SZ: Time for some serious stuff...
Z0: *holds up Murder axe* Okay whom I killing off this time?
SZ: No no! I mean serious chapter time!
Z0: Oooh….*tosses Axe out the window causing Willhelm scream* They fine~
SZ:...We own no one aside from original content.
"Mmm…" Ben muttered as he looked at a flyer, he and a few others walking towards a rather large festival, "The Olde Bellewood days festival is my first public appearance in months…"
"And why's that a problem?" Jenny asked, having joined the group for the day for a day off.
"I don't see my name anywhere in here!" Ben complained.
"Not everything has to be about you, ya know," Makoto deadpanned.
"I was asked to be a guest of honor!" he complained.
"As the guy in the giant Dunk tank…" Makoto reminded.
"Y-wait what?" Ben blinked.
"Seriously? You don't remember?" Makoto deadpanned.
"I told you just as we were leaving, Ben…" Tsubaki sighed.
"But..why am I the dunk tank g-" Ben began.
"Ben Tennyson~!" a voice called, making the group look to see a woman in a purple business suit approach, "Natalie Alvares, deputy director for parks and recreation, and the organizer for this little shindig. Called you on the phone and glad you and your…" she shot a slight stink eye at the others, "Sidekicks...could join us here today."
"Sidekicks?" Noel repeated.
"Rude!" Makoto pouted.
"If it means we get to partake in the fun...I'll roll with it." Tsubaki smirked.
"Ooh~" Makoto and Noel nodded in realization and agreement.
"To be honest, I wanted to get Kangaroo Kommando for this year's festival,but the kids were all 'Ben 10! Ben 10!', don't cha know?"
"Hahaha...great." Ben mumbled as the group began to follow Natalie, "I was plan B for Kangaroo Kommando...even though that would've been cool."
"Pfft…" Makoto used her tail to cover her mouth and hold back the laughter.
"..what's that giant wooden bell?" Jenny asked, the group seeing a fairly large wooden sleighbell on a pedestal.
"Oh that? That's the world's biggest wooden sleighbell, commemorating the people who founded Bellewood in 1638," Natalie explained, "Handcarved from solid walnut, it weighs over 3000 pounds."
"I'm...I have no words…" Makoto muttered, "It's like one of those roadstop things…but with history…"
"..Bell...wood…" Noel whispered to herself, "...OH! Is that how Bellewood got its name?"
"Why yes it is, don't cha know?" Natalie smled, "If you'd like, I can give you a full tour on the history of Bellewood."
"Ahaha...we'll rain check." Makoto laughed, covering Noel's mouth with her tail.
"It does sound…" Rook began before Makoto shot a hand over his mouth.
"Another time, we just wanna get a good feel for the festival!" Makoto explained, "Besides I'm sure your super busy!"
"Oh yes! Which reminds me…" Natalie began as she motioned Ben to follow here, "We need to get you to the dunk tank, Mr. Tennyson."
"Oh joy…" Ben muttered as he followed her, 'Least it can't be that bad...right?'
"Gah!" Ben screamed as he fell into a tank full of water, a sign that read 'dunk Ben 10' over it "Rook!"
"What? It is for charity," Rook simply replied, holding a few tennis balls.
"Come on get back up there! Momma's gonna get the high score!" Makoto cheered, holding three buckets of tennis balls, one in each hand and the third with her tail.
"Oh heck no!" Ben freaked as he quickly climbed back out and onto the platform above the tank, " Knowing you, you'd break it!"
"Oh come on, Ben. Like Rook said, It's for charity," Makoto smirked, "In fact...hey kids! Which alien should he change into for this dunk?"
"Aw man…" he groaned.
"Hmm...oh! Turn into Big ch-no! Brainstorm!" one of the kids suggested.
Ben tapped the Omnitrix as he turned into Brainstorm and climbed back up to the platform over the water, "Fire away young lad~ Not you Makoto...you know what you do..."
"Here you go," Makoto smirked as she tossed the kid the ball, "Have fun~"
"...Why do I not like that tone she u-" Brainstorm began before the kid tossed the ball and hit the target, only...nothing happened, "...Oh phew. I was a bit afraid th-"
"Out of my way, dweebs!" a tall kid shouted, pushing some kids aside from snatching a ball form Makoto, "And give me that, ya old hag."
"H...HAG?!" Makoto exclaimed in disbelief.
"Oh no…" Brainstorm realized before the kid hit the target, causing him to fall in.
"Heh...now Stinkfly!"
"Grr…" Ben frowned as he climbed back up, used the Omnitrix to change into Stinkfly...and soon fell into the tank again, "Glurg!" he poked his head out and spat water from his eyes and mouth, "Ugh…Nasty."
"Now Wildmutt!"
"Hey kid, one at a t..." Makoto began.
"Butt out, lady!" the kid snapped, tossing another ball at the target, hitting it as Wildmutt fell into the water, "Now Spidermonkey!"
"But...I wanted to see Ditto…" one girl spoke.
"Shut it! No one wants to see a namby pamby girly alien!" the tall kidd mocked as he tossed another ball at the target, causing Spidermonkey to fall in, "Hey, old lady, give me another ball! I wanna dunk Humungousaur next!"
"Can't dunk him, kid," Ditto informed, sitting on the fold out table while pointing at a sign held up by another Ditto, "Ya see...Due to structural integrity and visibility, I can't do anything big or too tiny. Plus, if I went with a big guy, it'd break the tank. I go too tiny, no one'd get to see a splash."
"Can we get on with it?" a Ditto asked, lazily lying on the seat for the dunk tank, "...Huh...this is kinda com-zzzz…"
"...Fine…" the tall kid frowned before tossing the ball...right into one of the others Dittos, resulting it bouncing off another before hitting the target, letting the one on the seat fall into the tank.
"Eeyow!" all the Dittos yelped, rubbing their faces which all sported a round-shaped red mark as the one that got dunked poked out, spitting up water.
"Hey~! What's-a matta with ya?!" the Ditto exclaimed, adopting an bad accent.
"What's-a matta with me, Five? What's-a matta with you?!" another argued in the same accent.
"I wasn't a what's-a mattaing you; I was what's-a mattaing him!" Five argued, pointing.
"Hey, both-a ya shut up-a!" another by the boy barked, "And don't what's-a matta me!"
"This is lame...this isn't even the real Ben 10...just some losers in costumes.." the kid scoffed, "...Hey geezer, hand m-"
"No," Makoto frowned, holding the balls and buckets away from him, "You need to leave...now."
"Ah cheer up-a!" the Ditto by the boy noted, "We have-a special surprise!"
"We-a call it…" another noted before the boy yelped as water fell on him.
"Cleaning up an act," the Ditto with the empty bucket snickered.
"Seven, we forgot to add soap," the one to the boy's left noted.
"We did? Then what did I add?" Seven asked before the boy yelped as he started to scratch himself wildly and run off.
"Itching powder," the Ditto on the table replied.
"...I'll let that slide because one; that was just gold. And two; that kid was just plain unpleasant," Makoto spoke as the kids cheered on, "Oh and three; ya kinda beat me to the punch."
"Just remember this, kiddos; kids like that boy won't go far if they keep that going," the Ditto on the table advised before they merged back into one before climbing back up to sit on his seat, "Now if I don't do anything too strenuous, I should be gold for a lot more transformations. Just remember, I can't go with the big guys or little ones like Greymatter or Nanomech."
"You heard him, kids. Nothing too big or small when requesting," Makoto added before Rook held some tickets to her, "...More Rook?"
"It is for charity," Rook replied.
"...Hope the others are having a good time…" Ditto muttered.
"How are you fairing, Jenny?" Mai asked.
"Just fine," Jenny replied as she looked around, "To be honest, this is kinda reminding me of the old carnivals back in my time...only a lot more clean."
"That's good to hear," Mai grinned.
"Gotta admit that things cost a lot more jack than back then," Jenny added, "And still getting used to seeing alcohol in public."
"Oh, right...The 1920s were during the prohibition," Tsubaki recalled, "So you've been to an illegal bar during that time?"
"Busted several speakeasys in Tremorton back then," Jenny replied, "Nothing I couldn't handle really."
"...Well given…"
"EEE~!" the three turned to hear Noel squealing in glee, looking at a stuffed, small, brownish fox-like plush as it hung amongst a few other plushies, "An Eevee~!"
"Eevee?" Jenny repeated.
"A little creature from a video game," Mai explained.
"Just one of well over a thousand," Kajun added.
"...Is it that…" Jenny began as she walked over to get a closer look, "...Oh that is adorable…."
"Ya little ladies want one? Then hit the targets inside the holes," the booth owner replied, "Ten tickets equal three balls."
"Ten tickets?!" Mai blinked in disbelief.
"...It's rigged," Kajun whispered.
"We're gonna end up as Marks?" Jenny quietly asked.
"But none of us are boys," Mai blinked twice.
"She means swindled," Kajun translated, "Or rather...we would be if it weren't for one thing…"
"What's th-"
"Six balls please," Noel spoke, putting down twenty tickets.
"Sure, little lady…" the owner smirked as he handed her six balls, "Just don't hurt yourself trying t-" six blurs shot by him as six buzzers went off, "?!"
"..." Jenny removed her eyes, breathed on them, produced a cloth to shine them, and put them back into her head before blinking twice as she processed it at last, "...Huh. If I didn't pipe that with my own peepers and not care that I'd rust on the inside and could get that way, I'd probably want to go out on the roof."
"Noel was the best at far-ranged weaponry back at the academy we went too," Kajun explained.
"Eevee please!" Noel declared, "Oh, and one for my friend Jenny!"
"...S...sure…." the owner whispered in disbelief as he reached up and grabbed two of the Eevee plushies, "Here...even a limited edition shiny one, too…"
"EEE~!" Noel squealed in delight, quickly hugging the two plushies and skipping over to the girls, "They're so fwuffy!"
"...Did...did she say…" Jenny began.
"When Noel has her eyes set on something cute, there's no stopping her until she has it," Tsubaki explained.
"Got it," Jenny nodded slowly.
"Ahh geez...I should've brought some spare clothes…" Ben muttered, climbing out of the tank again as he was soaking wet.
"Hey. Least the kids had a good time," Makoto stated, "...Though I think Rook enjoyed his turn a bit too much…"
"Yeah…no kidding…" Ben muttered, shooting Rook a stink eye.
"What? It is for charity," Rook argued.
"You are so getting Stinkeye goop in your bed. But which night that'll be will be only known to me," Ben informed.
"Oh, that is evil! ...Mind if I j-" Makoto began before some screams went off, her ears twitching a bit, "...Ben…he's back…"
"...You're gonna have to specify," Ben noted, "I have a lot of male bad guys."
"Khyber," Makoto replied, "And he brought along Rexy the Spaheshifting Dino-pooch."
"...Oh crud," Ben whispered as he looked ahead, seeing Buglizard at the center of the festival as people fled from her, the predator jumping onto the wooden sleigh bell.
"Oh! The bell! Someone save the bell!" Natalie screamed.
"...Rook, you go search for Khyber. Me and Makoto will deal with Rexy until the others get here," Ben ordered in a serious tone as he activated the Omnitrix...only to end up getting the error sound, "...Right after my Omnitrix finishes recharging."
"You just had to ask for one more alien…" Makoto muttered, giving Rook a stinkeye.
"I realize my error now…" Rook sighed as he ran off.
"...And I am gonna regret this…" Makoto muttered as she ran towards Buglizard, "Hey scaley! Over here!"
"Grr?" Biglizard growled as she turned towards her.
"Your mama was a salamander and your papa was a slug!"
Buglizard snarled at that before pouncing right at Makoto, fangs bared with the intent of mauling the Beastkin. In the process, she had knocked over the bell, causing it to roll off..and Natalie to faint as people began to flee from the bell...with the punk kid from before being chased by it.
"...Of course you'd do that," Makoto sighed before yelping as she barely jumped out of the way of the bite of Buglizard's fangs.
"Great...I have to save that kid too…" Ben muttered as his Omnitrix finally recharged, "Okay...going Humu…" he stopped in his selection when he remembered something. If he tried Humungousaur, there was a chance Khyber was gonna make his dog change into Tyranopedde, "...Yeah...probably a bad idea. Don't want to have Harangue say that I attract Kaiju or suggest Toho sue me for infringement on the giant monster business even if they're not the first company to do that genre." he quickly selected a different alien and pushed down, turning into FourArms, "Not as big, but just as strong with a better jump." with that, he jumped and easily cleared the distance between him and the rolling ball chasing the boy, letting him catch the wooden bell and skid a few feet while getting it to stop, "Still think I'm just a guy in costume, kid?"
"...N...no…" the kid gulped.
"I thought so…Now hurry on out of here before you end up lizard chow."
"Yes sir!" the kid exclaimed as he ran off.
"Okay...now t-" Fourarms began before Buglizard pounced him, "Ahh! Hey get off!" she responded with blasting Fourarms in the face with gas, "Aw come on! That reeks!" he delivered an uppercut that knocked her away from him, "Two words: Dental Bone!"
"Now you know how I feel!" Makoto shouted as she leapt over next to him, "Also good call on going with Fourarms."
"Thanks...though I'm not sure if Fourarms has any preds or not. Last time Tsubaki gave me a quick alien refresher course, found out Tetramands have multiple predators on their planet, but have the means to defend themselves against them."
Makoto's ears twitched, "And he's whistling."
Buglizard snarled as she changed forms once more. Becoming as big as a double-decker bus, her body was engulfed in grey scales with lighter grey scales making her underbelly and under her limbs. Her four legs reshifted into four muscular arms ending in three yellow scythe-like claws on the end of each limb as her head became elongated and more serpent like with six large red eyes.
"Uh-oh…" Fourarms gulped as the new Predator roared, revealing its mouth to be large and sported four tongues...each with its own mouth, "GYAH! It's the Alien from the Alien Franchise mixed with a FourArms!"
"YOU AND YOUR BIG MOUTH!" Makoto freaked as the two began to run.
"How was I supposed to know?!" Fourarms argued before ducking, barely avoiding acid spat from the serpent-like predator, "And it fires acid spit, too!? No wonder these guys evolved like they have!"
"Did you forget that crab guy and his copying the storage in your watch?!"
"...Maybe…"
"TetraMorph...XenoArms…" Makoto muttered.
"What are you doing?!"
"Trying to come up with a good name for this freaky thing!" Makoto replied as she jumped over one of the tongues trying to bite her.
"At a time like this?!"
"I try to quip when I'm panicking!"
"D'oh!" Fourarms groaned before they ducked under an attempted lunge.
"JUST CHANGE INTO SOMETHING ELSE ALREADY!"
"Okay okay!" Fourarms exclaimed as he touched the Omnitrix symbol, changing him into Diamondhead just as one of the tongues tried to bite him...resultign in it hissing in pain as its teeth cracked while bleeding from his shoulder spikes having stabbed into its jaws, "Heh...nice try. Nothing can bite into a Petrosapien's skin."
"...And there's the whistle again…"
"Oh please...like he has a predator f-" Diamondhead began as the serpent-like predator shrank and began to change shape, becoming more lizard..and a bit frog-like in shape, "?"
"...A frog?" Makoto blinked.
It looked like a frog at first glance given its chubby shape and large bulbous head, yet it didn't have the long hind legs of a frog. Its feet were all brown with black claws on the three fingers/toes that changed to a murky blue color that made up the majority of its body's color. Its underbelly was a grey/white that bled into red at its lower jaw while its tail bled into yellow and then red with yellow stripes going down its back. Bulky black armor-like scales covered its lower jaw and emerged from its legs and went down its back to the tail.
"...I really hate that crab," Makoto stated.
"...Not taking any chances on what this thing does," Diamondhead said as he slammed a hand on the ground, causing a dome to appear around the frog-like predator, "Now let's hurry a-"
A crunching sound was soon heard, making them look back at the dome..and saw the predator munching at the crystal-like substance as a red glow was seen from inside its mouth.
"...Yeah...If we ever see that crab again? Imma giving him to Noel to cook," Makoto stated, her ears drooping.
The frog-like predator gave a croak-like growl as it spat out something resembling coal mixed with cooled magma near the two. A second or so passed as the 'coal' began to start glowing, making the two tense as they began to run just as it exploded in a mix of molten lava and melted crystal.
"Whoa! Watch the tail! Watch the tail!" Makoto yelped, barely getting her tail out of the way of a bit of melted crystal.
"Now I'm starting to get the feeling of how bad guys feel when I change forms to mess them up!" Diamonhead groaned.
Nearby, Khyber watched just out of sight. He swung an arm out and caught Rook's foot before throwing him to the side. He reached behind his back and pulled out his knife while Rook pulled out his ProtoTool.
"You should know by now that no one gets the drop on Khyber the Huntsman," Khyber informed.
"How were you able to collect new forms so quickly?" Rook questioned as they circled one another.
"You think it took me five years just to collect ten samples?" Khyber questioned, "No. I spent the time collecting the sample of every predator I could find, both alive...and extinct. Many a glorious hunt was had on the living predators. As for the extinct...well who wouldn't want the chance to obtain a piece of a legendary predator? Or in this case…" he looked back, seeing both Makoto and Diamondhead running from the frog-like predator...which was rather fast given its chubby appearance, "The ability to control said predators."
"Why is it so fast when it's chubby?!" Makoto freaked.
"I don't ask!" Diamondhead yelled.
"Mou~! Girls, where are you!? This...this...uh...what is this thing even called?! A Crystoad?! A Shovrog?! What?!"
"Can we forget the naming for now?!"
The frog-like predator gave a croak-like roar as it lunged at Diamondhead, only to stop when something suddenly tugged on its tail. She let out a croaking yelp as she was slammed on her back repeatedly.
"Jumpin' jimminies! Outside of the era and location, it kinda feels like a usual week in the 20s," Jenny noted.
"What took you guys?!" Diamondhead complained as Tsubaki and the others ran over.
"Sorry. The moment we heard people screaming, we had to evacuate them to…" Tsubaki began.
"Oh! A Dodogama Crystalus?!" Kajun gasped in slight surprise before noticing the collar, "...Blast…"
"How did you…?" Diamondhead began to ask.
"Oh, when Tsubaki told me about your Huntsman issue, I researched all the predators to the aliens you currently have unlocked," Kajun explained with a shrug, "This is actually your current alien's predator."
"Yeah! We already figured that out after dealing with a xenomorph snake...which was one of Fourarms' predators!"
"...Six eyes, four tongues ending in mouths?" Kajun asked.
"Yes," Makoto replied.
"That was the primary predator to Tetramands: a Tetronian Xenorex," Kajun explained.
"...I like Xenorex," Diamondhead noted, "Fits it." a ball of crystal and magma rolled into the middle of the group, "...RUN!"
"Wh-" Mai began before tensing as the ball began to glow, prompting her and the others to quickly run just as the ball exploded, "What was that?!"
"The Dodogama Crystalus has the ability to take what they've eaten-which most of the time is crystals or hard Earth-based materials-and spit it back out as a ball of magma and crystals," Kajun explain, "In a sense, you could say that its stomach is like that of a volcano."
"...I'd go with Dodogama, but I feel we'd get sued by a gaming company in the near future if we tried," Makoto stated.
"Frogcano?"
"Are you two seriously trying to come up with a name now?!" Tsubaki demanded.
"It helps!"
"...Croakano?" Jenny suggested.
"Ooh~! That's a good one!"
"Oh for…" Tsubaki facepalmed.
"Um...guys?" Noel spoke, earning their attention, "It's getting back up."
"Oh no," Diamondhead groaned just as the newly-dubbed Croakano got back up, giving a croak-like growl as it hungrily glared at him, "Oh crud!"
"Change!"
"To what?" Diamondhead questioned before Kajun tapped the Omnitrix and changed him into Shocksquatch.
"The constitution of a Dodogama Crystalus is conductive, soluble, and…"
"IN ENGLISH, KAJUN!" Makoto snapped.
"...It's highly susceptible to electricity, water, and ice, the first one harming it the most."
"Oh…"
"That's pretty good, eh," Shocksquatch chuckled as he banged his fists together.
Croakano began to dig her lower jaw into the ground before Shocksquatch punched her hard in the face, causing her to stagger back. She started shaking it off before she got hit with an electrical blast, causing her to give out a croak-like cry of pain.
"Had enough, eh?" Shocksquatch asked before the Nemetrix glowed and Slamworm roared in his face, "...uh oh."
"Rook, what is taking so long?!" Makoto demanded into her comm, "Stop letting him whistle!"
=He is not whistling!= Rook replied.
"...They have the quick change feature of the Omnitrix in the Nemetrix now," Tsubaki realized.
"Predatrix!"
"Not the time!" Jenny argued as she changed an arm into a shield to block some slime, "Ugh, that stuff is na…" her eyes widened as the slime began to melt her arm, "AH! Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!" she quickly changed her arm back and flicked the slime off, revealing her plating melted off and revealing several wires had been burnt or melted as well, "Oh...that's not good." her arm sparked before it punched her in the face, knocking her over, "...Yeah, really not good."
"Mmm..if only I had my spear…" Mai whispered, "I hate feeling so useless…"
"Hmm? Spear? Ah, I knew there was something I forgot to mention this morning," Kajun noted before tossing Mai a black sphere with a green line going down the center, "Squeeze it."
"?" Mai blinked at that before doing so, causing the sphere to reshape into a pole ending in a sharp blade made of green energy that emerged from a guard resembling a diamond atop a circle, "?!"
"May I introduce the ProtoSpear codenamed 'Green Bullet: Outseal.' Based off the Gallia Sphyra: Outseal, but enhanced thanks to alien technology to have several new abilities. Do enjoy," Kajun informed with a smile.
"...With pleasure," Mai grinned, spinning her spear a bit before jumping forward into the air.
Slamworm hissed as she slammed her tail into Shocksquatch, burying him into teh ground as it left a small crater. She was about to bite before it reeled it's head back just as Mai's spear flew past it.
"Uh...hey, Mai, you m-" Shocksquatch began with a groan before the spear 'reflected' off the air and scratched Slamworm across her chest, causing the predator to cry out in pain, "What the what?!"
"Yes!" Mai beamed as she caught her spear, landing on the ground as she looked at it, "Just like the original, too…"
"I'll tell Blukic and Driba you thank them along with me," Kajun noted with a smile and a bow.
"...Please tell me you made something so I can use my moves again, if not altered versions," Makoto begged Kajun.
"Nothing just yet, but you still have your natural abilities and your issued tonfa," Kajun replied, "Because of an incident last year, the tech lab isn't allowed to do any research utilizing anything involving creating an energy substitute, so nothing for Seithr yet."
"Ahh man…" Makoto muttered, her ears and tail drooping, "...Well, at least I can still…"
"KYAAAAA!" Noel screamed as she ran off.
"...Right...giant worm," Makoto groaned as the girls minus Jenny facepalmed.
"...What…?"
"Noel's afraid of bugs...to the point she'll either faint, or run away screami…" Mai began as she looked out at the battlefield...and noticed that it wasn't Slamworm Shocksquatch was dealing with right now. Rather...it was an odd-looking bug with a stinger and fanged mandibles, red rings floating before its rapidly-flapping wings as Shocksquatch stood there in a hypnotic state.
"So...cool…."
"A Psycholeopterran?!" Kajun asked, "Get him out of there now!"
"Why? Wh-"
"NOW! AND DON'T LOOK AT ITS RINGS!"
"Right!" Makoto yelped as she rushed in, making sure to keep her eyes closed.
"Tsubaki, you take Jenny and look for Noel. I'll stay here and keep an eye out," Kajun continued her orders.
"Right," Tsubaki nodded as she ran off, Jenny following after her.
"So...cool…" Shocksquatch continued before Makoto's fist struck the bug-like Predator, sending her into an empty stall, "Huh? What? What's going on, eh? What happened to the beach, eh?"
"You were dreaming of the beach?" Makoto asked annoyed.
"Oh...Hypnotick!" he called out, "It, uh, does something to the pleasure center of your brain and makes you see stuff to relax ya...so it can eat ya! Yeah it's real messed up, eh?"
"Wait...pleasure center…? What kind of dream were you having?" Makoto asked with a raised eyebrow.
"...So Hypnotick?" Shocksquatch suggested.
"Oh, you're not avoiding the question that easily!" Makoto demanded, poking him in the chest several times before one poke tapped the Omnitrix on his belt, causing a green light flash and he was swapped with Big Chill.
"...Really? You just had to poke my Omnitrix?" Big Chill asked.
"I am annoyed!"
"Guys!" Mai shouted, earning their attention as she dodged a lunging bite from Hypnotick, the bluenette keeping her eyes close, "Creepy hypnotic bug here!" Hypnotick paused as she 'sniffed' before turning to Big Chill.
"Correction: Creepy hypnotic bug...that's Big Chill's predator!" Big Chill informed as he quickly took flight away from Hypnotick, which soon gave chase after him.
"...Oopsie on my end," Makoto admitted sheepishly as Mai and Kajun gave her annoyed looks.
"I'll keep it busy...you guys find Khyber!" Big Chill shouted, "He has to be somewhere around here within audible range of his mutt!"
"Tsubaki already left to go search for him and help!" Kajun answered, "Hopefully things are going well…"
"Guh!" Rook grunted from another punch from Khyber.
Rook grunted blocking another punch before striking back. Rook struck Khyber who merely grunted and let his head turn with the punch. Khyber slowly turned around with a smirk. Rook's eyes widened as he was kicked, sending him skidding into a stall. Rook pulled out his ProtoTool and used its blade to block a stab by Khyber's knife with the inverted hook. Khyver grunted, slamming the top of his hand, pushing down harder and harder as the tip got closer and closer towards his face.
Khyber grunted as he was slashed across the face by Tsubaki's sword as it extended. He stumbled back from Rook's kick as the two regrouped and faced him. Khyber wiped his face before smirking as he flicked the speck of blood away.
"Hehehehe...I never got to properly face the two of you last we met." he spoke twirling his knife around before shoving into the holster on his hip.
"And you without your ship of weapons." Rook huffed.
"A true hunter...always has his tools." he spoke pulling out a triangular shaped knuckle duster.
"Wha...what is that?" Tsubaki asked seeing the look of concern on Rook's face.
Khyber smirked as energy formed from the device and took the form of a large cleaver like sword, with what looked like a gun barrel along the top. All of it made of blood red hard light energy.
"A tool I saved for the longest time. It is only available to select worlds...and to my...guild," Khyber smiled.
"Guild…?" Tsubaki asked.
"The Hunters Guild...to which all Bounty hunters and Huntsmen across the galaxy pledge to…" Rook spoke, "It exists…"
"But you'll never live to find them," Khyber spoke, swinging his weapon as the two swung to block only to get tossed away by the force of the weapon.
"?! ...Such strength…" Tsubak whispered.
"Call off your dog, Khyber!" Rook ordered, raising his own sword.
"Oh...but she's just out for her walk...I am just waiting for her to return to me," he smirked, blocking another swing, before pushing Rook back, he then aimed and fired a powerful blast of red energy which tore through several stalls before hitting a car, making it explode brightly, "Now that's right dangerous, isn't it?" he smirked, "Dodge enough of those...and will there even be anything to protect?" he asked, aiming at them again, "Like your friends whom I can spot from here?"
"?!" Tsubaki eyes widened at that just as Khyber turned and fired another blast.
"Ahh!" Noel yelped as Jenny picked her up just in time, using her non-damaged arm to lift her up just as the blast destroyed the car they were hiding behind
"Stop!" Rook shouted, swinging his sword only for Khyber to block and push him back, "Why are you doing this!?"
"To smoke out the prey…" he smirked, "I'm sure if his team is threatened...Tennyson will come rushing back to save you all...and can he do that and fend off his predator at the same time?" he explained, "It's just tactics, young Revonnan…"
"Ben really attracts some freaky villain…" Jenny whispered as she carefully lowered Noel, "But if he's after him...why isn't he joining that pet of his?"
"Ano...I don't know," Noel answered before yelping as Jenny pulled her out of the way of another blast.
"I'm not underestimating the boy who defeated Vilgax, Aggregor, the High Breed, and the mythical Dagon!" Khyber laughed, "If I just came at him like some idiot with power...I'd lose. No…I will take him down, and I won't fail due to hollow pride in my own power. His trophy will be my Magnum Opus. The trophies from the rest of you...will just be accessory pieces."
"...You're lying," Tsubaki frowned a bit.
"Hmm?"
"Your pride...last time you were dead set on going after Ben solely, and yet you're dealing with us first," Tsubaki stated, "Normally someone with pride like yours wouldn't resort to this...unless…" her eyes widened a bit, "...It's a distraction...you and your pet are distracting us from something important."
"Oh? Am I now? And tell me, my dear...what am I distracting you from?" he smiled, "Hahaha...oh you are smart. But maybe you'd live longer if you learned to be dumb like your other friends."
"...Jenny, take Noel and do a quick sweep of the area surrounding the park," Tsubaki ordered, "If you see anything out of the ordinary, let us know."
"On it," Jenny nodded as she flew off, carrying Noel with her.
"Rook, keep an eye on Khyber in case he tries anything funny," Tsubaki whispered as the two stood ready, "Good chances are that he and his pet didn't come alone…"
"Understood..."
"Let's prepare for the game," Khyber grinned, letting his helmet form.
"...Of course we'd come back here…" Makoto muttered, she and Mai standing outside of Billions Tower as Big Chill flew away from Hypnotick, "This is the third time we had to fight something here...well second for you, Mai, but still."
"...Please tell me we're taking the elevator," Mai begged.
"Well of course! Like heck I'm climbing all those stairs!" Makoto argued as the two rushed for the building.
"Oh right...my predator…" Big Chill grumbled as Hypnotic flew through the building same as him via density shifting, prompting him to fly further up to try and get away. However, just as he reached the top of the tower, Hypnotick flew right in front of him from the floor, flapping its wings as it summoned the red rings once more, "Gh?! Oh..oh…" he began to slump as his eyes began to swirl, "So...cool…"
"Oh for…!" Makoto began as she and Mai ran out, "Seriously Ben, you didn't think to…" she began before noticing that the elevator led her and Mai...to right in front of Hypnotic, "To…"
"Gh?!" Mai tensed as she closed her eyes, "Makoto, don't look!"
"To...too cool…" Makoto whispered as she began to drone in a hypnotic state.
"Oh no…"
"So..cool…" Big Chill whispered.
-Ben's mindscape-
"Yeah ha! Thank you! Thank you!" Ben beamed as he stood before a cheering crowd, "I love you all, too..not as much as you all love me!"
"We love you, Ben 10!"
"I knew I was wrong about you!" Harangue declared, "You are a hero!"
"Th...wait…" Ben blinked, "Harangue would never say that out loud]...or at all. ...I must've got hit with Hypnotick's hypnosis again..."
"You're the world's best hero, Ben 10!" the crowd cheered.
"...Yeah...but...being a hero isn't about fame," Ben spoke, making the crowd stop, "It's about putting others before yourself or what you want. It's about doing the right thing because it's the right thing to do...it's about making a difference."
"But...you got the power to save the galaxy...over a million times!" one member of tee crowd shouted.
"Yeah...but to quote a certain comic book hero; With great power...comes great responsibility," Ben stated as he smiled, "Yeah...I know it's not always glamorous...and I could do to stop being a jerk about it...but...I still got the power. And to just ignore all the good I could be doing with it...that's the worst thing I could ever do. If I did...I don't think my grandfather, my cousin...anyone, really, could ever look at me again…"
"Ugh…." Big Chill groaned as he shook his head, quickly cloaking himself in his wings as he floated down, "That was close…"
"Ben...is that you? Did...you snap out of it?" Mai asked.
"Somehow yes," he sighed, "It took a bit of mental gymnastics...and admitting some stuff I'll never say out loud as long as Makoto is around..." he spoke, extending one of his wings and slapping it in her face to cover her eyes.
"Ahh! Wh...what happened?!" Makoto exclaimed as she looked around, the Beastkin feeling something wet on her cheek as she put a hand on her face, "...was...was I crying?"
"I am getting really annoyed at this mutt," Big Chill scowled, earning a snarling noise from Hypnotick, "...Wait a second. That knock off Omnitrix has the predators for all the aliens I have, but only the ones they probably know I have." he tapped his Omnitrix and a blast of water from Overflow slammed into Hypnotick, causing her to fall to the ground, "But I haven't shown off Overflow!"
"...No, seriously, was I crying?" Makoto asked as she looked at Mai as Overflow fired another blast at Hypnotick, "Did…did I say anything...weird?"
"No...all I heard was you whispering 'humans and Beastkin finally getting along'...and that you could finally enjoy being with your friends," Mai answered.
"...Really now…?" Makoto asked, a hint of sadness in her voice, 'So..it made me dream of my deepest wish...no wonder I feel sad ...and it's being replaced with growing rage towards Khyber for making me go through that and not realize it was fake!'
"I thought bugs hated water!" Overflow complained, "Why are your wings still working!? Water always grounded Stinkfly...oh…"
"NO!" the girls quickly complained.
"Okay, okay! Geez...you guys are picky! You know chances are half my aliens are super gross...they're aliens...oh my god! She got me!" he panicked as he was snagged and lifted into the air, "I am not a shellfish! This is not shell; it's glass! Let me go, you crazy Mothra ripoff!"
"It doesn't have moth wings!" Makoto argued
"Don't argue with me, Makoto!" he shouted as they looped around the building, "Also help!"
"Right!" Mai nodded before reeling her spear back and aimed at the flying predator, letting it fly.
Hypnotick noticed the spear flying towards it before flying to the right to dodge it, immediately becoming intangible as soon as it 'reflected' off the air and right back towards it, causing the weapon to go right through. However, just as it became visible again, the spear 'reflected' off the air once more as it hit the predator on its back, making her hiss in pain as it dropped Overflow.
"BWAH!" Overflow yelped as he early fell only to quickly use his water blasts to get back to the roof, "Phew! Thanks, Mai."
"No problm," Mai nodded as she caught her spear.
"..Your original spear could do that?" Makoto asked.
"Yup. Believe me...it took a while to master," Mai admitted with a sheepish chuckle.
"...That is so c-" Makoto began before Hypnotick flew up before them, "Ah! She's back!"
"Don't worry! I…" Overflow began as he aimed at the predator.
"Wait," Mai held a hand up, making him stop, "She...she's just...floating there."
"Eh?"
"Hello...oi, Bitey...come on...yummy Hero snacks right here...Eat Makoto first!" he flinched before lowering his hands in realization, "Uh...yeah...nada."
"Why me first!?" Makoto asked, smacking him upside the back of his head.
"Well I'd picture you fighting your way out of it if she did eat you."
"...I am so getting you back later…" Makoto frowned.
"Fine. I'll tell you how badly I ruined talking to my first crush just...later!" Overflow complained as she held her hands up in a show of she gives up on their little taunting game, "What's it doing?"
"That's a good question…" Mai muttered as she looked at it, "It's like it's waiting for a command...or…"
"...It's playing decoy for someone…" Overflow realized.
"Wait, what?!" Makoto gawked, "Wait...but why would Khyber have his pet play decoy?!"
"Good question...and sadly none of us can ask it...unless Makoto suddenly developed the power to talk to animals after all the insane things like the radiation we've been exposed to in the tech lab…" Overflow rambled as Makoto, in panic, began checking her tail to see if any fur had fallen out.
"Kajun, we think Khyber's planning something and having his pet be a decoy to keep Ben away," Mai explained into her comm.
=I know...and I think I know what= Kajun answered =I just met back up with Noel and Jenny, and we spotted something up with the ProtoTR…=
=Hmm? Now who do we have here…=
"?!" Overflow tensed at that voice, a voice he hoped...no. Prayed he would never hear again.
"Wh...what is that?!" Jenny gasped as she, Noel, and Kajun stepped back from Malware, who was inside of the ProtoTRUK as he had hopped out.
=Well now...If it isn't the little team of adorable helpers Tennyson is accumulating= Malware spoke, standing over them =Are you speaking to him now…?= he asked as their badges were swiped by a tentacle from his chest, =Ben...is that you? I hope you're doing well...Finally grown some? It does hurt my neck to look down on you so much= he laughed, raising his hand as red electricity sparked along it before swinging his arm and struck the girls, sending them flying away.
=You can't be here...It's not possible!= Overflow exclaimed on the line.
=Come now, Tennyson. You didn't think that a child could get rid of me that easily, now did you?=
=Stay away from my team! I'm warning you!= Overflow growled...albeit there was an actual shaking to his voice.
You are warning me? Ha! No, I'm warning you! You and your team stay away from me. You know what I am capable of. Was I not the final straw for you having the Omnitrix removed after that summer or not?=
=...=
=Or perhaps...I should remind you by doing what I did to that one form of yours...to one of your three teammates here…= Malware continued as he turned his head to look over at Jenny =Perhaps the gynoid as an example=
=Stop!= all those on the other side panicked
=Yes, that's right, Ben. It's been 5 long years but I am still very upset for scrambling my atoms and genetic structure...Oh, but that is but...how do you humans call it...Small potatoes. No...you are just a stop on my greater goal...and what a goal it'll be= Malware stated =...And you know what? Just to spite you, Tennyson…= his arm began to stretch out towards Jenny, making her eyes widen before a shot hit his arm, making him reel back =...=
"Don't you dare…" Noel frowned, a serious tone in her voice as she aimed her guns at Malware, "Don't you dare harm my friend…"
=Noel, don't!= Overflow shouted before the badges began to turn into dust in Malware's hand.
=Well now...Those are interesting guns= Malware noted =The ammunition is quite different from the normal ones used by Plumbers or many species from different planets...perhaps I sh...=
*BANG BANG-BANG!*
=...And they transform, too…= Malware noted, seeing Noel's guns had converted into a shotgun of sorts, his body reforming from the holes made in it =You have some fascinating toys, child...How do you make them work? It's as if it's by mental command...Mayhaps you have some one of a kind technology= he spoke, raising his arms as his claws grew larger, he laughed as he stomped closer and closer to Noel =Oh, my dear girl, you have truly...truly...interested me=
Noel continued to glare at him as she cautiously stepped back...while keeping a defensive stance before Jenny to make sure he wouldn't touch her. Malware stepped closer as Noel ran out of room behind her. The evil Mechamorph raised his hands only to grunt when he was blasted by a wave of fire, making him turn to see Heatblast.
Malware moved to attack only to be blasted by a larger stream of fire. Heatblast breathed as powerful emotions began to control him, fueling his flames to higher temperatures. He grunted as he stopped for a moment. Malware glowed with heat as he reformed to his original monstrous visage and laughed, shaking off the attack as little more than an inconvenience. The two stood their ground and blasted fire and red energy at one another, letting the attacks clash in mid-air.
"Ah...ah…" Heatblast panted as his emotions continued to skyrocket.
=What's the matter, Ben? You look shaken...Perhaps you're seeing haunting visions of the past?= Malware asked as their attacks pushed against one another.
"Malware!" he roared as the flames grew even larger and began overtaking Malware's beam.
"Wow...He's livid," Jenny whispered with wide eyes.
"No kidding…" Makoto muttered as she and Mai ran over, "This..this is the first time I've seen Ben like this.."
"...Not good," Kajun whispered, pulling out her touchpad as she tapped something on it, "...His temperature keeps increasing. If he doesn't stop..." she looked ahead, seeing the ground underneath Heatblast beginning to melt and bubble, "He could turn into a miniature supernova and take out half the city."
"Grr!" Heatblast grunted as his stream of fire just grew larger as it began inching closer and closer to Malware. He grunted as the flames on his body grew out of control and the ground around him continued to heat up and slowly bubble.
=Hahahaha!= Malware laughed as his arms morphed into giant canons as he fired a beam which tore through the flames and blasted Heatblast, sending him flying and slamming into a billboard, tearing through and lighting the rim of the hole he tore on fire =Even with all the mastery of your powers you can't beat me, Ben. You never could even with a form you used like a second skin. What makes you think your army of other forms can now?=
"MALWARE!"
"Ben, stop!" Kajun shouted as the flames on Heatblast grew, "Not good...someone has to get in close and force him to change."
"But..who can get close enough with that amount of heat?" Mai asked.
"I don't know...they'd need to head in fast, and try and get out before they suffer too much burn damage, and the only two I know who can be that possibly fast…" Kajun paused as she looked at Makoto and Jenny, "Are you two…"
"I'll go," Makoto offered, "I'm really not gonna like it…" she admitted as her ears drooped.
"But...Makoto y-" Jenny began.
"You're too damaged from the fight with Slamworm earlier, Jenny…" Makoto argued before glaring at Malware, "And like hell I'm gonna let this guy use you to hurt Ben."
"...But what ab-"
"I'll cover her…" Noel spoke, the serious tone still in her voice...only it sounded more emotionless
"...Noel?" Mai blinked at the tone, 'Is..is she okay?'
=Your attempts to overcome me as you are are quite pitiful= Malware noted in mock shame =Perhaps if you had that one form...you would've stood a chance=
"RAH!" Heatblast roared striking the ground as he sent a wave of fire which turned the asphalt into a molten tidal wave.
=Ha! Is that all?!= Malware laughed as he fired at the lava waved, causing it to split and hit two cars beside him =At this rate you'll destroy the city just to…=
"HAAAAAAAA!" Makoto roared, getting his attention as he spotted her running towards Heatblast, ignoring the growing searing heat.
=Hmm? What is that…= Malware began before some shots sent him staggering back a bit.
"Makoto?" Heatblast paused as his flames dimmed to normal, "What are you…?"
"Stopping you from melting the city!" Makoto shouted, her armor starting to dissipate and melt off as she quickly hit the Omnitrix symbol on his chest, changing him back into Ben, "Phew…" she sighed, only to lose her balance and fall forward into Ben.
"Gah/Kya!" they both cried in shock as they stumbled along the ground.
"I should have seen that coming…" Kajun muttered.
A scream made everyone turn to see the wooden bell rolling towards a group of people.
=Your choice, heroes. Me or them= Malware informed.
"Jenny!" Kajun called.
"On it!" the robot of the group replied, quickly flying towards the bell and made her uninjured limb expand to grab the bell as Malware fired at the ground before him, creating a small explosion that, when the smoke faded, revealed he had vanished.
"...he escaped…" Kajun whispered.
"Guys!" the girls looked over to see Rook run over, holding Tsubaki over his shoulder as they sported a few cuts and dents in their armor, "Khyber escaped...we..." he soon took notice of the area, "...What...happened?"
"Lots of things!" Ben exclaimed.
"There was someone named Malware in the ProtoTRUK," Noel added.
"My truck?!" Rook exclaimed as he ran into the back of it to inspect.
"Malware?" tsubaki asked.
"Someone I…" Ben began as he started to get up before he felt his hand touch something soft, "...Please tell me that's a pillow I just grabbed…"
"No…" Rook groaned, pinching his nose and looking away, "Get a medical kit…"
"I am really glad Dr. Wakeman kept a repair manual for you," Kajun noted, a welding mask over her face as she worked on welding something in Jenny's damaged arm.
"Is it too late to ask for that coating you, Blukic, and Driba were talking about?" Jenny asked, "I don't want to get into a fight only to learn they have something that can melt me down like that big worm."
"After repairs," Kajun spoke.
"Aww…" Jenny pouted at that, "...You think Ben's gonna be okay?"
"Ow…." his voice groaned from down the hall.
"Not any time today…" Kajun replied.
"If there's one univeral law known to all…" Blukic spoke, "It's that you do NOT anger a lady."
"Nope...don't do it," Driba nodded in agreement.
"What I want to know is what was with that Malware guy," Jenny noted.
"Malware?!" Blukic and Driba exclaimed.
"You know him?" the girls asked.
"He's only the most evil life form we don't have locked away in here!" Driba shouted.
"We don't have a way to keep him locked up since he'd just absorb it and adapt it to let him use it on others," Blukic informed.
"Then why has he not appeared 'till now?" Kajun asked.
"Well...until Ben suspected he was alive...we all assumed he was dead," Driba explained, "Done in by trying to absorb the Omnitrix when Ben was eleven."
"We don't know all them details, but whatever he did really got to Ben," Blukic explained, "Spooked him so bad that he got it off his wrist and didn't put it back on 'till he was fifteen."
"So...he truly is one of the worst Monsters Ben ever faced," Kajun spoke, "But...why does he look the way he does? He's a Galvanic Mechamorph, correct?"
"Malware is a horrible mutant born as a mistake of the process that made his healthy brothers and sisters," Driba spoke, "He was sick and weak, corrupting all he touched until First Thinker Azmuth's cure made him power hungry and an inverted type of Mechamorph."
"Inverted?" Jenny repeated.
"Rather then merging with and enhancing technology, he absorbs it into himself and improves himself, destroying the original and giving himself new powers and abilities." Driba clarified.
"...I...I'm sorry but, did you just say…'destroying the original?'"
"Yes."
"...By any chance, does said destruction look like the item in question turning to dust?"
"Eeyup."
"...He absorbed the Plumber badges on us," Kajun noted.
"?!" the Galvans' eyes widened.
"So that means everything in those badges...he can use now?" Jenny asked before tensing in realization, "...And he was gonna try and touch me...oh jumpin' jiminies...I would've been dust…"
"You're lucky. Even with how advanced you are, if you aren't made of the material that the Omnitrix is made of you'd never survive his touch."
"Because no one knows what it is…" Blukic whispered in a whimsical mysterious tone.
"Not the time!" Driba exclaimed, "We need to inform Magister Tennyson about Malware now having Plumber badge tech integrated into him! Oh, there's going to be weeks of reorganizing and recoding and password alterations and..."
"...Something doesn't add up," Kajun spoke, earning Jenny's attention, "Why was Malware in the ProtoTRUK...and what did he want that was so important, that Khyber was used as a distraction…?"
"Well, maybe it was something Rook's truck has that he needs...but what's missing from it?" Jenny offered.
"I do not understand...everything is still here…" Rook spoke, taking apart the engine and cabin of the ProtoTRUK, "I had the ProtoTool, and none of the tech invested into the ProtoTRUK has vanished...so what was his goal?"
"Did you try looking at the ship's computer?" Tsubaki asked, "It could be possible he stole some files."
"Files? Of course!" Rook realized.
"The only question now would be which files did he steal," Tsubaki continued as Rook began to check his computer systems.
"Fortunately, he did not take the folder for the superheroes of Earth," Rook noted, "It was not accessed at all, meaning he did not consider it important….however...a section of the main memory core was destroyed, along with some of the auxiliary power systems."
"Odd…" Tsubaki muttered, "What was his motive then?"
"I can't say...I would need to reboot everything and comb over every file to see if any were copied, altered, or damaged...oh…" Rook realized, "I am on it." he sighed.
"Good…."
"Knock knock…" Makoto spoke as she slowly opened the door, wearing a simple orange tee and black shorts as she looked at Ben...who sported a black eye, "Eh heh...sorry about the eye...I guess you could say what you did was payback for all the times I smothered you in my chest."
'..."
"...Okay. Cheering you up didn't work…" Makoto whispered as she walked in, "Is everything okay?"
"It's not the eye...it's just...I was so hoping he really wasn't alive…" Ben spoke, "For years, Malware haunted me as the one badguy who really got to me. Not even Vilgax was as bad as him...But that's just cause...Malware...literally...killed a part of me."
"?!" Makoto's ears and tail shot up as her eyes widened.
"It's...hard to explain…" he sighed, "You know how when I transform it's like I'm both myself and someone new? Well...I use to have an alien I used so much it wasn't like that...it was like...that guy and me were the same. In a sense that I felt so comfortable as him...to the point I wished I could just be him all the time and never have to go back to...me."
"...By any chance, was this Alien's name...Feedback?" Makoto guessed, earning a nod, 'And from how he's talking...he must have become addicted to that form like a drug.'
"You know I can guess what you're thinking…" he sighed, "Gwen kept complaining about that same thing whenever I started using one alien too often," he added, "But...even if it was like that...this was something different. When I used Feedback I felt...normal. It didn't feel weird when I transformed. I guess I just adapted to the form so much. It really felt more like a part of me than any other transformation."
"...How...did you lose him?"
"...Malware...he...he somehow dragged him out of the Omnitrix and...destroyed him right in front of my eyes," Ben replied, his hands balling up into fists, "When that happened...something inside me snapped." he paused, "Even when I faced the most evil and disgusting enemies...I never felt such a thing...an urge to just...to just…"
"...An urge to kill…"
"Somewhat...I was so blinded with rage, I...I used the Omnitrix to destroy Malware and...I...I never felt so angry and scared before in my life…" Ben replied, "And I was 11 at the time, so...imagine if you're a kid...having dealt with such a traumatic event…losing so badly...and it was all your fault..."
"I can't even begin to imagine that level of trauma," Makoto admitted.
"I...It wasn't pretty. Spent a few months seeing a Plumbers psychiatrist," Ben admitted, "Eventually, I got the Omnitrix taken off-and don't get me started on how much of a pain it was getting it off-and threw it into my closet until I was fifteen and tried to avoid anything related to aliens that entire time I didn't wear it. I...I wanted to be a normal kid..."
"...I see…" Makoto whispered, her ears drooping a bit before she shook it off, "Sorry. I...shouldn't have asked…"
"It's the first time I've ever talked about it...since then," Ben sighed, "I just wanted to forget it...pretend it never happened...but now...Malware is back...and I just keep reliving that horrible last day of Summer."
"...Well…" Ben blinked twice as he felt something soft and fluffy wrap around him from behind as Makoto put an arm over his shoulders, "You're not facing him alone. You're gonna have back up from some heavy hitters so that next time we see that jerk? He's gonna wish you took care of him that day...and honestly, I want a piece of him."
"Hmm?"
"If it wasn't obvious Ben, I care deeply about my friends, you included...and if anyone...anyone ever harmed them in some way, shape, or form...I will personally hunt them down and make...them...pay," Makoto stated in a VERY serious tone..before grinning a bit, "But yeah. Next time we see him...be sure to let me get a blow in on that jerk. We are a team...no. Partners after all, right?"
"Thanks," he smiled, leaning into the hug, "I guess it helped to finally get it all out...you know…"
"Yeah...now don't move...I think Noel is spying on us with stars for eyes...or are they hearts?" Makoto asked, not looking up.
"Hearts…" Ben groaned, "...Does she have a notepad in her hand?"
"Nope...blank book..."
"I have...very bad feelings about this…" Ben admitted.
"I know...I'm gonna stop her," Makoto smiled as Noel realized what she said and ran, "Noellie!" she shouted, releasing the hug as she began running after her.
"Keep away from my book!" Noel cried.
"Don't use us as material, dang it!"
"But...it's so good!"
"It's not like that!"
"I politely disagree!" Noel complained.
"When did you get so fast!?" Makoto complained as the sounds of things falling over could be heard, "I didn't do it!"
"...Heh. Man she's complicated...fun, but complicated," Ben chuckled to himself, "...Makes me wonder if she has someone waiting on her back in her time."
"Nope! Single a-heyeheyheyheyhey! Noellie, don't even think about it!"
"I am! And I will not be censored!"
"Why are you suddenly so strong willed?! Give me that thing!"
"Eek!" at that, an even larger crashing sound was heard.
"What in the name of...Makoto!? Why did you demolish my private office wall!?" Max snapped.
"Noel did it!"
"Eh?! But you were chasing me because I saw you and Ben hu-mmmph?!"
"Humming! We were humm-yow! Noellie?!"
"They were hugging!"
"...Forget you heard that, sir."
"Both of you are getting a pay deduction for the next month to pay for repairs to the wall."
"Aw…"
"Be thankful I'm not letting Ben call the guy who's going to repair it since that'd be three months of pay deductions."
"...eep."
"...Yep. Really complicated and fun," Ben snickered.
SZ: Zzzz…
GT: And he's out for the count it seems.
Z0: So this chapter sure ended up being more heavy then we intended. But we hope the end bit of comedy helped, oh boy do we give Noel a lot of material to use...does this make us benevolent...or malevolent?
GT: Benmalevolent?
Z0: Malbenevolent...no that one's stupid yours works better as its a pun on Ben the character we torure with half this stuff. While we talk nonsense you read and review readers, buh-bye~
GT: Toodles.