Author's Note: Yep Ghostfreak episode! I own nothing.

28 Freaked Out

This was maybe the most surreal moment of Jen's life, and considering everything she'd been though in fifteen short years that was saying quite a bit. But ordering food for her arch nemesis well, it was weird and getting him the kids meal felt oddly like revenge for all the times he'd called her a mere child. She set the box down in front of him. He frowned.

"Burger. Shack." It sort of sounded like a question but since she'd never had a real conversation with him before it was hard to tell.

"I got you the kid's meal, so don't let them know you're over seven." She sat down at the table opposite him her back to Gwen and Kevin. She was watching Vilgax like a hawk. Kevin snorted slightly into his burger. Gwen elbowed him.

"What?" He asked his mouth still full. Gwen glared.

"This isn't funny. Come on, her big bad worst enemy shows up and wants what?" He was being sarcastic but Vilgax didn't seem to catch it.

"I need your help." Gwen glared but Jen remained silent.

"You shouldn't even be here. You were banished from our planet." Gwen practically snarled. Kevin grew slightly more serious.

"What makes you think she'll help you Squidface?" Kevin asked as he balled up the wrapper from his burger and tossed it into the garbage can.

"One word." He stared leaning forward slightly.

"What's that?" Gwen asked sounding nearly ready to leap into battle.

"Ghostfreak." All three of them froze. Vilgax smirked slightly, Jen leaned forward.

"What about her?" Jen's voice had gone very serious, all joking air had vanished. Vilgax outlined what the escaped Omnitrix transformation had done to his world. The team was quiet for a moment after he finished speaking. Jen took a deep breath.

"We'll help." Gwen spluttered, Kevin frowned. Jen glanced at them, never fully taking her eyes off Vilgax. "If he's telling the truth then this is my problem to fix. Ghostfreak was one of the original ten. She's my responsibility."

"And if he's lying?" Kevin asked. Jen's lip quirked up.

"Then I take him again. And this time I make sure he can't get back up." Her threat came through loud and clear but Vilgax must have been serious because he didn't even threaten her back. Jen texted Julie to send Ship to them, not to come with him. A few minutes later and empty moped rolled up to them and Ship transformed back into his normal bloblike form. He leapt into Jen's arms and happily beeped. He peeked over her shoulder and hissed at Vilgax.

"I know Ship. I don't like him either but we're not doing this for him." She scratched him under his chin for a moment before Vilgax grew impatient.

"What is the significance of the miniscule Galvanic Mechamorph? We must hurry if we are to save my people." Ship beeped at Jen. She rolled her eyes.

"Don't listen to him Ship. You're very important! Battleship mode please." Ship chirped and leapt from her arms, transforming midair, forming into the large ship. "Don't diss my friend's dog." Jen demanded. She gestured the other's onboard. The trip to Vilgaxia, a three hour flight at lightspeed, was silent. Kevin flew the ship. Gwen kept her nose in her book, occasionally looking upto glare at Vilgax. Jen never broke eye contact with him. Gwen was sort of impressed honestly she rarely got to see her cousin in full hero mode outside a fight. But she didn't really like it. It drove all the laughter from her cousin's eyes.

Vilgaxia looked like it had been a lovely place, at some point. Now though it was covered in webs and patrols of Ghostfreaks. They slipped by one such patrol and were safely hidden away when the wailing started. Vilgax tensed, he was practically shaking.

"What is that?" Kevin asked covering his ears.

"A child crying." He burst through the wall and gave chase after the patrol.

"I told you he can't be trusted!" Gwen quipped but Jen was already moving, running out of the hole spinning the Omnitrix and transforming as she went. Vilgax hadn't been lying. A small child, a girl by the placement of the tentacles, was sobbing on the ground scrambling away from the advancing Ghostfreaks. Vilgax was fighting off most of the swarm.

"Save the girl!" Vilgax demanded but Jen was already there, shooting fire out of her hands, lighting up the webs above the girl. The bright light drove off the Ghostfreaks. The one closest to the flames hissed and melted leaving behind an unconscious male of Vilgax's species. Jen blinked then shouted.

"Gwen light us up! Bright as you can!" Gwen began to chant. A large bright orb appeared from her hands and the Ghostfreaks shrieked and fell one by one. When the light dimmed again there were groaning Chimera Sui Generis's. Jen grinned as the child stood and ran. But instead of the usual hero reaction the young girl ran to Vilgax.

"Lord Vilgax! Thank you!" Gwen lifted an eyebrow as Vilgax knelt in front of the girl.

"You are unhurt?" She nodded. He smiled. "Good, go hide little one." She hugged his leg nodded and ran off. The figures on the ground seemed to be sleeping, none were dead. Jen stepped around one.

"Looks like Ghostfreak's old weakness still applies." Vilgax raised what passed for his eyebrow. "Sunlight. Ever since she escaped the Omnitrix she can't stand light, in most forms but sunlight works best. Think we can work with that?" Gwen nodded.

"We just need to get close." Jen nodded.

"Good I have a plan. We just need to get in close. Can you make that happen?" She asked Vilgax.

"There is a back way into my palace. Follow me." The three of them stepped into line behind him, Jen in the lead. Kevin stepped up next to her while Gwen kept an eye out for more patrols.

"How'd you know he was telling the truth about the kid?" Jen shrugged.

"Why lie? This is his planet. Our rules no longer apply. He's not a conqueror here. To his people he's a hero. Admit it I'd do the same thing in his place on Earth." That shut Kevin up as they made their way through deserted city streets.