Malgax
Plumbers
Teen Titans
You know who to call...
"I'm here reporting live on the scene in Jump City, where a strange black and red techno giant has begun issuing demands for ten children from a man, or men, named Ben," a woman reporter said, "When asked why we should humor him he simply pulled out a signed paper stating that the justice league cannot stop him from searching, with force, for said persons. He's given us twenty-four hours to bring them forth or we will have to pay," the camera focused on the woman's face, "Please, whoever you are, step forward," she looks away to the techno-looking being and whispered to the camera, "Or if anyone else can stop him, please I beg of you..." The screen went black and then turned to snow until someone paused the program.
"Robin who was that?" came a younger nasally male voice.
"I'm not sure, Beast Boy," said the guy named Robin, "He doesn't look familiar to me, and he's not in our records or the Justice League's."
"So what are we to do," Asked a girl with flowing red hair, "If we do not know any information on the villainous person, let alone not knowing any weaknesses he may have, how do we fight him?"
"I don't know, Starfire," Robin said again, seeming a bit ashamed.
"Well have you searched through the locked files of the Justice Leagues network," came a guy who appeared more machine than man, "I've found that they don't always keep stuff open for use to view."
Robin pulled up some secret files on screen, showing he'd been through them already, "Yes, and I still don't know who this guy is." Robin was now becoming annoyed.
"You know, there is an easy solution to this," came a dark and somber toned woman. She was dressed in a blue robe reading a from a levitating book, "Use the Bat Cave's database."
Robin scowled at the idea, "It's not that easy, Raven, I can't just break into the Bat Cave's security like it's nothing."
"Who said you had to break into it," Raven looked up from her book, "Just ask the Batman to give you access."
The others seemed to chime in agreement, "Yeah, Robin, is it gonna hurt to ask him," asked Cyborg.
Robin rolled his eyes, his scowl still strong, "No..."
"Then call him," Beast Boy suggested aggressively.
Robin went to the computer and placed a video call to the Bat Cave, "Guys, he's probably out at the league attempting to remedy the solution to that thing, why would he-"
As Robin rambled, he was cut off by an older British gentleman on the other end of the call, "Hello, master Robin."
"Hi, Alfred," Robin responded with a false smile, "Is the Batman there?"
"Currently," Alfred paused, obvious looking through cameras in the Bat Cave, "I believe he is," Alfred pressed some buttons on the computer, "Yes indeed, he's currently working on some improvements to his new suit," Alfred looked back to Robin, "Could I assist you with the task you're pursuing?"
Robin looked confused, "Yeah, I just need access to the Bat Cave's criminal database," Robin blinked and shook his head quickly in a short burst, "Wait, so Batman isn't dealing with the guy threatening the people?"
Alfred stopped pressing buttons for a moment, taking a quick gulp before pressing one more, "You should now have access, master Robin, have a nice day." With those words, the call went dark.
"Um... that was suspicious to you too, right?" Asked Cyborg.
"Most defiantly" Starfire agreed.
"Yeah..." Robin said, backing out of the video call. He found had received a notification alerting him that he now had access to the Bat Cave's crime database, "None the less, let's see if we can find this guy," Robin put the photo and voice sample of the creature through the database and waited.
"So how long is this supposed to take, Robin," asked Beast Boy.
"I'm not sure, Beast Boy, I'm only feeding the program a small sample and the Bat Cave has a complicated sophisticated net to search through," Robin sat down and stared at the computer screen, "For now we have to wait."
It was then the monitor beeped.
"Well that was quick," Raven piped up from behind her book.
"What did it find so quickly," Robin puzzled. He pulled up the info screen to find a green squid face alien with the only words readable being his name: Vilgax. Everything else was listed as Redacted or was blacked out, "What the hell, Batman!" Robin groaned as he threw himself into his chair, "Cyborg think you can work some magic?"
Cyborg plugged in began working on the computer trying to bypass the blocks, but it was futile, "Sorry, Robin, I can't get through," Cyborg suddenly stumbled upon a small logo and phone number on the bottom of the file, "Uh... not sure what this is about, but it might be helpful," Cyborg printed off the name and number and handed it to Robin.
"Max's Plumbing?" Robin read in confusion, "And it's in Bellwood?" Robin looked at Cyborg skeptically, "Are you sure, we don't have a lot of time."
Cyborg looked at Raven, "Can you get us there quicker?"
Raven closed her book, "Fine," She waved her hand, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" A portal appeared in front of them. It spiraled around in a black fashion with white accents gravitating towards the center, "Let's go," she said, slightly tired.
Beast Boy, Starfire, and Cyborg went through quickly leaving Robin and Raven, "Tell me I'm not crazy, it seemed as though Batman isn't doing anything, right?"
Raven looked Robin in the eyes, "Honestly, Robin, yes it's a bit off, but you'd be the one to truly know," she gestured towards the portal, "Come on, let's follow up on this lead, then you can be paranoid."
Robin nodded in agreement, "Alright, fine," he said calmly, "Let's go."
As the group arrived on the other side of the portal they found themselves at a plumbing and hardware store.
"Cyborg...," Robin trailed off, upset at the cartoony old man on the sign of the store.
"This is the correct place, Robin," Cyborg pulled out the business card he'd printed out, "But I didn't know that this would be a literal hardware store."
The group walked into Max's Plumbing, a small bell welcomed them into the empty store.
"This place is open right?" Asked Beast Boy.
Robin looked at the sign in the window, "It says that they are open for at least another four hours," Robin looked on the glass door for any other signs, "And I don't see anything saying that they're closed or out for lunch," Robin walked up to the counter, still looking for an indication that this place was open.
"Maybe they are in the Restroom," Starfire suggested, "After all if it is not busy in the store right now this would be the best time to slip away for a bathroom break."
"Star's gotta point, Robin," Cyborg agreed. He looked around and found a sign for a bathroom located in the back of the store, "I'll go check while you guys keep searching around."
Robin nodded, "Fine, but take Beast Boy with you, something seems strange about this place," Robin turned to look behind the counter and mumbled to himself, "I just can't place it."
Beast Boy shifted into a gorilla and ran to catch up, Cyborg raised an eyebrow, "Dude, we're just checking the bathroom for the owner, not fighting some big bad."
Beast Boy rolled his eyes and shifted into a small gecko.
Cyborg picked him up and placed him on his shoulder, "There at least now you can check if someone's in there."
As the two got to the door Cyborg felt a chill run down his back, "Strange..." he trailed off, "Beast, check the other side."
Beast Boy jumped off Cyborg and attempted to squeeze under the door. About halfway through there was a bright green light flash and suddenly Beast Boy was shot back with eminence force and forced to shift back to a human, "Oh man..." he said rubbing his head.
"What did you two do!" Robin yelled from another room. He was quickly making his way to Cyborg and Beast Boy, "The front door just locked and the windows just became metal."
Cyborg's cybernetic eye lit up red, "It appears that we tripped a silent alarm..." Cyborg almost recoiled back in fear, "How the hell...," his eye stopped glowing, "Robin they have alien tech security that comes from the smartest beings in the galaxy," Cyborg grabbed Beast Boy, "We need to go now!"
Robin followed Cyborg who ran to the front of the store and to the door, "How do you plan to get out, Cyborg."
Cyborg set Beast Boy down, "Like this hopefully," he held his right arm up, supporting it with his left, as it shifted into a cannon from a hand. Energy began glowing in the barrel with the sound of power charging growing ever louder, "Get behind me!"
As the Titans gathered behind Cyborg, there was a faint sound of what could only be described as liquid metal and synthesizer, "Um, Robin, did you hear-".
"Beast Boy, be quiet," Robin cut him off, "Do you guys hear that?"
The group grew quiet and at that moment they could only hear, the sound of Cyborg's blaster holding back it's fire while at a high setting, "Robin, I can't hold this forever, what am I waiting on?"
Robin listened closely, but still, he couldn't hear anything, except Cyborg's blaster... which was powering down, "Cyborg?" Robin returned his gaze to him, "What the..." Cyborg's gray metal had turned to some strange black, his blues turned to shades of green, and his cybernetic eye had become a strange black and green hourglass thing. His human eye remained normal but was closed and his blaster had returned to a hand; however, it didn't change like usual. This time it morphed like clay and sounded like the liquid metal synthesizer from earlier, "Cyborg?"
"Is that this things name," came a voice from Cyborg that sounded much different than normal, "I didn't realize there was part of a human in this here," the thing attached to Cyborg said, "In that case, we'll make this quick and painless."
The group jumped back from Cyborg and armed themselves. Robin reached for his staff, "Whatever you are, get out of my friend!" Robin jumped into the air only to be dragged down by some strange green crystal shackles attached to some metal links, "What the, hell!" The Crystal and metal pulled him towards a strange man standing behind the front counter who appeared to be a mismatch of different materials.
Raven's eyes became cloaked in a dark aura as she pulled out her book, "I wouldn't do that," she said to the figure, her book flew open, "Azarath Metrio-" She was soon cut off by another spell spoken in tandem with her own.
"Appendage-a Regoria!" Raven was levitated into the air, paralyzed, "Alright, Rook take care of the Tamaranean," came a younger woman's voice from the back room. She was glowing pink with a blue cat masquerade mask.
"Robin, what am I supposed to do?" Starfire yelled, to her trapped friend, "Who do I attempt to free?"
"Yourself," came a calm voice and an orange-yellow colored energy net, "Because, I do not believe you will be escaping this net anytime soon, adolescent Tamaranean."
Starfire tried to move but it was futile, "I am sorry Robin, Cyborg, Raven," she struggled more, "I can not break this netting and my powers seem neutralized," her voice seemed to have lost hope, "I am sorry."
With Cyborg's machine and technology taken over, Robin in shackles, Raven frozen in frozen levitation, and Starfire now entangled in a net that neutralizes powers, there was only one person left. Beast Boy.
"Let go of my friends!" Beast Boy yelled, shifting into a large gorilla. He banged on his chest and began to charge at Cyborg.
"ERROR ERROR ERROR," a robotic voice called out from somewhere.
"Um... Ben?" Asked the pink woman with the cat mask.
"What's going on Tennyson?" Yelled the guy made of different materials.
"I don't know," came the voice of the thing on Cyborg.
"ERROR ERROR ERROR," the voice came again, but this time it was noticeably coming from Cyborgs hourglass eye. A yellow fan-like beam fired from it and scanned Beast Boy, "Human DNA corrupt,"
Beast Boy came to a stop and shifted back, "What are you talking about," Beast Boy yelled at the guy named Ben controlling his friend, "My DNA isn't corrupt!"
"Repair genetic damage?" the robotic voice asked.
"Uh..." came the voice of Ben, "Yes?"
"Repairing genetic damage," a green beam fired upon Beast Boy and was he became encompassed in a strange green glow.
"What the...," Beast Boy was confused at first, but then suddenly felt himself becoming short of breath and his skin started slowly changing color to resemble typical human skin, "Uuuugghh!" Beast Boys started to wildly shift into different animals, "Stooooop it!" Beast Boy screamed.
"Ben stop it," Rook shouted as he ran over to Ben, "You're hurting him!"
"I'm trying Rook," Ben yelled, "Omnitrix, cancel genetic repair!"
"Omnitrix genetic repair unable to be canceled," the symbol on Cyborg's eye said.
"Tennyson, come on, you're hurting that kid!" The material guy yelled.
"I'm trying, Kevin," Ben yelled, "But the only way it's going to stop is if..." Ben cut himself off, "Let those guys go and get out now!" Kevin, Rook, the magic girl, and the Titans looked at him, "I SAID GO NOW!" Ben yelled, as a large green and black blob popped off of Cyborg.
The two groups ran out, with Kevin and Robin carrying Cyborg. Beast Boy suddenly shifted to his human form for a moment, "Why did you kick them out?"
"Because," Ben said, tapping the hourglass on his chest, "The only way to make the Omnitrix stop now is to use too much of its nearly limitless power supply."
Beast Boy shifted several times to random animals before returning to human, "What does that mean!"
Ben kept dialing the chest Omnitrix on his chest, "It means I have to test this sooner rather than later," Ben tapped the Omnitrix, "Omnitrix, launch project BioBeta." the Omnitrix didn't make a noise but did beep and flash yellow, then green, then red back to back in rapid succession. When it stopped the Omnitrix made its standard activation sound, "I hope this works," Ben dialed the Omnitrix in rapid succession until it popped out from his chest. He slammed it back in and his body of liquid metal faded and he shifted back into a human form wearing no shirt but bore the Omnitrix port on his bare chest. His eyes glowed the color of the Omnitrix, "Arms of Celestialsapian, Body of Atomix, Head of Chronosapien, and Legs of Kinaccelaran!" Ben's body vibrated rapidly as his limbs began to change color and shape until...
"Warning: Energy Reserves Depleting," the Omnitrix announced, "Cycling to Recharge Mode." The Omnitrix suddenly stopped its beam of green light and Ben's green eyes faded. There was a huge bright red flash of light and on the ground now laid a teenager in a white hoodie with a strange white watch and Beast Boy, a human boy slowly gaining his green color back. Neither able to move, just breath an attempt to talk.
"Dude," Beast Boy said panting, "That was, like... totally uncool," he lifted his head slowly and looked over to Ben, "What did you try to do to me?"
Ben struggled to roll onto his stomach, "I'm really sorry," Ben rubbed his head, feeling dizzy, "I'm not sure why the Omnitrix thought you were a human."
"Well... I kind of am," Beast Boy said, now attempting to get to his kneeling position, "I am biologically a human, but a long time ago this big explosion happened and the only person who could save me was Miss Martian who gave me some of her blood to save my life," Ben looked at him surprised, "After her donation of blood, my eyes, hair, and skin became green and I gain the power to shape-shift into any animal I've seen," Beast Boy slowly got to his feet, "And even a few that I haven't."
Ben got to his knees, "So my attempt at repairing you 'genetic damage' was actually taking the thing you needed to live out of your body?"
"I guess," Beast Boy said, walking over to Ben reaching out a hand, "Want some help?"
Ben grabbed Beast Boy's hand and smile, "Thanks, and I don't know how I can make it up to you."
Beast Boy reached into his pocket and pulled out his Titan Communicator, "Well can you tell me anything about this guy?" Beast boy asked, pulling up a picture of Vilgax.
Ben's small smile faded as he took the communicator, "Why do you ask?"
"He's threatening Jump City if isn't given 10 guys named Ben," Beast Boy described.
Ben handed him back the communicator back, "Get your friends and follow me and my friends," Ben walked outside, "Guys, these people need our help."
"What makes you think we need your help," Robin asked Ben, feeling annoyed with this self-righteous teen.
Both the Titans and Ben's friends look at him, "Because you guys aren't just dealing with a regular villain," Ben pulled up the picture on Beast Boy's communicator again and displayed it.
"Ben, I thought he was gone..." the pink woman said.
"I did too, Gwen," Ben said, giving Beast Boy back the communicator, "But there is no denying it, Malgax is back."
Rook looked at Ben with concern, "Last time we fought Malgax was on Galvan B where you did not really defeat him with any one of your aliens," Rook finished freeing Starfire from his netting, "At that time you relied, not only on Skurd but, on the exposed power core of Malgax's own ship."
Kevin and Gwen looked nervously at each other, but it was Kevin who spoke, "So what's the plan?'
"We join forces," Ben said with no hesitation.
"Why should we join forces with the people who jumped us," Robin asked, his voice seething with legitimate spite and malice.
"Because they know how to deal with this Malgax dude, Robin," he yelled back, mildly confused towards Robin's attitude, "Also, I don't think these guys were trying to kill us, or anything like that," he walked over to Ben, "If they were, I'd be dead and so would Cyborg."
Both groups looked at the collapsed Cyborg, who was now slowly getting up, "Man what the hell was that?" Cyborg asked, rubbing his neck.
"I'm sorry, guy," Ben said, "I didn't know you actually had a human in there..."
Cyborg blinked, "I guess you only saw me from behind..." Cyborg made a few beeps as he close his eyes, "And you don't appear to have done any damage," Cyborg opened his eyes, "I guess I can forgive it, but what is Beast Boy yelling about?"
"Robin doesn't wanna let these guys help us, for some reason," Beast Boy complained, "They even know who that Vilgax guy is and have fought him."
Cyborg side eyed and glared at Robin, "Why shouldn't they help us then?"
"That's what I've been saying!" Beast Boy yelled.
Raven, who was being helped to her feet by Gwen, looked over to Robin, "I hate to say it like really hate to, but Beast Boy is right," Raven motioned to Gwen, "She alone overpowered me with such a simple spell."
Starfire, finally out of the net, spoke up, "Yes, and this one, named Rook, knew how to effectively neutralize my powers quickly and effectively."
"Not to mention, Ben here, was able to disable me and Cyborg in only a minute," Beast Boy was getting in Robin's face.
"He almost killed you!" Robin yelled back at him.
"Yeah, but he didn't want to," Beast Boy yelled back, "He thought he was trying to help me, and when he realized he was wrong he fixed it," Beast Boy's body started shifting little by little, almost like he was getting truly angry.
"Beast Boy, you need calm down buddy," Cyborg said, approaching him while attempting to calm him.
"No," Beast Boy yelled with a deep voice, he slapped away Cyborg's hand while slowly turning into a large bear, "He's being an idiot and risking hundreds of lives," Beast Boy slammed his new paw on the ground, "Maybe you should suffer!" Beast Boy fully shifted and roared loud and long, making Robin run like hell.
"Beast Boy!" Cried out Cyborg, Raven and Starfire held him back.
"Ben," Gwen yelled suggestively, roping Beast Boy with magical pink whips, "This isn't very effective."
"Tennyson," Kevin yelled as he attempted to shackle the bear like he did Robin, "I ain't doing so hot either."
Ben cycled through the Omnitrix quickly unable to choose an alien, "Come on I just need an alien to sedate him," he suddenly came upon an alien he wasn't ready for, "Well it worked on Kevin." Ben slammed down on the Omnitrix and felt himself break apart physically. The remnants of his former self were then contained within a white suite which he could move around in and control. Ben spoke and suddenly his voice became robotic and echoed within his own voice, "ECHO ECHO!" Ben yelled as he ran towards Beast Boy who was chasing down Robin, "Gonna need some extra hands," Ben made several replicas of himself and began to make a circle around the slowed Beast Boy, "Alright Beast Boy, time to," Ben took a deep breath, "CHILL!" Ben's voice grew to supersonic levels as he screamed. Beast Boy raged and slashed at the surrounding Echo Echo's, taking out a few; however, it wasn't enough. Ben only screamed harder, making Beast Boy fall to the ground covering his ears.
"It's working, keep it up Ben," Gwen shouted to one of Ben's clones.
As Ben continued to scream, Beast Boy slowly shifted back to being a human clutching his ears, "Okay I'll stop!"
Ben stopped screaming and slowly recombined, eventually turning back into a human, "Sorry, Beast Boy, but I needed to get you to stop," Ben reached out a hand.
Beast Boy reach up and grabbed it, "I'm sorry to cause trouble, I usually don't get that angry," the remaining three Titans and Rook caught up to Gwen, Kevin, Ben, and Beast Boy, "Robin, I'm sorry-" Beast Boy looked, but couldn't find Robin, "Robin, where are you?" There was no response.
Rook pulled the small machine from his shoulder which unfolded into an "I see no life signs for pure-blooded humans within the immediate vicinity, aside from Ben of course," Rook put the device onto his shoulder again.
Beast Boy looked over to Cyborg, "What are we going to do?"
Cyborg looked at both the Titans and the group of Ben's friends, "We came here to find help, and I think we found it," Cyborg addressed Ben specifically, "Ben will you help us deal with Vilgax?"
Ben smiled and looked to Gwen, Kevin, and Rook, "What do you say, guys?"
"Is there really a question," Gwen said.
"I am with Gwendolyn," said Rook.
"Feels like old times," said Kevin.
Ben put out a hand for Cyborg, "You got yourselves some backup," as Cyborg and Ben finished shaking hands the Omnitrix lit up green, "Alright guys, it's hero time."