DNAlien lair
"You may speak to me, half-breed vermin." Highbreed said.
"Gratitude, Master. For months now, someone has been leaking the details of our secret operations to the authorities. I have new information of interest. We have found the source of the leak." DNAlien said. A device beeped. "His name is Max Tennyson. We've had trouble with him before."
"Then let this be the final time he troubles us. Destroy him." Highbreed said.
Soccer Field
Kurisuta Hikawa was sitting in the bleachers watching as Ben played soccer, as goalie.
She hadn't seen him in five years, and since then, it was clear Ben had done some growing up.
But he wasn't the only one.
Kuri was now taller and but her hair was the same length. She wore a white short sleeved red buttoned shirt, a red leather jacket, and matching red leather pants. Her shoes were black ballet flats, and even her socks were edged in red. She always was obsessed with the miko red-and-white Shinto look.
The game ended, and the players lifted Ben on their shoulders.
Kuri ran down to see him as the praise died down.
"MVP! Congratulations, Ben," Kuri said.
"Kuri! Wow! Y-You're back!" Ben said.
"Yeah and with good reason. I thought I could talk to you and Max about it." Kuri said. "Wanna come with me?"
"Sure, of course, I mean, ah...yeah." Ben stammered.
Rust Bucket
"Grandpa Max, guess who came to visit!" Ben opened the door. "Grandpa—"
A DNAlien attacked him, slamming him to the ground.
Ben landed in a crouch and slapped his wrist in habit. Realizing he was no longer wearing the Omnitrix, Ben went to grab a weapon when there was the sound of wind.
"HIKO!" Kuri yelled cutting a sword through the air.
A whirlwind picked up the creature and threw it out of the Rust Bucket, and it ran away in fear.
Kuri made movement to sheathe the sword, and it vanished.
"More training on Skye?" Ben asked.
"Yes." Kuri said. "We each are given our own weapon for graduation. You should see Reiko now."
Ben shivered. Reiko had been able to take him down when they were kids. He didn't want to face her without the Omnitrix to back him up.
"Hey I think he was looking for something." Ben said.
Ben found a holoviewer.
Max spoke from the device. "Hello, Ben."
"Grandpa! What's- " Ben said.
"I left this recording where I knew only you would find it. I'm in a bit of a situation, but it's nothing I can't handle - certainly nothing for you to worry about. There's renewed alien activity on Earth. I'm investigating. Oh, don't worry about the Omnitrix, either. I have it, and it's completely safe. They'll never get their hands on it. Say hello to our old friends Kuri and Reiko for me. Love you. Max out." The device turned off.
"You've got the Omnitrix?" Ben said.
"That doesn't make sense. Even Grams said you are the Guardian of the Omnitrix." Kuri said. "She called it your soulbonded weapon. Like Kiboken."
Kuri referred to her sword affectionately.
"Then why would he say that?" Ben asked. "Go meet Reiko at the dojang. I'm going to stop at home first."
Dojang
Kuri sat in the stands again, watching her sister train the other acolytes.
"Everyone remember your lesson and practice at home." Reiko said. "You won't gain a belt by slacking off. Remember our motto..."
"Hard work and dedication are the recipe for victory!" The class chanted.
Kuri rolled her eyes as Ben approached. "Only Reiko would turn Tae Kwon Do into a cooking class."
"Well it is what she's best at." Ben said.
Kuri flinched. "But...I thought you liked my cooking?"
"Um...well...I love your baking..." Ben started, then stood. "Reiko! So glad to see you!"
"Something tells me you're just trying to get out of something." Reiko said.
Reiko, or Reiko, Kuri's older sister, was taller than both Ben and Kuri, tall for her age really. She wore a purple Asian top patterned with Casablanca flowers, black leather pants, and black flats. Her red hair was kept up in a ponytail with a purple bow, and her green eyes flashed gold when she got angry.
"Score one for my foxy sister!" Kuri grinned. "Now, give her the rundown Ben. I think I figured out why Grams sent us back."
Ben held up the Omnitrix.
Parking Lot
Reiko finished watching the holoviewer and sat there thinking for a while.
"It's conceivable that Grams and Max are working together again, even if Grams is doing her thing where she helps from a distance." Reiko said. "However that bit about the Omnitrix. He probably thinks you need it for whatever's coming. As for Grams...show him, Kuri."
"Yeah." Kuri took out a letter. "It's in Japanese, so I'll translate."
"Dear Hikawa Clan,
This is your call to arms. A threat has come to Earth that is enough to bring you all into the light of day. We can no longer have normal lives as human beings. Kuri, you know I fully expect you to be the leader of our clan. You were raised as warriors; now you must become the greatest of yourself. Let the Pentacle guide you, it will lead you right. Darkness does not always equate to evil, Light does not always equate to good.
Kaori Hikawa Watanabe"
"The pentacle, does she mean the pendant you have?" Ben asked.
"No, she didn't use the same word." Kuri said. "The symbol she used refers to the Wu Xing, the Chinese five elements of Water, Wood, Metal, Fire, and Earth. In our practice on Skye we used a circle using Water, Fire, Earth, Air, and Spirit. I was always Spirit, the High Priestess. That's why she called me the leader of the clan. It's a matriarchal term."
"Let's forget Grams' craziness for a minute." Reiko said. "If its true then the awakening will happen. If not then she's just being paranoid as usual."
"Awakening?" Ben said.
"Grams always said that one day the Earth would be threatened, and a secret power within each of us would awaken. We all thought it mean spiritual powers, magic," Kuri said. "But she wrote that we would no longer be human. So what..."
"Ben needs to put on the Omnitrix!" Reiko exclaimed.
"You can't just say that to him!" Kuri protested. "Ben didn't choose this! He has a way out!"
"You're both right." Ben said. "Yes I like being a normal kid. But I also like being a hero. And if the Earth is in trouble, I'm going to save it, even if I didn't have the Omnitrix."
"The Omnitrix ain't yours. Give it up!" Magister said. "And you three are under arrest."
"No way!" Ben said.
"Under arrest?" Kuri said.
"For what?" Reiko said.
"For unauthorized vesselization." Magister said, then eyed Ben. "And stealing."
"Who are you calling a vessel?" Reiko said, clearly insulted.
"Reiko, don't." Kuri said, eyes flashing silver. "He's a Plumber. Aren't you? Sir, the Omnitrix belongs to him; he's Ben Tennyson."
"Wait. You're the legendary Ben Tennyson?" Magister said. "I lost track of your grandfather. And you two...you can't be...of the Hikawa clan?"
"Yeah we are." Reiko said. "Reiko and Kuri Hikawa."
"You look just like Kaori when she was younger." Magister looked down at Kuri.
Kuri gaped at him. Did her Grams have a thing with all guys, alien or human?!
Xxx
"This can't be good." Kuri said, as Ben pulled her to his side. Was he really jealous that old fishface had a thing for her Grams and was now giving her googoo eyes?
"We have to keep an eye on these Forever Knights and—"
"Those Forever Knights aren't trading with humans." Kuri said, eyes flashing silver. "Those are DNAliens."
"Kevin's down there right in the thick of them!" Reiko said.
"Aw your old crush!" Ben teased.
"One more word and you'll wake up in a swimming pool full of cherry jello again." Reiko's eyes flashed.
Reiko ran down there and placed her right hand, with index and middle fingers extended, in front of her chest, then raising her hand to the upper right. It appeared in her hand, a polearm weapon called the Naginata of Kenkon.
"Fulminus!" Reiko held it in the air and it gathered energy from the sky, then blasted several enemies at once.
"It's hero time!" Ben said, and slapped down the watch, but it didn't respond.
"Hiko!" Kuri fired a whirlwind at the enemy, after calling her sword in precisely the same method Reiko had used.
The Omnitrix transformed, and Ben was finally able to use it to become Swampfire.
Swampfire attacked and their bullets couldn't hurt him.
"Guys stay behind me! I'm bulletproof!" Swampfire said.
Kuri and Reiko held their weapons at the ready, breathing hard.
"Hey Tennyson. At least you keep good company these days. Nice to see you, Reiko." Kevin said.
"Is that all you have to say?! After getting your stupid self trapped in the Null Void the same day we were supposed to have our date?!" Reiko hissed, eyes gold. "FULMINUS!"
She zapped him unconscious before he could absorb a thing.
Xxx
Reiko was left next to Kevin alone.
"I can't believe I was such an idiot. I waited for you. At the park bench, for an hour." Reiko ranted. "Ben came and told me what happened, how you ended up in the Null Void."
"I was going to go. I mean it. Cmon..." Kevin said.
"You made me cry." Reiko continued.
"I'll make it up to you." Kevin said.
"Oh? Then help us track down the Forever Knights." Reiko said. "That and clean up your act, and maybe we can see about that date."
"Convinced?" Ben peeked around the corner.
"She tricked me." Kevin admitted.
"She does that." Kuri laughed.
Xxx
"So after all that, he still gets to drive?" Kuri complained.
"I agree; I should drive." Magister said.
"Nobody drives the car but me." Kevin said.
"The Omnitrix sure looks cool, Ben." Kuri said. "So the DNAliens aren't in there?"
"Remind me again how you know what they're called?" Kevin asked.
"Oh that's right, it never came up when we were kids," Reiko said. "Kuri has the Sight. I don't really get it all myself, but she's what you guys would call psychic. And I have the power of projection."
"What?" Kevin asked.
"I used to call them witches." Ben said. "Kuri knows things, and Reiko can change things."
"Riiiight." Kevin said, making a mental note never to get on Reiko's bad side—or at least, not again. "Well here we are."
"Ugh, subtle as a flying mallet." Kuri laughed.
"Let's go." Reiko said.
xxx
"Why don't you guys use your weapons to bust the door down?" Ben asked.
"It takes a great deal of soul energy to power those weapons," Magister said. "They aren't toys."
"He's right." Kuri said. "It's like the Omnitrix, we can't just keep going forever. But as for the door..."
Kuri outstretched her hand, and the door unlatched and opened.
"Telekinesis?" Reiko said. "Mana's gonna kill you."
"What she doesn't know won't hurt her." Kuri said striding in.
"Isn't Mana that creepy chick with the telekinetic—oh I get it." Kevin said.
"Really?" Ben said skeptically.
"Yeah. She absorbed that Mana girl's power and uses it sometimes. I approve." Kevin grinned, picking up different weapons.
"Great the criminal approves." Kuri sighed.
"Maybe that means you shouldn't have done it." Reiko pointed out. "And come on Kevin, do you have to plunder the castle? What are you, a pirate?"
"Why, are you into that?" Kevin asked.
Reiko rolled her eyes.
"You guys be quiet!" Ben whispered.
"Why?" Kuri asked.
"Sorry. Guess I'm just a little paranoid!" A dragon rose up behind them.