Kevin hears the Knights before he sees them.
He hears the grinding of gears, of machinery, he hears the shouting. His own Plumbers badge is yelling at him and glowing red and he knows this is it. The Forever Knights have arrived and they are coming for him.
Kevin's only slightly pissed that once again his team is separated from and he's stuck with Argit in the room. His companion already has fled the training field and is hiding somewhere in the massive room.
Kevin's hands twitch, he's ready to plow through anything. He's pissed off that the Forever Knights think they have any right to destroy everything the kingdom's built. Everything his family has tried to build and protect.
They've even convinced Gwen's brother into working for them, and Kevin has had it with weird family manipulation and deceiving.
He's also tired of the Tennyson family being separated, they've all been divided for too long. Kevin knows what it's like to be alone… none of them deserve that. Out of everyone he has ever meet, this family deserves nothing less than happiness. Kevin feels like he owes the Tennyson's in some weird way, and maybe he's trying to mend the bonds he himself has stretched too thin, but he knows that he loves them as much as his warped heart can love.
Kevin doesn't remember the last time he admitted to loving anything or anyone, but he knows in the back of his mind, this is how he felt when his parents were still alive.
He wants to be around them, he wants to protect them, and he'll do anything to keep the one thing that has made him happy in a long time. Maybe that's selfish of him, but he couldn't care less. He's done with having everything being taken from him. He'll be damned if Gwen is ripped from him. Anything could happen to him but god forbid he lets anything happen to Gwen.
The noise of the enemy is suddenly silent. Kevin prickles at that, even more on edge that he can't pinpoint where they are.
The silence drags out until an explosion cracks through the room like thunder.
A small group of Forever Knights barrel through alongside a walking humanoid machine. It's a massive suit, he realizes, and inside it is Ken Tennyson.
The metal suit clangs around, squealing from the friction of metals against each other and what looks to be electricity powering it. Ken sits raised in the middle of the machine staring at Kevin through the glass barrier. The arms on the machine are long and look similar to the gun he used last time.
Kevin pales as he realizes this is a suit made up of the same power, if not more, electric voltage that Ken used on him before.
The group of Forever Knights that broke through the doors leave immediately to guard the doors. Ken stands firm, using the controls inside the suit to charge toward Kevin.
Kevin doesn't hesitate and uses his Petrosapien arm to shot a barrage of crystals at Ken, aiming for the arms of Ken's suit. His crystals hit directly and effectively, but they just dent through the metal.
Ken stumbles in the suit, almost trips over himself, and tries to stand tall again. His face is clearly nervous as he tries to aim his gun at Kevin again.
Kevin's sharp eyes assess how Ken's holding his own stance and honestly, a forceful gust of wind could knock him over with how unprepared he is for fighting. Ken isn't trained or built for this kind of battle, if any at all.
They didn't train him, Kevin's alarm bells are ringing like crazy, he realizes that Ken is a distraction. He's the opener for the actual disaster.
Kevin quickly jumps out of the way of Ken's electric attack. It easy enough for him to dodge. Ken's significantly slower in this metal armor. He barely knows how to operate it, let alone use it for fighting. He also aims at Kevin directly and at long range, not even trying to strategize his attacks.
Not that he's ever been that strategic either, most of the time Kevin just barrels through his own attacks. He knows how to be sneaky and quick on his feet though. Ken doesn't and he fights like it. It's like watching a baby deer walk for the first time, it's clunky and unstable, trying to find his balance.
Kevin knows that like this, he can take out Ken quickly. That's what worries him. The leader of the Forever Knights, Enoch, has been pulling the strings on Ken from the beginning and he is nowhere to be seen.
Ken tries to swipe at Kevin again and he easily knocks the arm away with his own Petrosapien arm turned sword. The metal clanging against his crystalized arm loudly.
"Where's your handler? He just let you come in here without back up?" Kevin questions and he counters Ken's attack and forces him back. Ken digs the metal feet into the ground to stop himself and the noise is atrocious.
"None of your business! He's letting me handle you and when I'm done I'm taking my sister back!" Ken declares.
"You can barely stand upright in that hunk of junk!" Kevin yells at him.
"I don't need to know how to fight, I just need to hit you at least twice and that's it!" Ken aims once more at Kevin, charging at him this time.
Kevin rolls out of the way, and by the looks of it he was right, Ken has no idea how to operate this machine. He can't turn it to redirect himself in time. He has to come to a stop before he can reposition himself.
Kevin uses this to his advantage and shots a mixture of his fire and crystal shards at him. He aims directly at one of the arms and tries to find a weak spot. If he can dislocate the arms, it'll be easier to just knock Ken out.
There is a groan of frustration and the metal machine falls forward to the ground. The mechanical mechanisms inside are grinding furiously and screeching in their own way.
"C'mon man, you can't fight. Give up before you get hurt." Kevin tells him only in mild irritation.
Ken turns to him in fury and huffs out in exasperation, "No! You stole my whole family from me! I will be your undoing, you're just a monster, an amalgamation that should have never existed!" he spits out is pure hatred.
Kevin stares blankly at him. He's trying to process his words, but for once in his life, he could not care less. Kevin just doesn't agree anymore. Maybe he is a monster, maybe he's not. He knows that right now, he's trying to stop the Forever Knights from destroying all of the alien life in his kingdom and destroy his family. If Kevin's anything he's selfish beyond measure. He refuses to let them take anything else from him.
Kevin cracks his neck and stretches his arms, "Ya know that would have sent me spiraling into myself if you had said that like a month ago." Kevin takes a step closer to him, Ken's cowering inside his protective dome.
"I've learned something recently though, I just don't care anymore. I might be a monster, but I've worked to rectify my past actions. I've protected this kingdom and I've brought my people out from hiding. What are aliens to you? Are they all monsters? Or is it just me? I'll gladly take that title if it means you and the Forever Knights leave my kingdom alone. There are aliens who are completely normal, working hard, and are citizens just like you are. Hell, Gwen's part alien, is she a monster too?" Kevin starts, getting closer to Ken with every word.
"Stop it! No, she isn't! My sisters not like you…" Ken says trying to curl into himself.
"So, we are all monsters then? Is that what we are to you?" Kevin growls out and sends a direct hit to the shoulder of Ken's machine.
The armor shakes and Ken closes his eyes tightly holding onto the inside of the glass dome.
Kevin glares at him, "Your world is so tiny, it must be suffocating." Kevin goes to hit Ken again but is ripped away and hurled to the ground before he can.
Kevin rolls out and lurches himself up again. The man Kevin knows has been hiding finally emerges. Enoch.
Enoch punches through the glass and grabs at Ken, "You have failed me. You don't deserve this armor!" he hurls Ken's tiny form out of the machine and onto the ground. His small frame hits the ground with a sick noise and he rolls.
He scrambles to pick himself up, he launches himself at Enoch and attaches himself to the man's arm, "No! I helped you create this. You said you'd let me do it, you said you'd help me save my sister!" Ken's grasping desperately to the man and clinging to a false idea.
He laughs in Ken's face, "You and your sister will die here just like they all will. You were a useful pawn, but a pawn is just a tool whose purpose is to die protecting its King." He reaches in and grabs for the control for the machine.
"It's time to complete your purpose." Enoch turns on the arm he's controlling and reaches for Ken.
Kevin's eyes widen and he uses his speed to jump in. Kevin knows Ken will die from the voltage. That was the goal, for it to kill the mass of Kevin's body. Ken will fry like a bug if he's hit. As much as he would like to punch Ken, he can't die.
Kevin takes the brute of the hit and feels the same burning pain as before. It's somehow worse this time around. His whole body is a light, it feels like a million needles are pricking him and digging into him deeper and deeper. It lasts an eternity. He doesn't know if he's screaming or not, he thinks he is. He can't hear, he can't see, all he knows is the pain he feels is infinite.
When Kevin feels like he can breathe again, everything is ringing, his vision is blurred and he groans painfully. He looks to where he shoved Ken and sees the red head staring at him in disbelief.
"Why?" Ken whispers out to him.
Kevin's taking deep, shaky breaths. It hurts to breathe. He looks up at Ken and responds, "You're her family, she loves you. What other reason do I need?" he huffs out in almost a gargled laugh.
Kevin doesn't have time to process Ken's response, he has to pick himself up. He can't get hit again.
"Get out of here. Find Gwen or Ben. They'll get you out of here." Kevin growls out and stands on shaking legs.
"But-" Ken tries to fight back.
"Go!" Kevin shouts at him.
Argit takes this time to slither out from his hiding place and grabs a hold of Ken's wrist tightly.
"He's giving you an opening idiot, let's go!" Argit snarls at the small man.
Ken's face is dumbstruck but he lets his legs follow Argit.
Kevin turns back to the Forever Knight who's lodged himself inside the battle machine. Enoch sits still, patiently waiting for Kevin's attention.
"That was meant to kill him. Pity, I was hoping to frame you for that." Enoch says easily and locks the machine into place, readying it for a real fight.
Kevin rolls his shoulders back and tries to ground himself.
"I think most of your plans have failed tremendously." He bites back at the Knight.
"We're alone though aren't we. My Knights have distracted your other teammates with the rest of the rabble. Even your little rat is gone. It's just you and me." He says smoothly.
"The only thing that matters now is ending you all where you stand. Every last one of the Tennyson's and you with your disgusting Osmosian genetics. I will purify this kingdom!" Enoch declares in a booming voice.
He starts charging at Kevin, who is able to use his speed still, thankfully. He dodges easily and catches the fist that was meant to hit him. He hurls the machine across the room and into training equipment.
Before he can get up, Kevin sends a mixture of his fire and crystals at the suit. He's aiming for the one arm he almost destroyed. If he can limit Enoch in any way that will make this easier he's got to try it. He can't make any mistakes now.
The noise of the crystals hitting the metal is loud and echoes in the room. A loud snap follows shortly with a crash. Kevin stops his barrage and sees Enoch pull the clunky metal up to stand. The left arm fallen to the ground and useless now.
Enoch screams in anger.
He snaps himself quickly and turns to shot at Kevin. His aim is quicker and more accurate than Ken's and the hit lands.
Kevin's screams fill the room and his body starts to convulse on the ground. His back arching in a terrible way, unnatural in every way, even for his mismatched body.
Kevin thinks he's either going to pass out for the pain or die. He can't tell. He knows he sees black and he feels bile starting in his throat. It burns, but it's nothing compared to the electric pain that is scorching the inside of his veins.
The only thought he gives himself is Gwen. He's trying to picture her one last time, since he can't see her.
He can see her bright red hair flowing around her, it's almost like a halo. It's fitting he thinks. He sees her bright green eyes, piercing through him. She sees everything. She saw right through him. He sees her soft pink lips curled into a big smile, a loud laugh. It chimes like a bell.
If Kevin has any regrets, it's not kissing Gwen. He wishes now more than ever that he scooped her into him and consumed her. He wants to be selfish and keep her to himself. He wants to be surrounded by her and devour everything. Her smell, her taste, her love… He wants to tell her he loves her. She knows. She has to know. He just wished he had said it.