"Wow, this Hotel's got everything! Indoor pool, full day spa!", Gwen said excitedly as she was ready to actually have a shower.
"Don't get used to it, it's only for one night.", Max said patting Gwen's head.
Ben's eyes turned from Alex messing with the Omnitrix to looking at an oddly large display of the newest Sumo Slammer game. "Oooh! The new Sumo Slammer video games in there!", Ben jogged over before being stopped by the bouncer.
"VIPs only.", the bald bouncer said blankly.
Ben searched around his pockets. "Must've left it inside, I'm one of the game pros testing out the system."
"VIPs only."
"Then why have all those signs and stuff? It's kinda like advertising an event you can't attend. Seriously, I've seen VIP rents at hotels before but it's just a small sign. Cool set up though.", was Alex's thoughts as Ben walked back up to them. "Well that sucked, good attempt though.", he mockingly commented as he patted Ben's back.
"C'mon Alex, do me this favor?", Ben pleaded.
"Lemme think.", Alex waited for a few seconds as the elevator arrived with Max and Gwen walking in. "No." He proceeded to drag him into the elevator. "Now c'mon."
Alex walked out his hotel room and looked at Ben storming off to the elevator. He cocked an eyebrow somewhat confused as Max walked out and looked at the fourteen year old. "Can you and Gwen watch him for a while? He just needs to simmer down."
"Argument?"
"That obvious?"
"Pretty much. Alright, c'mon dork." Alex referred to Gwen, who's hair was wet after taking an actual shower after a few weeks of being in an RV. "I don't care what you say, let's go."
"Fine.", Gwen rolled her eyes in annoyance as she got up and followed Alex. "What do you think they argued about?"
"Probably something about the new Sumo Slammers game, never really understood the appeal.", Alex shrugged before pushing Gwen forward.
The trio ended up in an arcade. Ben tries out one of the games, themed after baseball, but the game over appears even before he started. "Game over? It just started." He said before looking over at the clerk. "This thing ate my tokens!"
"Read the sign, kid. Play at your own risk. ", the clerk who might've been in highschool or just very depressed said as he walked.
Alex had brushed past him, cocking an eyebrow and smirked. "Well he seemed friendly."
"This place is a rip off.", Ben groaned in annoyance.
"You're right. The games here stink.", a voice said behind him, they turned their head turned to see a tall yet skinny young man. His normal attire was a black shirt as opposed to a vest, would have blue jeans and boots. He has padlock hanging from his neck. His hair was long, but was styled into a choppy mullet.
"Not as bad as his dog breath. Even dumpsters smell nice.", Ben jokingly said with Alex glaring at him.
The young man, who looked no older than Ben laughed. "You're funny. Here, you owe me one.", as a favor in return, he sends an energy surge with his hand into the machine he was leaning on, causing it to dispense all the tokens that were in it.
"Woah! How's you do that?"
"Yeah, how did you do that?", Alex asked crossing his arms, not necessarily getting a good vibe from him.
I've got some skills.", the young black haired man said flexing his hand in a playful manner as Ben bent down to steal some.
Gwen had found them by then and shook her head. "We can't take those. They're not ours."
"Well they are now.", Ben smirked as he caught a glance at Alex scooping up a handful for later. "I'm Ben, this is Alex."
"Name's Kevin. I'm guessing you two are tourist here huh?", Kevin said with a smile as the two looked shocked. "Yeah, once you live in the Big Apple for a while you pick up some new tricks, mainly recognizing people."
"Cool.", Ben said as the two fist bumped. "Wanna play some air hockey?
Kevin glances behind him to see gang members walking by before stopping. "Nah. Gotta bail.", he said before turning and walking off.
"He's total trouble.", Gwen said shaking her head.
Alex titled his head towards him and nodded. "Yeah, I'm not really getting a good vibe from him."
Ben looked amused and shrugged. "He seemed okay to me.", he said as two of those gang members bumped past them. "Hey watch it brickheads!"
A third teenager then blocked his exit. Kevin backs up and is grabbed by the others, and then a fourth teen joins the party "Long time, no see.", said the third gang member.
"Where ya going, freak? Home to recharge your batteries?" A fourth said with a little grin as Kevin smirked.
"Need some help?", Ben said putting his hands in his pockets.
"He's gonna need a lot more than you. Now beat it.", the bald gang member said as he cocked his fist back... before getting a strike to the stomach by Alex.
"Oh I am so sorry, my hand slipped.", Alex playfully apologized.
"Asshole.", the gang member pulled out a knife before Alex grabbed his wrist and punched him in the nose, causing the bald gang member to stumble back as his nose bled profusely.
"Now that's not nice? Ever kiss your mother with that mouth. Genuinely sorry if she's dead."
"She's not."
"Good.", Alex exhaled as he quickly moved Ben out the way of another gang member who attempted to tackle the young man. "You gonna help us?"
"Nope.", Gwen crossed her arms with Alex rolling his eyes.
"Figures.", Alex received a punch to the face by one of the gang members before retaliating with a swift kick to the man's groin. "So, you guys wanna throw down?"
The remaining gang members that weren't harmed shook their heads and ran off. "Well that was... an interesting thing. You alright man?", Alex asked rubbing his cheek
"Yeah, thanks.", Kevin said with a smile.
"Not just a pretty face aren't I?", Alex said with a confident sneer as Ben and Gwen looked at him with a deadpan. "Alright, let's go.", he said before picking up Ben and walking out of the Total Zone arcade.
"Was that really necessary?", Gwen asked him as Alex looked at her incredulously.
"Well it was either that or turning into an alien, but that would invoke more of your wrath.", Alex jokingly stated before dropping Ben.
"Ow."
"Hey wait up.", Kevin ran up to them. "Can't thank you enough for that."
"That tour still up on the table?", Kevin nodded at Alex's question. "Sick, wanna come Ben?"
Ben shot up with a smile. "I'm down!"
"You keep Grandpa waiting any longer, he's going to pop another gasket. We gotta go. Like now, Ben.", Gwen nervously and impatiently chided as he simply shrugged.
"I'll be there soon enough, just don't wait up for dinner.", Ben said as he waved off her worries as she just walked
"Alright let's go.", Alex said as he walked off with Kevin, they seemed to get along pretty well despite some differences that should not be touch upon yet as they toured New York.
"Sorry for asking, but how'd you get your power?", Ben asked, referring to what he did in the arcade.
Kevin chuckled at it. "Don't worry man, I was born with it. I'm like an energy sponge. Motors, air conditioners, lights, batteries, whatever. Soak it up and dish it out when I have to... or want to.", he said before he smiled again. "What about you Alex? Where'd you learn to fight like that?"
"My dad paid for some self defense lessons when I was younger, probably one of the more nicer gestures he's done.", Alex said with a slight shrug.
Kevin nodded. "C'mon. I'll show you where I live.", he offered as his new buddy nodded as the three walked off somewhere else.
~
Meanwhile, Gwen gets back to the hotel room, yet to only find Max angry "Where's Ben?", his dear granddaughter in response was reluctant to answer his question.
~
Kevin lead both Ben and Alex to his home, which is an abandoned subway station. Televisions are scattered about, along with a vending machine and an arcade machine. "Sweet place," Ben said in slight admiration.
"Thanks, live here by myself.", Kevin said confidently but it seemed to waver quickly. "My parents weren't exactly too thrilled to have a freak for a son... but hey, gives me more freedom."
"Sounds good to me. So why was that gang after you?", Alex asked cocking an eyebrow.
"I kinda trashed their hangout under the 39th Street bridge. What about you? Sounds like your grandpa's pretty steamed at you.", Kevin asked the youngest rather curiously, who seemed to roll his eyes.
"Like that's been any different.", Ben said popping his neck before sighing. "Kinda wished I snuck into that Sumo Slammers testing while I could."
" The one that won't be out until Christmas?", Kevin asked as Ben nodded, which sparked an idea in the black haired teens head. "There's a storage warehouse near the docks, it's chalk full of em."
"Awesome! Let's-", Ben was stopped at Alex who shook his head. Alex was okay with hanging out but not with breaking an entering.
"Max'll be real angry once he finds out about this.", Alex narrowed his eyes as he tightened his grip.
"What's the harm in that? In and out and that's it.", Kevin said as Ben manager to free himself from Alex's grip and leave with him.
"They'll be fine.", Alex sighed.
"Maybe they won't be fine.", Alex thought to himself as he looked at the storage warehouse from a roof, which he managed to get to with Sunburn. "There you are.", he muttered as he saw Ben and Kevin arrive at the warehouse.
~
With a smirk, Kevin used his ability to short circuit the door's lock. "Help me kick in the door.",
The two of them break down the door, upon their entry, Alex notices crates full of copies of the new game, yet kicking the door let the silent alarm go off. "Nice," Alex said with a smirk.
Derek went over to one of the created, opened it up and laughed. "Check it out. Wait's over, dude." He said as he tossed the game to his new friend.
"Oh yeah," then suddenly, gas cans have been thrown through the windows. The police have arrived, and security has surrounded the building. The SWAT team and the helicopters were there also "What do we do?"
"Get outta here!", Kevin said as the two threw away the games and ran over to the exit. However the SWAT team had stopped them and pointed a rifle.
"Freeze, punks!", one of the SWAT members said as Kevin merely smirked.
Kevin then absorbs a nearby electric socket and uses it to power a forklift. "Time to rev things up.", He crashes the forklift into one of the SWAT members. "Let's move it!", Ben and Kevin then head for the exit, to be discovered by the police. They run back in as the police exit their cars.
The two hide behind one of the crates and panted. "Great. No way out." Ben groaned out slightly annoyed.
"Any ideas?", Kevin cocked an eyebrow at his friend, his eyes had a slight black ring around them now for some reason.
"No...", Ben wished he packed his hoverboard or something.
"What the hell is that thing!", Ben and Kevin perked up to see Parasyte roaring, tendrils whipping around and striking any of the SWAT team that got in the way of them.
Parasyte roared as he looked at another officer, the bullets harmlessly pass through his chest as he reached out with a tendril. Throwing the SWAT member at another few. "Wait what am I doing?", Parasyte face palmed as he transformed into Drag Racer and sped by them, picking up Kevin and Ben in the process.
"Thanks for the save!", Ben sighed.
"I should've listen to Gwen.", Drag Racer said as he abruptly stopped in an alleyway, dropping the two as he looked at Ben. Drag Racer then turned his eyes on Kevin as he reverted to human. "Give me a good reason why I shouldn't beat you?"
"Okay! My fault! I didn't know they got a buncha SWAT guys on the lookout for me!", Kevin held his hands up in the air in defense. Ben cocked an eyebrow at why he would say that. "Also... cool watch."
"Don't dodge the question you little shit.", Alex completely ignored the fact he transformed from an alien to a human in front of a complete stranger.
"Okay okay, look, give me a break. Like I said I didn't know that place was guarded like that, honest.", Kevin said as Alex exhaled. "How did you do that by the way?"
"My cool watch over here.", Alex pointed to the Omnitrix, which was still a vibrant green. "Let's me transform into 10 different guys."
"Awesome. Let me-"
"No.", Alex knew where it was going and wasn't going to deal with that even if he couldn't take it off.
Kevin scratched his chin before smiling. "We should be partners. Between the two of us, with our powers, we could do whatever we want whenever we want. We'd totally cash in. Whadda ya say? Friends?", he asked holding his hand out, Alex rolled his eyes as Ben shook his hand.
"I gotta tell Max about this so he doesn't fall over and die of a heart attack.", Alex sighed as he turned and walked back to the hotel.
"Now that he's gone.", Ben looked over at Kevin, his eyes still possessing black rings around them. "Let's cash in."
Inside the subway system, Kevin had Ben to boost him up to a lamp, so he can absorb some of the energy from it. He then walks over to the train track switcher, and uses the energy to activate it. The track switches. "A money train loaded with cash comes down this track, so when it crashes into the oncoming passenger train, boom! Instant jackpot. We move out the way, snag some cash and we're out of here!", the black rings around his eyes had grown more prominent.
"But hundreds of innocent people will be killed.", Ben said with a furrowed brow.
"Hey, no pain, no gain.", Kevin said without a care in a world.
Ben looked genuinely annoyed at this. "You can't do this.", he said as Kevin laughed.
"Sure we can. I just switched the tracks.", Kevin said with a little grin. "We shook. We're partners dude," he said as Ben cocked an eyebrow."
"No. This is going way too far.", Ben said crossing his arms as Kevin grew infuriated.
"Then try and stop me, brat.", Kevin growled as Alex smirked
"You don't care about anyone else but yourself.", he said as he leapt out of the way of Kevin grabbing him. "And I'm talking to you"
Kevin grinned as electricity surged around his hands. "Oh, you do not want to make me mad.", Kevin pushed Ben as he moved out the way of an incoming fire ball.
"Better mind your tone you little shit.", Kevin looked up to see Sunburn, and once taking a quick look at the badge on his chest, he figured it was Alex.
"Or what? You'll burn my dinner?", Kevin asked as Sunburn looked at Ben.
"Max and Gwen are in the Rust Bucket, better pick your ass up and come up with an excuse.", Sunburn leapt down as Ben ran past the two and back up the steps. "Think carefully on your next moves brat, or you'll one who's gonna be burned"
Kevin grinned, looking mighty cocky as he quickly ran over and absorbs the energy from the switcher to turn off all the lights, and darkened the entire section of the subway station, except for the area Sunburn illuminates.
Sunburn is surrounded in darkness and looks around for any suspicions. Kevin then appears and hops on his back, blue electricity surged around the two as Kevin yelled in pain, the force tosses him off of the Pyronite. When Sunburn goes to check on him, he gets attacked by a fireball.
Kevin walked out of the darkness, part of his body remained the same, however the Pyronite DNA took effect on him quickly. His upper right chest, head, right arm and shoulder were now that of a Pyronite, his clothing looking singed. "Psyche. I absorb energy, remember?", he said with a cocky grin.
"You don't have to do this.", Hotshot got up and tried to force Kevin down, but he side stepped and blasted him in the back.
"It's time I got what's coming to me. Nobody's calling me freak anymore.", the two looked over to see the trains coming. "Payday!"
This forced Sunburn to change his priorities. He melts the switcher, switching the tracks back, and saves the trains from collision. He was nearly hit by one of them, but he managed to lift himself onto the roof before he was run over. The train takes Sunburn away. "Screw the money, I think priceless revenge is a much better score!" He said as he ran off.
Hotshot was busy tumbling on the train roof before slamming on the Omnitrix and turning into Spidermonkey. "This works!" He muttered as he stuck onto the roof like gorilla glue.
His other pairs of eyes looked down to see the Rust Bucket catching up to the train. He stood up without a problem, using his equilibrium as a slight edge as he shot a web from his jaw and swung across, landing down on the RV and crawled in through the open window.
"So, on a scale of 1-10, how angry is Max?", Spidermonkey asked with a bit of amusement. Gwen looked at Alex and put up all 10. "Figured.", Spidermonkey said as the Omnitrix forcefully transformed him back to recharge.
"You have no idea.", Max said completely and utterly disappointed in Ben, who sat in the booth and sulked. The Rust Bucket pulled over into a parking lot as Max turned over. "What we're you thinking?"
"I just-"
Ben was cut off by Max. "Just what? Hmm? What were you expecting? After he lured you into almost getting riddled with bullets did you really think he was any good?"
"Max, we have bigger issues to worry about for now.", Alex said as the Tennyson trio looked at him. "Turns out Kevin can absorb energy from my Aliens too, right now he's using Sunburn's ability for whatever the hell he feels like doing."
"Grandpa, Alex's right. There's no telling what he could do now." Gwen chimed in.
Max relented, he thought the name 'Kevin' sounded familiar, so he decided to listen. "Okay, so where is he?"
"I think I know.", Ben said crossing his arms with a smile.
~
One of the bullies attempted to push off the large pipe holding him and his buddies down as Kevin laid waste to the hide out. "Uhh, Kevin. We can work this out."
Kevin grinned as he approached them, violent flames filled with his pent up rage burned the area. "I don't think so."
~
Max was honking the horn to the RV repeatedly as he was stuck in the worse thing ever, New York traffic. "Move it already!", he yelled out impatiently.
"I don't have time for this.", Alex got up, activated the Omnitrix and slammed down once he saw Drag Racer, but got the next best thing, Cold Soar. "See you at the 39th Street bridge.", the moth-like alien unfolded his wings and flew out the RV.
Kevin laughed at the current misfortune of his new victims, the gang that mocked him for so long. "Ha! So much for your gang!", he looked at his hand as he felt something leave him. His large Pyronite hand started to calm down, and turn grey, along with his arm and face, it all cracked off into a blue mist, leaving him confused. "Uh, what's going on?"
"Your powers are gone, Kevin.", the black haired youth turned to Cold Soar, who landed and folded his wings back up.
"Looks like you're about to give me some more Al.", Kevin held out his hand mockingly as Cold Soar thought about it.
"Nah."
"You don't have a choice.", Kevin turned to them with large balls of electricity in his hands. "I've still got enough juice to fry these guys.", the mutant human said as he was about to shoot them, before Muscle Bound came in and force him to blast up through the bridge, which was what Kevin wanted.
He slammed his hands onto Muscle Bound and absorbed his DNA again like he did with Sunburn, as soon as he got enough, his left arm turned larger and slightly shorter then Muscle Bound's size and clocked him in the face. Kevin grinned as he started resembling more of a Tetramand. He ran at him as he grew another bulky arm and clocked him again, sending him flying back.
While his hair and lower body's clothing remain unaltered, his skin turns red and his upper set of arms enlarge, with four black-nailed fingers on each hand. 4 holes are on the side of his shirt to allow for thinner human-proportioned arms to extend through, 4 fingers on each hand, but with matching nails. He also gains eyes like a Tetramand, 2 rows on top of each other, and crooked teeth. "Oho! This is gonna be real fun!"
Muscle Bound got back up and got into a boxing stance. "Tell me about it.", the Tetramand said as the two charged at each other. Muscle Bound easily caught Kevin's bigger arms and his other pair of arms.
"I'm takin all of your alien powers.", Kevin said before Muscle Bound jumped up and kneed him in the face, before throwing a haymaker at him. Kevin dodged and uppercutted him back, he ran up, grabbed his head and head butted him with a lot more force than necessary. Strongarm scowled as he was thrown back, but regained footing and threw a double left handed jab at Kevin, then punched him right in the nose... or where it should be.
During all this, the Rust Bucket had finally arrived with the two Max, Ben and Gwen sliding down. The two ran over to the trapped gang members, the two ten year olds assisted their grandfather in lifting the pipe, which didn't take much effort on Max's part. "Moving day. Get out.", he sternly said.
Without any more convincing, the gang members immediately got up and ran away, looking for either a new hide out or just to see their families again.
Kevin tackles Strongarm to the ground and started punching him repeatedly, before getting kicked off by him. However as soon as Kevin was up, he grabbed his ankle and threw him into a wall and jumped back on him again. Kevin looked up as Muscle Bound mercilessly beat Kevin's face with his bare fist, attempting to throw him off, Kevin grabbed his shirt and tossed him before being met with another tackle.
Kevin had put up his guard a split second before that, however the sheer force broke his larger arms and sent him hurdling through a pillar. He put his arms up in defense as he trembled violently. "Okay okay I give! I'm sorry just... lighten up..." he tried to get up but he was already looking up at Muscle Bound.
"Alex! That's enough!", Muscle Bound and Kevin looked at Ben as the alien backed away from Kevin, reverting to normal.
"Why would you do that?"
"Because you don't have to get the snot beaten out of you.", Ben said pointing at Alex who just scoffed. "You could hang with us, use your powers to do actual good instead."
"What's in it for me?", Kevin asked curiously.
"Well for starters. People will like you.", Ben said as Kevin genuinely thought on that. He could actually have a home and not have to steal food or anything anymore, he could sleep on a nice bed and eat good food.
Kevin growled, before backhanding Ben with enough force to send him flying into Max, but not enough to kill him. He quickly picked up Alex by his left arm and laughed. "Oh, man. You are so dim.", Kevin said grinning wildly as Max ran up before he was smacked away by his smaller pair of arms. "Your mommy drop you on your head when you were a little baby? Now gimme that watch!", he said as he tried to pull it off.
"You're the one who's dim. I can't-", Alex was cut off as the two were shocked to see the Omnitrix recharge as soon as Kevin tried taking it off.
[Self Defense Protocol 1 has been activated, suddenly, an energy wave pulse exploded from the Omnitrix, sending both Alex and Kevin back... well Kevin had been sent into several more pillars and on the other side of the bridge.
Kevin didn't notice it when it happen, but as soon as he was encased in rubble, the Tetramand body had crumbled off into a blue mist. He looked at his hands as soon as he got up. "NOOOOO!!!", he yelled out and ran off someplace else.
It had been morning finally, and Ben looked at Max as Alex was sleeping peacefully on one of the bunk beds in the back. "I'm sorry, Grandpa. For everything.", he said as he realized his mistakes.
"I know you are. You're my grandson and nothing will ever change that, but my trust is something you'll have to earn back." Max said, accepting his apology but keeping a straight face, Ben just puts his head down.
Meanwhile in some random subway, it looked relatively abandoned, as if people just stopped using it. "Oh, if they thought I was a freak before, just wait.", Derek said with a bloodthirsty grin on his face, his black eye rings being more noticeable finally. His hands ignited with the flames of a Pyronite. Knowing his new abilities and what he can do, he started cackling like an maniac.
/End/