SZ: We back folks, and we got a new crossover chapter for ya..and unlike the others, this isn't gonna be a multi-partner, and it features another saturday morning classic from Cartoon Network.
Z0: You know, one of the good ones, *smacks the others before their rant switch can get flipped* The good ones we all saw as kids and helped us grow into people with taste.
SZ: Eeyup. Plus to keep up with the spooky month theme in a way, so...we hope you enjoy this~ Oh but first...we own jack squat aside from original content.
Z0: We are literally broke...but we do this for fun.
SZ: And we have a lot of fun with this fic...so…*pulls down the curtains*BEGIN!
"...th-this can't be right…" Tsubaki whispered as she looked at some photos and news articles on a shadowy creature, "Th...this shouldn't be possible."
"What's wrong?" Makoto asked as she and Ben walked over.
"Apparently there've been sightings of a...and I quote; a Chupacabra around Bellwood at night."
"Chupacabra?" Ben repeated, "Like...the mexican goat-eater chupacabra?"
"That's what the report says…" Tsubaki muttered, "But...that can't be true...right? It has to be just an alien animal."
"Oh I am afraid not kids." they turned to see Grandpa Max walking over to them, "I'm sure I told you once...but Earth has a lot of creatures that might be easy to dismiss as just alien life forms...but in fact are natural to Earth's ecosystem."
"I see...interesting," Tsubaki noted, "Still...what is a creature more native to Mexico doing all the way out here? ...Ben, Makoto? I'm sending you and a small team to investigate the woods it was last seen in."
"Got it," Ben nodded.
"So who's coming with us? Noel?"
"She went to Japan with Max to visit Jenny and have Professor Moshimo check on Robotboy."
"Mai?"
"Went to go assist Danny...something about pumpkin ghost going rogue."
"Aw...that sounds fun." Makoto complained, "Oh well...hunting down a legendary monster sounds fun too."
"How do you even find a Chupa-whats-it?" Ben asked.
"They are mostly attracted to the scent of hooved animals." Grandpa Max explained, "When I first tracked one down, I got goat blood from a local butcher for bait."
"Yeah I'm not comfortable with that." Makoto cringed.
"We'll have to think of a substitute then," Tsubaki spoke as she looked through teh computer, "Also we only have two operatives available since Jin is currently helping Ragna in Undertown at the moment."
"So who is available to help us?" Ben asked.
"Rook and….well…"
"...No…" Makoto began.
"Hey buddies!" Kagura laughed as he wrapped his arms around Ben and Makoto's shoulders from behind, "Been awhile since we last worked together."
"...why?!" Makoto asked Tsubaki in annoyance, "Can't Hibiki…!?"
"We needed to put him on a more important recon mission." Tsubaki argued, "He's gone under radio silence for the time being. Even then it'll take too long for him to make it back. Kagura has proven himself in combat and field work. He'll also be more suited to working with you, as this means if your team needs to split up, you and Ben won't choose each other and find a secluded space to do...well...whatever it is you two do in the secret of your alone time." she teased.
"Mmmm~"
"Oh relax , Mako," Kagura assured as he walked past them, "I'm just gonna be your...spiritual guide to make sure you stay on track."
"I knew you'd be our Flanders…" Makoto mumbled angrily.
"Come on Babe, it won't be that bad. He's chilled out a lot...as long as we don't bring up the glasses incident." Ben chuckled.
"...Benji?" Kagura began as he put a hand on Ben's shoulder...and increased his grip while he kept a calm look on his face, "Why'd you have to remind me?"
"I'll go get Rook…" Tsubaki sighed as she got up from her seat and walked off, "...and a quick med team."
"Wh-"
"SEIBAI!"
*BAM!*
"...I'm okay!" Kagura gave a thumbs up from the wall he was buried in...on the complete other side of the room.
"Nobody threatens my man like that," Makoto huffed as she dismissed her Proto-Gauntlets, "...Maybe o-" she began before Ben scratched behind her ear, "?!...Mmmm~"
"It's okay. If we need to split up I'll go with him. You hang out with Rook," Ben offered, "Sides we'll be chasing a tiny monster that eats goats, I doubt we'll have to get serious to catch it."
"Despite the airship's thermal readings, there are no Chupacabra sightings as of yet," a voice spoke as a shadowed figure held up a camera, examining their surroundings before looking down at some large footprints, "Only these unidentified tracks...Bigfoot maybe?" they asked, turning to a large man of african-american descent, a scar over one of their eyes with a white streak going down the middle of their hair.
"Possibly, Zak," he answered before hearing a rustling noise, "...You heard that? It's coming from that clearing."
"Let's move before it gets away!" he spoke in a hushed yet excited tone as he began to run ahead, stopping to zoom the camera in on a large shadowy figure walking through "Woah...we found Bigfoot! And he's...mumbling something?"
"Me and my big mouth..." the large figure muttered before something bounced on him, "Ahh! I found it! I-ow! It scratched me, eh!"
"And the chupacabra!" the younger figure awed before zooming on on the smaller figure, seeing it was a small humanoid rat-like creature with a metal backpack on its back with pipes from it attached to its eyes while a clawed- metal tendril stuck from its mouth, "And the Chupacabra's...shiny metal backpack?"
"Get off me!" the 'Bigfoot' demanded before the sound of electrical zapping filled the air, the Chupacabra was sent flying back, "How'd I end up the one lost from the group, eh? I swear it's like all this horror movie stuff Skurd goes on about always happens to me…"
"You rang~?"
"Go back to sleep, Skurd!"
"Nope. I heard Chupacabra and wanted to see how this played o-what's that coming towards us?"
"What's c-GAH!" the 'Bigfoot' gasped when a tall furry figure tackled into them.
"Shoot...the Chupacabra got away...but dad check it out!" Zack spoke as they began to approach the larger figure, "Fiskerton just captured Bigfoot!" he beamed as he got closer...seeing that 'Big-Foot' was in truth Shocksquatch.
"I ain't no Bigfoot!" at that another zap pushed this Fiskerton off.
"Though his feet do smell!" Skurd spoke from his place on the Omnitrix, "Revere us humans! We are aliens!" he wagged his little tentacle arms around dramatically.
"Ignore him," Shocksquatch deadpanned, "Also...don't you watch the news?"
"Of course we do," Zak spoke as he stepped up, the moon light revealing him to be a young man with tanned skin and freckles, his neck-length hair a mix of black and white as he wore armor similar to his dad, "Ben Tennyson, it's an honor to meet you. I'm Zak...Zak Saturday."
"Thanks." he noted, changing back, "Sorry but I'm in the middle of a job. Me and my team are looking into this Chupacabra sighting someone reported to us. Imagine my shock. It's a legit animal to Earth…"
"I see it!" a voice shouted in the distance, "It's a fighter! And it bites!"
"And that is one of my friends." Ben sighed.
"Then I suggest we go to them," Zak's father spoke, standing up after checking some of the tracks left by the smaller creature earlier, "There have been reports of Chupacabras attacking Bellwood's alien population, so me and my family came here to investigate."
"Wait. Attacks?" Ben repeated, "...Okay. This job just became bigger."
"Oh goodie, I can sample legendary creature DNA in the battle~" Skurd cheered.
"Woah nelly!" Kagura yelped as he ducked underneath the Chupacabra's lunge, "You are one ugly little S.O.B...and I've seen uglier before." he quickly brought his sword up to block its next lunge, "Nice try...but you ain't sucking my blood."
"Kagura!"
"Hey, Benji! Glad y-" Kagura began before the Chupacabra managed to scratch his hand, "Gah sonnuva…!" he grunted as the small beast ran off, "...oh that little sneak…wait. I'm not gonna turn into a Chupacabra am I?"
"I think your thinking werewolves, man," Ben deadpanned as he ran over, "Far as I know these things are more like vampire bats...they just drink blood."
"That's actually fairly close." Kagura turned to see Zak's father as the one who spoke, "They do survive mostly via hematophagy. They have no effect on the genes of other life forms."
"So no desire to drink blood." Zak joked.
"Well that's good...not that I couldn't rock the sexy vampire gimmick." Kagura smirked, "So...who are your new friends?"
"Zak Saturday," Ben answered, "The older gentleman who answered your question is his dad Doc."
"Doc huh? Neat...i…" Kagura begna before he saw Fiskerton approach next, "Woah...tall guy."
"That's Fiskerton, my brother so to speak," Zak explained.
"We've run into the real experts!" Skurd spoke up before a tentacle shot over to Kagura's hand, "It might not be affecting you, but I am eating the traces of its DNA that are left on you." he explained, "What an odd little life form, yes this type of DNA is not like any regular animal, it's rather smart, and this is a small-ish breed to boot."
"You can tell all that?" Ben blinked as Skurd retracted his tentacle.
"Of course! My whole thing is DNA my dear boy, no one knows more about how DNA works then I." Skurd gloated.
"Back up a moment," Kagura spoke up, "Benji, mind telling me what's going on?"
"They're here about the Chupacabra attacking Bellwood's alien populace."
"...that would explain this then," Kagura whispered as he turned to a stone statue of an alien, "Saw that little creep sucking on him until he turned into this."
"...another one," Zak whispered as he stepped up, seeing a bite mark on the alien's shoulder, "It has the same wound shown on the other victims."
"Yes...this is the same pattern. But what's odd is how they turned to stone. I've never heard of the Chupacabra's prey turning to stone." Doc spoke, "This must be a unique kind I've never come across."
"...We may need Rook and Makoto to come here then so we can explain the situation," Kagura spoke.
"What situa-oh my god!" The group turned to see Makoto and Rook approach, the former jumping back once she saw the alien 'statue', "Is...is that guy dead?!"
"Hmm…" Rook muttered as he used a device to scan the 'statue', "No. He still has a pulse...but how did this happen?"
"Thank that Chupacabra we've been looking for," Kagura spoke before motioning to his cut hand, "Little creep cut me up before fleeing."
"So now it's turning people to stone?" Makoto asked, "I thought this was a Chupacabra, not a gorgon!"
"That's what I don't get either," Doc spoke, holding his chin in thought, "We might have to take him up to the airship...hopefully we can find a way to change him back."
"Airship?" Ben repeated before noticing a large shadow over him and the others, making him and his team look up to see a large airship floating overhead, "...woah."
"Ben...when did you make cool new friends...without me?" Makoto asked.
"Sorry Babe. This is all just in the moment." Ben explained.
"Mou~"
"The Control Room is down the hall," Zak said as he gave Ben and his team a tour of the ship's interior wit Fiskerton walking next to him, "And that's the game room down to the right."
"You have your own game room?!" Makoto gasped, "...Ben?"
"Already thinking of converting one of the rooms at home into a gameroom." He replied quickly.
"Sweet~"
"Wouldn't the basement make more sense?" Kagura asked.
"Kajun already claimed it for her lab away from the base," Rook explained.
"Oh...fair I guess."
"And here's the rest of the family," Zak spoke as he approached a large green komodo-dragon like creature and a dark-green pteranodon-like creature, "Zon and Komodo."
"Where'd you find a dinosaur?!" Makoto asked with stars in her eyes.
"Well technically…" Zak began.
"Dude...she's not listening." Ben shook his head as he pointed to Makoto already petting Zon and earning affection back from her, "My girlfriend tends to ignore the specific sciency stuff…as do I...it's kinda why we work so well together."
"It is true." Rook smiled.
"They're kinda inseparable," Kagura added.
"That I can already tell," Zak chuckled a bit as the large metal door before them opened, "And here's the medical bay."
"Pretty b-" Kagura noted before he tensed, seeing a tall woman with white hair done into a ponytail examining the alien 'statue', "?!"
"And that's my mom," Zak continued, earning her attention as she turned for a moment to greet them with a small wave.
"A pleasure ma'am," Rook nodded.
"Hi!" Ben waved.
"Nice to meet ya!" Makoto cheered, holding Komodo like a small dog in her arms as he panicked at her strength.
"..h...hey…" Kagura whispered as he waved back before shaking his head, "Priorities Kagura...Priorities…"
"...was he just crushing on my mom?" Zak whispered to Ben and Makoto.
"Kagura...he's a good bro. But when it comes to girls..." Ben muttered.
"Honey...you can be blunt...he's utterly hopeless and a horndog." Makoto spoke, tickling the komodo dragon, "That's why these adorable monsters have permission to bite him." she smiled, patting Komodo's head.
"Hey. I have my priorities…" Kagura argued, 'Zak...you are one lucky SOB to have a mom like that! No no….she's married. Remember that...remain calm and do not perv...'
"...he is trying very hard…" Rook noted, seeing Kagura literally pinching himself to remain in control.
"I give him a minute," Makoto muttered.
"...excuse me," Kagura spoke as he walked off.
"Yeah he's a bit weird." Ben sighed.
"Everyone is...but Kagura is the worst kind of weird." Makoto added.
"Wow you really don't like him," Zak noted.
"Lets just say he's a pervert and I once worked with him…" Makoto muttered.
"Ahh...that explains it."
"So Cryptids. Do they have any special powers? You know..like my aliens?" Ben asked as he, Makoto and Rook were in Zak's room.
"Some do. I can show you more about them," Zak answered as he sat down and began typing away on a laptop, "But you can't tell my folks."
"...I promise to try…" Ben explained.
"He buckles to authority easy." Makoto added.
"Well then we share that in common!" Zak laughed.
"Neat," Makoto giggled a bit as some images began to pop up on the screen, "Woah...so many cryptids...wait…" she looked at an image of a Kaka Clan woman..and her, "Why do you have an image of a Kaka Clan member? ...And why am I in here?!"
"My parents saw some footage of you and assumed you were a form of Ratatoskr, a creature from Norse mythology that runs up and down the World Tree Yggdrasil," Zak explained, "Also the catwoman with their face hidden...been debating about that whether they're a species of werecats or something."
"Oh...well in truth the Kaka Clan -and myself- are Beastkin, people who are half-human and half-animal," Makoto explained, "And trust me when we say this...do not try and get a member to the Kaka Clan to remove their hood in front of you."
"Why?"
"Two words: Instant. Marriage," Ben answered before wrapping an arm around Makoto, "My girlfriend managed to get them off my back after I fixed an issue with their DNA."
"It...both is and isn't as strange as your thinking." Makoto explained.
"Ah. Gotcha," Zak nodded as Rook approached, seeing a window pop up with the words 'Weird World' appearing.
"...Weird World?" Rook spoke.
"...Oh yeah. I think I remember that show," Ben spoke, "It had that dude in the creepy mask."
"V.V. Argost," Zak corrected.
"I think that's him," Ben noted, "..Though I never saw his show. Mostly skipped it to watch Sumo Slammers."
"I never saw Sumo Slammers," Zak admitted as he looked at Ben, "It's too hard to catch up on TV when you're saving the world all the time."
"Oh that is true," Makoto nodded, "Everytime me and Ben wanna hang out or go on a date? Boom! Some new villain or one of Ben's lesser known villains crashes it and ruins it."
"We can't have a normal date anymore." Ben sighed.
"Yes. It must be difficult to balance dates and saving the world," Rook spoke up, earning a raised brow from Zak.
"...He grew up on a farm," Ben whispered.
"A very...serious barn," Makoto added.
"So essentially his first time away from home…" Zak guessed.
"Yes, and it has been a fun time assigned to Earth," Rook smiled.
"He's fun when he's not on the job," Makoto smiled a bit.
"Hmm...No internal injuries," Doc noted as he was currently examining the petrified alien, "Organs are functional and everything...he's just a rock," he noted before his wife walked over and poured some blue substance on the alien, "What does that do, Drew?"
"It's a potion made from Tibetan sea beads. It expels evil spirits," she answered, earning a raised brow from him, "...I know that look. Just because one remedy didn't work, doesn't mean there's not a mystical solution."
"...You keep applying your potions and elixirs while I try doing some science," Doc countered as he began typing on a nearby computer.
"I dunno...you'd be surprised how oddly both science and magic work together," the two turned to see Kagura walking in...while sporting a large bruise on his forehead, "...Oh, don't mind the bruise. I just...hit my head on something," he stated as he approached the petrified alien, "So what's the status on the victim?"
"Well so far all scans show his organs functioning normally," Doc answered as Kagura moved to the wound the Chupacabra had left.
"Hmm…" Kagura muttered for a moment, "...Maybe it doesn't affect the organs per say...rather the victim's body."
"Hmm?"
"I was in a war before, and the enemy had a special type of poison that often at times left the victim paralyzed...unable to move or say anything, leaving them as a 'statue,'" Kagura explained, "This though? This is like that...though…I'm not much of a science guy, but that Chupacabra that you and your kid were searching for, Doc? It had this metal backpack on it...probably contains a toxin that leaves its victim in this state while sucking their blood...or rather...gathering DNA."
"Gathering DNA?" Doc repeated.
"Yup...but eh what do I know? Again...not much into science," Kagura shrugged before frowning, "But I do know when I smell something wrong."
"Same," Doc nodded, "And this just smells rotten."
=Greetings and Bienvenue= a voice spoke as Zak pulled up a video on his laptop, showing a scene as a masked figure with long white hair spoke, =I am your host, V. V. Argost=
"Yeesh...this guy makes the Crypt Creeper look like a Muppet," Makoto shuddered a bit.
"What's with the weird mask?" Ben asked.
"That's a mask?!" Makoto gawked.
"Yup," Zak nodded, "Turns out he was an evil yeti that was out to destroy humanity."
"Was?" Rook repeated, "Did a Cryptid destroy him?"
"Nope. It was me," Zak answered, "I zapped him out of existence when he tried to combine my Kur powers with antimatter from an alternate universe."
"Yeah that'd do it." Ben nodded, "So...he took your powers?"
"I thought so...but I can still feel some of it in there." Zak admitted, "I haven't been able to use it to the same extent as before to control Cryptids...but the nice ones still connect and listen to me."
"Ahh...well good t-" Makoto began before the ship's warning signal went off.
"I DIDN'T DO IT!" Makoto and Ben freaked, earning a look from Zak, "...Sorry. Force of habit."
"...Now that is some synchronization," Zak noted as his parents hurried into the room with Kagura.
"There's been an attack on an Alien Grocery store," Doc explained.
"...Oh don't tell me…" Ben began as Rook took out a device to check.
"...Yup. Mr. Baumann's," Rook answered.
"Oh man...He's gonna blame me for sure…" Ben groaned, "Come on...let's get it over with. The sooner he's done yelling, the better."
Various aliens screamed as they were surrounded and chased by a herd of Chupacabras. One alien screamed as a Chupacabra jumped them and bit down on their neck. They gave a weak cry as their body seemed to turn to stone moments before the group entered.
"...Oh yeah. I'm gonna be yelled at," Ben whispered as Zak and his family rushed over to a nearby petrified alien, kicking and throwing off the Chupacabras on it.
"Seems Mr. Mutsuki was half right…" Doc noted, "They're draining the Aliens' life force."
"...We're too late," Drew spoke as she examined the petrified alien.
"All we can do is catch these things and figure out how to reverse what they're doing," Makoto noted with a frown before giving Ben a paper.
"What's this?" Ben asked.
"Oh, after the delivery bit we had to do because of Mr. Baumann's car, I asked for a pre-approved list of aliens he's agreed to let you turn into in the store," Makoto explained, "If it's not on the list, it's not allowed in the shop."
"When did you do this?" Ben asked as he looked at the rather small list.
"Oh, when Noellie asked me to help carry the groceries she was gonna get here for that souffle she made a week after it," Makoto explained.
"...Good thing you thought ahead," Ben whispered as he turned the Omnitrix on, "Still limiting since most of my aliens...know what? May as well go stealthy and fast," he muttered as he quickly selected what he wanted and pressed down on the symbol, engulfing him in green light before Shadow Edge took his place.
"Shadow Edge again? My boy I'm glad you turned into this form again, but least give it s-" Skurd began
"..."
"...oh I see now," Skurd noted as he moved a bit of himself to Shadow Edge's tailbone, converting it into Spidermonkey's tail.
Suddenly Shadow Edge dashed into the store, filling it with faint afterimages. After a while, everyone blinked to see long strands of webbing keeping the Chupacabra's in place before they were all strung together into a giant web ball.
"..Okay. That was clever," Makoto noted as Shadow Edge skid to a stop, who nodded as he changed back into Ben.
"Wanted to cause no damage but needed something to bind the Chupacabras," Ben explained as Zak rushed up to one of the Chupacabras trying to get free.
"...I know you don't want to do this," Zak spoke to the Chupacabra, his voice distorted as his eyes began to glow, "Who's controlling you?"
The Chupacabras' eyes glowed for a moment before hissing as they managed to claw their way out of the ball of web and rushed past the group.
"..Something tells me whoever's controlling them doesn't want you to know," Kagura noted with a frown, "..Ben, how's about you and Makoto tak Zak with ya to track those little buggers down? Rook and I will assist Mr. and Mrs. Saturday check on the injured."
"Sounds...like a good plan…" Makoto noted, "You feeling alright?" she arched an eyebrow.
"What? Of course I am," Kagura argued, earning a raised brow from Makoto, "...Oh don't give me that look. This is serious."
"I've known you for years...you'll forgive me if I'm a little bit suspicious." she admitted, "You are the guy who made a branch in the team budget for and I quote: 'Entertainment'."
"Look. People are getting hurt by this...someone is using their essence for whatever twisted scheme they're planning," Kagura explained, "But I trust you and Ben for this. I'm only staying back to help guard Zak's parents in case whoever is controlling the Chupacabras comes after them."
"Hmm…" Makoto muttered as Ben picked her up and carried her off.
"I know this is never gonna fade from her." Ben sighed, "Come on you."
"Mmmm~"
"I get the oddest sense of Deja vu." Doc chuckled watching the young couple.
"Oddly same," Drew added.
"Ahh yes. Welcome back, my children," Animo greeted once he spotted the herd of Chupacabras crawling in, more being seen from the pipes surrounding the tall and large room, "Ahh perfect...now to extract," he grinned as he began typing away on a computer, causing some tendrils to rise up from the machine before him as it connected to the metal backpacks the Chupacabra's were carrying, draining their contents as an meter rose up halfway, "Ah.h..just enough...our time has come!" he declared as he pulled down on a switch, causing the machine to whir to life as smoke and lights could be seen within the smoke.
A few moments passed before the door of the machine was forced open, letting a large hulking figure step out as their appearance was covered by the smoke.
"Yes...it worked!" Animo beamed, "Welcome back, Mr. Argost!"
"Ahh…greetings and bienvenue," the figure spoke up as the smoke cleared, showing that it appeared to be a large yeti-like creature that was patched up with different parts with horns growing from his head and a brown main around his neck. A pair of large bat wings sprouted from his back while his legs were goat-like, a devil-tail hanging from his tailbone as his lower waist was covered in black-mechanicle parts. Lastly one of their arms sported a pale-grey scaled serpentine-like creature with razor sharp teeth.
"...Though just to be safe…" Animo whispered as he approached Argost," Do. You. Know. Where. You. Are?"
"I'm reanimated, not deaf you imbecile…"
"...yes. It really worked!" Animo laughed a bit, "Our plan is an unmitigated success!"
"I seem to recall it being my plan," Argos argued with a small frown, "I gave you the blueprints for this machine before my unfortunate run-in with Zak Saturday," he stated before looking at his body, "?! What is this?! I explicitly asked for a yeti body, not some collage of Cryptid parts."
"Oh. I took the liberty of making some modifications," Animo explained before motioning to the Chupacabra's nearby, "I used the Chupacabra's to drain the life force needed to power the machine, and oh the wait has been worth it...all three productive years."
"Three years?!" Argost repeated in disbelief before pointing his serpent arm at Animo, "You were supposed to bring me back in a month! What was the hold-up, Mr. Animo?"
"Ben Tennyson and his team...And it's Dr. Animo!"
"Yes, and I'm sure that came from an accredited university," Argost dryly countered, "Well it has been a rude awakening...run along now, my semi-competent doctor. I have one Zak Saturday to dispose of."
"Semi…!?" Animo began before taking a calming breath, "With all due respect, I'd like to discuss the particulars of this partnership. I keep your life force full and vigorous, and in return you'll help me find the world's most exotic animals for me to...improve…"
"Put a pin in that one. I want to take my new body for a test drive."
"Good...then you'll be needing…" Animo paused as he reached into his labcoat and pulled out a mask all too familiar to the yeti, "This."
"Shoot. I'm not picking up any Chupacabra thoughts…" Zak whispered as he, Ben, Makoto and Fiskerton were looking through Undertown.
"They must have all been called back by whoever is controlling them." Ben guessed.
"If they are collecting DNA or something off of alien folks...then they have to take it somewhere." Makoto added, "But where...more importantly who could have the means to mind control dozens of Chupacabra's? Besides Evil Zak if I am to understand things right…"
"...Wait...Cryptids still count as animals right?" Ben asked.
"Yup."
"...Animo."
"Why didn't I think of that?" Makoto muttered, "Hang on a sec…" she pulled out her badge, "Tsubaki...check on Animo would ya?"
=Impossible. We made sure Animo w…..he's gone?!= Tsubaki exclaimed =Why is he gone?! We made sure to seal everything in his cell!=
=Chadzmuth= Jetson's voice answered.
=...=
"Okay I'm gonna let you do your job, I'm gonna go back to hunding legendary cryptids and a crazy nemesis. Try not to make them cry!" Makoto spoke quickly before hanging up.
"Oh she's gonna make him cry…" Ben spoke up.
"Oh big time, like a toddler to his mama." Makoto nodded.
"She's really that serious huh?" Zak asked.
"Word of advice: the moment you see her pull out a paper folding fan? Run...run as fast as you can," Makoto advised.
"To answer your question, yes. Yes she is," Ben nodded, "But it's thanks to her we get stuff done and not spend all our time goofing off."
"She is very good at the second-in-command d-" Makoto began before her ears twitched, "Eh?"
"Grr?" Fiskerton raised a brow when his own ears twitched.
"What's u-"
"aaaaaaaaaaAAAAAHHH!" Ragna's voice screamed as he shot past them crashing into an empty stall, "Gah! Grr….why you lousy chimera bastard!" he growled, picking his sword up as he rushed off, "Jin hold him down!"
"...Chimera?" Ben, Zak, and Makoto repeated.
"I am not a fan of this!" Jin complained as the sound of fighting picked up.
"Come gentlemen. Surely you can do better," a third voice taunted, one that made Zak's eyes widened.
"...It can't be…" Zak whispered as he rushed ahead, Fiskerton chasing after him as he follwoed the sounds of the fight.
"Oh I don't like the sound of that," Makoto whispered as she and Ben chased after the two.
"Ha!" Jin shouted as he stabbed his sword into the ground, sending out a wave of ice at Argost, who attempted to fly back before the ice rose up and trapped him. After a few moments, cracks were seen before Argost shattered the ice surrounding him.
"Word of advise, my good sir...never use ice to fight a yeti," Argos stated as his serpent arm wrapped around Jin and threw him into Ragna, "I must admit I was concerned for these...mmm...changes I'd gone through, but now I must admit they are rather salubrious." he walked over and grabbed Ragna by his leg before swinging him up...and then down on Jin, he lifted him again only this time swung him around from the side and smacked him into Jin like a golf club, only to let go at the moment of impact sending both flying across the ground and into another small building, making it collapse upon them, "That has to be my best game of golf yet, pales to the course on the highlands...but it shall do."
"What the hell even is this guy?" Ragna grunted as he and Jin got up, "He's like a walking Thesaurus with freaky strength."
"It's called being a connoisseur of culture, young man. Something you could stand to learn. I say, does this brute routine work all the time, or does fortune just happen to smile upon you?" Argost asked as he hovered before the two.
"Trust me. I get enough of that from an annoying little vampire with that type of talk…" Ragna growled a bit, "Don't need some freaky chimera to add onto that."
"Oh but my dear boy, I am so likeable. Trust me, I'm really easy to get along with once you start to worship me." he taunted with a happy laugh.
"And he's starting to piss me off," Jin frowned a bit.
"Agreed...hate assholes with that 'holier than thou' personality," Ragna added.
"Oh come now. There's no reason for such language. Then again the youth of today are incredibly…" Argost began before he looked ahead, seeing Zak and Fiskerton run into the area with Ben and Makoto catching up, "Oh? Zak Saturday?"
"Argost?" Zak whispered with wide eyes, "How...how is that possible?!"
"Oh what a momentous occasion," Argost noted, flying over Ragna and Jin as he landed before him, "You've just saved me the annoyance of coming to find you."
"You...uh...you look different." Zak muttered taking in how utterly different he was now.
"Ah yes, three years dead, but it felt like a relaxing rest...and now…" he smirked, "It's time for me to return to work, the work of ripping you apart bit by bit...the dulcet tones of your screams as I do so with my new appendages...will be the perfect panacea for me to enjoy wonderful dreams from now till the end of the human species…"
"Okay...I am getting some big Frieza vibe from this guy," Makoto whispered as she hid behind Ben, "Nobody let him try a game of Pain Ball!"
"Don't you m-" Jin began.
"I know what I said!"
"It seems you've finally made friends, and it only took what...16 years?" Argost taunted, finally noticing the presence of Makoto and Ben, "And if I assume correctly, the boy with you is Ben Tennyson correct?"
"Oh I don't like where this is going…" Ben noted.
"Years of work, and that imbecil Beeman never knew the one true proof of aliens was a goofy boy with a fancy watch." Argost laughed.
"Goofy?" Ben repeated before activating the Omnitrix, "Oh I'll show ya goofy, buddy."
"And que slamming the watch and…" Argost rolled his eyes as a flash went off, "Wrong alien?"
"...shut up!" Ditto complained.
"I thought you were getting better at using the Omnitrix!" Makoto exclaimed.
"I thought I did t...wait….SKURD!"
"Yes?" Skurd asked as he woke up.
"Were you messing with my Omnitrix in your sleep?!"
"...Maybe…" he replied in an actually happy tone, "Oh don't act so surprised, you take the darn thing off on special occasions and I want to see if I can unlock new DNA samples. By the way...I think I found like 7 of them."
"J...wait. Seven? Seven new forms?!"
"You know it is rather rude to ignore your target like this," Argost pointed out before his tail grabbed a claw hook-shot aimed at one of his wings while his serpent arm grabbed Fiskerton before he could punch him, "And really Zak Saturday? That old tactic?"
"Why throw out a classic?" Zak laughed.
"Oh that's...what's burning?" Argost blinked.
"Right now?" Ditto smirked as his arm was altered to be like that of Heatblast, "I'd say that's your Frenkenstein's monster keister…"
"Thank you for knowing the monster's name is not Frankenstein…" Argost muttered before jumping back in shock, "Gah!"
"Gotcha this time y-" Ragna began as he jumped up for a slash...only for Argost to throw Fiskerton into him, "Gah! Mother…!"
"So...you have something new then." Argost muttered, putting himself out, "Seems I have missed quite a bit then."
"Know what else you missed?" Makoto's voice asked, making Argost turn before he was blinded sided from an electrified hook punch from Makoto, sending him skidding back "Me!"
"Yeah...she's kinda super strong." Ditto told Zak and Fiskerton, "She's actually the strongest person in the room."
"We're talking pure strength!" Ragna complained.
"And an annoying amount of energy," Jin muttered.
"At least my boyfriend is secure enough to call me stronger." Makoto huffed.
"Hmm...interesting…" Argost whispered, touching the spot Makoto punched him at as he looked on at Makoto, "A humanoid with animal traits akin to a squirrel, and yet possesses great strength...perhaps the good doctor will find you as an interesting test subject."
"Hey! We have a mutual understanding! No creepy science talk about me, and I don't punch his jaw off!" Makoto snapped.
"It's true! She made that abundantly clear!" Animo shouted offscreen.
"Doc what are you doing…?" Makoto deadpanned, "I thought we talked about you and maniacal schemes…"
"Yes but this is gonna be different!" Animo shouted before a large herd of Chupacabra's came running in and surrounded the group, "With Argost's help, I sh….I almost fell into that."
"Shoot...he's catching on," Makoto whispered
"Nice try Ms. Nanaya, but I have been learning, and I shall not fall into my habits again! Haha!" Animo taunted.
"Finally leveling up on us huh...are you that afraid of mine and Ben's future kids tormenting you that much?" Makoto rolled her eyes.
"I knew you were planning it!" Animo snapped as he shot up from his hiding place, "...Wait…"
"And score one for Makoto," said squirrel girl laughed, smirking happily.
"Oh you are a clever girl indeed! Using my one fear against me!" Animo groaned.
"Uh guys?!" Zak shouted as he, Ragna and Fiskerton were currently trying to keep Argost pinned, "A little help here!?"
"Honestly..this is getting tiresome!" Argost grunted before spreading his wings out, forcing the three off of them as Zak crashed into a wall.
"Easy!" Animo shouted, "Testing your new body in public is not the best idea!"
"I tire of remaining backstage." Argost spoke, "I strived hard to make it to the spotlight and centerstage before, and I will reclaim it." he gripped his hand tight into a fist, "These insolent humans where my subjects, strung along my every word...and I shall not give up that feeling I so earned."
"Your doing all this to show off?" Ditto asked, "If you hate us why do you want our attention so bad?"
"Because my dear changeling...what better way to prove my superiority then by having the dumb lesser beings follow my every word?" he laughed.
*SLASH!*
"GH?!" Argost grunted when his serpent arm was cut off, btis of ice around the flailing limb
"That's what happens when you underestimate a 'dumb lesser being'," Jin stated as he stood a few feet away from Argost, his back facing him as he sheathed Yukianesa.
"GRA!" Argost swung his other arm and struck Jin with his full strength, sending him flying and slamming through a large stone wall.
"I tried to warn you!" Animo shouted to Argost, "Your body is not strong enough to take blows like that yet!"
"Then I guess we'll have to pull back." he growled, the Chupacabras picked up his severed limb as he began to run, "Until next time, Zak Saturday!"
"Wait!" Zak shouted before two of the Chupacabras took their metal backpacks off and threw them onto the ground, resultign in a large black and purple explosion. Fiskerton quickly grabbed Zak and pushed him towards cover in case the smoke was dangerous.
Fisk spoke in a collection of growls as he stood up with Zak.
"Yeah yeah I know…" Zak sighed.
"Okay…" Ragna began as he got up, putting his sword away as he looked at Ditto, "You mind telling me what the actual hell is going on here?!"
"You believe in Big Foot?" Ditto asked, earning an arched eyebrow, "Loch Ness monster, Mothman, Jersey Devil, Wendigos?" he listed.
"You mean those...fake…" Ragna began before looking as Fisk who happily waved to him, "As...hel-….oh god monsters are real…"
"You...and you just got your butt handed to ya...by a Yeti." Ditto smiled.
"Are you kidding me?!" Ragna snapped before he heard a snicker, "...Jin…"
"I didn't say nothing," Jin argued.
"You never snicker...unless me or Ben hurt ourselves over something."
"I mean Jin is the one that got pimp slapped by a yeti." Makoto smirked as Fiskerton had a comedic over-reaction of shock before high-fiving her, "I love this Gorilla Cat guy!"
"Grr…" Jin growled in annoyance.
"It's just fact." Makoto smirked.
"Well Here's a fact…" Ragna frowned as he began to stomp off, "I'm gonna jam my fist so hard into that fancy talking asshat's face when I find him!"
"Just so you know...he's a reanimated dead guy." Makoto added, making Ragna pause and begin thinking for a long moment.
"...On second thought, you and Ben take care of it."
"Really brother?" Jin deadpanned.
"Oh come on Ragna...he's more like a zombie then a ghost." Ditto argued, flashing back to normal finally.
"Yes, but I would not be surprised if he came back as a goddamn ghost just to haunt the new kid!" Ragna barked.
"Yeesh...talk about temper," Zak muttered.
"Ah don't worry. Once you get past his constant cursing, yelling, and threats to cause graphic bodily harm, Ragna's just a big old softy. You know...to everyone but Jin." Makoto laughed.
"Why specify me?" Jin asked.
"Cause you're a creep." Makoto, Ben and Ragna all spoke at once.
"...Ugh. Just...just go trail after Animo and that...whatever it was."
"Yeti," Zak corrected before he and Fiskerton tensed the moment Jin pulled Yukianesa out half way, a dark glint in his eye as a miniature blizzard sprang forth, "?!"
"No," Ragna deadpanned as he chopped Jin on the head, making him wince as he dismissed the blizzard.
"You never get used to Jin." Ben sighed.
"He's like keeping a pet tiger. He might look approachable and fluffy...but he will bite." Makoto sighed, "Then again the only one he purrs for is Tsubaki." she giggled.
"I will end you." Jin growled.
"Also Tigers don't purr." Zak added.
"Grr…!"
"Going!" Ben, Makoto, and Zak yelped as they rushed off, Fiskerton rushing after the trio.
"Careful! You are not darning a sock!" Argost snapped as Animo was sewing back on his serpent arm, a hunching humanoid spider like creature standing nearby while holding a tray for Animo, "This patchwork quilt you call a body clearly isn't strong enough to destroy Zak Saturday."
"I'm sorry. Tennyson has got something new, some type of...alien slime that lets him mix and match his powers!" Animo argued as he finished sewing up his arm, "But regardless Mr. Argost, men of our calibur really needn't fight our own battles. It is...beneath us," he stated before pulling out a switch, pressing the button on it as the lights turned on in the room, revealing a large horde of creatures made of various parts, "Voila! Our army of Franken-Cryptids!"
"Interesting...but I see one flaw in your idea," Argost spoke as he looked at the horde, "Cryptids are unpredictable. How do you know they won't turn on you?"
"Sadly, I've had to resort to rather...crude methods," Animo stated as he pointed to his Transmogrifier, "This only works with the simplest of creatures such as the Chupacabra. All Tennyson has to do to beat me is destroy it, but you Mr. Argost? Thanks to the residual powers of the Anti-Kur, you can control them with but a simple thought."
'Oh?" Argost raised a brow at that as he looked over at the Franken-Cryptids, narrowing his eyes a bit as the horde's eyes suddenly snapped open, "...yes~ Excellent!" he laughed unfolding his wings as he took off into the air, "Now prepare for battle my beasts!"
"I think I'm sensing something this way…" Zak whispered, his eyes closed as he, Ben, Makoto and Fiskerton continued to search Undertown for Argost and Animo, "It has to be Argost."
"Speaking of...how's he back?" Makoto asked, "I thought you defeated him and anti-mattered himself out of existence."
"I'm guessing Animo's to blame for that," Ben guessed, "As well as his freaky body."
"Yeah. That new body is freaky," Zak admitted, "And horrific. Each of those new parts came from different Cryptids. Horns, wings, and legs of the Jersey Devil, and that 'arm' was the head of a Loch Ness along with his tail."
"It's kinda Animo's thing," Ben stated, "He tends to combine different animal parts together to create an army to try and take over."
"Stop," Zak spoke as he stopped walking and turned to a metal door, "I sense a Cryptid in here."
"Good," Makoto nodded before holding a hand up, stopping Fiskerton, "Take it easy, big guy. I got this," she assured as she walked up to the metal door, "Hmm...seems like a normal tumbler lock...easy peasy," she smirked as she held her hand up...before reaching into her hair and pulled out a bobby pin and began to get to work on the lock.
"...Um…" Zak began as he and Fisk looked at Ben.
"What? She doesn't solve everything by punching," Ben noted.
"In my old job, I was a member of the Intelligence department, so stuff like this is second nature," Makoto added before a clicking sound was heard, the squirrel girl smirking as she pushed the door open, "And voila."
"She worked hard to get aliens' locks with that trick too." Ben explained.
"Eeyup," Makoto nodded as the group walked in, "Welcome to Animo's lab...population zero and creepy…"
"They probably took off," Ben guessed as Zak approached a nearby table.
"Argost's handwriting," Zak noted, noticing some blueprints on the table as he began to look through them, "Looks like he figured out how to bring himself back using the combined life force of Cryptids and aliens."
"Meaning he must've given them to Animo before he kicked the bucket," Ben noted as he, Makoto and fisk walked over, "Doesn't explain how Animo brought him back."
"Hmm...Maybe the mystical particle-antiparticle reaction created its own interference pattern, sending reverse waveforms back through the original conductance," Zak guessed, "..which might explain why I have my telepathic powers...and Argost coming back through that," he added as he looked at the machine Animo used to bring the yeti back.
"So he's basically a zombie feeding off of cryptids and aliens…" Makoto whispered...before shooting behind Ben with her tail sticking straight up, "Okay...he's like Mecha-Frieza, only undead…"
"I just would like to add, I'm barely understanding the big words here." Ben admitted, "But thanks to my girlfriend I get the gist."
"Mmm?" Fisk raised a brow as he walked over to Zak and pointed at some papers.
"...hmm. Maybe…" Zak whispered as he held his chin in thoughts, "It might work...but we'll have to be cautious."
"...wait. I just had a thought…" Makoto began with a gulp, "Zak said there's Cryptid in here, and yet there's no sign of Animo or Argost...where's the Cryptid?"
A soft growl made them tense up, the quartet slowly looking up to see the ceiling was covered in webs...and in the center of the webs was the spider-humanoid Cryptid as it glared down at them.
"...oh sweet chestnuts they made an even more nightmare fuel Manspider," Makoto paled with wide eyes.
"Well...that's a thing…" Ben muttered.
"My boy...Change!" Skurd pleaded.
"Got it!" Ben yelped as the creature leapt down at them, causing the group to scatter as it landed. He was about to press down on the Omnitrix before his arm was suddenly covered up in webbing, "Gah! Oh come on!"
"MMmhp mhhph!" Skurd gave a muffled scream within the web ball.
"I hate this so-MUCH!" Ben cried as he was pulled up.
"Hey! Hands off my boyfriend!" Makoto snapped before some webbing was spat onto her face, "MMM~!".
"I got it!" Zak shouted as he fired his claw grip at the monster's arm...before it spat webbing on it and pulled him back, "WOAH!" he yelped as the spider swung him around before tossing him.
"?!" Fisk tensed as he quickly caught Zak, a look of concern on his face...before he gave the spider-cryptid a glare and a growl.
The creature gave a 'uh-oh' type of sound before it was pulled right towards Fisk. The gorilla cat reeled his fist back and swung it hard into the monster's face. The monster was sent flying into the machine, denting it while knocking him out.
"Yeesh...Munya sure got uglier," Zak cringed as they looked at the beast.
"Mmm?" Makoto asked as she tugged on the webbing in her mouth.
"Argost's minion. He's half human, half Papuan Giant Spider," Zak explained, "He tried to eat Fisk once." Fisk growled at the downed spider-man.
"Yeesh…" Ben cringed, currently trying to get the webbing off his Omnitrix arm, "Still...if we were Argost, where would we be right now?"
"Mmm…" Makoto grunted before Fisk grabbed the webbing and pulled it off, "PHWA! Ugh...That's nasty. Though if I were a yeti who was brought back to life, I'd probably do something to my enemies to show that I'm far more dangerous than I was before."
"...Like attacking the airship," Zak's eyes widened in realization.
"Don't let up! The Saturdays will go down in flames!" Argost ordered as his army of Franken-Cryptids were attacking the Saturday's Airship, scratching and clawing to fight their way into it.
Zak, Fisk, Ben, and Makoto were quick to arrive to the surface, to see the army attacking the ship.
"Because of course the Doc would make an army of frankenstein's monsters," Makoto groaned, "Next time he's jailed, we're revoking his stuffed animal privileges for a month, right?"
"Very much so," Ben nodded.
"We have to get up there and help my parents," Zak spoke, about to rush off to help.
"No you don't," Drew's voice spoke, making the group turn to see Zak's parents, Rook, and Kagura stepping out of a nearby alleyway.
"We evacuated everyone before Argost made his move," Doc stated.
"Glad to see you're all okay," Makoto spoke.
"Aw~" Kagura cooed.
"Not you," Makoto glowered at Kagura.
"Aw…" Kagura pouted.
"I advise we get ready," Rook spoke, pulling his Proto-Tool out as he looked up, "I think Argost has noticed us."
"Oh joy," Ben sighed, "Skurd, things are about to get weird."
"Wonderful," Skurd sighed, "We shall need to take them down fast."
"Right, something big!" Ben smiled.
"I was going to suggest you use one of your many bio-electric aliens," Skurd sighed.
"Fools! Forget the ship!" Argost called out to his army, "Our targets are down on the ground below us! Attack!"
"Let's do this again," Zak scowled as he readied his staff.
The Franken-Cryptids roared out as they flew down from the sky in hordes, the one in front screeching as it headed towards Zak, only for his claw hookshot to wrap around its neck as Zak pulled back, forcing it into the ground as it tumbled. He heard something approaching him from behind, making him turn to see Argost flying in right at him with his fist reeled back.
*CLANG!*
"Yeah...how about no?" Kagura countered, standing before Zak as he used the flat end of his sword to block Argost's blow.
"Out of my way, child," Argost growled.
"Mmm..yeah no," Kagura quipped as he quickly swung his blade around, causing Argost to fly back from it, "You forget...you're not just facing the kid and his big family…"
"Please...as if I'd spare my attention on some rum-scented buffoon."
"Least I look like a fusion of the Crypt-Keeper and Frankenstien's monster with the voice of the Disney version of Captain Hook."
"You dare compare my eloquent voice to such a pale mockery of the original Hook?"
"I dunno. Don't have an alligator with a clock in its stomach to test that theory," Kagura shrugged before moving his neck aside from the lung of Argost's serpent arm, "Missed me like Hook too~ Oh and another thing..." he jumped back from a thrown punch, "You get distracted too easily."
Argost raised a brow before a green flash went off behind him, making him turn to see Shocksquatch charging up.
"Hey, eh?"
*BAM!*
"GH!" Argost grunted as he was sent flying into the air, unfolding his wings to stop himself from flying out further, "Blast it…I forgot Ben Tennyson is here as well..."
"Does he always refer to people by their full names?" Kagura whispered to Zak.
"Normally…" Zak sighed.
"After all the time sparing with Ben when he goes one of his Halloween aliens, these guys aren't as scary as they would've been two years ago and a hundred and eighty seven years ahead," Makoto noted as she uppercutted one of the creatures.
"Halloween aliens?" Doc repeated with a raised brow while punching another one with his fist glowing red and leaving burns from each punch.
"He's got a werewolf, a mummy, a ghost, a mothman, a gremlin, a Frankenstein's monster, an electrified yeti, and I'm pretty sure there might be a vampire in there he hasn't unlocked yet," Makoto counted, "For all I know? Smart Cryptids are in that thing, too." she then noticed Drew slicing one in two with an orange sword engulfed in flames, "What kinda sword is that?"
"Tibetan Fire Sword," Drew replied, "A gift from some monks who raised me."
"That is the coolest sword ever. Of all time," Makoto stated before backhanding another one of the Frankenstein's Monster-like creatures without looking at it.
"You are a very interesting girl, you know that?" Doc spoke, punching another monster away.
"I take pride in it," Makoto admitted, grabbing the arm of one and flipping it around to slam it into a second, "Hmm...Now if I recall one party back in the military academy, Kajun rambled about a big weakness of something stitched together from multiple parts." her gauntlets began to spark with electricity before she punched another of the monsters in the joints, causing the creature's limbs to go wild and hit itself a few times, "Since they're on the wrong bodies, shocking the joints make them go crazy."
"Good to know!" Rook called out, leaping over one Franken-Cryptid as he fired an electric shock to its back, causing it to sputter and flail wildly about before Fisk knocked it out with a punch, "Thank you."
Fisk gave a thumbs up as he resumed fighting off the Franken-Cryptids, unaware that Animo and his herd of Chupacabras were watching from nearby.
"Ooh~! The Fiskerton Phantom. If I can capture you, I can meld you with an Owlman and ohohoho! It'll be the bees knees!" Animo beamed...before he pulled out a recorder, "Note to self; put knees on bees." he looked at the Chupacabras, "Alright. Let's round him up!"
The Chupacabras hissed out as they ran out of Animo's hiding place and began to surround Fisk. One behind him sent out its mechanical tongue and wrapped it around his foot, getting Fisk's attention before he was knocked over by another when it tucked itself into a ball and tackled into his leg. Fisk attempted to get up before another of the Cupacabras' tongues wrapped around his other leg before they began to drag him off.
"Don't worry, buddy! I g-" Kagura began before a Chupacabra's tongue wrapped around his neck, "Ack!"
"I shall not be denied this time!" Animo declared, unaware of an invisible Komodo sneaking up to him "In fact...I may end up going back on my deal so I can study a Beastkin!"
"What?! Oh H-E-Double Hockey Sticks no!" Makoto snapped
"Animo! We talked about this!" Shocksquatch called out, "Do you want Makoto to hit you for real, 'cause that was part of the deal."
"I am on the cusp of victory! I can do whate-" Animo began before he noticed Zon flying in, swatting away the Chupacabra's dragging Fisk away with her wing, "Oh! A Pterosaur! What a splendid addition to my ar-"
*CRUNCH!*
"NOT AGAIN!" Animo complained when the horns of his Transmogrifier were bitten off by Komodo, "Bad! Bad Komodo dragon...that...can...turn invisible…" he blinked, "What?"
"Ehem…" Animo turned around to see Makoto tapping her foot with a look of annoyance and anger, "We had a deal, Doc…" she crossed her arms, "You broke it." she lifted her arms up and began cracking her knuckles single handedly by flexing her fingers.
"...oh dear," Animo paled before he was grabbed, "...mercy!"
"No being a creep!"
*BAM! THWACK!*
Animo cried as he was sent flying into the distance before crashing through a window.
"That's...why you don't tick her off," Kagura coughed out to Fisk once the Chupacabra let go of his neck.
"Must I do everything by myself?" Argost questioned before his tail grabbed onto Zak when he tried to leap at him from behind, resulting in him being slammed into the ground, "Hmm hmm. This tail does come in rather handy. What more can I ask for?"
At that, Ben jumped at him from behind Argost's back, Omnitrix active with an alien already selected. In a flash of green light, Feedback landed with a large smirk.
"How about eyes in the back of your head?" Feedback smirked as Skurd made two more copies of his arms and a second tail, letting him jam the hands into Argost's back and the tails into the monster head for his arm.
"Gah!" Argost cried out, feeling himself growing weaker and weaker by the second, "I...Impossible!"
"Yeah...We tend to make that word redundant," Feedback noted with a smirk.
"While you were distracted with the fight, me and Ben thought up a little idea how to take you down," Zak smirked himself, "You're running on the stolen life force those Chupacabras Animo was using and got for you, so all we needed to do was syphon it out of you, thus shutting you down and freeing these Cryptids."
"I'll...have my...revenge, Zak Saturday! This...isn't...over!" Argost snarled as he collapsed.
"Sorry, dude. It kinda is," Feedback replied as Argost lost conscious.
"Did we do it?" Kagura asked.
"He doesn't seem to be moving…" Makoto whispered cautiously.
"Mrs. Saturday?" Rook spoke as Drew moved over to Argost's body and started examining it.
"...I'm not picking anything up," she whispered, holding a device before Argost's body, "Not even a mental wavelength…"
"Just for the record...it was not my intent to...you know…" Feedback muttered, scratching his head.
"Nor I," Skurd added, retracting the extra limbs from the Conductoid.
"It's alright. He was already dead." Doc Saturday spoke, "If anything, you just returned balance to the world this way. Trust me when I say the world is a lot safer without this monster."
"After seeing what he's capable of, agreed," Kagura noted.
"Ow….ow...ow...ow…" Animo winced as a pair of Plumbers were escorting him away.
"Broke your promise, didn't ya?" one asked.
"Ow...maybe...ow…"
"Tsk tsk tsk. Seems your plush privileges are going to be revoked for a month."
"Blast. And just when I earned enough points for a pair of life-sized subjects."
"Well next time think before you help some psychopath out, doc!" Makoto shouted as she, Ben and Zak watched.
"Oh you are so in for it when you get back!" Ben laughed, "Tsubaki is so nettled."
"...oh dear…" Animo whispered at that.
"Reporters will be here soon," Doc noted, "We'd best take our leave."
"Sure you don't wanna stick around?" Ben asked Zak, "Might get a chance t-"
"Nah. I'm good," Zak shook his head, "Our line of work is more secretive really, make sure to protect humans and Cryptids and prevent people like Argost from harming either of them."
"Fair enough. And I can understand wanting to keep a secret life. Managed it for nearly seven years 'till a kid managed to figure it out," Ben noted with a shrug before offering his hand, "Still, it's been great working with you and your family, Zak."
"Same here man," Zak smiled as he took Ben's offered hand and shook it, "Hope we get to work together again in the future."
"Same."
"Hope to get to hang out at least," Makoto added before blinking, "...Wait. Where's Kagura?"
"Right here."
"GH!" Makoto nearly jumped as she saw Kagura and Rook approach, "Don't do that!...wait. Were you…?"
"All he did was talk with Mrs. Saturday on certain...things," rook answered.
"Like I told ya two, I don't go after married women or girls with boyfriends that are decent," Kagura stated with a shrug.
"Uh-huh…" Makoto deadpanned as she walked off.
"She's not gonna let up anytime soon," Ben shrugged.
"Rrr," Fisk nodded.
"Hmm...Hey, one thing before we go?" Zak asked as he pulled his phone out, "Mind if we take a pic with you in one of your alien forms?"
"One upping a semi-friend?" Ben asked.
"He and his 'dad' are alien hunters with their best achievement being flying jellyfish."
"Flying Jellyfish?" Rook raised a brow, "Don't you mean…"
"Sure. I can go for a photo-op," Ben shrugged.
"Sweet."
"Okay...I think I've calmed down at least," Makoto whispered as as she walked down the sidewalk, "Still he did do a good job...and surprised he kept himself controlled….still doesn't change that Kagura is a mega perv..." she shook her head a bit, "Nevermind. Job done so maybe a nice date with Ben c-" she paused as her ears twitched, "...Is someone listening to Elvis?"
It was then she heard some humming, making her move over to the nearby corner to see where the music was coming from. Seemingly dancing near a large armed robber was a young woman with slightly tanned skin, her lilac hair cut short as she had a pair of feathered arm bands on her arms with a pair of wristguards. She seemed to wear a midnight-purple and blue crop top that hugged her chest perfectly and a pair of matching short shorts with a pair of purple stockings covering her long slender legs and a pair of midnight-purple and blue boots themed after wolf paws covered her feet. She then noticed two things...one was that she was a Beastkin with light grey wolf-ears and a tail, and another...was that she didn't even seem to notice anyone as she had she had on a pair of dog-paw temed headphones over her ears and a MP3 player attached to the light-purple paw-patterned belt around her short-shorts.
"I guess I'll never know….the reason why...you love me as...you do~" she seemed to sing to herself as she gave a slow calming dance a bit, "That's the wonder...The Wonder of You~"
'Another Beastkin?' Makoto thought in surprise.
"Hmm?" the wolf girl blinked, her nose twitching a bit as Makoto quickly hid behind the corner, "...That was odd...thought I smelled a squirrel, garu…oh well…." she walked over to a nearby large bag filled with various meats and picked it up easily with one hand, "Need to get this back to the Koko Village anyway, garu…"
"?!" Makoto's eyes widened in surprise at that, 'She's...a member of the Koko Clan?! But...I thought…' she shook her head as she looked back in the corner, seeing the wolf girl walking away while getting back to her music.
"That's the wonder…." she whispered as a mist seemed to be surrounding her as she walked further away, "The Wonder of You~"
"...may as well check on that robber..." Makoto whispered before rushing over to the armed robber, "What happened to this guy anyway?"
"Ugh...don't..touch...music player…" the armed robber groaned a bit in his unconscious state, an eye swollen shut, blood dribbling from his split lip...and several dozen bite marks all over his exposed skin.
"...That explains it," Makoto deadpanned, 'Still….I better tell the others about this later…'
GT: Well...This is new.
SZ: Aye...something very interesting about to happen next time..oh and in case it's obvious, the whole Koko Clan thing is of course original for us, but as for who they are...hush hush until next time
GT: Aw…
SZ: What? You never give info like that right off the bat until you do the chapter where its needed….wait. Where's Z0?
Z0: Good night everybody! *chases GT and SZ with a chainsaw sword*