Vilgax's ship, the Chimeran Warhammer, continues on to orbit the Earth. Inside the ship, on a levitating platform, spotlights shine on each of four bounty hunters. The first is thin with purple and black armor; the second resembles a robotic half-human/half-crustacean; the third wears bulky gray armor and has a pillbug-like shell covering their face; The fourth is more feminine and humanoid-shaped, but clearly has some developed muscle mass, standing proud, keeping themselves shrouded in a cloak and clad in armor.
An intercom activates, with Vilgax's voice being broadcast into the room. He sounded injured, as if he was laboring to speak. "Prove your worth. Test your might and your skills for your mission; Begin the audition." He announced. A blaring siren echoes out, signifying that the audition has begun.
The first immediately fires up a jet pack and lands in a circle of basic drones. He pulls a small blaster from a compartment on his joint and shoots a few down. A few fire back; he rolls out of the way and fires small rockets from his wrist in retaliation. He pulls a grenade out of another compartment for another cluster of drones.
Next up, the second bounty hunter jumps down to join, pounding one on his way down, grabbing another with a massive claw and using them as a projectile against another. Two more of the drones rush the bounty hunter. He catches one with his claw and pulls out a sword to split the other in two. A platform opens up on the ceiling and a gigantic attack droid falls to the floor, ready to fire at the two.
Taking turns, the third and fourth individuals jump into the fight. The third individual unveils a hoverboard and rides it right into the droid's laser blast while the fourth hitches a ride. When the smoke clears, he is completely unharmed. Without a moment to lose, he flies into the droid's chest and punches right through it, then the fourth one unsheathes a sword and slices the droid up into several pieces. The third individual folds his hoverboard back up.
The four line up and stand at attention. "Impressive. You are all hired. Your objective - is to retrieve the Omnitrix," Vilgax brought up an image of the watch, then let it fade out. "The one who succeeds collects the reward. Do not disappoint me." Vilgax warned.
Three pods jettison from Vilgax's ship and fall to Earth. The hunt has begun...
On Earth, Grandpa Max has constructed a small target practice structure of strung up tires and soda cans.
Max has his hand on a lever, but hasn't pulled it yet. "Okay Ben, are you ready?" Max called out.
Ben, already inside, smirks and slams down on the Omnitrix, transforming into Rocks. "You bet, Grandpa! Hit me with ya best shot!" Rocks confidently stated.
Max looked at the rocky creature, slightly concerned. "Remember to think out there, Ben. Don't just try to muscle it. 'Might isn't always right'!" Max advised.
Rocks smiled. "Don't worry yourself to exhaustion, Grandpa! I'm pickin' up on what youse puttin' down, musclin' it is just the last resort if the plan don't work." Rocks reassured, cracking his sedimentary knuckles as he formed a fist.
Max pulls a lever, sending six cans flying in Rocks' direction. Rocks' eyes glow orange and he pushes the cans back, sending them whizzing onto the barren desert ground, the force of the push crumpling each one. Max makes target boards lower behind Rocks, who whirls around and punches them hard, making sure not to break them, but also manages to scuff them up. Rocks notices a couple target cacti and makes his eyes glow orange again, slamming his fist into the targets and causing the cacti to crumble and collapse on itself. Rocks relaxes for a moment and grins, rubbing his rocky digits against his tough yellow stone chest.
Gwen watches him from a lounge chair, applying sunscreen. "You're showing off, Ben, focus!" Gwen shouted.
"Your cousin's right, Ben. Focus, think!" Max advised.
"Don't worry, I got this!" Rocks stated.
Some cans come flying at him. He bobs out of the way and whips around to use his earthquake to send them flying, only to be smacked in the face by a flying tire. Rocks stumbles and falls on the ground, causing his earthquake to topple the whole structure on top of him. Max and Gwen quickly back away as Rocks is buried underneath the makeshift course.
"Note to self... watch out for flying rubber." Rocks said, falling over in a daze.
As the Tennysons drive away in the Rust Bucket, Gwen is not too happy with how Ben suddenly buried himself under a bunch of junk. "So, we can safely say Ben wouldn't be a great mechanic, especially if it involves anything related to tires." Gwen chided.
Ben groaned. "It was one bad call, I was expecting the cans to be all that remained. I didn't expect the tire, okay? Big freaking deal. Today just feels like an off day." Ben stated.
"Ben, we just want you to be ready. You never know when someone could show up to actually try and take that watch, you know that right? We just want you to be ready for that." Max stated.
Ben rolled his eyes and decided to change the subject. "I heard that Limax, the one that impersonated you back at the Retirement Village, he called this thing the Omnitrix, said it was a legendary device," Max's complexion paled, and his hands tightened around the steering wheel. "I think he was lying, but I kinda do want to know what this watch is called. Just calling it 'the watch' is gonna get old, and really repetitive at some point." Ben stated.
Before another word could be said about the topic, the Rust Bucket starts sputtering and slowing down on the road. "Uh oh, that doesn't sound good." Max worried.
Meanwhile, the hoverboard-mounted hunter monitors a tracker that has led him to Max's target-practice structure, now in ruin. The four bounty hunters have deduced that this was where the Omnitrix was last activated.
"This is it, the Omnitrix's last known location when it was activated." The third hunter stated.
He turned to the fourth huntress, who was sifting through the wreckage. What she ended up finding were chipped off pieces of yellow rock and brown sediment. "Traces of Basalt presence have been identified. Haven't seen or heard of those yellow-stoned golems since Vilgax entered the Milky Way." The feminine huntress reports.
The two other hunters, SixSix and Kraab, watch them from the top of a cliff. SixSix speaks to Kraab in an alien language, then flies over to the other with his jet pack. "Heh, you can say that again, Sixer. A rock pile like this is better off as space dust!" Kraab responds.
The third hunter continues tracking inside the structure, until his tracker points to a can impaled with a brown sediment spike, attached to yellow stone. Just as he reaches for it, SixSix snatches it with an extendible grabbing appendage. He tries inspecting it first, but the alien on the hoverboard grabs the appendage and tugs it clean off. The angered SixSix extends six more appendages which cause the other to put his hand on his gun.
SixSix speaks in an unintelligible alien language, but whatever he said, it was rather foul. "Whoah! Big talk from a 'gearhead', Six!" Kraab rebutted.
The third hunter gets up in SixSix's face, and it's clear that he isn't happy behind his mask. "Get in my way again, and I'll teach you how to say 'dismantled'. Got that?" The hunter threatened.
SixSix backs down, sheathing his appendages, fold out wrist rockets, and an extra arm, cursing the hunter out in an alien language as he flies away. Kraab leaps up and spins his four legs very fast, acting like a drill and burrowing into the ground, following SixSix's direction.
The hunter and the huntress look at each other for a brief moment. They nod at one another, and the huntress leaves the area, triggering one of Max's traps. In an instant, the third hunter fires the targets with his rifle, which also destroyed the whole course as well. He flies off and leaves the leftover remains of the Basalt behind.
Back with the Tennysons, the trio find themselves in an abandoned mining town, and Ben and Gwen go explore a little bit. The buildings are all dilapidated, ruined, rotting away because of the passing of time. It's almost as if this place was a ghost town.
Ben looks at the windows, leading to darkness. "Looks like no one's home." Ben said, looking amongst the abandoned buildings.
"No one's certainly been here for a long while," Gwen pulled up a program on her laptop and showed it to Ben. "My IntelliMap program says this is Slaterville. Incorporated in 1857 after the discovery of silver. Went bust in the late fifties when the mine ran out." She explained.
Ben looked around, and couldn't help but wonder. "You'd think these people would've learned to try and, I don't know, dig a bit deeper to find more silver, or set up some kind of foundation here to find or grow more resources, rather than just leaving altogether," Gwen paused and stared at her cousin. "But hey, what would I know. I probably would've left, too." Ben casually remarked.
Max takes his head out of the RV's hood. "Kids! Could you come up here? I think I found the problem!" Max called out. It didn't take long for Ben and Gwen to run back to the RV, and they waited for an answer.
"Well, what's the damage, Grandpa?" Ben asked.
Max holds up a janky messed up tube covered in some kind of fluid. "Ruptured fuel line. If the RV was on for any longer, we would've blown ourselves up." Max explained. "Almost as if it was messed up by an earthquake."
Ben sheepishly smiled. "Sorry about that, Grandpa. Maybe I can help fix this. I could use Gear-Shift and turn into a replica of the RV, get us towed to the next gas station for repairs, or maybe I could use Brainframe, put my smartest alien to use and fix it, maybe make it better." Ben offered, ready to prime the Omnitrix.
Max reached out and grabbed Ben's wrist tightly, stopping him. "Benjamin, no." Max said sternly.
"B-But Grandpa, I-"
"I said No, understand?" Max interrupted, his tone getting angrier. "You already got a bit popular with that thing on your wrist back in the village, back in Washington, and on the first day of summer, Benjamin! So just..." Max looked at his grandson, agitation distress was encompassing Max's face. Max looked in his reflection and saw he was sweating, and getting red in the face. He gasped, letting Ben go and took a deep breath.
Ben and Gwen were at a loss for words. They haven't heard Max get that angry before, it was a bit scary, but Ben slowly backed away, willingly pulling Gwen away from the RV. As the two got further and further away, Max went into the Rust Bucket and wiped his face with a paper towel, and sat down, sighing as he took his Hawaiian shirt off, leaving him in a white T-shirt. Max reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, showing a photo of his younger self, somewhere in his early thirties, surrounded by three other individuals. Two human males in their early twenties, and a woman, who didn't really look human.
'My past might be catching up to me, but that doesn't mean I have to get angry at my grandkids... They don't know anything, they don't know the hardships of being a Plumber, they especially don't know what I've gone through, just to do what had to be done. The friends I had... the same friends I lost.'
Max turned the photo over and saw a little message.
"That's one small step for unity, and one giant leap for the Orion Squadron. See you soon, Max." it read.
Max held the photo close, closing his eyes as he remembered better days. Unbeknownst to him, Kraab and SixSix were closing in.
Ben and Gwen walked further along into the abandoned town of Slaterville, still a bit worried about what happened back at the RV with their grandfather. He looked at the Omnitrix and felt a sense of confliction. He thought he was getting better at handling his powers, but with how angry his grandfather got, he's beginning to second guess that progress.
Gwen pulled out a small battery powered fan and blew it in her face, trying to cool herself down. "Man, it's a scorcher today. And here I thought the heat was bad already, back at the Retirement Village. What about you, Ben?" Gwen inquired.
No response. Ben just sat on an old bench, not saying a word, staring down at the Omnitrix. "Ben?" Gwen called out, snapping her fingers in her cousin's ear. Ben didn't budge, he did not move. "Ben, can you hear me!" Gwen yelled into her cousin's ear, yet he didn't move, nor did he react.
Gwen leaned against an old wooden pole, looking at her cousin as he stared at the device on his wrist. 'Okay, this is new. He's not responding, he's not flinching, and he's not reacting... He did this before, when we were trying to find Hex and his niece, Chemcrafter, I think. he was silent, staring off into nothingness, almost as if he was thinking. Hopefully he snaps out of it before trouble comes our way. Again.' Gwen thought.
"You have got to be kiddin' me," Gwen's eyes widened as she turned around, now met with Kraab and SixSix, standing before her. "That kid on the bench, that's the human who found this stupid thing?!" Kraab furiously remarked.
Gwen's jaw dropped, and she backed away, nudging and practically shaking her cousin to get him to come back to reality. SixSix said something in an unintelligible alien language, only for Kraab to sigh. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Alright, you snot-nosed homosapien, you got a choice. Hand over the Omnitrix, and be rewarded with minimal suffering... or die slowly for centuries to come while we pry that watch off your carcass." Kraab threatened, aiming his huge claw towards them both.
"Ben, they're going to kill us! Do something!" Gwen shouted in a panic.
Before Gwen could process what exactly happened, all she heard was something fire, and closed her eyes, then an explosion rang out. Soon enough, Gwen felt as if she was flying, feeling the cold air against her skin, and the wind blowing in her hair. She opened her eyes and noticed she was in her grandfather's arms, who was pretty shocked himself. She looked herself over, and her clothes were covered in wood chips, soot and singe marks. To her right, was the sound of a very intense fight.
Ben, now transformed into Warriarch, was giving SixSix and Kraab a very thorough, if not violent beating. SixSix was firing off small explosives, as well as using these small pistol-shaped firearms, blasting blue projectiles at the hero. Kraab was running forward and trying to catch Warriarch in his claw, hoping to trap him. Warriarch, on the other hand, grabbed Kraab's claw, lifted him over his head, then swung him around and tossed him at SixSix at full force. The two bounty hunters were sent careening into a couple of abandoned buildings and were thoroughly buried under tons of rubble.
Warriarch ran to the RV as the Omnitrix timed out, transforming back into Ben. "That's probably not gonna keep them down for long. Is the leaking fixed, Grandpa?" Ben asked.
"Just in the nick of time. Everyone in and hold on to something." Max ran to the driver's seat as Ben closed the door, getting into a booth as Gwen tried to keep herself upright. The Rust Bucket sped down the road, all while SixSix and Kraab went after them.
In the near distance, the other two hunters were watching the whole thing play out. The huntress brought up a small holographic screen and rewound footage, displaying Ben transforming into Warriarch, all without even priming the Omnitrix for transformation, and then displaying Warriarch basically knock SixSix and Kraab down a couple pegs.
She stops the footage and looks to the hunter, almost seeming impressed. "I gotta admit, don't know how he managed to transform without touching the device, but the kid definitely knows how to fight, though I never saw a male Amazon before, thought they all died out. A simple retrieval mission, this definitely isn't." The huntress spoke, her voice deep and sounding worn out.
The hunter scoffed. "Even so, we now know that the wielder of the Omnitrix is no Plumber, but just some kid. This doesn't make things easier in any retrospect, especially if he's getting more and more used to that watch's power. Let's hope we can get the kid before those two do." The hunter remarked, his voice deep and gruff, almost as if he's got crystals and glass in his throat.
The Rust Bucket sped down the road, all while SixSix is flying right by it, ramming the side of the vehicle as he readies his arms. Max rams the bounty hunter back, causing SixSix to be knocked back, but not by much.
"Hitchhikers nowadays, they just wanna kill ya! Talk about ungrateful!" Max gritted, practically planting the gas pedal flat on the ground.
Ben kept twisting the dial on the Omnitrix, but he can't get ahold of the dial long enough as SixSix rocks the RV with every hit. They suddenly feel a tumble on the roof. A circular blade-saw starts cutting open the ceiling. "You've gotta be kidding me, who is this guy?!" Gwen exclaimed, backing away.
SixSix tears open the ceiling and peers inside, immediately reaching for Ben. Without warning, Max slams the brakes, causing SixSix to fall off in front of the RV. Max confidently hits the gas, running over him. But his smile fades as the RV comes to a stop right after. He gets out and sees the tires are all deflated, having been covered with spikes. Max looked behind the RV, seeing SixSix lying in the road. SixSix then started to get up, grumbling something in an unintelligible alien language.
Quickly searching for some cover, Max points to a mine entrance. "Kids, go in there! I'll take care of this!" Max told the kids.
While Gwen was more than eager to go, Ben stood his ground. "No, I'm not going anywhere." Ben defied.
"Benjamin, this is not the time, nor the place for this. Do as I told you, and go hide! End of discussion!" Max stated.
Ben grit his teeth and stayed in place. "You're not gonna fight those two alone!" Ben argued.
Max was about to say something else, till the ground near them burst into a cloud of dust, with Kraab landing in front of them. "I got a better plan in mind. be a good kid, and hand over the Omnitrix, now!" Kraab yelled, readying his claw for an attack.
Max bolted inside the RV, while Ben rolled underneath Kraab and attempted to lure the two away from the Rust Bucket. Ben looked to the Omnitrix, which was glowing red, but did occasionally flicker between red and green. 'Okay, I need a plan. Judging by what just occurred, these two are definitely dangerous, definitely more dangerous than the Limax, especially if Warriarch was breaking a sweat. With how the Omnitrix is flashing green, on occasion, maybe it's almost ready for another fight. Till then, I have to stall. The only question is how, and who do I use next?' Ben thought, backing up as SixSix and Kraab got closer.
Before Ben could try to dodge the hunters' attacks again, a powerful beam hits Kraab in the back, and another one knocks SixSix to the ground. Ben looked to the RV, seeing his grandfather with a very strange gun in his hands, a light gray smoke trail billowing from the barrel. Ben stared for a moment, but made his way to the mine. Max followed suite, and with Gwen already hiding in the mines, the trio decide to get some much needed distance between them and the hunters.
Inside the abandoned mine, the Tennysons steer a corner and stop to catch their breath. Max slowly peers around the corner. He can see the outside; no one is at the entrance. "Okay, I think we're safe, for the moment," Max looked at his grandson and felt a bit agitated. "Ben, next time I tell you to hide, you go and hide, understand?" Max asked.
Ben frowned. "And leave you to fight by yourself? Not gonna happen!" Ben stated.
"Benjamin, you don't understand, this is a serious situation! These aliens, they seem to be bounty hunters, people who were hired by someone else to get something they want," Max gestured to the Omnitrix, which just now returned to its default green color. "If I were a betting man, they're after that watch." Max stated.
"They called it the Omnitrix, too," Ben started. Max's face got paler, shifting his gaze away from his grandson, and looks to his granddaughter, making sure she isn't injured. Ben looked to the Omnitrix, brushing his thumb against the faceplate. "I guess that's what this thing is called, then. I mean, somehow, it knew to turn me into something back in Slaterville when they attacked, I didn't even touch it and it turned me into Warriarch. Thanks for the save, and I guess I'm sorry for calling you stupid."
Max thought on what Ben said, specifically the part where he said he didn't touch the watch, but ended up transforming anyways. Max swallowed his words and was practically uncertain of what he should do, but he remembered the gun and kept it in his grip. After making sure Gwen was alright, they suddenly heard metal scuttling across the ground. The Tennysons quickly and quietly move away, going further and further away till they ended up in an open chasm, trapping them on one side.
Max looked around and spots an old cable car. "Kids, over here!" Max calls out. They run to the cable car, and while it has been here for a long while, it might still work. "Time to take a ride. Everyone in!" Max said.
Ben and Gwen jump in, while Max starts the car by pulling a lever. Kraab enters the chasm and notices the Tennysons. He quickly rushes in, and nearly catches them, but someone tackles him to the side as they get away. Max manages to get the car going and leap across the gap to catch it, pulling himself into the cart as the kids kept their heads low.
Ben sighed in relief. "Guess all that time fixing pipes gave you some reflex training, huh grandpa?" Ben joked, trying to alleviate the sense of panic amongst the three of them.
Max smiled and let a tired chuckle escape his lips. "When this summer is over, I'm gonna have to invest in CrossFit exercise tapes, just to stay in shape." Max stated.
Gwen poked her head out, seeing Kraab wrestling with the feminine warrior in a shroud, while SixSix is flying towards the lift. "We need a plan! Trouble is closing in fast!" Gwen panicked.
Ben looks down at the Omnitrix, noticing it glow green. Ben pressed the button and primed the watch for transformation. He didn't even have to twist the dial to find the form he was looking for, noticing the form he was looking for was already queued up. "I'll take care of this, I'll turn into Rocks and lure them down. Once you guys are safe, I'll use my Earthquake powers and bury these freaks in rubble and debris. And if that doesn't work, at least they won't be going after you guys, anyway." Ben explained.
Gwen looked at her cousin, almost as if she heard him speak another language she's never heard of. "Ben, what are you talking about? We're all getting out of here!" Gwen turned to her Grandpa, only to see his face. He was worried, but he was also angry. "Aren't we?" Gwen asked.
Ben sighed. From the moment those strange aliens showed up out of the blue, Ben was ready to fight, as was the Omnitrix. Ben still couldn't find an explanation as to why he suddenly transformed without touching the watch, but he was about to risk it all if it meant saving his family. Without another word, and without a moment's hesitation, Ben got to his feet and jumped out of the cart, free-falling through the air.
Max could feel his heart stop and his body go cold, and could only watch as Ben fell downwards. Gwen felt as if ice was coursing through her veins, just suddenly see Ben leap from the cart, all while SixSix followed after him.
"BEN!" They cried out as the cart reached the other side.
Ben, keeping his hands to his sides, was then enveloped in a flash of green light. He felt his body change, getting tougher and lined with stone and sediment. When the flash of light died down, SixSix spoke something in that unintelligible alien language, only to hear something heavy crash down onto the floor. From the ground came Rocks, who simply dusted himself off as the orange-ish rocks clung to his body.
Rocks looked upwards towards his family, while SixSix landed on his feet and Kraab soon came up by his side. "I'll catch up. First, I've got to put some dents in this walking soda machine, and his crusty crab pal, too!" Rocks called out, his voice echoed around the place, but soon found himself staring down the two bounty hunters that have been trying to get ahold of him.
Rocks grits his teeth and stands his ground, preparing to attack, but the feminine huntress, and the other mystery hunter descend behind him, readying themselves for a fight. "One-on-Four? Ya gotta be kiddin' me! Shoulda gone for Pesky Dust." Rocks grumbled.
While they walk toward him, Rocks leaps away from the two bounty hunters behind him, and at the two bounty hunters in-front of him. SixSix gets immediately floored, with Rocks smashing his fists into SixSix's mask as hard as he could, only to be met by a few small shoulder missiles blowing the hero back. Rocks stops himself from getting pushed back too far, and immediately makes headway towards Kraab, who throws him to the wall, only to then be set off-balance by Rocks' earthquake. It seemed to be a minor tremor, but it was enough to knock the cybernetic crustacean on his ass.
Rocks gets back up to his feet, only to be face-to-face with the other two hunters. "Well, you two just look like a proper pair, come and get me!" Rocks taunted.
The hunter runs forward, slamming his fists into Rocks' face, actually managing to stagger the golem-esque creature. Rocks managed to dodge one of his punches, and counteract with a haymaker, caving in the metal hood that covered his face. This seemed to piss off the hunter, leading to the huntress stepping in. She lunged forward, delivering a flurry of kicks, chipping away several pieces of Rocks' body, but clearly enough was enough. Rocks' eyes glowed orange and he grabbed the huntress by the head, slamming them against the ground as the chasm shook and cracked, causing several clouds of dust to kick up. Rocks throws the huntress back at the hunter, and focuses on the only hunter that was still standing, and able to fight. SixSix.
SixSix starts walking to him, but Kraab quickly gets up, holding him back. "Back off! That reward's mine." Kraab was suddenly kicked in the head by SixSix, only to get in Kraab's face and say something in that strange alien language, but in a more furious and aggressive tone. Whatever was said, Kraab and Rocks seemed to understand what he said. "Well, you don't have to get personal, you damn mutant!" Kraab remarked.
Rocks blinked his eyes and could only shrug his shoulders, slowly backing away. Had this worked, he would've gotten away from the fight, with only the hunter and huntress to worry about, but lady luck wasn't on his side for long as the Omnitrix began to flash red and start beeping slowly. Rocks was wondering just why the Omnitrix was timing out so soon, it hadn't been ten minutes yet, but it wasn't gonna matter. He was about to turn back into his normal form, and be rendered useless in a fight.
SixSix and Kraab started to make their way to the rocky alien hero, seeming pleased that things were about to go their way.
'No, I can't just turn back now! Please Omnitrix, let me stay an alien for a little while longer, just give me a chance here!' Rocks thought.
In a desperate attempt to keep the playing field balanced, Rocks slammed his hand on the Omnitrix as the timer was about to turn him back. In a flash of green light, Rocks wasn't turned back into Ben, but rather, was replaced by Warriarch.
As SixSix and Kraab get closer, a metal ball is tossed beside them. As they stare at it, it releases a gas that renders them unconscious. Confused, Warriarch looked over to the two remaining bounty hunters, noticing them walking in his direction, getting closer as they holstered their weapons.
The hunter groaned and seemed agitated. "Billions of beings on this planet, and the Omnitrix winds up on the wrist of a fool hardy youth. There's stupidity, there's dumb luck, then there's this..." Warriarch looked himself over, only to carefully back up and ball his hands into fists. "This is pathetic. At least if the Omnitrix ended up in the hands of a Plumber, this would be easier to understand." The hunter stated, clearly annoyed by the events that transpired.
The huntress stepped forward. "His bluntness aside, that was a risky move, kid, you could've broken the device doing that," their voice sounded strong, effeminate, commanding, yet considerate. "No matter, the Omnitrix will be out of your hands, soon enough. At least we just want the watch, not the child that's stuck to it." the mysterious warrior explained.
"So, thou art here to claim the Omnitrix, mine suspicions were correct, then." Warriarch responded. "Well, sorry to disappoint thee, criminals from the stars, but the Omnitrix doesn't come off. Take mine word as truth, I have tried, and failed on numerous occasions."
"We are not criminals. Bounty Hunters is more accurate." The huntress corrected.
Without so much as another word, the hunter throws a grenade at the hero. Warriarch instinctively held his arms in-front of him, letting it explode against him as the hunter then smashed his fists into the ground. Before he could question what exactly he tried to do, Warriarch was sent flying out of the center of the mine when a huge crystal pillar shot him into the air.
The huntress sighed and looked at the hunter. "Anger issues much, Tetrax?" The hunter, Tetrax, tears his metal hood off, revealing a blue-ish green crystalline face with glowing yellow eyes. "Remember, it's just a child." The huntress states.
Tetrax groans and pulls out a hoverboard. Tetrax and the huntress hopped on and went back in the direction of Slaterville.
Warriarch comes careening down, crashing into a few old barrels and a small rusted statuette of some kind of figure. "I did not stick the landing..." Warriarch groaned, trying to pick himself up.
Tetrax and the huntress landed nearby and stood above the warrior, who was clearly not happy about the sudden launch. "To return to the topic about the Omnitrix not coming off, that's no big surprise, of course it doesn't come off, child," Warriarch got a full look at Tetrax's real face, only to be both intrigued, and mildly annoyed. "Its power utilizes alien DNA, which binds to the host's own genetic structure. It cannot simply be removed like - taking off a hat. And don't even get me started on your choice of warriors-"
Before Tetrax could utter another word, the huntress slammed a fist into the side of his jaw. The sound of something cracking and shattering to pieces could be heard as Tetrax was holding a blue-ish green pile of small crystals in his hands. "Tetrax, again, this is a child." The huntress reminded, sounding more disappointed than angry. She focused her attention on the warrior, almost as if she was eyeing him up. "You must understand this as simply as we can manage, human. The Omnitrix is not some toy for your amusement-"
Warriarch stood on his feet, glaring daggers at the huntress. "Are you calling my actions of saving innocent lives, stopping criminals, and preventing extraterrestrial kidnappings, a misuse of mine power? Have you no shame?" Warriarch asked, his tone was furious, quiet, and grave.
The huntress cleared her throat and sighed. "Despite how it can be used or utilized as a mere play-thing, or a devastating weapon, it's the most powerful tool in the galaxy," The huntress stepped forward, causing Warriarch to get defensive. "The Omnitrix is the key to a galaxy wide war between good... and evil." the huntress explained.
Warriarch looked over Tetrax and the huntress, and slowly went off the defensive, keeping himself calm. "I'm clearly on the side of justice, fighting for those who can't fight for themselves, it's why I'm using these abilities, trying to master these abilities... to help save and protect the innocent from the grimy heels of chaos and anarchy," Warriarch stared the two hunters down. "So, if I'm on the side of good... then whose side are you two on?" Warriarch asked.
The huntress chuckled. "Well, you're still alive, aren't you?" She asked cheekily.
Warriarch frowns. "If thou expects me to believe you both are on the side of good, I find that verily hard to believe," Warriarch keeps his guard up, as if he's waiting for an attack. "This be a trap. Thou must think I'm a fool, easy prey to lull into a false sense of security, then you strike when I least expect it, mayhaps even kill me to get what you desire. Do I speak the truth, or am I truly the fool here? How can thou expect I to trust you?" Warriarch cautiously asked.
Tetrax and the huntress look at each other, then back at the warrior. Tetrax steps forward and grits his teeth, letting a sigh escape him. "My name is Tetrax Shard, a Petrosapien from the rich mineral planet, Petropia. I am the sole reason that my species, is nearing extinction," Warriarch raised an eyebrow at this remark, but slowly let his guard down, letting Tetrax have the floor. "To make a long story short, I made a mistake at a young age, and teamed up with the wrong individual. It cost me the destruction of my planet, and the loss of numerous innocent lives. It was, needless to say, horrible."
Warriarch takes a deep breath and looks Tetrax in the eyes. Behind those glowing yellow orbs, he could see someone who had regrets. "My mission was to retrieve the Omnitrix at all costs. Since it is attached to you, however, the mission has obviously changed," Tetrax looked at Warriarch, curiosity now peaked. "Since the Omnitrix has bonded to you, I had to see how much punishment you could take. As a bonus, I found it a rare sight to see Amazon DNA being housed within the device. Wasn't sure if the sample itself would be male, but here you are." Tetrax explained.
Warriarch looked a bit confused. "What dost thou inquire about my gender being masculine?" Warriarch asked.
The huntress stepped forward, lightly pushing Tetrax aside. "Ignore him. He knows nothing of the Amazons, but it does fascinate me that the rumors and legends back on New Themyscira did happen to be true," The huntress carefully analyzed the detail of the warrior, seeming almost fascinated by the very presence of one. "You look exactly like the old scrolls once described. Warrior men that could decimate entire armies with their will and natural strength alone. However, with how you stand here right now, you've barely scratched the surface of what an Amazon is truly capable of." The huntress explained.
Warriarch felt odd. With how this woman was talking, it was almost as if he was talking to his cousin. "Truly, judging by the tone that carries your words, you seem to be well-educated on the subject..." Warriarch stares at the huntress, a sense of curiosity filling his mind. "Pray tell, what exactly makes you such an expert, besides the fact that you remind me of my cousin?" Warriarch asked.
The huntress removed her helmet. She seemed to resemble Warriarch in a way, but with a much paler skin tone and thinner body. She also seemed to be able to make her bounty hunter suit vanish. The huntress was now clad in red armor pieces with blue gems and bolts embedded into the side. Her hair cascaded down to her hips, black and shining in the sun's light. She opened her eyes, revealing light-blue eyes staring back.
Warriarch felt genuinely confused as to why some human lady was staring at him, until he finally came to the realization. "Thou art... an Amazon, correct?" He asked.
The woman nodded, smiling calmly. "Indeed, your current transformation and I are of the same species. I am Diana of the Amazons, the former princess of New Themyscira." She introduced.
Warriarch felt as if there was a lot of information to take in, mainly because there was, but it did help to get some confirmation on what exactly this watch was about. Before another word could be said, the Omnitrix began flashing red and beeping. In a flash of red light, Warriarch was reverted back into Ben. "So, what happens now?" Ben asked.
Tetrax steps forward. "We have wasted enough time. It won't be long till SixSix and Kraab find their way back to us. We need to get off-"
Before Tetrax could finish, a loud scream rings out through the abandoned town. The three run over and peak around a corner, seeing Max and Gwen tied up against a rusty metal pillar, with SixSix on guard and Kraab looking around.
"Alright, Tetrax. Here's what we're gonna do. You're gonna betray our mysterious ally, give us the kid, and then we'll split the reward between the three of us, no problems, no catches, no cons," Ben gritted his teeth and so badly wanted to turn into one of his aliens right then, but not only was the Omnitrix recharging, he didn't want to risk getting them hurt. "But, if you don't give us the kid, we're gonna make an orphan out of him right now. What say you, jaded-gem-face-McGee?" Kraab called out.
Tetrax looked angry, balling his fists in anger. Diana was disgusted, and looked as if she could've killed the two hunters with a simple look. Ben was a bit distressed, slack-jawed and obviously mad that his family was in danger, but he was stressing out.
Diana reaches to a handle on her side, ready to unsheathe a blade, until she notices Ben silently telling her to not do anything brash. "They still have my family, I'm not going anywhere until I know they're safe." Ben stated.
For a moment, Diana was ready to rush in and attack, but something familiar flashes through her mind. Diana backs down, sheathing her sword as she remained hidden. "Why do you think they have those two?" Diana asked.
"It's a negotiation." Ben and Tetrax said in unison.
The two shared a look, seeming surprised by each other's answer, only for Tetrax to have the floor. "As I was saying, they're using his family as a bargaining chip to get the Omnitrix. Now, obviously we can't let that happen. All I wanted to do today, was do a simple recovery mission, get paid and get on with my life," Tetrax's gaze shifted to Ben. "However, as much as it may seem that I care only for my own benefit, I won't let innocent people die... especially if it's my fault. The Omnitrix's safety might be top priority, but top priority means nothing if innocent people have to die." Tetrax explained.
Ben and Diana looked back at Kraab and SixSix, who were keeping a close eye on Gwen and Max. "So, what's the plan?" Diana asked.
"Simple. The kid goes to hide, and we take care of this. SixSix and Kraab are the farthest thing from innocent, so kill them to your heart's content." Tetrax sternly stated, a wry smirk forming on his face as his arm formed into a crystal blade.
Ben frowned, wanting to get involved in the fight, but before he could argue, a huge crystal wall separated him from the two warriors. Ben gritted his teeth and kicked the crystal wall. "Great, my family's still in danger and I can't help save their lives! Why do I even have this stupid watch if I'm not allowed to use its power to help people?!" Ben groaned.
Ben ran into one of the old buildings. It looked like some kind of saloon, but far more dilapidated and wrecked than it would've been if it weren't abandoned. Ben ducked behind the bar and tried to make the Omnitrix work.
Back with Tetrax and Diana, the two were immediately on the attack, though SixSix and Kraab seemed more prepared for them.
SixSix flew into Tetrax, crashing through several buildings as the two brawled in close proximity of each other. Kraab had tried opening fire on the Amazon, but the armor she wore just seemed to reflect or block the energy bolts Kraab was shooting. Diana unsheathed her blade and swung with wrath and grace, though Kraab was more than lucky to know his armor was specially made, even if it would have some serious scratches. Diana lunged forward and grabbed Kraab, tossing him into Tetrax's crystal wall, burying the alien in crystals.
Tetrax slammed his fists into SixSix's head, managing to crack and fracture his mask, but SixSix immediately began unloading several explosives onto the Petrosapien. Tetrax was blown back, in the more literal sense, but did end up skidding to a stop at Max and Gwen's feet.
"Ben? Please tell me that's you." Gwen worriedly asked.
"I assume he's the kid who wears the Omnitrix, yes?" Tetrax asked.
"He's my grandson," Tetrax looked towards Max. "I'm Max Tennyson, a plumber. Get us out of here, and we'll lend a hand." Max introduced.
Diana goes over to the pile of crystals to pull Kraab out, only to notice some of the crystals fall into a hole that wasn't there before. "Tetrax! Kraab's going after the Omnitrix, we have to-" Before she can finish her sentence, she's immediately tackled by SixSix. The two enter a struggle, with Diana managing to overpower SixSix, then wail and beat him down.
Back in the saloon, Ben was having his own problems. Kraab barged in and began to shoot up the place, clearly in a rage. Ben continued to try and make the Omnitrix work, until it suddenly shined green.
'There we go, time to scrap this overgrown tuna can already.' Ben thought, priming the Omnitrix as he cycled through his transformations.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are, you blasted kid!" Kraab aggressively taunted, slamming his massive claw through a few support beams.
The building was already unstable due to its abandonment, but all it takes is a good fight, and this place will collapse on them both. Ben stopped on Rocks' icon and was going to transform, until he remembered what Max said.
"Might isn't always right." Ben quietly told himself.
Ben twisted the dial and found Brainframe's icon, and knew what he had to do. Ben pushed the core down and enveloped the entire saloon in a flash of green light. Kraab notices the flashing light and rushes over, crushing the shelves and the bar itself, only to be met with a tall, expressionless gray man in armor.
"Designation: Kraab. You are doomed this day, allow me to demonstrate why and how." Brainframe stated, looking down at the crustaceous hunter.
"Yeah? And what's some stupid Coluan going to do about it? Explain calculus till I foam at the mouth?" Kraab taunted.
Brainframe watched as the hunter mocked him, making fun of how the supposed race he belongs to, these 'Coluans', are just a bunch of wastes of resources. For some odd reason, this angered the alien hero.
Brainframe stepped forward, feeling his fingers suddenly become elongated. One at a time, Brainframe started to feel each finger turn into an elongated black metal tube, each one equipped with a small sparking plug at the end of their tips. Brainframe was now towering over Kraab, who has long since stopped laughing. "You are correct, Kraab. Brainframe isn't as physically capable, or as expressive... but I'm just as calculating as I am resourceful, and that helps me turn the tide of battle in my favor."
Before Kraab could figure out what exactly he meant by that, the tubes plugged themselves into Kraab's armor, sending a thorough and near-devastating shock as Kraab screamed out in pain and terror as the sound of something being tampered with began to echo throughout the crumbling saloon.
Diana and Tetrax, along with Max and Gwen looked at the saloon, all while SixSix was essentially unconscious. The doors to the saloon swung open, and Kraab stumbled out like a drunken patron, but something was clearly different.
Kraab's armor had been seemingly modified, now sporting two huge claws instead of one, while also having his armor re-colored in certain areas in Black and White. The Omnitrix's emblem seemed to form on top of Kraab's head as his eyes glowed green, but he groaned and seemed uncomfortable. Brainframe walked out and Diana was immediately on-edge.
"Attempt to drown out enemy sapience: Successful. Moral Acquisition program has been added to Brainframe Model 10-B, and has been updated to the latest version," Brainframe noticed SixSix's unconscious body and knew what move to make. "Kraab Model, apprehend SixSix Model and await further instructions." Brainframe commanded.
Kraab burrowed into the ground and popped up where SixSix would be, using his claws to keep hold of SixSix. Brainframe looked over at Max and smiled, approaching slowly, only for Diana to get in the way, sword drawn. Brainframe's smile faded and he stared the Amazon down.
Diana seemed a bit shaky, but after staring Brainframe down for a couple minutes, she stood down, but refused to move out of the way. "And here I thought a Male Amazon was going to be the biggest surprise waiting for me on Earth. I didn't know you could turn into a Coluan," Diana shuddered, as if a bad memory came rushing back. "I was almost certain I was going to have to fight a child." Diana remarked.
"Designation: Diana Prince. Your assumption has conclusive Negative results, though the concerns are of important note." Diana looked confused. "I have a mind of my own, and there's very little Ben Tennyson can do, however, this was the most logical and most rational choice the human could calculate. After all," Brainframe stepped aside and gestured to Kraab's altered state. "Why fight, when you can make others fight for you? It was incredulously easy to hack and remotely control Kraab's armor. Now with him and SixSix taken care of, I feel we can rest easy, for the moment." Brainframe explained.
Tetrax pulls out a small gun-like device with a cube attached to it. He fires it at Kraab and SixSix, trapping them inside as it shrinks down.
"Well, you're not so bad... for a human." Tetrax stated.
Ben smiled. "And despite the things you did, you aren't as bad as I thought you were. I hope you find a way to fix things, I'd actually like to see Petropia one day." Ben commented.
Tetrax smiled, noticing Diana chatting with Max, all while Gwen excitedly writes down stuff in a notebook. "Your family means a lot to you. Wish mine meant something to me, maybe things wouldn't have played out like they did." Tetrax remarked.
Ben pat Tetrax's back and stood up. "I'm sure you'll figure something out," Ben's smile soon faded, knowing what might come next. "So, with two bounty hunters trapped, and two of them being within arms reach of me... am I still going to have to come with you?" Ben asked.
Tetrax and Diana look at each other, then back at Ben. The both of them share a grin. Tetrax pats Ben's back and gestures Diana over. "Well, I'd say it's in good hands, for now. You may be a kid, but you definitely have guts." Tetrax commented.
Diana nodded. "Indeed. Even though I know it'd be irresponsible to let a child keep the Omnitrix, I know even better it's the more responsible choice to let you keep it. It's better off in your hands, human." Diana cleared her throat and knelt down. "But, know this! We will come by again someday to check up on you, just to see how you're doing. We'll swap stories, that'll be fun, right?" Ben smiled and nodded his head. "Just keep doing the right thing, Ben. Fight for those who can't." Diana instructed.
Tetrax and Diana then walked over to Max and handed him a small trigger with a blue button on it, and a marble sized ball with an orange button on it. "These buttons will call either one of us, in case you need our help. The blue one is for Tetrax, and the orange one is for me. Just press that and give us a call if you're in need of getting some back-up, we'll get there fast." Diana explained.
Tetrax and Diana stepped back, waving at the Tennysons as they vanish in a red flash of light.
In space, Vilgax sees the bounty hunters leaving Earth, and rocketing past his ship.
"Betrayed." Vilgax bitterly growls.
A sensor scans the ship before it gets out of range. It shows a negative result. "Sire, sensors indicate the Omnitrix is not with the mercenaries. It's quite possible they were overpowered, or at the tactical disadvantage." The individual reported.
Vilgax thought for a moment, then seemed almost... impressed. "It would appear the creature who possesses the Omnitrix is as clever, as it is fierce. Truly, a worthy foe," Vilgax eyes the planet below, gritting his teeth as he floats in his tube. "But I shall not be denied. Beware, wielder of the Omnitrix, I am aware of your strength, now."
Back at the remnants of the obstacle course, a woman in a red hazmat suit observes one of Rocks' broken sediment fragments in the dead of night. The woman removes her head piece, revealing the woman to be Madame, smiling as she admires the fragment in her hands. She looks to the sky, the moonlight reveals a pale red glint in the woman's eyes.
She smiles and stifles a laugh. "Hm... Benjamin Tennyson, you're quite the enigma, young man. I can hardly wait till we finally meet... It will be glorious." She mutters to herself with a chuckle.
Suddenly, the sound of a walkie-talkie blared to life. 'Madame! Come in, Madame! Over!' The doctor's voice called out.
Madame grabbed the walkie-talkie from her side and spoke into it. "Yes, Doctor, what is it this time? Over." She responded.
There was a moment of radio silence, then the walkie flared to life. 'Madame, it's our latest agent. They're getting antsy. Any suitable options come up on your search? Over.' The doctor asked.
Madame sighed, but kept her smile. "Tell them to do some recon work in New York, strictly recon work. Can't have anyone asking questions," Madame thought about something, then responded again. "Should the Tennysons end up in New York, tell him to scout the area, but do not engage under any circumstances! Over." Madame commanded.
'By your orders, Madame. Resuming radio silence, over.' The doctor hung up, and Madame looked to the night sky again, staring at the moon.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
And that was Hunted for Answers, an alternate take on 'Hunted'. Where do I begin with the changes in this one. Let's start with the plot.
1 - PLOT
I wanted the plot to be generally the same, but at the same time, I also wanted to demonstrate a sense of growth Ben has developed with the Omnitrix. I also eluded to the possibility of Ben being able to turn into an alien just by thinking it, while also keeping the timer semi-relevant.
The plot of the episode felt as if it didn't need changing, but since Ben has access to Amazon DNA, and Diamondhead has been swapped out with Rocks, I didn't want to alter the plot too much and make a couple new characters. Plus, it helps to flesh out characters that already have a backstory, and it's even more creative to figure out how they'd fit in within other universes, as if they existed there naturally.
2 - MAX
I think since 'And then there were 10', I had an actual idea for what I wanted to do with Max's character. In the original timeline, Max clearly is hiding his secret from his grandkids, even when one of them can turn into aliens, and the other would soon become a literal energy being with magical powers. In this story, when Max sees Ben as a Xenomorph, it brings back a frightening memory from his EARLY days as a plumber rookie. He can't bring himself to imagine his grandson, or his granddaughter as those monstrous creatures. But at the same time, Ben immediately jumping into a more serious role at his age, it reminded him too much of his days as a rookie, and the mistakes he made as one.
Max's whole thing, in season 1, he hides his secret, but it's obvious that he knows more than what he lets on. In this story, Ben and Gwen are already aware of the basic concept of the plumbers, Max doesn't know that they know, and it'll only get more complicated from there on out.
3 - ALIEN POWERS/ABILITIES
I have to admit, I didn't think I'd be altering the power sets of any of these aliens, but it's one of the best things I've done for this story. Brainframe having the ability to use a type of mechanical mind control, it just fits really well with what Brainiac's species, the Coluans, are like. I don't know if I'll continue this trend of altering power sets, but if I do, I'll keep things as balanced as I possibly can.
4 - INCLUSION OF ALTERNATE VARIANTS OF EXISTING NON-BEN 10 CHARACTERS
I feel like I wanted to bring this up back in Witchington BC, but I just never did, for some reason. This story doesn't just focus on Ben having crossover aliens in his arsenal. This story is a blend of numerous different worlds, all combined into one unique little hodgepodge of a world with its own unique, if not very different, history.
These characters do have parts to play, but it'll take a while to get to that point. Just know that after the next chapter, this story gets more and more different as it goes on. The changes ramp up and get stranger.
And I think that was all I wanted to discuss. I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter, and I hope it was worth the wait. Next episode, we crank things up... to 11.
