Warning: this chapter contains gore and some mature themes. Reader discretion is advised. Rating has changed to M to be safe.


"Remind me again why I need to do this?" Ben asked in slight annoyance as he stood in front of a doorway.

"We agreed to this arrangement." Linker reminded the younger teen as he stood beside him. "I am amazed that Batman was able to arrange something with Mr. Wayne for our place of shelter."

"Well, I'm not complaining about finally having a roof over my head again, but it's the two other conditions." the young hero stated. " Why do I need to live with Kevin, and in this place of all places?!"

"Because Batman wants to ensure you don't become swayed by your emotions again. Plus our location puts us within watching range of some group Batman is aware of." the former Galvan explained calmly. "I understand that you and Kevin are not on the best of terms right now, but please make an effort to get along better."

"The guy always gets me inside a headlock whenever I'm not looking!" Ben said in exasperation. "That and he always points out by how bad I smell!"

"You really should improve your hygiene habits. Acne is more likely to occur if you don't bathe frequently." Linker pointed out.

"Not you too!" the green haired teen wailed. "I understand I smell because I was homeless for a long time, but cut me some slack!"

With a sigh, the white haired genius pulled out a set of keys from a pocket and slid it into the lock. With a twist of his hand, he unlocked the deadbolt and removed the key as the door was pushed open.

The door led into a large condominium that was relatively high in the building it was inside. The layout was open and spacious, with hardwood flooring that was light in coloration. The ceiling was high, with more than enough space for Four Arms to walk around comfortably without crouching. Aside from the kitchen area being furnished with a refrigerator, dishwasher, and stove, there were no other furniture present within sight.

"Welcome home, Ben." Linker said with a slight smile. "I am honestly amazed that Bruce Wayne was generous enough to give us this high end condo and cover our living expenses for a year as we get on our feet."

"Yeah, I wish there were more guys like him." Ben said in agreement. "It's nice that Batman's around, but sometimes he's too stubborn. Bruce is more relaxed in comparison."

"I see. Anyway, what are your impressions on this place?" the genius inquired.

"It's empty, I'll say that much." Ben said as he walked deeper into the condo, his voice echoing throughout the living area.

He wandered into the living area, stopping when he saw that the outermost wall was made only of windows and a sliding glass door. The door lead to a small patio with an awning that was currently extended, providing shade from the midday sun.

"I think I'll like it here." the hero said with a slight smirk appearing on his face as he eyed the patio.


Played the Fool


Back in their safe house, a certain jester was dealing with the fallout of her proposition.

"Aww, please forgive me, Red!" Harley, who was out of costume, whimpered as she held onto Ivy's legs as she begged.

"I am really mad at you for your stunt last night." the redhead stated bitterly. "Thanks to you, Batman now knows where we are at all times!" to emphasize her point, she pointed to a small black ankle transmitter that was on her left ankle.

"It isn't that bad. Definitely beats going to Arkham again." the blonde said casually.

"At least nobody else we know about is aware of this arrangement you've got us into." Ivy sighed as she pried her friend off before going over to a chair and sat down. "Harls, did you realize what we have to deal with now? I cannot believe you didn't consider what could happen."

The blonde stopped to blink as she thought about the current situation.

"We're severely limited in what we can do now! Especially in terms of how to get the money to live here." Ivy pointed out. "It's already bad enough we've gotten an eviction notice for what Kevin did to our door!"

"Well, I don't know about you, but I've already figured out with where I want to move to." Harley responded confidently as she rose to her feet. "And you already know where that place is."

The redheaded villainess brought a hand to her face and groaned in anguish.

"Why are you so fixated on that boy so much?" she asked in disbelief.

"Well, besides looking like a little Mister J, he got that watch thingy!" Harley said giddily.

"It is called the Omnitrix if I recall correctly." Ivy corrected her friend before noticing that the blonde was lost in thought. "Harley, snap out of it!"

Harley blinked before turning her attention towards her friend.

"Sorry, I was just thinking how neat it'll be to work with Benny." she blurted out without thinking.

"Work with him? Harls, you're really starting to worry me." Ivy said, her face starting to show genuine concern as her anger receded. "Have you forgotten that he is supposed to be our enemy?"

"Well, Bats never said we couldn't help Benny and his friends out." Harley pointed out.

The redhead's jaw dropped upon hearing that. However, the jester continued to speak.

"Listen to me Red. I know that we are criminals! And well-known ones at that….here at least." the blonde stated towards her dumbfounded friend. "But it's kinda boring to just keep doing the same thing over and over again."

"So you want to play hero just to change things up." Ivy deduced in a deadpan tone before sighing. "I suppose maybe you have a point if I think about it."

"I knew you'd come around, Ivy!" the blonde said happily while hugging her friend.

"Hold it, I never said I was going to go with your plan." Ivy stated firmly, causing Harley to look like a kicked puppy.

"Aww, why not?" she whined.

Ivy sighed once more while shaking her head. She could tell it was going to be quite a challenge to persuade Harley from going through with her plans.

"A what now?" Ben asked.

"I said a disguise, nimrod." Kevin responded as he leaned against the wall of the patio. He was wearing a simple outfit consisting of a black tshirt and gray shorts. "You're stupid to think that you can blend in looking like you are. Green hair and chalk white skin make you look like a neon sign."

"I'm very much aware of that, Kevin! I tried it before actually. Do you know how much it costs for make up around here!? I can't even afford the cheap end crap due to how much of it I'd need!" Ben protested as he stood in front of the older boy. "Plus it'd be suspicious for a boy buying makeup to begin with!"

"I guess you've got a point. Still, it's not like wearing a trench coat and fedora will help out here." Kevin said dismissively, only to hear the Omnitrix wielder chuckle in response.

"You'd be surprised how well those work here." Ben pointed out. "I used to have them myself, but I kinda lost them after being caught by those Terrible Trio guys." Kevin snorted before he broke out into laughter. It took a moment for the raven haired boy to regain his composure to speak.

"I heard they're small time goons. For them to capture you!" Kevin stated before he broke into laughter again. "Oh, I wish I could've seen you then."

Ben growled before activating the Omnitrix. He quickly cycled through the roster and slammed his hand down, being engulfed in a flash of emerald light. Kevin's laughter ceased when he found himself staring into the eyes of a Necrofriggian that was taller than him.

"Uh, Ben. Let's just take a moment to chill out." the boy said nervously.

"Chill out? Why that's a good idea!" Big Chill rasped before he exhaled onto Kevin.

The half Osmosian immediately began to shiver as a thin layer of frost appeared on his shirt and face.

"Ben, stop it right now and come inside!" Linker's voice reverberated from inside sternly. "Don't make me go Humongosaur on your ass!"

The Necrofriggian stopped and groaned before reverting back to his original form. The brunet frowned as he sighed before walking inside, leaving the still shivering Kevin behind, who now was wearing a drenched shirt as the frost melted quickly.


A voice was cut off just before it could escape a man's throat just as it was torn open, blood spraying out of the jugular and other vein and onto the face of the one responsible and the brick wall behind him. Leaving a silhouette of the killer within a splatter of crimson. The victim was a career criminal who gave no regard towards human life. He had a daughter that he sold without a second thought to a pimp for drugs. He was one who killed and profited for it. He worked with Gotham's various criminals, from Two-Face to the Penguin. However, none of that matter now. The man tried to speak, but couldn't as his larynx was gone with the rest of the throat as he collapsed onto the ground, his eyes becoming dull and empty as his life faded away.

The man's killer chewed on the human flesh he held in his mouth before swallowing it. He couldn't help but lick his lips in satisfaction before glancing to his left.

"Hey, can't we just talk things over?" another goon asked nervously as he stared at the killer.

The murderer paused to think for a moment before he did a jab, forcing it into the goon's mouth as the front teeth were knocked out into the mouth and down his throat. The man's screams were muffled just as a large black spike erupted from the back of his head just as the killer raised his arm, having the body dangle like a rag doll from the spike as more blood stained the killer's fur.

"Got the message? Good." the killer mocked in a calm pitch before punching the ground with the body still attached. The ground shook softly while the corpse's head was obliterated, the skull shattering as fragments of it, blood, meaty pieces of the brain, and globules of body fat splattered all across the floor.

The killer laughed in amusement before he brought up the bloodied arm to lick some blood off the arm spike.

"Hmm. Humans here aren't as good tasting as back home. Oh well. Still don't get why he is doing all that. Then again, I don't ask questions." the Apopolexian mused to himself before he knelt down, tearing the headless corpse's clothes off before he began to feast on the flesh.


"So, what did you need?" Ben asked as he saw Linker busy at work at the kitchen counter, making something with various pieces of junk lying around him.

"Well, seeing how you are not so content with how others think of you, I figured I'd help alleviate you of that issue a little bit." the former Galvan explained before smiling in satisfaction when he stopped working. " And now it's done."

"What's done?" Ben asked while raising his eyebrow in confusion.

"It wasn't easy to repurpose these to the specifications I wanted so it won't work as long as the originals." the white haired teen explained before stepping aside, revealing a set of welder's goggles with various pieces of electronics fastened to it. "It's very, very crude in design, but this is an ID mask."

"And what is that supposed to do exactly?" the young Omnitrix wielder asked.

"Simply put, it's a device that can act as a disguise. Aliens back in our worlds use them to blend into human society." the genius explained.

"Okay, but what does this have to do with me?" Ben asked, causing the genius to face palm himself.

"You can use it to walk around in public and not freak people out, moron." Kevin spoke up from behind the pair. He had his shirt off now, no longer shivering as he did a moment ago.

"Exactly as Kevin said. Just have it on your head and it'll activate automatically." Linker groaned before regaining his composure. "Anyway, as this is very crude in construction, I cannot make it work longer than six hours at a time before it automatically shuts down to recharge. However, it is also not very sturdy, so please avoid getting rough with it."

Ben nodded and took the goggles before placing the band around his head, while keeping the lenses away from his face.

"Well, time to see how these work." Ben said before he placed the lenses over his eyes.

With a flicker as the device activated, Ben's skin regained its lost color, changing from sickly white to a soft peach as his hair switched back to its original brown. However, at the same time, Ben howled in agony before he tore off the goggles and covered his eyes.

"MY EYES! SOMETHING WAS POKING AT MY EYES!" the boy screamed at the top of his lungs.

Kevin was leaning forward, holding his sides as he laughed hysterically as the Omnitrix wielder's coloring reverted back their previous state.

"I didn't say to put them over your eyes, you imbecile." Linker said while shaking his head in disbelief.

"You said put it on my head!" Ben argued while covering his eyes with his hands.

"I suppose that was indeed too vague for you." the white haired teen deduced with a sigh. "My apologies."

"Damn you Linker!" the brunet cursed as Kevin was on the ground, curled up in a ball while laughing so hard that he was starting to have a little difficulty breathing.


Night had fallen as the Batman was driving throughout the streets of Gotham within his personalized vehicle of choice. As he drove, he heard a ringing that indicated that somebody was calling him. He quickly glanced to a nearby screen to see that it was the Commissioner who was trying to reach him. He pressed a button without looking before he spoke.

"Batman, remember that park incident that happened the other night? There's been another weird one over at the docks." Gordon said.

"On my way." The Dark Knight said before he made a sharp turn at the closest intersection.

"Think you can also get Ben to come to the station later? I hate to get the kid involved any further, but we'll need his 'expertise' in addition to your own." the Commissioner asked with some reluctance.

"How so?" Batman asked, slightly curious.

"We have a witness and he said some kind of fish-man was involved." Gordon replied. "It isn't Killer Croc or King Shark. The description doesn't match up with either of them. New guy maybe. However, this guy does match up with what I'm presuming is one of Ben's forms."

Batman's eyes narrowed as he scowled. There was only a few things he did not like at all. One of them was unfamiliarity. Before making living arrangements behind the scenes, he had asked Linker and Ben to give him a detailed list of every form they could utilize. The older genius was able to provide him with basic, yet detailed information on what abilities the forms have, but he had stated that he purposefully left out their weaknesses as a precaution, and will only provide him with them on a need to know basis. It didn't set well with the Dark Knight, but he understood the reasoning and complied, knowing that having some information was better than nothing. At least with what he had, defensive measures against the forms could be conceived.

"I was actually given a list of the aliens Ben can turn into. What was the description given in the witness's testimony?" he stated.

"Let's see, Not really muscular, had mainly pale white skin, had a really big mouth full of pointy teeth, oh, and some kind of antenna from the top of his head. One of the investigators actually pointed out that it sounded like an angler fish when he heard it." Gordon recounted. "Anyway, how's that DNA analysis from those Diamondhead crystals?"

"Complicated." Batman said bluntly. "However, they are at least the same in composition. The ones at the park are not synthetic. We can rule that much out for now."

"Well, we need those results so that we can move forward with the case and prove Ben's innocence without blowing his cover. Some of my men are starting to think he is to blame." the redhead said in worriment. "We know the kid's innocent here, but the evidence implies just that if we don't reveal the boy's secret. Which we don't want to do here. But unless we tell the truth, he could still become the prime suspect. We need those results quickly."

"Don't worry, you will get the results as soon as I get them." the Dark Knight said with firm assurance. "I'll see you at the docks."

"Alright, see you there." Gordon said before he was disconnected.

With that, the Dark Knight focused on reaching his destination as fast as he could.


"Man, this is so much better." Ben said as he walked through a crowd, who didn't give the boy even a glance due to the ID mask being in use.

"Same here." Kevin said in agreement, walking beside the Omnitrix wielder.

"Calm down you two." Linker said with a sigh. "We want to blend in, not stand out."

The two younger boys both smiled sheepishly before the older genius simply shook his head. The trio were currently heading to a fast food joint to eat, mainly due to Linker having a craving for chili fries, that and to also give the makeshift ID mask a test run.

"Anyway, how are you feeling Ben? Is there anything feeling wrong with you?" the white haired teen asked.

"No, I'm feeling fine, especially after you made the goggles not be able to poke my eyes out again." the brunet stated with a smirk.

"That's a relief to hear." Linker said in satisfaction before he noticed something within a nearby alleyway from the corner of his eye. "Kevin, please stay out here. You haven't learned how to properly use your powers yet, so you'll just be in danger."

"How come?" Kevin asked with a frown, not liking the idea of being on the sidelines.

"Likely armed robbery." the genius said bluntly before looking towards the youngest of the three. "Ben, you stay with Kevin. I got this."

Before Ben could protest, a man flew out of the alleyway and collided into the hood of a car with such force that it crumpled around him. The way the man dressed was like that of a gang member, rather a high ranking member of one. The crowd ,aside from the trio, screamed in panic and began to run away from the scene in every direction.

"He got the boss!" a voice cried out from within the alleyway just before he screamed himself, only to be cut off. Several other screams rang out, only to be silenced in a similar manner.

"What the hell?" Ben asked before he reached up to pull down the goggles down to his neck, dropping the disguise.

Another body came out of the alleyway, this time like a rag doll that was tossed carelessly. The body landed in front of the trio, allowing them to get a good look at its state.

The face was clearly torn off, leaving a bloodied skull covered with bits of skinless flesh while the eyes were torn open, revealing the gelatinous insides of the spherical organs to the world. The lower jaw was absent, allowing the tongue to dangle loosely. Blood gushed from every corner of the wounds in copious amounts, quickly pooling onto the sidewalk, staining it crimson.

Kevin immediately gagged before passing out from the grisly sight as Ben tensed up immediately, his mind flashing to when he saw Gwen's decapitated head briefly. He stared at the corpse before flinching when he felt a hand be placed on his shoulder.

"Get a hold of yourself Ben." Linker said calmly. "You need to focus or else you're dead."

Ben nodded silently before steeling his resolve as Linker activated his scarlet Omnitrix, transforming into Heatblast.

"Well, well, looks like I'm getting a bonus." a female's voice said coming from the alley. "Been a while, Albedo."

Heatblast's eyes narrowed upon seeing who it was that emerged from the alleyway. She was around sixteen years of age, and was of Native American descent, as evident by her tanned skin. She wore a black catsuit with a sword strapped to her back . Ben looked at the woman, getting a feeling he knew who it was in the back of his head. The transformed Linker said the woman's name just as Ben recalled it.

"Kai." the Pyronite said with hostility. "What are you doing here?"

Kai simply smirked and raised up her left arm, revealing an all too familiar device that was all black to both Heatblast and Ben that was strapped to her wrist.

"How did she get an Omnitrix?!" Ben asked incredulously.

"I won't let you get away with what you did to me, Galvan." Kai said darkly before she reached for the sword behind her back. "I'll follow you to hell if necessary."

"I had no choice Kai! He would have killed us all!" Heatblast said defensively.

"No, he would've became a king! And I, his queen!" Kai snapped while drawing the sword from its sheath. "But you murdered him!"

"It was self-defense!" the fiery alien countered as his body began to glow brighter.

Kai frowned before her eyes locked with Ben's.

"Wait…Is that you Ben?" she asked with uncertainty.

"He isn't." the transformed Linker responded, stepping in front of the stunned boy.

All traces of hostility that remained vanished from Kai's face as she replaced her sword and walked towards the Pyronite as tears formed in her eyes.

"It is you, isn't it?" she asked hopefully.

"Don't answer her." Heatblast warned the green haired teen. "She's from my dimension."

"You're not the boss of me." Ben said before he stepped out to the side and looked at Kai.

"Don't do it!" the alien genius cried out, only for his plea to fall upon deaf ears.

"I didn't recognize you there at first, but it is you!" the Navajo descendant said, her tone of voice becoming soft and lovingly. "You are my master… my beloved Ben 10."

"Master?" the young boy asked while raising an eyebrow.

"You broke me in, made me your loyal slave and lover. Freed me from my father's brainwashing." Kai said. "Remember?"

Ben fell silent before glancing at Heatblast. The Pyronite gave the boy a defeated look and simply shook his head in silence. The green haired boy turned his attention to Kai.

"Will you do anything I say?" he asked, deciding to test the waters.

Kai nodded before she removed the sword and putting it on the ground gently.

"I am yours to command." she reconfirmed humbly.

Ben walked over towards the older teen, doing his best to avoid looking at the corpse at the same time.

"Strip." the boy said.

Kai nodded and reached behind her back, fumbling for a moment before pulling down a zipper. She slowly pulled down the catsuit, revealing she was wearing nothing but a black bikini with a pair of side string panties. The fabric stretched, allowing for her Omnitrix to slip right through without difficulty while revealing that part of the catsuit was in fact a glove, which was removed quickly. Ben noticed that on the left side of her midriff was a scar shaped exactly like the hourglass symbol on the Omnitrix. The circle and lines were too perfect to even consider to be a sheer coincidence. It was a brand. A deliberate scar that was placed there to state a message to all who saw it.

"Remember? You branded me so that everyone knew I belonged to you." Kai said, as if she was reading his mind.

Ben could tell that she already lost it, thinking that he was the same person that she knew. But even then, he knew he shouldn't jump to conclusions soon enough.

"Did you kill those men?" he asked.

"Yes. I killed them because they were annoying me." Kai answered without hesitation.

Ben's eyes widened in horror before he narrowed his eyes.

"You bitch…" he said.

Kai's eyes widened before she reeled back in fear.

"I'm sorry! I thought you wanted me to do that!" she apologized. "You always told me to do that kind of thing."

"Now do you see?" Heatblast asked solemnly. "She was a victim, but she is beyond saving now. She is a criminal with no remorse."

Ben fell silent before he turning his back to Kai.

"Get this through your head. I am not your master." the boy said firmly. "You need help Kai."

"Master?" the girl asked in shock as she reached out towards him. "You're wrong! You fixed me! You fixed me exactly as you did as Gwen!"

Ben tensed up when he heard his cousin's name. He looked over towards Linker who reverted back to normal, staring back at the boy with a worried look.

"She's speaking the truth." the former Galvan said solemnly.

Ben clenched his fists before he forced himself to calm down.

"Can you deactivate her Omnitrix?" he asked.

"Yes. I can do that." Linker confirmed with a nod.

"Master?" Kai asked with confusion present on her face.

"Kai. No more killing people, and I want you to see some people." Ben said. "Just let Linker here see your Omnitrix for a second."

"A-Alright. If that is your wish, my dear master." the woman said submissively.

Ben turned around with a soft smile on his face. He felt confident that he has managed to reach through to the girl, despite what Linker said. A budding hope emerged, a hope that he can help her recover.

"Thank you Kai." he said, eliciting a smile out of the girl before warm fluid splattered all over his face.

Just as she smiled, a pillar of teal crystal erupted from the ground beneath her, shredding her into countless pieces of flesh before she even realized what happened. Ben's eyes widened in horror when he heard someone else sigh in relief from within the alleyway.

"Boy that was a close one. Can't let you get my Omnitrix or Excalibur." the voice said in callous relief. "Bitch was not fully committed, and proved to have been a liability."

The budding hope the boy held was crushed immediately. Despair took root, and perverted the remains of that hope into anger. Only one thing mattered in the boy's mind at the moment: Kai's murderer was going to pay, and he was just within the alleyway in front of him.


The Batmobile parked just outside of the entrance to the docks when another call came in over the communication line.

"What is it Alfred?" Batman asked after he opened the channel.

"Sir, the results for the analysis of those crystals just came in." a refined, Englishman's voice said on the other end of the line. "The crystals that the young lad provided do not match those found at the park. While their composition was the exact same, they did have something that we can say is equivalent to DNA, and they didn't match up with one another. This further reinforces the boy's innocence as you expected, sir. Is there anything else you'd like me to do?"

"Forward a copy of the results to Gordon's system. He needs it to prove Ben's innocence." the Dark Knight instructed. "Anyway, I need to go Alfred."

" I will do so immediately. And please, take care of yourself Master Bruce." Alfred said before he disconnected the line.

The roof of the Batmobile receded backwards, allowing the masked vigilante to exit the vehicle. His frown turned into a scowl upon the sight before him. Less than five feet from him into the dockyard was a severed human arm, the muscle and tendons showing uneven tearing, which was possible by the limb being ripped off the body with tremendous force, or strength. The warehouses he can see were all covered in sprays of blood and the ground littered with limbs, bullet casings, and scraps of bloodied fabric.

The Batman turned his attention to the remnants of a tommy gun that laid next to the closest arm. What caught his attention was the fact that the weapon had a bite impression in it. Whatever made it had jaw strength that could go through metal with relative ease. The vigilante knelt beside the weapon to look at it closely without touching the gun.

"Interesting." he said to himself.

"The bite impression is of a jaw line larger than Killer Croc's." Gordon said as he approached Batman from the side, announcing his presence. "And the shape of the bite doesn't fit King Shark's either."

"How many?" Batman asked without hesitation.

"At least twenty. Going by the torsos we've found so far. Most likely members of the Falcones. This is their area of operations after all. Whoever is responsible really did a number on them, and wasn't afraid of the consequences."

"Or hungry…" the Dark Knight added humorlessly. "Based on the description and the bite impression, we could be dealing with a criminal of extraterrestrial origin."

"Really? I know you've dealt with metahumans, ninjas, robots, and who knows what else. But I honestly am surprised you'd suggest an alien of all things as the killer." Gordon said in slight amazement.

"Ben has a form that closely matches the description from the witness. He calls it Ripjaws." Batman explained briefly. "And do not worry, Ben has a solid alibi that I can confirm. He is not responsible."

"What about that white haired kid? Said his name was Alfredo or something." the Commissioner asked while pausing to think of the genius' name.

" His name is Albedo, and his alibi checks out as well. Has been with Ben the whole time ever since the other night." the masked vigilante responded. "Whoever is responsible is a different person altogether."

"Alright. Anyway, going off subject for the moment. I'm not that sure it's a good idea for us to let Ivy and Harley be left to their own devices because of some agreement you made with them." Gordon stated.

"I've got some precautions in place for if they go back on their word." Batman said firmly. "I'll be keeping a close watch on the two of them so you do not have to worry about them."

Gordon gave a small smile as he nodded.

"Alright. I trust your judgment on this, Batman." he said. "Anyway, I take it you'd want to check out the worst part of the crime scene. Besides, you'll get a better bite impression over there to work with than from that gun. Still, to think there's something out there that can bite into a gun like it's a chicken drumstick."

"Let's go Commissioner." the Dark Knight said as he began walking.


"I'm going to make you pay for that!" Ben seethed, only to blink in confusion when he felt Linker place a hand on his shoulder.

"Ben, calm down." Linker said calmly before his eyes narrowed. "She isn't dead."

"But she's in pieces!" the young boy said, his anger still present in his voice.

"Just wipe your face and look at the so called 'blood' yourself."

Ben obliged and wiped his hand over his face with a hand. He immediately pulled the limb back upon realizing he was touching something thick and sticky, like syrup. Something that was too sticky and thick to be human blood. When he brought the hand down, he saw that the syrup was not even red.

"The hell?" the boy asked incredulously.

"Methanosian resin." the former Galvan elaborated. "Swampfire in other words."

"Wait, if you mean Swampfire, then…" the younger Omnitrix wielder said before trailing off, realizing the truth.

"So, you saw through our little ruse, Albedo." Kai's voice said in disappointment, coming from the largest piece of flesh, which was the head and a large portion of the upper torso.

"That was a really convincing display, Kai." Linker admitted. "One of the most elaborate uses of an ID mask I've ever seen. Even had me convinced that you were human up until you 'died' before us. "

"Guess there's no need to keep the act up then." she said before the gory hunk of flesh vanished, revealing to be an alien body that was in the process of regeneration. The limbs fully reformed, allowing the transformed Kai to climb back to her feet. At the same time, a mask like device was set on fire and tossed to the side.

The feminine Swampfire was of a slimmer, lithe yet voluptuous stature compared to the form Ben was more familiar with. The red and yellow streaks of the top of the black head were much longer and curled down the back of the head, giving the allusion of a long ponytail. She stepped forward in a seductive stride with a smirk on her face.

"Such a shame, it would've been nice to obtain another Omnitrix for my partner." Swampfire said in a soft voice.

"Partner?" Ben asked.

"Oh, I'm nothing much, just a Petrosapien who wants power." Kai's "killer" said casually before he stepped out of the shadows of the alleyway. Ben's eyes widened in shock as he saw the all to familiar face.

"Of course you just had to follow me." Linker said bitterly.

"T-Tetrax?!" he said in disbelief.

"The one and only." Tetrax said with a smirk on his face.

"Why are you here?" the former Galvan demanded while activating his Omnitrix.

"You know why we're here. Payback for our boss and to take your Omnitrix." the Petrosapien responded as he held out a hand towards Ben, the fingers morphing into jagged points. "The kid's is just an unexpected bonus."

"Figures. Question now is 'How did you get here?'" Linker said.

"Same way as you did." Swampfire replied casually before grinning. "Anyway, as this seems to be a world without the Plumbers or Vilgax in our way, we could perhaps take over the world. I know, cliché villain reason, but we can be safe here."

"Not if we have anything to say about it." Ben said sharply as he narrowed his eyes while activating his own Omnitrix.

Without another word, both he and the genius slammed down on their respective watch, each being engulfed in a flash of light. When the lights dissipated, Ben was replaced with Rath, while Breaker was replaced with Echo Echo.

"Not. A. Good. Choice." the Sonarisan said while pausing in between each word to the Apopolexian who then kneeled to look at the smaller alien in the eyes.

"LEMME TELL YOU SOMETHING, ECHO ECHO WHO IS ACTUALLY LINKER YET IS REALLY NAMED ALBEDO AND WHO USED TO NOT LOOK LIKE AN OLDER VERSION OF RATH AS A HUMAN! RATH IS THE BEST CHOICE FOR EVERYTHING, EVEN AT NOT BEING VIOLENT WHILE BEING VIOLENT!" Rath screamed into Echo Echo's face, covering it with his spittle.

"Fine." the transformed Linker said before wiping his face clean of the saliva. " And. That. Made. No. Sense."

"I know!" the humanoid tiger said in anger before turning his attention towards Swampfire and Tetrax. "So, how are we kicking their butts?"

" To. The. Curb." Echo Echo responded.

"Rath can do that easy. Even with his hands and legs tied behind his back." Rath boasted.

"Let's try that out, shall we?" Swampfire asked with a smirk on her face.

"Bring it!" the Apopolexian snapped without any thought.

A groan from Kevin acted as the signal for the transformed Kai and Tetrax to charge forward, ready to fight.


CCR

Blazorna: I apologize for the wait everyone. I hope this was worth the wait, despite it not being as long as I'd like it to be. Real life and Writer's block were the main causes this time around. Still, better this than waiting much longer, right? Regardless, I greatly appreciate your patience with waiting. Thank you.

Man, this chapter was difficult to figure out. Thankfully, going to the theatrical showing of The Killing Joke (I was close to the area of one of the few locations that did it) and Suicide Squad got my gears turning. Honestly, if you asked me, I enjoyed Killing Joke a whole lot more, and despite what people say, that Batman/Batgirl pairing is actually interesting to me. Before you cry foul, may I remind you that there's far worse things that happened. Does anyone know of Dark Claw or Nazi Batman?

I feel Suicide Squad pretty much cemented the fact that this whole movie universe that is trying to be done isn't going to work out in the long run at the way things are going. For me, only the solo Batman movie looks the most promising at this point, as the star himself is going to direct it. A good track record as a director, plus the fact he's surprisingly good as Batman gives me some hope for that movie. This is just my opinion, but I feel they're not choosing the right directors for most of these movies. The director of Suicide Squad was focusing on making this a family movie, and never intended to make it R rated. Oh, and also the infamous BvS. I'm aware that the Director's Cut is vastly superior than the theatrical release, but still… the whole "Martha" thing… and everything else people said about it. *goes off to puke for a moment*

While it wasn't necessary for The Killing Joke, and not really well liked by a good amount of Batman fans in general, that unusual Batman/Batgirl pairing is something that could bring a lot of interesting drama to the lore, if handled properly of course. For example, while I don't know too much of the actual reasons why, it can be a good reason for why Bruce and Dick are estranged during the Batman Beyond comics. To be honest, this pairing, and the negative perception of it, actually gave me the idea of having Kai be a villain.

Moving on to Kai herself now. First off, yes this Kai was based off the one from Omniverse. I never said I would not have her appear in the story, nor was going to turn an blind eye to Omniverse canon as a whole. Just that I wouldn't use canon love interests for Ben in this story. For those still wondering, she is from the same reality as Linker.

The Apopolexian murderer? Who knows who it is. Could be a familiar face, or an OC I came up with. All will be revealed in time.

Now to the poll. I'm keeping the poll open just a little longer for those who haven't voted. Here's some more elaborate info on the forms. Been trying to keep things as vague as I can so as to not reveal their true strength, but I'm feeling some of you think some of these forms are not that interesting. Regardless, this info dump should help you envision those fights better, and maybe change some opinions on them. Also, I added a note about just a little bit of what I have in mind for the debut chapter for the forms.

Kilo Shell: Capable of generating carapace armor of various densities and weight that can be shed at will. When shed, the pieces of the carapace are launched in various directions with the force of cannonballs. Intelligence is based on how much of his carapace is worn. The more that's off, the smarter he becomes. This is to compensate the fact that fighting without the carapace will result in the fragile skin tearing, potentially leading to severe blood loss. Kilo Shell's intellect is on par with Rath's when fully armored, but is as smart as a human genius when fully exposed. Intellect is further diminished if carapace is heavier than normal. Regardless of the density, the carapace can be pierced with armor piercing rounds from a firearm. (Potential love interest and the start of several running gags, mainly from Rath and Kilo Shell having a rivalry.)

Torrentula: the threads he can make are as strong as steel, and can be just as sharp as a razor blade. With his acrobatics, he actually is able to use these threads as deadly weapons. Moisture, including being underwater, however triggers the strong adhesiveness of the threads, rendering them harmless as a result. He is also able to stand on water by using his deceptively buoyant webbing, but this requires practice to use effectively. (Gains attention from the Teen Titans)

Brighterfly: Able to use the bioluminescence he can produce in hypnotic light displays in conjunction to his fluid dancing. The effectiveness of the hypnosis is even more potent in complete darkness, potentially capable of leaving one in a permanent trance that only Brighterfly can break. In addition, he can generate plasma on his arms, utilizing them for both offense and defense. He can also charge the plasma he produces to be fired as explosive projectiles. (potential love interest appears as well as a rival in Robin.)

Snaptrum: Able to change his teeth's composition and shape to be able to bite into just about anything. By making them hyper tangible, he can bite those who can become intangible. However, he is incapable of biting energy, plasma or fire. Jaw strength remains the same no matter the shape of the teeth. Has an insuppressible hunger that surpasses even that of a Gourmand's, instinctively wanting to devour everything in sight, regardless of it being organic or not. Whatever is eaten is genetically memorized, allowing the teeth to replicate the composition at any time. (Potential harem route, Harley becomes a love interest, and the Batmobile loses a wheel.)

Gravitude: Control of gravity is vastly inferior to Gravattack's in terms of intensity. The strongest intensity is four Gs. However, Gravitude can be more precise with where to intensify the gravity, and is also able to reverse it. As such, he can actually pin a foe's feet to the ground without the rest of their whole body being affected. The Gravity Bombs he can use don't cause actual explosives, rather is a small area of reversed gravity moving outward at max intensity, and will tear apart an object if formed inside it. This gives the allusion of a bomb detonating. He can also create earthquakes by using his powers to intensify the natural gravity of the area, but doing so puts a lot of strain on his body. Also, he is sensitive to vibrations through the ground, allowing him to track someone through their footsteps alone. (OC love interest for Ben appears)

Gulp Weed : Powers can actually be amplified with help. The body and stomach are elastic and very durable, capable of swallowing and containing things much larger than himself. He is also capable of creating drone flowers that act as additional eyes for him, but are normally immobile. His stomach acid can be used as a weapon, and the acid can be modified at will, capable of being able to affect a certain object. Also able to create vines capable of restraining even a Vaxasaurian, regardless how large they can grow. Vines can also grow poisonous or toxic thorns for additional offense. (The Joker show up.)

Brawlamander - Has a prehensile tongue that can lash out with enough strength to shatter stone with ease. This form is stronger and larger than a Tetramand female. He is also amphibious, and due to his physique and nature, can fight on land or underwater. Instinctively violent and vengeful in nature. (Amanda Waller appears, and lots of bloody violence.)

Chemicroc- The chemicals he exhales is naturally occurring, and is toxic to carbon based life forms like humans. While his jaw strength is enough to crush steel with ease, the rest of his body strength is physically on par with a human. His agility however is better than a human's on land, and is greater in water. (Batman vs. Chemicroc)

Synchronic: Able to produce an incorporeal clone with a connection similar to that of Ditto. The clone can possess someone, and can allow the physical self to mimic the movements of a person flawlessly if they are of similar stature. These movements can in turn be memorized via muscle memory, allowing Synchronic to potentially learn forms of martial arts much faster than it would take normally. However, the muscle memory cannot be carried over to other forms, but is retained for future transformations. (Potential love interest for Ben appears.)

Xenophobe : Eyesight is capable of seeing in multiple light spectrums at the same time. He is surprisingly quite frail despite his intimidating appearance. A single punch from a normal ten year old human child can lead to fractured bones. However, to compensate, Xenophobe is capable of reading minds, allowing him to find out what the opponent fears most, and use that fear to immobilize them. (Peacocks, clowns, and a surprise.)

Jack Slammer: Despite being smaller than a human, Jack Slammer has strength in spades. His strength can rival that of a Vaxasaurian when at max height. His arms and legs are capable of stretching up to five times their normal length, allowing for great reach for his kicks and punches. He can use his strength to create fissures, as well as brief mild earthquakes, with a single slap to the ground. (Rival appears)

Sandshifter - Able to manipulate sand, sediment, or something that is similar, like salt. The sand is used to create a body to fight and defend with. The size is relevant to the amount that was gathered. If enough is gathered, Sandshifter can create a body that is of the same height as Way Big, but can only maintain it for a very short amount of time, as keeping that size together puts too much strain on him. (Love interest)

Now that is taken care of, it's question ti-BLURRFF! *Gets hit by a flying brick.* Harley, how many times am I'm going to tell you? No bricks!

Harley: Fourth Wall did it!

Blazorna: Okay… may need a hard hat to go with my welder's mask…anyway QUESTIONS!

(Some questions have been edited to be easier to understand.)

Mechazard01: I was wondering if you would have any more OC aliens in this story, or if you were accepting any?

Every one of the OC forms in the poll is set to appear, plus that one story exclusive I've mentioned. The poll is mainly to help me figure out what you guys want to see happen, and what forms interest you the most. As I've said many times already, I'm winging it, so this kind of thing is going to help me immensely. As for accepting OC forms created by others, I'll have to think about that.

The society of dungeon cores: How often will you be posting?

As often as I possibly can, aiming for once per month at least if circumstances allow it. Keep in mind, due to going without a plan here, writer's block is going to probably be a very common problem for me on this story. You and the other readers can help keep that to a minimum by suggesting ideas with me and vote on the poll if you have an account and haven't yet.

Dragon Rider 66 : For some reason Synchronic kinda seems similar or reminds me of Marvel's Taskmaster; because of him being able to learn someone's moves. Is that weird?

Well, that's a weird coincidence to say the least. Forgot that Taskmaster existed actually. For DC fans who aren't familiar with Marvel, let me explain. Taskmaster is a relatively minor villain (Like Killer Moth for comparison.) who has photographic memory, which allows him to flawlessly copy the movements of someone to the most minute detail. Other than that, he is just a normal human, so he can't do stuff like fly or have super strength. As explained earlier, Synchronic can do something very similar to that, but is done differently. I came up with Synchronic's copying from the word "synch" to be honest.

MarvelNinja10: I understand where you're coming from with the "Looks like Joker" thing, but couldn't you like give him a disguise or an ID mask in public?

I was way ahead of you on that, bub. Was going to deal with that even if you didn't ask. It's superhero standard after all. *gets sniped by another brick* DAMMIT HARLEY!

Harley: It wasn't me this time! I swear!

Blazorna: Ugh… Just forget it…next..

*Gets struck in the gut and back of head with two more bricks*

Harley: MEDIC! WHERE'S THE DAMN MEDIC- Oh! We got more this time around from one person. Thanks Fourth Wall! *removes papers that were tied to each brick*

Blazorna:*Sits up and groans in agony* Bring them on.

Mace Sheppard (via PM): 1. How did the Joker kill Gwen, why couldn't she use her magic to fight him off? 2. Will Ben eventually get his revenge on the Joker? 3. Could you pair Ben with Harley?

1 &2: Can't say as of possible spoilers, but I'll say this: Be a detective. 3: I don't know yet if that is even seriously going to be considered. though I suggest doing the poll if you haven't yet. It WILL influence me on where to go.

Nothing else? Okay, moving on now. October is shaping up to be a really fun month for me with the theaters. While it's a one night showing, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders will be hitting theaters on Oct 10. If you don't know what that movie is about, here's the reasons why you should go. 's an animated movie based off of the cult favorite 60's Batman show. 2. From the trailer for it, it seems to have all the cheese and silliness you'd expect from that very show, including those famous "POW!" bubbles. actual actors have returned to reprise their characters. the trailer! To think there are so many other movies that will show up in the same week that I want to see besides this one. I'm going to be broke at this rate, and I don't care (much)!

Anyway, that's about it for now. I hope to really get some feedback here, as well as any ideas to help me write the next chapter sooner. I'm still working on the original Misplaced Hero and the crossover still, so don't expect me to be done in a week. That and the movies will chew up a lot of my time. Take care, and I hope to see you all next time. *Gets sniped with a brick once again*

GOD DAMMIT FOURTH WALL!