SZ: *reads the questions*...hoo that is a lot for one review. Also...what's wrong with how we have Makoto in this compared to her appearance in Remix Hearts and Blazbuild?
Z0: I think they themselves said they are unsure why they feel that way...eh I don't know.
GT: Perhaps it's because Makoto was more of a straight person than normal.
SZ: Possibly...as for why the omnitrix hasn't scanned Makoto...well she's mostly human, so...GT? Z0?
GT: More than likely the reason why.
Z0: I mean...I don't think Beastkins count as different from earth humans or animals in a genetic sense. So it just picks up human possibly.
SZ: *nods* Anyway...let us start this story off. But first...We do not own anything in this aside from original content...which we've yet to show off. Don't worry...OC stuff will come soon...right guys?
GT: Possibly. So shall we start? And, no, there is nothing explosive in this room, SZ. Z0 and I both agreed to not have any in here. *a few moments of silence pass before I hand up a sign reading 'TKO is wimpy baby!'* And now there will be destruction. *flees*
SZ: Oh come on!
Turbo KO: *roars while destroying the scene*
"So this is HQ!" Makoto cheered, leading Tsubaki around, "This is only my third time here...but Ben is distracted."
"That the best you got?" an alien of purple stone with magenta crystal hands and spikes jutting from his body laughed as he let a laser strike him, his one eye rolling as another hit him, "Ahh...I'm getting sleepy."
"You forgot to calibrate it!"
"No I didn't!"
"Yes you did!"
"No I didn't!"
"I thought you two were Galvan...what's wrong? Having an off day?" the alien sighed flashing back to Ben.
Sitting atop what could only be called an evil villain's death laser were two tiny, almost frog-like aliens. They had grey skin and large green eyes with rectangular pupils. One was shorter and wider in build, wearing the white Plumber armor uniform, while the other was taller and skinnier, with an alien baseball cap, overalls with the Plumbers uniform belt, and...he seemed just a bit cross eyed.
"You didn't set it up right, did you!?" the chubby Galvan complained.
"Yes I did!" the skinny one crossed his arms.
"No you didn't!"
"Yes I did!"
"Why don't you guys figure it out while I relax?" Ben sighed.
"We will as soon as he admits he made a mistake!"
"Not if he admits what happened earlier with the robot."
"That was you! I told you not to mess with it, and you did anyway!"
"The CPU wasn't processing right..."
"...Yeah...I'll leave you to it then…" Ben sweatdropped as he walked out of the room, "Hey girls."
"So those are the science team?" Makoto asked.
"Driba is the tiny round one, and Blukic is the tall lanky one." Ben named them as they devolved to fighting like children and actually hitting each other now, "They...are only geniuses while on Earth…"
"...Huh. Go figure," Makoto noted.
"Yeah…" Ben nodded before looking over at Tsubaki, "How are you adjusting?"
"Honestly...I'm still amazed aliens used to live on our planet," Tsubaki admitted, "...And it makes me question why the NOL would keep something like this hidden."
"Dunno...maybe like before they became more and more normal in my time they figure knowing there are aliens...most of which are very deadly or hostile out there in space would cause panic." Ben offered, "I mean...just last year my age old Nemesis Vilgax invaded Earth and challenged me to a public showdown...and he...kinda killed me for a few seconds."
"?!" The girls' eyes widened at that.
"You actually died?!" Makoto gawked.
"Yeah...It was mostly as Chromastone; the alien you just saw me as. But the weird thing is, I was able to come back as Diamondhead, the alien I used to rescue you when you first appeared here, Makoto."
"Wait wait! How does that work!?" Makoto asked.
"Huh? Well, Chromastone and Diamondhead are like...cousin species from the same planet. I figure the Omnitrix did something to change me to Diamondhead just after Vilgax shattered Chromastone, and since Diamondhead can reform from his broken shards...it saved me." he went on, "Hahaha...he didn't see it coming! To be fair, I've mastered Diamondhead's powers way more then others I had at that time. I made him yield...oh the look of saying those words on old Vilgy's face."
"So you can die...and the watch brings you back to life!?" Makoto snapped still hung up on that.
"I figured the Omnitrix has some sort of 'save the user's life' failsafe…" Ben shrugged.
"..." Makoto slowly blinked as she and Tsubaki looked at one another, "It's agreed. If Kajun ever shows up, we keep her FAR away from the Omnitrix." 'And if it's Kokonoe…..yeah….'
"Agreed."
"Oh come on...like it be that bad." Ben spoke, "Besides what's the worst she could do? I broke my old one hundreds of times."
"Old...one?" the blinked.
"Oh this is the final model, the 'perfect one' as Azmuth calls it. I used to have the old prototype until a year back. I once snapped the dial ring off and got stuck with alien fusions all day…" he laughed at the memory, "Not as cool as you'd think. Each fusion only had half the effective power of the full thing...and some fusions were...not good...like Heatblast and Ripjaws...imagine being a fish that needs water...with arms, back fin, and legs made of fire."
"...yeesh," Makoto cringed, "...Still...fusing aliens sounds cool. Oh! What if you mastered that and was able to choose which ones to fuse?!"
"I have to run that by Azmuth…" Ben muttered, "Fourarms and Humungousaur… Fourmungousaur!"
"Oh that sounds so cool!" Makoto beamed.
"Honestly, Makoto...try and act your real age…" Tsubaki sighed, "...I might as well turn in for tonight and study up...Next time we're free, Makoto, you and Ben are going to study hard."
"Seriously, why do I have to be dragged into it?!" Ben complained, "...You weren't a teacher, were you?"
"No. I was a member of the NOL Military Academy's student council."
"Well...okay. See, you are people new to this world and should learn. I learn better by experience, and what better then the world's greatest tool for peace." he argued, holding up the Omnitrix, "This was made to let you walk a mile in someone else's shoes."
"Wait. That's why it was made?" Makoto blinked.
"Yeah, I know right?" Ben chuckled, "Azmuth...got tired of weapons and wars...so he made this as a tool to help. It can also heal damaged DNA, or splice DNA if I set it to do so."
...I see," Tsubaki noted, "...Still, while you might know how to use each of your alien forms, it would not hurt to brush up on certain species you've yet to encounter or transform to."
"Well...yea b-"
"And the fact you didn't graduate and skipped your last year of high school irks me," Tsubaki continued, "So starting tomorrow after we're done with our task for the day, you will be focusing on your online classes while Makoto studies on the different alien species."
"Wha...way to go, blabbermouth..." Ben sighed.
"How's this my fault?!" Makoto argued.
"You got her started in the first place!"
"Wel you had to try and counter it by saying 'I learn from experience'!"
"I do!" he argued, "Why does no one ever get that…"
"Oh you kids are still here!" Max spoke, walking down the hall, "Great! I just caught you. I've been trying out a new dish I found in Undertown and wanted to see what you guys thought of it."
"Oh? Well of course," Tsubaki nodded.
"What's that guys? You need help!?" Ben shouted to the test room as he slammed the watch and became Diamondhead, "Yeah, sure! I'll help with the laser cannon." he said jogging back in...before coming back and shutting the door.
"...You were ditching us. Why were you…?!" Makoto began in a mix of annoyance and dread.
"What? Ditching you...hahaha, what!? No I'm not…" Diamondhead laughed as he struggled to close the door after Makoto opened it, "I just have work to do! Can you fire up the death ray already!?"
"It is not a death ray!" Dribba shouted.
"Yes it is." Blukic countered.
"Is not!"
"Focus! Fire the ray!" Diamondhead called.
"Ben, you get back out here and suffer with us!" Makoto shouted.
"Honestly you two…" Tsubaki sighed, 'Still...whatever food Tennyson-san has cooked up should be good.'
'I blame Tsubaki!' Makoto thought, looking wide-eyed at the pot set up before them.
"It's called the Tetramand Arburian Stir-Fry," Max informed.
"This doesn't seem all that different to the foods served normally at home," Tsubaki noted, earning looks from Ben and Makoto, "Makoto, remember that my last name is 'Yayoi.' As in the Yayoi Family who donate to the NOL and run the systems that let us travel to the different cities?"
"Wait, what?" Ben blinked at that before whispering to Makoto, "Her family's rich?"
"I knew that, but not the system bit," Makoto replied with wide eyes before both flinched when Max scooped a ladle full on their plates.
"Wait a minute...isn't an Arburian Cannonbolt's species?" Ben asked.
"Yes. It's a stir-fry made by a Tetramand and an Arburian Pelarota working together. If I remember right, the story goes they were both looking for an ingredient for their own recipes and ended up in a brawl that ended up mixing their recipes together," Max explained.
"I see. Interesting," Tsubaki noted.
"This is quite delicious. Thank you, Magister Tennyson," Rook thanked.
'How can he eat it without a care?!' Makoto and Ben thought.
"Wait...If this is safe for them to eat..." Ben smirked dialing his Omnitrix as in a flash he turned into a giant red skinned four armed and eyes alien, dressed in black in green with a moustache and goatee, "Oh yeah!" he grinned, flexing his arms.
"...FourArms?" Makoto guessed.
"Hey I was 10. Cut me some slack," Four arms complained as he used one arm to scoop some up and ate it, "Huh...Not too bad."
"Really?" Makoto blinked, taking a spoon full before taking a bite, "..."
"...You okay Makoto?"
"..."
"Hmm?" Fourarms blinked taking noticed as he waved one of his hands in front of her face to get her attention, "Oh yeah...She's totally out of it."
"How did that happen? We all ate it, yet we are fine," Rook pondered.
"...Oh...Maybe her biology," Tsubaki realized.
"You mean the part squirrel thing?" Fourarms asked.
"Possibly," Tsubaki replied as she gently poked Makoto, "She could have some taste buds humans don't that were triggered or something in the food is causing this reaction."
"Grandpa...what exactly was in this?" Fourarms asked.
"Ah, now that's quite the list," Max noted as he pressed a button and two medical officers ran in.
"There's always one when you make these, Magister," a female Diamondhead-like officer sighed as she held up a scanner to Makoto, "Looks like she's got an allergy to the type of meat Tetramands use for this recipe."
"At least she isn't having a reaction like Ge'off had with the stew last month," the other officer, a human male, noted as he pulled out a square device that expanded into a medical cot that floated several feet above the floor, "Alright, we'll take her to the medical wing for the normal allergy shots and get a genetic allergy report for her ready in an hour."
"There are allergies from alien foods?" Tsubaki asked.
"Different biologies. Even if someone's not allergic to something on Earth, another planet could have something they are," the female noted as she loaded Makoto onto the cot.
"...I may need to have those shots and a report as well," Tsubaki noted.
"Urgh...Remind me to never eat anything your gramps offers," Makoto groaned the next day as they approached Max's cover job's store, the Beastkin wearing figure-hugging jeans that reached halfway past her knees and a blue tee with the word 'COOL' stretched across her bosom.
"Now you see why I ran…" Ben sighed, "Grandpa has been eating weird foods for years now. You don't want to know how bad it gets when he doesn't have alien ingredients to work with." he spoke with a shudder, "Only part I wish to change about that summer...his cooking. Weird thing is his taste in food is almost exactly like a witch's potion an enemy of ours made once."
"...You still could've warned us...especially me," Makoto muttered.
"...Think Tsubaki's adjusting okay?" Ben asked, hoping to change the subject.
"...I hope so," Makoto answered as they approached the elevator leading down to HQ, "She can handle herself pretty well in whatever situation she's given...well, aside from what happened when she first got here, but you get my point."
"To be fair, who would be ready for your current predicament?" Ben argued.
"Fair enough," Makoto replied as they rode it down, "Think your car will be fixed?"
"Not likely. My friend Kevin built it...The fact you even wrecked it up the way you did...is a testament to how strong you are."
"Oh…" Makoto noted as they got out, "Neat!"
"I'm sure I can fix it with Upgrade or Juryrigg...provided he doesn't dismantle it and turn it into a miniature fighter jet...again."
"I'm guessing he looks like a little gremlin," Makoto guessed.
"Yeah. But wearing a pilot's suit and laughs a lot. I have almost little to no control around tech in that form."
"Good morning, you two," Tsubaki greeted.
"Oh, hey, Ts…" Makoto began before blinking twice upon seeing Tsubaki wearing a black and cream version of Rook's outfit, "Uh...Tsubaki?"
"Standard issue for patrol," Tsubaki explained before tossing Makoto a star-shaped charm, "I have to admit that the technology is amazing here. I'm worried if Kajun is ever here, we wouldn't be able to get her out of even just the broom closet for months."
"Blukic and Driba went all out on that one…" Ben muttered.
"...and the charm?" Makoto asked as she wrapped it around her neck.
"Blukic and Driba made it with nanotechnology to…"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Ben held his hands up, "Makoto, get that off. Nanotech is never a good idea."
"Huh?"
"I said they are impressive, yes! But that's compared to Earthlings...those two are on Earth 'cause no one on Galvan wanted them!"
"I believe he is worried due to the last time Earthlings were involved with nanotechnology," Rook noted as he walked over.
"Here. Just...let me check it first." Ben sighed, slapping the Omnitrix as he shrank down into a Galvan dressed in a green jumpsuit with his Omnitrix on his back.
"Who's this?" Makoto asked as she picked him up.
"Greymatter," the alien replied as he hopped onto her shoulder and looked at her necklace, "...Phew. Not made with Nanochips."
"Nanochips?" Tsubaki repeated.
"They were the result of the last time nanotechnology and humans interacted," Rook replied quietly, "It resulted in the death of a Plumber named Victor Emilio Validus and his daughter, Elena Validus, being transformed into a being made of them and losing her mind in a way. They did not specify how in the reports."
"It was personal and none of anyone's business," Greymatter declared simply, "Now, shush! A genius is at work." he inspected the necklace a bit more, "Hmm...The AI for the system is basic and incapable of evolving beyond its current capabilities, so no worry for it going for assimilation. It appears to be simply for a clothing change." he finished before jumping off, "Congratulations, Blukic and Driba...you didn't almost make sentient killer clothing...again."
"...Again?" Makoto and Tsubaki blinked.
"Just trust me...It was not pretty," Greymatter sighed, "Suffice to say, I almost got murdered by a pair of longjohns...thank heavens for Upchuck. So what's up with it?"
"Oh, it makes the same outfit I'm in," Tsubaki explained.
"Portable Proto Armor. Useful, maybe with its durability she can punch thicker skinned aliens without almost breaking her hand." Greymatter pointed out.
"Really?" Makoto blinked, "Oh, I'm gonna like it. Though...does it come in acorn color?"
"They're all adjustable," Rook explained, "They're meant to also be used for camouflage for stealth missions. However, we simply have a standard patrol until three."
"Oh...cool," Makoto noted, "...Oh hey. Did my old cloths e-"
"I locked those up the moment I saw them," Tsubaki simply replied.
"I don't wanna know." Greymatter said, walking off.
"She meant my battle outfit," Makoto simplified with a sigh.
"That was not meant for...how you got around without suffering a wardrobe malfunction is beyond me!" Tsubaki snapped.
"Rook, stop paying attention!" Greymatter snapped before he changed back into Ben, "And I get the feeling I'm going to be a tour guide once more."
"You are…" Tsubaki replied, "I want to examine this UnderTown you three have seen."
"Huh. I have wanted to check that place out more." Ben muttered.
"I, unfortunately, shall not be joining you today." Rook sighed, "I must write up a report for our arrest of Fistrick, and then per Magister Tennyson's request write out a study guide of Plumber rules and regulations for our guests. It all should be rather entertaining, but time consuming."
"Guess it'll be a walking tour," Ben noted, "Good luck with that stuff, Rook. I'll bring you back a smoothie from Mr. Smoothy's."
"Thank you," Rook smiled.
"Well at least we'll see what aliens are like," Makoto shrugged, "Well...aside from what we've seen in the base and with Rook. Might be a piece of cake."
Shocksquatch grunted as he crashed through an abandoned stall, "Makoto, when we're done with this, you are so gonna get an afro and a puffed up tail from me, eh!"
"Oh, like I knew there were bounty hunting aliens!" Makoto snapped as she flipped over an energy axe on a cable, now donned in a black and acorn-colored version of Rook's uniform with a pair of tonfa strapped to the back of her lower arms, "And remind me to thank those two for including tonfa in this!"
"Just hand me your new Omnitrix, Ben Tennyson, and this can all be over!" Sunder the Retriever spoke as he wore a new metallic mask over his face.
"Well, eh, sure! Since you asked so nicely!" Shocksquatch smirked in response.
He jumped over another swing of his axe before running on all fours to evade the weapon as it chased him via swinging along the ground. Shocksquatch blinked as he noticed a little alien boy run into his path after a ball, he quickly rolled forward and scooped him up before swinging his arm and blocking the axe by its cable, and wrapped it around his arm, he let the kid go as he screamed and ran off.
"Oh geez don't mention it!" Shocksquatch called.
"Ben, they don't always have to thank you for saving them!" Makoto snapped.
"It's just manners, eh!" Shocksquatch countered as he began a game of tug-o-war with Sunder.
"Mou…" Makoto fumed.
"Does this happen a lot?" Tsubaki asked as she stood nearby.
"Seems like it," Makoto replied, "Oh! Opening!" she dashed out and skid under Sunder's vehicle, crouching down once she was under it, "And…" she delivered an uppercut, sending Sunder flying up to the ceiling and dropping his axe, "SPOON!"
"Who goes shouting 'bout spoons, eh?" Shocksquatch asked as he unwrapped the rest of the cable from his arm, "Oh boy that looks like it'll be a pain to get him out."
"Eh. I'm sure he's fine," Makoto shrugged.
"I am not fine!" Sunder called, his head jammed through and directly under a pipeline which was leaking on his head.
"This is payback for my hand, eh!" Shocksquatch shook his fist at the air.
"What'd he do?" Makoto asked.
"Cut off my hand," he smirked reverting to Ben.
"He...cut off your hand?" Tsubaki asked.
"It was a whole thing," Ben shrugged, "Somehow ended up in the Null Void without my hand with the Omnitrix on it. Lucky for me, Julie found it and helped me get out." he froze.
"Forgot to check for a video on how this Julie's doing in France?" Makoto guessed as Ben groaned while facepalming.
"Makoto, must you do this?" Tsubaki sighed as she grabbed the badge on Makoto's hip and tapped it, "Reporting a captured bounty hunter by the name of Sunder. Attempted to assault a Plumber officer and his apprentices while on duty, over."
=Noted. Your location has been marked by the badge, over=
"Uh...might want to bring some hover vehicles and tools to...get him out of the cave ceiling," Ben added.
=Sending the Ben Cleanup Team. Over and out=
"...Pffft…" Makoto snorted back a laugh.
"Hey, hey...Might want to rename that...It was Makoto's fault this time," Ben simply smirked.
=Noted. Over and out= the officer on the line replied before turning off the communication.
"Well, that was fun," Makoto noted, "Though that's gonna bite ya later, Ben."
"Why?"
"You're the senior officer in charge of us," Tsubaki explained, "In other words, our actions reflect on you."
"...Seriously?" Ben asked with a groan.
"How was your team before?" Tsubaki asked.
"It was me, Gwen, and Kevin. Gwen was the smart book type, Kevin was the...well checkered past street smart one." Ben went on, "And I...was the punch the big guy in the face till he went down guy."
"So...you were never the brains of the team…" Makoto realized.
"Not unless I went Brainstorm," Ben smirked.
"So...you are the literal secret weapon...no wonder your grandfather gave you a partner as fast as possible," Tsubaki realized via her own thought process.
"Yeah...you literally need people to keep you from doing stupid things..like putting your foot in your mouth," Makoto added.
"I don't…"
"Congratulations, my dear boy and his companions!" a new voice spoke up.
"Oh geez!" Makoto yelped as she jumped and landed in Ben's arms, "Don't sneak up on a girl!"
"My humblest apologies."
Tsubaki looked at the owner of the new voice. It was a green-skinned humanoid alien wearing a red/brown coat fully buttoned up and a red/brown top hat. Two gold stars adorned his jacket on the chest area while another acted as a buckle for his belt sporting several yellow pouches. His large top hat also sported a star and a pair of goggles on it. Four arms grew from his body while his skin was green and his hair and mustache were orange.
"Well...I guess I can accept them," Makoto noted.
"Hope Ben will accept yours," Tsubaki frowned.
"Huh?"
"He can't breathe," Tsubaki deadpanned.
"..." Makoto blinked as she looked down, seeing Ben's face almost blue, "...oops. Eh heh...sorry again," she chuckled sheepishly as she let go and jumped out of his arms.
"Phwah!" Ben gasped out, 'Her chest should be registered as a lethal weapon for air breathers…even if they were soft and-gha! Bad Ben! You have Julie...I think...Mmm...I need to figure out her number or see how's she doing on her tennis trip!'
"...Ahem! Anyway I saw what you and your companions did and wonderful! Wonderful yes indeed! Absolutely superlative!" the alien beamed, "But...if you want to prevent that rundown feeling of transforming from beast to boy...what you need…" he pulled out a small bottle with a star on it, "Is a bottle of Professor Hokestar's Miracle elixir!"
"...Who with the what now?" Ben raised a brow.
"Does it have anything we'd be allergic to?" Makoto asked, throwing him for a loop.
"Well no, but I can assure you young lady, Professor Blarney T. Hokestar's Miracle Elixir will change everything!"
"...Yeah…thanks, but no thanks…" Ben deadpanned as he began to walk away followed by Makoto and Tsubaki.
This didn't seem to deter Mr Hokestar much as he fixed his hat and turned to the massive crowd who gathered to watch the fight. It seemed Undertown took these...Ben 10 fights as like a public performance. With the many powers and abilities gathered in this alien town, fixing things like a broken building or two was hardly difficult, but the violence and action of it was worth watching to ignore the moments of boredom of day to day life down there.
"How about you, my friends?! Do you too doubt the veracity of my formula's amazing attributes?!" Hokestar asked the crowd, earning silence from them, "...Oh what's that? You need a brief demonstration?"
"..."
"...Yeah, I don't think they're buying it," Makoto deadpanned.
"...hmm...oh! Then may I have an abled bodied volunteer from the audience?!" Hokestar asked as he looked amongst the crowd, "Somebody...anybody?"
"...eh uh...I'll do it," a voice spoke as a small alien seemingly made of purple stone wearing a purple and gold jacket moved through the crowd, raising his clawed hand.
"Excellent my boy! The perfect specimen yes indeed!" Hokestar beamed as the small alien moved over to him, "Now...just for clarity's sake, we have never met before have we?"
"Uh...no bo-I mean! Professor...we have never met before."
"..." the three Plumber agents all crossed their arms and watched what was about to transpire.
"And your name uh...my good sir?"
"They call me Plugg. Solid Plugg…"
"...Oh. Of course you are, my dear boy," Hokestar whispered before placing an arm around Plugg's shoulder, "And now~! Are you ready to have your whole world transformed?"
"...uh...sure. Why not?"
"Just sprinkle a few drops of my miracle elixir on the scalp, rub vigorously," Hokestar explained, doing as he said step by step to Solid Plugg's head, "And in just a few moments, viola! A rich full head of…" he paused as roots and vines grew out of Plug's head before sprouting flowers and such, "Flowers...Yes, Yes! And not even in season, too!"
"...uh buh...y-yes! It is a miracle!" Plugg added, "I was bald moments ago, and now..forsooth I am not."
"Now who would be next to partake in my Miracle Elixir, huh? Only two tayden a bottle." he smirked as most of the crowd had left but three remained.
"...Not bad."
"Uh, I'll take one."
"I'll take two!"
"...Well...I know what I'm not doin'," Makoto muttered.
"I mean...it's just...a kinda hair growth tonic…" Ben muttered, "Not exactly illegal."
"...Professor, mind if I ask you something?" Tsubaki asked as she approached.
"Oh well of course young lady! What do you need to know about my miracle elixir?"
"...what exactly is in it?" Tsubaki asked.
"Hubuh what?" he asked blinking.
"You know the saying; 'Another is born every minute?' Yeah...that ain't us." Ben crossed his arms.
"Yeah...not buying your schtick," Makoto added.
"...W-well then, there is nothing better than appreciating a challenge of a hard sell," Hokestar chuckled once he regained his composure, "Allow me to change your tiny minds."
"You're wasting your time…" Ben deadpanned.
"My time to waste now, isn't it?" he countered, "Please...follow me."
"I kinda want to go...just to see his face when we still say no," Makoto shrugged.
"Worse case scenario? This is a trap and we fight...best case...he legit is just a simple con-man and he loses a sale," Ben offered the two outcomes he saw.
"Let's wait and see…" Tsubaki advised, keeping a suspicious eye on Hokestar as they followed him to a rather odd looking, bronze colored building.
"Welcome welcome welcome to Professor Blarney T. Hokestar's Extraterrestrial Emporium! If you cannot find it here, it does not exist anywhere!" Hokestar declared as he pressed a switch, causing the side of the building to open and reveal various items.
"...Looks like a bunch of useless…" Ben began before he noticed a toy sumo, "?!...Where'd you get that Sumo Slammer Action figure?! I've never seen that model before!"
"Oh that? Just something only available to the special concessionary of Budakon. Only 100 have ever been made." he explained, taking note of how much it grabbed Ben's attention to the point of breaking his cool, "If you like it...it's yours, my boy...with my compliments."
"Why so generous?" Ben asked skeptically as he took the toy.
"Oh no reason, e-"
"You want him as a spokesperson for your stuff, don't you?" Makoto asked, nearly making him stumble.
"...n-nothing wrong with that, is there young lady?"
"...It seems harmless enough…" Ben muttered as he looked at Hokestar's stuff, "...I'll think about it."
"Ah…" he sighed in relief, "That's all I ask."
"Yeah but…"
"I'm sorry. Who are you again?" Hokestar asked, starting to grow annoyed with the girls' constant interruptions of his sch-plans, "Who among you is capable of saving the universe?"
"Why I and...OOOH!" Makoto growled angrily as she grabbed Solid Plugg and tossed him high into the air.
"...I'm okay!" he shouted, landing and crashing through a building complex.
"...Come on, Ben. Lets go…" Tsubaki spoke as she began to leave, a still angry Makoto following her.
Ben walked off as Solid Plugg walked back, "How'd it go, professor? Did you get him?" he asked.
"Patience…" he smirked, "He'll come around…"
"Ohh! That guy…!" Makoto fumed before mimicking what Hokestar said in a mocking tone, "'Who amongst you is capable of saving the universe?' Oh that guy is lucky I'm on duty or he'd be sent right back into space via Big Bang Smash Airlines!"
"Makoto, remember. We're in the time before...um...the you-know-what," Tsubaki reminded, glancing at Ben, "That hasn't happened, meaning there's no Seithr. No Seithr means no Distortions and no Astrals."
"I know, but still!"
"Distortions? Astrals?" Ben asked, looking up from the toy.
"Incredibly powerful attacks," Tsubaki explained, "Distortions are capable of causing quite a bit of damage to the opponent while an Astral…"
"Think of them like one hit KO's," Makoto finished.
"Okay...one to the future's pro list." Ben smiled, "Still a lot more cons though." he argued before taking out his badge, "Hey, Rook, you still at your computer?"
=Of course. I just finished the 100th page of my study guide…=
"I need you to look up a Profesor Blarney T. Hokestar,"
=Certainly= he replied happily, =Let's see...Professor Blarney T. Hokestar, an intergalactic Flim Flam man. The Plumbers don't consider him a threat, at worst he is very annoying, and has a few restraining orders from Galactic celebrities, all in all just a small blip in the database=
"So he's harmless?" Tsubaki asked.
=Completely. He has legitimate business licenses and there is nothing technically illegal with selling products that are faulty when you don't have ads promising anything=
"...Still, we'll call you in case something comes up," Ben stated.
=Understood...Rook out=
"So he's an annoyance to celebrities…" Makoto noted, "...Sounds like the paparazzi, only more…"
"I've been looking for you, Ben Tennyson!"
"?!" the trio tensed as they quickly turned, seeing a plant-like alien wearing...hippie clothes looking at them, "..."
"...You," the alien began as he pointed at Ben, "You're the dude that turns into different aliens, dude. Saving the universe is your thing…"
"Uh, yeah…" Ben replied before whispering to Makoto and Tsubaki, "Be careful. Floraunas are dangerous carnivores. They nearly ate my cousin when I was ten and she was eleven when a fight triggered the Omnitrix's SDM and we had to find Azmuth to fix it."
"Woah! Not me man," Ben yelped at the alien's declaration, realizing an 'ear' made of vines had been set up near them that retracted to the alien, "I care about another lifeform too much to eat them. Straight solartarian."
"What?" Ben and Makoto blinked, confused.
"He only takes in energy from photosynthesis," Tsubaki explained.
"She gets it. Name's Pax," the Floarauna introduced himself, "And I need your help freeing the poor alien Hokestar's keeping hostage."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! He's got a hostage?" Makoto asked.
"Oh yeah! He's milking the poor thing for his so called 'Miracle Elixir' man!" Pax explained.
"D-did you say 'milking'?" Ben cringed.
"So...it's an alien animal?" Tsubaki corrected.
"Is there a difference?" Pax asked.
"Right...plant based…" Tsubaki remembered. To him, most non-plant based life forms must register the same regardless of sentient or animal, "...Still, we better head back to Hokestar's place. If he really is keeping an alien hostage, then he's violating a few laws…"
"I honestly never planned on ever seeing him again…" Ben sighed, "Alright, let's go. Don't hug…" he stopped Pax.
"Hello? Professor? You home?" Ben asked as he knocked on the door of Hokestar's place, "...Welp. Not home...we're done h-"
"Wait!" Pax exclaimed, "You can't leave! Not when a poor harmless alien is being held in a cage in there, man…"
"I'm...picking up certain colored flags…" Makoto whispered.
"Can you tell us what species the alien is?" Tsubaki asked.
"The Screegit, one of the most endangered species in the whole universe, ma'am."
"Screegit," Tsubaki muttered as she brought up the ALDB, "Okay...Native to Arburia-destroyed but rebuilt by Galvans to be Arburia II two years ago-and considered a pet to many natives. They are an endangered species and efforts to increase the populace have been put underway to aid them. The milk produced by them is highly nutritious to floral-based life and a warning to never have them exposed to a nitrogen-enriched atmosphere."
"So...it's an Alien Moo-cow?" Makoto simplified.
"In a sense," Tsubaki replied as she showed Makoto an image of an worm-like creature covered in brown fur, big eyes, a constant smile, and four stubby arms and two stubby feet with three spikes growing out of the top of its head, "But I'm concerned with the nitrogen atmosphere part. Earth's atmosphere contains nitrogen in it and I do not wish to know what will happen if it's exposed to it."
"If it's in there, then we take it, cage and all, back to base and get it on the first transport to the planet of Cannonbolts," Ben smiled.
"No don't cage it!" Pax argued, "Keeping a creature caged up is cruel, man!"
"Look we get it, Pax, but we can't let it out!" Makoto snapped, "What if this atmosphere is harmful to it...and others!?"
"We understand you care for the Screegit, but doesn't that also mean making sure it gets taken to a place it won't be hurt from simply breathing in the air?" Tsubaki asked.
"And let Hokestar continue to use and abuse it for profit? No thank you."
"Ugh...Look. First let's look and see if it's even in there." Ben spoke, "If it is, we'll take him in a safe and humane transport...and if not...dude. Go chillout, m'kay?"
'I think I've read about a group acting like him in old history files that were able to be salvaged...a PETA, I believe,' Tsubaki thought.
"Okay, that's fair," Pax crossed his arms.
"I'm going to phase in and check it out," Ben sighed, cycling through his selections before slamming the Omnitrix, "And Spidermonkey...I wanted Big Chill...Alright...once more for good measure." he sighed, slapping his chest. This time he was replaced by a tall but very thin built alien who resembled a humanoid blue moth, his teeth were permanently barred and clenched, and had large green eyes. His Omnitrix symbol now resting on a black and green belt around his waist.
"Oh! A big ol' moth guy, huh? So what's he got up his exoskeleton?" Makoto asked.
"You'll...see…" Big Chill spoke as he became transparent and walked right through the door.
"..." Makoto turned her communicator on and whispered, "Hey, Ben?"
=What?=
"Don't forget to check for a license," she whispered, "Just to be safe."
=Good idea, also please keep Pax from sneaking his hand in and opening the door. His kind have stretchy powers=
*slap*
"Tsubaki's already on it," Makoto noted as Pax rubbed his hand.
"Ow...that hurt man…woman..."
On the inside, Big Chill walked around as his wings wrapped around him to form a cloak. He saw nothing illegal...gross and maybe more then he desired. He used a pencil to move a cloth covering a box of cheap glass bottles he used to put his Elixir.
"So far...it's just a mobile home." Big Chill sighed, letting out an icy mist, he then turned around and saw a machine that looked to be hooked to all the systems within, "Hello?" he blinked before touching the side, making the lights come on and a podium rise from the ground, within a glowing energy sphere was none other then the very animal he was searching for, "Guys...I found our little buddy."
=Good. Any paperwork yet?=
"Still looking for that, Makoto," Big Chill replied before tapping his emblem, "Rook?"
=Yes, Ben?=
"Look up a Floarauna by the name of Pax for me, will ya?"
=You seem to be meeting quite the colorful people today, are you not? First a Flim Flam man and now a known activist=
"Oh that's not gonna bode well for later. Anything on his file?"
=Well, he's been in Plumber jail for several well-intentioned incidents, often releasing an endangered species...but not taking into fact that said endangered species was very harmful due to the environment it was in=
"Oh boy…" Big Chill sighed, letting out another gust of icy mist, "Look. I found a Screegit. Get a transport for him, and...maybe a citation for Pax."
=One Plumber animal control team is on their way=
"Let me just check to make sure he's got some legal documentation first," Big Chill added as he began sifting through papers, "Might be easier said than done...This place reminds me a lot of that 'Guys Only' road trip I took with Dad and Grandpa when I was 13…Mom had to clean the Rustbucket with a flamethrower..." he hit another button, making tubes connect to the orb and suck in the Screegit's quills, "Oh...oh...Oh...I'm gonna…" he held a hand over his mouth, "Ah…"
=You okay?= Makoto asked.
"I spent a part of my summer on a distant relative's farm...didn't care for it then...don't care for it now…" Big Chill muttered, "Well...uh...weird thing...I think it...likes being milked...ugh...I feel sick saying that, but I think this is healthy for it...so seems Hokestar takes good care of it. Honestly thinking it's more his pet…"
=So Pax is a few heads of lettuce short…=
=I'm standing right here!=
=You were…!=
=What's going on here?!= Hokestar's voice exclaimed.
=...Oh pistachios…=
=Professor, I know this looks bad b-= Tsubaki began.
=Move a muscle and I'll vaporize all of you where y-woah!=
*BANG!*
=OH MY GOD! YOU KILLED HIM!=
"What?!" Big Chill exclaimed as he quickly phased through the wall to see what was happening...and saw only Pax' vines, "...what did you do?!"
"I-i-i-i-it was a mistake! He just jumped right out in front of me!" Hokestar freaked, holding a musket-like blaster in one of his hands, "I swear I wasn't trying to…!"
"Wait, hold on. You blasted him apart," Big Chill noted, "Yeah, he'll be fine."
"Hah?!" Makoto gawked.
"I have a Florauna form-Wildwine-and I've been blasted apart, mulched, mowed down, shredded, and even weed-whacked," Big Chill explained, "And all those times?" he motioned down, "I regenerated from all that."
"...Um...They're gone," Makoto pointed out.
"What?" Big Chill looked down to see the vines missing, "Where did they…?" a glass shattering in the other room went off, "...That was the Screegit's bubble, wasn't it?"
"Free the Screegit!" Pax' voice declared from inside Hokestar's building.
"Gh?!" Hokestar freaked as he quickly pressed something on the side, causing the door to open and show Pax about to smash the bubble the Screegit was in, "Wait don't!"
"No! Me and my friends here are free it from it's life of torment!" Pax argued.
"We're not with him!" Makoto immediately raised her hands up in protest.
"Torment?!" Hokestar exclaimed, "I would never do such a thing! If anything, I treat him like he was my own child!"
"You keep your family locked up in a cage?!" Pax snapped.
"It's for his own safety! Along with ours!"
'What kind of idiots do you take us for?!"
"Again, not with him!" Makoto quickly added.
"Do you have paperwork for the Screegit?" Tsubaki asked.
"Of course I do!" Hokestar replied, pulling out a set of papers from his lower left glove, "Keep them with me at all times if someone asks. Now please don't let that bubble break!"
"We know. Nitrogen is bad for it," Big Chill replied, "Pax, step away from the Screegit."
"No way! Keeping a living thing caged up is...is just cruel man!" Pax argued.
"Did you literally forget the part where if it gets out, bad things could happen?!" Makoto snapped.
"It's worse as long as Hokestar continues to milk it for a profit!"
"My boy, do you even know the first thing about a Screegit? It requires a daily milking to prevent infections and sickness," Hokestar explained.
"Again, what kind o-"
"Don't say it!" Makoto barked, making him flinch at the tone she used, "And again, we are not with him! In fact, he's the last person I wanna be near right now!"
"Pax...again, just calmly step away from the Screegit, and no one gets hurt…" Big Chill stated.
"Except for the Screegit!" Pax replied.
"...excuse me…" Makoto said as she walked off.
"Hey boss I'm back a-WOAH!" Plugg's voice screamed, followed by a loud crashing sound, "...I'm okay!"
"I apologize for her," Tsubaki apologized to Hokestar before glaring at Pax, "And Pax...step away from the Screegit, or else you'll be arrested for breaking and entering, along with robbery, and poaching someone's pet."
"Poaching?! I'm trying to free the Screegit, not capture and torment it!"
"...Ben, are Florauna weak to the cold by any chance?"
"Like you wouldn't believe. That, and the obvious fire," Big Chill replied before Tsubaki held up his hand, "Oh...right…" he lunged at Pax, becoming transparent.
"Huh?" Pax pondered before Big Chill phased through him...and froze him inside of a block of ice.
"Our apologies, Mr. Hokestar," Tsubaki apologized, "We received information on an illegal harboring of an endangered species. It appears that the information was false as your paperwork and containment for said species to prevent nitrogen interaction shows."
"...It is fine, young lady. To be honest…" Hokestar paused as he gave a sigh of annoyance, "You would not believe how many times I've dealt with those radicals of the ETETA."
"The ETETA?"
"Extraterrestrials for The Ethical Treatment of Aliens," Hokestar explained, "I believe you have one for animals called 'PETA' here."
"Oh those guys…" Big Chill deadpanned as he turned back into Ben, "Still, we'll take Pax out and see if you can get a restraining order on him."
"Please do..." Hokestar nodded before looking at the bubble the Screegit was in, "I can't even imagine what would happen if those ETETA radicals touched one hair on my precious Screegit."
"Ugh...okay. I've calmed down a-" Makoto began as she walked back...and soon saw the block of ice that housed Pax, "...Guess he had to chill."
*WHAP!*
"Owie!" Makoto yelped as she rubbed the new bump on her head.
"No, bad Makoto. No puns on the job," Tsubaki scolded, holding a paper fan.
"Heh. Not so 'punny' now, huh?" Ben smirked at Makoto...only to get the same treatment, "Ow!"
"That goes double for you, Ben…"
"Aw come on! You're the apprentices," Ben grumbled.
"Maybe, but I'm also your tutor…" Tsubaki reminded, "...Speaking of which, after we're off duty and dinner later, you have some studying to do...same goes for you, Makoto."
"Aw come on…" both whined.
"Okay, I'll be the first to ask. How the heck did you know where the exit was?" Makoto asked as they entered Plumber HQ.
"I have a pretty good memory. Gwen always said I should've used it more often for school, but eh," Ben shrugged.
"...Eh. Fair enough," Makoto shrugged, "Not that i'm one to complain. Ended up getting lost once during a school trip, and found a hot spring...and oh god it was amazing. Not as good as a Kaka Clan owned Hot Spring from what I've heard about them, but still good."
"Caw-caw? A clan of birds I guess?"
"K-A-K-A. They're cat Beastkin," Tsubaki explained.
"They mostly live under the Hierarchical cities," Makoto added, "...Though no one has ever seen what they look like underneath those hoods of theirs...only their eyes and that cheshire cat-like grin they always have."
"Oh right. You mentioned secret villages beneath the mountain tops," Ben recalled.
"Eeyup," Makoto nodded.
"Welcome back," Rook greeted as he walked over, carrying two disc-like devices, "I have just finished making those guides you asked for, Tsubaki. And I included the English language course in Makoto's like you requested."
"Eh?"
"The scientists here had a device that let me learn how to write and speak in several languages while I was sleeping," Tsubaki explained, "Unfortunately, they then used it for parts to improve that laser they were testing on Ben. So now you will need to learn the past written language."
"Wh…"
"The report from your first day here had both Ben and a Mr. Baumann note they didn't understand anything you wrote," Tsubaki deadpanned.
"...I knew that was gonna come back to bite me in the butt," Makoto muttered.
"And don't forget that I'm in charge of making sure you take your online courses, Ben," Tsubaki continued, making Ben pause in his quiet snickering.
"...oh...right. That…" Ben muttered, "...Seriously I'm a superhero. I sho-"
"Did it ever occur to you that you might not be the only teenage hero on Earth?" Makoto asked.
"Huh?"
"I mean...there could be more out there ya know."
"...Well there was Rex, but that was more of an alternate world kind of deal," Ben replied, "...It's a long story."
"You've also been to alternate worlds...I'm not shocked." Makoto sighed.
"Well it was confusing. See in order to access them, I first need to go into this place called the Null Void...which is this empty pocket dimension which we've turned into a prison." Ben explained.
"Dimension jail. Got it."
"If you have such a thing why have you not thrown the prisoners held below in there?" Tsubaki asked.
"It was this whole thing where before in the past, the old Earth Plumbers just tossed any random alien criminal in there. It got so bad that the place is now filled with dozens of mutated and dangerous life forms, entire gangs of prisoners...and there is also some peaceful aliens who formed a society there. It's...it's just a mess in there...we formed an observation station to monitor the place a while back but...trust me...the work is not easy. Plus...we still don't know how Kevin got out of their...I mean how does a teenager escape a prison dimension?"
"How….nevermind. Questions for later…" Tsubaki sighed, "For now, studying."
"Aw man…" Ben and Makoto whined.
"No complaining you two, o-" Tsubaki began before the alarm went off, "..."
"Phew...saved by the bell...er, alarm," Makoto sighed in relief.
"Rook, what's going on?" Ben asked.
"Well...it would appear Pax has….escaped..." Rook explained, checking in with the Plumbers on the scene in the prison cells.
"WHAT?!" Makoto exclaimed.
=We are looking into it, sir! But it seems he escaped through the vents!=
"...He's going after the Screegit," Tsubaki sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Of course he is…" Ben sighed, cycling through his aliens before slamming the watch, his body flashed and became thin alien with blue scaled arms ending in three claws, his legs buckled and angled as a blue and black striped tail grew behind him. His head was now covered in a black conoid streamline helmet as spherical wheels ended on his feet, the entire alien covered in a black jumpsuit save for the green going down his chest, "Yes!" he cheered, pumping his arms up, "Ah, finally! I've been trying for XLR8 so many times!"
"This is XLR8?" Makoto asked, "Let me guess. From the name alone...super speed?"
"Yeah, baby! The fastest! My fastest alien of all! I can move so fast it feels like time stopped!" he cheered, blurring around and picking the girls up, "Race ya, Rook!"
"What the…" Tsubaki began before yelping as Makoto whooped when XLR8 went off.
"Oh...male bonding!" Rook bopped his fist on his palm, "Okay!" he cheered, running for his truck.
"Next stop Undertown! Creepy back alley where Blarney T Hokestar parks his Flimflam space RV!" XLR8 cheered, skidding to a perfect stop in front of the vehicle.
"WHOO! Let's go again! Let's go again!" Makoto cackled in glee.
"Let's not ever again and say we did," Tsubaki deadpanned as she approached the vehicle and knocked on the door.
"Professor, open up! Your pet's in danger...and not just 'cause it's endangered!" XLR8 shouted, running around the vehicle and knocking along all its sides.
"...He's not responding…" Tsubaki whispered in worry.
"I'm on it!" XLR8 declared as his visor closed, he blurred off then came back with a belt and power tools, "Uh...this is gonna get...fuzzy. Try not to keep track of what I do." he warned as he blurred around the door. After stopping, it began falling apart piece by piece, each piece laid out for later to put it all back together.
"...Well it was….effective," Makoto noted before seeing Hokestar laying facedown on the floor, "Uh oh," she gasped before quickly rushing over and putting two of her fingers on his neck, "...okay phew. He's just knocked out."
"I know!" XLR8 shouted blurring off and coming back with coffee, "I got Espreso, Dark Roast, Decaf, and one Latte." he listed all the cups in his arms.
"...You are abusing this form for all it's worth while you have it, aren't you?" Tsubaki deadpanned.
"Oh you should have seen me when I was ten and eleven! Those bullies never saw it coming…" he smirked before hiding his face behind his visor at the look he was being given, "Professor...Coffee...sweet sweet coffee...come on. Everyone needs a cup." he said lifting a cup up to his nose as the alien began sniffing it subconsciously.
"...Good morning~~~~!" Hokestar beamed as he shot up, grabbing the coffee before sipping it, "Mmm...nothing beats a nice cup of coffee in the m….AHH! MY SCREEGIT!"
"How did you know that would work?" Tsubaki asked.
"You kidding me? Everyone needs coffee in this world!" XLR8 laughed, "Name one adult who doesn't need a mug in the morning?"
"Makoto."
"Aw come on! Wh-" Makoto began.
"You had one sip one morning, and you went on a pranking spree on every single senior in school," Tsubaki shot Makoto a deadpanned look, "Especially those three girls that tried to slap you before during your first year."
"...I blanked out after I saw them tear up that poem Noel worked so hard on," Makoto admitted.
"You need a second?" XLR8 asked, "Okay second done! Professor! Your Screegit's gone, we'll find him, and you put him in a containment thingamajig! We're counting on you!"
"Of-of-of course! I will get right on it! Fortunately, I keep a spare in case of emergencies," Hokestar replied as he scurried off, "And make sure to have something to suck out the nitrogen when you contain him. And make sure you have one big enough!"
"...Big enough?" Makoto repeated.
"Good. Easy to find!" XLR8 said, grabbing the girls again.
"Oh n…" Tsubaki began before screaming as Makoto cheered again when XLR8 went off.
On the surface, people screamed as they fled from thee Screegit...only it had a HUGE change to it. Its now large gangly arms helped move it around as it drooled, its spit melting anything it came into contact with. XLR8 skidded to a halt several dozen meters away.
"Whoa...We're gonna need a bigger container," XLR8 noted.
"Uh...ya think?!" Makoto exclaimed before noticing Pax nearby, "...YOU!"
"I just don't understand man...this only happens in nitrogen atmospheres...don't humans breathe oxygen? It's just c-ACK!" he cried as he was tackled to the ground and then pummeled.
"Down girl down!" XLR8 yelped as he and Tsubaki tried prying Makoto off of Pax, the squirrel girl currently strangling him by his neck.
"What was that for man...uh...Woman…" Pax groaned as his face healed.
"You idiot! Earth's atmosphere has Nitrogen!" XLR8 shouted, "We have tons of stuff in our atmosphere!"
"Well why didn't you say so man…?"
"We did! Several times!" Makoto snarled.
"I'm starting to think the only reason you get arrested is because you're ten levels of stupid…" XLR8 slumped his shoulders.
"...Please. Just stop it...without hurting it," Pax begged.
"Wait. They're herbivores, right?" XLR8 asked.
"Uh yeah...whoa!?" Pax cried as he was dragged off.
"Hey Screegit, yummy num-nums!" XLR8 shouted, holding Pax up over his head.
"H-hey! Wh-" Pax began before the Screegit bit his head off, only for it to regrow, "Not cool man!"
The Screegit seemed to make a rumbling noise before it spat out the head it ate, which soon melted from the acidic spit.
"Huh...you must not be in season," XLR8 spoke before they yelped and ran off, leading the giant Screegit down the road.
"More like his brain is rotten," Makoto deadpanned.
"I'm not gonna be able to sleep well tonight," Tsubaki muttered, having seen that event.
"Okay, I'll see if I can lift and move him as Humungousaur!" XLR8 declared slapping his Omnitrix. In a flash of light he was replaced by a large orange furred creature with large arms hunched forward like a gorilla, his face devoid of eyes, as the Omnitrix turned into a green dog collar around his neck.
"...Why are you a Vulpamancer?" Pax blinked.
"Rrr…" the new form named Wildmutt groaned slapping his face, "Rah!" he growled, pointing to his back.
"...I don't ride a fellow being," Pax denied as he crossed his arms, "It's degrading."
Wildmutt groaned before grabbing him and forcibly putting him on his back before running down the street towards the girls.
"This is not right man!"
"I'm really getting tired of this guy…" Makoto groaned before tensing just as the Screegit crashed through the train tracks, "...Oh, that's not good…"
Tsubaki called HQ, "I need someone to shut down all the trains in Bellwood in our area. We have an overhead set of tracks down."
=We are on it, but we think one train is already on route in that direction=
"He's right!" Makoto panicked, hearing one on its way now.
Tsubaki groaned as she grabbed Makoto's and called Ben, "Ben, we have a downed overhead and a train is heading straight for it." growling went off from the communicator, "Oh no! You're not blaming us! The Screegit just did it following you! Get back here and help! Makoto and I can take Pax to use as a distraction."
"Wait, we're gonna what?" Makoto asked.
"RAH!" Wildmutt roared, landing behind them, the Omnitrix timed out just then returning him to Ben who groaned to hold up the very large Pax on his shoulders, "Ah! Dude...are those keys in your pockets?"
"Sorry…" Pax apologized as he got off.
"Ugh…" Ben groaned as he got up and looked at the broken bridge, "...Okay. Need something big," he quickly went through his selection of Aliens before pressing down on the symbol, changing him into a small red imp-like alien in a black and green aviator's outfit, "...Juryrigg?! How does this help anybody?!" he complained as he pressed on the symbol, changing him once more "...Greymatter?! Seriously?!" he pressed down on the symbol again, changing him once more into an inch-tall metallic alien with green insect wings and a single green optic, "...Nanomech?! Grr...come on already!"
With another press, Bloxx took his place, "Okay. This I can work with." With that, Blox stretched himself up as he stretched his arms and legs to the side and connected the two sides of the bridge, transforming himself into a replacement track, "Oh this is gonna hurt…" he groaned as he could see the oncoming train; he then cried in pain as the heavy train drove over him.
"Okay. So what's the plan for making him cute again?" Makoto asked, using Pax as a sort of shield from the acid spit given he regenerated each time.
"If I remember what I read correctly, a Screegit grows when in contact with nitrogen. If we seal him up in a dome and vacuum the air in it out, he'll shrink down to normal size," Tsubaki explained.
"Where do we find a dome big enough?" Makoto asked.
"I'm back!" Bloxx shouted, swinging in and landing beside them.
"..."
"..."
"...What?" he blinked, "Oh I'm gonna get hurt again, aren't I?"
"...I shouldn't have asked…" Bloxx groaned.
=Just be sure to block its path and prepare to trap it once its distracted= Tsubaki stated =A Segmentisapian is capable of creating an airtight shell using its body, which is perfect for the situation at hand=
=Just don't hurt it! Remember, innocent creature!= Pax added in the background.
=One you let out, idiot!= Makoto barked.
"Look, you can turn Pax into a Cobb Salad after we've saved the little guy," Bloxx spoke, using his arms to walk across buildings, "Alright. I'll cut him off. I'll yell when I've caught him in the dome." he groaned while jumping ahead of the Screegit, "Hey Droolmeister!" he shouted, forming a giant wall in its path, "That's far enough."
The Screegit's response was sending out a stream of its saliva at him, hitting two sides of the 'wall' as it started to burn.
"Ow...ow! OWOWOWOWOWWOWOWOW!" Bloxx screamed as he quickly transformed back to normal, quickly patting himself before rushing over to a nearby hydrant, tearing it out of the ground before moving into the rising water, "Ahh...that's better."
=Ben, what's taking so long?!=
"It's not like Bloxx is acid proof!" he complained, stretching his arms and swinging back after it, "If he spits me, it burns!"
=Then get physical or something! Throw a car a-OW!= Makoto yelped.
=No! As a newly deputized member of the ETETA, I cannot allow harm to come to the Screegit!=
"Pax, you and I are gonna have a long talk about why maybe working with those guys has just harmed your hippie brain..." Bloxx sighed.
=Like what's that mean?=
"Exactly. Do us all a favor and find yourself some herbal tea to chill out with," Bloxx spoke as he formed his hand into a hammer and slammed it on the Screegit's head, making it pause for a moment, "Hey wait a second...what's the worst pain in the world?" he realized as his molded his arm into a sort of cannon and began shooting at the ground in front of the Screegit.
=A splitting headache?=
"Makoto, you got kid siblings. What's the one thing they do with their toys that annoys you when you don't see them in front of your feet?" Bloxx smirked.
=Easy. Stepping on their Legos after mom t...Oh~=
"Exactly!" Bloxx smirked as he landed on a building.
The Screegit roared and charged at him only for its new walking arms to step on the bricks he fired at the ground. Their sharp corners began digging into its palms the moment he stepped on them. The Screegit stopped for a moment as its eyes began to water, it then let out a pain filled roar and fell backwards and slammed into a building. Bloxx wasted no time, jumping and expanding around the Screegit and the side of the building, binding them in a giant multi colored dome. Bloxx's head formed out of the top and extended up slightly.
"I got him! He's a fighter! OW-OW-OW!" he cried as the Screegit tried to escape, "Professor, now!"
"On my way, my boy!" Hokestar shouted as he ran into the area, panting a bit, "Just...need to catch my b-" he coughed as Makoto and Tsubaki made it back with Pax tossed down and landing upside down on his head.
"Any day now! I can't hold it back much longer!" Bloxx snapped, grunting in pain as the Screegit tried to break free.
"Here let me!" Makoto shouted, grabbing the nozzle and jamming it into a cross section of blocks as Professor Hokestar turned it on and vacuumed the air out of the pocket.
After a while, the growls could be heard diminishing in volume and octave. After a few good minutes to be sure, Bloxx deconstructed to his normal form. Hokestar quickly placed the Screegit in another containment bubble as it returned to its adorable former appearance and yawned before passing out in a nice nap.
"Still ow…" Bloxx complained as parts of his body sizzled.
"Oh you're fine…" Makoto muttered.
"Okay, my precious little boy, let's get you home a-" Hokestar began as he lifted the bubble up..only for Pax to snatch it.
"No! Free the Screegit! Free the Screegit!" Pax screamed as he ran.
"...Tsubaki, is it considered police brutality if the person running is an escapee...and an idiot?" Makoto asked once Tsubaki walked into the area, the Beastkin's eye twitching violently.
"So long as it doesn't require medical assistance, then...No, no it is not," Tsubaki replied.
"...Since he's a regenerator, good…" Makoto replied, cracking her knuckles as she bolted after Pax, "GET BACK HERE!"
"Free the Scr-AHH!"
"Go ahead! Lock me...ow...up again," Pax groaned, covered in bruises as some Plumbers carried him off, "Then I can feel how my brethren and sisteren feel after you stole their freedom!"
"Your pet, sir," Tsubaki handed the contained Screegit back to Hokestar, "Please, do be more careful...and maybe add a defense for aliens like Pax that can perform infiltration for your Screegit so it doesn't lose its container once more."
"After what happened today, I'm considering it," Hokestar huffed, "Still, thank you so much for helping and for asking if I had paperwork for having him. Most tend to not ask and simply react."
"Ya know...now that I've spent some time thinking on it, any chance I could buy some bottles of that elixer you sell?" Ben asked, earning looks from Makoto and Tsubaki, "What? You saw what it did with that guy and what the little guy's milk does for plants. I'm hoping to give them to mom for her garden."
"Huh...that's a good point, if you sell that elixir as a gardening remedy...you could rake in some cash," Makoto realized as Hokestar's eyes turned into stars.
"You never thought of that, did you?" Ben realized.
"No I have not and thank you thank you THANK YOU for such a brilliant idea!" Hokestar beamed.
"Well business ideas aside, we'll need to up Pax's security cell," Tsubaki changed the subject, "When asked how he escaped, he just said: 'The Universe provided a way,' and then explained the vent in his cell was blown open suddenly."
"That doesn't sound right…" Ben muttered.
In the distance, the green skinned alien hummed as he lowered his scope, "You impress my Tennyson, but I had hoped you'd use a more...telling tactic, but now I know more of how you fight. I may not have a Skreegit pelt...but this boon was worth it." he chuckled as his dog growled, "Soon, old friend...soon you will get your chance."
"Okay...I'll admit that this has its advantages," Tsubaki admitted as Greymatter smirked as he leaned against the monitor, showing perfect scores.
"You should not have bet him of using your paycheck for smoothies if he had a way to pass his online stuff in an hour," Makoto noted, "Only three days now and I already figured that out."
"I could have gone easy on ya and used Brainstorm instead...but go big or go home," Greymatter laughed dusting his bodysuit's chest in pride.
"How many smart aliens do you even have?" Makoto asked.
"I don't know for sure. For now, Greymatter and Brainstorm are my smartest aliens with Jurryrigg an odd third...in that he can build the fancy things...but not explain how," he smirked.
"Huh...cool," Makoto noted.
"And best of all, no fear from you having to tutor me in online courses," Greymatter chuckled turning a pencil into a walking stick which he twirled around.
"Hey, Ben?"
"What?"
"How's Julie?" Makoto 'innocently' asked.
"..." Greymatter fell over with wide eyes before scrambling, "Gah! I need to figure out her number!"
"If she doesn't answer, then she MUST be livid with you about something you did," Makoto deadpanned.
"But what?! What could I h-" Greymatter began before it slowly dawned on him when he spotted his new action figure, "...Sumo Slammers…"
"Is now really the time for anime?" Makoto questioned.
"Oh...She already called…" Greymatter groaned as he facepalmed, "Right as I was on the last level of a Sumo Slammers fighting game that I just got."
"...You didn't," Makoto gawked.
"I did to my shame…" Greymatter groaned once more.
"...Makoto, what did he do?"
"From what I can guess? He played it while answering the phone without knowing who it was and focused more on his game and is a vocal gamer," Makoto noted.
"Stupid!" Greymatter exclaimed as he bashed his face in with his pencil-cane over and over again before sighing in a depression, "Well, I know the flavor for the smoothie Tsubaki's buying…" he hopped off the desk and changed back to a slumped Ben, "If you need me, I'll...I'll go to the truck and wait for you two as I fully come to understand I got dumped over a game and not redialing immediately."
"...I should've kept my mouth shut…" Makoto whispered to herself as Ben walked out, her ears drooping.
"More than likely, yes," Tsubaki agreed, "The important thing is to just be there for him like we were for you involving…"
"We agreed to never speak of that guy ever again," Makoto frowned.
"My apologies...my point is, it's best to be there for him...as his friend."
"...His friend…" Makoto whispered as she stood up, "You go get ready. I'm gonna go chat with him and try to cheer him up."
Tsubaki nodded as Makoto walked out of the room. Once Makoto was out of hearing distance, she pulled her communicator out, "Rook, I have a proposal for a side project."
=Oh?=
"Yes...I want you to look up any teenage superheroes living here on Earth."
=Teenage Superheroes…?= he questioned, =Wait. Oh I understand. This is a recruitment program! We are recruiting young capable champions of Earth to join the Plumbers much like yourselves!=
"No, no...well...maybe," Tsubaki replied, "If anything were to happen to Ben and the Plumbers are unavailable...we might need some extra back up."
=We shall need the proper forms, and paperwork, and Much MUCH research!=
"Oh my. I think I've lost him…" Tsubaki blinked.
SZ:...Oh this fic is gonna be fun~
GT: Indeed. This will be quite nuts.
Z0: We've already established we are having too much fun.
GT: I just love how things go like this, ne?
Z0: Agreed! We are full force into this fic! TO ZE NEXT CHAPTER!
GT: Onwards! ...Oh, wait. *looks over at a cage, containing a panting exhausted TKO* Better? *TKO holds up a hand. Blinks twice and looks up* There's something on the ceiling?
SZ:...oh no….
GT: Oh, is it a word game? One syllable? One word? Eh, I'll figure it out in the authors notes next chapter. Onwards!