Galactic Shift Extend

by Seanzilla1988

A familiar Beastkin goes through a familiar abandoned Cauldron. However, she doesn't end up in another timeline, but Bellwood, home to a teen with a watch he wears on his arm that can change his shape to save the world from harm.

88. Steampunk Cowboys

Z0: Hmm…Pig…What is this… it's cold…I see maple trees…Mounties…and a Moose…

GT: I think we're in a universe where everything is Canada.

Z0: *looks at the Pig as it oinks* Pig says its your fault GT.

GT: Oh, you watch a marathon of Dudley-Do-Right and suddenly you're the bad guy…

Z0: *listens to Pig* Pig says you distracted him while he told me the directions. Anyway I shall handle finding a path back to place we are allowed to travel to…Pig, you talk down the angry moose that wants to kill us. *pig oinks* What do you mean no?

GT: He doesn't mess with mooses after the Caribou Incident.

Z0: Well…I'd rather be in the cold then heat…so while this sorts itself out, follow our heroes in yet another world of weirdness.

GT: SZ, you wanna do disclaimers?

SZ: We own nothing aside from original content.

Z0: Moose…*RV flips over several times* Hah! It's Adamantium! Too bad my friends aren't…

SZ: Ow…

GT: …Ow…

---

The DX Mark 10 drove along a sandy stretch of road. It came to a stop before the doors opened and Ben stepped out. He sighed looking up at the bright sun above them.

"Why did we get stuck with this place!?" Ben shouted at the sky, "And why am I dressed like Clint Eastwood!?" he was dressed in dark pants, boots, a white shirt with a vest and cloak over his shoulders, and a hat to complete the ensemble.

"To better disguise ourselves as locals," Tsubaki replied as she stepped out, wearing a blue blouse under a leather vest, a stetson with red rope in it, and brown pants with cowboy boots.

"Reminds me of when we went to the outskirts of Bellwood," Makoto added, dressed up in a similar outfit to Ben's with her shirt acorn in color.

"I still question that…but regardless…" Ben sighed, "Why are we in cowboy country?"

"Maximilian said it would be okay for us to take the car here," Tsubaki argued, "This isn't a pure horse and buggy style of world. It's just…more desert so it's never moved on from the old west style…"

"I feel like I should be Big Chill the entire time…" Ben sighed before he spotted a random sign just ahead, "Maybe a town is nearby…" he walked over to it, "Ah…nope…just wanted posters…"

"Ooh...how retro." Makoto smiled, walking over to take a look, "Haven't seen old timey wanted posters since before we moved timelines, huh Tsubaki?"

"That is true," Tsubaki admitted, "It would honestly be a good idea to peruse them on the off-chance we encounter one."

"Let's see…AH!" Ben gawked, pointing to one, "'Wanted for $900,000: Doc Animo. Beware his posse of killer animals'!" It was indeed Animo…well younger with a normal head, but dressed in a very well put together suit, which they assumed had a green tint but the paper was so faded it was hard to say.

"Huh…So that's what he looks like with his brain covered by skin and skull," Makoto noted, blinking a few times, "...Any chance we can figure out how to get a transplant for our Animo?"

"He's already on a list for that," Tsubaki replied, "Apparently one of his 'patients' kept teasing him."

"...He's talking to his stuffed animals?" Makoto asked.

"No. One of Max's rogues and one of Robotboy's rogues decided it'd be humorous to pass the time with learning ventriloquism," Tsubaki sighed, rubbing the side of her head to fight off the oncoming migraine.

"Oh wow…these posters all look like the losers back home. Look! There's even aliens!" Ben chuckled, "Grandpa Maximilian did say this world was a real strange one, but wow…" he pulled one down of this world's Liam and looked it over, the whole while Tsubaki and Makoto froze and gawked as the poster revealed to be hidden under it, "Even Chicken boy…Lil-Boy Liam~ Hahahaha!" he laughed before tensing as Makoto grabbed his head and turned it to the board, "Hahahaha….AH!-!-!" it was a picture of…well…him…this world's version at least, "Badluck Ben…T-t-t-t-t-t-TEN BILLION?!-!-!-!"

"Oh…the money is called Double Dollars…neat…" Makoto muttered, "Ben? Ah, Ben!?" she panicked as Ben was pale and frozen in place, "Wake up, Ben-kun!" she slapped him.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, ALTER ME!?" Ben ranted, pulling down the wanted poster and glaring at it, "Oh, you are so meeting Rath for this, Badluck Ben!"

"Crimes include…Natural Disaster levels of…P-Property Damage?" Tsubaki gawked, "Endangerment of countless civilians, destruction of landmarks…and income revenues not limited to but including mines of coal, silver and gold…and…Ben…these…these are all things you do…"

"What?!" Ben shouted.

"This one is just…actually held accountable for all his property damage…not a single bank robbery or murder charge…he just wrecks everything in his path…" Tsubaki realized.

"Pfft…" Makoto couldn't help the laugh that got out, "So-pfft!-Sorry…"

"Gah!" Ben panicked, "I…I mean I know I did some damage here and there…but I've never done enough to be given the same epitaph as Godzilla!" he paused, "Wait…I HAVE!"

"Pfffttt…hahahahaha!" Makoto laughed, falling to her knees while holding her gut in her laughing fit.

"So…this is what would happen if Ben was held accountable…" Tsubaki muttered, "The Walking Wildfire, the Human Hurricane…the Notorious outlaw said to be in six places at once…Badluck Ben. He is identified by the green hourglass he decorates his clothing with…" she frowned, "...and his preference for unusual flavors of frozen beverages."

"Always stays the same amongst Bens," Skurd groaned.

"Aw man….." Ben groaned, "I'm a wanted outlaw… Who knows what this me is even like? He must be some tough as nails anti-hero type that doesn't take no one's nonsense!"

"In short, what you wish you could look like to folks?" Makoto asked.

"...You are so lucky I'm madly in love with you…" Ben frowned while giving his girlfriend the stink eye.

"I accept it!" Makoto grinned.

"Wait…does that mean I have to go incognito?" Ben blinked.

"...I am so glad I keep an ID Mask on hand," Tsubaki sighed as she pulled out an ID Mask and began to mess with it on the inside before handing it to Ben.

"Aw man…These things are always so uncomfortable…" Ben grumbled as he put the ID Mask on, turning his hair cobalt blue with bangs on the top of his head, his eyes a mixture of emerald green and brown, and made him appear Japanese in terms of race, "...How do I look?"

"..." Makoto blinked a few times before giving a thumbs up, "You look mega cool, Ben-kun! You're really rocking it!"

"Thanks," Ben nodded before looking back at the posters.

"...Is…Is that look on purpose?" Makoto whispered to Tsubaki.

"Hm?" Tsubaki raised a brow.

"Oh you've gotta be kidding me! Y…You seriously did that by complete accident?!" Makoto quietly asked.

"Makoto, I seriously don't get what you're talking about," Tsubaki sighed.

"...Remind me to get you on an emulator I have on my computer the next time we have a day off," Makoto deadpanned.

"Oh for…" Tsubaki groaned as she facepalmed.

---

"Whoa~" Noel awed, sitting in the passenger seat as Maximilian drove down the road, "Is this…England?"

"Close but incorrect, Ms. Vermillion," Glitch replied, "This is the Bellwood of Dimension 19205113-16211411. In this world, technology on Earth was based upon the hypothetical steam technology often espoused by the criminal Steam Smythe. Though the steam-based technology in this world is far more efficient and adequate than his various counterparts."

"Though as for why things are so Industrial Revolution London like…I'll never know," Maximilian sighed, "I guess culture just spread differently."

"Well it's kind of interesting." Noel smiled, "It's got a certain charm to it."

"Sister likes time period romance stories…" Lambda blurted.

"L-La-chan~!" Noel whined, blushing.

"Oh we all know it…" Mai argued, "You even watch foerign ones, provided you know the language…"

"It's surprising how many languages you know," Lambda admitted.

"Really?" Maximilian asked.

"She even knows four different alien languages…just to understand their soap operas," Mai sighed.

"She's addicted to K and J Dramas, too…" Lambda added, "She even got Ben to hack our DVR to get programs from Korea and Japan just for that reason."

"Worth it…" Noel shrugged, knowing she could no longer play innocent here, "B-But you use it for the cartoons, too, La-chan."

"?! N-No I don't…That's Robotboy…" Lambda argued, her cheeks turning pink.

"Everyone abuses that Upgrade DVR for their own reasons…" Mai chuckled sheepishly, "For most, it's either Dramas or anime…"

"Ben uses it for Sumo Slammers and Makoto for tokusatsu," Lambda added.

"As much as I enjoy learning of this, we do have a mission to find this version of Ben Tennyson to fulfill," Glitch reminded.

"Oh right!" Noel spoke up, "What kind of Ben lives in this world?"

"Based on data gathered, he is twenty-five years of age. Profession: Private Eye."

"McGruff?" Lambda tilted her head.

"He is a pretective, not a detective."

"Private Eye?" Mai muttered, "I wouldn't imagine Ben doing that sort of job…"

"Oh…you'd be surprised…" Maximilian chuckled, "You haven't seen what Ben can do when he has to solve the problem on his own. Most Bens just don't show the brains they really have."

"True. Our own has a photographic memory he could've used to excel in school…and he didn't because school was, as he put it, 'boring,'" Mai snickered.

"Ben isn't your typical hidden smart kid…while Gwen is all about studying and learning, Bens…are more Sherlock Holmes style…they are weird, but what they lack in traditional book smarts…they make up for it with a very strange mind and unexpected knowledge," Maximilian chuckled, "I'm willing to bet that this Ben is some quirky Sherlock-type detective."

"It would make sense," Noel nodded, "He must do a lot of jobs for the police, too. Like when he volunteers at the mall on Black Friday."

"Which gets really…chaotic," Mai added.

"Well, I guess if he's that big of a name, the local police might be able to point us to where he is," Maximilian sighed, "Guess we should find something fitting. No need to go super old timey, but…something fancy would be preferable."

"Ooh, I finally get a turn~" Noel cheered, "I have the perfect outfit, too!"

"Noel, it's not that far back in terms of time period attire," Mai reminded.

"I know~! I just have the perfect outfit!" Noel assured.

"She really does," Lambda deadpanned.

"Oh let's have some fun. It helps relax and stay focused," Maximilian sighed, "If you're too stressed, you come off as suspicious."

"Ah…R-Right," Mai sheepishly rubbed the back of her head, "Sorry. Just…used to being the voice of reason when Tsubaki isn't there in our group."

"Well that's all fine, but it takes a while to pick up all the lessons needed to be a leader. It's why I've been teaching them to Ben for years," Maximilian chuckled. "Don't worry though, I'm here to be the annoying grandfather. Just like your Max."

"Good Grandpa," Lambda smiled.

"I'll park this thing in an inconspicuous place and we'll get to searching," Maximilian chuckled at that.

"Noel already ran into the changing room," Mai stated.

"No patience…" Lambda sighed.

"I'm almost done!" Noel shouted from the closet.

"Oh…fast. Normally she takes much longer." Lambda noted in awe, "She must have picked this out to the finest detail…"

"Huh…This is honestly the fastest she's changed. Normally, I'm the fast one of the girls," Mai noted.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I know what I like and it takes less than five minutes," Mai shrugged.

"I prefer comfort over style." Lambda explained, "Sister is much more mindful of such things. She even picks clothes for us sometimes…" she muttered, "Makoto jokes she's like team Mom."

"Well her and Tsubaki…" Mai muttered.

"Hehehe…Ben is stuck with the more vocal one." Lambda giggled.

"Finished!" Noel shouted as she ran back, wearing a rose-red attire consisting of a red blazer with gold accents and short sleeves that stopped at the elbows, over a white blouse with a small white ruffle around her neck, a matching pleated skirt with a brown belt, white stockings with a blue ribbon on her right leg, knee length red high-heeled boots with cuffs, she had red padded combat gloves with brown cuffs, and to complete the attire she had a set of red and silver goggles over her head with the left lens being larger.

"...steampunk?" Lambda guessed as Mai went in next.

"I have been thinking of outfits since Makoto brought back her new hero outfit." Noel explained, "I got an idea for this one after reading a few books, the goggles are something I really want…I don't like scopes…ruins how I use guns."

"Oh…like my visor?" Lambda blinked.

"Exactly," Noel smiled, "You inspired me, La-chan."

"...mmm," Lambda smiled a bit at that before going in to change once Mai stepped out.

"Well once the rest of you girls are ready then, let's be off," Maximilian spoke up

"Right!" Noel smiled.

"Yes sir," Lambda saluted.

"Hai," Mai added.

---

"Ok…where is the other me?" Ben whispered as he and his group looked around town.

"Knowing you, someplace that might be less chaotic," Tsubaki guessed.

"Since it is a Ben…where would an old west Ben go?" Makoto asked, looking to her lover for his input.

"...Saloon…" Ben nodded, "Has to be the only place to get the one cold refreshing mana of the gods in this desert wasteland…"

"Probably, but…" Tsubaki began before they heard a window crashing, making them turn to see a man being thrown out of it from a fairly large saloon, "...those are known to be breeding grounds for chaos…"

"Oh your being paranoid, Tsubaki," Makoto rolled her eyes.

"Oh I'm paranoid?" Tsubaki questioned, "Okay then question..how many western movies don't have a fight in a saloon?"

"Counter point…since when do I make wise decisions?" Ben argued.

"...fair point," Tsubaki muttered.

"You really expect a Ben…to not dare to go into the most volatile place around…just for a smoothie?"

"...let's just go in," Tsubaki muttered as she began walking towards the saloon.

"She really over thinks things sometimes," Makoto shook her head as the two began to follow her.

"I mean…it sounds more fun to drink it here and get a show…" Ben explained his reasoning for it.

"Oh totally. It's always fun to see a bunch of people making asses of themselves over a card game," Makoto nodded as the three stepped in..and immediately ducked when a man was tossed over them, "Like that."

"Next time ya try and cheat Gary, yer headin' to th' desert without yer pants!" one patron shouted.

"I think I'm gonna like this place." Ben smiled.

"Oh this is gonna be fun~" Makoto grinned.

"...oh I chose the wrong team," Tsubaki sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose, "...you two just..just start gathering info while I…and you're both gone…."

"Barkeep, two smoothies!" Ben laughed as he and Makoto were already sitting at the bar.

"...screw it. Just go with the flow," TSubaki sighed as she walked over, "Chocolate one…double."

"Mmm…" the bartender nodded as he turned back to begin making them. A few patrons took notice of the order but shrugged it off after checking a rolled up wanted poster, "So…you from out of town or somethin'?"

"We are on a trip," Ben spoke up, "We ain't bounty hunters or anything,"

"We work in insurance! We take account of damage done by outlaws, disasters etc!" Makoto spoke up, "So folks can't lie about who actually caused damages." at that most everyone seemed to instantly lose interest and calm down.

"I see…well hope you folks enjoy your trip then," the bartender smiled a bit as he began mixing up ingredients, "Though uh…you need to be on the look out. Bad Luck Ben's been sighted around th' area recently…and chaos seems to follow that boy no matter."

"Ah…our company's elusive White whale!" Makoto laughed, "We…we get a lot of work thanks to him…" she elbowed Tsubaki.

"We mostly take account…of his messes and do…all the…paperwork." Tsubaki added.

"Those poor bastards…" several patrons all muttered out loud.

"I feel personally attacked…" Ben muttered under his breath.

"...still, best be careful if you see him," the bartender stated as he put down some smoothies before them, "Lot of bounty hunters lookin' to take his head…him and that fancy device of his."

"Fancy device you say?" Makoto asked, "Well we only hear of the damage, but granted the stories get muddled from random folks."

"Some say it's just…chaotic nonsense," Tsubaki added.

"Some say it's all a bunch of accidents," Ben added feeling the stares.

"Yeah well try telling Mayor Harangue that," the bartender muttered, "Man has an immense hate for the guy."

'...Not even in another universe can he leave me alone!' Ben thought in annoyance.

"Even has a female bounty hunter on him," he added, catching the trio's attention, "She fails to catch him each time…even more so since this one fella showed up."

"Fella?" Makoto repeated.

"Yeah…calls himself Eon or somethin'."

"Of course…" Ben nodded.

"Just be careful though…last people who messed with him suddenly found themselves as dust," the bartender warned.

"Duly noted, sir," Tsubaki nodded as she took a drink of her smoothie.

"Isn't there a sheriff who deals with this stuff?" Makoto couldn't help but ask.

"Well sure but Sheriff Levin is busy with all the wacky wanted criminals." the bartender shrugged.

"Ah…noted," Makoto nodded before blinking, "Sheriff Levin?"

"Took up the spot from his Old man." the Bartender nodded before sighing, "Good man too…"

"Well sounds like this place is in good hands." Ben sighed in relief.

"Aw…your trust in Kevin's is sweet." Makoto whispered with a smile.

"Different Kevin or not, I know he's a good person…" Ben whispered back as the bartender was already talking to the next patron, "The Gwen here probably helped him somehow…"

"Has to be…probably also why this Ben isn't in chains or a stockade…" Makoto added.

"I imagine this Ben is good but…they don't take kindly to his…methods." Tsubaki sighed.

"Hey I try," Ben whispered

"We know but you gotta admit…it makes sense." Makoto whispered.

"..Yeah your right…"

"Oh so you agree with your girlfriend…" Tsubaki arched an eyebrow.

"You're like my adoptive sister, of course I don't agree with you." Ben argued.

"Touche." she nodded, "...still, another Eon…better be careful with this version."

"Eh. We can probably take him," Makoto shrugged as she took a sip of her smoothie, only to tense before spitting it out, "Ahh it's rotten…!"

"Funny…could say the same for your taste in men," the three tensed as they turned, seeing a version of Eon…wearing cloak with the entire upper part of his face covered by a visor.

"Oh come on…" Ben groaned, "How many versions of you are there?"

"Don't know…how many versions of you have clingy women?" Eon countered

"I know you're just another evil psycho but that is a line you do not cross with me." Ben frowned as multiple patrons began moving tables around and preparing for another brawl.

"We should stop this…" Tsubaki spoke up.

"Now hang on…let him fight for my honor…" Makoto held her back.

"You are incorrigible."

"Shut up and let me have my fantasy moment before I rip this bastard's arms out and beat him with one while shoving the other up into him from the back." Makoto waved it off.

"...ugh….fine."

"Honestly…such a brutish woman you have, Ben," Eon shook his head as he put his hand on the counter, causing part of it to deteriorate before it crumbled away, "Then again…one Ben had a Kai Green…and they fought a lot."

"Why does everyone bring that pairing up…we frankly didn't get along." Ben mumbled, "She's a good friend but god damn did that feel like a zero chemistry moment…"

"Well you'll be happy to know that version of you is now single," Eon smirked, "His Kai got personal…until I made her dust after he gave up the Omnitrix."

"..."

"...oh he went there," Skurd whispered.

"Funny how a delayed reaction c-" Eon began before a flash went off, followed by Trizerk crashing into him as he tackled him through the wall.

"Well he held on longer than other times." Makoto noted as the building trembled.

"RUN! It's another freak like Badluck Ben! Get the Sheriff!"

"..." Tsubaki sighed as she handed several Tayden to Makoto, "I really hoped he'd last just one more hour…"

"This is why you don't make bets with me on what he does or how long he can go without doing something," Makoto grinned.

---

"...okay. So far everything seems normal," Maximilian muttered as he, Noel, Mai and Lambda walked through a stone path through a small town, various people walking by.

"Feels a bit like England," Lambda compared.

"But…Retro." Mai added.

"Sister is petting someone's horse…" Lambda blurted out as she turned her head.

"Oh for…Noel!"

"Hmm?" Noel blinked as she turned, currently gently rubbing the mane of a pure white horse, "Oh! Sorry…"

"Your love of animals has gotten crazy since turning into a Pet owner…" Mai sighed.

"Well only cute and pretty animals…" Noel argued, "Which is…a wider list for me…"

"Focus, we need to find where this Ben is." Mai complained.

"Oh don't worry it's Ben, we'll find him in no time." Noel waved off, "How long can any Ben go without causing a fight?"

"I hate that's so accurate…" Mai groaned.

"But it makes it the one predictable thing about Ben." Lambda replied, "Even the drastically different versions still get into fights eventually."

"So how would we…?" Mai began before the group stopped upon seeing a large crowd of people watching something from around the corner.

"There…we begin there." Maximilian nodded as they walked over.

"Hai," the three girls nodded as they started to approach the large crowd.

They heard murmurs from people in the range of 'Not again', 'Another victim', or 'that monster has done it again', which did not inspire good feelings. But it was still there only clue. So they gently made their way through to the front as they found the police of this world as they closed off a section of road leading into a small alleyway. They made sure to keep people as far back as possible.

"Alright, alright back, nothing to see here." one officer groaned, "Make way for the professionals."

"Nothing to see here, folks. Just move along," Another added.

"Wonder what happened here?" Noel whispered.

"Mystery…second best chance of finding Ben." Lambda whispered.

"Excuse me Sir…what happened?" Mai asked one of the officer's, earning their attention as he turned to look at her.

"Another monster attack…" a police officer groaned only to be roughly elbowed by his coworker, "Ah…I mean just a robbery, we just call it that among us…cause crazies say a monster popped out at them."

'Ben is totally involved somehow…'

"See you say Monster to new folks in town and they look at us crazy!" his coworker pointed to the expressions on their faces, he then took his hat and used it to thump the one who said 'Monster Attack' upside the head.

"I said sorry, come on mate, we're all tired of this nonsense…" he whispered back while rubbing the back of his head.

"How do you think I feel? I could be having some tea and biscuits by now..or better yet some fish and chips," the other whispered back.

"Super British…" Lambda whispered to herself, "So…what kind of monster?" she leaned towards Maximilian for his take.

"Has to be an alien…an alien criminal maybe?" he whispered back.

"That or another evil Ben or Eon X-Tinction sent after this Ben," Mai whispered.

"...taste."

"Huh?" Mai blinked as she looked at Lambda.

"Taste it.."

"Taste it? Wh…" Mai began before she tensed in realization, "...no."

"We can't go and have Mai use her abilities on crime scenes…it's creepy." Noel muttered.

"Ah….fair point," Lambda whispered, the group unaware of someone walking past them, "...then may need another strategy…"

"Oh you again…" the police officer groaned as a man in a black overcoat with green piping walked past them, his head covered by a dark black newsboy cap, his oxford boots stepped along the ground as they just kept walking.

"Who was…"

"Bah…Benjamin Tennyson…they call him a Great Detective…all I remember him as is the punk who used to run around these streets causing trouble." he crossed his arms.

"No way that was him…" the officer nodded dumbly as they entered the alleyway.

"Oh that was this world's Ben…" Noel awed.

"Given his height and stature, we're likely dealing with a Ben 5K at this moment in time," Maximilian noted.

"5K?" Noel repeated.

"A Ben in his early to mid twenties," Maximilian summed up.

"He's…much taller than Ben…" Lambda noted.

"Ben tends to get a final growth spurt around the age of 19." Maximilian explained.

"Aw man…I rather liked having a guy friend who wasn't that much taller than me…" Noel complained.

"...same," Lambda admitted a bit.

"Didn't you al…oh wait. La-chan wasn't there when future Ben and Makoto showed up," Mai recalled, "But you, Noel?"

"While I didn't suppress the romance parts, I think I repressed their looks," Noel admitted, "I see them everyday, so I just always picture them as is. Seeing them slightly older and married and adorable like…that stuck with me. I don't have a super specific memory when something distracts me."

"Never change, Noel," Mai sweatdropped.

"Hmph!" Noel pouted, "Like any of you are perfect…"

"I like to think I am," Lambda raised her hand.

"Whenever Bluey gets scared," Noel and Mai countered, sharing the same neutral expression.

"I see nothing wrong with that," Lambda argued simply.

"You threatened to turn Billy into a Jilly when he threatened him last time," Mai deadpanned.

"Your point?"

"Well you're not a pet parent." Noel noted to Mai.

"With how you two act, I don't think I ever will find one," Mai sighed.

"...ahh. What…" Lambda began.

"You're not dragging me into a crazy pet finding adventure when we get home."

"Boo~" the two sisters pouted.

"We have a magic bunny, a magic sword elephant, and a super mink." Mai argued.

"...you're right…we need a kitty and a doggy." Noel nodded.

"Agreed," Lambda nodded," Complete the trifecta."

"Oh for…" Mai facepalmed.

"Oh Alternate Grandpa Max is already gathering information." Lambda pointed out, "He is better at talking his way into situations."

"Wait…wha…?" Mai blinked, noting Maximilian was laughing with the police.

"My sister and I are not good at that yet." Lambda nodded, "Neither are you it seems…"

"You have learned too much from Makoto…" Mai frowned, "Especially Sassiness…"

"I am the Queen of Sass," Lambda smiled.

---

A covered wagon pulled into town. The driver jumped down as they untied the horses and let them get a drink. After a small bit of struggle, a figure fell out of the back. They grunted, looking around in confusion, and revealing it was none other than Bad Luck Ben Tennyson. He groaned once he realized what happened.

"Aw man…back in town again…?" he looked around, "How do I keep going in one big circle…"

"Hey wait ain't you…" the driver began.

"AAHHH!" he panicked, grabbing a rock and beaning the driver in the head, knocking them out, "...oops." he sheepishly chuckled, "I don't think he deserved that."

"Yes…just add another crime to the wanted posters…assault and battery…" a voice complained from inside his coat.

"Shut it you…" he groaned, lifting the man and tossing him inside the wagon, "And I already have that…"

"Well it doesn't count if it's another criminal…this was a poor joe you smacked with a rock…good arm by the way." the voice sarcastically complimented.

"I reacted okay?" he muttered, "Not my fault I'm so jumpy when that one bounty hunter tries to catch me."

"Don't forget that high falutin sheriff that never misses a chance to pick a fight."

"And yet I win those each time," he retorted.

"Yes…and the end result is millions in damages and entire towns wiped off the map…do you even know how much cartographers hate you…"

"Hey. I try to avoid as much damage as I can," he countered, "Not to mention that mayor that hates my guts…"

"I can't argue that…but one counterpoint…Did you have to throw an entire steam engine…at a dam…?"

"Alright, that wasn't my best day…" he groaned, "Look…let's just get to town before…"

*CRASH!*

"I didn't do it!" Bad Luck Ben yelped as he held his hands up.

"I don't think that was you bucko…" the voice spoke as his jacket opened enough for a set of green eyes to peer out as they saw Trizerk running down the street with Eon.

"Well how about that…don't see a giant space lizard with horns everyday…" Badluck Ben whistled, "Nice hustle to…well this could be my chance…Sheriff will be busy with those bozos and won't notice me borrowing a horse to get to the next town!"

"Get off me!" Eon snapped as he fired a blast of energy into Trizerk, sending him flying and into a horse stable..resulting in all the horses in there to run away.

"Aw come on…" Bad Luck Ben groaned.

"Ugh…" Trizerk groaned as he got up and glared at Eon, "Just for that I'm going to dunk you helmet first into the local outhouse…"

"Bring it!"

With that the two charged at one another, totally unaware of Badluck Ben as he chased down a horse. Trizerk roared smacking Eon across the ground, only for the temporal villain to blast a ray aw a water tower making it fall and cut off their path. Eon sighed only for the Triceraton to break through the water tower and punched him, water spilling out all over the ground and turning it muddy. Badluck Ben groaned as this only spooked the few horses even more. He then yelped when people began following the commotion making him jump behind a barrel. Sadly the barrel was taken and used to smack Eon sending him flying into the support beam for a building's roof.

"Ah for…!" Tsubaki groaned as she and Makoto ran into the area, seeing the destruction caused by the two's battle, "See?! SEE?! This is what I'm talking about with you two!"

"Ye-" Makoto began before blinking, "Wait…why me?!"

"Oh please the two of you revel in violent wanton destruction…I think it gets the two of you excited…" Tsubaki accused.

"...well yeah but…"

"Face it Makoto…you and your boyfriend are agents of chaos."

"Well you and your sorta boyfriend are killjoys of order…" Makoto huffed.

"This way is dangerous to…" Badluck Ben hugged a wall to slowly sneak away from the arguing ladies, "Mom always said never interrupt ladies having an argument…"

"Hmm?" Makoto blinekd for a moment, "...hey hold."

"Wh-" Tsubaki began before she noticed Makoto's ears twitching, "...he's nearby, isn't he?"

"GH?!" Badluck Ben tensed up at that, "I'm a wall…I'm a wall…" he kept hugging the wall and slowly sneaking away.

"I can hear you, ya know!" Makoto shouted, making him stumble before he fell over.

"Girl's got quite good hearing," the voice in Badluck Ben's coat muttered.

"He's not at all what the stories paint…" Tsubaki muttered.

"Uh…AH!" he shouted as he shot up and pointed behind them, making both girls turn as Trizerk grabbed and swung Eon by his leg.

"Whew…now that was some swing," Makoto noted.

"Yes…truly," Tsubaki nodded, not even looking as she tossed her paperfan at Badluck Ben's head just as he tried to escape, making him yelp as he fell over again, "Also nice try, Ben."

"Aw man…I just escaped one scary bounty hunter posse…now it's two and an alien lizard…" he groaned.

"Oh relax.." Makoto began as she walked over to him, lightly picking him up before whispering to him, "Besides, we're here to save ya."

"Beg pardon?"

"You see the guy in the cloak fighting the big dino?" Makoto asked as she pointed at the battle, Trizerk blocking a energy blast from Eon as he was sent skidding back, "That guy's after your Omnitrix."

"Oh…one of these adventures again…" Badluck Ben sighed as he slumped, "I'll take the bounty hunters again…"

"I doubt bounty hunters could do that," the voice inside his coat pointed out as the eyes peered out, seeing Eon attempting to grab Trizerk as he jumped out of the way, letting his hand hit the side of a house before it began to crumble away into dust and decayed wood.

"The weird green tentacle faced alien numbed me to a lot…"

"Oh yeah? Well that big dino guy…" Makoto began as Trizerk tackled into Eon, crashing him into teh decayed building, "Is actually a version of you and my boyfriend."

"...say wha…?"

"Makoto…" Tsubaki groaned.

"What? We need to explain what he's exactly dealing with here," Makoto pointed out.

"I'm pretty sure he is just use to nonsense!" Tsubaki smacked her with a paper fan, "You go too far sometimes…"

"Owie…" Makoto rubbed her head.

"I think you broke him…" the voice in his coat spoke.

"Wait, do you have a Skurd?" Makoto blinked.

"Oh…you mean him…" Badluck Ben sighed, opening the side of his jacket to show the green eyes peering out at them.

"Greetings~"

"Oh joy~! Another me!" Skurd beamed from his place on Trizerk.

"Mmm…not exactly, I was sadly captured by some unsavory space fellows…now I am stuck in a rather brutish shape."

"Oh you poor fellow."

"It is fine..I was able to bond with a wonderful device attached to this…ugh. Outlaw," Gun Skurd groaned.

"I can hear you," Badluck Ben deadpanned.

"Well I'm not whispering now am I?" his Skurd complained.

"Mmm…"

"Woah!" Trizerk yelped as he was sent flying and crashing into a large barrel, "Okay…this guy's tougher than he looks."

"IT's okay we found the you of this place!" Makoto smiled as Badluck Ben looked around before pointing to himself, "Yes you!"

"Oh…no no…I don't pick a fight…" he chuckled, "I am a lover of life…my life…and if I can get away without being shot at, tossed off bridges into canyons, exploding mine shafts…" he trailed off, "Ah man…I almost die a lot…" he sighed with a haunted look on his face.

"...oh you're a pacifist aren't ya?" Makoto asked.

"I like to think I am." he admitted, "But sometimes I just don't have an option…"

"I suppose…I never wondered what it would be like to be Ben…and just go it alone…" Tsubaki realized.

"Ugh I am getting real tired of this…" Eon sighed as he aimed, only to flinch when he noticed Badluck Ben took aim at him, "A Tennyson who packs heat…what a rarity…but I guess given this world…"

"Believe me…I don't want to fight as much as you do," Badluck Ben stated in a neutral tone, "But…I can tell you'll harm anyone that gets between us..including innocent bystanders."

"Oh how right you are…" Eon smirked.

"Even a normal gun going off can hurt someone…you…you shoot something much worse then any old lead slug…" Badluck Ben spoke, "So if you want me I'm more then happy to settle this with you elsewhere."

"Why would I do that? I have more advantages here." Eon pointed out.

"Maybe…but far as I see it…if someone shouts Badluck Ben is here…then all the would-be bounty hunters that are here would come running. Plus no doubt that the Sheriff will show up soon…and maybe even the good bounty hunters…" he pointed out, "Four on one sounds easy to you…but can you handle that free for all? I mean that's every day for me, two towns ago everyone and their literal grannies were chasing me with guns for days…and I had the stamina to run from that…what about you spooky?"

"Well damn…ain't you just a clever little hick…" Eon replied, "Fine…I guess you got me at both a literal and metaphorical gun point…fine. We'll do this the cliche way…I'll meet all of you over at that mesa out there." he pointed to the flat top mountain a distance away, "If you don't show…I age this whole down back to the dust it came from."

"Hmph…noted," Badluck Ben noted with a frown.

"Don't be late now." Eon spoke, swiping his arm across his body, making himself vanish into thin air in the process.

"...woah," Makoto whispered in awe as Badluck Ben holstered his gun, 'I just got huge Vash the Stampede Vibes right there…'

"Aw suffering sasparillas," Badluck Ben sighed, "This here is a real crazy day for me…"

"At least he believed you had bullets…" his Skurd muttered.

"What…no I got one…" he opened the chamber, "Nope…none…Ahhh…." he paled as he realized he went in with no ammo.

"Told you."

"How have you survived?" Tsubaki asked.

"Hey cut me some slack bullets are expensive…especially for a custom built gun…" Badluck Ben complained, "Why are you judging me so much lady, you don't even have a piece on you…of course you wouldn't understand the pain of maintenance and expense to make this thing work."

"A minimum of roughly eight hours to polish each part, fifteen minutes to assemble and disassemble, and it uses .25 calibur rounds."

"What the…?! How the…?!"

"We have a friend who uses guns to fight with. One slip of the tongue and she got us all locked in a classroom, her in a teacher's outfit with a riding crop, and we were stuck in a ten hour lecture and test that had to be repeated if we didn't get perfect scores," Tsubaki explained.

"It was terrifying and arousing at the same time," Makoto admitted before Tsubaki smacked her upside the head with her paperfan, "Ite!"

"Oh she's one of those kind of folks huh…" Badluck Ben nodded.

"Hey!" Makoto complained.

"Yes…yes she is," Ben's Skurd stated.

"Sadly she is easy to figure out…" Tsubaki sighed.

"Oh really? Name one..." Makoto began as a green flash went off before Ben walked over and he began to scratch her behind the ear, "?!...mmm~"

"My point stands," Tsubaki stated as a goofy smile grew on Makoto's face.

"...Well I'll be," Badluck Ben whispered as he looked at Ben, "You are another me…my hair really that funny looking?"

"Hey…" Ben complained.

"I need to get you a haircut…" Makoto whispered to Ben.

"Mmm…" Ben pouted.

"So…is this the part where you tell me something like if we touch the world goes kaboom?" Badluck Ben asked.

"You…have a very wide view of things…" Tsubaki noted.

"Lady…I've been a wanted criminal since I first got these powers…and worse after finding this freeloader…" Badluck Ben spoke as he motioned to his Skurd, "I have been to space, all over the world…and somehow…the same crotchety mayor…still is on my tail…"

"I know your pain, man…" Ben sighed.

"TENNYSON!"

"And that's our cue to leave…!" Badluck Ben yelped as he ran.

"Uh…wait for us!" Ben spoke, grabbing Makoto's hand and dragging her with him.

"Ah wait!" she yelped, using her tail to grab Tsubaki and drag her along as well.

"Ahh!"

"Tennyson get back here!" this world's version of Harangue shouted as he ran into the area, wearing a black cowboy hat over his head as he sported a small mustache, "Grr…that blasted menace…!"

"Mayor! You gotta come quick! The bar fight is getting crazy! People are shooting at the ceiling again!" a random citizen called out.

"Wh-?! Again!?" he snapped as he rushed off, "Sheriff Levin! Get off your lazy butt and do your job!"

"Sir you sent him after Tennyson…about a month ago…"

"Blast it!"

---

"Be careful," Maximilian whispered as he and his group wandered into a rather shady looking part of town, "From the info I gathered, our perp is hiding somewhere here…"

"'Edge Alley,'" Mai whispered as she read a nearby sign, "'Best be wary here…less you be on the edge of a knife at your throat.'"

"I do not like this place…" Lambda pouted.

"Me neither," Noel whispered as the two sisters stayed close, gripping their respective weapons defensively.

"I suppose given this world's older setting…there are still…shady things around the dark corners…" Mai muttered.

"You don't inspire confidence…" Lambda deadpanned.

"Oi…"

"Now calm down," Maximillian spoke, "We need to be extra careful here…telling from the locals…" he noticed a pair of thugs grinning at them..mainly at the girls as they flipped their daggers in their hands, "They'll wait for us to get distracted."

"I understand the concern but given what we normally deal with…look, Noel! A roach!" Mai pointed to a piece of wall, making Noel yelp and kick through the wall…causing a chunk of wall to collapse, getting more than a few looks at such a small girl…doing so much damage, and maybe making some reconsider.

"Is it dead!?" Noel asked.

"Yes…very dead," Lambda confirmed.

"Oh phew…" she sighed in relief.

"Good job." Lambda gave a thumbs up, "And this time without wasting ammo."

"Knew that extra training paid off," Noel whispered with a smile.

"To be fair, you girls strike me a good bit stronger then the…average girl," Maximilian muttered.

"I suppose we are…We just don't notice because Ben and Makoto do all the smashing." Noel nodded.

"Probably doesn't help from all the training we did at the academy," Mai added, the thugs turning paler, "I mean, the minimum for passing gym was being able to lift two tons."

"Our gym teacher was a demon," Noel mumbled.

"I am glad I had no such thing in my past," Lambda muttered while imagining that, "From your stories…School sounds horrible and terrible…"

"But you make friends," Noel argued.

"Unneeded. Sister's friends are now my friends, and more friends were gained from adventures," she replied while turning away from Noel.

"Mmm…" Noel pouted before seeing the two thugs, "Hm? Oh, I'm sorry! Do you folks need something?"

"Uh…N-No. Not at all, ma'am," one thug quickly replied.

"A nope-nope! Begging yer pardon," the other replied before they turned around and ran off.

"...People here are weird," Lambda stated.

"Very weird," Mai added, acting as if they didn't intentionally scare off two thugs that were intending to rob them.

"Now we can get back to sleuthing," Lambda spoke, "We need to somehow find the Ben of this world as he works as a Private Investigator for the police."

"It's so odd to think of Ben acting in such a mature profession," Mai added.

"Well Ben can be his fair share of being intense when the time demands," Maximilian added.

"Intense is underselling it…the entire time I saw him and Vilgax in one room…he seemed scarier than Ragna when upset…" Noel added, "The Tension and Pressure was so dense it was concerning…I'm just afraid that this Ben is like that all the time…I kind of prefer our goofy Ben. He's cu-" she began before covering her mouth, "?!"

"?" Lambda and Mai raised a brow at that last part.

"B-Better! He's better that way!" Noel quickly corrected herself as she tried to hide the blush on her face, 'Ah…why did I say that?!'

"Yeah, those Bens are quite the…well…off putting," Maximilian agreed, "They're often the ones who feel like they have to carry everything on just their shoulders. I remember my Ben and Gwen once telling me about a time when they time traveled to the future because of the future Gwen and Ben did not like meeting his future self Ben 10K. He didn't let anyone help him whatsoever, never really going back to being human and normally sticking to XLR8 for the speed to travel all over in a near-instant."

"...Wait. If he is a PI, then wouldn't he have an ad in the paper that gives his address?" Mai asked.

"Paper?" Lambda repeated, tilting her head.

"Newspaper, La-chan," Noel explained, "How do you…oh right, we don't have a subscription after the last paperboy got terrified by a random bad guy attacking." she sighed, "I miss my Garfield comics."

"You can always look at them online," Mai reminded.

"But it's not the same~!" Noel complained, "Newspaper Comics are always so simple and cutely drawn, reading them in the morning during breakfast is super relaxing…" she pouted.

"She likes the little dog, and Garfield in his own way is cute." Lambda added, "I've seen the pictures. I understand why she likes them as her sister." she explained.

"Mm-hmm!" Noel nodded.

"...You like coloring the comics, don't you?" Mai asked.

"Ack! M-Mai~!" Noel whined, blushing.

"Alright, alright," Mai giggled, "Let's go get a newspaper and see if he advertises himself."

"Mmm…" Noel pouted as the four continued to walk away, unaware of a figure staring on at them from a nearby alleyway.

"I wonder what led this Ben down this path…" Lambda whispered, "Our Ben is cocky and goofy, but he has a good heart, and thanks to meeting Makoto and Rook…many many friends."

"He's toned down on the ego thankfully," Mai added.

"Many many friends," Lambda repeated.

"We're more like one big family by now," Noel added.

"Ben already complains about Tsubaki like a nagging older sister," Mai giggled.

"Rook would be the older brother who's trying to learn about current lingo," Lambda added.

"Does that make La-chan the little sister?" Noel pondered.

"I would like to request a different title…" Lambda pouted.

"That depends on if you're older than Noel," Mai replied.

"..." Noel and Lambda looked at one another and shrugged, "Too much work."

"Oi…" Mai sweatdropped at that.

"We…" Lambda began before pausing, her eyes narrowing as she reached for one of her Ancient Flails, "...can we assist you?"

"Eh?" Mai and Noel blinked at that.

"...Another evil Ben?" Maximillian guessed with a frown.

"Correct."

"Ahh..bloody hell. Way to ruin the fun, ya weird-lookin' blondie," Ben's voice spoke up, only sounding more…Australian as the group turned to see a figure walking out of an alleyway, revealing it to be a Ben...only he seemed more like a punk straight out of Mad Max.

"..." the girls looked at Maximilian.

"I read up on this one. The Cold War got triggered into a hot one because of an incident that the Plumbers didn't resolve in time in that world and caused the oceans to become small lakes," Maximilian explained, "Basically, it's like the one movie that people just love to reference about when I'm driving during a pursuit."

"So Mad Max World Ben?" Mai guessed.

"Iie….Mad Ben," Lambda spoke as she gained her armor.

"Too right, weirdo," he grinned a bit, "I'm just here to get this world's Ben's watch…then I can spread my influence to this place, too."

"Your influence?" Mai repeated as she and Noel brought out their respective weapons.

"See, where I'm from? I'm the big boss of my whole world," Mad Ben explained, "And if you don't follow me…well, you can take it up in chains."

"Most Bens…when not given a good environment as a boy…can become some of the worst monsters…" Maximilian spoke with a look of disappointed anger and pity.

"Tch. You sound like my old man," Mad Ben scoffed a bit, "Didn't like how I was using my watch...so I told him to skedaddle."

"I guess this Ben never had a Max…" Noel frowned.

"Even still, we have to be careful," Maximilian stated as he brought his blaster out.

"Heh. You four really think you can take me?" Mad Ben smirked before holding up his Omnitrix, showing it was bronze where Ben's was black and orange where Ben's was green with orange spikes on the band, "Heh…you blokes must be stupider than you look."

"...What did you say about my outfit?" Noel asked.

"Huh?"

"You dare insult the outfit I imagined for so long in my mind? You really are a rude horrible Ben!" Noel declared as she suddenly rushed forward and kicked Mad Ben, both taking him by surprise due to a rather normal reaction speed, and was sent flying due to having a very regular physique, "Eh…our Ben just flinches in pain when we hit him…?"

"I guess Makoto has helped Ben get stronger than he looks…" Mai noted as Mad Ben bounced off a wall and rolled across the ground, "Also…I think most Ben's…rely on Alien powers…more than their normal bodies."

"A sad but honest truth," Maximillian confirmed.

"Gh….okay…" Mad Ben grunted as he forced himself up, "Now…I'm really mad," he growled as he activated his Omnitrix.

"Isn't that your name…Mad Ben?" Lambda asked, making Mad Ben flinch.

"What…No, that's what you call me!"

"So you're not mad?" Lambda asked.

"Yes, I'm mad!" he shouted only for Lambda to smack him in the stomach with one of her Ancient Flails before the other smacked him across the face, making him stumble back, "Y-you…You're despicable…" he was then kicked by both Mai and Noel, sending him sliding back across the street.

"I question why…but Ben's method of 'distract them with nonsense'…really works," Mai sighed, lowering her leg.

"I was honestly curious…" Lambda admitted as Noel smiled and patted her on the head.

"GRAAGH!" Mad Ben snapped as he shot up, "That's it! I was gonna toy with you lot, but guess what?" he slammed down on his Omnitrix, engulfing himself in orange light as he changed into a more viscous, Mad Max version of Rath, "You're gonna be eviscerated and beaten down as Rath puts your skulls on my trophy wall!"

"Bad kitty," Lambda scolded.

"...Kitty? Kitty?!" Rath gawked, "Lemme tell ya somethin', strange girl who keeps making me mad; you keep making me mad!"

"Are you Mad Rath then?"

"I AM MAD!"

"Okay, Mad Rath," Lambda nodded.

"Ha-guh!" Rath gawked before growling as steam came off the top of his head, "D'ooooooh…That's it! You're first!"

"First for what?"

"GRAAAGHGGH!" Rath roared as he pounced right at her.

Lambda said nothing as she just stepped to the side and let Rath slam into the stone road. She blinked before jumping away from another swing before ducking around another. She ducked and rolled around before grabbing his wrist with his next swing and flipping Rath to the ground.

"I have trained with Rath…you are not as skilled as ours…" Lambda explained as Rath groaned, getting back to his feet.

"I never considered our Ben to be…better than others…" Noel muttered.

"Besides the little versions…" Mai added.

"True…guess our spars and Jubei-san's training has had better effect than I thought," Noel noted.

"Why are you so fast!?" Rath roared.

"Technically, I'm not even moving at full speed…" Lambda explained, "I just can predict your moves much easier then the Ben of my world. Punch, Kick, hammer fist, karate chop, punch, punch," she predicted as she avoided each and every attack, "Claw Pound," she jumped as Rath punched his claw into the ground to make a shockwave, "Claw swing, but you come up short due to the first claw being stuck…" she didn't even move as the swing came short of slashing her, "I realized with the Zombie Ben and other bad copies…None of you can really do anything our Ben can't…it's just ours has bigger, weirder, and better super aliens…"

"B-Better!?" Rath growled.

"Normally when I annoy Ben in a spar, he turns into ReBoot and traps me in a cage of data energy…then he plays my games and beats my high score…" she frowned in annoyance at the memory.

"That's a good point," Mai spoke, swinging her spear and using the bottom end to smack Rath across the face, "He keeps using Lodestar to grab my spear…though he has had to revise it with Gravattack after the new features in my weapon."

"We are used to a Ben who has stronger transformations and mastered others to the maximum," Noel added as she kicked Rath's leg, making him fall to one knee before swinging Bolverk and smacking him across the face.

"D'oh! Oh yeah?!" Rath snapped as he shot up, baring his fangs as he brought his arm-claws out, "Well I'm about to show you why the people fear me back home!"

"We understand why people fear you," Noel explained, "But unlike those people, we know how to fight a user of the Omnitrix better than anyone."

"Mmm…we live with a Ben Tennyson, he is very tricky, but all Bens have the same bad habit…" Lambda added.

"Bad habit?" Rath asked before flinching when all three girls kicked him.

"Ben always picks the same type of macho Alien first…" Noel sighed.

"You also don't bathe for three days in a row if someone doesn't say something."

"Lambda Eleven Vermillion!" Noel scolded.

"What? I can smell it from here," Lambda defended.

"Well…it might not hurt to vent some of our minor grievances against this Ben," Mai offered with a small smile, "The Ben of our world is already too skilled for us to get this kind of edge against."

"Exactly," Lambda smiled.

"Hmm…Well I suppose this is more healthy, and technically the Ben we do care for isn't hurt…" Noel sighed.

"Ugh…Why do they hit so hard? They are just two skinny girls…and a blond crossdresser," Rath coughed, still reeling from their kicks.

"On second thought, since I don't care for this ruffian…let us proceed," Noel spoke, her eye twitching.

"Join us sister," Lambda smiled.

Rath began to open his mouth to say something only for a kick from Noel to his face to shut him up preemptively. Rath groaned before he was drop kicked by Mai sending him skidding back, only for Lambda's Ancient Flails to grab him by the legs and swing him up into the air. Rath cried as Mai's spear struck him before it angled around to strike him again and again before a final strike in its anchor mode slammed him into the ground. The Apoplexian groaned before he was suddenly pelted by a barrage of bullets. While they failed to break his skin, let alone his fur, they still stung and hurt a great deal. As he moved his hands to cover his face, he was suddenly struck in the gut by Lambda's flails before they were swung up into his chin and sent his head reeling back.

Rath looked back down only for both Noel and Mai to kick the Apoplexian in the face, sending him flying back and into a wall. He moved to get free only to very audibly yelp when both a spear head and gun barrel were aimed at his face. The two weapons were moved away only for his eyes to widen as Lambda swung around her flails and tossed a giant piece of rubble from a wall into him.

"Did that do it?" Noel asked as the rubble crumbled apart and Rath stepped out slightly dazed.

"Tha…That's not fair…I…why did you hurt so much…two of you are so tiny…" he groaned, only for Noel to shoot him several times, leaving his body smoking from the bullets, "Sorry…" he groaned, falling over.

"Mmm…" Noel fumed as her cheeks were puffed up.

"To be fair, Sister, we are on the shorter side…" Lambda spoke up simply.

"When we're home, you against me," Noel ordered.

"...Oh, that doesn't sound good…"

"It isn't," Noel confirmed before casually tossing Funkfreed over Rath before letting the sword shift into elephant and slam down hard on the Apoplexian.

"...why…?" Rath's muffled voice wheezed out.

"I am a girl! I am not a crossdresser! Girl! Girl!" Noel barked, shaking a fist at the buried Rath, "And you will respect my gender!" she smiled at Funkfreed, "And good boy! I'll make sure to get you extra fruit when we're home!"

"Paon!" Funkfreed trumpeted in joy.

"...She is very vindictive when she wants to be, huh?" Maximilian whispered.

"You do not call her a male unless you're a friend and just teasing her," Mai softly replied, "She can be very…creative…in her punishments."

"Sister has…complex…" Lambda sighed.

"What are you three talking about?" Noel smiled sweetly at them.

"Nothing!" all three replied quickly.

"Okay!" Noel replied as she resumed petting Funkfreed.

"Ugh…" Rath groaned from underneath, the group and evil version of Ben unaware of this world's Ben looking on at them from the shadows.

---

"Hmm…What's he plannin'?" a young woman muttered as she spied Badluck Ben and his small group approaching the mesa, her long blond hair done up into a ponytail as she wore a fiery red button up shirt, a pair of dark blue pants held up by a brown belt with a golden apple-shaped buckle on the front, and a pair of brown cowboy boots while a stetson hat rested on top of her head, "Them's ain't th' usual folk that follow him 'round. …He didn't get collectors on him, did he?"

As she watched Badluck Ben and whom she didn't know was also another Ben began arguing as they pointed past one another in a different direction leading to a different mesa mountain. The two then adjusted each other's hand to point to the other…before they began slapping each other's hands repeatedly. Which then escalated to them literally slapping each other comically. The two held their faces in pain, before throwing their heads back in shared laughter. It was one of the most comical and strange things anyone could ever witness, like something out of an odd silent comedy. And now they were back to arguing and slapping, good chance both of them were not doing an act to fool a pursuer and truthfully: are indeed this stupid.

"Focus, you two!" she heard the redhead hiss to the two, "Eon is waiting for us and we need to make sure we stay vigilant!"

"He started it!" the two shouted.

"This is the single best comedy I have ever seen!" Makoto laughed.

"Honestly this is the funniest thing I've seen in a long while," Badluck Ben's Skurd chuckle.

"Oh so true," Skurd nodded in agreement, "Reminds me of when this one ended up turning into Walkatrout..right in the middle of a chase!"

Makoto fell over, holding her stomach in her laughter, "D-Don't remind me-heheheheheheheeeee~!"

"I expected this from others, but from my own girlfriend…" Ben complained.

"Oh…you also have that weird little walking fish guy…" Badluck Ben sighed.

"Yeah. Walkatrout. You got a name for him?"

"Slipperyeel," he replied, causing Makoto to renew her laughter.

"Remind me to land in your tail next time I'm Walkatrout, Babe!" Ben called.

"Ahh!" Makoto gawked as she froze, "...n-not funny, hunny! You know how long it takes for me to get that stuff off my tail!"

"Three hours, two brushes, and two and a half bottles of shampoo," Ben replied.

"...You and your photographic memory," Makoto frowned before shaking her head, "Even?"

"Even," Ben assured.

"Okay good."

"Y'all are the weirdest couple Ah've ever met…" Badluck Ben muttered, "...but eh. Ah guess that's what love is…"

"Like between you and Ms. Bounty Hunter?" his Skurd quipped.

"That is not love…she tries to put a bullet in me any chance she gets!" he complained.

"I don't know…for most girls, that could be considered playing Tsundere…" Makoto muttered.

"Don't spread chaos…he doesn't need it…" Tsubaki reminded.

"Let's just be glad Noellie isn't here," Makoto pointed out.

"I swear, I can hear the pencil on paper," Ben added.

"Not pen?" both Skurd asked.

"No. She prefers pencil because it's easier to do edits with," Ben replied.

"She's…very detailed…" Makoto added.

"Disturbingly so…" Tsubaki shuddered.

"...I don't think I wanna know," Badluck Ben sweatdropped.

'Same here…' the blonde spying on them thought before shuddering, 'Also…me and that walking disaster waitin' to happen?'

"I'm just saying the heart of a young maiden is a complicated and honestly confusing thing," Makoto smiled, "I was all wacky over my feelings for my Ben 'till I just came out and said it to him. Tsubaki used to be her own kind of mess over Jin."

"Excuse you and your adorable fluffy tail?" Tsubaki asked.

"Well you wear the pants now…but that's after all the work Grandpa Max did to make you a stable lady~" Makoto teased, "Sad to say your boyfriend is still taking time to defrost."

"I would like to go on record that she does not speak for me!" Ben panicked.

"Shh…yes I do." Makoto smiled.

"Oh yes…just as much he does you," Tsubaki retorted., "Now enough of this! We need to get to the mesa before Eon decides time is up and flash-ages the town to the dust of the dust of the dust of everyone and everything in it!"

"Come on. It's just an Eon; even if he is better than the last few." Makoto sighed.

"Yes…and one wrong move and you'll be reduced to ashes," Tsubaki warned.

'Ashes?' the blonde mentally repeated.

"Me and my Alter should be fine, the Omnitrix will activate to save us," Ben sighed.

"So that's why I never died all those times…" Badluck Ben nodded.

"And well at least My Skurd can cover me in diamond armor to block the rays," Ben added.

"I'll be on standby," Skurd sighed.

"Sadly, I am not as versatile as my Alter," Badluck Skurd sighed, "My undesired modifications leave me as merely a barbaric weapon for combat…such lackluster creativity…hah…"

"Oh my poor Alter, how horrible of a punishment passed onto you, one of such superior genetics and standing such as us…ah…it breaks my little metaphorical heart~" Skurd wiped his eye with one of his pseudopods.

"Right…" Tsubaki sighed.

"We'll have you know even for single cell organisms we have hearts…though to you it's called a mitochondria." the Skurds huffed.

"And it's in stereo…" Ben groaned.

"Hah…why can't you be serious?" Tsubaki complained.

"Eh…cause then the other guy would be satisfied…" both Ben's and Skurd's shrugged.

"They make a point…" Makoto shrugged as well.

"The scary part is its true…" Tsubaki muttered.

"Yes because waiting on a pair of jokesters to get serious is 'so' worth the wait," Eon's voice groaned, making the group tense as they saw him standing near a cactus, "Greetings~"

'...This the guy he's going to meet with?' the blonde thought, keeping a hand on one of her guns as she stood ready form her hiding spot.

"Okay, Eon…we're someplace with no civilians, no one to interfere…just us," Ben stated as he and Badluck Ben stood ready.

"Don't forget us," Makoto grinned, smashing her fist together as Tsubaki brought out Excalibur.

"Yes...because jumping at someone who can literally fast forward you to ashes is a wonderful idea," Eon quipped.

"...So that's how you do it," Tsubaki noted with a frown, "You're hyper accelerating the age of whatever and whoever you touch."

"Was it not obvious?" Eon smirked before pointing at her, "If I wanted, I could turn you into a bitter old lady…" he then pointed at Makoto, "And her back to a fetus fresh in her poor mother's womb."

"And let me guess…we get th' ash treatment?" Badluck Ben countered.

"Was it not obvious?"

"Well you kind of are predictable…" Ben rolled his eyes.

"And in poor taste," Skurd agreed.

"Yes, well…I have a mission to complete so I in turn do not incur his wrath, so…" Eon began as he held his hand up, energy beginning to form on it as he aimed at the group, "Let's take care of this, shall we?"

"Yeah, lets." Both Bens sighed in exasperation of this before ducking to opposite sides, making Eon blink as he turned to track one only for a green flash to grab his attention as he turned to see XLR8 running up and tackling him to the ground.

Eon grunted, raising his hand, only for him to flinch as it was suddenly encased in Diamondhead crystals, making him turn to see Badluck Ben as he held up a green gun-shaped Skurd, the modified Slimebiot in the process of morphing into a crystalline weapon in the shape of a large handgun.

"I do so despise how boring being a gun is…" Badluck Skurd groaned.

"Eh, it does come with some mighty fine stuff, though. And y'all don't freak folks out aside from talkin'," Badluck Ben pointed out.

"Yes...because they're trying to hide from the ensuing chaos you bring," Badluck Skurd countered.

"You mean the chaos we bring," Badluck Ben countered before firing another round at the ground before Tsubaki, making a wall of Daimondhead crystals rise up to block a blast from Eon's free hand, "Ya know, me talkin' durin' a fight doesn't mean I'm distracted."

"Grr…" Eon growled before he was blitzed by multiple swings from XLR8, knocking him around. He moved to get up only to be pelted by exploding crystals.

'What the hoohaw?' the woman pondered, 'That there feller done changed!'

"You think I can't deal with two of you?" Eon groaned as he fired multiple beams at XLR8 making him weave around to avoid. He then jumped out of the way of more crystals from Badluck Ben's Skurd.

"I think that you're just slightly better then most Eons, but you got stuck with two versions who excel in fighting crazy stuff," XLR8 spoke.

"It breaks about even," Badluck Ben spoke as Skurd changed into a Heatblast gun before aiming and unleashing a stream of fire that made Eon flinch and roll out of the path of the flames only to get slapped by XLR8's tail.

"Did…Did you just slap me with your tail?" Eon asked in disbelief.

"No…" XLR8 replied before Eon cried out as he was knocked away, "I slapped ya with my tail several times! Thanks for the lessons in my forms with tails, Babe!"

"Told ya tails are useful!" Makoto cheered from behind the wall.

"Gh…Damn you…" Eon growled, looking between the two versions of Ben Tennyson before spotting the stetson of the woman hiding nearby, 'Hoh?' his body glowed for a moment, 'So that's the case, huh?'

XLR8 shot off to attack Eon only for the time manipulator to slam his free hand on the ground…and cause XLR8 to scream as he fell into the hole that formed.

"You're fast, I'll gave you that. But even the fastest will eventually fall to their time of demise," Eon warned as he held his hand up and the oncoming flames from Badluck Ben snuffed out before it neared him.

Makoto gasped, "He's pulling a Voporak!"

"...A what?" Tsubaki looked at the Beastkin.

"Oh right…You don't know Bionicle," Makoto recalled, "Long story short; biomechanical being that has a temporal forcefield that ages anything around him, be it from attacks to living beings, at a hyper-accelerated rate."

"...How fast?" Tsubaki asked.

"Well in the book, the Shadow One-a big bad guy that was involved in a thousand year war-was knocked onto Voporak for only a few moments…and he aged 3,000 years."

"Your love of random and obscure media has proven far too handy since we moved to our current time-space home…" Tsubaki muttered.

"Hey, it got me a better life and a happy romance with my soulmate, so…neh~" Makoto stuck her tongue out.

"I forgot who I was speaking to," Tsubaki muttered with a sweatdrop, "Any weaknesses that we could exploit?"

"...Guy's gotta breathe, right?" Makoto noted.

"How would we do that?" Tsubaki asked.

"Babe! Do a full speed cyclone around him!" Makoto called out.

"Good idea, dear!" XLR8 spoke from the hole. He leapt out before running around Eon in a wide circle, picking up speed 'till dirt and sand was picked up as a large dust devil before tightening into a twister.

"Now what are you planning?" Eon groaned.

"I wouldn't talk if I were you. Bout to get real hard to breath," Badluck Ben spoke, shooting flames into the cyclone and causing it to be sucked into the funnel which in turn ignited with the aid of the oxygen and any flammable debris it was sucking up.

"What are you…what…" Eon coughed, "?!"

"Even guys who travel through time gotta breathe, right?" XLR8 asked, "Don't worry, though. We're not like you, so enjoy night-night land."

"I…but…haahhh…" he gasped, falling to his knees before being lifted by the vortex. This was a sign for both Omnitrix wielders to stop as Eon was left to fall into the scorched ground. His body twitched before he was shot with more crystals that encased his upper body like a straight jacket.

"Since those don't age…well let's just hope he doesn't have to scratch an itch," Badluck Ben sighed.

"Agreed," XLR8 agreed as he changed back to Ben, "Then again, this guy did imply he did do something to another us even when he complied, so…Babe, got any itching powder?"

"Ooh~! You are being vindictive, huh?" Makoto asked.

"Only as much as my morality will allow." Ben argued, "Besides this isn't the worst thing we could do."

"We can steal his boots and leave him to the hot stretch of sand and pointy rocks…" Badluck Ben motioned with his hand.

"...Let's put a pin on that one," Ben replied after a moment.

"Okay that's fair," Badluck Ben shrugged.

"I kinda like seeing a vindictive Ben-kun," Makoto cheered, hugging Ben from behind, "At least towards jerks who deserve it."

"Not now…" Ben whispered.

"I know, I know," Makoto softly assured before saying aloud, "So where's the good ol' Professor?"

"Considering all the times we've met them, likely going to speak up and startle at least one of us," Tsubaki noted.

'A professor? Who on Sam Hill is this professor they're talkin' 'bout?' the woman pondered.

"You know, it's rather rude to just spy on some people, right?" an older male's voice asked in a British accent.

"GAH?!" the woman yelped, jumping up before turning to see an older gentleman in a blue formal suit with gray hair, a pair of green-rimmed goggles with orange lenses on his neck…and a piece of jerky poking out of his breast pocket sitting comfortably on the rock by her.

"I suppose you wouldn't be interested in a piece of jerky, now would you?" The older man offered.

"Someone got spooked over there!" Makoto shouted, "Hey, were we getting spied on?!"

"GH!" Badluck Ben flinched at the sight of the woman, "Oh not her again…"

"I wonder if she's still mad about the time in West Palm when you broke the window in her bathroom while she was in the shower? Or the time in Jersey where you misfired and left her topless? Or the Grand Canyon with the accidental bikini lap dance?" Badluck Skurd pondered.

"...Oh, I smell shenanigans," Makoto noted in amusement.

"Fer th' record, I keep apologizin' fer them times!" Badluck Ben argued, blushing.

"Who in th' badlands are you?" the woman asked.

"Well, I am the good gentleman that kept you from being aged by a not-so-stray shot from Eon," the gentleman replied, giving a polite and curt nod to the woman, "But many tend to call me Professor Paradox. A pleasure as always, young Benjamin."

"Do we know each other?" Badluck Ben asked, raising a brow.

"Oh, not just yet. Give the past other me another month in your time," Paradox assured before looking at Ben and giving a formal bow, "And a pleasure. Your Paradox has quite the amusing tales about you and your travels."

"Hope there's nothing too embarrassing, sir," Ben noted, "Though…jerky? Normally it's sweets."

"Bah. I may be a time walker, but it doesn't mean that I don't enjoy a good meal," Paradox replied with a small huff, "I swear, the others will rot their teeth out sooner or later with those gumballs and gummies. Wonderful job on catching this Eon as well. He's always been the more troublesome of them…mostly for the fact that he decided to spend a few years reading every single thing he could find that involved a person who uses time as a way to battle."

"Eh…he's an Otaku Eon…" Makoto muttered.

"Can you really talk…?" Tsubaki argued.

"I am from the future; I'm a historian~" Makoto smiled.

"D'oh…" Tsubaki groaned, rolling her eyes.

"Well, it's off to the prison with the others for you, Eon," Paradox noted as he walked by Badluck Ben and whispered, "The madam enjoys the flowers that grow on apple trees the most."

"Huh?"

"You'll understand," Paradox chuckled as he put a hand on Eon's head and pulled out a pocket watch before, in a flash, the two were gone.

"...I only knew th' feller for a minute or two…and I already have a headache," Badluck Ben admitted.

"You'll get used to it," Ben assured.

"I'd really rather not…" Badluck Ben sighed.

"Let's just leave it at that," Ben patted his Alter's shoulder.

"I've met our Paradox a few times and they tend to be pretty nice," Makoto assured.

"To be fair, ours is a fair bit very charming." Ben smirked, "There's something about a snarky British genius that just has a charm."

"I don't do good with scientists…not after the last one made a killer metal man…that he made me help power in a lightning storm…" Badluck Ben lingered.

"...okay, that sounds like a fun story," Makoto muttered.

"Yeah…fun…" Both Bens muttered, clearly understanding one another very well.

"...hoo boy talk about a confusion' day…" the blonde sighed as she facepalmed, "...and somehow y'all are always involved, Ben."

"Hey least I didn't destroy the town….for once," Badluck Ben argued while muttering that last part to himself.

"Yes, but the mayor's still wantin' yer hide for makin' him look like an idiot at his latest announcement."

"Totally not my fault, Lexi. I got tossed into the podium by a bounty hunter."

"Lexi?" Ben repeated.

"Alexis. Alexis Jacksonville," the blonde introduced as she tipped her hat to him.

"So…this is a real different world then…" Makoto whispered to herself, 'The tougher Ben's tend to be the weirder worlds, and of these weirder Ben's, it looks like they don't have the same lady love across their worlds. So me and My Ben really are special…'

"Well hopefully we can just call this a day and not shoot each other up." Badluck Ben spoke, "I would like to remind you that I did nothing wrong this time…"

"Besides beaning a poor man upside the head with a rock in your panic…" Badluck Skurd muttered.

"What?" Alexis deadpanned.

"Eh heh heh…ignore him. He's just talking nonsense," Badluck Ben sheepishly chuckled..only to earn a raised brow from her, "...it was reflex."

"Mmm hmm…"

"...by the way, I'm surprised you…" Tsubaki began.

"Ah'm just gonna chalk this up to some alien nonsense," Alexis stated, "Besides…not th' weirdest thing Ah've seen happen…Ben."

"...you still hung up about Tennessee, aren't you?" Badluck Ben asked.

"Ah had to buy a new set of clothes," she deadpanned.

"But I caught you in time with that slime bed when that crazy Animo feller caught you!"

"It still ate mah clothes, Ben!" she argued.

"Yes but…you payed me back for it back at New York," he argued.

"...shoot, yer right," she muttered as she turned her head away.

"It seems all Ben's have the same odd luck with women…" Tsubaki whispered.

"Indeed," Skurd whispered back.

"...ugh. Look," Alexis sighed as she looked at her Ben, "Given today…Ah won't tell th' mayor you were here...just another passerby that was mistaken fer you."

"Good…now I can finally try and get somewhere safe for a good night's sleep."

"Just try not to bean someone on the head with another rock," Alexis teased, making him tense up a bit.

"It was a nervous reaction from being hunted down by crazed bounty hunters with way too many guns." he declared, "Also one with a giant boomerang…"

"He was weird," Alexis muttered.

"Weirder than a rattlesnake without a rattle," Badluck Ben added.

"I feel like we can leave them be." Ben whispered.

"Oh yes they go on for a while, you can just tell." Makoto agreed.

"Well we hate to help fight and leave, but we have other adventures to handle!" Tsubaki called out as the trio has already been slowly walking away for a good bit now.

"Bye!" Ben cheered as the car drove up behind them as they all moved to jump in.

"Shotgun!" Makoto cheered, pushing Tsubaki into the back.

"Wh-" both Alexis and Badluck Ben began as they turned…jsut as the car drove off, "..."

"...want to get a drink?" Alexis offered with a sighed.

"Yes please…"

"Just be sure to stay hidden," Badluck Skurd advised.

"Silence you…" Badluck Ben complained.

"No…tormenting you with the dulcet tones of my voice gives me reason to live."

"Ah can dump him in some cider," Alexis whispered to Badluck Ben, "Just say th' word and we can relax."

"Well I do feel bad he doesn't get to join in the drinking some times." Badluck Ben chuckled, "I think it's only fair we give him a good share of payback for all those times."

"You're despicable…" Skurd complained.

"Shouldn't be so much of a jerk," Badluck Ben quipped as he and Alexis walked off.

---

"Seriously you better hope I don't get out of these bloody chains!" Mad Ben snapped as he struggled, currently tied up to a lamp post while held in place by chains.

"He doesn't stop talking in his bad Crocodile Dundee accent…" Lambda spoke up.

"I'll show you bad accent you bloody bitch!"

"Language," Lambda muttered as she bonked him on the head with a stick.

"Lambda stop teasing the Bad copy of Ben." Noel spoke up.

"I'm not a copy!"

"It's how I understand it…" Noel muttered.

"Stupid hair…" Lambda teased with a small smile.

"Oh you are just gonna keep doing that aren't you?" Noel realized.

"Our Ben is so clever, I can't get under his skin like the bad copy." Lambda replied, "Besides he's too dumb to escape."

"I hate you…" Mad Ben growled.

"Okay okay. Enough with antagonizing the guy," Mai muttered as she and Maximillian walked over, "We need to ask him some things anyway."

"I don't think he knows much…" Lambda added.

"SHUT UP!" Mad Ben snapped.

"Then mind explaining about the dead body we found?" Maximillian questioned with a frown, "And exactly what did X-Tinction promise you?"

"Pfft? Why should I tell you?" Mad Ben scoffed as he looked away.

"You are a hard case to crack," Lambda bonked him with the stick again, "But we will get you to talk…but then again you're probably to dumb to know anything."

"..." Mai sighed before moving closer to Mad Ben.

"What are you…?" Mad Ben began before Mai licked his nose, "?!"

"..." Mai closed her eyes for a few moments before…

*CRUNCH!*

"GOO-HOO-HOO~!" Mad Ben cried out in a falsetto voice as Maximilian looked at Mai with wide eyes.

"Yeah, you…you do not want to know his reasons," Mai stated, glaring down at the collapsed Mad Ben as he curled into a tiny ball while she moved her foot away from him.

"Ooh…he's not getting up. The ultimate weak point of all boys…" Lambda nodded.

"Um…What did you just do?" Maximilian asked.

"My tongue is so sensitive, I can see the 'memories' of anything my tongue touches. …No, I will never lick another rock after Makoto dared me to lick while in the academy. Was stuck in place for hours trying to deal with those 'memories' it had," Mai explained.

"...How bad is it, Mai?" Noel asked.

"You just saw me end any chance of him having kids," Mai replied with a deadpan tone, "You tell me."

"Gross…" Lambda answered based on implications.

"And the Murders?" Noel asked.

"I'm afraid that actually isn't him," a voice spoke, making all but Maximilian jump as the Ben of this world walked over towards them, the view from the front this time revealing the dark green and black suit under his jacket, and a chain leading to a coat pocket that had a familiar Omni Green glow, "You did get a creep off my streets that much I'll give you."

"Wait…have…?" Lambda began.

"Been watching you this entire time? Yep." he smiled, "What…you think folks weren't gonna talk about a loveable old man who looks like my Grandfather walking about? Following you was easy enough. You three girls stick out like a sore thumb, mostly the girl with the blue hair…don't see that much in these parts."

"A lot of people say that," Mai sighed, "So you know…"

"You're from an alternate timeline that has another me you're friends with and have trained alongside? Yep." he nodded, "You made that clear with how you picked apart this…uh…" he looked at Mad Ben, "This…me…" he cringed after another look, "Also from how you talk, clearly you know all my bad habits…no one but my cousin knows all my bad traits that well."

"We are a tight knit group." Lambda nodded, "Pretty much a big family."

"You don't say." he smirked, "Well I imagine you're all done with the failed version." he looked down at Mad Ben, "I think I know a place to lock him up 'till I can find Paradox."

"Yes, please. I…I do not want another minute being around this…this…is that post important?" Mai asked, pointing at a sign post.

"Mmm…Yes, but I'll fix it with Clockwork later so go ahead," Ben replied.

"Thanks," Mai thanked before deploying her spear in its anchor mode and slammed it down on the post, "GRAH!"

"...apt response…" he muttered.

"So if he didn't do it…who did?" Noel asked.

"You are better off not knowing what I'm searching for, Little Lady," he replied with a soft smile, "You might sleep better leaving it a mystery."

"...You didn't get mad when he called you little…" Lambda whispered.

"Eh?" Noel blinked at that.

"You didn't get mad when he called you little…why is that, sister?"

"Because he was polite about it and it wasn't an insult like that one put it," Noel replied as she discreetly motioned to Mad Ben as this world's Ben pulled out some handcuffs with the chain replaced by three metal bars and clamped them behind Mad Ben's back.

"You better hope…I don't see you bitches again…" Mad Ben grunted as he glared at them, "Next time I see you and your world's Ben…I'm gonna break him and your world."

"Shut up," the Ben of this world spoke, smacking him upside the head and sending him face first into the ground.

"I will drop Funkfreed on you again and feed him hay," Noel warned.

"Hay?" Maximilian whispered to Lambda.

"...Horrible gas," Lambda quietly replied.

"Oh…" Maximilian cringed at that.

"Frickin…rotter…" Mad Ben groaned as this world's Ben picked him up.

"Yes yes. I'm sure you have your fair share of people you mentally broke," he rolled his eyes. He then brought his evil Alter in close, "But…so have I buddy, and they were much scarier than you."

"And smelled better most likely."

"I will gut you!" Mad Ben barked, struggling in the older Ben's grip to try and glare at the amused Lambda.

"She's really taken a shine to the Tennyson Taunting teachings," the older Ben chuckled.

"Taught by the best," Lambda smiled a bit before looking at Mad Ben, "And not the worst…"

"I despise you…" Mad Ben growled.

"Yeah I'm sure you're the bell of the stink ball, too…" the Older Ben groaned, shoving his evil Alter along, "Do you even know what a bath is…?" he complained.

"Shut up…like you're any better."

"Actually, he bathes daily."

"A pleasure as always, Professor," the older Ben greeted.

"Sorry for any wait. Had to deal with a pesky Eon," Paradox apologized, "Well now. The one most people in the Omniverse call 'Mad Ben'? Quite the rude one, isn't he?"

"Bite me, old man! And who the hell are ya, anyway? Last Paradox I met was a stuffy old man in steam punk gear! You're just an old geezer with a stick o' jerky in yer pocket!"

"Hmph. How rude," Paradox huffed, "No wonder your universe's Paradox stays away from your world if he has to deal with an ill-mannered buffoon such as yourself."

"Please take him before he sets those girls off again," The older Alter Ben advised, dropping Mad Ben before Paradox.

"Honestly, it would be better if he did. But never be cruel, I always say," Paradox noted before turning to the girls and Maximilian and gave a formal bow, "A pleasure as always."

"Paradox," Maximilian greeted, "Oh, you carry jerky?"

"Of course I do! Too many carry around sweets. I swear, they'll rot their teeth out eventually, even if we do live outside of time," Paradox rolled his eyes, "Oh, and take a few steps to the right, Benjamin. You're in the path of the younger you coming in his car."

"At least it's not a horse like last time a situation like this happened," The Older Ben rolled his eyes as he took several steps to the right.

"Perfect. Cheerio," Paradox gave a polite nod as he took his stopwatch out and, in a flash, was gone with Mad Ben.

"Aw rats," Maximilian frowned, "Was hoping to ask for a piece."

"G-Grandpa Maximilian…" Mai quietly gawked before a portal form and Ben's car drove out, landing in the spot the Older Ben had been standing.

"If you're anything like my Grandpa, you really don't need more snacks like those at your age," the Older Ben Tennyson sighed to Maximilian, "Your normal diet is already concerning."

"Hey," Maximilian frowned.

"Oh my gosh! Steampunk?" Makoto asked, looking out the window.

"Huh…A Ben that's older than ours this time," Tsubaki noted as Ben got out.

"Huh…What's with the hairstyle? Lose a battle with a poodle or something?" the Older Ben asked.

"Hey…what's with everyone going for the hair?" the younger Ben complained.

"It's all about style," the elder Ben smiled, removing his cap to reveal his neatly combed hair styled to the right while the sides of his head were shaved short, "Trust me, little me, you can't get far with charm and bedhead forever."

"...Okay, you got a point…" Younger Ben submitted.

"Heh, well this has been fun, but I got actual work to be returning to. Take care of the Old Timer, mini-me," he put his hat back on and offered a hand.

"Always have," Ben assured as he accepted the offered handshake.

'Oh, I love this part and I am sure Benjamin shall once he figures it out,' Skurd thought in amusement, the Omnitrix flashing without notice once more.

"So…that's the next stage in Ben-kun development…" Makoto muttered, a blush forming on her cheeks, "Makoto likey~"

"Honestly…" Tsubaki sighed, "But…At least we helped another Ben out."

"How did your mission go?" Mai asked.

"Our Ben we helped was an outlaw called Badluck Ben because he was getting held accountable for the stuff he breaks and his Omnitrix was Skurd in a gun form," Makoto explained, "The Eon there was doing a Vorporak, so we knocked him out by getting rid of his oxygen."

"Wait…Accountable for all the stuff he breaks…oh no wonder he's an outlaw…" Noel muttered.

"I don't break that much…" Both Bens complained in unison.

"Yep…all Good Bens are the same…" Lambda muttered.

---

SZ: And first new chapter of 2023…and after my..birth…day…*collapses onto a beanbag chair*Zzz…

Z0: He had a long day. Well two chapters left, and next…oh…it'll be a doozy~

GT: Very true. As such…no preview for you folks! So please read and review!d