not that this didn’t hurt but Goop didn’t register pain like Ben’s other aliens. Normally, a knock out was buzzing, lingering pain behind the darkness. Goop getting his projector taken out was nothing like that. Knocking out usually implied the body getting hit but Goop’s body wasn’t hit. His prector was and Goop wasn’t his projector so it felt nothing like anything Ben had already experienced or could’ve prepared for. His projector was what he used to control his body and, most importantly, an extension of his mind.
The moment he was hit, Ben’s whole body hit the floor and he lost awareness of his surroundings. Vaguely, he knew there was still fighting going on around him but he was too dazed to make heads or tails of it and too disoriented to wonder or worry about his friends. It was only when someone grabbed his projector that alarm bled through the confusion.
His body moved against his will, sliding across the filthy Undertownian concrete and into the metal of a Plumber vehicle. His conciousness suddenly flickered back to full capacity and Ben realized his Anti-Gravity Projector had been placed in some kind of containment unit, temporarily severing his connection to it. He still couldn’t move but at least he could think clearly now. A puddle of green acid on the floor couldn’t do much but clarity was better than nothing.
There were others in here, he knew. Ben tried to slide his eyes down his body to get a look around. Ghostfreak could do that but Goop wasn’t really meant to. That was fine. Ben was bright enough to use context clues, even if he didn’t have all his senses. Feathers and the hairy tip of a tail told him Liam and Thunderpig were sitting on the benches lining the edge of the cargo hold. The rumblings from the other side of the truck told him Tummyhead had been caught as well. See? Who needed a solid body? Ben was doing just fine without one.
Ben abruptly remembered this was all temporary. Very temporary. He was on a time limit before he turned back into a human, a human some of these Plumbers might recognize. The sound coming from the front of the front of the truck reminded Ben just how dangerous that was.
“Agent Gunther reporting in to HQ,” a woman’s voice spoke. “Inspector 13’s intel was on point. Both Fistrick and Pshyphon’s gangs were present. We didn’t manage to get all of them but we got a handful of prolific members. I’m sure we can get more information out of them.”
Ben mentally snorted. No way in hell would he rat out Fistrick’s location and Psyphon was smart enough to switch bases if one of his boys got caught.
“Good,” a familair voice responded. A very familair voice. If Ben had blood and veins at the moment, he would’ve said they’d gone cold. “Come back to HQ. We’ll get the prisoners locked up and call in our boys from the interrogation team. We’ll get the rest of them.”
Ben hadn’t known his grandpa was back in the Plumber scene. Why hadn’t he known? Why hadn’t Grandpa Max told him? Ben was the reason he got into the alien buissness again, as much as he was regretting it right now. What would Grandpa do if he saw Ben in the cargo hold? Or a prison cell? There was no way he could play it off like this was a mistake. He was wearing orange work out gear like the rest of Fistrick’s crew. Maybe the Plumbers would cut him some slack, being Max’s grandson and all, but Ben wasn’t feeling too optimistic. His first job and he was about to get locked up, and with Liam and Thunderpig of all people. Sure, they were bros but not one of Fistrick’s regular gang. Ben didn’t exactly know them well enough that spending god knows how long locked up with them sounded remotely appealing.
“No doubt about it, Magister Tennyson,” Gunther told him, smug confidence in her voice. “We’re on our w- breaks! Breaks! Brick, look out!”
Ben didn’t know who this Brick fella was but he did as he was told, the truck lurching abruptly and the tires squealing in protest. Ben heard thud and then the metal of the side of the truck was being ripped open. Relief fluttered through Goop’s body. There were only so many people who would attack a Plumber vehicle like this.
“No bro gets left behind!” Fistrick whooped as Ben tried to crane Goop’s head around to get a look at Fistrick hanging off the side of the truck. He knew it’d be a sight he’d never forget. “Thunderpig, Liam, Tummyhead, Rook’s got ‘cuff cutters. Corvo, grab our bro.”
Something shattered and suddenly Goop was back online.
Corvo let out a yelp as Goop’s body surged upward, the Anti-Gravity Projector back in control. Goop flew toward the opening as fast as he could, feeling a bit bad about ditching Corvo but the sense of urgency was too overwhelming for politeness. “They can’t see me time out!”
Fistrick seemed to understand what he meant and palmed Goop’s projector just as the Omnitrix began to beep. His throw wasn’t particularly skillfull but it was strong as any of his punches and Ben was well away from the Plumber trucks by the time his Omnitrix flashed red. His landing, now that he was on human feet, was clumsy, farther than far from graceful, but he was nearly home free so he didn’t care in the slightest.
Adrenaline still running high, Ben looked around for his ticket out of here, whether it be a ride or just an easy escape route. He spotted Fistrick’s trucks, Thug in the driver’s seat, and made a beeline for it, yanking the door open and hopping into the passenger seat with ease. “Give me the rundown.”
Thug looked surprised to see him but they were on a job so he didn’t let it stop him. “I’m just our getaway. Corvo was supposed to get you out, Rook’s freeing Psyphon’s guys, Ricky just wants to lay the beatdown on some Plumbers for some payback, and Hoodlum’s there to make sure he doesn’t get too carried away.”
Ben was warmed Fistrick would go after the Plumbers for him. Not surprising but still touching. And he was glad someone had the sense to have Hoodlum around to make sure he didn’t get caught himself. Getting caught by the Plumbers and having to face Grandpa Max sounded awful but the thought of Fistrick and his new friends– his bros– rotting in a Plumber prison was so much worse.
Huh. Who would’ve thought Ben would go from putting crooks in cells to caring so much about keeping them out of them? This probably wasn’t what his dad meant when he told him he’d outgrow wanting to be a hero. Hopefully he’d never hear of this.
The back doors of the truck swung open and several heavy thuds shook the seats as people haphazardly threw themselves into the trunk. Fistrick crawled his way to the front and gripped the edge of Thug’s chair, urging him forward. “We got everyone. Go, go, go!”
“On it, boss!” Thug cried with vigor and slammed the gas, clipping a nearby Plumber truck and peeling out of Undertown.
The drive back to the warehouse was tense. Fistrick and Rook instructed Thug to take an unusual route filled with odd twists and turns until Thug snapped they weren’t being followed and returned to the warehoue. There, they promptly collapsed on the worn couch and floor around it. Physically, the day hadn’t been tiring as most of the gang’s workouts but it made up for it mentally. Ben just wanted to lie on the concrete between Rook and Corvo, Fistrick sprawled out on the couch and Hoodlum and Thug draped over the arm rests, until he sank deep into the earth below.
“I’d say that was a success, bros,” Fistrick spoke up after awhile. He got a number of glares in response. “What? It was.”
“Ben got captured, Ricky,” Hoodlum pointed out, rolling over a bit to face him. “On our first job back, too. I wouldn’t call that a success.”
“We got the tade, Psyphon got his weapons, none of our bros got capured, and we proved a potential future costumer that we’re trustworthy buisnessmen.”
“Are you implying that you plan on working with Psyphon again?” Rook asked, looking up at Fistrick from his spot on the floor. “Even after how close we came to getting arrested?”
“The Plumbers only came because Inspector 13 ratted Psyphon out. Meaning Psyphon lost his usual supplier. He’ll be looking for a new one, bros,” Fistrick pointed out, a confident gleam in his eye. “That’s an open door if I’ve ever seen one and we’ve already got a foot in.”
Ben suddenly got a brainwave. “You said you don’t supply original tech because it’s less reliable for buisness, right? If we had a regular customer, that’d be reliable buissness, wouldn’t it?”
Rook looked eager. “Inspector 13 provided new weapons and constant updates for them. If we replace him, we would be expected to do the same. It would give us a chance to use some of our real skills.”
“And make some extra tade,” Hoodlum pointed out. “Enough to restock our funds from when Ricky and Thug were out of commission, and maybe even get enough for the rest of us to get top sooner than later. Even if it doesn’t work out long term, we could use the extra dough until Psyphon finds someone else.”
“I think you’re onto something, bros,” Fistrick said, breaking into a grin. “Don’t go getting your hopes up though. We don’t know how generous Psyphon’s feeling right about now, even though we saved his bros.”
Corvo sat up, jostling Ben beside him ever so slightly. “I still have an in with Psyphon’s gang. Even with all this Plumber stuff, I think they still trust me enough to get a meeting with Psyphon. You got any new weapons worth showing off?”
“Not yet but soon,” Fistrick promised. Glancing at Ben and Rook, he asked, “You bros want to join me in the workshop? If we mix your brains with mine, I bet we could cook up something Psyphon just couldn’t say no to.”
Ben grinned. Despite the recent wake up call about the Plumbers, he just couldn’t say no to Fistrick. He never thought he’d end up with such a significant figure in his life that Thursday night he decided to DM u/fisting_champion. Exchanging a glance with Rook, he knew he was thinking the same thing. They were in this for life. “You bet. The Plumbers won’t know what hit them.”