Newest chapter finally done. As always I own nothing. Now, time to re-introduce a character I feel gets a bad rep, and one I hope to improve.


Ben, Kevin, and Gwen arrived at the Plumber HQ after receiving an order to return to base right away. They were immediately greeted by Rook, who did seem to be in at least a light state of distress.

"Rook what's going on?" Ben asked. "Grandpa Max sounded a bit freaked out. He just told us to get here stat."

"The Iron Workers have lost their top field agent." Rook stated firmly. "Obviously they are in a panic."

"Hold on, Iron Workers? Who the heck are they?" Kevin asked.

"A kind of sub-branch of the Plumbers. They specialize in arcane, occult, or other paranormal situations. Used the same name as the Plumbers during some of the real old days." Gwen explained. "There was a short time I thought I would do better with them than the Plumbers."

"I am glad you changed your mind Gwen. I have found working with you a great pleasure. Regardless, Magister Tennyson was approached by a Magister of the Iron Workers."

"Why would they come to us?" Ben asked. "I mean, surely they got guys who can who can go in after her."

"Magister Green knows Magister Tennyson personally. I believe you have met both him and the missing agent."

"Wait wait…" Ben said, "Green? Rook, the missing agent, it's Kai isn't it?" Rook sighed.

"Yes, the missing agent is Kai Green. Now Ben, I am aware you have a history with her"

"A history is putting it mildly Rook." Ben interrupted.

"Wait…Kai Green. That's your first girlfriend right Ben?" Kevin asked.

"How did you know about that?" Ben asked.

"I told him and Rook." Gwen added. "We were talking about our younger days. It just came up."

"Well then you get why I'm leaving." Ben said turning and heading back to the elevator.

"Ben, you are a Plumber. And regardless of how you feel about her Kai is an ally. It is our, and importantly your, duty to undergo this mission." Rook stated quite firmly.

"You're not gonna let this drop, are you?" Ben asked.

"Come on Ben, world's not gonna end just because you had to see her again." Kevin said, "Besides, you save her, you can totally rub her face in it." Ben just gave an annoyed groan as he turned around again and walked back.

"Very good Ben." Rook said, "You will find it far easier to accept yourself doing the right thing."

"Just want to get this over with Rook." Ben said. The group of four then made it to the primary briefing room where several monitors displaying readings of the central American jungle. Talking to Max was an older Navajo man with long gray hair, fairly fit, and wearing a brown jacket over a yellow shirt.

"I should have never let her do this one on her own Max. We didn't know enough about that temple." The man said.

"It'll be fine Wes, we'll get her back. She's the best agent you have. I don't doubt that she's still alive in there." Max said.

"Magister Green." Rook said the group approaching the two.

"Ben, Gwen, wish we could have met again when I was asking for your help." Wes said.

"Yeah." Gwen said, "So how did Kai go missing exactly? Probably best if we jump right into this."

"You're right." Wes said gesturing to a Plumber who brought up an image of an Mayan temple "See, a few days ago, we uncovered this pyramid. We picked up a strange energy coming from it and sent Kai to investigate. But…suddenly we lost contact with her. No warning, no disaster, it's as if she vanished."

"Then why are you asking us for help?" Ben asked sounding a bit bitter, "I mean, send another Iron Worker in after her."

"There was some debate over which group would be handling this mission to begin with Ben." Max said sounding a bit annoyed at his grandson's irritation, "See, the energy isn't traditionally magical in origin. It's…strange. The energy seems to be magical in nature, but it's emitted in a regular pattern, almost like a machine."

"But since the Iron Workers are better equipped for this kind of work ultimately they were given the responsibility." Rook added in.

"Exactly. But it seems that Kai might not have been properly equipped after all." Wes said.

"So how are we supposed to find her if she just 'disappeared'?" Ben asked putting extra emphasis on the word 'disappeared'.

"Well, that is kind of the problem." Wes said, "And the reason I knew you could help."

"The Omnitrix." Ben said.

"You do have several aliens who could prove beneficial to the situation Ben." Rook said. Ben gave an annoyed moan.

"Fine." Ben said.

"Relax Ben, should be a pretty easy mission." Kevin said, "We get in, find her, and get out."

The Central American Jungle…

The team arrived in the middle of the jungle, outside of the large Mayan temple they were shown during the briefing. Magister Green's voice came from their communicators breaking the jungle's natural ambiance.

"Now sadly I can't tell you where Kai went missing inside of that thing. Rook, I've had them send a path that we managed to acquire from the movements of Kai's tracker to that Proto-Tool of yours." Rook activated the scanner function of the Proto-Tool showing a highlighted path.

"I am seeing it Magister Green." Rook commented.

"Good, now it is based on GPS movements so even if she had to climb up a wall or fell down a pit it should still be helpful." Wes said, "Now, there is one thing. We can't explain it, but we lost communications with Kai almost immediately. It's almost as if something was jamming it. But whatever it was didn't affect her locator until recently."

"Wouldn't exactly be complaining about not being able to talk to her." Ben said under his breath earning an elbow from Gwen.

"I understand. We will contact you as soon as we recover her and leave the building." Rook said as the communication ended. "Ben, please refrain from comments like that in the future. At least to attempt to keep a level of professionalism."

"Hey, let the guy be mad." Kevin said. "But yeah, try to keep your voice down."

"Now, come along. It is unknown how well Agent Green is doing." Rook said. The small group entered the temple. Almost immediately the Proto-Tool seemed to be affected by this, leaving the tracing program up and running but just barely. "This is bad…" Rook commented, "It would appear as if something is attempting to disable the Proto-Tool. We best hurry to her last known location before whatever is doing it succeeds."

"Looks like this is a job for XLR8 Ben." Kevin said.

"Not quite." Ben said transforming into Fasttrack. "Slower, but stronger."

"True, you managed to drag us through Ledgerdomain pretty fast. Repeat performance?" Kevin questioned.

"Hoping. Gwen, mind giving us a tether?" Fasttrack asked, "And Rook, carrying you on my back. Only way to properly know which way to go."

"Sounds like a proper plan." Rook said climbing up onto Fasttrack's back.

"This really wasn't that great last time." Gwen said binding them together via rope of mana.

"Hey not fun for me either." Fasttrack said, "Ready Rook?" Rook gave a nod. "Alright, let's get this over with." Fasttrack blurred off with Rook just managing to hold on, Kevin and Gwen practically bouncing with the speed they were moving.

"Ben stop!" Rook said after a bit of Fasttrack travel. "This is where Ms. Green's tracking signal was last picked up. We will have to search from hand from this point forwards."

"Great." Fasttrack said seeing the four hallways. "Three possible start points. So much for this being easy. I guess I'll switch to Wildmutt or something to try to make this a bit quick." Fasttrack was about to hit the Omnitrix symbol to change, but he stopped and his fin off the right side of his head seemed to twitch just a bit. "Something's here."

"What do you mean?" Gwen asked.

"It's weird, but I can like tell there's something moving around here." Fasttrack responded.

"Since when can Fasttrack do that?" Gwen questioned.

"No idea, but he can." Fasttrack said taking a few steps forward down one of the halls. "Whatever's moving around down here is really close…" Fasttrack trailed off walking down one of the dark halls with his hand against the wall. Before too long something shot out and ensnared his left foot pulling it out causing him to fall on his back. Shortly after that some form pounced down and some kind of metal device was placed against Fasttrack's face.

"Alright, talk. Who are you and why have you been hunting me through here?" The figure said with a female voice.

"Ben!" Rook said grabbing the Proto-Tool and aiming it while a light shined from it illuminating the hallway. The figure holding down Fasttrack quickly brought her arms up, clearly the light of the Proto-Tool hurting her dark sensitive eyes.

Said female was a slim yet athletic Native American around Ben's age, wearing a red and peach sweater, short brown shorts, boots, and gloves, black hair held back in a ponytail with a single feather placed in it where the ponytail begins.

"Miss Green?" Rook asked. "We are with the Plumbers."

"Yeah that's me." She said blinking to get her eyes to adjust to the light a bit quicker. "Why would Plumbers be sent after me?"

"Your grandfather revealed that the mission could have gone to either of our organizations." Rook explained lowering the Proto-Tool some in order to keep the light out of her eyes directly.

"And because of the history we have." Fasttrack said angrily. "Now get off me!" He shoved her off causing her to glare angrily at him.

"Geez, what did I ever do to you?" Kai asked. Rather than answer, Fasttrack let the beeping of the Omnitrix do the answer for him. The red flash changed him back into Ben. "Oh, hello Ben."

"Kai." Ben said. "Alright, we found her, come on, we'll get you out of here and then we never have to see you again."

"No can do." Kai said. "I'm not leaving until I find that stone."

"Are you crazy? You've been lost in here for how long. And I only agreed to get you out. So, we're getting you out."

"Look, I don't care why you're here. There's something in here after the same thing I'm after. And given how something is shutting down my tracker and communicator, whatever's down here is important enough to fight for."

"Whatever's down here has been down here for who knows how long. It'll stay put long enough for us to get you back to your grandpa so I can go home." Ben said.

"Ben, perhaps Miss Green is right." Rook said, "Regardless of however long and the identity of the unknown device, the forces against the Iron Workers looking for it appear to be far more aware of the identity of the item then us. I do believe it is best to attempt to find it before anything else."

"Probably really is best Ben." Gwen said.

"Yeah, I mean, Rook here may still talk all formally, but this time I think he's pretty right on this one." Kevin agreed.

"So, all of you agree with her huh?" Ben asked. He gave an annoyed grunt in surrender. "So, any idea which way to go first miss archeologist?"

"Just because I know a skill is no reason to get jealous." Kai responded detaching a small flashlight from her belt that gave of a larger beam of light than one thought it would be capable of doing. "But I do have an idea. Follow me. Good thing you guys grabbed me on a loop back to try to catch whoever's been trailing me." The group followed the young Native American until they hit a dead end, with a series of stones sticking out of it.

"I came across this. I figured whatever's behind this must be important."

"If I may, what makes you believe that there is anything beyond this wall?" Rook asked.

"Look here." Kai said moving her flashlight to the connection between walls. "The stones are different. And almost fused together, nothing like the other stones used anywhere not only in this temple but any ancient cultures. So, I think this wall wasn't originally here, but a blockade that someone or something put up at a later date to stop people."

"Alright, Ben, I think we're on." Kevin said grabbing the wall to turn to stone.

"I'm afraid that won't work. I've tried busting through it with brute force. My axes and blasters can't even scratch it. The stones however can be moved, slid, and rotated based on which ones they are. It's like a puzzle. But with 30 stones, and no key anywhere I can find, it could take a whole lifetime to figure it out."

"You just need some real muscle to get through it." Ben said using the Omnitrix to disappear in a green flash with Humungousaur standing in his place.

"Humungousaur!" He roared. "Little cramped in here, but I think I have enough room." Humungousaur stomped down and tossed his fist forward, throwing his whole weight behind the punch. His dinosaur knuckle collided with the wall, resulting in a loud crashing noise, but the wall stood strong against the assault. "You gotta be kidding me! That should have worked!"

"I told you, you can't break through it." Kai said.

"It's a stone wall." Humungousaur replied, "Just gotta find the right way to smash through it." He hit the Omnitrix symbol on his chest changing to Eye Guy. "Stand back…" All the eyes across Eye Guy closed, a large eye appearing on his chest and extending out on a stalk with a green beam of energy blasting from it, slamming into the stone wall. The beam held for a while, but ultimately Eye Guy had to cut the attack showing no damage to the wall.

"I told you. You can't break through it." Kai said once again. "The door is clearly a puzzle you have to solve. And there doesn't seem to be a single key, guide, or even hint. I was hoping you'd turn into something smart enough to solve this."

"Even Grey Matter can't just snap his fingers and figure out problems. But I've played enough Sumo Slammers that I think I can see the solution." Eye Guy said hitting the Omnitrix symbol and transforming again. "Big Chill!" The blue insect form said turning into a blue silhouette, phasing through the wall.

"Don't exactly know what that accomplished." Gwen said. About a minute later, Big Chill returned. "Well that was a bust. I hoped I could tell something from the back of the wall. Well, door."

"Why would you think of that from Sumo Slammers?" Kevin asked.

"You'd be surprised how many secrets you can find from backtracking."

"Hold up, you said door?" Kai said interrupting the two.

"Yeah, there's a clear line on the back of the wall. Think if this stupid puzzle is solved, the wall opens up." Big Chill responded.

"Well that confirms it." Kai said, "Something I've been thinking for a bit of time, a lot of this place seems more alien than Mayan. Probably should have let the Plumbers take this."

"On that note, I believe it's time for this Plumber to do what you couldn't." Big Chill said hitting the Omnitrix symbol on his chest to be replaced by XLR8 "XLR8! Now, for the classic puzzle solution." XLR8 began hitting, moving, and sliding the stones seemingly at random but at high speeds.

"That's your big answer? Just to try everything? All possible combinations? We don't even know if all the stones are used. Even at that speed it's gonna take forever to figure it out."

"Not if I get it early." XLR8 responded. Unfortunately, the Omnitrix timed out forcing him back to Ben before any kind of solution could be found.

"You were saying?" Kai smugly asked.

"Actually, I believe Ben's plan had indeed given us the answer." Rook said, "I was recording and analyzing his attempts, there are multiple stones that appear to never be correct, and I have isolated a pattern that works. Given these, I have an educated guess on the proper combination." Rook then began to work the stones before a rumbling came and the wall split in half and slid back into the other walls.

"Huh, good thinking." Kai said.

"I did the hard part…" Ben grumbled under his breath. "Anyway, all I see is a hallway. I guess you're gonna say whatever is important is down the hallway."

"Of course. Best if you guys stay behind me. I have no clue what else it in this place." Kai said.

"Then why are we staying behind you?" Ben asked. "We know just as much as you."

"But I've been trained for this kind of thing." Kai responded.

"Just go with it dude, things will go quicker if you do." Kevin said.

The group continued along the hallway, Kai keeping her eyes on the floor keeping an eye out for some kind of trigger. Before too long, while walking in tense silence, they came across a large room, floor dropped deeper into the ground, a stairwell parallel to the wall they stand at with the same set up on the opposite side, with a number of statues on the walls all the way down the room.

"Room's too big for my flashlight…" Kai lamented, the beam of light only illuminating small areas.

"Perhaps we could ignite those torches?" Rook asked pointing out a burnt-out torch in Kai's light.

"Could work. Don't suppose you have a flamethrower on you."

"Guess this one is on me too? I didn't even want to help you explore here and now I'm your do everything tool." Ben complained.

"Just light them." Kai said back. Ben activated the Omnitrix and transformed into Heatblast, for once not saying the alien's name.

"Big room, might take a minute or two to light all the torches." Heatblast said summoning up a fireball under him, flying to the walls and striking a torch head as he passes lighting them back up.

"Ben appears to be quite distraught over this mission." Rook said.

"Seriously, why did you guys even agree to this?" Kai asked. "Literally any Iron Worker would have been a better fit."

"Hey, you guys mind coming down here?" Heatblast called out from the floor, not hearing the group and preventing Kai's question from being answered. The four non-fire aliens came down next to him. "Make any sense out of this?" He gestured to the wall showing a kind of carving in it.

"I believe this would be your terrain Ms. Green." Rook said.

"Ben mind giving me a little extra light?" Kai asked seeing how her flashlight couldn't really cover enough of the wall. Ben silently flared up increasing the light.

"Better hurry up, don't know how much longer we got on the clock."

"Understood." Kai ran her hands over the stone, "Well, it would seem that something fell from the sky near the village that used to stand here. They built this entire pyramid around it. Literally."

"Why would they do that?" Gwen asked.

"Not a common occurrence. But if I had to guess, I say there was something about it made them think it was connected to their gods." Kai said.

"Sounds like something from some lame alien hunter show." Kevin said.

"Actually, it happens more often than you'd think." Kai responded as Ben changed back to his normal form. "Up until the Diagon incident, we were convinced the sword of Saint George was magical."

"How did you hear about that?" Ben asked. "Even a bulk of the Plumbers where disconnected from that."

"Your grandpa called Grandpa Wes. Apparently, some kind of side bet. Don't more than that. Don't know don't care." Kai answered. "Anyway, this information helps a lot, we know that it's kept at the core of the pyramid. Don't know the way to it, but I think I can get us the rest of the way with guess work."

"Wait, so if this thing is alien, then really you're helping us." Ben said.

"Yeah I suppose." Kai said, "But this really doesn't matter. I'm still the only way you'll get to whatever it is in there."

"Kai, you really think you can guess your way through this place?" Gwen asked.

"Defiantly. Been through a few temples, you eventually notice a common pattern." Kai responded. "And now I know that this was built around something. Helps a lot. Odds are it would be on the ground floor center, right above the foundation. Now come on."

The group continued down the path, Kai even taking a few turns based on her best guess. Eventually the group came across another large room, a series of statues depicting Mayan warriors lining the walls. Time began to wear on, the hallways beginning to blend together.

"You sure this is the right way?" Ben asked. "Haven't seen anything since that carving."

"I told you, it's mostly based on my assumptions and experience. So, it's possible we aren't going down the right way. But we haven't seen this before, so it at least looks like we're covering ground."

"Look, you gave us a rough idea of where it could be. So, I vote we just break through to the center." Ben said.

"You can't be serious." Kai commented. "That idea is bad on so many levels. For starters, you don't know what's in there. Second, enough wrong smashes and this whole place is coming down on our heads. And third, you have to have more respect for where we are!"

"Look, you may care, but I don't. I don't even want to be here! Now if you don't mind, I'm doing this my way." Ben said matching Kai's sudden sharpness. Ben stormed off into the room, his shoe sinking slightly into a pattern of moss causing a small rumbling to be heard.

"Ben…I think going off in your own direction was a bad idea…" Kevin said stone beginning to creep up his body to form his armor. The eyes of the warrior statues began to glow, slowly moving and breaking their feet free from their foundations.

"Great, golem sentries." Kai said pulling out two pistol-like blasters, "I honestly was hoping not to run into these things."

"Reminds me a bit of Charmcaster's stone beasts." Gwen said firing a few blasts of Mana upon one of the stone warriors. While the attack left breaks in it, none of them seemed to slow down the warrior statue.

"Ben, I do believe even if your own way is separate from this, we could use your assistance." Rook commented.

"Defiantly something I need right now." Ben said slamming down on the Omnitrix, in a flash Ben was replaced with the 9-foot tiger of Rath.

"RATH!" Rath roared out jumping directly into one of the statues, his claws emerged digging right into it and carving huge gashes in the hunk of stone.

"Geez, what kind of alien is that Ben?" Kai asked before noticing one of the statues raising its version of his club. Kai fired off a grappling line from her belt and zipped out of the way and landing standing against the wall, firing off with one of her blasters against the statues with obvious results.

"Rath is a very interesting alien alright." Kevin said, "Just wish I was able to enjoy his rampage." Kevin morphed his limbs in order to break a spear of one of the statues.

"LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING KEVIN LEVIN! RATH IS NOT SOME KITTY CAT TO ENTERTAIN YOU!" Rath yelled back smashing the head of one of the statues.

"Ben, please try to focus your Appoplexian rage on the enemy rather than us." Rook responded.

"WELL LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING MR. GOODY TWO SHOES WON'T USE CONTRACTIONS, RATH WILL FOCUS ON WHATEVER RATH FEELS LIKE FOCUSING ON!" Rath yelled. Another of the statues attempted to attack Rath from behind but Kai produced a curved metal beam that an energy blade emerged from in a pick-like fashion. She threw the advanced climbing axe that lodged itself in the statue. While this wasn't enough to outright stop the attacker, was enough to delay it allowing Rath to notice it and counter attack.

"Why in the world would you pick that alien? You can't fight without picking a fight with literally everything!" Kai snapped.

"ALRIGHT, RATH HAS HAD IT!" Rath roared stomping right up to Kai and leaning down to shout in her face, "YOU DON'T LIKE RATH? PREFER HOWLITZER? LIKE DOGS BUT NOT CATS? WELL LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING MS LIKES DOGS BUT NOT CATS, RATH IS TIRED OF YOU TALKING DOWN TO RATH! RATH DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO COME HERE, RATH WAS ONLY TALKED INTO IT SO RATH COULD RUB YOUR FACE IN THE FACT THAT RATH SAVED YOU!"

"You what?" Kai asked in a mix of shock and anger. "Who does something like that?"

"RATH DOES!" Rath yelled extra loud, actually causing a bit of breeze to push Kai's hair, "RATH IS STILL MAD ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WHEN WE WHERE 10. SOMETHING MS DOG LOVING ARCHEOLOGIST DOESN'T SEEM TO FEEL BAD ABOUT!"

"You're still mad about something that happened 6 years ago? Who holds onto a grudge for that long?" Kai said, "So 'let me tell you something', GET OVER IT."

Rath bared his fangs and seemed very ready to take out a lot more than just Appoplexian rage on Kai. Before Rath could even declare that he had something to tell her, a statue grabbed Rath from behind, squeezing him.

"UGH! LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING EVIL STATUE GUY! RATH DOESN'T LIKE BEING INTERRUPTED!" Rath bellowed breaking the arms, grabbing the remains and smashing them into the statues head. Bringing the apparently last statue standing down. Rath changed back into Ben with the familiar red light, but clearly was still mad over the argument he as Rath and Kai.

"Get over it?" Ben asked bitterly. "Six years, you don't feel the slightest bit upset over how you treated me."

"I didn't even know aliens where a thing until that night." Kai defended herself. "And I was 10. Like you were some picture-perfect child back then."

"No, but I at least understand what I did was wrong." Ben said, "But I'm done here. I don't know what I was thinking to let them talk me into helping you. You claim you know how to get through here, you don't need us then. Come on guys."

"No Ben. You've seen what's in here. It's best if we stick together, that includes with Kai." Gwen said.

"Yeah, I mean, I probably am partially to blame for this, but wouldn't hurt to see this one through Ben." Kevin added.

"Fine, but I'm leaving. I don't care if I have to turn into Humungousaur and break my way out and change into Jetray to fly myself home. I'm leaving."

"I will go with him. Ben should not be left alone for the time being." Rook said quietly to avoid the angry teenager over hearing as Ben stormed off.

"What happened to completing this mission being a duty?" Ben asked seeing Rook catch up with him.

"I am still planning on completing the mission, but as Gwen said, it is beneficial for us to remain in a team. And being as you are adamant on leaving the primary team, I will aid you in leaving."

"And what are you going to do after? Try to find them inside here?"

"No, I will remain outside. I will simply run sentry duties to make sure other enemies do not attempt to enter."

"Whatever man. I just want to put this mission behind me." Ben said. The two walked in awkward silence before Rook finally chimed up with something.

"Ben, perhaps this is not my place to comment, but your and Miss Green's argument."

"What about it?"

"I will admit I have not been around you long, but even given your Appoplexian form, you appeared far more aggravated than I have ever seen you." Ben looked away.

"Look, it's complicated okay? She saw me as a pet. And I really liked her at the time."

"I can understand that." Rook said, "I went to the academy with a Loboan. The species really is far more intelligent and civilized then most people would give them credit for. Aside from that, I hardly see how that fully justifies your frustration."

"You heard her, she doesn't even feel bad about it. Even now that she knows what aliens are or how common they are and all that stuff." Ben responded. "Somehow she stills sees trying to make me a pet okay."

"That was six years ago Ben." Rook said, "From your file you appear to be a far different person now than you were then. There are several incident reports of you abusing the Omnitrix for personal gain. Using Ghostfreak to play a video game you were not allowed to, using Grey Matter to win a carnival guessing game, desiring to use XLR8 to leave a concert and buy yourself a new musical device, just to name three."

"Yeah but I've changed." Ben said. "I learned that the Omnitrix is meant as a tool for heroics not a toy."

"And how are you so sure that Miss Green has not?" Rook asked. "Perhaps, like you, she was merely blinded by the novelty and allowed it to cloud her better judgement."

"And you're not just saying that, so I'll go back to do this stupid job?" Ben asked.

"Partly." Rook confessed, "But I do really believe that things would be better for you in the long run if you entomb the hand axe."

"Bury the hatchet." Ben corrected.

"I still do not understand that saying. A hatchet is a very useful tool, so I do not see the point in burying it."

"We really gotta teach you how to be less literal." Ben said before Rook's Plumber Badge began to ring.

"Rook, tell Ben he's gotta get over his issues and try to get here. Smash walls if needed. We need help pronto!" Gwen's voice yelled out over the badge.

Deeper in the Pyramid…

The group of Kai, Gwen, and Kevin where walking through the pyramid, still being led by Kai's best guesses at the layout based on previous explorations. It was some time prior to Gwen's eventual cry for assistance.

"So, you really don't feel bad about it?" Gwen asked.

"You too? Thought you were sensible than your cousin." Kai said.

"You really hurt Ben is all." Gwen said. "He held onto it for a long time. I think he kind of needed to hear that you felt bad about doing it."

"I don't know. Maybe this really is Ben's issue." Kevin said. "You guys forgave me after like five years and I was a lot worse than her."

"Wait, do you hear that?" Kai asked. There was a faint noise coming from down the hall, as if something was moving around. "Somehow whatever is after that stone besides us is ahead of us."

"But…I don't sense anything." Gwen said raising her hand. "There's no mana in that direction. I just can't sense anything." Suddenly a green beam of energy shot past them. Something began to head towards them. As the thing walked out of the shadows, it was clear it was a Galvanic Mechamorph wearing the closest thing to an angry glare his species could.

"Word of advice, make sure your target can't detect you while searching. And lucky me, looks like I have a chance to get back at you for Ledgerdomain in this little snatch mission." The Mechamorph said. "You seem to be down a few members."

"Hackah? What are you doing here?" Gwen asked. "Magic isn't exactly your forte after all."

"And what's in here isn't magic." Hackah responded. "As to why I was sent, I don't know. I'm sure Master Argoth sent me over Nazak. Something in this worthless monument to inferiority is conflicting with my sense of direction."

"Wait, you aren't disabling the signals?" Kai asked.

"Of course not! I need my own signal to help me navigate this maze of stone." Hackah responded. "It was working well, but something began to jam my pulses. Forcing me to build a map on experience. Thankfully I'm able to use my radar for a short distance. Revealing you fools."

"I wouldn't be taunting if I was you." Kevin said reforming his stone armor, "No machines around here to use."

"In case you forgot…. I don't need machines." Hackah said beginning to grow into his battle form. But the stone began to crack and slip under him, forcing him to cancel and change back. "CURSE THIS INFERNAL BACKWARDS PLANET AND ITS PAST! Fine, I don't need to take a battle form to take such primitive lifeforms such as yourself." Hackah's single eye began to glow, firing off more of the green energy beams that he fired off before.

"Adfishio Potentia!" Gwen said firing off a triple beam. Hackah simple melted to avoid the attack. As he reformed, Kevin ran at him attempting a powerful haymaker, but once again his foe's liquid structure allowed him to effortlessly shape out of the way. Kai opened fire with both of her laser pistols, but once again it was proving difficult to make work. Hackah seemed to morph slightly grabbing Kevin, hurling him back at the two females, then morphing back to the default Galvanic Mechamorph form.

"I told you, I don't need a battle form to take you down. For long my species is seen as tools, but I am a weapon!" Hackah taunted. "With or without a battle form!"

"Yeah, but in a place like this, you can't dodge something like this." Gwen said, "Sorry Kai, but have to do this. Turbo!" A pink tornado tore through the hallway, catching Hackah in it regardless of his attempts to dodge as a liquid. The tornado managed to hear through a wall, depositing him in a new large chamber that inside sat a green stone the size of a dinner plate, embedded in a kind of pedestal with moss growing across it.

"Well well well." Hackah said reforming into his standing form. "Thanks for that mage. Who knows how much longer it would have taken to find it on my own."

"Still ours though." Kai said firing off the grapple from her belt and hooking onto the stone. Sadly, Hackah seemed to be far too aware of it and sever the string with a single energy blast.

"Amateur hour." Hackah said grabbing the stone. Suddenly his eye seemed to shoot full of power, as he slowly began to get pulled into the stone, "Such…power…" He whispered out before the stone pedestal exploded as the stone then began to float. A human-like shape began to form. A bit bulker than he was before, his head disconnecting and floating above the main body. His body changed to a steely silver, green lines began to glow across him in the circuit pattern. The stone then emerged, sitting out on his stomach.

"What did you do to yourself?" Kevin asked.

"I don't know…the stone merged with me. Given me such power." He clenched his fists as the energy exclusively fired from his eye began to form around them. "Master may want it, but I'm sure he won't mind me burrowing it so I can wipe you out. Shame Tennyson isn't with you."

"So, what exactly is that stone then?" Kai asked. Pulling both of her pistol blasters.

"You mean you don't know? Someone isn't very good at their job." Hackah taunted. "This is the Master Core, an ancient piece of technology from a long-forgotten culture. This single piece is arguably greater than anything even the Galvans could produce. Any machine connected to it is augmented exponentially. It would appear that my species is no different."

"Well, then let's see what happens when we rip it out of you." Kevin said trying to lunge directly at Hackah to fired off a larger blast of energy than he normally would, hurling the Osmosian back into the wall. Kai fired off a couple of rounds only for the energy to be absorbed by his system. His eye narrowed as his circuit pattern began to form on Kai's pistols, allowing them to be ripped away from her and mounted to his shoulders.

"Fascinating, total energy immunity and absorption, remote system integration, to think this one artifact has pushed me so far beyond the limitations of my species." As Hackah was distracted at his own marvel of his upgrade, Gwen channeled enough mana for a specific spell.

"Mechanae Discombobulus!" Gwen said as the pink lightning of the spell was fired at the evil Mechamorph, only for it also to get drawn in by his now glowing circuit pattern.

"Magic as well! Incredible!" Hackah said Gwen stopping the spell as he looked on evilly, "Thanks for the power boost by the way." He said in a dark tone as he fired out a powerful beam composed of the beams of his eye, hand, and Kai's hijacked blasters.

"Hespera Sophian!" Gwen countered raising a shield to hold off the combined blast. While Gwen was able to hold it off, it was clear she was having a hard time with it. Thankfully Kevin was outside the shield and was able to tackle Hackah.

"Looks like your upgrade made you solid." Kevin taunted preparing a hammer to crush his head under.

"That appears to be the case. But thankfully, it comes with more than enough advantages to compensate." Hackah said effortlessly grabbing Kevin in a grip able to cause cracks to spread across the armor.

"Rook, tell Ben he's gotta get over his issues and try to get here. Smash walls if needed. We need help pronto!" Gwen said calling into her badge, only for it too to gain the circuit pattern and drawn to Hackah, tossing Kevin aside with the stone flaking off him.

"Calling for help? Not very sporting mage."

"And that power up of yours is?" Gwen asked.

"This was an accident. A happy one, but an accident." Hackah said, "Besides, I'm the bad guy." A low rumbling came through the walls a yellow pill bug-like shell burst through the one wall and slamming into the evil alien.

"Yeah, but guess what, it's Hero Time!" Cannonbolt taunted uncurling releasing Rook from inside.

"Not the most pleasant way to travel Ben." Rook commented, "But I cannot argue it is effective."

"Yeah that's what everyone says. More or less." Cannonbolt said. "So, someone mind catching me up on what's going on?"

"The thing is something called the Master Core, Hackah used it to give himself a major upgrade." Gwen explained.

"So that's why I'm staring down what looks like an Ultimate Upgrade." Cannonbolt said, "Time to swap heroes." Cannonbolt hit the symbol on his chest, changing into Buzzshock.

"An electrical alien? So afraid." Hackah teased.

"You know you should be." Buzzshock replied charging directly at him.

"Ben no!" Gwen yelled out, "He absorbs energy now!"

"Wait what?" Buzzshock asked in confusion before Hackah grabbed him.

"That's right." He said starting to drain energy from Buzzshock. "I've become much more than a standard Mechamorph, I'm no longer vulnerable to anything!" As if to prove him wrong, a missile was fired, exploding against him.

"Yet it would appear your body is no longer liquid metal." Rook added.

"I would hardly call it a weakness with how durable I am now." Hackah said, "And I forgot all about that little toy of yours. I can't wait to assimilate it." The glowing circuit pattern began to spread across the Proto-Tool.

"Don't let go of it Rook!" Kai yelled. "He can assimilate technology from a distance!"

"Good…to…know." Rook said struggling to hold the Proto-Tool despite it being pulled towards Hackah.

"Don't worry Rook I got ya." Kevin said re-equipping his stone armor and morphing his one arm into a mace. Kevin threw an arm around Kevin's waist and slamming his mace hand into the ground actively making it work as a crude anchor. "Ben, gotta break that stone in his gut."

"That stone is the whole reason we're here!" Kai said. "You can't be serious about destroying it."

"I would rather get a lecture from Grandpa Max then let that freak keep it." Buzzshock said, "I think I got just the alien for this." Buzzshock hit the symbol on him and changed into a whole new alien form. A large yellow crystalline alien with several jagged points with a rounded head and three finger mitten-like hands. The Omnitrix symbol was present on the dead center of his chest.

"Rocks? Barely ever used him." Gwen said genuinely confused.

"Meh, he hasn't been in rotation. By the way, I was thinking of a new name. Rock'em!" He said, "Get it? I mean, he's kind of like a Rock' em Sock 'em Robot don't you think?"

"I wouldn't take your eyes off me if you want to survive!" Hackah said revealing small missiles in shoulders firing them.

"Yeah um…that's not gonna work to well against me." Rock'em said clapping his hands together causing the entire air in the room to begin to shake. The vibrations threw the missiles off course causing them to either explode in air or swerve off and hit the walls.

"What?" Hackah asked. "Fine, let's see you shake this off!" Once again, all five energy beams where fired off, but multiple pillars of stones shot up from the pyramid floor blocked the attack. Another pillar shot up from under him, smashing him into the ceiling.

"That all you got?" Rock'em said running at him, a white energy forming around his one hand and throwing a powerful haymaker. Hackah was thrown back, visibly shaking in the air.

"Strong form boy. But you don't seem to be too quick on your feet." Hackah said firing off multiple energy blasts. Rock'em raised another stone wall, but this time the rapid attack wore down the cover faster than a standard beam. His rapid attack kept going, slowly beginning to wear down the stone alien.

"I don't have to be fast to beat you. Not in a place like this." Rock'em said stomping down causing the entire room to shake. While the ceiling began to fall in, Hackah broke off this attack. Rock'em then charged right at the Mechamorph. A kind of bubble formed in both of his hands and both hands where slammed into his gut. The Mechamorph began to shake violently.

"W-w-what are you d-d-doing!" Hackah stammered out with the shaking.

"Winning." Rock'em said with a smirk. The stone in his stomach began to crack, almost ripping itself apart.

"N-no!" Hackah said. He tried to prepare a blast to strike down Rock'em, but the stone shattered before he was able to launch the attack off. Rock'em then tossed him aside, as Hackah slowly returned to the standard Mechamorph form.

"Couldn't have done that without destroying how much of the temple?" Kai asked.

"Hey, I haven't used him in years. I'm a bit rusty." Rock'em defended himself. During this brief back and forth, Hackah morphed to allow a communicator.

"Mission failed…extraction required." Hackah said.

"Rook! He's gonna try that Molecular Transport thing!" Rock'em shouted.

"I am on him!" Rook said firing off a cable from the Proto-Tool, but Hackah already started to transport away causing the cable to uselessly pass through him.

"Nice try plumbers. Correct that, horrible try." Hackah taunted disappearing. Ben shifted back to normal as Kai picked up a shard of the Master Core.

"Well, so much for that." Kai said. "Iron workers tend to try to recover what we're going for, not destroy it."

"He was pretty strong. I think Ben did what was right." Kevin said.

"Yeah, I mean, a better job would have been recovering it. But things can't always go as planned." Gwen said.

"I agree. I have not served with Ben long, but I have noticed he tends to try to limit his destruction unless needed. If Ben believed he could have saved the Master Core without destroying it, I am sure he would have." The group left the pyramid with Kai never saying anything the whole time. As they made their way to the Rust Bucket 3 however, she finally piped up.

"Ben, wait." Kai said. "Look, can we talk real quick?"

"What do you want? Insult me for not doing it your way?"

"No, to apologize." Kai said taking a deep breath and letting it out. "Look, you were the only reason we got out of there. And like you said, you did the hard work to get through that door. So, maybe I shouldn't judge you for not doing it my way."

"Well…thanks." Ben said.

"And, I'm also sorry about six years ago. I didn't realize just how much that hurt you." She said. "I won't say I feel horrible about it. I mean, I was a kid and the idea of a Yenaldooshi pet, it really seemed cool."

"So, you really still don't feel bad about it?"

"I feel bad that I hurt you so bad. But not so much how I did it." She confessed. "But, look, a lot of time passed, and we're both professionals. I'm not asking for us to be friends, but maybe we at least can work together. If you need someone from the Iron Workers, I hope you keep me in mind. So, I can maybe try to make it up to you." She said holding out a hand.

"I suppose I can live with that." Ben said shaking her hand.

Argoth's Ship…

Hackah shamefully walked up to Argoth running the helm of his ship.

"Master, I'm sorry. I failed the mission. The Master Core was destroyed."

"Because you sought to use it." Nazak chimed in.

"Don't try to bury him deeper." Argoth said. "I am disappointed in you. You could have called for a Molecular Transport as soon as you got it."

"I let the power go to my head." Hackah confessed.

"Learn to focus on your mission next time." Argoth said, "Our plans have taken a hit. But perhaps we can turn this in our direction. Tennyson's team will feel more confident after this victory. We'll withdraw for now, find a way to generate more power without the Master Core. With luck the boy will think we are retreating, not making a strategic withdraw. The plan will not fail."


Wow, that one took some work. Don't know why. Anyway, Rocks is an alien from the stage play Power of the Omnitrix. Renamed him Rock'em because he really does look like a Rock 'em Sock 'em Robot (seriously, look him up!), and Rocks is a stupid as hell name.