"Ben, you gotta check this out!"
"Huh?" Ben said dazedly, realizing that he had dozed off. Everything seemed just the way it was before, back to that amazing summer of crime-fighting. The trio was on patrol once more; which was allowed since it was a weekend, anyway. Grandpa Max hummed a tune from his new Shag Carpeting CD, while Gwen was back at her laptop like old times. At that, Ben slowly slumped down from his old bunk bed, slowly heading towards his cousin.
"What is it? I was trying to get some zzz's…" he said sleepily as he rubbed his eye, yawning simultaneously. Gwen turned her laptop at him for better view, and the two were astonished as they looked at the article.
"It says here that there were other sightings of aliens showing up around the globe; mysteriously helping other cities." Gwen read as Ben looked at it more in disbelief. "And that's not where it ends," she said, clicking on one of the images. Ben gasped as he recognized the figures, widening his eyes.
"It's that girl heatblast!" he cried, while Gwen proceeded to click the other pictures.
"Those aliens were your original ten, Ben… but they're all female." she explained as her cousin looked at the other pictures in shock. "And I'm pretty sure that Kevin doesn't have anything to do with this." she continued, commenting on the time one of their old enemies had harnessed the Omnitrix's powers. Ben looked at it some more for a few moments, flopping down on Gwen's bunk bed tiredly.
"This is all too weird…" he said in a thoughtful tone. He then rose up all of a sudden, "What do you think?"
"I think that this patrol is over." interrupted Max from the driver's seat. The two cousins looked at him in surprise at that statement, yet Max looked at the back mirror in a stern air. "So far, nothing much has happened today. By the way Ben, don't you have another appointment with Jennifer today?" he continued. Ben widened his eyes at the realization.
"Oh man! I was supposed to be there hours ago!" he cried. Gwen sighed as she held her forehead gently at her cousin's reaction. "Ben will always be Ben." She muttered.
Arriving at Jen's house, Ben flew out the RV doors as an expectant Ms. Cruz was waiting at the manor gates. She smiled warmly as she held Jennifer's head tenderly, who was gripping onto her aunt's blouse at that time. The sun shined vibrantly that afternoon, yet due to Ben's haste, the whole scenic atmosphere was forgotten and brought into a sense of hurriedness and impatience. Ben apologized sheepishly to the two with his head bowed reverently, while Ms. Cruz explained that everything was all right.
"I'm just glad that Jen's starting to get out more. A growing girl like her needs to be outdoors more often!" Ms. Cruz said perkily. "So anyway, what is the itinerary?" she continued.
"Well, since the kids say they're doing a report on the theory by Alfred Wegener, I've decided to bring them to a nearby museum for their report." Max explained calmly, smiling. "And probably after, we could settle down for a nice picnic."
"Mm, that sounds nice." She replied, a soft smile on her face. "Just make sure that Jennifer doesn't overexert herself again this time. She came really tired the last time you sent her home."
"Not a problem." said Max, still smiling. Ms. Cruz didn't seem at all accusatory at that statement, so it was his queue to know that he could relax for a while. She waved a goodbye as the RV began to drive out of site, smiling as she watched her lovable niece go out in the distance. Situations like those didn't happen all too often, so she cherished every moment of it.
In the Rust Bucket, Jen unpacked her thick manga book and laid it on her lap. While reading it, Ben stole to her side and read it as well without her knowing it. He was pretty glad that she wasn't reading any of those fluffy- sickeningly sweet romance ones… the one she brought was pure action. He inched closer to read the rest of it, his mind being sucked into the comic itself. The story was pretty mind-blowing; probably one of the best he'd ever read. Still not content with his position, he inched closer…
EEEEENNNNGGHH! SCREEEEEECH!
As the RV jolted roughly, the two suddenly slid to the side sharply; and Gwen held on to the table to prevent the laptop from falling. After a series of rough turns, the two slid to the floor, with Jennifer's manga book sliding as well. A few more jolts, and Ben's head started to ache. He didn't even know what was going on through the rough jolts that followed. At long last when the road seemed smooth, Gwen let go of the table assured that he laptop was safe, and Ben slowly began to open his eyes.
"Ugh…" moaned Ben in pain. Opening his eyes, his face automatically flushed beet red as he found out he had fallen on top of a shaking Jen.
"GAH!" he cried as he realized this, moving quickly away from her. Gwen looked down to see the situation, and started to laugh out loud as she saw the shenanigan. Ben glared, still blushing. "It's not funny, Gwen!"
She kept on laughing. "Sure, dweeb!"
While the whole scenario was being played, Jen started to get up slowly; unconscious of the two cousins' bickering.
"Bellwood Museum," Max said proudly "One of the most educational spots here in Bellwood."
"And one of the most boring." added Ben, yawning shortly afterwards. Gwen, who seemed most fascinated by it, was offended.
"Really, how many times do you practice that line?" she said in irritation. "Besides, we're here for your research. So don't go all whiny when we're doing something to save your grade, Cadet Lazy. Jen's pretty much the one who does all the work you're supposed to do."
Pointing a finger at Jen, it was true. For the trip, she had already prepared her ball pen and notebook for the occasion. And as of then, she was already taking down notes about the various topics surrounding the theory as they walked by. After proving her point, Gwen proceeded to give him the "I-told-you-so" face.
"Alright! Sheesh, what do you want me to do?" he said, albeit irritated as well.
"Hellooo, do I still need to tell you?" she said sarcastically, giving him a look. He sighed.
"Fine."
The museum was quite fascinating, judging from an analytical (and un-Ben like) point of view. Bellwood Museum was divided into different sections, according to subject: Math, Science, English and History. In each category, it seemed to have covered all the topics learned in school; such as arithmetic, biology and the like. There were also vivid displays in each; for example, the insect collection in the Science Category. It was also in this area that our group of heroes decided to pass by, after the research. Ben pushed his face into the glass as he examined one interesting little specimen, much to Gwen's chagrin.
"Ben! Stop staining the glass, will you?" Unfortunately, Ben ignored that little comment.
"Man, this is so cool! It almost looks like an alien or something." he said enthusiastically as he stared, fitting a grin into the glass.
"Well, if you keep on staring at it like that, it is going to melt." she said, still irked.
"Then again, it would be quite sad if that happened."
Surprised at the addition of the new voice, Ben and Gwen looked at the source of it. They held their breaths a bit as they looked upon him is his sallow, yellow-greenish glory; forgetting how he looked like from the small incident rate after summer. In short: they forgot how disgustingly ugly he was.
"Dr. Animo." said Ben heroically for the sake of drama.
Dr. Animo grinned crookedly; revealing his ugly, yellow teeth. "Ah, it pleases me that you have not forgotten, Benjamin."
"Well, duh… who wouldn't forget a face like that." Ben said in joking sarcasm, pointing at Dr. Animo's face. He frowned, edging towards him.
"Oh… pity, your sense of humor hasn't gone away." He said sourly "Although, this may also be used to my advantage."
At the exact moment, he pulled out a weird ray-like device and began to zap the specimen Ben was looking at. At once, it began to grow in size… mutating randomly at some points, and then taking form as an ugly-looking abomination. Dr. Animo began to laugh maniacally as it still grew in size, making Gwen turn green at the mere sight of it. After it occupied the museum, it began to multiply… something Ben saw his alien Ditto do.
"That is… pathetic." Ben said after a while. Dr. Animo looked confused.
"What do you mean? This magnificent creature will be your doom!"
"Look, you just mixed all of your old rays together. I know how they work. Especially with that nasty Ditto glitch." he continued, pointing teasingly at one of the abominations. "I bet I could take out all of those in one blow."
Animo began to smile crookedly again. "I would love to see you try, Ben Tennyson. Alteroids, attack!"
As they began charging him, Ben quickly dialed his watch into his desired alien, wishing under his breath that he wouldn't turn into Grey Matter at that point. He then began to transform, smiling as a pair of wings began to grow behind him. Sporting his "game" look, he shot out of the way, dodging the ugly creature. Yet as he turned to mock it, another ugly creature knocked him in the head as he flew.
"Uy… I was so not expecting that." he muttered, using one of his arms to rub his head. Dr. Animo grinned overhead on one of those disgusting things.
"Do you still think my creatures are pathetic, hmm?" he said mockingly.
"Tough luck." Ben retorted, gearing up again. "But try this on for size!"
Gluing down the one Animo was on, he began to slice the legs of the beings with his own legs. It flinched a bit, but then another one caught him by the wings, leaving him helplessly adrift. Gwen, Max and Jennifer hid behind one of the displays, watching the fight in horror.
"Do not underestimate me, Benjamin… I have finally perfected the rays to their maximum. Now who do you think is more superior?" said Animo, still grinning in triumph.
"You… you won't get away with this!" cried Ben, still struggling. The bug-thing held him closer to Animo.
"Correction… I already have. Now the whole world shall bow down to Dr. Aloysius Animo, with no one to condemn me again!" he then began to laugh maniacally, with one bug shaking the defeated Ben.
"Oh yeah?!" cried Gwen as she jumped out of the display, holding her arm out. Dr. Animo just grinned.
"Gwen, don't!" pleaded Ben, yet Gwen just looked at him skeptically.
"Come on… I thought you were already used to me saving your butt… since no alien seems to be saving yours at the moment." she added momentarily with a sigh. Facing Dr. Animo again, he held her hand at his direction, having an intense look as she chanted in a strange language. An earthquake suddenly came as she did so, with the earth splitting beneath it as it came. The bug holding Ben then dropped him as it did, with the Omnitrix simultaneously discharging. The two cousins then hid behind the display again, with the crowds in the museum evacuating it immediately. Debris began to fall as this happened, crushing the horrendous creations of Dr. Animo, who began to retreat.
"You haven't seen the last of me!" Dr. Animo cried as he made his escape. Ben groaned as he stood up.
"He got away!" Ben cried, with Max pulling him down for safety.
"Never mind that… we have to get out of here!" Max cried, leading them towards a lighted exit. Yet on the way out, a sound caught Jennifer's ear as they escaped.
"Ma…ma…mom…" came a distant whimper. She looked back.
"Ma…mom… mama…" it cried again. A little girl, probably eight years old, stood there petrified as she watched the debris fall around her. At that, Jennifer suddenly ran towards the little girl, while Gwen looked at her in shock.
"Jen! Get back!" she cried, wondering what cacophony she was up to. "Where do you thing you're going?! The building's gonna collapse!!" Yet, she seemed to ignore the voices.
"Come back!" cried Max as she ran, yet again, it seemed like she hadn't heard them. A large chunk of debris suddenly hurled towards her as she was about to get the little girl.
"NO!!"
Suddenly, there was a blue flash.
The debris fell to the ground, breaking into the marble-tiled floors.
Where was Jennifer?
The trio suddenly felt as if they were lifted for a short while, and in a flash, they were outside, safe. The little girl was in her mother's arms in an instant, and the trio looked around at the desolate area they were placed. Shockingly, they saw the same, electric blue kinceleran Ben saw the last time was in front of them, seemingly panting from the trip.
"I'm glad… you're safe…" it muttered, falling to the soft grass as it said the final statement. Gwen inched closer to it as it heaved breaths, crouching to its level.
"Who… are you?" she said softly, before a red flash erupted. Gwen cringed as the blast nearly blinded her, yet gasped as she saw the figure that was left of it. Ben's eyes widened as well, sprinting towards it as he looked at it in disbelief.
"Jennifer?"
1. Yes, alteroids. Just a little name I decided to give Dr. Animo's creations.
This must've been one heckuva update. I noticed that I haven't been updating for a while, since I've been very busy with school and Writer's Block had been getting to me these past few days. I also read that new book, Twilight… and for some reason, it got me depressed. Sorry for the long update… once again...
Paite
