Blonko woke in a dark place. He blinked, eyes trying to adjust, and he found it wasn't pitch black. The lighting was just dim and the reddish walls seemed to blend into the background. It was very surreal. If not for the throbbing in his head, Blonko would have thought this was a dream.
So this was Vilgax's lair. It seemed so… alien. Unusual. Different. It was and Blonko knew he should've expected that. It was just that he'd never really imagined a building could be made of metal or washed with such unnatural colors. The ship he'd flown on during the training trip was one thing and it was quite strange on its own but this was totally different. So much space, such foregin qualities in the air, what a bizarre place.
He was suspended in the air with his hands bound so he couldn't reach the Omnitrix. His bindings were chain, the metal not softened in the slightest and digging roughly into the flesh of his wrists and ribcage. Disoriented as he was, Blonko couldn't fully comprehend what was happening but after a few minutes, he realized his hand was still attached to him. That was unexpected.
"The Revonnahgander awakens," Vilgax rumbled, drawing Blonko's attention to where the warlord was sitting on the other side of the room. He rose and stalked over. He didn't touch Blonko but his presence was invasive enough.
"You did not remove the Omnitrix," Blonko stated, the question unspoken but present. Wasn't the whole point of this for Vilgax to obtain the Omnitrix for himself? Why hadn't he removed it while Blonko was unconscious? Why bother kidnapping him? Did he want him to be awake when he removed the Omnitrix? Did he want to hurt him? Would it be painful?
Vilgax chuckled, like he knew something Blonko didn't and was relishing in the fact. Which he probably was. He seemed like the type. "I have no need for an Omnitrix on my arm. You only tasted a fraction of my power. I am already more than any other. No, a live host would be much more beneficial for my purposes."
Blonko tipped his head. Vilgax seemed in a talking mood. Maybe he'd reveal his plans, not that Blonko could do much with them if he knew them. Still, it would be better to know than not. "Why? What use does the Omnitrix have on me instead of you? I will not willingly serve you and I will not break easily."
"Who the Omnitrix is on doesn't matter," Vilgax responded, stepping away from Blonko as if bored. He began tapping at his computer but kept talking. "I merely need to study it."
That was a surprise to Blonko. "You are a scientist? I thought you were a conqueror?"
"I am," Vilgax hummed absently. "The best are both."
That made sense, Blonko supposed, but something wasn't adding up. "The Omnitrix cannot be used as a tool for conquest. There is only one and it is attached to me."
"For now."
Vilgax's ominous words confused Blonko for a second. Of course it was only attached for now. That's what Blonko was asking about. Then he realized that wasn't the part Vigax was responding to. "You are going to create more."
Vilgax smirked. "You're slow but you got here. Yes, you're correct. I'm going to duplicate the Omnitrix and create an army. Imagine, soldiers with the strength of a Tetramand, the speed of a Kineceleran, the versatility of a Flourana, the ability to fly and generate terrifying hallucinations like a Phantasian, the unpredictable intellect of a Planchaküle, the sheer potential of a Volvitras's orbit and a Phantophage's spiritual fire, the ability to engage in water combat as a Delphinus, the power to generate even greater numbers with a Somosapien…"
Vilgax spoke like Blonko didn't know exactly how powerful these aliens were. And, since they were his aliens and not Vilgax's, Blonko knew the flaws in his plans. Sure, Four Arms was strong. XLR8 was fast. Bloxx and Wildvine would be used in a multitude of situations. Terrorsaur could be brutal. Juryrigg's creations could turn the tides of battle. Antigravitesla and Archfiend were capable of great power. Tidetail Wave brought a unique skillset to the arsenal. Kringl the Summoner's elves could be incredibly useful as sacrificial pawns on the battlefield. But they were difficult to use.
Blonko had trained for a whole season and he didn't know how to use all his aliens. Soldiers would need to master these forms to really be effective and that would require training. Blonko doubted they would have the time to figure it out on their own and it would be near impossible to find consenting teachers from ten different species, especially considering the diversity among them. Fundamentally, Vilgax's plan was broken.
But Blonko was sure there was something he was missing. Vilgax was smart. He'd gone on plenty of war campaigns before, Blonko was sure. He knew what he was doing and he'd be able to overcome any challenges that came his way.
Vilgax took Blonko's silence as a victory and continued monologuing. "Fascinating, isn't it? I will make sure the universe knows it was you who allowed me to conquer it when every alien on every planet hails me as their king. Perhaps a small footnote or anecdote in the history books."
With that final note, Vilgax turned away and exited the room, leaving Blonko to stew in his thoughts.
It was oddly hot in the room Vilgax had chosen to imprison Blonko. And damp. It made his fur feel sticky and gross. It wasn't very humid on Revonnah. Blonko wasn't used to it. Was it getting hotter? If this was torture, it was very unusual but it was working. Blonko was very uncomfortable. He was sweaty which made him slide down a bit in his chains but they were still too tight to wrestle himself free.
Was this going to be the rest of his life? A prisoner on Vilgax's ship? His Omnitrix tested and experimented on until Vilgax managed to replicate it? What would happen afterward? Would Vilgax kill him? Blonko had so many questions and he wasn't sure if he wanted the answers.
He tried not to think about it and let his mind wander but thinking about home was almost worse. It still felt like a fever dream. Blonko never imagined he'd be outed in front of his village like that. Maybe Young One would see him transform or Rayona would realize Terrorsaur had been him but never something on this scale. His life could never return to the way it was.
Blonko may never see his family again. And if he did, they would shun him. He had no home, no friends. He may even have to renounce his family name, depending on how strong their reactions were. He'd never work the fields again. He'd never attend another harvest festival. He'd never again walk in the moonlight with the girl that held his heart. He'd never get to tinker with Young One or gossip with Shim or read to Shi. He'd never hear his father's voice or taste his mother's cooking. He'd lost everything he held dear.
Blonko regretted the way he spent the past few months. He loved the life he'd carved with Wat-Sen, Tetrax, Shar, and his Omnitrix but that didn't mean he had to leave his life at home behind. He wanted nothing more than for things to just go back to the way they were. Oh how he wished he'd savored this last harvest season. If he'd known it was his last…
Blonko wasn't sure how long he spent hanging there in Vilgax's humid prison but his thoughts began to scatter into a blurry, blended mess. His breaths grew shorter and his head drooped as his head tried. It became hard to distinguish his thoughts but eventually, he managed to pinpoint one that stood out stronger than the others: this was the Omnitrix's fault.
If he hadn't gotten curious! If he hadn't tried touching that chunk of space debris. Then the Omnitrix wouldn't be stuck on his arm. He wouldn't have to fight bounty hunters or intergalactic warlords. He wouldn't have to lie awake at night horrified by his aliens' powers. He wouldn't have to keep secrets from his family. He wouldn't feel like an alien monster.
...He wouldn't have Tetrax. He wouldn't be as close with Shar or Wat-Sen. Maybe those were non-negotiable, things he would never give up if given the choice to change time, but he wasn't really thinking about that right now.
Any future he could have had was ruined. His vision for his life later down the road was always blurry, caught between his dreams of reaching for the stars and his father's expectations. At the very least, he could always picture a life on his family's farm tending to the fields and caring for his elderly parents. Perhaps a wife and a child or two. It was the expectation for a Revonnahgander and normally he hated the thought of it but right now, his heart ached for that happy, simple life.
Blonko's body was growing fatigued from holding it up. He went limp and just let himself dangle, chains swinging him with the slightest movement. His rage quelled as his mind became hazy again and he drifted into the silent flow of misery. He was starting to feel nauseous and tired. He wished Vilgax would just lower the chains and let him lie down. He wouldn't even try to escape, he just wanted to ease his pain a little bit.
At some point, he started hearing voices. At first, he thought he was hallucinating. He heard a loud crash and suddenly his aliens were around him, talking to him. Telling him nonsense he couldn't comprehend. And then he noticed he was cooler and he realized he really was hearing voices.
"Is he okay?" Shar asked. Blonko stirred at the sound of it and felt his fur brush the hard crystal of Tetrax's arms. He'd been carried out. He was free.
Blonko tried to speak but his mouth was dry. Someone passed him a canteen and he began slurping down its contents greedily, not caring that he was spilling water down his front. When he was done, he felt a lot better and he was able to comprehend his surroundings. Tetrax and Shar were there, of course. Wat-Sen was the one who handed him the water. But the fourth figure shocked him. "Father?"
"Oh, my son," Da spoke, sounding relieved. Tetrax lowered Blonko and let the boy's father embrace him. It was a surprise to Blonko but a welcome one. Blonko didn't even care that his damp fur would ruin his father's clothes. It was nice to be held. To feel loved.
"You are not angry?" Blonko asked, voice barely above a whisper. Why was Da here? The others were expected but his father? His father who was suspicious of everything alien? Who would always take whatever alien technology he found in Blonko's hands? Who told him that aliens were evil and he must not allow himself to become enamored by them?
Da sighed. "You keep asking me that. I feel that I have failed as a parent."
Blonko felt a stab of guilt and shook his head. "You are far from a failure. I was the one who did not tell-"
Da shook his head, cutting him off. "No, I feel I am deserving of this reaction. You did not tell me that you had gained these alien powers because you feared my response. I am ashamed to say I likely would have not reacted well. If it had not escalated to this degree, I fear… We can talk about this later. We need to get you out of here."
Blonko began to nod before stopping him. "What about Vilgax?"
"What about him?"
"Vilgax will just come back," Blonko said, shaking his head. "I am grateful for you coming to save me but if I return to Revonnah, he will just come back again. We were lucky no one was killed but Vilgax may be less merciful. And there is nowhere to hide. If I try to run, he will only chase me."
Da looked unsettled. His son's words were true, as much as he didn't want to believe them. Shar and Wat-Sen looked at each other, silently asking if the other had any idea what to do. It was Tetrax who spoke. "We're not leaving you on this ship."
"But-"
"We're destroying the ship," Tetrax declared, getting a surprised reaction from the rest of the group. "Think about it. Vilgax can't come after Blonko without this thing. Hell, he can't even hold him here without the ship. We can blow it up and stick Vilgax on a moon or something if he survives."
"Juryrigg could build another Null Void projector," Wat-Sen said suddenly. At the Revonnahganders' confused looks, he explained. "The thing you built to defeat Eighteight and Sevenseven. It's a portal to a prison in a pocket dimension. You built one before, do you think you can do it again?"
Slowly, Blonko nodded. "I believe so."
"Alright then, Here's the plan," Wat-Sen said, voice taking an authoritative tone as he pulled the group into a huddle. "Tetrax, you do as much damage as you can wherever you think is best. Shar and Da, you try to find the control panel. Either set the ship to self-destruct or find some way to draw Vilgax's attention. I'll stick with Blonko and radio you when the Null Void projector's ready."
"What do we do when it is?"
"Blonko will confront him. I'll blast him and Tetrax will make sure Blonko's out of its range," Wat-Sen explained, the plan clicking into place before their eyes. "Shar and Da will make sure our ticket out of here's ready. Got that?"
"Yes," everyone said in unison. Blonko gulped. A lot of this was resting on him. Fingers going to the Omnitrix, he dialed up Juryrigg and let himself go wild.
"Everyone in position?"
"Yes."
"Yup."
"We're coming your way!"
Blonko pressed his back against the wall, sharp hearing tuned into the light pattern of his sister and father's footsteps and the heavy stomps of their pursuer thundering after them. Blonko wasn't the religious type but he sent a quick prayer out to whatever spirits were watching and stepped out into the corridor.
Da and Shar blew past him, making a break for the landing bay a few clicks down the hall. Green tentacles, bulging muscles, and red armor filled Blonko's vision. Vilgax was nearly on top of them, far closer than he expected. He slammed his hand down on the Omnitrix and lunged at the larger alien.
One fist hit Vilgax in the face instead of two.
"Antigravitesla?" He looked down at his hands, surprised by gloved hands. This wasn't what he selected. "What happened to Four Arms?"
Instead of saying something snarky, Vilgax just snatched him off the ground, colossal hands wrapping around Antigravitesla's waist, and threw him against the wall so hard he didn't have time to catch himself. Briefly, his eyes met Wat-Sen and Tetrax's from their hiding place. Silently, they shot him questioning looks. Using Antigravitesla wasn't the plan. Unfortunately, the Volvitras could do little more than shrug before Vilgax was dragging him away.
Vilgax grabbed Antigravitesla by the foot and swung him through the air before slamming him down like a crazed animal. Antigravitesla grunted and tried to generate enough electricity to shock Vilgax off of him but he arcing through the air again before he could. And then again. And again.
By the time Vilgax let him go, he managed to have enough of an electrical charge built up but he was too disoriented to really aim it so he ended up dropping it when Vilgax punched him. Electricity flew from his hands, lighting up the floor and sending sparks everywhere, but Vilgax seemed entirely unaffected.
Vilgax paused for a moment, looking unamused. Antigravitesla felt his stomach drop. "You don't know how to use that form, do you?"
Antigravitesla didn't want to dignify that with a response. Controlling one of the fundamental forces of physics was hard! And he didn't need to know how to use this alien anyway. This figure was similar to that of a Revonnahgander and that meant he could use his Revonnah Kai.
When Vilgax's next blow came, Antigravitesla swiftly ducked under it and jabbed upward with his hands, landing a few blows on Vilgax's ribs. As expected, they didn't do anything. It didn't even seem like Vilgax felt them.
Antigravitesla stepped back and weaved around Vilgax's arm as it swung down. "You really don't know how to use that form."
Antigravitesla grimaced before exerting some of his gravitational power. Not enough to risk pulling any of his allies away from their duties or hiding places but enough to tear a scrap of metal off the wall and hurl it at Vilgax. The alien turned, letting it fly by him, before snagging it with his claws and hurling it back at his attacker.
Something clicked in Antigravitesla's mind that distracted him so much he failed to dodge the oncoming chunk of metal and was slammed into the wall. But that was okay. It was all coming together. It felt like a blindfold was being lifted off his eyes. Vilgax was the perfect balance of strength, agility, and smarts. The reason Antigravitesla's powers were so uncontrolled was that he wasn't balanced.
He could feel the gravitational pull of everything around him. He could feel his own orbit. He could feel the electricity buzzing through everything. They all pulled on each other. And it was all his to manipulate as he pleased.
When Vilgax pried the sheet of metal off him and a fist came rushing towards Antigravitesla's scruffy face, Antigravitesla stopped him. Pulling on Vilgax's gravity and exerting his own, he managed to freeze the Chimera Sui Generis mid-blow. Vilgax's expression shifted and his eyes widened in alarm as he realized what was happening. Antigravitesla knew what was happening and a wide grin spread across his face. The next time Antigravitesla threw a punch, he backed it up with a shove of gravity and a pulse of electrical power. Vilgax was sent flying.
The metal creaked as Vilgax's weight dented it. He wiped his mouth, looking angry. "Good move but it won't save you."
"We'll see about that," Antigravitesla replied and pulled Vilgax threw the air into another electrified fist. Unfortunately, Vilgax was expecting it this time and lifted a foot to bat the hand away before it could land. He landed neatly and the two started grappling.
Antigravitesla could still use his powers like this. Sure, they worked better at a range but he had control now. Maybe not as good as it could be but it felt like he'd found the last piece of the puzzle that was a Volvitras's powers. He could exert it in the smallest ways. He could make his blows hit harder, pull back enough so he didn't feel the full force of one of Vilgax's attacks, limit Vilgax's range of motion- It was more than enough to give him an edge. Maybe not overpower him but certainly hold his own.
He started to control the tides of battle and began nudging Vilgax towards the spot he'd marked on the ground as a Revonnahgander. It wasn't obvious, at least not to someone in the middle of a fight, but Vilgax seemed to sense Antigravitesla was trying to make him do something and became resistant. The smaller alien was forced to use his gravitational powers a bit more than he thought he could afford.
"What is your plan, child?" Vilgax snarled, claws going for Antigravitesla's face. He leaned back, the Chimera Sui Generis's claws barely brushing the hair of his mustache. If Vilgax managed to get a grip on that… Well, that would be an embarrassing way to go.
"On your left!" Tetrax suddenly shouted and came barreling out of his hiding place. He tackled Antigravitesla off his feet and let their momentum carry him to the edge of the room that they were using as a battlefield. He pressed a hand against Antigravitesla's chest just as the Omnitrix began beeping and encased both himself and Blonko in a protective box of crystal.
Vilgax whirled around, confused, as Wat-Sen stepped out of his hiding place with a large cannon in front of him. "Eat Null Void, squidface."
"What?" Vilgax roared as the portal opened up behind him. His demeanor changed the moment he saw the red landscape behind him. "No!"
"Oh yes," Wat-Sen responded, crouching behind the projector. The power of the portal could be felt throughout the room, even where Blonko was. Vilgax was swept off his feet and began clawing furiously at the ground. For a moment, Blonko worried that he'd actually be able to fight it off and crawl over to the Null Void projector and shut it off but a shot of peranite from Tetrax ended that attempt and Vilgax was sent falling into the Null Void.
Tetrax quickly retracted the protective casing once the portal was closed and took off running, Wat-Sen abandoning the projector and hurrying after them. "Shar sent this place to blow."
"And you're only telling me now?" Blonko questioned as Tetrax pinned him under his arm to carry him like a bag of grain. His eyes flickered to the Omnitrix. It was still red. If they needed XLR8 to get out, they'd have to wait. "Excuse the contraction."
"Please hurry! We do not have much time!" Shar yelled as the trio burst into the hangar. She sat at the pilot's seat of a small ship, Da beside her. Tetrax yanked the door open and threw himself and Blonko in. Wat-Sen joined them a few moments later and shut the door behind them.
"Go, go, go!"
"How does Shar know how to fly a ship?" Blonko yelled as the engines fired up and the ship began pulling out of the hangar. He didn't actually know how long they had but everyone else seemed frantic so yelling felt like the only appropriate response.
Tetrax cursed in a language Blonko didn't understand and hurried up to the pilot's panel. He began hitting buttons and the ship took on a burst of speed, shooting out of the hangar doors the moment they opened. A few moments later, Blonko heard an explosion and an alarm blaring. He hoped they were far enough to escape on time.
The landing was rough. More than rough. Half controlled by Shar and half guided by Tetrax, it was not pretty. The explosion rocked the ship roughly and apparently Tetrax didn't know how strong Revonnah's gravity was without an automated guidance system. Da thankfully had a seat and was strapped in but Blonko and Wat-Sen were being thrown all over the cargo area in the back.
But, they made it. That was what mattered. And they managed to land pretty close to the village which was a bonus.
The ship was totaled so Tetrax had no problem punching through the windshield. He climbed out before offering a hand to Shar and then Da. Blonko and Wat-Sen climbed out a moment later, Wat-Sen wheezing a bit more than he should.
"I think I'm taking a vacation after this," Wat-Sen commented once his feet were on flat, solid ground.
"You deserve it," Shar responded. She ran her hand through her hair and over the fur on her face, partially to neaten it and partially to make sure everything was there. "We all deserve it."
Blonko let out a long breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding as the weight of everything hit him. He'd had the chance to ponder it a bit during his imprisonment on Vilgax's ship but his thoughts had been too unclear to be meaningful. Now, he realized exactly what had happened.
Vilgax the Conqueror attacked his village. One of the most feared aliens in the galaxy. And Blonko had defeated him. In the process, the village learned of his alien powers. That… What could he say about that? How could he possibly comprehend the magnitude of that? Vilgax's attack had changed Blonko's life forever.
The villagers had seen the ship coming down and slowly began to trickle over the hillside to the landing spot. Blonko watched them until they came close enough to see their faces. They were guarded and untrusting. Blonko expected that but it stung. He searched the crowd for his mother and youngest siblings but he couldn't find them. Instead, his eyes met Rayona's. She looked away quickly. That stung too but Blonko dismissed it quickly. He had bigger things to worry about than crushes and girls. Like whether his village would reject him or not.
"Brother! Father! Sister!" Young One's voice cut through the silence. The tiny form weaved through the mass of villagers and bundled into Blonko's arms. "I was so worried! Father would not let me come even though he let Shar go. I thought the evil man had eaten you!"
"I would not let him eat me," Blonko soothed, somewhat comforted by his brother's childish concerns. He was worried and scared, which Blonko regretted being the cause of, but at least he didn't really understand what had happened. That was good. No matter what happened, he wouldn't lose his brother.
"You were supposed to stay in the village with your mother and sisters," Kundo said sternly, stepping forward. His face was tight with disapproval and his eyes were sharp with suspicion. Another time, Blonko may have thrown himself on his knees and begged for his forgiveness and mercy but Blonko had long since stopped considering Kundo his master. Tetrax was more of a teacher than he was and Wat-Sen was more of a mentor than he'd ever been.
Young One stuck out his tongue, making a few of the villagers gasp. "You are not my father! You cannot tell me what to do!"
"You should have stayed in the village," Da murmured, putting a hand on Young One's back, "but I am happy to see you. I am sure your brother is as well."
Blonko ran his fingers through Young One's hair, silently telling him he was. He turned to Kundo, confidence welling up in his chest. He'd just defeated Vilgax. He could stand up to a simple Revonnahgander no problem. "Was there something you wanted to say to me?"
Kundo lifted his chin. "You are an alien. Your friends are aliens. Aliens are not welcome in this village."
"You can't do that!" Shar cried. "Don't forgive the contraction! I mean it! Blonko was your student! He is one of the village! He is still the same Revonnahgander he's always been. You c-"
"Shar, let it go," Blonko told her softly, putting a hand on her shoulder. A humble feeling set in his belly. "Yelling will not change his mind."
Shar whirled on him. "Do you not want to stay here?"
"Of course I do! But Kundo cannot decide that."
"I'm afraid the decision wasn't solely Kundo's," Tetrax murmured. Blonko opened his mouth to ask what he meant before remembering the looks on his friends and neighbors' faces. They would never see him as one of them again.
"I'm so sorry, kid," Wat-Sen apologized, rubbing the back of his neck and looking down. "I can't help but feel like this is my fault."
"It's not," Blonko told him quickly. "Do not believe otherwise."
"What will you do, big brother?" Young One asked, looking up from Blonko's arms with wide eyes. Blonko started to answer but trailed off. He didn't know. All he knew was this village. What lay beyond…
Thankfully, Da seemed to have the answer. "Perhaps it was time I agreed to let you apply to the Plumber Academy, my son."
