DIFFERING TEMPS
It was a steaming day in Bellwood as several police cars drove through the streets. They seem to be chasing a criminal on the rooftops, the supposed fugitive is highly agile and easily gets away as the police cars come to a halt due to a fallen truck on fire in the middle of the road as Ben, Starley, and Korra arrive on the scene from the teen's car.
Police Officer: Ben Tennyson!
Ben: I see him. I go from above, you two take below?
Starley: Got it.
Korra: *to officer* Allow us to handle this.
Ben watches the pair run forward as he activates the Ultimatrix and slams down the dial, transforming into an Arachnichimp.
Spidermonkey: Spidermonkey!
Police Officer: Careful. She stole some kind of...fusion thing.
Spidermonkey: Chillax, I'm a superhero. I'm always careful.
On the rooftops, the chase continues as Spidermonkey tries to web the thief, causing them to slide and fall towards a construction site ahead. The thief tries to maneuver through the site but Spidermonkey breaks through one of the girders. The thief seems to stretch their arm to swing to safety as she stands on the edge of a girder.
Spidermonkey: At the end of your rope, huh?
Spidermonkey stalks the thief, who looks down and its revealed the thief is actually a teenage girl around Ben's age with light pink skin and reddish-pink hair and dark pink markings on her face. She wore a purple jacket with white fur collars and cuffs, pink stockings, a purple tiara atop her head, and purple snow boots, along with a visor over her eyes.
?: Not ever.
The girl signals to Spidermonkey to come at her, where she charges towards her, but she jumps and does a backflip. Her visor falls off, revealing her purple eyes and spiny eyebrows. Spidermonkey seems surprised as he continues to fall while Ester grapples onto the construction site.
?: You might have the power, Ben Tennyson, but I got the reach!
As Spidermonkey spind a web on the side of the building to catch himself, a ball of energy falls out of the container the girl was wearing around her shoulder. The ball falls to the ground and Spidermonkey follows it. As he lands, he attempts to grab the ball.
Starley: BEN, NO! DON'T TOUCH IT!
Just as he was about to ask why, the ball begins to melt the floor. The girl extends her arm and grabs the ball, much to their surprise.
?: It's been an honor, Ben. But I don't think that form suits you. Buh-bye!
She waves at Ben and swings away. Spidermonkey leaps to follow her, as do Starley and Korra as he flies up and she leaps from rooftop to rooftop, where all three stop on one.
Spidermonkey: Okay. So, the girl took the fusion device where?
Korra takes out her PLUMBER badge as a tracker and points ahead. As they leap down, the group arrives outside a tunnel.
Starley: Are you gonna stay as Spidermonkey?
Spidermonkey: Just till the Ultimatrix times out.
Starley: But it won't time out. Ever. The Ultimatrix runs on battery power, not a timer.
Spidermonkey: Oh. Well, in that case….
He slams the symbol on his chest, reverting back to Ben.
Korra: *chuckles* I think our thief appreciates this Ben Tennyson a little more.
Ben: Huh?
Korra: She seems to have an interest in some other form of yours.
Ben: Oh. She must have meant Echo Echo. So far, he's my cutest alien… Well, alongside Grey Matter, for some reason.
Starley: I dont think that's what she meant, Ben.
Korra: *badge beeps* It seems I have something.
The three go through the tunnel and traverse through the sewers. As they traverse through the sewers following Korra's badge, they stop in front of some odd looking machine as the tracker's beeping intensifies.
Ben: Bet it's that. But what is it?
Starley: An old thermo-electric generator. Guess it got dumped down here.
Ben shakes his head as he pulls on the collar of his shirt and took his jacket off, tying it around his waist.
Ben: It's even hotter down here than it is up there! What the hell?!
Korra: Perhaps I can recalibrate-
Starley: Don;t bother.. I can sense her, she's close. Follow me.
Starley flies ahead as Ben and Korra follow behind him. As they enter a large room of pipes, the three hear thudding and look up to see the girl running on the pipelines overhead. As she reaches a dead end, Starley levitates Ben up the pipes to confront her as Korra stands on a lower pipe.
Ben: Hold it!
Girl: *excited* You turned human.
Ben: Yeah…. I do that.
Starley: Look, we don't have to fight. Just hand over the fusion core, please.
Girl: What if I told you I couldn't?
Korra: It is not a matter of "could". There are three of us and only one of you.
Girl: *steps back slowly* You sure you won't just trust me on this?... No?
She leaps onto the lower pipes and runs. Ben follows while Korra leaps up and breaks off a higher pipe to block her, but she changes course as Ben transforms into Upchuck.
Upchuck: Upchuck!... Was going for Lodestar, but sure, why not?
Upchuck then bit off a chunk of the pipe he was standing on and eats it as Starley floats up to block her. The girl attacks Starley but he manages to dodge her and he counters with a small fireball, which she dodges. They trade a few quick blows, but the girl uses her elastic powers to push Starley back. Korra jumps up with Upchuck in hand as he spits out an energy ball to break them off as Korra lands on a pipe. However, the pipes they all stand on breaks and they fall down. Upchuck stands over the girl and has procured her container as he turns back to Ben.
Girl: Ow!
Upchuck: Looks like you couldn't beat the heat, huh?
?: Get off her!
Ben looks to his left and sees a group of people resembling the girl walking towards them, equipped with weapons.
Starley: Uh, guys? They have laser guns!
Seeing this and not wanting to waste the Ultimatrix's power, he steps back and let's the girl get up.
?: Give us the fusion engine.
Ben: Who are you?
?: My name is Seebik. And we are the Kraaho.
?: Uh, can we do this quickly, Seebik? I can see my breath.
Korra: You are…. cold? That makes no sense, it's scorching on the surface.
Seebik: You're the one not making sense.
The girl smirks and she takes the container from Ben and throws it to Seebik, who catches it with his elastic arm.
Ben: Is everyone around here made of rubber?
Girl: *approaches Kraaho* Only the winners. Let's do this again sometime... This or anything else, I guess. *winks*
Ben: Huh?
Cold Guy: C-c-c-can we get going, Seebik? I'm f-freezing.
Seebik: Ester, stop talking to that cold-cut.
The girl, now known as Ester, frowns and walks away, but looks back at Ben and smiles.
Starely: They seem to be Tungsten-based life forms.
Ben: Uh-huh. Totally…. What's Tungsten?
Starley: It's a type of rare metal that can be malleable with certain elements, like carbon.
Korra: Yes, I believe I've heard of it. Many of our Tetramand chain weapons are forged with Tungsten. Keeps the chains nice and pristine.
Cold Guy: S-Seebik, two more minutes and I'm an ice sculpture.
Seebik: All right, Lackno! But first… *points at Ben* finish him off.
Ben: Huh?!
Ester: Wait, Seebik, that's Ben Tennyson!
Ben: Don't forget Starley! Better 'off' them, too. I'd totally let you guys go but they never give up.
Korra: That is correct. Any enemy that dare tries to escape Korra of the Red Wind only is met by demise!... And pain!
Seebik: *To Ester* Back to the hot spot!
Ester: But... you never said you... This isn't the Kraaho way!
Seebik: The Kraaho way is what I say it is! Go, now!
Ester can only sigh in anger as the Kraaho approach and surround the three. They extend and join their arms as they repeatedly thump their feet on the ground.
Starley: They seem to want to uh…. "off" us with some sort of ritualized…. "Offing"?
Ben: *activates Ultimatrix* Thank you, tribal culture channel.
He slams down on the Ultimatrix, transforming into Humungousaur before slamming on it again as a green wave covers him as he now sports green skin, a mace on the end of his tail, and a massive spiked shell on his back.
U. Humungousaur: ULTIMATE HUMUNGOUSAUR!
The evolved Vaxasaurian swings his tail around, knocking the Kraaho off their feet as Starley and Korra jump to dodge it.
U. Humungousaur: Now, all of you listen up! Give back the fusion core or I'm gonna-
Suddenly, the Ultimatrix times out and Ultimat Humungousaur turns back into Ben.
Ben: What happened?!
Starley: I-I-I guess you ran out the battery?
The Kraaho get back up as suddenly, Ester turns on a water pipe and hits the Kraaho with water, freezing them.
Ester: I'm sorry…. But I can't let you do this.
As the Kraaho complain about the cold, there is a huge puff of smoke. Ben feels a hand grab his wrist as Ester drags him out, stretching her other arm to lead out Starley and Korra.
Ester: Come on, hurry!
After escaping the massive chamber, the three are led by Ester through a tunnel.
Ester: Hurry!
Ben: Wait! We can't run away. Doesn't matter if those guys are made of Tungsten or tuna fish. They have that fusion core thing and I gotta stop 'em.
Ester: They have what they want. They won't be any more trouble, I promise.
Korra: Everything about this is trouble.
Ben: Yeah, including yo-unh!
Ester grabs Ben and runs again. Eventually, they emerge out of the tunnels in the middle of a street in Bellwood.
Ester: The Kraaho can't follow us up here. It's too cold.
Ben: Sure, 'cause it's only 100 degrees... in the shade.
Starley: From what we've seen, the Kraaho need extreme heat to survive. How come you're fine topside?
Ester: I'm only half-Kraaho, my mom was human. To me, it's just a little nippy out.
Korra: Hm. And the fusion engine?
Ester: They need it to keep warm.
Ben: And now they have what they need, so... problem solved?
Ester: Exactly. Ben gets it. You're overthinking everything.
Ben: I wouldn't say-
?: It's Ester!
Starley: Huh?
A group of Kineceleran kids come out from hiding and jump with joy as they were about to play a game of hockey.
Ben: Wow… Kid XLR8's.
Starley: Who're they?
Ester: Some friends of mine. These kids's parents are part of a program to be Earth's first extraterrestrial families to get Earth citizenship.
Boy 1: Come play with us.
Boy 2: Yeah!
Ester joins them while Ben and his friends stay behind.
Korra: Do we… not apprehend her? We were chasing a thief, and there she is.
Ben: Yeah, and she saved us, Korra. Loosen up. She was only trying to help her people.
Korra: But she is a criminal.
Starley: If a cop speeds to catch a robber, does that make the cop the villain?
Korra: Well…. No….
Ben: Look, we'll keep an eye on her, okay?
Before Korra could respond, the younger Kineceleran girl rolls up to them.
Young Girl: Wanna play with us?
Ester: They're playing! Come on, big girl, you're on our team!
A car drives by before they get onto the street, breaking off into two teams. Everybody except Ben, Starley, and Korra move around and play swiftly. Ben struggles to keep up and falls down. Starley hits the hockey puck but Ester stops it as she spins her hockey stick and hits the hockey puck. The Kineceleran Kids move away as Ben gets up, but the puck hits him on the head and he falls down again.
Ben: Ow…..
Starley: You okay, Ben?
Boy 3: Car!
The kids move out of the way and as the older girl drags Ben with her, helping him up as the car passes.
Kinecelaran: You okay?
Ben: Uhh... Ahh… Yeah. I'm sure you heard of me, but… I'm Ben, but the way.
Kineceleran: My name's K8-E. We can go easy if you want.
Ben: Go easy? Heh, just let me get my game face on…
Ben activates the Ultimatrix and transforms into XLR8, who looks pretty much the same, only slightly taller with black from his shirt stopping a little bit past his elbows with white stripes, alongside with white stripes at the ends of his pant legs and under his shoulders, and an arrow-shaped symbol on his lower torso.
XLR8: XLR8! Alright, now it's on. *grabs hockey stick* It's on like Techadon!
XLR8 stood on one side with K8-E, Starley, and the little Kineceleran girl ML-E and one of the boys N-D as goalie while Ester acted as goalie on the other side while Korra and the other boys N-8, DJ, and E-N. XLR8 speeds through the street with the hockey stick, slipping between Korra's legs. As K8-E and Starley run/float alongside one another, juggling the puck as ML-E stays back with N-D.
Starley: Ben, heads up!
As Ester prepares herself, Starley hits the puck to XLR8, who hits the puck in a flash, Ester didn't have a chance to stop it as the bucket being used as a goal goes flying, causing the kids to cheer.
XLR8: How you like me now?
XLR8 twirls his stick as Ester smiles. Seeing the kids cheer and smile at him, XLR8 felt something… nice within him.
XLR8: 'Woah, I've always loved running as XLR8,, but…. Being XLR8 and just playing with these kids feels really….' *smiles* 'Nice. Maybe this is what Azmuth meant for this being the Omnitrix's true purpose.'
As he thinks this, XLR8 notices the kids starting to become hot, panting in the sun.
XLR8: Who wants to cool off? Starley, mind helping out? *slams symbol and transforms again* Water Hazard!
Starley nods as he supplies a few water blasts of his own as Water Hazard shoots water into the air, noth blasts causing water droplets to fall on the kids and a rainbow to cheer. The Kids cheer and run along as Korra lets her hair become wet from the shower and Starley creates bubbles for the kids to play with.
Water Hazard: Hey, Ester~.
Ester: No! No!
Water Hazard sprays water over Ester, causing her to chuckle as Starley then pelts a water bubble at her. He chuckles and backs up, accidentaly bumping into K-8E.
Starley: Oh, uh…. Hi?
K8-E: ….You're cute.
After Starley stops becoming a flustered, blushing mess, the Kineceleran Kids play a game with a jumprope, singing a little song as Korra holds one end of the rope to swing with E-N. Ben walks up to Ester and puts a towel over her head. Ester shivers and blows at Ben, creating snowflakes. Ben laughs, Ester blushes and laughs as she runs away while Ben looks at her and smiles.
Ben: You know… Sometimes it's just great to enjoy the simple life. Even if there's aliens, it's good to just… chill.
Starley: True that…
Suddenly, there is mass panic among the citizens of Bellwood as lava sprouts and flows in the city. The lava causes major destruction and the Kineceleran kids run away in panic. Ben, Starley, Korra, and Ester observe the lava, shocked.
Starley: Ester….
Ester: I swear I didn't know!
Korra: That the Krahho would use the fusion engine to do this? This is their work, isn't it?
Ester tilts her head away, distraught.
Ben: We're past the blame stage. IT'S HERO TIME!
As the lava continues to flow, Ben jumps onto a car and slams down on the Ultimatrix, transforming into his classic Polar Manzardill form, Arctiguana. He looked the same as he remembered, only with the symbol on his bare chest instead of on his hand.
Arctiguana: Arctiguana!... Was going for Big Chill, but he works too.
Arctiguana releases a powerful ice blast that freezes the lava as the kids approach.
ML-E: Ester, you're okay!
Starley: For now. The lava's still flowing! If it gets underground in the wrong place-
K8-E: It'll throw off the planet's inner regulation and create a massive magma ball that will melt down through the molten core and be thrown back and forth by gravity until it burns out the Earth from the inside!
Everyone stares at the teenage Kineceleran in surprise as Ben, Korra, and Ester turn to Starley expectedly.
Starley: She's right.
K8-E: I'm, uh…. *blushes* A bit of a science fanatic.
Korra: *to Ester* We need that fusion engine back. The Kraaho are using you.
Ester: They said they wanted to make it warmer, down there.
Arctiguana: Down where? That place they told you to go to, right? The hot spot?
Ester: You're asking me to betray my people.
Starley: You're asking?... Well, we're begging you.
Ester: …*to kids* All of you, go home and make sure your families are safe. We'll take care of this.
The kids nodded as they ran off, however, K8-E remained.
Ester: K8-E?
K8-E: I want to help.
Korra: We cannot allow that it would be dangerous and irresponsible of us to let you.
K8-E: But I can't just run when I can do something….. Right?
Ben: *changes back* ….I like this one.
—-
Back underground, the Kraaho stoof in the hot spot, where a massive reactor is seen holding the fusion core. They have removed their overcoats, except Lackno as they prepare their weapons and Ester comes in, trying to talk to them as Ben and she discussed in their plan.
Lackno : It's a miracle, Seebik! You turned this frozen wasteland into an oasis!
Seebik: As soon as New Bellwood's warm and the stragglers dealt with... How does the name "New Earth" strike you?
Este: *gasps* Seebik! How could you lied to me!?
Seebik: How long can we stay in this cavern? A generation? Two, maybe? We need a world, Ester.
Ester: This world doesn't belong to you. You can't roast it!
Seebik: It's not up for debate! My word is law!
Ester stares at Seebik angrily as Ben, Starleh, Korra, and K8-E observe this from a small tunnel high above the cavern.
K8-E: If my internal calculations are correct, we have 10 minutes before complete planetary inferno.
Ben: I think I know who to call for this one… *dials Ultimatrix* Okay, Ultimatrix. I don't Grey Matter. I don't want Stinkfly. I just want someone who can help us with the fusion core and we can go about our day.
He slams on the Ultimatrix, transforming into his newly acquired Prypiatosian-B form, which looked exactly like P'andor, aside from the Ultimatrix symbol on the middle of his containment suit. This would be Ben's Prypiatosian-B form, NRG.
NRG: NRG?... *laughs* NRG is G-O-O-D! *to others* You guys create a distraction. I'll get the fusion device.
Starley: Got it.
As NRG walks off, the others go out of the cavern as Starley stands on a slightly elevated part of the cavern behind the crowd of Kraaho.
Starley: HEY! HEY! Excuse me!
Everybody turn around and look at Starley as the girls come up from behind.
Starley: Uh….. I got nothing.
Korra: I might…. *to Kraaho* Today, we will learn an Earth game called "Tag".
The Kraaho mutter in confusion as K8-E runs up to a Kraaho and touches him, making him stumble back from her momentum.
K8-E: You're it!
K8-E leads the other two and runs and the Kraaho chase them while NRG looks back at them from his vantage point.
NRG: Eh…. I could've done better, to be honest.
Ester and Seebik watch the Kraaho chase Starley, Korra, and K8-E.
Seebik: You brought outsiders here? Your father would be ashamed of you!
The three continue running as the Kraaho shoots at them. Starley levitates and flies over an obstacle as he sweats profusely, but he helps continue the distraction. One Kraaho jumps ahead of him, blocking his way, but as Starley turns around, another Kraaho blocks him. As they start to surround him, one Kraaho is knocked out by a charging Korra as she brings out her sword.
Korra: Very good! Now, who wants to learn the electric slide?
The Kraaho just angrily ready their weapons as she takes down one Kraaho swiftly. Another Kraaho aims his weapon at Korra, only for K8-E to run forward and punch him in the throat before doing the same to another one and one after that. Starley takes out one Kraaho with an electric blast and flies forth, panting heavily. Several Kraaho chase him as Seebik runs ahead to join the fight and two Kraaho hold Ester as Seebik uses his elastic ability to slam Starley into a wall.
Ester: Starley!
Ester extends her arms and throws the two Kraaho at Seebik, making him let Starley go. Seebik gets up and Ester attacks him. Starley is exhausted especially due to the heat, but he doesn't let up as he is surrounded by more Kraaho.
Starley: Hurry, Ben!
Meanwhile, NRG climbs up the machine which has the fusion device, but Seebik spots him.
Seebik: Keep that cold-cut away from the engine!
Two of the Kraaho climb up, one onto NRG, the other just beside him.
NRG: Get off!
The other one pushes him and they fall down. The Kraaho on the ground surround him and try to open up his suit.
NRG: *panicked* No! No! Please! Whatever you do, keep the suit closed! Don't open me up! That will kill me!
The Kraaho keep trying and they manage to open up NRG's suit. NRG's true from releases a powerful burst of energy, shoving the Kraaho away from him. NRG hovers in the air, looking exactly the same as P'andor, but with green eyes and the symbol on his chest, the symbol on the armor being gone.
NRG: Suckers! Haha!
He uses his heat powers to slice open the container and grabs the fusion device. Seebik sees this, pushes Ester aside and runs towards the machine.
Seebik: Warriors, don't let him-
It was too late as NRG grapples onto up the fusion device.
Seebik: -do….. that.
NRG absorbs the device and flies out of the hot spot until he breaches the atmosphere, firing a massive beam of radiation, powered up from the fusion core at a wayward mass of space junk.
NRG: Woo…. That is good fusion engine.
Returning to Earth just as fast, NRG blasts at the Kraaho's machine, obliterating it, which stops the lava flow in Bellwood. NRG gets back into his suit and changes back into Ben by slamming the symbol on his chest.
Seebik: Well... you've won. Happy?
Ester: You haven't exactly lost. We'll do just fine here in the hot spot.
Ben: Yeah, think of it this way. You have your own private hot spring. Plenty of alien families live on Earth, hell I'm technically part Anodite. Why not just live here?
Seebik: Coexistence, living next to a city of cold-cuts? That's not the Kraaho way.
Korra: You are incorrect, Mr Seebik. Iti not your way.
Ester: Korra's right. I see that now, but it was my father's way.
Ben: Yeah! Wait, who was your father?
Ester: He was the leader before Seebik.
Suddenly, the Kraaho, including Seebik, bow down to Ester.
Ben: What are you doing?
Seebik: Anything she wants. She's defeated me.
Ester: *expectantly* Aaaand?
Seebik *chagrined* And the Kraaho way is whatever you say it is.
K8-E: Coexistence?
Ester: Coexistence.
Lackno: *to Ben* You'd allow it?
Ben: As long as you don't step out of line and you apologize for almost frying the Earth AND promise not to do it again. If you do, well... *points at his Ultimatrix* Just one more thing….
Ben then takes the Ultimatrix and uses the scanner on Seebik, causing the symbol to flash yellow like before.
Ultimatrix: Kraaho DNA sample acquired. Scan complete.
Ester: As leader of the Kraaho, I swear this day, that *hugs Ben* I will always be a good neighbor to you, Ben Tennyson.
K8-E: As will I.
Ben: *blushes* Uh, yeah. Well, easy, now. We have to go patrol the... right, guys?
Starley pants, exhausted as Korra helps him to his feet, the psychic's lips chapped as he looks a little pale.
Starley: *breathfully* Water…...
—-
Back on the surface, Ben and his friends arrive at a lemonade stall.
Ben: Lemonade?
Korra: Hm… Doesn;t seem as appetizing as a smoothie, but… It shall do.
Korra takes two cups and hands one to Starley, only for him to drink up the entire pitcher as Ben and Korra looks on, shocked.
Starley: *panting* Thank you.
E-N: *off-screen* Hey, it's Ester's boyfriend!
They look to notice K8-E and the other Kineceleran kids rolling by, greeting Ben as Ester's boyfriend as ML-E stops.
ML-E: Where's Ester?
Korra: Unfortunately. still at large.
Ben: Not her fault the fusion engine was never recovered. *blushes* She's not my girlfriend! We're just... friends. Just... Hey, wait a second. Do you think I have a shot with her?
Starley: I'd think so…..
The three look on as the kids talk, Starley watching as K8-E looks back and winks at him, causing him to blush heavily.
Starley: I….. I think I have a girlfriend now, though.
Ben: Wait, what?