FIC: The Corruption of Saft

[cybra]

Based on a PSL idea between me and Saft's mun. I got an awful idea.

---

"Stupid Ben," Saft growled, refusing to acknowledge the tears periodically dripping free from her eyes, pretending that it was just the rain falling around her as she glared out at the equally-angry ocean.

"That certainly sounds familiar," a grandmotherly voice said sympathetically.

The dragon in human form turned around to see an old female Galvan standing on a rock formation nearby. The newcomer had what looked like the a massive burn scar on the left side of her neck and part of her cheek though it took Saft some squinting to see that much clearly.

The Galvan continued, "Let me guess: A stubborn male with grand plans who can't see the way things are right in front of him?"

Saft nodded warily. "How did you know that?"

"My dear, in my millennia of life, there's only one creature in the universe that can force a female out into weather she'd otherwise find abhorrent just to have room to breathe and rant and cry."

"I'm not crying!" she snapped.

"I'm not saying you are," the Galvan soothed. "But I know I did. I was sunburned for a week afterwards. I wouldn't suggest staying out in the rain since your kind seems particularly susceptible to disease when exposed to a mixture of cold and water."

The warmth in the older being's voice calmed Saft somewhat. She was still upset, of course, but it was good to talk to someone female for once who was willing to be a sympathetic ear. Still..."What're you doing on Earth?"

"Galvan Prime's having a bit of a dry spell, and I've been hopping from place to place following wetter weather," the Galvan explained. "Not enough moisture and it feels like my skin is burning all over again." She gestured to the marks on her neck and cheek.

Saft moved closer, holding out her hands for the old Galvan to step onto them. "What happened?"

"The Highbreed, unfortunately. I'm not the only one who ended up with scars. Not all of them are quite this visible of course." The Galvan knelt down to pat at her wrist. "Now, don't worry about me. I'm getting treatment to reverse the damage."

"But I thought Galvan medicine was supposed to be the best!"

"It is, but it took a while to build proper facilities following the original Galvan Prime's destruction. Triages take time, and there were many, many others in worse shape. The burns I got were mild in comparison. Without the full barrage of proper treatment, well, you see what's left to be dealt with." The Galvan smiled at her. "Let's get you under some cover, hmm? I'd hate for you to freeze."

Saft looked around, finding a rocky overhang to move under, still holding the Galvan in her hands. She awkwardly flopped to the ground in a sitting position, wincing a bit as her tailbone hit a rock that had been lurking under the sand.

"So what has that male of yours done to drive you so far out here in such weather?"

Maybe it was because she just needed to vent. Maybe it was because the old Galvan was being so kind. Whatever the reason, Saft started to talk, railing against the Plumbers for treating Ben more and more like a weapon that needed to be controlled and lamenting that Ben let them do it because he thought it was the only way to help people. The Galvan listened closely, nodding and murmuring her agreement from time to time. It was so good to have someone listening for once and seeing just how wrong the entire situation really was.

At the end, Saft chuckled, bringing up a hand to swipe at the drops that she could no longer claim belonged to the rain. "That...that felt good."

"I imagine so. It sounds like it's been brewing away for a while."

"It really has." Saft sighed. "So what should I do?"

"Well, I'm not sure. I suppose the best option is to wait and see for the moment. Do you have a communicator?"

Saft nodded and held it out. The Galvan tapped a few controls, adding a new contact to Saft's admittedly very short list.

"There. If you ever want to talk, feel free to call me. Being surrounded by males never helps when you need to just scream, particularly when they're the cause."

"Thank you, um..." Saft blushed. "I'm sorry. I never got your name."

"And I don’t think I got yours either," the Galvan admitted sheepishly. "My name is Zennith."

"Nice to meet you, Zennith. I'm Saft."

"A pleasure to meet you."

Saft's communicator buzzed, and she glanced at the name it displayed. She sighed with relief as she answered, "Hey, Rook."

"Saft, I understand that you are off-duty, but a situation has arisen at Bellwood Memorial Hospital."

Saft straightened up. "Where's Ben?"

"He is currently keeping a group of lowlifes just outside of the emergency room where I am working on evacuating the patients and staff, but he needs additional backup due to one of his arms being barely functional and having been given pain killers not long before the attack."

"Well at least he went to the hospital after all," Saft grumbled. Still, she felt her stomach churn at the realization that Ben was so severely weakened yet still willing to fight. She knew he liked the people at Bellwood Memorial since they patched him up so often to the point where he knew them all by name. Ben would give a hundred percent to protect innocents, double that if they were also his friends. "I'm on my way."

"Understood. Rook out."

The line went silent, and Saft set Zennith down.

"I’ve gotta go. Sorry."

Zennith waved her off, a deeply concerned look on her face. "Don't apologize. Just go. You have my number so you can call me later if you'd like."

Saft brightened bit at the knowledge that she’d have someone sensible to talk to should she need to. She scrambled out from under the outcropping, her feet sinking into the beach sand. She swiftly became her dragon form, taking to the skies with a few powerful wingbeats and soaring towards the hospital.

---

Zennith watched the dragon girl take off, not in the least bit surprised. After all, she'd lied quite a bit during their conversation: The first lie being that she hadn't known who the girl was the entire time.

A starry being appeared beside her, him having reduced his size to match hers in respect. "Well?"

"She really would do anything for Ben Tennyson," the old Galvan said, her voice somehow still grandmotherly despite being so calculating. "It won't take much for her to see our side. She wants what we all want because it's what he wants and is willing to sacrifice himself for it even if it means he'll never get to enjoy it himself."

The shrunken Celestialsapien reached out an arm to hold her close, and Zennith turned her head to look hopefully at him.

"You've done very, very well, Zennith," he praised. "I had no doubt I'd chosen the best person for the job, but you exceeded even my best hopes."

Zennith smiled and hummed as the Celestialsapien brushed cold fingers across her scar. That had been another lie she'd told: The nerve endings had been healed ages ago by the being beside her, but the scar (not the result of the Highbreed, another lie) was still there by her choice. She'd wanted to keep it as a reminder of their goals and only after they’d been fulfilled would she ask him to remove the ugly marring since no one else would ever have to suffer a similar fate again. "Thank you, Lord Genesis."

"Thank you for being so patient, my Lady Zennith," he told her, his voice heavy with gratitude. "It's been a long time coming, but we're almost ready to finally move forward."

Zennith chuckled. "He means well, but Azmuth almost never had the best timing. Still, these past few years were productive in their own right. If nothing else..." She gazed wistfully out across the waves. "...at least his release of the Omnitrix let me know he was still alive. A lot can happen over the centuries...or even just half a century. He was on Galvan Prime so briefly back then."

Genesis nodded sympathetically. "Everything will be as it should be once the Sunrise comes."

Her wistful gaze grew joyous. "I look forward to the Sunset."