Rerumas: A Ben 10 Story

by hollynightmare

It's been decades since the disappearance of Ben Tennyson and the end of an era of peace. Most aliens have been forced to leave the Earth, leaving many half-human children - rerumas - behind. Max Glenn, the son of a retired human Plumber, finds himself thrust into this mysterious world when he is tasked with finding and protecting these rerumas from whatever threats they may face.

"RERUMAS"

SEASON 1, EPISODE 1: "THE ONES LEFT BEHIND"

EXT. MAX'S HOUSE, DAY

We find ourselves in a sunny, friendly-looking neighborhood. Flowers and grass blow in the gentle wind. Children are heard laughing. A modest white house comes into view.

BOY 1: "Make a wish, Max!"

INT. MAX'S HOUSE, DAY

MAX GLENN (10) blows out his birthday candles. A group of other kids cheer from around the dining table. Max's mother, KELLY (36), smiles gently from afar, leaning against the kitchen table. Max grins at his friends, who excitedly chat with him.

BOY 2: "Hey, can I play with your Ishiyama, Max?"

BOY 1: "No fair! I wanna play with it!"

GIRL 1: "Max, can I see it?"

BOY 3: "Dude, you totally have to play with my present!"

Max, looking past his nagging, excited friends, glances at Kelly, who smiles at him. Max grins back.

EXT. MAX'S HOUSE, EVENING

Things have quieted down. The sun is beginning to set in the distance. Children's voices can no longer be heard.

KELLY: "Did you have a good party, Max?"

INT. MAX'S HOUSE, EVENING

We're in Max's living room, where toys are strewn across the room. Max is sitting on the floor, while Kelly is standing next to him.

MAX: (enthusiastically) "Yeah! Just look at all of this stuff I got!"

Max picks up an old video game case.

MAX: "Check it out – this is Sumo Slammer Smackdown! This is a classic! It came out in 2004, but trust me, it's just as good as a lot of modern games. The gameplay is top-notch – I've heard that if you make it to level fifteen, you can even unlock…"

KELLY: (laughs) "Okay, I'll take your word for it."

Kelly leans down and rubs Max's head playfully. She takes a long look around at all of Max's toys.

KELLY: (playfully) "Huh. Wow, you've gotten so many presents, I guess I don't really need to give you one more…"

MAX: "Yes! Yes, you should!"

KELLY: (laughs) "Okay. If you insist. Follow me, then."

We cut to the inside of a dark closet in the hallway. Kelly opens the door and looks in, then begins to search through various boxes of miscellaneous items. Eventually, she finds a particular box at the bottom of the stack, and pulls it out into the hallway, with a curious Max looking on.

KELLY: "… there we go."

MAX: "What's inside?"

KELLY: "Why don't you open it and find out?"

Max grins excitedly, and then immediately begins to tear into the tape around the box. From inside, we see Max opening the box, peering inside. His expression changes from excitement to disbelief. He stares back out at Kelly, who smiles back at him encouragingly.

KELLY: "Well, go ahead. Take a look at it."

Max, hesitantly, turns his head back to the box and pulls out what lies within. It is a bright green jacket with the number 10 on the left breast, and two white stripes on the right arm, along with a black line running down the left side. Dust floats into the air as Max pulls it up, looking at it as though it isn't real.

MAX: "Is… is this really…?"

KELLY: (nods)

MAX: "But… how did you get it?"

KELLY: "Oh, I've had it lying around for a while. Gwen gave it to me back when you were just a little kid. I've been waiting to give it to you until you were the right size, but… ah, who cares? You only turn ten once, after all."

MAX: "Mom, I…" (smiles) "Thank you."

KELLY: "You're welcome, sweetie."

MAX: "Can I try it on?"

KELLY: (laughs) "Of course!"

Max quickly yet cautiously puts on the jacket. It's far too big for him. Immediately, a look of joy and excitement rises on his face. Without hesitation, he raises his right arm and slaps down onto his left wrist.

MAX: "It's hero time!"

KELLY: (laughs)

Max continues to play around, running in circles and emulating Ben 10.

MAX: "Humungousaur! No, wait, Upgrade! Yeah! Bad guys, you'd better look out! Ben 10 is here to take you down! I'm the baddest kid to ever…

Kelly puts a hand on Max's shoulder, still smiling lovingly. Max stops running around, and smiles up at her.

KELLY: "Now, take good care of it, alright? It's a very special jacket, but it's yours now, my little hero."

MAX: (nods) "I will, Mom. You can count on me."

EXT. MAX'S HOUSE, EVENING

We look out at the night sky. Max's voice can be heard, somewhat more quietly than before.

MAX: "I'll be a good hero. I promise."

RERUMAS: A BEN 10 STORY

A black backdrop.

MAX: (teenager) (narration) "I wore that jacket every day."

BEN TENNYSON (16) is seen on in old TV footage. Alongside KEVIN LEVIN (17) and GWEN TENNYSON (16), Ben fights against a robot from Dimension 12 in a city street. We also see footage of the trio fighting against Sunder and the Forever Knights.

MAX: (narration) "Ben 10 was my hero. He was everyone's hero. Aliens had come to our world, but Ben made everyone feel safe. Back then, to many people, he was a symbol of what we could be."

We see an older BEN (21), GWEN (21), and KEVIN (22) wearing Plumber uniforms, fighting on alien planets against other enemies – incurseans, limax, and a figure who resembles Vilgax. In the last scene, the trio link shoulders and smile at the camera. Ben grins widely while Gwen shyly looks away and Kevin nods confidently.

MAX (narration) "He made people feel like we could have a world where aliens and humans could live side-by-side. Where we could be friends. Where we could be family."

We see a younger KELLY (24) on jungle planet, wearing a Plumber uniform, accompanied by various other Plumbers. They fire blasters at DNAlien-like enemies. In the next scene, Kelly joins forces with BEN (24) on an ice planet, the two fighting against unknown red-eyed bug-like aliens. We then see Kelly on a Plumber space station, talking amiably with Ben and GWEN (24).

MAX: (narration) "My Mom, Kelly, was a Plumber. My dad, too. They'd known Ben at one time, when they fought side-by-side against threats of all kinds, from Earth and from space. Back then, things were always so hopeful."

We see a close-up of Kelly's face. Her smile fades.

MAX: (narration) "But that was a long time ago."

We now see different, darker TV footage. It's hard to tell exactly what's happening. Plumber ships are shown floating above alien atmospheres, wrecked and blown to pieces. Various Plumbers are seen rushing across desert landscapes, firing blasters at unseen enemies.

MAX: (narration) "Something happened not long after I was born. Something that changed everything. The interstellar peace from before had begun to fall apart. The Plumbers were no longer able to protect the galaxy as they once had."

A bearded BEN (26) stares at the camera worriedly, before turning and rushing off into the distance on an unidentified world.

MAX: (narration) "And worst of all, Ben… disappeared without a trace."

On the TV, protestors begin to line the streets of Earth. Signs read 'ALIENS GO HOME' and 'EARTH FOR EARHTLINGS.' Will Harangue speaks on the Will Harangue Nation, with a caption reading 'SEND THEM BACK' in red, white, and blue letters. Angry humans throw cans and debris at Plumber ships, which take off and fly into space. Soldiers are shown confronting alien civilians.

MAX: (narration) "People were afraid. The peace that Ben had brought to the Earth went away. Humans were scared of what lay beyond. Eventually, it wasn't safe on Earth anymore for any aliens. Most of them, including most of the Plumbers, were forced to go away…

A little girl with unnaturally green eyes looks up into the stars, with a lonely look on her face.

MAX: (narration) "… leaving everything else behind."

We see KELLY (26) with a baby MAX in her arms, walking into her house. She takes a wistful look back, smiles sadly, then closes the door.

Cut to black.

SIXTEEN YEARS LATER

EXT. HIGH SCHOOL, DAY

MAX (16), wearing Ben's jacket, sits on a curb outside of a Bellwood high school. Other students are walking out of the school building in the distance.

MAX: "What's taking her so long…?"

Max's cell phone rings. He answers it.

MAX: "Mom?"

KELLY: (on phone) "Hi Max. Hey, sorry, I can't pick you up today."

MAX: (irritated) "Wouldn't be a problem if I had a car."

KELLY: (on phone) (laughs) "Maybe for your birthday, hon. But listen… there's something I need you to take care of."

MAX: "What do you mean? Where are you?"

KELLY: (on phone) "I'll tell you later. Can you pick something up for me? From the house?"

MAX: (sighs) "You seriously want me to walk home?"

KELLY: (on phone) "Yes. Sorry, sweetie, but I'm really busy. I want you to get something from my office. It's a small box, should be on my bottom shelf, labeled 'P7.' Think you can remember that?"

MAX: "P7… yeah, sure, I guess. But…"

KELLY: (on phone) "Okay, great. Grab that and then come meet me at the auto shop down on Mulligan. You know where that is? It's the one across the street from Burger Shack."

MAX: "Yeah, but… wait, what's going on? Did your car break down?"

KELLY: (on phone) "Just bring it. Thanks, sweetie!"

Kelly hangs up. Max stares at his phone with a bewildered look on his face.

MAX: (sighs) "Typical."

EXT. MAX'S HOUSE, DAY

Max, his backpack over his shoulder, reaches his house and opens the front door.

INT. MAX'S HOUSE, DAY

All of the lights are off. Max doesn't bother turning them on, just discards his backpack on the floor next to the door, and walks upstairs. He reaches Kelly's office and opens the door, peeking in. There are many boxes and empty bookshelves lying around; the only thing that seems to be in active use is her computer, which lies glowing on her desk.

Max walks into the room and glances around. He kneels next to a pile of boxes and observes it. Eventually, he spots a small box labeled 'P7.' He picks it up.

MAX: "Guess this is it. Why does Mom want this?"

Max takes the box and leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

EXT. AUTO SHOP, DAY

Max, his backpack in tow, approaches a derelict auto shop, stopping on the curb to stare. It looks like it hasn't changed for more than a decade. A creepy bearded man stands in the shadows, and glances at Max. Max looks away, and hastens into the building.

INT. AUTO SHOP, DAY

Max hesitantly walks into the shop, staring around. Another man stands at the front desk, and looks over at Max. Max avoids his glance and wanders slowly in, wondering what to do.

Suddenly, KELLY (42) appears from a back area of the store. Max notices her, and she hastens over.

KELLY: "Oh, good, there you are."

MAX: "Mom, what's this all about?"

KELLY: "Just some stuff I need to take care of, that's all, sweetie."

MAX: (confused) "For work?"

KELLY: (shakes head) "No, not exactly."

Max glances back at the man at the desk. He's still staring at the two of them intently.

MAX: "So… are you getting the car fixed or something? Because, I mean…" (lowers voice) "There's better places to get car repairs."

KELLY: (laughs) "Oh, Max. We're not here to get my car fixed."

MAX: "Then… why are we here?"

Kelly's smile fades. She glances back at the man at the desk. He nods, and then withdraws, disappearing into the back of the shop. Kelly looks back at Max with a hesitant look on her face.

KELLY: "You have the box?"

MAX: "Yeah… it's in my bag."

Max reaches into his backpack and pulls out the box. Kelly quickly grabs it and examines it intently, as though worried it may have been damaged.

KELLY: "Okay, good. Thanks for bringing this, sweetie. Now… follow me."

Kelly begins to move toward the back of the shop.

MAX: "Wait… what?"

He begins following her.

MAX: "I don't get it. Where are we going?"

Kelly doesn't answer. Max follows her into the back of the store, where they reach a metal door. Max looks on in confusion. Kelly places her palm on the door rim. Suddenly, a glowing pattern appears in mid-air, seemingly in an alien language. Max is taken aback. Kelly types a code on the hologram, and it vanishes. The metal door slides open.

Kelly and Max walk into a small elevator. The door closes, and the elevator begins to descend.

MAX: "Mom… what is this?"

KELLY: "You'll see."

The elevator door slides open, and Max gasps.

INT. PLUMBER HQ, DAY

Max and Kelly walk into the PLUMBER HEADQUARTERS. Huge green monitors line the walls in the main chamber, and various smaller computers are all over the lifeless room. There are hallways that lead off into the building, seemingly endlessly. A red-haired woman sits at a computer on the far end of the room, looking up at one of the larger monitors.

KELLY: "Sorry we didn't knock."

GWEN TENNSYON (42) turns around to look at them. She is wearing a lab coat, and brushes her hair out of her face. She grins and leaves her work station, walking forward to hug Kelly.

GWEN: "Kelly! Oh, it's been too long! How have you been?"

KELLY: "Just fine. You know how things are… they get busy." (laughs)

Kelly motions over to her son.

KELLY: "Got to keep this one in school, after all."

Gwen notices Max and smiles gently.

GWEN: "Hello Max. How have you been?"

MAX: "Uh… hi, Gwen. Yeah, uh… I'm doing fine. School and everything…"

Before Max can finish his sentence, Gwen walks forward and gives him a hug. Max blushes. Gwen pulls away, and looks him over.

GWEN: (laughs gently) "Wow… you sure have grown."

MAX: "Y-Yeah. Guess so."

GWEN: "That jacket fits you well, I see."

Max tugs awkwardly on his sleeves, smiling shyly.

MAX: "Yeah. I guess it does."

KELLY: "Gwen. I have the piece."

Gwen regains a professional demeanor. She looks at Kelly and nods.

GWEN: "Then I guess we're ready. We'll just have to…

Before she can finish her sentence, a voice rings out from off-screen.

LOUIS: "Kelly!"

A young boy, LOUIS (10), runs into the room. He is wearing an absurd-looking, old-fashioned engineer-type uniform with goggles and a cap. He rushes to Kelly and gives her a big hug.

KELLY: "Louis! Wow, look at you! You've gotten so big!"

JULIE YAMAMOTO (42) walks into the room, following after Louis.

JULIE: "Now, Louis. Be polite. Kelly's had a long day."

KELLY: "Oh, it's no problem, Julie. How have you been?"

JULIE: "Just fine." (looks at Max) "Hello Max. How has school been?"

MAX: "Um… fine. Nice to see you, Julie."

JULIE: "You too."

Louis, taking notice of Max, grins and rushes over to him.

LOUIS: "Hey Max! Hey Max!"

MAX: "Um… hey Louis."

LOUIS: "Guess what? Guess what? I learned a new trick! It's super cool! Wanna see?"

JULIE: "Now, Louis…"

MAX: "Um… sure, buddy. What is it?"

Louis raises a finger, as if to tell him to wait one moment. He then withdraws into a relatively spacious area of the room, and suddenly undergoes a transformation. Green electronic lines appear on his body, and his skin assumes a dark metallic texture. He transforms into a robot-like version of himself, with glowing green eyes.

LOUIS: (excitedly) "Okay, now watch this!"

Without hesitation, Louis transforms again, assuming the shape of an excavator which can barely fit in the room. Max and the others stare in amazement as Louis moves around briefly before transforming back into his ordinary form.

MAX: "Wow… you've really gotten good at that stuff!"

LOUIS: "Thanks! I've been practicing. Pretty soon, I'm gonna be able to turn into a fighter jet!"

JULIE: "Alright, Louis. It's time for us to leave. Gwen and Kelly have a lot of work to do."

LOUIS: "Aww… okay." (grins at Max) "I'll show you more of my tricks later, Max! See ya!"

MAX: "Um… bye. See you later."

Julie and Louis make their way to the elevator. Louis waves one last time excitedly before the elevator closes. Gwen and Kelly look on with smiles on their faces. Max turns and raises an eyebrow in confusion.

MAX: "Just what kind of work ARE you guys doing?"

Kelly and Gwen exchange glances.

KELLY: (to Max) "I'll be right back, sweetie."

Without another word, Kelly leaves the room and disappears into the base, carrying the box with her. Max glances back at Gwen with a confused look on his face. Gwen smiles, and approaches him.

GWEN: "Sorry if this is a bit confusing for you, Max. Truth is, it's been a long day for ALL of us."

MAX: "What's going on? What is this place?"

GWEN: "Short answer: this is headquarters. After our Mt. Rushmore facility shut down, we had most of the equipment from there moved here, and expanded the base too. Right now, it's the only major Plumber base left on Earth."

MAX: "Wait… the PLUMBERS? THE Plumbers? This is a Plumbers base?"

GWEN: (laughs) "Well, yeah. I'm the Magister in charge, but other than your mom, there really aren't that many agents active on Earth right now. It's pretty quiet."

MAX: "But… Mom's retired."

GWEN: "Well, it's like they say. Once a Plumber, always a Plumber."

MAX: (hesitates) "What's going on?"

Gwen smiles apologetically.

GWEN: "I think it's best that Kelly explain that to you. For now… follow me."

We cut to another room in the Plumber base, which seems to a designated sit ops area of some kind. Kelly is there looking up at a large monitor showing a map of the Bellwood area. She types on a computer. A strange-looking machine, hooked up to a Plumber's badge, is connected to the computer. Lights blink on the monitor. Gwen and Max enter the room, and she looks over at them.

KELLY: (nods) "All set."

GWEN: "Then we're ready to start."

MAX: (looking at screen) "What is this?"

KELLY (motions to device) "Well, normally, it's a scanner used to locate other Plumber's badges. This badge in particular is mine. But the device you brought us – that's the metal part on the bottom – is a sophisticated Galvan technology designed to detect anomalous DNA structures, which I've modified to indicate the genetic mixture of two separate evolutionary pathways."

MAX: "Um… English?"

GWEN: "In other words, it's designed to scan the area for DNA which represents a combination of human and alien genetics – what we call 'reruma DNA.'"

MAX: "Reruma?"

Kelly, in response, presses the keyboard on her computer. Three images are projected on the monitor next to the map, recognizable as the Plumbers HELEN WHEELS, MANNY ARMSTORNG, and ALAN ALBRIGHT.

KELLY: "In the language of the Atasians, 'reruma' means 'mixed.' Rerumas are humans of an alien ancestry – like Gwen, for example. Their DNA is a mixture of two different species. Most of them possess the powers and abilities of the aliens they're descended from."

MAX: "I've heard about them. I mean, that's what Louis is, right? But how exactly is that even possible?"

KELLY: (sighs) "Well, there's a lot of complicated science behind it. But the gist of it is that human DNA is uniquely adaptive – it can relatively easily mix together with alien DNA. It's a very new science, actually, and very poorly understood."

MAX: "But… if this map shows humans with alien DNA… then where's Gwen on it? And where's Louis? Didn't he just leave?"

KELLY: "That… is an unfortunate side-effect of trying to use Level 7 technology with a Level 4 Plumber badge. On top of that, DNA scanning isn't a perfect science – the Omnitrix was pretty much the only device that could ever do it flawlessly. Because of that, we can't get perfect readings. This device is designed to pick up patterns over long periods of time."

GWEN: "Your mom's been working to improve the reruma scanner for a few weeks now. She's really been a big help to us here at HQ."

KELLY: (laughs) "Once a Plumber, always a Plumber."

MAX: (hesitates) "Why are you telling me all this?"

For a second time, Gwen and Kelly exchange hesitant glances.

KELLY: (sighs) "Max… will you come with me for a minute?"

In the next room over, Kelly and Max stand across from each other. Max seems worried, and Kelly has a somewhat guilty look on her face.

KELLY: "Max… I'm going to go away for a while."

MAX: (shocked) "Wait.. what? Leave? What are you talking about?"

KELLY: "I've been recalled to duty. The Plumbers want me back. They need me out there in the stars. Things… things have been very difficult lately, and they just need all hands on deck. They can't waste valuable resources on Earth."

MAX: "I don't understand!"

KELLY: "I don't expect you to. Things are always confusing at first. They were for me, too. But…" (quietly) "Well, your father would have wanted this. Or, rather, I'm doing this because I honor his memory. He gave his life out there, fighting for what he believed in."

MAX: "But… I don't want to lose you too!"

KELLY: (laughs) "Oh, sweetie, of course you won't lose me! I'd never put you through that, I promise. I'm not going to be on active duty or anything… they just need me for my big brain. I'm going to be working on Galvan Prime, with some of the top Plumbers in the galaxy. But they do need me. And I believe in the Plumbers, so I'm going to do this for them. Gwen's promised to look after you while I'm gone."

MAX: "If you're going, then why isn't Gwen?! Don't they need her too?"

KELLY: (hesitates) "Gwen's… made a promise, to stay on Earth. She's the only Magister-ranked Plumber in the entire sector. Earth needs her in case there's ever a threat. But… she can't take care of everything alone. That's why… that's why I want you to help her."

MAX: "What? What do you mean?"

KELLY: "Those rerumas, Max… the ones we were talking about. After the war, most of the aliens on Earth were forced to leave, and a lot of them left their children behind. There's lots of half-human children here on Earth right around your age who are completely alone, with no place to call home. They don't understand what they are, and they have no one to turn to."

MAX: "But what do you want ME to do about it?"

KELLY: "I know it's a lot to ask of you… but if you're willing, I'd like you to help Gwen find them. Help to protect them."

MAX: "But why me?"

KELLY: "Because… well, I think it might be good for you. And I know you, Max; you may not believe me, but you're special, unique in so many ways. I've seen that in you since you were very little. If there's anyone in the world who can help these rerumas, it's you."

MAX: "But… but… I just don't know. I don't even know what I'd do… what I'd SAY. I'm not exactly Mr. Popular at school, and besides…" (trails off)

KELLY: "Well, I want you to give it a chance, anyway. Even if you never want to do it again, give it just one chance. You never know." (pauses) "You know where you got your name?"

MAX: "Max Tennyson."

KELLY: "That's right. He was one of the greatest Plumbers in the galaxy, if not the greatest. I'm lucky to have met him before he passed away. If there's one thing I remember about him the most… it's that he was a deeply caring man. Brave, skilled, and intelligent, yes… but he had a big heart. You have that big heart, too. I know you do."

MAX: "I don't know."

KELLY: "Well, give it a chance, Max. That's all I ask."

MAX: (hesitates) "You're really going away?"

KELLY: (nods) "Yeah. I'm already late for my flight, actually. But it won't be forever. Just for a while."

MAX: "…I'll miss you."

KELLY: "Oh, sweetie." (hugs Max) "I'll miss you too."

We cut back to the main room of the Plumber HQ. Kelly waves lovingly as she enters the elevator, and Max and Gwen wave back, Max with a distant and worried look on his face. He watches until he can no longer see Kelly as the door slides closed. Gwen glances back at him worriedly, then smiles gently.

GWEN: "Sound like you've had a long day, Max. Why don't you get some sleep? There's a bedroom just down the hall."

MAX: "Yeah… yeah, I think I will. Thanks, Gwen."

GWEN: "No problem. If you need anything, just ask, okay?"

MAX: "Yeah… sure thing."

Without another word, Max walks away down the hall. Gwen looks on somewhat wistfully, then smiles sadly down at the floor. Max eventually finds his way to the door of a small room, with nothing in it but a bed. Without so much as turning on the light, Max falls down onto the bed and curls up, his eyes open in the dark.

MAX: "Give it a chance, huh? Well… whatever."

Max turns over, and falls asleep.

EXT. BELLWOOD, MORNING

The sun rises over the city.

INT. PLUMBER HQ, MORNING

Max walks out of the bedroom and into the hallway, finding Gwen sitting at the monitor in the main room. She seems to be busy with something on one of the computers. When she sees Max, she smiles welcomingly.

GWEN: "Good morning, Max! Sleep well?"

MAX: "Yeah. Thanks."

GWEN: "I made breakfast."

Gwen motions to a nearby table, where there is a plate of toast, bacon and eggs. Max takes the plate and looks at it.

MAX: "Thanks."

GWEN: "No problem."

When Max is finished eating, he puts the plate down on the table again. The eggs are untouched. Gwen looks back over at it.

GWEN: "Oh… you don't like eggs?"

MAX: (laughs awkwardly) "Um… uh, well, not really, no. I never have. Mom tries to get me to eat them sometimes, but most of the time she just doesn't bother."

For some reason, Gwen seems a bit saddened.

GWEN: "I see…"

Max almost begins to apologize, but Gwen waves him off, forcing a smile.

GWEN: "Oh, don't worry, Max! I was just thinking I don't really know your tastes all that well. I'll make sure to keep eggs out of any meals I make for you in the future."

MAX: "Uh, thanks. Sorry…"

GWEN: "It's no problem. Here… I want to show you something."

Gwen turns back to the computer, and presses a button on her keyboard. The larger monitors above then display an image of a girl with mid-length, light hair. She seems to be about Max's age. Max looks at the picture in confusion.

MAX: "Who is that?"

GWEN: "Her name's Betty Augen. She goes to the Dean Evans Academy, in eastern Bellwood, maybe six miles from here. She's one of the only human-alien hybrids I've been able to locate… at least so far."

MAX: "Wait, so she's one of them? What did you call them… remoras?"

GWEN: "Rerumas. Originally, they were called 'amalgams,' but the term changed after the former Atasian high commander Reinrassic published his book A Galaxy of Colors. He spoke a lot about how he believed rerumas to be the future of the Milky Way Galaxy. It's really a fascinating read, and quite a staple of a time when there was a lot of hope in the universe… I'd recommend it for sure."

MAX: "Um, sure. But about her…"

GWEN: "Oh right! Sorry, I'm getting sidetracked."

MAX: "It's okay."

GWEN: "I detected Betty about two months ago. Unfortunately, I don't know exactly what species she is. All I know is that she recently dropped out of school, but up until that point, she got fairly decent grades. I'm under the assumption that her alien form has something to do with it. She was adopted when she was less than a year old, so there's a good chance her parents don't know about her true nature – or, at least, not until recently."

MAX: "So… what do you need me for?"

GWEN: "Max… these rerumas need our help. Earth isn't as safe for alien-born as it used to be. Most of these rerumas are lost or struggling, with no one to turn to for help, and no way of understanding their powers or their true natures. We need to show them that they're not alone – that they have a place to go, people who really care about them, and accept them for who they are."

MAX: "So what do you want me to do?"

GWEN: "Are you sure you want to help?"

MAX: "I… I promised Mom I'd give it a chance."

GWEN: (smiles) "Alright. Here's what I'd like you to do."

EXT. BELLWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, DAY

Max, driving his mom's car, comes to the end of a small court. The houses there are large, with beautiful, blooming gardens. Max approaches the house on the far end and exits his car, then walks to the front door. He knocks hesitantly.

The door flings open. MRS. AUGEN (48), a gaunt woman, stares skeptically at Max.

MRS. AUGEN: "Can I HELP you?"

MAX: (taken aback) "Um… uh… I was just… I… I'm here to ask you about something. That is…"

MRS. AUGEN: "Oh! Are you here from the student government? About the funding proposal?"

MAX: "Funding proposal? Um… I don't…"

MRS. AUGSEN: (pleasantly) "Oh, please, don't worry about it! Come on in, my husband will be right with you."

Max hesitates, but Mrs. Augen motions encouragingly, and Max finally manages to walk into the house.

INT. AUGEN HOUSE, DAY

Max finds himself in the living room of the wealthy Augen family. He's seated at a couch, surrounded by hunting trophies. Mrs. Augen comes in from the other room, with a plate of cookies.

MRS. AUGEN: "Have a cookie, sweetie!"

MAX: "Um… thanks." (takes cookie)

MRS. AUGEN: (motions to trophies) "Impressive, aren't they? My husband does love to hunt. Last year he even won third place in the Bellwood County Big Game Competition!"

MAX: "That's, uh… great."

Max bites into Mrs. Augen's cookie. A revolted look crosses his face, and he quickly takes the cookie back out of his mouth.

MRS. AUGEN: (calling out) "Clark! The student government is here!"

MR. AUGEN: (off-screen) "I'll be right there!"

MR. AUGEN (53) strides into the room wearing a work suit. He is a tall and somewhat intimidating man. He grins at Max and strides over to shake his hand.

MR. AUGEN: "Thanks for coming in, young man. I'm Clark Augen. It's nice to meet you."

MAX: "Um… likewise. I'm Max."

Mr. Augen takes a seat on the couch adjacent to Max. Mrs. Augen sits down at his side.

MR. AUGEN: "Now… You're in the student government, yes? I'm glad they finally sent someone over. Frankly, I've been trying to push this proposal through for weeks, but there's a lot of red tape in the school administration – it's all very inconvenient. The school needs to come to its senses…"

MAX: "Um, actually…"

Before Max can finish his sentence, however, a voice is heard calling out from elsewhere in the house.

BETTY: "Mom!"

From the nearby stairs, BETTY AUGEN (15) appears. She is a vibrant girl with bright green eyes. Max notices her, and a look of surprise comes across his face.

BETTY: "Hey Mom, when's dinner?"

MRS. AUGEN: (sternly) "I'll start cooking in thirty minutes, Betty. Now go back to your room."

BETTY: "But Mom…"

MRS. AUGEN: "Back. To. Your. Room. Young lady."

At this point, Betty notices Max nearby. Max jumps, and so does Betty. Betty turns and begins to leave.

MAX: "W-Wait!"

Betty freezes in place. Both Mr. and Mrs. Augen turn and look at Max, with suddenly wary looks on their faces.

MAX: "Um… I'm not actually here from the student government."

MR. AUGEN: "What do you mean?"

MAX: "I'm… I'm here about her."

There is a long silence. Mr. and Mrs. Augen look pensive and stern.

MRS. AUGEN: "Back to your room, Betty."

Betty hesitates, gazing for a moment at Max, but rushes back upstairs.

MR. AUGEN: (coldly, to Max) "Are you her classmate?"

MAX: (shakes head) "N-No."

MR. AUGEN: "Then who are you?"

MAX: "…Gwen Tennyson sent me."

The Augen parents seem extremely agitated by this. Mr. Augen glares at Max, and Mrs. Augen lowers her head, furrowing her brow.

MRS. AUGEN: (silently) "That WOMAN…"

MR. AUGEN: (strictly) "We're not interested in anything she has to say."

MAX: (hesitates) "You pulled her out of school… because her alien side began to appear, right? Gwen… she sent in an ID mask, a photonic ID mask… so that Betty could conceal her true form. That's why she looked like a normal human just now, right? She… I mean, we, Gwen and I… we want to help her…"

MR. AUGEN: (interrupts) "We. Are. NOT. Interested. Do you understand me?! I don't want my Betty associated with any of you FREAKS. You ALIENS. You're all monsters, trying to come here and claim the Earth as your own."

MAX: (irritated) "I'm human, sir. More importantly, your DAUGHTER is an alien. She's…"

MR. AUGEN: "She's a FREAK. And she's a freak because of those ALIENS. THEY'RE the ones who made her that way, DISEASED her, and now my daughter can't hope to live a normal life. She's a monster now."

Mrs. Augen seems to grow pensive on this note, and looks away from Mr. Augen. Max grows frustrated.

MAX: (angry) "So, what, you just lock her in her room for the rest of her life?! We can…"

MR. AUGEN: "ENOUGH! Get out. Get out of my house right now, you monster-lover. GET OUT!"

EXT. BELLWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, DAY

Max is on the phone, leaning against his car. He has driven far away from the Augen household.

GWEN: (on phone) "…I see. I had a feeling something like that would happen."

MAX: (frustrated) "Then why'd you send me in there at all? They kicked me out without listening to anything I had to say."

INT. PLUMBER HQ, DAY

Gwen is sitting at her computer, talking to Max via a wireless headset.

GWEN: "I was hoping that they'd at least be more willing to listen to you, since you're Betty's age… but I guess not. The most important thing is that we know she's safe. You said you saw her?"

MAX: (on phone) "Yeah."

EXT. BELLWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, DAY

MAX: "She looked okay, but they're keeping her cooped up in her room."

INT. PLUMBER HQ, DAY

GWEN: (resentful) "How cruel. Well, for now, at least, she's doing okay, even if they are keeping her under house arrest. Frankly, in their situation, I can understand them being frightened and uncertain…"

EXT. BELLWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, DAY

GWEN: (on phone) "I only wish they'd listen to us."

MAX: (angry) "He called her a freak. His own daughter. He said she was diseased."

GWEN: (on phone) "He's afraid, like so many other people in this day and age."

INT. PLUMBER HQ, DAY

GWEN: "They don't like what they don't understand, and because of that, they'll fight it. It's all what fear does to people."

MAX: (on phone) "Got that right."

GWEN: "So…"

EXT. BELLWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, DAY

GWEN (on phone): "… what are you going to do now?"

Max hesitates, then looks back down the street, a determined look on his face.

MAX: "I want to talk to her."

GWEN: (on phone) "I might be able to help you with that."

EXT. BELLWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, NIGHT

In the middle of the night, Max sneaks up toward the Augen household. Its lights are all on, glowing into the night. Max hides near a fence, tugging on Ben's jacket.

MAX: "I'm such an idiot…"

Max looks up, and to his surprise, he sees Betty in the window. She doesn't notice him, and turns away, closing the curtain partially. Max looks around, then finds a water spout, and uses it to climb the short distance to the lower roof next to Betty's window. He approaches it cautiously.

MAX: (quietly) "Please don't be naked, please don't be naked, please don't be naked…"

Max peers cautiously into the window. Betty is sitting there on her bed, reading a book. Max takes a deep breath, and then knocks.

Betty turns and notices him, then jumps in surprise, fear in her eyes. Max quickly raises a finger to his mouth. Betty seems to calm down, but is still wary. She walks quickly over to the window and opens it slightly.

BETTY: "W-What are you doing here?"

MAX: "Um… I was… wanting to talk. Can I come in?"

BETTY: "I…" (hesitates, then nods tentatively)

Betty opens the rest of the window, and then moves away. Max slides in, and looks around a bit at Betty's room. Betty slides the window and the curtain closed, then rushes over to her door, putting her ear against it. She then looks back at Max.

BETTY: (whispering) "You shouldn't be here. If my parents find out…"

MAX: "I'm toast. Yeah, uh… I know."

BETTY: "We're BOTH toast."

MAX: "I…"

Betty sighs, then turns around and paces across her room. After a split second, she turns back toward Max, looking him over.

BETTY: "So… who are you?"

MAX: "Um… my name's Max."

BETTY: "Why in the world did you climb up on the roof?"

MAX: "Um… it seemed better than trying to sneak in through the back door?"

BETTY: (stares) "Wow. You're crazy."

MAX: "I-It seemed like a good idea at the time! And, well, Gwen said…"

BETTY: "Gwen? Wait, you're with Gwen Tennyson?"

MAX: "Uh, yeah. She's the one who sent you your ID mask."

Betty jumps, and then shyly covers part of her face, avoiding Max's glance.

MAX: "Um, yeah, so… I came here to see… you know, how you're doing. Are you… okay?"

Betty hesitates. Eventually, she sighs, and sits down on her bed. Max, tentatively, sits down next to her.

BETTY: "I… I guess."

MAX: "You don't go to school?"

BETTY: "I CAN'T go to school."

MAX: "… because you're an alien, right?"

Betty seems to wilt a bit. She avoids Max's glance.

BETTY: (fearfully) "I'm a FREAK. What I really am, what I really look like, it's…"

Max stares worriedly at her. Betty is trembling.

MAX: "…I don't think that's true."

Betty looks up, glancing at him somewhat skeptically.

MAX: "That's why I'm here. The Plumbers exist to help people like you."

BETTY: "… but I can't. I can't go… my parents, they… they won't let me. I have to stay here."

MAX: "Well… what if just for one day, then?"

BETTY: "What do you mean?"

MAX: "How about this… is there any way you and I can meet up later? Don't your parents ever let you leave the house?"

BETTY: "L-Leave the house?! No, uh… I can't leave. People might find out what I really look like."

MAX: "Don't worry. I… I won't let that happen. So… can you?"

For a long time, Betty seems to be lost in thought. Max waits, somewhat nervously.

BETTY: "Well… Mom and Dad are going to the school on Monday to talk about Dad's proposal. They'll be gone for maybe six hours in the afternoon. So… maybe…"

MAX: (smiles) "Let's do something then, then. How about we meet up at 2-ish? I'll treat you to Mr. Smoothy."

BETTY: "Mr. Smoothy?"

MAX: "Yeah! Then we can go somewhere fun together, wherever you want. That's all. We don't have to talk about anything serious if you don't want. Just, you know… have fun for a day."

BETTY: "Just… have fun?"

MAX: (nods) "How does that sound?"

BETTY: (hesitates) "… okay."

MAX: (surprised) "R-Really?"

BETTY: (smiles) "Yeah. I'd… I'd like that. A lot."

The two smile at each other.

EXT. AUGEN HOUSE, DAY

Max is on the phone with Gwen, leaning against his car, waiting for Betty to come outside.

GWEN: (on phone) "So you set up a date with her?"

MAX: (blushes) "It's… not a date. But yeah, we agreed to meet up today and go somewhere this afternoon."

INT. PLUMBER HQ, DAY

GWEN: "So how'd you manage to talk to her in the first place?"

MAX: (on phone) "What? What do you mean? I snuck through the window."

GWEN: (surprised) "Wait, so that actually worked?"

EXT. AUGEN HOUSE, DAY

MAX: (shocked) "W-What?! The window thing was YOUR idea! You told me it would totally be foolproof…"

INT. PLUMBER HQ, DAY

GWEN: (laughs) "Yes, that's true. Sorry about that, Max. Sometimes Kevin would sneak up to my window back when we were first going out… at the time, I thought he was crazy for it. But I did grow to like it eventually. I figured it might work out this way."

EXT. AUGEN HOUSE, DAY

MAX: (annoyed) "In my case, it was more like I was a creepy stalker."

GWEN: (on phone) (laughs)

The sound of a door opening is heard. Max looks surprised.

MAX: "Oh, got to go!"

He hangs up. We see Betty, wearing a jacket, walking out of the front door of her house hesitantly. She approaches Max with a somewhat wary look on her face.

MAX: "Um, hi! Glad you could come out."

BETTY: "Yeah, uh… you wanted to go to Mr. Smoothy?"

MAX: "Yeah. Well, I mean, uh, as long as that's okay with you."

BETTY: (nods) "Yeah, that's fine."

MAX: "Okay! Then, uh… let's go."

EXT. MR. SMOOTHY, DAY

Max and Betty are sitting at a table outside of a Mr. Smoothy. Max sips on his smoothie, but Betty seems somewhat averse, and doesn't touch hers. Max stops drinking, and frowns shyly. He tried to lighten the mood.

MAX: "This place always has the weirdest flavors. I mean… they have normal stuff like cherry and blueberry and everything… but then they have all sorts of weird stuff. Grasshopper, all-meat… I mean, seriously, who actually drinks this stuff?"

Betty doesn't laugh, but she does smile.

BETTY: "Your jacket… is that…?"

MAX: "Huh? O-Oh, yeah…" (blushes) "Yeah, it's the real thing. I got it from my mom. Gwen gave it to her – that is, Ben's cousin. I've always been a fan of his."

BETTY: "That's cool. I always kind of liked Ben 10 too."

MAX: (smiles) "Really? That's awesome! So… what other things are you interested in?"

BETTY: "Oh, uh… well, I guess I like reading a lot. It's kind of my thing… helps me calm down, I guess. I used to be in my school's karate club, too."

MAX: "Really? That's cool! Um… how long have you been doing that?"

BETTY: "Since I was a little kid. I'm a black belt."

MAX: "Wow! You're tougher than you look." (laughs nervously) "I sure wouldn't want to mess with you. So why'd you stop?"

Betty's expression tenses. Max realizes his mistake, and immediately feels guilty.

MAX: "I'm… I'm so sorry. That was a stupid question."

BETTY: "It's… it's okay." (hesitates) "So… Max? Are you… are you also…?"

MAX: "Hm?"

BETTY: "Are you… an alien?"

MAX: "Oh! Oh, no. I'm human. My mom's a Plumber, see. My dad was too."

BETTY: (hesitates) "So… Max?"

MAX: "Yeah?"

BETTY: "Why are you helping me? Like, you specifically?"

Max is caught off-guard, and hesitates. He looks down at his smoothie for a long moment, then speaks, without looking at Betty.

MAX: "I… I made a promise. And I guess I… I want to meet aliens like you. I mean… up until now, I haven't exactly had much to do in my life. I've always wanted something more, I guess, something… different. More importantly, I want to understand people like you. I guess I just… I want to feel how you feel, see how you see… just know… just… I just want to be your friend, I guess."

Betty's eyes widen.

MAX: (blushes) "A REAL friend, too. And… and I also want a real friend. Not just someone to hang out with, not just one of those kids at school to go to parties with or whatever, but a real, genuine friend, someone I can talk to and… confide in. I've always wanted something like that. And I want to be that for someone, too. Even if it's just one person."

BETTY: (hesitates) (amazed) "You just… want to be friends?"

MAX: "I guess? I don't know. I sound stupid."

BETTY: "No… I'd like to be your friend."

MAX: (surprised) "R-Really?"

BETTY: "Yeah. I mean… before I changed, I had a lot of friends, but… I never really felt like I could talk to any of them. So, I think… it'd be nice to be able to have a true friend for a change. So yeah… I think I'd like to be real friends. I'd like that a lot." (frowns) "But… you'd want to be friends with me? Even though I'm… you know… an alien?"

MAX: "Why not? In all honest… that just makes it cooler, I guess." (smiles)

BETTY: (smiles shyly)

MAX: (blushing) "A-Anyway… I did say we'd go do something fun together, right? You can pick, if you want. Anywhere you'd like to go."

BETTY: "Anywhere? Really?"

MAX: "Sure. Where do you want to go?"

BETTY: (hesitates) "The zoo!"

MAX: "The zoo?"

BETTY: (excitedly) "Yeah! I… I love the zoo. But I haven't gone in so long, especially since I've been stuck in the house. I always used to love looking at the animals and stuff. So… can we go?"

MAX: "Absolutely! I love the zoo too, actually."

BETTY: "Really?"

MAX: "You bet. Let's go right now. I think they're open all afternoon, anyway. It probably won't be too crowded, since it's a Monday."

BETTY: "Yeah!"

With sudden energy and excitement, Betty jumps up from the table and rushes over to Max's car. Max, smiling, laughs a bit and follows after her.

EXT. ZOO, DAY

Max and Betty arrive at the zoo and explore together. At different exhibits, Betty excitedly looks at the animals, regaining a lot of energy and vigor. She laughs at the monkeys, and the two marvel at the elephants. A huge spider jumps against the glass and terrifies Max, making Betty laugh.

EXT. PARK, EVENING

After finishing exploring the zoo, Max and Betty walk into a nearby park, laughing together. They wander into an area near the center of the park, where there are no other people around.

BETTY: "Thanks for taking me there, Max. It was… it was fun."

MAX: (shyly) "Yeah. No problem. It was fun."

There is a long moment of silence as the two walk. Betty glances repeatedly at Max, as though she is contemplating saying something. Finally, she is able to speak up.

BETTY: "Um, Max!"

The two stop walking. Betty blushes, and looks away.

BETTY: "Um… there's one more thing… I wanted to… uh…"

MAX: "Yeah?"

BETTY: "I… I want to show you what I really look like."

Max is taken aback, and his eyes widen.

MAX: "R-Really? I mean… are you… are you sure?"

Betty avoid his glance. She begins to tremble.

BETTY: "I… I want to trust you. I really, really want to be your friend. S-So… when you see me, the REAL me… when you scream…"

MAX: "Huh? Who says I'm going to scream?"

BETTY: (hesitates) (quietly) "Dad does. Mom too. They looked at me and they said 'my daughter's turned into a monster.' They said I'm a freak. Everyone thinks the same thing. That's just what I am – I'm a FREAK." (begins crying) "I'm a FREAK, a MONSTER…"

MAX: "Betty!"

Betty stops crying in surprise, and looks at him.

MAX: "Just listen to me… I don't care what you look like. You're my friend. And I don't care if everyone else on this stupid planet thinks you're a freak. What they say doesn't matter. I… I'll go up against the whole darn world before I stop being your friend."

There is a long moment of silence. Betty hesitates.

BETTY: "O-Okay. I trust you, Max."

Without another word, Betty removes her ID mask in a burst of static.

At first, nothing seems to change. However, after a moment, Betty opens her eyes. Simultaneously, eyes open all across her arms and shoulders. Her ears also appear to be slightly pointier, and her human eyes have become slightly brighter and more catlike. She looks away from Max.

MAX: (amazed) "Betty…"

BETTY: "Don't look at me!"

Without warning, Betty collapses onto her knees and covers her face. All of her eyes close tight.

MAX: "What? Betty…"

BETTY: "No! I'm hideous! I'm a monster! I-I can't let you see me like this!"

MAX: "Betty, I don't mind! I don't think you look scary at all!"

At first, Betty seems to not listen to him. After a moment, she hesitantly looks back up at him. Max kneels down next to her and looks at her gently.

MAX: (softly) "Betty… I'm still here. I'm not afraid of you."

BETTY: (hesitates) "… you're not?"

MAX: (shakes head) "No. Not at all."

BETTY: "But… don't I look terrifying?"

MAX: "No, I don't think so. Actually… I think you look pretty cool."

BETTY: "Huh?"

MAX: (grins) "You're an opticoid! I've read about them before in some of my mom's books. Ben 10 used to be turn into one, did you know that? He called himself 'Eye Guy.' I… I guess it was a pretty stupid name." (laughs) "But there's all sorts of cool things they can do – shooting lasers, freezing… they're really awesome!"

Betty says nothing, but seems to calm down a bit.

MAX: "Plus, you're really not all that scary-looking at all. Your eyes are actually really cool."

Max takes a moment to observe Betty's eyes. They're all open, and whenever his gaze approaches one, all of them dart away like a swarm of fish.

MAX: (laughs) "Frankly, no matter how many eyes you have, you're pretty cute."

Betty's eyes all lock on Max, and she blushes. Max, realizing what he's said, blushes too.

MAX: (stammering) "A-Anyway! Um…"

BETTY: "You… really mean all that?"

MAX: "Um…" (nods shyly) "Yeah. Of course I do. You're just you, Betty. Besides… you're my friend. It's gonna take more than a few eyes to change that. I promise."

BETTY: (emotional) "Really?"

MAX: (nods) "Yeah. No worries, you know…"

Betty moves forward and hugs Max without warning, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Tears are streaming from her human eyes.

BETTY: "T-Thank you. Thank you so much."

Max is taken aback, but smiles, and wraps his arms around Betty's lower back. The two share a tender moment.

MAX: "Anytime."

EXT. AUGEN HOUSE, EVENING

Max and Betty drive up to the curb of the court on which the Augen house lies. Betty is wearing her ID mask again. They get out of the car and share an affectionate glance. However, a voice cuts the moment off.

MR. AUGEN: "BETTY!"

Betty and Max jump. Mr. Augen comes rushing toward them, with Mrs. Augen standing afar, with a distant look on her face. Mr. Augen approaches Betty, who withdraws, backing away from Max's car. Mr. Augen's attention turns to Max, and his expression becomes one of rage. He moved toward him menacingly.

MR. AUGEN: "YOU! Why you no-good kid, I ought to…"

Mr. Augen lunges toward Max, and Max flinches. Suddenly, a pink energy shield materializes between them, pushing Mr. Augen back. Both are shocked, but then notice Gwen standing nearby, her hand outstretched and glowing pink.

GWEN: "Mr. Augen. You've been ignoring my messages again, I see."

MR. AUGEN: "Get away from here. Get away from my family, GET AWAY!"

GWEN: (calmly) "You're being unreasonable, Mr. Augen. I've tried to discuss this at length with you before, but as I expected, you let your fear and your hatred get the better of you. Your daughter is in need of help, and instead you lock her up in her room and forbid her from living a normal life…"

MR. AUGEN: "Don't you DARE lecture me on how I raise my family! She's MY daughter, and she's under MY jurisdiction. That SPY of yours KIDNAPPED her against her will…"

BETTY: "That's not…!"

MR. AUGEN: "Be QUIET, Betty!" (to Gwen) "This is unacceptable. I'm going to call the police! You and all of your alien conspiracies are FINISHED!"

MAX: (angrily) "You're a jerk, you know that?! It's her life to live, not yours! You're keeping her locked up because you're afraid of her – your own DAUGHTER! You don't even care what's 'best' for her, you just…"

MR. AUGEN: "Shut UP, you little…!"

Mr. Augen moves in menacingly again.

BETTY: (off-screen) "NO!"

A burst of green electricity shoots out at Mr. Augen, knocking him off his feet. He lands in the middle of the street, unhurt but shocked. We see Betty, her hand outstretched, with green electricity crackling around the eyes on it. She seems horrified by her own actions, but regains a determined composure.

MR. AUGEN: (shocked) "Betty…"

BETTY: "I… I don't want to hide anymore, Dad! I can't live like that anymore. I want to live a real life! I know that I'm not normal, but still… I can't stand being alone anymore! I… I want to… I want to make REAL friends. For the first time ever."

Max stares in amazement, blushing slightly. Betty smiles shyly at him. Mr. Augen slowly stands up.

MR. AUGEN: (coldly) "And who exactly do you think is going to be friends with you?"

Betty's expression changes to one of surprise, and she stiffens. The color washes from her face. Max stares at Mr. Augen.

MR. AUGEN: "You're a FREAK, Betty. You're an alien. People will hunt you. Nobody will accept you. You'll be cast out of everywhere you try to call home. You can hide with that mask they gave you, but sooner or later, they'll find out who you really are. And they'll reject you. You won't have a place to live. If you leave us, that's the end of it. Your life is over."

From afar, Mrs. Augen's expression changes. She is clearly deeply conflicted about the current situation, but says nothing. Betty, meanwhile, is trembling in fear, on the verge of tears.

MAX: (angrily) "Oh, SCREW that!"

Without warning, Max walks forward determinedly. He goes directly to Betty and draws close to her. She subconsciously withdraws in confusion.

BETTY: "M-Max, what…?"

Max reaches forward and grabs Betty's ID mask off of her face, and she returns to her alien form. Max tosses the mask aside, and it clatters onto the pavement.

MAX: "I know the real you. And I'm going to accept you for who you really are. You can live with me, and I'll be your friend. We have more than enough room in our house, anyway. You can have the bedroom right across from mine, since there's nothing there anyway."

A look of surprise and amazement comes across Betty's face. Her parents, looking on from afar, are equally at a loss for words.

MAX: (continuing) "I don't know about school, but Gwen can probably figure something out. Maybe she can teach us both – I hate high school anyways. You can help me look for the other rerumas. Frankly, I don't care if the whole darn world hates you, because I'm still going to be here… and I won't ever leave your side!"

There is a long silence. Gwen, Mr. and Mrs. Augen, and Betty all stare at Max in a mixture of amazement and shock. Finally, Betty smiles tearfully, and nods at Max gently. Max breathes, seemingly exhausted. Mr. Augen comes to his senses.

MR. AUGEN: "Y-You think you're just going to take my daughter…?!"

However, before he can finish his sentence, Mrs. Augen puts a hand on his shoulder. He looks at her in disbelief.

MRS. AUGEN: (worriedly) "Clark…"

MR. AUGEN: "Janice… they…"

MRS. AUGEN: "We should let her go."

MR. AUGEN: (shocked) "W-What?! Jan…"

MRS. AUGEN: (pensive) "Clark, we… we can't let her keep living like this. They… they know what she is. They can help her, and we can't. I know it's hard, but… I've been thinking. And I can't bear to let Betty live like this anymore."

MR. AUGEN: "But…"

MRS. AUGEN: "Honey… I know it's hard, but… we have to let go. If… if we see our own daughter as a monster, then what does that make us?"

MR. AUGEN: "I… I won't let THEM…"

MRS. AUGEN: (firmly) "Clark."

The two share a long, silent moment. Mr. Augen glances over at Max, and then, finally, he nods. Mrs. Augen then stands up, walking over to Gwen. She has a hesitant and fearful look on her face, but seems to have come to terms with the situation.

MRS. AUGEN: "Ms. Tennyson… I… I expect you to take care of my daughter. I want you to help her in whatever way you can."

GWEN: (nods) "I will. You have my word."

Mrs. Augen nods hesitantly, seemingly satisfied. Betty and Max are in disbelief, but then smile excitedly at each other.

A short while later, we see Betty, now wearing her ID mask, carrying a suitcase and putting it in the back of Max's car. Mr. and Mrs. Augen stand by the front door, looking on somewhat warily. After depositing the suitcase, Betty walks back over to them. Max approaches Gwen, who is leaning on the car hood.

GWEN: "Are you sure about this?"

MAX: "Y-Yeah. I mean… I want to help her."

GWEN: (laughs gently) "They're not happy about this, you know. Him especially."

MAX: "I know."

GWEN: "The only reason they changed their minds was because of what you said."

MAX: (blushes) "It was nothing."

GWEN: "It was very brave. Your mom was right about you, Max. You're definitely something special. I think Betty can see that too. Even after just a day, the two have you have already grown so close… I think that means something."

MAX: "I guess."

GWEN: (smiles) "Don't worry yourself too much, Max. Everything will be alright."

By the house, Betty hugs her parents, and they say a few final words to her. She nods, and then runs back over to the car.

GWEN: "Ready to go?"

Betty nods.

Betty and Max get into the back of the car, and Betty waves hesitantly back at her parents. They wave back, giving affectionate but worried smiles. Gwen drives the car out of the court, and they head off into Bellwood.

After a while, Max gives Gwen a confused look.

MAX: "Um… Gwen? Where are we going? The HQ is the other way."

GWEN: (smiles) "You'll see."

EXT. STORAGE FACILITY, EVENING

The car pulls up at a storage facility on the far side of the city. Gwen, Max, and Betty get out, and Gwen approaches a garage. She unlocks it, and then pulls it open. Inside is a car covered by a tarp, which Gwen removes. Max and Betty gasp. It's bright green sports car from the 1970s, with two black stripes down the middle.

MAX: "What… what is this?"

GWEN: "It's yours, Max."

MAX: (shocked) "W-What?!"

GWEN: (smiles) "Call it a late birthday present. It's pretty old, but trust me, it's seen a lot of action, and it can handle it. The engine's modern, too, so no worries about whether it can survive modern roads. It'll do just fine for you, I think. Better than your mom's car, anyways."

Gwen touches the car hood.

GWEN: "We used to use this car all the time, whenever we went out to solve a mystery or fight some aliens. It was left with me, and now, I pass it on to you."

MAX: "Gwen… I… are you serious?"

GWEN: (nods) "Take care of it, Max."

Max and Betty grin at each other. Max hesitantly enters the front seat of the car, and Betty enters the passenger seat. Gwen hands Max the keys, and Max turns on the engine. Before pulling out of the garage, Max looks up at Gwen.

MAX: "I'm going to find them. The other rerumas. I'm going to help them too."

GWEN: (nods) "I know."

Max pulls the car out of the garage, and then he and Betty drive off into the distance as night falls. Gwen smiles after them.

CREDITS ROLL