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Heatwaves...something no one ever wants to go through, especially during the summer. The current wave was exceptionally strong, and it was growing difficult for the likes Rook and Makoto. Rook in part to his being covered in a layer of fur and Makoto for a similar reason, mostly pertaining to her tail and metabolism. But, sadly, that was not an excuse from work. The group in full had been on their way to an afternoon trip to Mr Smoothie for something to beat the heat; but along the way, sirens and police cars speeding down the road tipped them off that they had work to do. Sure enough, Max called saying that Coriolanus lab had been broken into and a very dangerous and powerful piece of tech was stolen by someone with alien abilities.
Said figure was a woman clad in a purple jacket with a white fur collar and cuffs, a skirt that seemed to merge with her jacket with a similar white fur lining around the edge, pink stockings, purple snow boots, and gloves. She had short pinkish-red hair and most of their features were hidden behind a large pair of shades and a tiara-like hairband
"Wow, they are fast," Ben awed, seeing the person clad in purple jump from roof to roof with amazing gymnastics.
"I'd be impressed if they weren't getting away with something stolen," Makoto muttered, already in her armor as she and Ben hopped out of the Proto-TRUK, "But let's hurry and catch them. The sooner we do, the sooner I can get out of this and get something nice and cool to drink."
"Right!" Ben called as he rushed forward while slamming the Omnitrix, transforming into Crashhopper. He then grabbed Makoto before jumping and clearing the ground to land on the roof tops.
"Big…." Noel muttered, seeing that as she froze, the shy blonde wearing a light-blue and white variant of Rook's armor.
"Rook," Tsubaki sighed.
"Right. Flying after them now," he said as the Proto-TRUK transformed into its flight form and took off into the sky.
The purple figure continued to hop from rooftop to rooftop as they ran, Crashhopper and Makoto starting to close in on them as they attempted to grab them, only for the figure to move, jump, or duck under each attempted grab each time. Crashhopper attempted to hit the figure, only for them to slide right under his attempted strike as they rushed towards an unfinished building. Crashhopper leapt to the building as he jumped from steel beam to steel beam to keep pace. He rammed his way through the next beam in the crooks path making them fall, he then gawked seeing their arms stretch as they swung around through the skeletal structure of the building.
"Stretchy powers...neat!" Makoto awed, landing on a steel beam, "...Seriously though, how is she not hot wearing that coat?"
"Dunno," Crashhopper shrugged as he began to approach the figure, "At the end of your rope, huh?"
"...Not ever," the woman countered as she beckoned him to come over.
"...Oh they usually don't say that unless…" Makoto began in realization before Crashhopper leapt at the woman, "Ben, wait!"
The woman fell back over the beam, letting Crashhopper fly right past her. In the process, her large shades fell, revealing her face in full. She was a young woman...about Ben's age with light pink skin, purple eyes, and alien features such as markings under her eyes, and her eyebrows which were white and...resembled very small antlers. She smirked as Crashhoper fell down...and landed in a rooftop pool, scaring a poor woman who was trying to relax.
The girl, however, stretched her arms and pulled herself back to her perch from before, "You might have the power, Ben Tennyson, but I have the reach."
"Oho! She thinks she's cute!" Crashhopper complained, jumping out of the water.
"She did play you like a fiddle just now!" Makoto called out.
"Gh!" Crashhopper facepalmed.
"Oh, I just gave myself away…" Makoto realized.
"Uh...yeah you did," the girl smiled as she turned to face the squirrel girl, "I don't think you guys are very good at this, huh?" she giggled.
"...Says the girl who let the thing they stole fall out of its container," Makoto countered.
"Hmm?" she blinked as she looked down, seeing a bright reddish ball falling towards the streets below, "Oops…"
"I got it!" Crashhopper shouted jumping down as he landed right next to the orb, he then stopped as his Omnitrix began beeping.
=WARNING! RADIATION DETECTED=
"Oh...that's not good!" he spoke, slapping the dial and flashing to Heatblast, "I was going for NRG, but this works fine too." he spoke, moving to pick it up as it began burning through the very cement it landed on, but he was blindsided when the girl's arm grabbed it first and pulled it back up with no signs of burn or discomfort. She then quickly put it back in the containment device before sealing it properly.
"It's been an honor, Ben, but I don't think this form or the other suits you," the girl stated before waving at him, "Buh bye~!"
"Get back here!" Heatblast shook his fist as he blasted at the ground and flew up at her, only to miss as she jumped away at the last second, letting Heatblast overshoot...and land in the pool again, which, after a few moments poofed away into steam as a very frustrated growl of anger was heard.
"Again...played you like a fiddle," Makoto deadpanned from above.
"Not the time, Makoto…" Heatblast groaned, shooting out of the now empty pool and flying to where he saw her go, landing in a drainage canal right next to a tunnel that they knew lead into Undertown, "So...where did she take the Fusion device?" he asked into the Omnitrix as the Proto-TRUK landed next to him, Makoto sitting atop it.
"Well, the readings say she went into that tunnel," Tsubaki explained, walking out with a scanner.
"Oh great. Like that'll be easy to search…" Heatblast complained.
"Are you going to stay like that?" Rook asked, using his own scanner to double check her trail.
"Just 'till I time out." Heatblast explained.
"How long does that take?" Noel asked, interested in watching the flames on Heatblast's head billow about.
"15 minutes...give or take…" he muttered, timing out just at that moment, "Or whenever it wants."
"...I think she appreciates this form more," Makoto teased a bit.
"Yes, she made it quite clear she much prefers this Ben Tennyson a little more," Rook agreed with a small smile.
"Huh?" Ben blinked at that.
"...Really? You had a girlfriend and you can't tell when someone's flirting with you?" Makoto asked.
"Nah!" he waved off, "She probably just wanted to see Ditto or Upchuck," he argued, "Everyone claims those are my cuter forms."
"While true, I highly doubt that…" Tsubaki smirked, getting in on the fun of teasing Ben.
"Hey come on...I…" Ben began before Rook and Tsubaki's scanners went off.
"That way for sure now," Makoto smirked.
"Like Ben said, it won't be easy to search…" Tsubaki sighed as the girls walked ahead first.
"How do you know that's what the alien girl meant?" Ben asked Rook.
"It was rather obvious," Rook smirked.
"Yeah...like you know everything about girls…" Ben muttered.
"Just enough," Rook smirked again.
Sure enough, the pipe led into Undertown as they found themselves in the middle of the shopping district. Aliens were walking around, looking for goods and etc. Rook and Tsubaki's scanners went off as they all turned to a random shop.
"Is this it?" Ben asked tapping a cylindrical engine looking device.
"It's just an old Thermo-Electric generator...space junk," Rook sighed.
"Aliens have some amazing junk…" Makoto muttered.
"Not junk! A bargain!" the owner of the stall stated, "Twelve Taydens..interested?"
"...No thanks," Ben muttered as Rook and Tsubaki turned their scanners off to stop the beeping.
Ben paid a stall for some water bottles for all of them. He took his and began chugging it down before letting the rest splash his face. He sighed in relief as it steamed off him a little. The girls sighed, drinking theirs to cool down. It would appear the heat above was making Undertown even hotter due to being subterranean.
"How is it even hotter underground!?" Ben complained.
"I don't know, but I wanna find this girl fast!" Makoto exclaimed.
"I am amazed the residents are so used to this…" Tsubaki added, looking at the aliens perfectly fine.
"...Do you think the Kaka Clan are doing okay?" Noel asked in concern.
"Hot…." Tao groaned, laying on the ground, "So...hot….nya~!" she cried, sticking her tongue out as she let her head fall and hit the ground.
"I'm sure they must have some way to beat the heat…" Ben muttered.
"Still...I will need to recalibrate the scanners...with all the alien technology down here...we might have difficulty," Rook stated, messing with his scanner in hopes of making it only find the Nuclear Fusion Device.
"...I-I think I see her up there," Noel spoke, earning their attention as she pointed at some overhead pipes, seeing a familiar thief running on top of them.
"Thank you, Noel!" Ben smirked as Rook grabbed him and used a grappling hook to pull them up to the pipes above.
"Going up!" Makoto smirked, grabbing her friends and jumping after them.
The five chased the alien girl before she stopped at a deadend on the walkway. She turned as the five cornered her.
"Hold it!" Ben spoke as she looked at him.
"You turned human," she smiled in interest while pulling her hood back.
"I do that," Ben smirked simply.
"Hand over the Fusion Engine, please," Rook held his hand out.
"What if I told you I couldn't?" she replied simply.
"It's not a matter of 'could,'" Ben argued, "Five...to one."
"You sure you won't just trust me on this?" she asked as Ben activated the Omnitrix, Rook grabbed the ProtoTool as the girls stood on standby for whatever happened next, "No?" she said before jumping off the unfinished path, making them all panic before she landed on the pipes below.
"...Rook, you and Noel stay here and cover from above," Tsubaki ordered, "Ben, Makoto, you're with me."
"On it!" Makoto cheered, jumping after her.
Tsubaki and Ben jumped down after her before joining the Beastkin in chasing after the girl. Rook pulled out his Prototool as he aimed for her from above. Noel got down near him as she summoned a pair of large guns, carefully aiming one of them as she focused her sights on the thief.
Makoto caught up with the girl first as she grabbed at the Fusion Engine. The girl, however, spun around and pushed her hand away. Makoto pushed forward as she punched her fist forward, only to miss as the girl leaned to the side. The two rolled around one another before Makoto blocked a kick from the alien girl, she then shoved her hand as it stretched and pushed Makoto along the pipe and away from her. The mystery thief then ducked under a kick from Tsubaki before flipping forward and landing between both female agents of the Plumbers.
"Wow...you're both pretty good...for human girls," she taunted.
"Technically I'm half human, but thanks," Makoto quipped, "Not bad yourself, Ms. Thief. Now how's about handing over that engine?"
"Trust me, I need it more.," she smirked, holding her hands up.
"You need a dangerous Nuclear fusion device…?" Tubaki raised an eyebrow before she looked up and motioned to a pipe above the girl to their ranged support.
"Trust me. it'll be safe where I'm taking it." she smiled before stretching her leg out and kicking Makoto just as she moved to charge her, "So in advance I'm sorry."
"Yeah they always say that." Ben sighed slamming the Omnitrix.
His body swelled up as black carapace armor covered his body. Ben was replaced by a giant beetle looking alien covered in dark black shell with a green tint, his torso was pure green with grey armor along the interior of his arms and his upper legs; grey toes and claws flexed as spikes formed along his arms. His large head had a giant grey underbite jaw with jagged teeth, a grey horn grew from atop his head and curved forward slightly before forking like a Japanese Rhinoceros beetle.
"What's with the bug aliens today? First Crashhopper now Eatle…" the new form complained.
"Oh no…" Rook realized looking at Noel who began to shiver, accidentally sending of a shot that knocked a pipe down.
"What?" the girl blinked as the pipe fell towards her, she cringed before blinking as it never hit. She looked up to see Eatle holding the pipe up...before opening his jaw...and eating it, "Whoa!"
"Eatle...Eat...Beetle...oh!" Makoto realized.
"...B….b…..bu...bu…." Noel stuttered in fear, "...GIANT BUG~!"
"Wait, Noel! It's me...Ben!" Eatle panicked as he finished eating the pipe.
"She already fainted!" Rook called out.
"Of course she did…" Eatle sighed as he turned around to see the girl running, "Makoto, cut her off!" he ordered as he let Tsubaki climb on his back as he began leaping up and climbing along several pipes.
"Why are you so fast...and how are you not dying of heatstroke in that outfit!?" Makoto demanded, chasing her.
"I could ask the same to you. That tail looks awfully fluffy...and awfully warm," she taunted.
"Oh like you wouldn't believe, especially if I'm in a sleeping bag!" Makoto countered.
"Oh that sounds lovely, I'm feeling chilly..." she sighed.
"Wait, what?" Makoto asked, confused, "You're cold...in this heat?!"
"It's just enough to be able to come outside," she argued as she used her hand to swing across a gap in the pipes.
"I don't get aliens!" Makoto complained, jumping the distance and rolling across the pipe after her.
"Don't worry about it!" she smirked before stopping as a green beam hit the pipe in front of her making her stop.
Eatle and Tsubaki landed on the pipe just as Makoto caught up. Rook swung over and cut off her path with Noel clinging to his back.
"Got ya," Eatle spoke, charging up his horn to shoot again.
"...Are you sure?"
"Huh?" Eatle blinked before Makoto tapped him, making him turn to look at her before she pointed down, the beetle-like alien slowly looking down to see the pipe underneath them starting to give out, "..."
No one had much time to react as the pipe fell down. Everyone tumbled to the ground along with scrap metal which crushed a wooden barrier to a hidden section of Undertown. The girl groaned, holding her head before realizing the Fusion Engine was gone.
"Yeah...pretty sure we got ya," Eatle spoke as he used his body to shield his team and now held the Fusion Engine in his hands.
"...Know what? I'll give you that, Ben. You turned a mistake you made around…" Makoto stated.
"Told ya I was good at this. Besides, this is one of my heavier hitters," he chuckled as Makoto quickly jumped on the girl and pinned her down before she could run off.
"Sorry. It was fun, but…" Makoto began.
"Get off her!" a voice shouted, echoing throughout the area as the group turned towards an opening.
From within the tunnel, a large number of figures marched out. All of them were humanoid with the same skin, markings and antler like brows as the girl marched out. All of them were tall and much more imposing though. Several pulled out energy rifles as they aimed. Eatle grabbed Makoto and lifted her off the girl before backing away.
"Give us the Fusion Engine," the leader of the group demanded.
"Who are you?" Eatle asked
"We are the Kraaho," the leader answered, "I'm Seebik."
"Can we do this quickly, Seebik?" a shorter more round member of the Kraaho asked, huffing and shuddering as if freezing, "I can see my breath!"
"You're cold?" Eatle blinked.
"Cold nothing...they look like they are freezing," Makoto added, "Look they got the whole arctic parka thing and super thick clothing."
"...It could be their biology," Tsubaki guessed, "While it may be hot for us...it's most likely cold for them."
"We want the Engine," Seebik repeated as his warriors charged their rifles.
"Quickly!" the rotund Kraaho added.
"Lackno, shut up." Seebik groaned.
"You will not get it," Rook argued.
"Not without a fight," Eatle added...only to timeout back to Ben, "God...Oh!" he complained.
"...Ooh...what happened?" Noel groaned as she regained consciousness...only to see what was happening, "?!"
The girl's arm stretched and quickly grabbed the Fusion Engine before tossing it to Seebik. His arm extended into the air to catch and bring it back to him and his group.
"Is everyone made of rubber?" Ben complained.
"Only the winners," the girl smirked as she walked over to the Kraaho.
"Oh she is good," Makoto praised her skills at one liners.
"We are not letting this happen," Tsubaki sighed, bonking Makoto on the head.
"Last warning," Ben added, lifting his Omnitrix.
"Yes?" the girl smirked, turning to Ben.
Ben tried to bring up the roster but...all he got was the recharge sound, "I...I got nothin'..."
"Let's do this again sometime." she smiled, "This...or anything else, I guess." she finished with a wink at Ben.
"Buh?" Ben blinked confused.
"...Yup. She's totally flirting with ya," Makoto noted.
"C-c-c-can we get going now Seebik? I'm F-f-freezing!" Lackno stuttered as he jumped on his leaders back and looked over his shoulder at their pilfered device.
"Ester, stop talking to that cold-cut!" Seebik ordered the girl, revealing her name; Ester rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"These are Tungsten based life forms, no doubt." Rook whispered to the others.
"Hmm...that would explain their preference to much higher and harsher temperatures," Tsubaki spoke, "And why this is so cold to them...but...why is this Ester girl only mildly inconvenienced?"
"Girls are the stronger of their kind?" Makoto asked.
"S-Seebik! T-two more minutes and I'm an ice sculpture!"
"Alright, Lackno!" Seebik growled elbowing his friend back, he then aimed at Ben, "But first finish him off!"
"Seebik! That's Ben Tennyson!" Ester argued, appalled by his order to their clansmen.
"Wait just me?! What about Rook? I'd totally let you guys off but him...no way! This guy never gives up!" Ben complained as Rook smirked, realizing his plan to bide for more time for the Omnitrix.
"Yeah! So does Tsubaki! She probably would smack us with a rule book if we didn't stay and try to get that dangerous nuclear thingy back!" Makoto added.
"You be silent!" Seebik barked before looking at Ester, "And you, back to the Hot Spot!"
"You never said you…" Ester began before glaring at Seebik, "This isn't the Kraaho Way!"
"Interesting…" Tsubaki noted to herself from how she spoke.
"The Kraaho way is what I say it is!" Seebik snapped, "Now go!"
Ester growled as she backed away. The group of Kraaho warriors moved forward while spreading out and forming a half circle around the five of them. They began stomping the ground causing it to crack with each step. They then stretched their arms out and interlocked them forming a line as they began closing in corralling the Plumber agents.
"They seem to want to...off us. With some kind of ritualized offing?" Rook asked confused as he was usure what this ritualistic war dance was.
"Oh great. They're gonna war dance us to death." Makoto spoke as the Omntrix finally turned on.
"Thank you, Tribal Culture channel," Ben spoke, slapping the dial as he transformed into Gravattack.
"You knew they'd do something like this?" Tsubaki realized.
"Well they seem to have some sort of culture comparable to a Native American tribe, so I figured they had a ritual to off their enemies via war dance to intimidate them," Gravattack spoke as he held his hand out and formed spheres of greenish aura as he sent out a wave of gravity, lifting the Kraaho up into the air, "Now...to deal with you lot. First...I make you weightless..and then…" before he could continue he timed out once again leaving Ben standing there as the Kraaho were left to slam into the ground with the rubble of the gravity burst.
"Oh come on!" Makoto snapped.
"I thought you said 15 minutes!" Rook panicked.
"And I said Give or Take!" Ben argued, messing with the Omnitrix again.
"No! I think it was because you used it just as it recharged!" Makoto argued.
"Don't start with me!" Ben snapped just as the Kraaho started getting back up.
"...um...m-minna…" Noel spoke up.
"We can't fight all of them...Ester gave us a run for our money…" Ben sighed.
"I can take 'em." Makoto spoke before Tsubaki grabbed her ear, "But running...running's good!"
"Honestly, Makoto…" Tsubaki sighed.
Before the Kraaho could attack, they all grunted as water began pouring from a pipe. The water was barely cold, but upon contact with their bodies it began steaming. The Kraaho began shuddering in temperature shock as to them it was freezing cold. Everyone turned to see Ester as she opened the pipe.
"Sorry...I can't let you do this!" she grunted, closing the valve as the Kraaho began running for the tunnel.
"I'm Freezing!"
"AH! COLD!"
"NOT COOL, ESTER!"
"D-D-d-d-don't say...C-c-c-c-cool!"
"...She's giving us a chance to escape," Tsubaki realized.
"RUN!" Makoto panicked.
"I can't see!" one Kraaho shouted.
"OW! Why ya hit me!?"
"Lanko did it."
"You jerk!"
"Teenagers…" Seebik groaned as Ester and the Plumbers vanished in the wall of steam. He then looked to see Lackno with tongue stuck to a pipe, "Seriously…how?"
"I doh knuh how…"
Ester led them through the tunnels into a water drainage system, all the while leading Ben by his arm. Once they were far enough away, Ben yanked his arm back.
"Hurry!" she ordered.
"No. We can't just leave them," Ben argued, "We have to go back and get the Fusion engine."
"Yeah! Now we know they don't like cold! You can go Big Chill and scare them off with ice blasts!" Makoto added.
"Yes, that is a good pick," Rook agreed.
"But they have what they want. They won't be anymore trouble," Ester argued.
"I get it. The Fusion Engine...your people want to use it as a heater for your village," Tsubaki realized.
"More or less, yes."
"..But, why aren't you cold?" Noel asked.
"Simple; I'm only half Kraaho."
"Half?" Makoto blinked.
"They can't go to the surface, too cold. To me, it's just nippy." Ester smiled as she opened a grate and lead them back to the streets above.
"Oh...your other half is human!" Noel realized as Makoto lifted her up.
"That's why you're not looking like you're gonna suffer frostbite," Makoto added, "And why you at least need that parka."
"Yup."
"So the Kraaho just wanted to make their home more comfortable for the rest of your clansmen." Tsubaki noted.
"And with the Fusion Engine they can do just that…" Rook finished, "But...does that make what she did okay?"
"I mean she did it for her people…" Makoto argued, "It looks like they'd be sick without it...they are just desperate."
"She gets it," Ester smiled before pointing at Rook, "You're just overthinking it."
"We'll talk it over with Grandpa and see if we can do something the right way to help. For now...they do need it…" Ben sighed, "Maybe next time ask for help will ya? The Plumbers are around for a reason."
"Ben has a point...their clan needs it to stay healthy. It could be worse for them in Winter if this summer heatwave is still freezing to them," Tsubaki sighed.
"Well as long as…"
"It's Ester!"
"Hmm?" Ester looked over to see a bunch of Alien kids looking over at her and calling her over, all of whom were young Kinecelerans, XLR8's species.
"...Friends of yours?" Makoto guessed.
"Kinecelarans…" Tsubaki spoke, "I had no idea so many lived on Earth…"
"Yeah!" the kids cheered as Ester walked over to them, a small girl dressed in pink then waved over to the Plumbers.
"Come on, new guys!"
Ben smiled, walking forward before Rook put a hand on his shoulder, "We were chasing a thief...and there she is!"
"Yeah...and she saved us," Ben sighed, "Look, I get this is hard to grasp...but sometimes even good people do bad things for good reasons. We need to do something, but we can't just confiscate the device if it'll help her people survive."
"Ben's right…" Makoto nodded.
"Rook...I don't like it either...but...this is a difficult situation," Tsubaki sighed, "I shall contract Magister Tennyson and see what can be done. But for now...we might as well try to relax. Regain our strength and plan what to do."
"Yeah...right, Noel?" Makoto looked to Noel, "Noellie?"
"The little one in pink is so cute…" Noel whispered.
"You wanna play?" one of the kids asked Ben.
"He's playing!" Ester declared, tossing him a pipe which had strips of cloth and tape acting as handle wrappings, forming a stick that could be used for some kind of street hockey-esque game.
"...You guys wanna join?" Ben asked his team.
"No thank you/I am good, thanks," Rook and Tsubaki replied.
"Ano...I'll just watch," Noel added.
"...Eh sure," Makoto shrugged as she walked over, "I'm more for lacrosse, but hey. Sports are sports."
"Cool. Then let's…" Ester began.
"Car!" one of the kids called out as they all moved out of the way of an incoming car.
"Stay out of the street!" the driver shouted, "Darn kids and their freak costumes…"
"Bleh!" Makoto and Ben taunted him as he drove off.
"Honestly the nerve of some p-WOAH!" Makoto yelped when she and Ben were suddenly knocked over by a few blurs, the blurs went back and forth a few more times knocking them around.
One of the kids tossed the puck at the bucket which acted as their goal, but Ester quickly stopped it with a stamp of her stick. She twirled her stick before chucking it back, the kids and Makoto moving out of the way as it beamed Ben's head.
"...Not bad…" Makoto noted before picking up Ben's stick, using it to flick the puck into the air before hitting it against a nearby tree, which caused it to ricochet off it before Makoto jumped up lightly and hit it, sending it rocketing past Ester and into the other goal, "But nothing compared to the captain of my school's lacrosse team. Spoilers...it's me."
"Oh you're fun." Ester smirked.
"Mmmm..." Ben groaned, getting up as he slapped the Omnitrix and transformed to XLR8, "Let's play!"
XLR8 began blurring around, taking the puck before tossing it to Makoto who scored for their team again. Ester smirked as she used her powers and swung her extended arm and knocked the puck away before Makoto could shoot it, making XLR8 run off to retrieve it from the kids.
"Heh heh! This is f-car!"
"Again?!" Makoto groaned as they got out of the streets just as another car passed by.
"You darn kids!" the driver shouted.
"It's called fun! Try it once in a while!" Makoto shouted at the driver.
"I took his licence plate," A kid smiled, holding it up to show Makoto.
"Ha! Nice!" Makoto laughed.
"Makoto! Don't encourage that!" Tsubaki barked.
"Anyone do it to the really rude guy...he deserved it." Makoto told them.
"Ah man...That's a good point…" Several muttered.
"Ugh…" Tsubaki facepalmed.
"Oh chill out...they're good kids." Makoto laughed, patting the heads of the younger ones, "Those guys were rude…"
XLR8 noticed how the kids seemed to be getting heated from the sun, so he slapped the Omnitrix and turned to Water Hazard. He aimed up and fired jets of water making a sort of rain as it began cooling them off, the water forming a rainbow as it fell.
"...He's really good with kids," Makoto noted as she and Ester watched.
"Yeah, he's like a kid at heart!" Ester laughed before the kids pointed at them.
"Uh-oh...you guys are in trouble," Water Hazard spoke.
"Fire!" one boy shouted excitedly.
"Ben don't you d-" Makoto began before yelping in surprise when she and Ester were suddenly blasted with water, "Ahh! Oh..oh ho! Oh you are gonna get it!"
"Run!" Water Hazard laughed as the kids scattered.
"They look so happy." Noel smiled.
"Hmmm…" Rook sighed as he crossed his arms with a frown.
"...Ester still troubling you, Rook?" Tsubaki asked.
"Yes...I am a Plumber...Ben is a Plumber, our duty is to enforce the law. But...yet here we are...enjoying an afternoon with a thief who stole a dangerous Nuclear device...and left it with her people…" Rook spoke.
"But…" Noel added, knowing he wanted to say more.
"But...I do...understand the burden of responsibility and contemplating doing something extreme for the sake of your people." he sighed, "But...we can not just ignore what happened either."
"...I know how you feel, Rook," Tsubaki sighed as she looked over at Ester, "But...she doesn't seem like a bad person."
"Yes...I know," Rook nodded.
"Well that was refreshing…" Makoto grumbled as she used a towel to dry her hair.
Ben gave another towel to Ester as she shuddered from the cold of the water, the towel helping her warm up as Ben draped it over her head. She breathed out, releasing a cloud of breath which turned the water on Ben's hair to snow. Ben awed in amazement at that; this seemed to cause Ester to blush from the look he gave her. She giggled a bit as she ran past him.
"...She so likes you," Makoto teased.
"Everybody likes me, I'm a hero." Ben smiled simply.
"...Wow you are dense…" Makoto sweatdropped as she walked off, "Cute...but kinda dense."
"I am n...wait. What was that last part?" Ben blinked at that.
"Nothing~" Makoto giggled.
"...I just don't get her at times…" Ben muttered as Rook walked over.
"I am certain you do not 'get' most females," Rook pointed out.
"Wha…" Ben muttered.
"...Nevermind," Rook sighed before looking at Ester as she was laughing a bit with Makoto, "Ester...even if she acts nice, she is not completely innocent. You need to tell her the party is over...or else I will do my job."
"Rook...y-" Tsubaki began.
"I apologize Tsubaki, but no matter the reason, she still committed a crime…" Rook frowned, "As such, it is our duty to make sure criminals receive the justice they deserve."
"But...she didn't do anything wrong," Noel spoke, "She was just looking out for her tribe."
"And what if they're planning something horrible, using the Fusion Engine she stole?"
"...Look, Rook, I get it…" Ben sighed, "But it's a weird line...doing something right for a good reason...she saved us...she never wanted to hurt anyone and was even against that Seebik guy's plan to off us...I can tell she's a good person. She just messed up. I'm not a cop, Rook...I'm a hero, so that means I try to help everyone."
"...Yes, but sometimes even a hero must make the difficult choices," Rook countered.
"You have a point Rook," Ben sighed as he looked down, "...That they do...but doesn't mean you still can't save everybody." he smirked, "So...let's do some hero-ing."
"...What a-" Rook began before the ground began to rumble, "?!"
"...Oh that can't be good," Makoto whispered before she quickly grabbed one of the kids and jumped back before a pillar of lava burst from the ground, "?!"
"L-Lava?!" Noel freaked.
"...I knew it," Rook frowned as he glared at Ester.
"I swear I didn't know!" Ester defended.
"That the Kraaho would use the Fusion Engine to do this?!" Rook snapped, earning silence from her as she looked down.
"It doesn't matter now!" Ben declared slamming the Omnitrix as he became Arctiguana, "We need to make sure no one gets hurt!" he declared blasting a wave of ice which froze the lava back into stone, "You can either blame her...or you can do your duty and help people," he pointed out as he blasted his ice breath as far as possible, stopping the lava at its source.
"...Right…" Rook sighed.
"We need immediate back-up," Tsubaki spoke into her badge, "Lava has…"
=We know. There's multiple geysers appearing across all of Bellwood= Max replied =We have rescue teams already helping=
"...Any ideas of the source?"
=Yes. It seems they're coming from underneath Undertown…=
"...Meaning it won't be long before the lava gets there, too…" Tsubaki realized with wide eyes.
=You guys handle this. Leave the town to us, the tech team is working on some cryo tech…=
=We're doomed!= Driba panicked.
=No, we ain't= Blukic argued.
=Hurry….= Max sighed.
"...We need to find the Kraaho and stop this before the city is flooded with lava," Tsubaki said as she put her Badge away.
"...They…" Ester spoke, earning the group's attention, "They said they wanted to make it warmer down there…"
"Down where?" Ben asked as he approached her, "...Let me guess, this 'Hot Spot' Seebik told you to go to?"
"..."
"...Ester, please, we need your help," Makoto spoke.
"But...you're basically asking me to betray my people."
"Asking…" Ben repeated as he motioned to look at the flow of lava, "Ester...please, we're begging…"
"If we don't get the Fusion Engine back, people are gonna lose their homes," Makoto added, "Can you live with that on your conscience?"
"..." Ester looked down, a look of hurt on her face as she gripped her hand.
Down below, deep within a large cavern with pools of lava in it, the Kraaho were preparing their weapons as Seebik stood by and watched.
"It's a miracle, Seebik!" Lackno beamed as he looked at his leader, "You turned this frozen wasteland into an oasis."
"As soon as New Bellwood is warm and the stragglers are dealt with, how does the name 'New Earth' strike you?" Seebik asked.
"Seebik!" the leader of the Kraaho turned to see Ester stomping up to him, "You lied to me…"
"For a good cause," Seebik frowned, "How long must we stay in this cavern? A Generation? Two maybe? We need a world, Ester."
"This world doesn't belong to you. You can't roast it!" Ester argued.
"It's not up for debate! My word is law!" Seebik snapped as the two glared at one another, the Kraaho were unaware of Ben and his group watching on from the entrance.
Ben frowned as he activated his Omnitrix. Rook and the girls blinked and looked at him once the green flash had come and went.
"Create a distraction," NRG ordered softly, "I will get the fusion device."
Rook nodded, about to head out before Makoto held a hand up.
"Let me…" Makoto whispered as she rushed out, jumping behind the unaware Kraaho before taking a deep breath, "Hey~!"
"?!" the Kraaho tensed as they turned.
"Your dads were puddles of mud and your mothers smelt of elderberries!" Makoto declared in a snooty French accent.
"...Oh she is good," NRG noted as the Kraaho began to chase after the squirrel girl.
"Hey! I bet I know why your arms are so stretchy! It's because the junk you got below can't!" Makoto taunted.
"GET HER!-!"
"Can't catch me~!" Makoto taunted, zipping by Ester and Seebik.
"You brought outsiders?" Seebik growled, "Your father would be ashamed of you, Ester…"
"More like proud of her for doing the right thing!" Makoto countered before jumping up just as some Kraaho tried grabbing her, the Beastkin hovering in place a bit as her tail acted as a propeller of sorts, "Behold! A flying squirrel!"
"...I was not aware she could do that," Rook blinked.
"...Noel?" Tsubaki asked.
"I didn't think she figured out how to do that," Noel replied.
"She may need assistance now," Rook noted as he saw some beginning to move into a sneak attack position.
"...You do that," Tsubaki nodded, "We'll take care of the engine."
Rook nodded as he rushed out, jumping over some Kraaho before landing next to Makoto, "Greetings! I...um...who wants to learn the Electric Slide?"
"...Do you actually know that?" Makoto asked, landing and raising a brow at Rook in surprise.
"No...maybe. The heat might be getting to me," Rook admitted before pulling his Prototool out in a tonfa formation.
"...Okay, I'll give you that…" Makoto muttered before wiping some sweat from her forehead, "It's like an oven in here."
"Get them!" Seebik ordered.
One Kraaho attempted to grab the two from behind, only for them to dodge as Makoto delivered an uppercut to his chin, causing him to grunt in pain before Rook used his weapon to trip him. Another attempted to blast at the two, only for Rook's arm to become a blur as his Prototool hit his blaster, causing it to fall to pieces a few moments later.
"...Okay that was cool," Makoto noted before a Kraaho managed to grab her, only to end up getting 'punched' by her tail, "Yeah…nice try, but no dice."
"...Did you just punch with your tail?" the Kraaho asked in disbelief.
"I don't know," Makoto replied before her tail rapidly 'punched' the Kraaho until an uppercut sent him into another Kraaho, "Did it?"
"It...did…." he groaned.
Rook dodged a punch before kicking the Kraaho who attacked him, sending him flying back. He swung his tonfa around and struck another Kraaho in his side, making him tumble over backwards from the pain. In the same moment, Rook leaned forward and swung his leg back, kicking another Kraaho in the face as he tried to jump him from behind.
Makoto grunted, kicking one of the Kraaho across his face before grabbing him by his arm and swinging him around, his arm stretching as he was swung into several of his clansmen, knocking them all over. She quickly ducked under another punch before grabbing the Kraaho's extended arm. She ducked under another extending punch and once more caught her attacker's arm before they could retract it. Makoto flipped over as she swung the two forward and hammered them down on more of their friends, piling all the Kraaho up.
"...I'll deal with this myself..." Seebik frowned as he stepped forward.
Ester was about to say something in protest before a pair of Kraaho grabbed her by the arms. Seebik jumped forward as he stretched his legs and stomped the ground in front of Rook and Makoto, making them jump back. The two gasped as the heat and fighting tired them out faster and faster. Seebik smirked as he removed his heavy clothing.
Rook rushed first as he jumped and swung his tonfa only for Seebik to block with his arms, he blocked each kick and strike before grabbing Rook's next punch. Seebik pulled Rook forward before punching him with his free hand, his arm stretching and slamming Rook into a wall with great force.
"Rook!" Makoto and Ester panicked.
"You're next, Cold-cut," Seebik spoke as he retracted his arm and turned to Makoto.
"I still don't get why your go to insult is lunch meat…" Makoto growled, raising her arms.
Seebik said nothing as he stretched his arm and threw a punch at Makoto, only for the Beastkin to dodge it as she rushed up to him. Makoto punched at Seebik who ducked to the side just before it hit. He retracted his arm and used the force of its return to swing and strike Makoto's side with a swing of his arm, making her roll across the ground. Seebik smirked as he jumped into the air and extended his legs to stomp Makoto, only to miss as she rolled out of the way.
Rook grunted, getting to his feet as he wiped sweat from his face; he looked up as he saw NRG slowly climbing the laser device, "Hurry Ben!" he shouted, kicking another Kraaho that tried to attack him.
"Hmm?" Seebik blinked, about to turn around only to be blind sided when two Kraaho landed on him.
"Go-good timing…" Makoto sighed as Ester landed next to her and helped her up, "I...could really use some water…"
"Let me handle Seebik," Ester spoke as the mentioned leader of the Kraaho shoved the two used to club him away like a minor inconvenience.
Seebik smirked as he blocked Ester's punch before remembering what Rook was saying; he turned around to see NRG reach the Fusion Engine, "Keep that Cold-Cut away from the engine!" he snapped at the Kraaho who hadn't been knocked out already.
A few Kraaho attempted to rush for NRG, only to jump back to dodge some gunshots as Tsubaki rushed in and knocked them over with her shield. She grunted, swinging around and striking another Kraaho before kicking him upside the head. Tsubaki was surprised when one Kraahow extended his arms and grabbed her shoulders, but his smirk was replaced with a look of concern when she grabbed his arms and rolled backwards flinging him up into the air...where he was blasted by a stun round, sending his twitching body falling to the ground.
"I have to thank those little guys for their additions," Noel noted, looking at her guns before aiming and shooting more of the Kraaho with stun rounds.
"Ben, please hurry!" Tsubaki spoke, striking another Kraaho with her shield before spinning and kicking another across the face.
"I'm...trying!" NRG grunted as his hand began glowing red as he struck the glass holding the glowing orb multiple times, "But...NRG can only move so fast in this armor!" he grunted, striking it and making it crack, "Almost there…" he then grunted when several arms grabbed him, "WHOA!" he cried, being pulled down as several Kraaho piled on.
"Ben!" everyone panicked as the Kraahow began attacking NRG intent on damaging his armor.
"No! No! Don't open the armor! It will end NRG!" NRG panicked as the Kraaho looked at one another, one beginning to pull on the very top of the suit before finally yanking off the top like a lid. Suddenly an explosion sent them all flying away, rising up from the suit was a humanoid figure of red energy, he wore green bracers on his arms and legs, he had a pair of black and green shorts around his waist with two straps going over his torso like overalls, with two green disks over each strap. Green eyes shown as yellow fire like markings formed eyebrows, the Omnitrix now in the center of his belt, "Suckers!"
"That's NRG's true form?" Tsubaki blinked as she jumped back, her badge's beeping indicating their was a very weak radiation warning around NRG.
"...Oh, so that's why he's called 'NRG!'" Makoto realized, "He's literal energy!"
"Yep. His armor is a safety precaution...for others!" he smirked before shooting a beam of energy which sliced through the glass holding the Fusion Engine.
"Warriors! Don't let him…" Seebik began as NRG took the orb...and ate it, "Do...that…"
"He ate it!?" Makoto panicked as NRG...belched out a stream of fire like energy, "Yep...he ate it…"
"Well...that's one method of disposal," Tsubaki muttered.
"Maybe...to him, it's tasty?" Noel tilted her head.
"That is good Fusion Engine!" NRG laughed as he held his hand out and began unleashing energy blasts that demolished the laser device.
"...Please tell me that stopped the Lava above," Makoto begged.
"That it did," Tsubaki sighed in relief, checking in with other Plumbers.
"So...who else wants some?" NRG asked while aiming at the Kraaho, who all held their hands up and backed off from his team, "Smartest thing you've done all day." he smirked, floating down and landing in his armor, putting it on as the Omnitrix reappeared in the center of the armor's chest. After a moment, he timed out and reverted to Ben.
"...Well...you won," Seebik frowned at Ester, "Happy?"
"You haven't exactly lost," Ester countered as Ben walked up to her, "We'll do just fine here in the Hot Spot."
"It is practically another part of Undertown," Ben pointed out, "You even have your own private hotspring." he noted while he pointed to a pool of molten lava.
"Emphasis on Hot," Makoto muttered as Tsubaki helped her stand, "Oh hey, Tsu-chan, when'd you get here?" she asked in a loopy manner.
"The heat is getting to her…" Tsubaki sighed.
"Rook?" Noel asked.
"Water…" he wheezed.
"Coexistence...living next to a city of Cold-Cuts…" Seebik growled, "That's not the Kraaho way!"
"No Seebik...that's not your way," Ester pointed out, "I see that now. But it was my Father's way!"
"Yeah!" Ben agreed before blinking, "Wait...who's your father?"
"He was the leader before Seebik," Ester explained.
"Interesting…" Tsubaki noted as Seebik seemed to grow nervous, "So does this mean anyone can become Leader if one were to pass on...or earn it?"
"...Tch…" Seebik growled as he and the other Kraaho knelt down to Ester.
"What are they…?" Noel began.
"She has defeated me, so we must follow what she says…" Seebik explained
"And?" Ester asked.
"And the Kraaho way...is whatever you say it is," he let out with a groan as he closed his eyes, as if saying these words of defeat were painful to his pride.
"Coexistence!" Ester smiled.
"You'd allow it?" Lackno asked, being the only Kraaho who didn't partake in the fighting. His questioned aimed at Ben.
"As long as you don't step out of line." Ben replied, "Cause if you do...we'll be back." he smirked motioning to his team and then at the Omnitrix.
"Maybe not all of us…" Tsubaki coughed as Makoto and Rook were being fanned by a panicked Noel.
"Hey, Ben~! When did you get a brother as cute as you?!" Makoto laughed in her dehydrated state.
"Yeah, the heat got to her…" Ben muttered.
'Oh my god! He is that dense…' Tsubaki realized for herself upon hearing that simple response.
"As leader of the Kraaho, I swear this day…" Ester began as she turned to Ben, "That I will always be a good neighbor to you, Ben Tennyson." she smiled, wrapping her arms around him in a hug.
"...Lemonaid?" Ben offered to the two dehydrated members of the team.
Makoto and Rook began chugging glass after glass before Rook took the entire pitcher and chugged it down.
"Need more!" Makoto rasped out.
"I figured," Tsubaki sighed, holding up a cold water bottle for both of them, "I suppose we know a place where you're never allowed to go for health reasons."
"Agreed!" Makoto shouted as she took her bottle and began to chug down its contents.
"Yeah, that place was way too warm for you guys," Ben spoke.
"Makoto became loopy and said many things...things I don't think she ever intended to say out loud," Noel muttered, blushing a little, "Many things…"
"?!" Makoto nearly spat her water out at that, "...What did I say?"
"Um...I think you…"
"Hey, it's Ester's boyfriend!" the Kineceleran kids from earlier shouted as they passed by the group, waving to Ben.
"I am not her boyfriend...Seriously, why is everyone shipping me with people these days…?" Ben complained.
"Hey, Ester's boyfriend!" another kid waved.
"Oh…"
"Hey, where's Ester?" one girl asked.
"Still at large," Rook sighed, chugging his water.
"Not her fault the Fusion Engine was never recovered." Ben shrugged sheepishly, earning a deadpanned look from Rook, "...Again, she's not my girlfriend. We're just...friends."
"Oh Ben…" Tsubaki shook her head.
"Maybe it's better he not understand." Noel sighed, "...Though….this gives me some ideas…" she muttered as she walked off.
"...Wait. What is she…?" Makoto began before tensing, "...Noellie, wait! Don't you get any crazy ideas!" she exclaimed as she chased after her, a blush on her face.
"Wait…" Ben spoke as Tsubaki and Rook looked at him "Think I have a shot with Ester?" he asked, making them both just walk off, "Hey!"
"Don't give Noel anymore ideas!" Makoto shouted to him, "Also, Julie! Remember?! ...Wait...Noel, don't!"
"...Oh..right…" Ben slumped a bit at that, "Argh! Why do I keep forgetting to find a video of how she's doing?!"
"Because you keep getting distracted?" Rook guessed, "...Though who is Julie?"
Ben facepalmed.
SZ: And with that, we are nearing the final episodes of the season..man we work fast.
GT: Indeed. Poor Ben. He still can't figure out Julie's number or what she's doing in her tennis career.
Z0: Yes...because it's not like she doesn't have friends...from the highschool they attended together...or social media presence…
GT: Eh, blame it on him getting distracted by aliens or answering questions by the girls about things that the past had that they didn't in the future.
SZ: True..ahem. Anyways guys...read and review, and stay tuned for the season one finale.
Z0: I'm gonna up the action...by a lot. GT get the explosives!
SZ: Wait GT don't!
GT: Imma get the boom-booms! *runs off with a cackle*
SZ: Dang it!