Things are a bit rough since this was recently just finished so I'll make some changes and edits in a bit.

Here I tried to do some more character focus/build up before moving on to the main plot next chapter. So sorry if things seem slow this chapter.

Also: The MC's name, for now, is Jonothan. I'm not settled on what he looks like but its either Arthur Pendragon (male saberface) with black hair or Zack Fair for face with Amon/Noatak for hair (weird pair of characters I know but they look surprisingly similar and I think that they're a good fit.) As for his voice, its Amon's.

Following the search and its failure to yield any results, Enoch called forth all the knights to our common meeting area.

"That wretch, Howell, had managed to steal the alien right under our noses. Not only that, but we've also lost the intruders that had managed to get in. An old man and a young girl had managed to get past our guards and a civilian, whose primary occupation is waiting at children's pools, had stolen a live alien specimen! One of these is embarrassing, both are unfortunately so, but the fact that both have gotten away from us is disgraceful!" Enoch chastised, letting his displeasure be known to all. But his tone calmed with his next set of words, "No matter. Despite losing the alien, we have not lost anything. In fact, we have gained something. To think that one of our own could have aided in this. Yes, we've gained the knowledge that we have an infiltrator, or even a traitor, among us."

It took a bit of effort for me not to laugh at how sure Enoch is trying to sound with the reveal of a traitor. After all, he doesn't know it is and he won't find out until it's too late for him.

At the reveal of a traitor, there were a couple of whispers and some looking around. Most likely not to pin any eyes on a particular someone since we were all dressed the same but in a general sense of looking for something out of place. For someone.

Of course, I had planned for this. My armor was what allowed me to act freely but would also give away that someone within the group was a traitor. So, I borrowed an unused suit from another and had it go missing, thus they had no viable suspect. As for my absence, I had another to cover for me so I should be clear on that end.

After pausing to let the information settle, Enoch continued, "For now, we will continue as usual. However, there will be remedial lessons for every guard when it does not conflict with their shifts. I will not allow for a repeat of this situation. You are dismissed!"

With the meeting adjourned, the Knights went our separate ways and to our tasks and other previous duties. Once we were a distance away from Enoch's ears, the whispers became murmurs as some started to gossip about recent events. Though those whispers were drowned out by complaints and mocking from and of those in guard positions.

Despite how embarrassing it might've seemed for them, it was better than losing the entire castle as a headquarters along with the tech inside as it had originally happened. Also better, though minorly, was the fact that they never saw Ben outside of his Galvan form. I'm sure that they'll find out about him and the Omnitrix soon enough with them looking out for Max and Gwen and discovering his status as a retired plumber, but the less knowledge they have on Ben at the moment is for the better.

Speaking of the Tennysons, I do hope that Max is able to make use of my advice and prepare for Vilgax. Not only because it furthers their chances of survival, but it also gives me an opportunity to steal some of the wreckage left behind such as the drones and their weapons. And if some Plumber tech happened to be lying around, or perhaps the base itself was left unattended, I wouldn't mind helping myself to it.

And since our branch was focused on the retrieval of alien technology, gaining the tech of Vilgax, a prominent warlord in the universe, would certainly earn me some reputation. The more of that I get, the more I can rise up in status and authority.

So essentially my plan for promotion is to just follow the Tennysons and steal the remains of their adventures along with pre-emptively stealing from villains as well. Once I replaced Enoch, I'd have a lot more room to go about as I pleased such as looking into magic.

After all, despite some such as Patrick's faction looking down on magic and even some amongst this faction, Enoch couldn't care less as he went after the Mayan Sword of Ek Chuaj. And while I'd certainly want that sword, it'd have to be after I learned of a way to prevent it from turning to dust and perhaps after I found a way to force its guardian into serving me. So, I'll have to sabotage that search quest for Enoch and Max later on.

I'd also have to keep an eye out for the Charms of Bezel as well, since if Gwen couldn't appreciate their power 'because I don't need it to be useful' then surely it'd be ripe for the taking.

But my search for magic would not be limited to weapons themselves, as an Anodite, I am magic for all intents and purposes (mana/energy if I were to be more detailed). No, my search for magic will also be in the form of knowledge, be it from recruiting Charmcaster and learning what she and Hex know from Ledgerdomain, artifacts of the world, and from Bezel himself once I've located him (I made it a task to learn many sleight of hand magic tricks in preparation of our meeting)

Though that wasn't to say that I hadn't been learning some magic of my own or even trying to replicate a system or two belonging to other universes. Now I'm not the most proficient in the German language but I think that I made do with their arts such as the bow, though I needed to draw from within rather than the ambiance around me.

Of course, I can't act on the beginning of such a plan until something happens over at Mount Rushmore to inform me of the events. Which if I correctly recall would be an episode after Ben dealt with a hobo with bug control that Skitter ripped off. For now, I'm to continue with my usual tasks and activities.

As an organization, we were varied. The faction that I was in happened to be the paramilitary branch, with Enoch as the commanding officer. So, as with any military group, we had facilities for training.

I spent a good chunk of time here myself. As while it wasn't entirely necessary to train my physical shell since I could drop it for my true form of a being of mana, it doesn't hurt to spend time building up my skills and muscle memory for combat.

Speaking of my physical shell, it still wasn't something that I was used to, even after all these years. The fact that I only referred to it as a shell alone was enough to say how different my very being was but having a face different from the one I had in my first life always brings forth a surreal feeling. After all, you do get used to being a different species as that's an ever-present feeling (even if I started this life as seemingly a pure human before my Spark revealed my Anodite heritage), looking at your face after a major change less so as you still expect a former sight.

I wouldn't complain about my new face, it was a decently handsome one. Though I suppose that with being a saberface with black hair and dark blue eyes, you couldn't be anything other than a handsome face.

I suppose that the face didn't truly matter in a sense, as it is either hidden by a mask of metal or serves as a mask of flesh. But I'm not really gonna complain about being hot any day now, though I might should my face get hit. Shell or not, I still feel pain.

Still, the rest of my body was ready for pain. Now literally since I just got out of my armor and into a lighter set of training armor. It was at the training grounds proper that I found my brothers in arms during a sparring session. They usually wore the same armor as I did, as did everyone else here, but here there were instead garbed in standard training garb.

It was there that I came to the sight of a nearly finished spar.

The two fighters circled each other, their swords clashing in a symphony of steel. The first fighter was a master swordsman, his movements smooth and precise. The second fighter was a skilled spearman, but his swordsmanship was lacking.

Despite the second fighter's disadvantage, he fought with all of his might, hoping to catch his opponent off guard. But the first fighter was too skilled, parrying every blow with ease. After a few minutes of intense fighting, the first fighter managed to disarm their opponent, sending their weapon flying across the sparring ground.

The second fighter stumbled backward, caught off guard by the sudden move. They tried to regain their footing, but the first fighter was too quick. With a swift strike, they knocked the second fighter off their feet, sending them crashing to the ground.

The second fighter lay there for a moment, dazed and disoriented. The first fighter stood over them, weapon at the ready. But instead of delivering the final blow, they sheathed their weapon and extended a hand to help the second fighter up.

"Good fight," he said with a smile.

The second fighter took their hand and pulled themselves to their feet, "You're a menace with that thing," he admitted.

I took water from a nearby bench and walked over to where the defeated was catching his breath before handing him a water bottle.

"Better luck next time, my friend," I said with a smile.

Cu nodded in thanks, still getting a few breaths in. He took a long drink of water, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and looked refreshed already. "Yeah, I'll get him next time. Thanks for the bottle," The man had an appearance that I could call average, besides the blue hair that he had, but I wouldn't be surprised if he could be found on a modeling cover out there. Then again, it was rare that you could call a spirited man like Cu Chulainn

"Ah, Jonathan, it took you long enough to get here." The victor said as he looked at me with a smug look. A young man with long golden blond hair and green eyes, a real Prince Charming one could say. Though, unlike the momma's boy, he actually knew how to fight. Frighteningly so. Then again, no matter my disbelief, nobody expected otherwise of Jamie Lannister.

"Yes, yes, do forgive me for being preoccupied with listening to our dear leader rant and rave over the failure of the guards," I explained with a chuckle.

Jaime shrugged it off, "No matter, you haven't missed much besides my domination of this duel. Though it would be a domination all the same, you or Cu regardless."

"I'd like to see you say that had this been in reverse, forced to use a weapon " Cu challenged.

"I can admit that I hold even less skill with a lance than you do with a sword, but the guards make use of such weapons, and correct me if I'm wrong, failed to do so against an old man and young girl."

"Seeing as they likely had an alien interfering, I wouldn't count that," Cu countered, before grumbling a complaint, "Though remedial training is going to be a pain in the ass, especially since I wasn't even on duty when this happened." I know, that was intentional on my end since Max and Gwen getting by you would've made things much harder for them and me.

"Oh quit your complaining. Your hopelessness with a sword is reason enough to throw you back into remedial. How you became a knight with those sword skills is beyond me."

"Because we're a secret organization that specializes in stealing alien technology?" I helpfully reminded him.

"We still have traditions, you know. The knight is one of the most noblest of warriors, it's only fitting that we strive to be the best that we could be in all of its aspects. If George had done so millenia ago, then so can we." Jaime said a bit too hotly, a remnant of Squirehood having not left him completely in his idealism.

"Then again, despite you being closer to George's ideals than most of the current Forever Kings, you're the type to use something as dishonorable as 'pocket sand' and cheat me out of victory for the Squire Tournament," Jaime added, still sore about our match from a while ago.

"You shouldn't be too offended that I resorted to that if you're as good as you think you are. And do remember that I lost the tournament at that as well. Besides, the fact that you went into it expecting honor when we're technically criminals is your own fault." I rebuked.

"And while not as adept with the sword as you are, my archery skills are far greater than your own, considering that you could hardly aim with a gun let alone a bow," I said.

"I agree with Jonothan," Cu added, "that while not having your skill with a sword, proven by our latest match, you'll never reach the heights that I can with a lance."

Jamie wasn't too fond of ranged weapons since they very easily countered swordsmen. Of course with our armor we'd certainly be able to tank average bullets, but eventually, our armor would give and we'd meet the same fate as the poor sods right after guns started being used widely. So he didn't care much for that response.

But as the youngest out of us here, he didn't take too kindly to the mention of heights.

"I'm neither a jouster nor a peasant levy, so I hold no need to master a lance. With my sword, the rest of you would be on the floor while I'd be barely winded."

I was only a few years older than him, and even then I could freely admit that he was my superior when it came to swordsmanship. Honestly, I wasn't surprised considering his counterpart.

And though he may be right about myself and Diramuid (provided that he was using a sword rather than a lance), Bedivere was a close opponent for him. When the sword was an extension of his only arm, he was able to use it rather well. It was unfortunate that our faction didn't have any healing technology or cybernetics as we were more geared towards 'take over the world' thanks to Enoch or 'get revenge on the Plumbers' thanks to Driscoll. So weapons were our main focus.

The guy was humble like that to not call the boasting lad out on that whenever he was near for it. Plus he was content to sit our verbal nonsense out.

Though, if there could be anyone that could challenge Jamie Lannister's rising legend,

"Is that right?"

All eyes turned to a new face. It was a fellow member of our little group. The figure wore the same armor we wore though it was noticeably leaner and shorter. Not enough to be Squire sized of course, and woe to any who'd dare to say otherwise. Her weapon of choice? A sword. I mention that because she was looking to sharpen her skills through training as would most here. Normally she wouldn't have arrived so late, barring reasons of duty, if it weren't for her helping me out in covering for my absence.

It'd be the spawn of an ancient legend, Artoria Pendragon.

"Ah, you're back, and later than Jonothan at that."

"Yes, I am. And from a dull thing too. Mostly about preparations for some grand thing Jonathan boasts about from time to time." She mentioned offhandedly. It was simple and vague enough to hide what she was doing, more than enough to not draw any attention among whispers of a traitor. Though judging by the sly grins on Jaime and Cu's faces, it also carried a disarming innuendo toward me.

Despite her joke, Artoria seemed utterly unfazed by the company she had just been given, except that she had just walked in when Jamie made his claim of beating everyone here with ease. Which just so seemingly included her.

"Usually, I'd be inclined to meet that challenge, you're not in a state to be anything more than a warm-up. That, and I've come to duel with Jonothan." she said before turning her gaze sharp at me, "It's been some time since we last sparred

I could see the glint in Artoria's eyes, and I knew that she meant business. We had trained together many times before, and each time we did, I came away with a newfound respect for her skills. She was a formidable opponent, and I knew that if I wanted to stand a chance, I would need to be at my best.

"Very well," I said, unsheathing my sword. "Let's see if I've improved since the last time we spared."

Artoria nodded, and we stepped into the training circle. The rest of the group gathered around us, eager to watch the match. I could feel their eyes on me, but I tried to block them out, focusing instead on Artoria.

We circled each other, swords at the ready. I could see the determination in her eyes, and I knew that she was not going to hold back. I took a deep breath, steadied myself, and then made the first move.

Our swords clashed, the sound echoing throughout the training room. I could feel the vibration of the impact travel up my arm, but I didn't let it phase me. Instead, I pushed forward, trying to gain the upper hand.

Artoria was quick, however, and she parried my attack with ease. She followed up with a counter-attack, which I barely managed to dodge. We continued to exchange blows, each one more intense than the last.

As the match wore on, I began to feel the strain of the exertion. My arms were getting heavy, and my breathing was becoming labored. But Artoria showed no signs of slowing down. She was a machine, relentless in her pursuit of victory.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I made a mistake. I left myself open for just a moment, and Artoria seized the opportunity. With a lightning-fast strike, she disarmed me, sending my sword clattering to the ground.

The group erupted into cheers, and Artoria offered me a hand to shake, a show of respect. I took it, feeling a mix of disappointment and pride.

"Well fought," she said, with a smile.

I grinned back at her, feeling a sense of camaraderie that only comes from shared experience. We may have been opponents in the training circle, but outside of it, we were still allies, united in our quest for greatness. And out of everyone here, she was my closest ally in my quest to the top.

Eventually, we had to conclude training so we could rest and finish whatever duties we had remaining.

"It's a dangerous game, the one that you're playing Jonothan. Going against the order to save it." Artoria said once we reached a secret tunnel, the very same one that I had used to let the Tennysons escape.

"It is, but it's a necessary one, unfortunately. You know why."

Artoria nodded, a thoughtful look on her face. "I understand that. But you must be careful, Jonothan. This is the most overt you've ever been in your actions, and it seems like you'll be even more bold as we progress. Enoch and Driscoll may not see the true path, but they aren't blind either."

"I know," I said, sighing heavily. "But I cannot sit idly by and watch as the corruption spreads. Someone has to take a stand."

Artoria placed a hand on my shoulder. "I admire your bravery, Jonothan. But remember, you are not alone. I'm with you, whatever happens."

I smiled at her and clasped her shoulder back, grateful for her words of encouragement. I felt a surge of gratitude toward her. Artoria was one of the most skilled members of our group, and her loyalty meant everything to me. Akin to her spiritual counterpart, I knew that I could count on her, no matter what.

"Thank you, Artoria. That means a lot to me."

We parted ways, each of us heading back to our respective duties. As I walked through the secret tunnel, my mind was filled with thoughts of the future. I knew that the road ahead would be long and treacherous, but I was ready to face it head-on. The fate of the Order depended on it.

With a renewed sense of purpose, I emerged from the tunnel and stepped out into the moonlit courtyard. It was time to get to work.

A week passed. In the meantime, news of abnormal swarms of bugs interfering with construction popped up briefly before fading away in relevancy. Meaning that Clancey had been dealt with, at least for now. And speaking of now,

Reports of strange activity over in South Dakota had arrived.

Vilgax was here.

"Lord Enoch," I started while standing before the man. "I have come across what seems to be alien drones and a warship."

In his hands was a tablet displaying Vilgax's ship in the air in one panel, the others displaying downed and destroyed drones with some city rubble. Enoch looked at this before looking back at me. "This looks to be accurate. Now, why would you bring this to my attention, that level of technology is beyond our capabilities to handle."

"Because they are occupied in a battle with the Plumbers."

"The Plumbers you say? They were disbanded and retired."

"Apparently this alien was enough of a threat to merit them coming back in action."

"And you would like to pilfer the remains of their technology, alien and Plumber, while they are distracted with each other?"

"Yes,"

He looked at the tablet again before looking back at me. He didn't say anything for a few seconds, likely weighing on the pros and cons of this moment, "...Very well. You may leave with a squad. Do be discreet about your actions, I do not want the Plumbers to remain out of retirement any longer than they would've because they have deemed you to merit such a thing."

"Of course, Lord Enoch." I nodded before turning around and making my way to get my squad ready.

As we prepared to leave, I felt a sense of excitement and trepidation. This was the first step towards changing the organization from within.

The first step to change is at hand.

-XXXXXXXXX-

Max Tennyson paced back and forth in the command center of the Plumber base located deep within Mount Rushmore. He was worried and with good reason. The Omnitrix, a powerful device that allowed the user to transform into any alien species, was on Earth, on the wrist of his grandson at that, and Vilgax, a ruthless alien warlord, was coming for it.

"Max, it's good to see you after so long." Phil greeted as he walked into the base.

"I wish I could say the same, but current circumstances make it hard," Max replied, any happiness about the reunion dulled out by his worries.

"You sure about this intel, Max?"

"A member of the Organization gave me this information. I wouldn't take their words so seriously but he went against his group to help us and told us things that shouldn't be possible for him to know about. He knew who we were, and the reason why Vilgax would even come here, the Omnitrix."

He knew he couldn't face Vilgax alone and needed all the help that he could get. That's why he had called on his family, his brother Gordon, sister-in-law Betty Jean, and nephew Joel, who all served as Plumbers. Together, they could take down the alien warlord and protect the Omnitrix and Ben. Even if he feared that he would have to be involved should they fail.

They had to.

Phil and the others were scattered around the base, checking weapons and running drills. Max knew they were all experienced and capable fighters, but he still felt a sense of unease. Vilgax was not to be underestimated.

As Max continued to pace, he heard a voice behind him. "Max, you're going to wear a hole in the floor if you keep that up," said Gordon, his tone reassuring.

Max turned to face his brother. "I can't help it, Gordon. Vilgax is coming, and he won't stop until he has the Omnitrix. We need to be ready."

"I know," Phil said, nodding his head. "And we will be. We've faced Vilgax before, and some which could be said to be even worse. We'll do whatever it takes to stop him."

Max took a deep breath and nodded, feeling slightly more at ease. He knew that Phil was right. They had faced many dangerous situations together, and they had always come out on top.

With that, Max led his team out of the command center and into the heart of the Plumber base, ready to face whatever Vilgax had in store for them.

After handling Vilgax, Max would have to find that man again. He had questions that were running abuzz in his head that he wanted answered.

Hours passed, and the sun began to set over Mount Rushmore. The group had finished their preparations and was now waiting for Vilgax's arrival.

Ben stood at the entrance to the base, his Omnitrix ready to activate at a moment's notice. His family members stood behind him, weapons at the ready.

Suddenly, the ground shook, and a loud rumble echoed through the air. Max knew that it was Vilgax.

"Get ready, everyone," Max said, his voice steady. "This is it."

The group tensed, their eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of the alien warlord. And then they saw him: a massive spaceship descending from the sky before stopping right above them.

This was it.

I wanted to give some of the OG Plumbers some love since they either are never seen again (Tennyson Plumbers) or get screwed pretty bad (Phil). In regards to him, we'll see whether or not he cleans up his act after this, or maybe he'll be recruited by Jonothan to turn him away from releasing aliens and then catching them to make a buck.

And as you may have noticed, I'm using some expies of knights from other series. I'm doing that so I won't have to make a bunch of OCs. In case you may have missed them: Jamie Lannister, Cu Chulainn, Bedivere (mentioned), Artoria Pendragon. There'll be more but will be revealed later on.