BEN DROWNED

"Allow me ~" A somewhat deep and graceful voice said. There was a rather tall man there wearing black leather gloves, he wore a mask to hide his face, or to protect it? There majority of his attire was covered by a rather large cape that acted as a cloak. The Mask was also covering the ears of the person as there was also built in goggle like lens. The man stood approximately 5'10. His tail was concealed under his attire.

He simply begun to reach up , gripping the fruits and what not, and begun to pull them off of the tree. " I'll assume you would want these, so you may have them." He said in a mysterious tone. One so mysterious it could be perplexing to those trying to comprehend. Only his lips showed. By the position and posture, he seemed almost gentlemen like. But he lacked a expression to give.

He simply gave the fruit to DJ.

I took the fruit, then looked over. "Sl... SLENDER MAN?!" I didn't know whether to run or hide! "Wait, Slendy doesn't wear a cloak?! Who're you?" I asked politely. "You know, so I can thank you formally."

The man chuckled. " I'll give you a hint and you only get two guesses. I am one of the Moon. But not of this Moon, My name Starts with a C. And the Last name starts with a S. May your guesses be used wisely, for I hold a reward." The man seemed to have DJ a puzzle. Who could he be?

" And one more thing, only you may know the name, around your company I will be called ' Xanat '. " He seemed to smile.

"Chris?" I said. "Came back for more, I see."

The man smiled. " This time only the real deal. When are you gonna tell them your a girl?" He chuckled. " Even I knew all along, because I'm the more - observant. Alice is in Town doing a bit of sight seeing. But for now. I'll be honest, call me whatever you like. But I'm not the best with a sword, but I can surely hold my own with Archery. Surely you can tolerate this charade as you are your own? " He said in a serious but honest tone.

Mario was instantly defiant in camping out in the woods. "I'm not sleeping out here in a forest outside a swamp filled with God-knows-what! It's as cold as Hell, and blood-sucking parasites and a bratty statue are after us! We'd be safer if we just head back to Clock Town. At least there, we can get a bed and three squares of real food! I wonder if they've invented the taco yet..." He imagined himself surrounded by towers of food, all for him. His mouth watered, unaware of his marshy surroundings.

"Huh." for once I found myself argeeing with the mustached one. Sleeping in a marsh didn't exactly sound to forgiving. But it seemed like everyone had pretty much made up their minds.

I situated my self over a tree and tucked my arms in. The Armor was surprisingly warm now considering how cold it was when I first touched it. As hard as it was to believe, I was more than enough tired to fall asleep right here...

Mynh looked over to Chris. "You two know each other?" she asked. She didn't seem to be too phased by Chris' remark about DJ's gender. "...Thanks for the fruits!" She smiled.

(Feel free to skip my biology rant. If you wish to know why food gives you fuel, then go ahead and read up.)

I looked at the fruit. "Ah, it's an apple. We could pick more." I picked 11 more. "2 for each of us. Let's see. We need meat, too. Oh, and bread. Bread has Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates contain starch. Starch contains glycogen, and glycogen, glucose. Glucose is a sugar. Sugar is fuel. Meat's got the protein we need to keep enzymes breaking shit down and live. Without protein, we die. That, and breaking bonds in atoms gives us energy. Energy powers glucose. Our cells break glucose into ATP. ATP is turned into ADP, which is turned into ATP once more. If there's not enough food around for us, I'll remove myself from the load and use my Deku Mask. All I'll need is Water, Carbon Dioxide and the Sun. You know, photosynthesis? Plants do it, and it saves us on rations..."

Lirit kinda stared at me for a bit. "Dear GOD, DJ. When Chinchock said to listen, she didn't mean turning EVERYTHING into a biology lesson!"

"... Because photosynthesis produces Oxygen and glucose, which becomes ATP like in animals..."

"DJ!!"

"Wh-Sorry." I shook my head a little. "Plants are interesting, and that got me interested in biology." I found more food and gathered them. "Well then. Mynh, we need to feed 6 or 7 mouths." I winked.

Chris retained from telling Mynh his identity. " I am Archduke Xanat , I have know this young girl for quite some time. You must be Mynh as I'd assume." He said in a rather flat voice.

Mynh was going to respond to Chris, but she was taken off-guard by DJ's rant about sustenance. She just blinked for a little bit. "you're really smart. You should have more extensive conversations with Eykon more often." She said. She then turned back to Chris. "Yes I am Mynh. Your scent is familiar. Sorry if that sounds weird, but I caught it on the group earlier."

After hearing DJ's speech, Mario's brain had zoned out. "...Me Gusta."

" Ah." He said. " I worked with Shuzen to produce the androids, after all I funded this expedition of this. So it would only make sense. But apparently we over worked the machines to shrapnel. I am here to see how D.J is. After all. This girl has potential to help you all. I'm just suprised how much she has grown. Still on the short side though. " He chuckled. " If you need my Aid. I shall be in clock town. " He bowed. Then quickly turned on his heel, his cape swished as it still covered his body. He then walked twords the town in the peaceful night.

"Yeah well. Being short is fine by me. I'm not like my boyfriend!" I walked back over and plopped down the apples, some strawberries, and other ground-bound produce. I ran to Clock Town to find some more so we'd have something decent. As usual, battling was profitable.

A few minutes later, I returned with some bread and 6 bowls of stew.



"Well, guys, eat up. I know it's frivolous for a warrior, but you need luxuries now and then!" I giggled. "You'll have to make makeshift sppons. Perhaps do what they do in the middle East. Let you bread soak up the stew or something. Or... eat like a dog I suppose. Just clean up afterwards. After this is Snowhead." I looked at my appearal. "Oh god, I'm gonna get sooo sick..." I heard Mario comment on calling BEN a brat. I wanted to defend him, but decided against the idea. He DID try to kill us in the swamp.

Eykon took his bowl. "Gr...Thank you kindly." He said. He started lapping up what was in the bowl. Strangely enough, Mynh did the same. They were perfectly comfortable with it, showing that it's not the first time they've done something like that before.

Spoon? Ha! I didn't need no stinking spoon! "Thanky thanky friend!" I slurped it down in a matter of minutes and handed back the bowl.

"Good stuff, didn't know you could cook. Though I wish you had asked, I woud have gladly helped!"

On a full stomach, I wasn't much use to anyone. So I curled up in my armor, and let myself nod off. I needed to get sleep while I could.

I smiled, and waited for Mynh and Eykon to fall asleep. I decided to walk around Termina till I could sleep. I didn't exactly know where Jad was, and I DID have things to discuss to him about, but I decided to hold off and think until I could finally get the courage to ask about my plan and if it'd work. I knew BEN's secret, and I wanted to help my allies learn it too without the hassle of BEN nearly slitting their throats. I really wanted to just dump my ideas into someone's ears. But there were none. So I added my thoughts to that little journal I made back in the swamp: The plan, my theories, all the info I knew about BEN, the Father, even Jad, all of it.

After writing it all down, I decided to do some stargazing at the ramp leading to Snowhead. I wondered: Was my father seeing the same sky as me? I began to think about all the things I had lost all of a sudden. I lost my parents. My home. My education. My only sources of happiness. I lost... my boyfriend. I pictured him next to me, watching the stars twinkle over the land that was doomed before I even came. The more his imaginary arm embraced my shoulder, the more tears fell from my eyes. They blurred my vision, falling like glitter onto a Dodongo. And who knew? One boy in the world... one out of billions, could sway the way I felt. His smile could reduce me from the high horse I rode to a small child, gripping to their mother for dear life. And who knew... his absence would reduce me from hero to a baby crying for a motherly caress. I wanted him next to me. And I knew asking the one who brought me here would do me no good. Would the Couple's Mask do something? Could I bring him to me? I mustered my courage back. If I was chosen to save this world... If I'm fit to help out a trapped child... Then I will fight. I will defeat the Father, and I will reunite with my love. But how could I do it myself, should my allies fall? I needed back up. Someone who could definitely be a shoulder for me to lean on. Only one face came to mind, but it'd be risky. Dangerous. You got to take risks to make progress. (points to anyone who knows who said that) The voice who reminded me of that quote drove my lips to open.

"Ben... If you can hear me out there..." My lips still trembled and my voice as wobbly as a deku, my throat in a knot. "I want to make a compromise with you... If you can hear me, please answer... I don't want to harm you." My heart thumped faster, my stomach churning. For some reason, making it out loud that I wanted to settle the conflict was... frightening to me.

(Hurr I'm back :B this post might be a lil off)

I stared over at DJ and Chris, wondering who the new person was. "I guess they know each other." I got up and brushed the soot from my face.
"So uh.. yeah food.. how are we gunna eat pixels and polygons?" I looked over at 64, slurping the stew up, then looked back at my bowl and a few apples. I shrugged and slurped it from the bowl like a manly man.
I sat the bowl down afterwords and looked around, then at the sky. Oh god, the moon. I forgot about that awful moon. Staring at me, at all of us with that terrible glare. Sure, seeing pictures of it was silly, but when it's watching you right there in person.... it's just unnerving.
I couldn't take it anymore when I reached for the empty bowl and slung it skyward in the moon's direction. "STOP WATCHING ME. YOU'RE CREEPING ME OUT, MAN." I had not realized the time and others wanting to sleep

I then looked around and noticed that DJ was gone. Where did she go off to? This was not the best time or place to be caught alone. Not in this dangerous game. I looked at the ground and noticed her footprints. Following them, I then noticed DJ at the ramp. I slowly made my way over to her, "DJ? Why are you out here all by yourse-" I then saw that she was crying. She looked terribly homesick. "What's wrong?" I sat down next to her, hoping to cheer her up I gave her a big fat hug. (like a boss) "It's okay, we're not alone. We have each other. We'll be fine."
I then overheard what DJ was whispering, I looked around too see if anything would show up. I was a little iffy about this since BEN could get angry and all, but still, he needed us to help him, and I wasn't going to chicken out because of some little scary things here and there. I put my trust in DJ with what she was doing and sat by her.

BEN secretly watched the party as they slept. He knew that at least some of them had caught on to his silent cries for help. From what he saw, they were all asleep except for Jad. Talking to him wouldn't do any good. "He's an old toy..." BEN thought. "No longer suitable for playtime."

Out of the corner of his freaky big blue eye, BEN noticed DJ get up and walk out of the woods. Making sure to make as little noise as possible, he floated close behind her.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

The little boy behind the evil mask had awoken once more after seeing the girl cry. He watched Derpiny try to comfort her, wishing he had someone who would care for him, looking past his faults. He wished people wouldn't judge.

The small statue came into view in front of DJ. He tried his best to hide his angry form. However, all he could muster was a dull voice, barely above a whisper.

"What do you need?"

I noticed he actually heard me and flinched for a second. when it came to things like this, I always shrank in my seat, or just shrank period. "Uh..." My heart was screaming at me to hold off, but my gut was saying to carry on. "I wanted to ask you something. It's about your secret, but I dunno if I got it or not..." My conscience could have slapped me. "Nono, that wasn't what I wanted to ask. It was... uh... about your... so-said 'cries for help'. I know about them because I got prior knowledge before coming here. I was wondering if there's any way I'd be able to help you out if here." I quickly shielded myself with my knees. "Please don't hurt me."

I saw some feet on a pedestal that all of a sudden showed up out of
nowhere. Looking up at the statue, I tensed my grip on DJ while
hugging onto her, almost choking her for a split second, then calmed
down. He wasn't going to attack or pull anything sneaky, he actually showed up. I noticed the change in his voice and realized this wasn't the angry sounding statue I heard before. It was the scared little boy that was pleading us for help. I relaxed and looked at him again, feeling guilty about being afraid of him before.
I listened to DJ's words and nodded along. "Yeah, you don't have to worry, you're not alone anymore and we want to help you get out of here." I gave a slight smile, then noticed DJ crouching defensively, then poked her.

I kept my position but looked over at Derpiny and poked back. Lirit poked from over my shoulder. "DJ? What're you--"

"Lirit, go stay by Jad or someone who is sleeping. I need you to stay with them."

"Which one?"

"It's up to you."

Lirit flew off, and decided to stay by Eykon and Mynh. He rested his fairy wings by sleeping on Eykon's nose. His arctic fairy dust would sometimes fall onto Eykon's face.

I waited for BEN's response, I wasn't sure if it'd be good or bad. But I was hoping for a good reaction.

Eykon didn't really notice it at first, but a few minutes after Lirit landed on his nose, some fairy dust got into his nose. It kept accumulating for a while, until finally..."GAHTCHOO!" Eykon sneezed, propelling the poor little fairy sky-high! "Gr...what conjured such a sneeze like that?" He asked, rubbing his nose. He noticed that something glittery was on his finger, and he wiped a little more off of his face, and spread the rest. "What is this tomfoolery?!" He asked, more surprised than angry. Mynh slowly woke up.

"Mm...Eykon, you're too loud..." She said, before also noticing that Eykon's face was a little shinier than normal. "What did you do to your face? It looks like someone dumped glitter on it. It's kinda cute." She giggled.

"I wish to know how this shimmer came to be on my face. Why do I feeling as if this won't just wash off...?"

Looking back, I wish I could say I did something cool that night. I wish I could say that I woke up and noticed Deku's journal and suddenly had realized everything she had been planning. But the fact is, I didn't. I was asleep. Tortured by odd nightmares similar to the ones Jad had always spoke of. I wonder if Deku experienced the same kinds of dreams? Or was it just me because of how weary I felt of this whole "Pity Ben" idea everyone was starting to ride on.

No one dared say it out loud. But it could be felt. An over all symphathy towards the boy that had captured us and forced us against horrific monsters of all sorts. At least I felt it. Come to think of it, I may have been the only one. It seems like if the group had more openly admitted to supporting Deku's theory, she wouldn't have felt so seperated from the rest of us. But I never said anything about it, something I honestly regret.

What if I was wrong? What if I was the bad guy here for still not believing in the boy in the cartridge? I think...I think I was ok with that. There was always the risk this was all gonna backfire and Ben really was beyond saving. All it would take is me staying vigilant to prevent the entire group from being lambs led to the slaugher. And if I was wrong? I was honestly ok with me looking like a monster so long as everyone was getting out alive.

By playing the badguy. By being the one who didn't trust the boy. I could cover that last unprotected base. Like betting a little bit of money on every horse in the race...I could be sure, there was minimal chance of us losing...

(EDIT FROM MONTHS LATER! I just realized. This post was made at 4:23 Eastern Standard Time. That's the magic number of BD! That was a complete coincidence! So, this post takes place at 4:23 in the morning, which fits the early morning setting.)

BEN was a bit surprised at DJ's response, and yet, he stayed in his normal emotionless state. For a time, the poor child was silent.

However, inside his own head, a loud argument was taking place.

"Don't you dare listen..." BEN yelled, echoing throughout the boy's mind. "These pitiful souls are nothing but garbage. They have no feelings. They have no use whatsoever! Just keep on pushing them to the end. These stupid mortals will never understand. They deserve to perish at your hands."

The cruel, cold voice was given a response, this time from someone very young and innocent. A simple child.

"T-that's...not true..." Ben whispered.

"Idiot! You cannot let their lies control you!" BEN retorted. "You will simply be betrayed yet again! The only way towards freedom is to trust only yourself! You do not need the help of these dim-witted fools!"

"You're wrong." Ben said, this time much more confident. "For once, I don't need you. I can't just shut myself in for all eternity. Just this once, let the hatred and anger disappear. For once, let me be myself, BEN. Not you. Just me. Ben...."

The little statue felt weak. It shook a little, followed by sudden lurches. It fell to the ground, now looking at his toys...No! His...friends?....

For the first time, he was now looking at his friends, eye to eye.

The trademark evil smirk finally faded, revealing a new expression. Ben let out his true feelings, just by changing how he looked at his world.

His mouth now formed a frown, shrinking down towards the bottom of his face, no teeth showing. His once evil-looking eyes were now crying tears instead of blood. His eyes looked up in sadness at DJ. He looked similar to a cute doll you always wanted to hug as soon as you saw it. The statue sniffled a little, moving his small nose ever so slightly.

"Yes. It's true..." His voice had changed significantly. It was no longer cruel and frightening. It sounded like a small child who had been silently crying in the corner, hiding from a bully. "I'm not afraid to say it anymore. I need help. I need someone to save me from being trapped in this world. I need someone to help me escape my daddy and all those mean kids. But mostly, I need someone to save me from me..."

(I was honestly crying while I wrote this. Originally, Deku recommended having BEN take on a role similar to Shadow Link in the Four Swords Adventures manga, and DJ would join him temporarily, akin to Vio. But I decided against it. It does not show how Ben really wants to get help. He can't act cold towards anyone to really be saved. He has to let his true colors shine. He really doesn't want to scare people away. He just wants to rest in peace. He wants to be himself. Ben, not BEN.)