SZ: *focuses heavily on my Switch, switching between Fire Emblem Warriors and Hyrule Warriors* Come on...unlock stuff and capture keeps…
GT: *playing Breath of the Wild* Man...The Completionist was right...Goddamn these 900 Korok Seeds!
SZ Least its not Mario Odyssey...or the definitive edition of Hyrule Warriors! And i haven't fully completed the easy maps yet!
Makoto: *offscreen* uh guys? Story?
GT: Right, right. ...Um...which Makoto are you again?
Makoto:...seriously? It's me!
SZ: Which one? My Lucario Makoto, or Makoto Nanaya?
Makoto:...*pokes head in*the one you're using for this story…
GT: Right… Um...Which Makoto would that be again? Seriously, we have a lot of characters with that name.
Makoto:...*eye twitches* Blazblue Makoto!
GT: Oh right...Well, we own no one in any of the series we use for this story. Please enjoy. ...Which Makoto were you again?
Makoto: GRARGH! *rips out a beam by her*
GT: And that was the support beam for this stage.
SZ:...dang it!*stage collapses on us*
*BING BONG!*
"Can someone get that?!" Ben called out, currently playing a fighting game with Makoto in the living room.
"I think we're the only two in the house," Makoto noted, wearing a simple white-tee and a pair of jean shorts, "I think the others left this morning."
"Really? To do what?" Ben asked, earning a shrug from the Beastkin, "...I'll get it then. Don't unpause the game."
"Oh, like I'd go that far," Makoto muttered as Ben got up to go answer the door.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Ben shouted, "And don't you dare make a joke, Makoto!"
"I said it to explain to Jenny about sexual harassment in modern workplaces!" Makoto complained.
"Oi…" Ben rolled his eyes as he opened the door, only to be grabbed by the scruff of his shirt by a warthog-like alien in purple, carrying a red and black mace in his free hand.
"Hello! I. Am. Thunderpig!" the alien declared with a snort, "You ate my father with lettuce and tomato on a wheat roll! Prepare...to die!"
"Dude, what are you talking about?!" Ben exclaimed.
"I am talking about vengeance! Sizzling strips of juicy succulent vengeance!" Thunderpig snapped.
"...Is it Tuesday again?" Ben quipped only for Thunderpig to toss him at the door.
"Thunder…" Thunderpig growled as he began to spin his mace, "Thunder…" red lightning crackled off the weapon, "Thunderpig!"
The pig-like alien swung the mace at Ben only for a green flash to go off. The mace shattered the door behind him...as Thunderpig slowly looked up.
"That fifth time this week door get broken," Grimlock growled as he pulled out his sword which ignited, "And it only Tuesday!"
"Oh, so that's how you do the combo…" Makoto muttered as she watched a video on a phone.
"SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~!"
"...Ben, you doing good out there?" Makoto asked before a green flash went off and Ben casually walked back in.
"Yep. Just need to call Grandpa to have him pick up a roasted boar," Ben explained.
"That explains the smell," Makoto noted, her nose twitching a little, "Doesn't explain the shattering glass."
"Eh, just some car that ended up getting…"
"TENNYSON!"
"...That...was Mr. Baumann's car…" Ben cringed in realization.
"Oh yeah...Noellie told me she was expecting a delivery from his store today and wanted me to sign off it," Makoto recalled, "Well…might as well face the music."
"Aw come on. It's not my fault! It was the pig's mace!" Ben complained as Makoto pulled him out through the broken door.
"Aw come on. It might not be that's a big pig by a broken car," Makoto noted with wide eyes, seeing the roasted, smoking Thunderpig twitching by a crushed car, his mace on top with Mr. Baumann glaring and fuming at Ben, "Oof...Well, I underestimated what you two did."
"What?! But it's that big ol' pig's fault!" Ben argued.
"Everytime! It's always you!" Mr. Baumann growled before looking at Makoto, "My apologies, but the delivery was destroyed."
"Oh, Noel's gonna be sad at that," Makoto noted, "Well, she can get them another time, I guess."
"And you!" Mr. Baumann snapped as he glared back at Ben, "You are gonna pay me for destroying my car!"
"What?! But it's not my…!"
"Oh yes it is! It's always your fault!" Mr. Baumann argued, "Everytime you came near my car, it always ends up being destroyed o-or thrown into space, the former especially before you got the Omnitrix!"
"Huh?"
"Age Five and a half, his family moved in and he set my car on fire with a magnifying glass," Mr. Baumann explained.
"I thought I saw a scratch," Ben defended.
"Eleven, you turned into your To'kustar form while fighting Animo and threw my delivery truck at that mutant bug of his, which knocked over my car and shattered the windows, broke the driver seat's rear view mirror, and busted two pipes in the engine!"
"I…"
"Fifteen, you were chasing one of those DNAliens and changed into your Necrofriggian form and froze it...along with my car!" Mr. Baumann continued, "Every time you get near my car, it always ends up being destroyed!"
"...You froze his car?" Makoto asked.
"Hey, I tried to melt the ice," Ben defended.
"You poured the mocha decaf latte I spent thirty minutes in line waiting to order on it and it broke right down the middle! And the half that fell over shattered into a pile of ice!"
"...Told ya you were a vehicle destroyer," Makoto deadpanned at Ben.
"Aw come on. I've been spending half my life paying off the damages," Ben argued, "...Literally. Summer jobs and my current one, half my pay always got put into the bills for Mr. Baumann's car."
"Well that's good and all," Makoto noted, "But I think you've reached the limit for Mr. Baumann on this. Correct?"
"Indeed," Mr. Baumann agreed.
"Hmm...I have been in a situation like this before," Makoto recalled.
"You've destroyed a car before?" the two asked.
"No. It was a ship and it was by complete accident no matter who says it," Makoto replied, "I was in a ton of trouble with the owner of it and, well, Tsubaki had a brilliant idea that...now that I think about it...has made me far less likely to destroy vehicles."
"Go on," Mr. Baumann noted.
'I got a bad feeling,' Ben thought.
"Yep. My bad feeling was completely right," Ben groaned, wearing a pink apron and delivery hat as he stood by a delivery truck.
"It's just for the day," Makoto replied, "And remember that the truck has to stay in one piece the entire day or you have to repeat it again every day until there's not a single scratch."
"How long did this take you?" Mr. Baumann questioned.
"Three days," Makoto replied, "That dang port had it in for me, I tell you!"
"...Well this should be easy then. I can just go alien a-"
"Uh...about that…" Makoto trailed off, making him blink in confusion, "He told me to tell you…'no alien anything' while on the job."
"HUH?!"
"Yeah...he also said 'hard work is the only way you'll learn responsibility, even if it kills you,'" Makoto added.
"But I am responsible!"
"Oh really?" Makoto asked with a raised brow, "Name one time you didn't use the Omnitrix for something stupid."
"Fighting the Highbreed, fighting Vilgax, fighting Albedo…"
"That wasn't fighting someone."
"...Fixing…"
"That wasn't repairing the damages caused by your fights."
"..."
"Yeah. I didn't think so," Makoto smirked, "Also he asked me to keep an eye on ya to make sure you don't slack off."
"What?!" Ben gawked as Makoto slipped on a pink apron of her own.
=Tube socks. Get your tube socks. Now in chocolate, vanilla, and new car smell= a small robot-like alien called from a stand, lifting up a tube sock with five ends to it.
"Ugh...delivery from Mr. Baumann…" the alien looked over to see Ben walking over, carrying a large box.
=...Did you wreck his car again?=
"It…!" Ben began as he put the box down, "...wasn't my fault!"
"Sure it wasn't…" Makoto sarcastically replied as she held out a clipboard with a delivery form on it, "Just sign here, please."
The alien nodded as he signed it, letting both teens walk off with Ben having an annoyed look on his face =...That poor biped=
"...Okay...no sign of Tao…" Ragna muttered, looking around from behind a stall as he held a bag in his hand, "Good...maybe now I can eat lunch without her snatching it from…"
*SHATTER!*
"GET OUT!" Pakmar's voice screamed.
"I TOLD YOU TO PUT IT DOWN!" Makoto's voice snapped.
"YOU DIDN'T SAY WHERE!" Ben's voice argued before he and Makoto were suddenly punted out of a nearby store.
"GET OUT!" Pakmar snapped before slamming the door...resulting in more glass shattering, "...GAH!"
"...Just ignore it, Ragna, and eat your lunch," Ragna muttered as he walked off.
-linebreak-
"I kept telling you to put it down…" Makoto muttered, shooting Ben a stink eye as the two approached a bar.
"You never said where to put it," Ben replied, carrying a few things in his arms, "You knew we were in Pakmar's, right?"
"Yes, which is why I wanted to avoid as little damage as possible, Mr. Bull in a chinashop," Makoto simply argued.
"Oh yeah? Pot, meet kettle. Have you met?" Ben countered as the two walked in, earning the attention of the barkeep, "Expecting a package, sir?"
"Yea...somethin' ferocious," the barkeep replied as Ben put the stuff down, "Somethin'..." he paused as he cautiously looked around, "...Deadly."
"Uh…." Ben muttered as he looked at their supply of packages.
"Just what kind of stuff did Mr. Baumann give him to deliver anyway?" Makoto whispered to herself before she noticed someone grab a bag from near the packages and began to walk off, trying to avoid eye contact with her and Ben, '...Was that one of Fistrick's boys? What was he…?'
"Uh...let's see...oh!" Ben spoke as he held up a package to the barkeep, some steam coming out with something squealing inside, "Then I guess this is what you wanted."
"What even is that…?" Makoto gawked as she realized they'd been carrying something that ominous.
"Beats me," Ben shrugged as he handed the barkeep the package.
Meanwhile, deep in a secluded part of Undertown, a large group of various aliens and criminals sat on some bleachers as Psyphon walked up to a wooden podium.
"Now then…" Psyphon began before he noticed how deep in talk the crowd was, "...Ahem! Now then…I didn't bring you all here to socialize. I invited you here to share in an opportunity. An opportunity to share on auctions for rare and unique objects, and one of a kind curios. Like this next object here..." he motioned to the stairs next to the podium as Fistina walked down them, "A date with the lovely Fistina. As informers know, Fistina does not come onto the market very often. Shall I start the bidding at one Tayden?"
Silence was the crowd's response.
"...ahem. One Tayden. Do I hear one tayden here?"
As Fistna looked at the crowd...each individual member began to awkwardly avoid her gaze, trying to make it seem they were busy.
"...Seriously, one Tayden at all?" Psyphon asked again, "Uh...Vulcanus? Fistrick?...The Vreedles? Anyone at all?"
As Fistina looked around, a lone Kraaho was bouncing up in the stand, waving a hand up.
"...Know what? Better than nothing," Psyphon muttered as he banged a gavel down, "Sold to the lone Kraaho in the front!"
Fistina smiled at that as she walked up to the bleachers and sat near the Kraaho.
"Now then...the moment you've all been waiting for. The piece de resistance...a dwarf star," Psyphon spoke with a grin.
"?!" many eyes widened upon that.
"Yes, you heard me correctly. A dwarf star," Psyphon informed as the teen from before walked down the stairs, carrying the bag, "You all know how rare this item is… As such, serious bidders only." the teen held up the bag to show to the audience, "Compacted into a protective container, this marvelous item can enhance anything you connect it to instantly. Legend has it that Vexus of Cluster Prime's very core was a dwarf star and we all know either from story or from actually being around during her time just how powerful she was. The Decepticon Sixshot's armor is made from a dwarf star even and not a single mark has ever graced his frame thanks to that! With that said...what is my opening bid for this..." he began as he reached into the bag and pulled out...a bag filled with water that had two goldfish within, "...Bag of goldfish?!"
"I had a pen here just a second ago…" Ben muttered before Makoto handed him one, "Ah. Thanks."
"So sorry, madam. First day on the job," Makoto apologized to the red-scaled octopus-like female alien they were delivering to.
"GRAAGH!" Psyphon snapped as he turned the podium over, the crowd now complaining and grumbling, "That idiot brought the wrong bag! I…! Wait...wait a minute...the bag's got switched…" he muttered as he picked the bag up, "Okay, worry not folks! This should tell us who has the dwarf star you all want! Now then...the person who has it is...B…BEN TENNYSON?!"
"OH, COME ON!" one alien complained as the crowd began to yell in a frenzy.
"Grr...now what do I do? If I go into town…" Psyphon muttered before gulping, "The Grim Reaper will get me before I could get my dwarf star back…" he shook it off, "Even if I get past him...Tennyson has a whole team of new recruits just as strong as him...he's even got a Cybertronian form to boot...it's like no matter what, he just keeps making my life a living hell!" he blinked a bit upon what he just said, "...GAH! Now I've been reduced to using this filthy planet's curse words!"
"Man I'm out of here…" Fistrick muttered as he and a large elephant-like alien began to walk off with the crowd, "What a rip…"
"Actually gentleman. This is good…" a voice spoke as a pair of arms slinked onto their shoulders, making them look down to see a fat zombie-like clown dressed in a black-decaying ringleader outfit look at them, "Whoever gets that dwarf star from Ben 10 will get it...for free." he made sure to say the last part loud enough for most of the other criminals and villains walking out with them to hear, as if he more so wanted to cause chaos.
"...Wait...if any one of them gets it...I won't get my money! And if I don't get the money...how will I put out that for Lord Vilgax?" Psyphon freaked in realization, "If I don't...when he one day does get out...he'll turn me into a trophy to hang over his throne and to serve as a grim reminder of why no one ever fails him…" he shuddered, "No, no, no. I have to get that Dwarf Star first. I'm dead either way if I don't!" he shouted as he ran off.
"Come on, where is it…?" Ben muttered as he and Makoto walked down a small strip of houses, "Where's this place we were supposed to deliver to?"
"Let's see...Apartment F7...Apartment 7F...Apartment 7-Smiley face-0…" Makoto read off, "Where's just plain ol' seven?"
"...Maybe someone here will help us out," Ben suggested as he walked up to a door. Just as he was about to knock on it, the zombie-like clown and his two 'partners' ran by and grabbed the cart, "What the...hey!"
"Was that a zombie clown just now?!" Makoto freaked.
"Zombie cl...Zombozo!" Ben shouted as he ran after the trio, "How does he keep escaping prison?!"
"Folks forgive you if you make em laugh!" Zombozo shouted, "Buy-bye, Ben~" he taunted, waving goodbye with a handkerchief, which he then tossed letting it grow into a giant tarp that fell on both young heroes.
"So...Clown themed gadgets?" a lump in the tarp spoke, its voice being Makoto's.
"Yup...with a hint of nightmare fuel usually added in," the other lump replied in Ben's voice.
"H...wait...this feels like...EW~!" Makoto freaked as she scurried out from underneath the tarp, "Ew ew ew! Zombie skin! Ew ew ew!"
"Keep running boys! We're not here to fight!" Zombozo reminded Fistrick and the elephant-like alien as they ran, only for a green flash to occur behind them, followed by the ground bursting before them as Armadrillo came out.
"Wait. Zombozo, Fistrick and…" Armodrillo began before looking at the elephant, "...Uh...who are you?"
"His name is Trumbicular. Said he came to this planet to look for some really rare food or something," Zombozo nonchalantly replied before pointing, "Get him."
"Oh, I'm not the one you need to be worried about," Armodrillo crossed his arms simply, making them blink.
Fistrick moved to talk, only for a large wooden telephone pole to slam atop his head and bury him up to his shoulders. The other two turned to a very upset and annoyed Makoto, who's eyes were practically glowing like fire from how angry she was. Armodrillo leaned in as he put his hands on their shoulders.
"Yeah...your little trick really ticked her off...She does not like it when she feels something slimy on her tail…" he chuckled to Zombozo, "And you know how bad it is to anger the girls in my life, right, Zombo-old-pal?"
"Yes. But last I heard, your dear cousin is out of town," Zombozo countered.
"Point...but...counterpoint," Armodrillo said as he pumped his left arm's piston and launched Trumbicular forward and towards Makoto.
The Alien stopped as his trunk/mouth was grabbed by her hand. His eyes widened as he was dragged forward. Zombozo paled even further at the resulting violence. The sounds of fists hitting flesh and trumpets of pain filled the street. At the end of it all, the elephant like alien was left with his entire head buried into the ground.
"So...wanna just...leave, or do you wanna go join them in the dirt?" the alien hero chuckled.
Zombozo's response was to pull out a balloon and began to breathe into it, causing it to grow until it was as big as him, "You've been a great audience. Drive home safely!" he said, pulling out a needle as he used it to pop the balloon, engulfing him in smoke and confetti for a moment until it died down, revealing no sign of the zombie clown.
"And good riddance, Krusty!" Makoto barked just as Armodrillo changed back into Ben.
"Okay that was...new," Ben noted, "These guys are typically desperate...but stealing packages? Now that's just sad. And Zombozo literally stole a brain once."
"...Not gonna ask that, but that leaves one question…" Makoto spoke as she looked at the cart, "What could be so important that they tried to steall Mr. Baumann's packages?"
"Let's call him and ask what exactly we have here." Ben offered, "I mean...we can at least deliver that thing they want next, and be done with that potential string of misadventures."
"Fair point. But I should be the one who calls him," Makoto noted, pulling out her phone, "Given how you two seem to have a...dislike...for one another at the moment, it'd be safer."
"Wh-hey!"
"It practically screams Dennis the Menace and Mr. Wilson levels of dislike in a way…" Makoto simply argued as she dialed in the number.
=Hello?=
"Hey, Mr. Baumann. Just wanna give you a small update," Makoto spoke on the phone just as she and Ben began to resume delivering the packages, "We're almost done with deliveries, but some guy tried to steal them. Know any reason why?"
=...What are you implying, young lady?=
"Oh nothing. Just rather suspicious if three criminals tried to risk their butts just to steal a few packages."
=I assure you there is nothing illegal in any of those packages. Now tell Ben to hurry up and finish, or else he'll owe me double for what he did to my car!=
"DOUBLE?!" Ben exclaimed upon hearing that just as Mr. Baumann hung up.
"...Oh yeah. He's definitely your Mr. Wilson," Makoto deadpanned as she put her phone away, "Now then, what's left to deliver?"
"Just a pair of goldfish."
"Really?" Makoto pondered as she picked up the package, "Alright, let's just see where we need to deliver this."
"Yep..." Ben sighed, "With luck, we got rid of the thing they wanted...but...knowing my luck…"
"It's just the start of the insanity," Makoto sighed.
"Maybe if we hurry, we can get rid of these little guys, avoid hijinks...and not put myself into deeper debt."
"Sweet. The faster we…" Makoto began before a Kraaho swooped in and snatched the bag, "?!"
"What the?! The Kraaho now?!" Ben exclaimed before the two chased after him, "Why is everyone trying to steal goldfish?!"
"Get back here with those poor fish no one can keep alive for more than a day!" Makoto snapped, "You jiggle that bag and I'll jiggle your brains into mush!"
"Does Ester even know you're stealing things?!" Ben shouted.
"Oh I hope not," a familiar voice spoke leading them.
"...That was Sebik, wasn't it?"
"Yep," Makoto replied as they turned a corner, seeing the former Kraaho leader and a group of Kraaho standing there, the latter aiming blasters at them, "...And he came prepared."
"Warriors, blast them!"
"Yipe!" Ben grunted, slapping the Omnitrix as he turned to Diamondhead as he rose a wall of crystals to block the blasts, "Well, I was going for XLR8...but this is just fine too." he muttered, raising his hands as he lifted the crystals up before he aimed and slammed them down on the Kraaho.
"Nice, but one problem…" Makoto pointed to behind the pile of crystals, "Sebik's getting away with the bag."
"Well...you're the fast one…" he spoke, slamming his hand and forming a crystal ramp, "After him."
"D'oh...fine," Makoto muttered in compliance, stretching a bit before she ran forward and leapt off the ramp, "Give the goldfish back, Sebik!"
"Hahaha! No way, Coldcut!" he replied, swinging away via his extending arm.
"Ugh, that insult only makes me hungry!" Makoto groaned, looking around before seeing someone arguing over a trampoline "...weird, but I'll take it."
"For the last time, I did not order a giant trampoline!"
"Sorry official business!" Makoto shouted as she jumped off the trampoline, using her leg strength and the spring of the trampoline to launch herself through the air like a rocket just as Sebik was about to land into a garbage dump before Makoto tackled him midair, "GOTCHA!"
"GAH!" Sebik yelled out in pain as he was sent crashing against a broken down car.
"Ah!" Makoto panicked while jumping off Sebik's back, making him grunt in pain as she fumbled to catch the package, "I gotcha fishy!"
"Man, what is with everyone and wanting some tiny little goldfish today?" Diamondhead questioned as he turned back into Ben.
"That's a good question…" Makoto admitted before her hand shot out just as someone tried to reach for the bag from above, "And I bet you could answer...right, Argit?"
"...I don't know nothin'," Argit quickly denied, trying to free his hand from her grip
"Okay," Makoto replied, letting go.
"R-really...URK!" he cried as she now grabbed him by his neck, "You lied!"
"Doesn't feel nice, does it!" Makoto snapped shaking him, "Now you better tell me what this is about before I turn you into a cheap rug to put on our front porch to clean our shoes!"
"She'll do it, too," Ben added, making Argit pale, "Now spill. Mind telling us why everyone is after some goldfish?"
"...Oh geez...fine! The bags got switched and you ended up taking a Dwarf Star!" Argit caved in.
"...We have an actual star? Really?" Makoto deadpanned.
"There is technology that lets one store dwarf stars in condensed forms," Argit explained, "Plug that into something, it enhances its power exponentially. You could even turn it into armor like I heard a Decepticon called Sixshot did."
"...Ben, check the bag to make sure he's not lying," Makoto replied as she held the bag out to him.
"I'm telling the truth!"
"After the stunt you pulled with the U-Bomb, I…"
"Uh...Makoto…" Ben spoke, earning the Beastkin's attention as he pulled out a small sphere of light from the bag, "He's not lying…"
"...You got lucky this time," Makoto frowned, "...Wait. Who wanted a Dwarf Star?!"
"I did…" the two looked over to see a frowning Psyphon, holding a similar bag, "Now hand it over!"
"You want us to hand over the most dangerous thing currently on Earth that's not on my wrist? Wait, come to think of it...I ate one of these once…" Ben realized.
"Seriously? That must've hurt."
"As Upchuck, Makoto," he sighed, "As Upchuck."
"Ahh…" Makoto nodded before looking back at Psyphon, "But yeah...sorry, but no one is handing you the Dwarf Star, and I doubt you could make us."
"...Oh...I'm not…" Psyphon began with a grin, holding his arms out, "They are."
"They?" Ben and Makoto repeated.
As if on cue, various villains began to come out from various spots of the junkyard, ranging from Zombozo, Fistrick, the Vreedle brothers, a large armored alien, Trumbicular, and Sunder the Retriever.
"You may have been able to beat each of us one at a time...but you won't be able to do it all at once," Psyphon grinned, "Now hand over the Dwarf Star."
"Alright...this...is bad," Ben chuckled, "But...I sadly can't just leave things like that." he spoke lifting the Omnitrix, "Makoto...looks like we have to go about this the normal way."
"Beat the bad guys up?"
"Of course. But...We need to make sure the goldfish are okay, too."
"True.." Makoto nodded before she noticed something blur behind Psyphon, "...Hey Psy."
"Grr…"
"You want this right?" Makoto asked, holding up the Dwarf Star after dropping Argit, "How's about a trade? The fish for the star?"
"Huh?"
"Makoto, what are you…" Ben began before Makoto motioned her tail lightly to the shadows behind Psyphon, "Oh..."
"...You're bluffing me, aren't you?" Psyphon frowned at Makoto, "There's no one behind me, is there? ...The Grim Reaper isn't with you, is he?"
"Nope. Just a legit trade is all," Makoto smirked, "Plus it's best you hand those fish over...it's lunch time."
"Huh? lunch time?" Psyphon repeated before a pair of red 'lights' flashed behind him, "...There's something right behind me, isn't there?"
"Fish~" Psyphon slowly looked over his shoulder...and came face to face with a certain hyperactive catgirl, "Hi!"
"GH?!" Argit tensed as he quickly bolted out of there.
"GAH! What is that!?" Psyphon freaked.
"Fish!" Tao cheered as she swung her arms and batted Psyphon away dropping the fish into one of the many villians hands, "Mine!" she growled, pouncing as giant claws extended from her paw gloves.
"What the…?!" Fistrick exclaimed as Tao pounced him, resulting in the bag flying in the air and landed in Makoto's open hand.
"I warned ya," Makoto smiled, quickly hiding the bag in her tail's fur as soon as Tao looked up. Makoto pointed to the other villians with a simple smile as the cat girl ran off and began chasing them for the fish.
"...Heh-heh. Forgot about them," Ben chuckled before pulling out a blindfold and tying it on over his eyes, "Just in case she brought any of the ladies from her tribe with her."
"...Fair enough," Makoto shrugged.
"OW! Did she just throw a sink at us!?" a Kraaho complained.
"Hey, I was lookin' fer a new pillow! Thanks, lil' kitty lady!"
"D'oh! That….that was a bowling ball…"
"I got hit with an apple...a half eaten one!"
"I almost got hit with a baseb-OW! From behind?!"
"WHAT IS GOING ON?!" Psyphon demanded before shaking his head "Nevermind! Just get me my Dwarf Star!"
"Hey, Tao!" Ben called.
"Huh? What is it, Changing Guy?"
"That guy with the red eyes and really tall?" Ben noted as Tao looked at Psyphon, "He's planning to kidnap the kittens for Squiggly!"
"Squiggly?" Psyphon repeated as Tao's tail and ears shot up.
"Nya…." Tao growled as everyone could feel the anger and murderous intent coming off her at the moment.
"What's a Squiggly?"
"Horn Guy is working with Squiggly?!" Tao hissed before everyone jumped back as the linings on her 'paws' shot out, revealing large razor sharp serrated claw-like blades, "Horn Guy…" she pounced on Psyphon, "IMMA BEAT THE CRAP OUTTA YA!"
"GAH!" Psyphon freaked as he narrowly avoided a large swipe...and saw that it cut a broken down car behind him into multiple pieces, "?!"
"Well...Y'all don't see that normally," Boid noted.
"NYA!" Tao shouted, jumping at them.
Ben cringed upon hearing the sounds of violence. He moved to lift the blindfold up only for Makoto to push it back down.
"No…" Makoto warned as she pulled Ben over to her to let a severed mechanical arm pass by where he had been.
"But…"
"Just trust me. Last thing you wanna get involved in is when a Kaka Clan member is angry...and I mean angry," Makoto advised.
"She's got my eye! She's got my eye~!"
"...duly noted," Ben cringed.
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PLANET!?" Psyphon snapped, making everyone pause for a moment, "This never use to happen...we only had to worry about an immature little twerp with a powerful watch he got out of sheer dumb luck...now...now we have a clan of hyper active...cat things...part human part animal freaks of strength...and that ever annoying Grim Reaper!"
"Someone call my name?"
"...oh no…" Psyphon paled as he saw a certain silve-white haired individual standing at the gates of the junkyard.
"What a surprise. I hear someone making a ruckus here in Undertown, and I find you being the cause behind it, pencil neck," Ragna noted.
"IT'S PSYPHON Y-" Psyphon began before Tao pounced him from behind.
"Good guy~!"
"I'm seriously starting to think I might have some kind of curse on me some days," Ben spoke up to Makoto, "I mean...how else do you explain the perfect storms of nonsense that keep happening?"
"Mm mm," Makoto shrugged, "But least we can chalk this one 'adventure' up and done once we deliver the fish."
"Oh Tao...this is where you've been...and here I figured you were just being a good girl and leaving me alone for lunch." Ragna muttered as he for the most part ignored the chaos around them.
"Tao smelled fish and wanted to get them from Changing Guy and Fluffy Girl, Nya!" Toa beamed before pointing, "But fin head stole them Nya…"
"How did you...wait. You followed that kid back to my lair?!" Psyphon snapped.
"That's what she does. She follows wherever she smells food," Ragna stated before whispering to Ben and Makoto, "Mind telling me what exactly he wanted to take from you two?"
"A dwarf star."
"What?" Ragna blinked, "You mean...like an actual star…"
"Science is amazing, ain't it…" Makoto replied simply and sarcastically.
"And here I thought Thrax was makin' stuff up 'bout some races figuring out how to condense dwarf stars into power sources and even armor," Ragna spoke, "Let me guess, pencil neck wanted to use it for himself."
"Given how many of Ben's villains are here, most likely tried to sell it," Makoto shrugged, "Probably doing an auction or something."
"...and it never occurred to him that he could've used it on himself?" Ragna asked.
"..." Psyphon slowly blinked at that, "N...no...it never crossed my mind," 'I can't let them find out Lord Vilgax' plan!'
"Seems kinda weird he'd wanna sell this thing given he loves dangerous things to use against people…" Ben added, "Must be part of a bigger plan."
"For what? Being rich and rule Undertown as a kingpin?" Makoto joked.
"He would have to be...well actually threatening to be a kingpin," Ragna snorted.
"What?!" Psyphon exclaimed.
"Kinda true, dude," Ben added, "You might've served Vilgax, but...you're not really much of a threat."
"At least when your former boss's name gets mentioned, folks get jittery…" Ragna added, "From what I heard, he's like a space boogeyman. Who got his butt handed to him by this guy when he was a 10 year old twerp." he pointed at Ben.
"Y-Hey!"
"...Grr…." Psyphon's eye began to twitch violently at that, "You are going to regret saying that…"
"Oh we're shaking in our boots," Makoto laughed a bit, "Seriously, day one and I could tell you were a B-list villain. Now...you're more C-list."
"C-LIST?!"
"They're not wrong." Ben muttered.
"...Grr…" Psyphon began to growl at that before looking at the bag with the dwarf star held by Makoto, "...You are going to regret those words…"
"Like how?"
"Simple...hey cat! The guy in red and his friends have some food!"
"Wh-D'OH!" Ragna grunted when Tao suddenly pounced him, Ben, and Makoto, resulting in the bag with the dwarf star to fly out of the squirrel girl's hands and land before Psyphon, "Damn it, Tao!"
"AH!" Makoto realized the bag was gone, "The Dwarf Star thingy!"
"Heh heh heh…." Psyphon began to chuckle darkly as he stood up, picking up the bag as he grabbed the dwarf star, "So I'm not a threat, huh? Well...we'll see about that," he smirked, throwing the bag aside as he put the dwarf star on the front of his outfit, causing a star-yellow aura to engulf him as he began to laugh triumphantly, "Now allow me to demonstrate the power...of a dwarf star!"
"Oh, that can't be good," Ben noted before Makoto pulled him down, letting a star-yellow beam go over him and burn off the knot of his blindfold, letting it drop and give him an eyeful of Psyphon, "Yeah...Not good at all."
"So he got a new battery. It can't be that effective." Ragna spoke as he ran up and punched at Psyphon, who moved his hand in time to block it with a barrier made of the aura, "Son of a….BITCH!" he shouted as he was sent flying back.
"Such...power…" Psyphon whispered with a sadistic grin, looking at his flaming hand, "I may have to auction this as 'slightly used'...but if I can eliminate both Ben Tennyson and the Grim Reaper, it'll raise the price further…and it'll be worth it!" he added as he fired a star-yellow energy sphere at the trio.
"Scatter!" Makoto exclaimed as the trio got out of the way.
"NYA!" Tao freaked as she ducked down, letting the sphere miss, "Fin guy now scary guy, nya!"
"And to think; all this because of a car," Ben muttered before turning into Big Chill, "Too much sunlight makes you too hot to handle...so why not…" Big Chill inhaled deeply before releasing a blast of icy winds at Psyphon, "...chill?"
Psyphon merely smirked as he made a motion with his arms, creating a star-yellow shield as the winds hit it, causing them to evaporate.
"...Or you could do that…"
"Impressive force field, is it not?" Psyphon asked before suddenly vanishing.
"Wh-?" Big Chill began before Psyphon suddenly appeared before him and punched him, causing him to stagger before he was sent flying with an energy sphere.
"You know…" Psyphon began as he held his hands up, catching the thrown fist of both Makto and Ragna from behind before he spun around, throwing them both into separate piles of trash, "I'm beginning to have second thoughts on selling this dwarf star," he then vanished once more and reappeared before Big Chill, grabbing his leg as he swung him around before throwing him away, "If I keep it, I can conquer the universe...possibly even take down Lord Vilgax! ...Not that any of you will be alive to see that happen."
Big Chill tumbled along the floor before crashing into a broken car. He groaned as he got up and reverted back to Ben.
"Ugh...Better go with smarts over muscle," Ben noted as he turned into Brainstorm, 'Analysys...Psyphon: Empowered by a Dwarf Star. Current status from this empowerment: Capable of creating barriers, speed clocking at 9,000 miles per hour for both action and reaction, strength enhanced, multiple other factors that might form. Status of us: Outmatch in speed, defense, and power. Solution…' he tapped his emblem and turned back into Ben, who began to select another alien, "So glad Kajun tried messing with the Omnitrix yesterday."
"Kid...whatever you have planned..make it w-ack!" Ragna gagged when Psyphon picked him up by his neck.
"I think before I destroy Tennyson…" Psyphon began as he shot Ragna a dark grin, "I'll start with you, Grim Reaper...and I'll do it slowly...and painfully…"
"Nya! Get off good guy, nya!" Tao hissed as she pounced on Psyphon and began to gnaw at him...which did nothing to affect him aside from annoy him a little.
Ben smirked as he found the alien he wanted. When the core went up, he pushed down instead of slapping it. In a flash of green light, Ben was replaced with a strange looking orge-like humanoid. Its body was covered in yellow skin with small spike-like growths coming out of his arms. He wore a pair of black brief-like shorts while gunmetal-grey armor covered his waistband and his entire head and chest. Chains connected the two pieces of armor together on the front and in the back. The mask that shielded his face fully engulfed the entire head with a green and metal plate on the very top, making it resemble a large toe. Gunmetal pipes connected the helmet to the amorn on the upper half of his torso while the Omnitrix emblem laid in the center decorated in a green rune-like design. A pair of broken pale yellow/white horns emerged from the sides of the helmet while a grate sporting a lock on it was on the front of the helmet, allowing only a pair of glowing green eyes to be seen within. The rest of it...none could see.
"Ugh...who caught the number of that truck…?" Makoto groaned as she got up, the Beastkin noticing what was happening before noticing the alien Ben changed into, "...what…?"
"Ḑò̶̧n̴'t.̢͢͏.̧͝͝.̧́͢l̶̀͘oo̵͠ḱ…" the alien advised in a deep low, rasping voice, making Makoto tense as she quickly turned.
"Hmm?" Psyphon raised a brow as he looked over, noticing the symbol on the creature's body "...What is this? Some new attempt to beat me, Tennyson? Heh...Am I supposed to be impressed?" he smirked as he dropped Ragna.
"̕͏͘No͞͠...̕͜͠mor̛e̵͜ ̷liķȩ̸͞...afr̛a̷i̴͜͝d̸̢."
"?!" Tao's tail shot up at the voice before bouncing off Psyphon and fled, "NYA! SCARY~!"
"The hell is that?" Ragna questioned.
"No clue, but if Ben's being the one giving that kind of cryptic warning when he's normally blunt as a sledgehammer stuck in a tornado in a china shop…" Makoto noted, trailing off on purpose.
"...Know what? I think I will take care of you first instead, Tennyson," Psyphon smirked as he began to run up to him, only to skid to a halt when the grate on the alien's helmet loosened with a hiss of black smoke escaped from the opening of the lock.
Ben's new alien let out a raspy groan before the grates moved to the sides, the lock remaining on the left half. For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. And then...the screaming. To all in the area, the screams were filled with utter terror...sheer horror...absolute despair. It took a moment and Psyphon realized where it was coming from...it was coming from himself.
"No...No...St-Stay back...Oh no!" he screamed, stumbling back as his entire body actually lost all color, leaving him purely white with only his eyes remaining as they were, "NOOOOOOO! GET AWAY! GET AWAY FROM ME! G-GYAAAAAAAAAARGH!-!-!-!-!"
'What is he doing to him?' Makoto and Ragna thought, keeping their eyes shut until a crunch was heard followed by Ben's Omnitrix timing out.
"Okay, you can look now!" Ben called.
"...The hell was that, kid?!" Ragna snapped as he opened his eyes, letting him see a passed out and foaming Psyphon laying on the ground, an indent of his face on the fridge in front of him.
"A new alien Kajun unlocked when she tried messing with the Omnitrix when I was sleeping yesterday," Ben explained as he removed the Dwarf Star from Psyphon's body, "The transformation woke me up and, well, I looked in the mirror and the mask opened. Next thing I remember, it was morning and I couldn't remember anything after looking in the mirror except the strong thought that I would never look in a mirror when I'm Toepick ever again."
"Toepick?" Makoto repeated, "...That's what you went with for that form? Given how afraid Psyphon sounded, I thought you'd go for something more...nightmare fuel-ish."
"It would have seem fitting…" Ragna admitted, lightly kicking Psyphon to see if he was alive.
"Eh. Couldn't think of anything else," Ben shrugged as he picked up the case containing the goldfish, "Anyway, Makoto, let's hurry and finish that delivery before Mr. Baumann bites my head off for 'being late with the delivery.'"
"Right. Now where do these go t-Huh…" Makot blinked twice, "Uh, Ragna? I think Tao bought these through you."
"What?" Ragna asked.
"Read the name of the receiver," Makoto informed.
"'Good guy,'" Ragna read, "...TAO!"
"Uh oh!" Tao's voice yelped as Ragna ran off.
"Hey, wait! You need to sign off on this, 'Good guy!'" Ben called, causing Ragna to skid to a halt.
"...D'oh...Fine!" Ragna groaned as he ran back, grabbing the offered pen and signed for it, "There. Happy?"
"Yep. Here's your bait for catching her," Ben replied as he handed him the goldfish before pulling Makoto away, "Now let's get out of here before we get wrapped up in another chase."
"Good idea…" Makoto agreed.
"Here's the last of it," Ben noted as he handed Mr. Baumann the pay he received, "Every last package safely delivered."
"Thank you, Ben. My car's completely fixed and you've worked off all the damage," Mr. Baumann noted, "And thank you for keeping an eye on him as well, Makoto."
"No prob, sir," Makoto nodded with a light salute.
"So...does this mean we're square?" Ben asked.
"Completely square," Mr. Baumann replied before frowning a bit, "At least...until the next time you wreck my car."
"Oh don't worry. That's n-"
"No," Makoto deadpanned as she covered his mouth, "No jinxing."
"How was I gonna jinx it?!" Ben complained as he moved her hand off.
"Because you nearly said the trigger for a jinx," Makoto replied before covering his mouth with her tail while turning to Mr. Baumann, "And, uh, just so this doesn't happen again...Might I suggest you call when the order is ready and someone that's not Ben will pick it up instead of having it delivered to the house?"
"An excellent idea," Mr. Baumann replied, "Now please take him away from here before something happens to my car…"
"Can do," Makoto replied as she pulled Ben away, "Come on, no invoking a jinx."
"Grr…"Ben frowned in annoyance as he was dragged away.
"Oh, behave," Makoto muttered as they turned a corner, "Still, good job out there."
"Thanks…" Ben said as Makoto removed her tail from his mouth, "Aside from Psyphon and a few of my villains showing up, that was an interesting adventure."
"Yup," Makoto nodded before taping her cheek a bit, "...Say, how long until it's Halloween?"
"I think a few weeks. Why?"
"Oh, just something I've been planning and with all the stuff we've been doing, I lost track of time,," Makoto replied.
"I'm very concerned," Ben blurted.
"I wasn't planning on asking you to use your scary aliens."
"You totally were, weren't you?"
"Nope," Makoto replied, "I'm gonna be making you scream so you can't be part of it."
"Mm-hmm…" he muttered, giving her a look.
"...Okay fine. I was thinking of a haunted house/costume party for Halloween, but I need some supplies and there's one place on Earth that sells REALLY good stuff for Halloween," Makoto explained, "And before you ask...it's out of town."
"Of course it does," Ben noted, "So what is this place called?"
"Amity Park."
SZ: *grins widely*
Z0: He's excited
GT: Indeed he is.
SZ: Aren't you guys?!
GT: A bit, yes.
Z0: Touche good friend, touche.
SZ: Hai!
Z0: But that's all for this time friends, till next time.
GT: Please read and review!
Z0: Here come the Bob-ombs!
GT and SZ: Oh no.