Inkaliber: Welcome back everyone! It's time for another chapter of Jade 10! As promised, we're covering the Invasion of the Wrinkle Snatchers!

Meowth: I haven't commented on dis one before. I Usually stick ta da Pokemon stuff or dat MGG story.

Inkaliber: Well you're my buddy for today. Ready to read some reviews?

Meowth: You bet, Boss!

Inkaliber: Alright then! Let's have a look!

Reader- I'm glad that you like the chapter. The Saturdays just felt like a perfect fit for this episode and a good way to add more to its volume. Ben X Jade is one of my big fanfic pairings so it makes me happy to know I'm writing them in a good way. Things will definitely be interesting now that Ben can help out in fights. I thought I made it clear, but this is after the Jackie Chan Adventures final season. The Talismans are out of their reach at this point.

MIR- That is an interesting, if a little ambitious, idea. I'll have to think about it.

Ghost- An interesting idea. I'll have to think about it, but my plan was to have a different collection of shows and movies to go along with the Ben 10 and JCA series in this universe.

Meowth: That's all of 'em! Take it away!

Inkaliber: Alright! I don't own Ben 10, Jackie Chan Adventures, or any other series that might appear. I do own original characters, concepts, creatures, and other such stuff unless stated otherwise. Action!

Voices

"Talking."

'Thinking.'

"YELLING!"

"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity talking."

"AUTHOR/GUEST/HIGH OR DEMONIC ENTITY YELLING!"

"Whispering."

"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity whispering."


Rust Bucket

The sound of rapid typing filled the air as the vehicle was stopped at an ice cream parlor. Ben looked all over the internet, searching with more clarity than when he tried to get a better understanding of this strange new time. He had to make sure that everything he learned was accurate. The reasoning for his sporadic need to educate himself? He was finally ready to try and actually be a boyfriend to Jade.

They never made anything official after the Krakken incident, but the way Jade would hold his hand and lean against him gave him the feeling her flirting with him wasn't just teasing for fun. He had his 13 year old body to thank for making him more observant of such things. Having no experience in the dating scene, he decided to consult the internet. He didn't see where an idea like that could go wrong. He hummed as he leaned closer to the screen, trying to get a better look at something when Max walked in.

"I got you a bowl of caramel swirl," revealed the elder Tennyson. "I'm surprised you didn't wanna pick your own flavor." Max set the bowl down on the other side of his grandson's computer, surprised by the lack of response. "Whatcha looking at?" Ben leaned back as he pointed to the screen.

"Hey Grandpa, do you know what this word means?" questioned the young Tennyson. "I've never seen it before and I kinda feel like I shouldn't click it." The question made Max clench his brow as he leaned in closer. His eyes immediately widened as he recognized the word rather well. He quickly clicked out of the web browser and shut the computer, earning a cry of displeasure from his grandson.

"That is a word you best not be looking for." Ben crossed his arms with a pout as his grandfather took a seat across from him. "Mind telling me why you were browsing for something that triggered that result? Anything you wanna tell me?" The boy quickly looked down, thinking over what to say.

"...How did you know when you started liking Grandma? I know you don't talk about her much, but you did marry her." Max smiled at this question, now having a better understanding of what was going on.

"It's not too difficult to understand. The day I met her, she was like a shooting star crashing into my life. We met several times, each time my feelings for her growing until I couldn't take it anymore. I take it you're just now having that same kind of feeling for our guest." Ben blushed as he tapped his fingers together, feeling none of the bravado he was well known for.

"Y…yeah. I've never felt this way about any girl before, so I thought I'd go to the internet for ideas." This confession caused his grandfather to shake his head.

"Ben, you can always come to me or even your parents for things like this. It's what family does for each other. I'm sure even Gwen would give you a hand if she were here, if the two of you could keep from arguing long enough." Both Tennysons ended up laughing at the joke, Ben quickly grabbing his ice cream to begin devouring it. The boy took a bite of his frozen treat before looking at his grandfather.

"So… any advice on what I should do? I really want this to work out." His grandfather sent him a smile as he unfurled his arms.

"Being her friend like you have been is already a good start. Being compatible like you two are is an important thing in a relationship. I've seen too many people go straight into a relationship and end up breaking it off because they can't stand each other. If you're wanting to take things further, try reciprocating the things she does when she's around you. I guarantee that, if she's being genuine, she'll show you how much she appreciates it."

Ben hummed as he continued to eat his ice cream, committing this advice to memory. The conversation was about to continue when they heard a crash outside. Upon looking out the window, they saw two hooligans with a truck. The large fat one had just stabbed a hook into the glass of an ATM machine while the skinny one was waiting in the truck. Ben smirked as his eyes glowed green.

"Hero time." The boy felt a rush from just saying the word again, quickly sliding out of his seat to rush to the fight he knew was about to happen. The skinny criminal tried to get the truck going, only for the vehicle to apparently stall. He growled as he pushed the gas harder, only to gasp as the wheel deconstructed in front of him. The truck changed to black and white in color with orange glowing lines, the area where the steering wheel once was now bearing a hollow circle.

"Sorry pal, but you don't have the right credentials," teased Jade's voice in a speaker filter. "Looks like your session expired too." The circle extended towards the man, causing him to cry out in shock. The truck shook and bounced a few times before the driver door opened, the skinny crook being tossed out onto the dirt. The new paint job suddenly rose from the truck and landed on the ground, revealing itself to be some kind of blob with the Omnitrix symbol on its chest.

The heavyset goon growled as he suddenly reached for something on his waist. He revealed that he had a pistol hidden in his pants, aiming it for the alien. Something he couldn't see suddenly, knocked the weapon out of his hand, causing his eyes to widen as he watched the object hit the ground.

"Peekaboo." Ben suddenly became visible in front of him, completely covered in a body construct that looked like armor made from a komodo dragon. The big man took a few steps back, only for the boy to grab him by the arm. The armored warrior then kicked the villain's legs out from under him, using leverage to fling him over onto the ground. The sound of police sirens caught the heroes' attention, causing the blob to melt to a hidden device on Ben's body as the boy turned invisible.

The Rustbucket's door opened and closed before the cruiser entered the scene, the criminals still groaning on the ground. Ben turned visible again as he dismissed the constructs, pulling out his phone so that Jade could hop off of it. "Boom! Hero tag team success!" A familiar jingle filled the air as a red flash lit up the mobile home, Jade replacing the blob form.

"Upgrade and the Menagerie!" cheered the young Chan. "Crime fighters extraordinaire!" The name "Menagerie" made Ben wince a bit.

"Yeah I don't think I'll be calling myself that. My powers don't just involve animals anyways." This rejection caused Jade to hum as she rubbed her chin.

"Fair enough. I can think of plenty more names before the Summer is over. Unless you wanna call yourself 'Super Cutie' or something.~" The last comment made Ben blush a bit as he tried to control his emotions. Remembering Max's advice the boy held his hands behind his head.

"Wouldn't that be you though?" Silence filled the vehicle, Jade blinking a few times. The girl suddenly blushed as she let a flirty smile pop up on her face.

"Why thank you, Ben, but you're not exactly old enough to where I can say if you're handsome or not. You're definitely getting there though." Ben did his best to remain composed as he looked towards the front of the Rustbucket.

"Guess we'll just be Super Cuties together then… Well not together-together, unless…" The boy was quickly interrupted as Max put his hands on Ben and Jade's shoulders.

"Not that this isn't adorable, but we have to get on the road," revealed the elder Tennyson. "If we don't head out now, we'll be late getting to Aunt Vera's place." Ben frowned a bit at the mention of the woman.

"Aunt Vera!?" Ben quickly waved his hand back and forth with his palm facing downwards, something he and Jade came up with as code for a major event. Jade nodded her head, though she was confused why the woman would be a big deal. "Looks like I'll have to give Jade the rundown so she won't be bored to death." Max shook his head at this notion, rolling his eyes.

"Don't be like that. Your Aunt Vera will be thrilled to see you." He pulled his grandson closer with a knowing smirk. "And she'll know plenty about making girls happy that even I might not know." Ben's eyes widened at this news, pushing Max's hand off of him.

"Okay! Message received! Can't wait to see her!" The boy was grateful that his grandfather didn't say anymore as the man moved to the drivers' seat. Jade quickly approached Ben with a serious look on her face.

"So I'm guessing your aunt isn't why you gave me the listen up signal," began the young Chan. "What's the situation?" Ben took a deep breath in response to his crush's question, trying to regain his composure. He was thankful that she decided to give him the time to do so as they moved over to the table. As soon as his mind was clear of distracting thoughts, he gave her a serious frown.

"There's something there that I want to stop before it starts."


Nevada

The sun bore down heavily upon a small settlement, the Nevada heat sitting at an even temperature. The place was populated by elderly people, acting as a form of retirement community. Sprinklers rose to take care of the lawns in the area, though a few appeared to be non-functional. Some elderly people were seen smiling as they tended to their homes while others seemed to have a chip on their shoulders. Currently two of the happier residents were in the midst of a conversation.

One in particular was a stocky woman with gray hair that reached down to her shoulders. She wore earrings, a beaded necklace, a magenta top, purple shorts, lavender shoes, and a wristwatch. This was Vera Tennyson, Max's older sister. She was gushing to her neighbor, Marty, over the fact that her family was coming to visit. She held the sides of her head as she felt her excitement growing.

"I just can't wait to see Max and Ben!" cheered the woman. "I wish Gwen could have made it, but I hear they've got a family friend with them. From what I hear, Ben seems to quite smitten with her. I hope you'll come over to say hello." The old man had his hand on his doorknob as he nodded his head.

"I'd like that," accepted Marty. Vera left him to his business as he walked into his home. It didn't take him long to get a bowl of popcorn and sit down to watch a movie. He took a bite, savoring the salty flavor. He reached to grab another handful, only to feel something slimy defile his hand.

He looked to the offending substance, only for his eyes to widen in fear as something rather large towered over him. The creature quickly began to cover him with its mass, causing him to cry out in fear. "Help me!" His cries went unheard as the creature completely engulfed him. His bowl of popcorn fell to the floor, the food scattering across the ground.

The Rustbucket soon drove into the area, passing by a few houses. Max kept an eye on the buildings as he tried to find the right address. In the back, Ben and Jade were preparing different water themed weapons. Ben wanted to make this visit as trouble free as possible. Jade grinned as she filled another water gun.

"I actually can't believe there's an alien out there whose weakness is water," chuckled the young Chan. "Humans are mostly water. How would they expect to eat us if they can't handle something that's part of us?" She watched as Ben tried to come up with an answer, only for him to stop and think. He sounded his uncertainty as he tightened a water balloon.

"I don't know," answered Ben. "I'm not one of the aliens here. All I know is to steer clear of using any fire or heat. They like the heat." He earned a nod from his crush as she put the weapon down. Max's loud sigh told them that they finished just in time.

"We're here," informed the old man. "Put down what you're doing and get ready to say hello." The kids prepared to exit the vehicle, only for Ben to quickly lean toward Jade.

"Also, Aunt Vera is a cheek pincher. Just a heads up." He earned a nod from the girl, as well as a thumbs up. The vehicle finally came to a stop, allowing all inside to depart. Ben growled as he brought his arm up to block the sun from his eyes.

He sounded his discomfort as he fluffed his shirt to try and cool off. "I forgot how hot this place is." He looked over to the window of Marty's house, watching as what looked like the man was glaring at him. It unleashed a hiss before spinning its head all around. It then shut the blinds as the boy returned the glare. Jade walked out of the vehicle, only for a grumpy old lady to bump into her.

"Hey!" cried the young Chan. The woman looked back at her with a hiss before continuing on her way. "Definitely one of those aliens." Jade was about to go alien, only for the front door to open. Vera stepped out with a large grin on her face, oblivious to the fact that the guest of the group dropped her arms rather quickly.

"Max!" cheered the elderly woman. Jade looked between the two adults, realizing that they really did look similar. Max shared her grin as he outstretched his arms.

"Vera!" replied the man. The siblings embraced each other in a hug, causing Ben and Jade to smile. Ben decided to approach as the elderly duo finally parted, Vera's grin growing.

"I can't believe you're finally here!" The woman then turned towards Ben as she leaned forward. "And look at you, Ben! You've grown up so fast!" She quickly wrapped him in a hug, something the boy reciprocated as best as he could.

Ben braced himself as soon as the hug ended, making the right play as his aunt began to pinch his cheeks. "You're gonna be so handsome when you're older!" She finally let go, allowing him to rub the offended areas.

"Ow," groaned the boy. Ben quickly shook his head as he regained his focus. "Thanks, Aunt Vera." The woman nodded her head before turning to the Rustbucket, quickly noticing Jade. Max also looked that way, smiling at the nervous girl.

"Come on over, Jade!" beckoned the old man. The young Chan took a deep breath before walking over. "Vera, this is Jade Chan. She's a member of Jin's family." Jade looked confused by the name Jin, only for Vera to sound her interest.

"I remember you telling me about her over the phone!" cheered the old woman. "It's so nice to meet you!" Realizing that the cheek pinching was coming her way, Jade fell back on her teachings and entered a respectful bow.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Tennyson," greeted the young Chan. "Thanks for letting me come by for a visit." She quickly received a hair ruffle from Vera, looking up as the woman chuckled.

"No need to be formal. Just call me Vera, alright?" Jade quickly nodded her head in response to the request. "Good. Why don't you kids head inside while I talk with Max for a bit?"

Jade looked to Ben for guidance, only for him to nod his head towards the front door with a shrug. The duo walked inside, allowing the adults to be on their own. Vera sent a smile towards her brother as she cooed. "They are so cute together!" Max grinned in response to his sister's declaration, quickly nodding his head.

"I know," agreed the former officer. "On the way here Ben asked me for advice on starting a relationship with her, and they've already been flirting like the teens they are." This news had Vera trying her best not to squeal in excitement.

"I am so happy for him! I can already picture him in a wedding suit!" The elderly duo shared a laugh as Max shook his head.

"I was hoping you could give him some pointers on what to do from the girl side of things. I can only get him so far as my only experiences with women are…" Max was cut off as Vera quickly waved her hands in dismissal.

"Don't you worry about a thing, Max. I had to help my own son find himself a nice girl, so I think I can help Ben in this situation. Now, we better head inside before two bored teenagers decide to start making out on my couch." She quickly walked inside with Max on her tail. Marty was peeking through the blinds some more before shutting them once more.

Inside, things were going as Ben expected them to for the most part. Vera seemed like she was making the same meal as the last time if the smell of pork was any indication, Marty was definitely one of the aliens, and the boy himself was already becoming bored. At least he had Jade to sit by this time instead of having Gwen to annoy him. He soon noticed that something was very different as he smelled… cooking potatoes? Ben decided to test his sense of smell as he looked towards the kitchen.

"Hey, Aunt Vera!" cried the boy. "Whatcha cooking!?" The woman looked back at him with a small, knowing smile.

"Well, I was going to make everyone my special gelatin mold. However, since I've got someone to make a good first impression on, I figured you kids deserve a little something special." Ben's eyes widened as the smell of pork grew stronger, his mouth beginning to water. Vera set plates of pork chops, roasted potatoes, and some rice in front of the kids. "I asked a friend for some recipes that a meat loving boy like yourself would like, and I hope Jade likes it as well." Vera watched as the girl in question looked to her plate with a grin.

"And how!" cried Jade. She quickly began to dig into the meal, Ben not far behind. Max sounded his interest as he crossed his arms.

"That looks delicious, Vera," complimented the old man. "I was looking forward to that gelatin mold though." The owner of the house chuckled as she grabbed two more plates.

"I figured you'd say that," stated Vera. She placed a plate of the aforementioned mold in front of Max, earning a grin from him. "So I made the two of us some. Dig in." Her brother quickly began to dig into the meal, the kids doing their best to ignore the strange meal the older duo were consuming.

Soon the meal was finished and Ben was helping with the dishes. Jade left for the bathroom to transform into Ice Empress or Ghostfreak, the other alien they knew as capable of phasing through objects. She was hesitant to use the ghostly alien after the last time she brought it out, but Ben had convinced her that she'd be fine. He finished rinsing his dish before turning to a nearby shelf. He felt curiosity take over him as he noticed a shell on display.

"Hey Aunt Vera!" cried Ben. The woman walked over with a small smile on her face. "What's with the shell? It looks kinda nice honestly." Vera sounded her understanding as she noticed the object her nephew was pointing out.

"That right there is a Valentina shell. If you hold it up to your ear, you can hear the ocean." The woman quickly grabbed the item from its display, handing it to the boy. "Give it a go." Ben looked at the shell hesitantly before bringing it up to his ear.

His eyes widened as he actually heard what sounded like the ocean inside. He mouthed his surprise as he moved the object away from his ear. "Magical, isn't it? I like to slow down and appreciate the little things life throws my way. I think you have some idea how that feels, seeing as you tend to stop and appreciate Jade a good bit." Ben nodded his head, a sigh leaving his lips.

"Yeah. She's really amazing and…" Quickly realizing what he just agreed to, the boy let a blush fall upon his cheeks. "I mean…" His words died in his throat as his aunt chuckled at the look on his face.

"Don't worry about hiding it, Ben. Your grandfather told me about your crush on her over the phone." The woman watched as her nephew grumbled something about a "traitor", knowing full well that Max was on his mind there. "Well, go on." Ben felt like he couldn't hide anything as he poked his fingers together.

"Y…yeah. She's awesome. She's beaten me at games I thought I was the best in, she's got this smile that can light up an entire room, and there's something about the way she puts her hand on her hip when she's being sassy that just drives me crazy. I can't even begin to describe everything that she means to me." This bout of honesty earned him a coo from his aunt, as well as a hug from behind.

"I'm so happy for you, Ben! My little nephew is really growing up!" The woman found herself being pushed away as the boy gave her an incredulous look.

"Aunt Vera! Don't yell it where she can hear you!" Ben's plea made his aunt gasp as she nodded her head.

"Sorry hon. You can't blame an old lady for being excited when something like this comes up." What Vera received in response to her words was Ben swapping his finger poking to holding his hands together.

"Right, so… Grandpa said you'd know more about this girl stuff than he does. Could you, maybe, give me some advice on how to ask her out and things to do to let her know how I feel?" The boy watched as his aunt crossed her arms with a smile.

"We'll start in reverse order. If there's something she seems to really like, try to get it for her every now and then. Stuffed animals, sweets, anything that wouldn't make a girl assume that you're trying to tell her something. You can also pay attention to things she says in order to show her that you care. If you find there's something about herself that she seems to enjoy being pointed out, remember it but don't wear it out to where it feels forced."

Ben nodded his head at all of this, as if writing it down mentally. Vera decided to continue as she placed a firm grip on the boy's shoulder. "There are other things that you'll have to learn along the way, especially when it comes to the unique things about Jade. As for advice on how to ask her out, it's simpler than you think. Just ask her if she'd like to test the waters." She watched as her nephew sent her a raised brow, something she was half expecting.

"You're joking, right? It can't be that simple." Ben watched as Aunt Vera uncrossed her arms, using her left one to point upwards in a matter-of-fact manner.

"The only thing that's hard to read is when it's a good time to bring it up. Heck, if you give her enough time to wake up in the morning you could ask her first thing tomorrow. Just make sure you actually have a date in mind before you do." The advice given to the boy caused him to look down. He was questioning whether it was actually that simple or not.

Aunt Vera decided to drive her message home as she lifted her nephew's head to look at her. "I know love can be difficult to understand sometimes, but I can tell you that you have something very real here. I've heard everything from Max and seen the way you and Jade look at each other. There's no doubt that there is a connection there. It's up to you to decide whether to take the leap and see where it goes or to step back and stay friends. Whatever you decide, we'll be supporting you every step of the way."

Vera watched as a smile grew on Ben's face. He quickly hugged her before she could kneel down, the woman chuckling as she rubbed the back of his head. The embrace was cut off as the sound of a door opening caught the duo's attention. Ben looked behind his Aunt, watching as Jade walked towards them. He frowned as he noticed her frown and the way she was blinking at him while waving her hand with her palm up, the sign for panic time.

"Hey Ben?" questioned Jade. Her face turned to a nervous smile as Vera turned towards her, also canceling her hand motion. "Can I talk with you for a moment? Alone?" The woman amongst them sounded her understanding as she raised her hands in defense.

"Say no more! I'll get out of your hair." Vera quickly rubbed the top of Ben's head before rushing towards the living room. The former Omnitrix wielder's false smile turned to a serious frown as he followed Jade to the Rustbucket. Upon entering the vehicle, Ben crossed his arms.

"What's the problem?" questioned the young man. "Was the entrance in a different place or the ship missing?" What he got in response was Jade pointing frantically to the watch, the symbol being yellow.

"The Omnitrix stopped working!" cried the young Chan. "I can't Go Hero!" This bit of news caused Ben to blink multiple times before a glare set in.

"Stopped working?... What do you mean the stupid watch stopped working!?" He soon watched as Jade demonstrated an attempt to get the device to work. No matter what she pressed, it seemed to be set on making a beeping noise as a form of denial. "Let me give it a try or…" Before either kid could do anything else, the device blinked a few times.

"Physical DNA scan in progress," informed the device. "All functions temporarily unavailable." Ben's eyes widened as he grabbed the sides of his head.

"DNA scan? Temporarily unavailable? This thing can still talk!? What the heck is going on!?" The boy watched as Jade's eyes suddenly lit up in recognition.

"I think I know what's happening!" cried the young Chan. "Earlier I bumped into some old lady that was totally one of those Limax guys. She must have bumped the Omnitrix, which forced it to enter scan mode. I think it's trying to catalog their species." This realization only served to make Ben annoyed as he rubbed his face.

"Just perfect. Another event we could end early, and now we have to deal with the watch not wanting to work." Ben took a few deep breaths as he tried to suppress his anger, only to feel a calm breeze wash over him as Jade placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Just breathe, Ben." For some reason, the girl's soothing voice pulled him from his frustration as he was compelled to listen to her. "Good. We'll find a new way to deal with these guys. If it comes down to it, you'll probably just have to go hero yourself and wreck house on them."

Ben nodded his head as he got lost in Jade's smile, watching as she sent him a grin. "So don't worry about it. For now, we can just focus on keeping Max and Vera safe. Any idea on who'll be attacked first?" Ben quickly nodded his head in response.

"Tonight, one of them is going to attack Aunt Vera and take her. Then at some point tomorrow, one of them will grab Grandpa. If we can protect Aunt Vera and show the Limax to Grandpa, we can kill two birds with one stone. Then we can make our way to the junkyard and hit them in their spaceship." The boy earned a thumbs up from Jade, accompanied by a wink.

"Sounds like a plan. I think I know how to catch it off guard." Ben hummed at this news, waiting for the plan.


Later

Vera yawned as she sat on her bed, stretching in order to pop her back. Max had just helped Ben and Jade get settled in for the night, heading for the guest bedroom to sleep himself. All of the excitement this day had her feeling more tired than usual. She was about to lay down, only for the sound of something shaking and rattling to catch her attention. A vase near her bathroom had been knocked over, but no one else was supposed to be in the room.

"Hello?" questioned the old woman. She got no response, causing her to grab a small gun from a nearby drawer. She walked towards the room, her weapon at the ready. "Who's there?" She opened the bathroom door, finding no one inside.

Even her open closet was empty, save for the clothes and the washing machines. Vera sighed as she turned around, only to scream as one of the Limax tried to envelop her. Before it could, however, it was sent out the window by a powerful blast of water. Ben leapt out the window faster than Vera could see, his Krakken constructs unleashed as water dripped from the tentacles. The boy landed on the ground as the Limax slowly rose, growling as his eye glow shined through the helmet construct.

"Hands off my aunt, Freak!" cried the boy. "This is your first and only warning." The hero watched as the alien blob formed a humanoid shape, its dirty pink organs and several orange eyes being on full display.

"Foolish child!" roared the Limax. "No one gets in the way of our meat supply!" The creature sent its arm-like limbs stretching towards Ben, only for the hero to leap high into the air. He dropped down with a fist cocked back, water glistening on the construct. He hit the villain square in the face, the water particles causing it to shriek as its body burned.

The boy threw in a few more punches before wrapping the Limax with his tentacles and threw it behind him, causing it to land with a thud. Ben turned around as the mouthpiece of the helmet opened, unleashing a monstrous roar. He leapt forward once more, spinning with the intent to kick the organs out of the slime. His attack connected, but something felt wrong. He tried to remove his leg from the enemy, only for his foot to not come loose.

The Limax grinned as it struck at the boy a few times, earning pain filled grunts. With each hit it seemed like the constructs on his body were starting to crack. The boy punched at the monster's face, causing it to growl as it had to move its eyes back into the right place. Having had enough of the punches, the Limax whipped its arm around. Ben tried to block the incoming attack as his foot was released, only to be sent flying by the ligament.

The attack hit hard enough to where the left arm construct shattered, surprising the boy as he saw the now wide open ligament. What made matters worse was that the boy was heading straight for an air conditioner. He crashed into a hot metal part, crying out in pain as his arm was burnt. He landed on the ground while clutching his arm, his constructs fading away as the pain filled his mind. The Limax laughed as it enjoyed the sound of the interloper's pain.

"BEN!" cried Vera from her window. She had been watching the fight unfold, surprised by the power her nephew was displaying. The Limax looked her way while smacking its lips before walking over to the harmed boy. It growled as it tilted Ben's head towards it.

"You young humans are so chewy, though I suppose a little snack couldn't hurt." The beast opened its mouth extremely wide as it prepared to take a huge bite, only for a gunshot to ring through the air. The Limax screeched in pain as it stood up straight, its organ spewing what appeared to be blood as a hole was shot right through it. It looked to the window to see that Vera was aiming her gun directly at it, rage in her eyes. She cocked the gun again, a new bullet being loaded.

"Get your slimy entrails off my planet!" The Limax roared as it prepared to leap at the woman, the hole in its organ quickly sealing up. The villain was about to rush forwards, only for a water balloon to hit its body. It turned around to face whatever defiled it with the burning liquid, only to be met with a glaring Jade. She clenched her fists as the monster laughed.

"You humans are so foolish! None of you stand a chance against us! You are only pigs to the slaughter! All you can do is…" A jingle filled the air, cutting off the monster's speech.

"DNA already cataloged in species database," announced the Omnitrix. "Limax form unlocked. Adding Limax to Omnitrix active playlist. Normal functions have been restored." Jade said nothing in response to the news as she brought the device to eye level, keeping her glare on the now shocked Limax.

"The Omnitrix!? Here!?" The creature went ignored as Jade looked for a certain alien in particular. She soon found her target, swapping the watch to ready mode before practically mashing down on the core. A brilliant orange light filled the area, blinding all who could see it.

In place of the girl was an alien that appeared to resemble a phantom or ghost of some kind. It had a gaseous appearance with claw-like hands and gray skin with black lines running all over her. Her one blood red eye had dilated to the point where it looked like it had a line for a pupil.

"NEVER…EVER…TOUCH…MY…BEN!" roared the specter in a voice akin to a banshee shrieking. The ghost moved faster than the Limax could respond, using her claws to rend through the body of the being. The villain tried to grab at her, but she turned intangible as the limbs phased through her. She then punched the monster to the ground before slicing off a sprinkler head. The Limax roared in pain as water shot out of the pipe, hitting its body in a constant flow.

"Stop! Don't do this, you human brat!" The specter flew over to the nearby sprinkler controls, its eye still filled with hatred.

"I'm not human right now. I am Sc'Carlett." The hero slashed at the panel, tearing through it and causing sparks to fly. Every sprinkler head around the villain rose up, the sound of rushing water rising rapidly. The Limax could only cry out in terror as water was spewed all over it.

With nowhere to escape to the water soon completely dissolved the alien to where it was absorbed into the soil, no trace of its existence remaining. The Omnitrix timed out faster than any moment previously, returning Jade to normal. The girl looked towards Ben as her expression shifted from rage to fear.

"Ben!" cried the young Chan. She ran over to her crush as he still clutched the non-burnt part of his arm, doing his best not to scream. "Why are you always the one getting hurt!? Please be okay!" Max and Vera quickly ran out the front door, rushing towards the young duo.

"Ben!" cried Max. The old man carefully lifted Ben up so as to not agitate the burns. "Get inside. I'll use an old recipe to help heal the burns before they become severe." The group soon ran into the building, Jade forced to stick close to Vera.

Ben found himself letting loose a silent scream as a strange ointment was lightly lathered on the area. Max smiled painfully as he saw the screaming start to die down. "I know it hurts, Ben, but it'll be over faster than you know it. This old recipe will have the burn dealt with next time we stop." His grandson looked his way with gritted teeth.

"Is it some kind of… space medicine… or something?" asked Ben between hisses. "Wouldn't be surprised… at this point." Max rubbed the boy's head gently with a more relaxed smile.

"I'll give you the recipe someday. For now, all you'll be doing is resting." He watched as his grandson's face turned serious.

"Can't. Have to stop… Limax. Ship… under… town." Max's own face turned serious as he looked his grandson in the eye. The door to the room opened, Jade and Vera walking in.

"We'll take care of it," declared Jade. "I'm not letting you get hurt again. With the watch out of scan mode, I'm gonna take the fight to them. These creeps just made this personal." The girl approached Ben as he moaned, Max not stopping her.

"But then… you'll be hurt. I can't… live with that." The boy felt the soothing sensation from earlier again as Jade placed a hand on his cheek.

"I'll tell you what? You rest and get better, and we'll go out just the two of us once your arm's all better. We'll have lunch, play games, maybe even see a movie. It'll be a date." The young Chan watched as her guy looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"Like… a real date? Like, boyfriend and girlfriend? Not just two friends hanging out?" The elderly people in the room couldn't help but smile at the scene in spite of the situation Ben was in. Jade smirked as she used her other hand to lightly grasp the boy's good arm.

"As real as you want it to be. I wouldn't mind one bit." The girl watched as Ben finally let a smile grace his face.

"I was… supposed to be the one… to ask. Not fair." The goofiness of the boy earned a chuckle from his crush as she leaned towards him.

"Yeah well like most boys you were taking too long, but you'll be worth it. Now get some rest, Super Cutie." Jade kissed him on the forehead, causing his smile to grow as he lulled into a deep sleep. The group soon left him alone in the room so that the medicine could take effect. Silence filled the house as a tense aura filled the room upon the door being shut.

Jade sent a glare Max's way, the frown on her face meaning business. "I'm about to do something both heroic and criminal. I'm saving all of the old people these creeps took, but I'm not letting a single Limax leave this place alive. You can either help me or stay with Ben to look after him." Max sent a frown of his own towards the young Chan.

"Get in line, young lady," ordered the old man. "You were right about this becoming personal. That's my grandson that's been burnt in there. Nothing in the galaxy will keep me from making the Limax suffer." Vera nodded to the duo as she walked towards the kitchen.

"I'll stay with Ben and keep the sprinklers going," stated the old woman. "Just in case they come back. I'm not at a good age to go on a manhunt. Put one between the eyes for me." The visiting duo nodded their heads as they made way for the front door.

It didn't take long after that for daylight to hit the town. Almost every citizen had been taken, the people out and about looking crossed and tense. A Limax that took the shape of Marty walked up to two other hidden aliens with a frown.

"Any word from our missing shipmate?" questioned the fake Marty. The two false elders shook their heads in denial. "That fool must have been caught. That or he's decided to gorge himself on the raw human. If he's not back soon we leave without…"

The sound of a blaring horn caught all on the street off guard. A few Limax stood at the ready as the Rustbucket came barreling down the road. A hidden turret popped up on top of the vehicle as the aliens roared at Max. Instead of firing on the aliens, however, he aimed his weapon at the nearby yards. He hit a few sprinkler control panels, sending water flying everywhere as the system went haywire.

Several Limax jumped back as the sprinklers activated, only to become smears on the window of the RV. Max quickly activated the windshield cleaner as the monsters began to reform, constantly dousing them with liquid as the wipers pulled them apart. One was able to jump to an inactive sprinkler system as it began to extend its limb in an attack. Before it could even touch the Rustbucket, however, it found itself being frozen over. The melting ice began to burn the alien as Ice Empress became visible.

"Enjoy a long, torturous melting," stated the ice moth slowly. "It's what you freaks deserve for burning my boyfriend." She left the Limax to cry in agony as she continued her warpath. She continued to freeze aliens that were not hit by Max or the sprinkler systems. The fake Marty took a few steps back as fear entered his eyes.

"A… a Necrofriggian!?" cried the Limax. "That's it! We're leaving! Any soldier left behind fends for himself!" The aliens ditched their disguises in favor of moving at high speed, running for their ship. By the time Max and Jade reached the junkyard, the ground was wet with dissolved Limax. Ice Empress watched a Limax desperately slip through the cracks of a trap door hidden under a garbage bin.

"Stay here and take out any stragglers. I'm finishing this." The bug girl did not wait for a response as she turned intangible, diving into the ground below. The few Limax that remained above ground quickly rushed towards the junkyard, only for the door of the Rustbucket to be slammed open. Max stepped out of the vehicle with a spray pack on his back, a large nozzle on the end.

"Back in my Plumber days, I'd be arresting you," admitted the old man. "Now? You're not leaving alive." A cocky alien rushed towards the man, only to be hit with a powerful spray of water that washed it away. The old man prepared himself as the last three Limax leapt at him.

Down below, the Limax that were able to make it underground ran for their lives. Any stragglers found themselves frozen in a thick layer of ice, screaming as they began to melt from the water exposure. It was like a horror movie happening in real life. A few clever creatures tried to split off to throw their enemy off course, but Ice Empress was able to deal with them and get back on track. None of them had faced anyone as clever or as furious as Jade Chan.

The one that pretended to be Marty opened up the ship, beginning the takeoff procedures. He was forced to quickly shut the entrance as the last two members of his crew were caught by Ice Empress. Knowing that he would have enough humans to last him the trip, he prepared himself for takeoff. His many eyes widened as the ship suddenly began to power down. He banged on the console, only to receive no response.

"Move you hunk of junk!" roared the alien. He was about to hit the ship again, only to stop as the air around him grew colder. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye, causing him to turn in preparation to lash out. He found nothing but empty pod slots, the victims nowhere in sight. He felt an ominous presence over him, only to scream as ice began to form from the inside out.

"Your engines froze up a little, permanently," growled Ice Empress. She became visible in front of the villain, cold breath visible from her mouth. "You freaks thought that you had it all figured out, but you made one mistake. You messed with the people I care about. Now, freeze."

The last villain cried in absolute terror as he was trapped in what amounted to a massive chunk of ice, never to see the light of day again.


Two Days Later

It hadn't taken long for Jade to return the elderly people to their homes. Just a quick swap to Cheetahgirl after a recharge and she was all set. No one but her and the Tennysons knew what happened that day. It took a few days for Ben to get back on his feet to where the burn wasn't bothering him as much. It even began to fade faster than humanly possible, something he and Jade attributed to Max's alien medicine.

Sadly, two more days was all they could spend with Aunt Vera. They had a road-trip to get back to or they'd miss out on the rest of the Summer. Ben had another coat of the medicine painted on his burn, the cold air feeling weird to him. What made up for the weird feeling was the fact that Jade was holding his hand while hugging his good arm, his face red from the huge blush he had. The kids watched as Vera hugged Max goodbye.

"Don't be strangers," requested the old woman. "Hopefully next time there won't be any man-eating aliens involved." This earned her a chuckle from Max.

"Hopefully it'll be a nice, normal visit," agreed the old man. "I'll bring some canned octopus next time." The promise of strange food made Vera sound her interest. Max walked over to the Rustbucket in order to get it started. Jade separated from Ben for the first time this morning as she walked over to Vera.

"Thanks again for having me, Vera," stated Jade with a small bow. "Also, thanks for agreeing not to say anything about the watch." She was surprised when the old woman wrapped her in a hug.

"Oh you are more than welcome to come by anytime," offered Vera. She then leaned herself back as she had her hands on Jade's shoulders. "And who knows? Maybe next time you'll be calling me Aunt Vera." Jade blushed as she looked down, the implications of the woman's words not lost on her.

She walked over to the Rustbucket as Ben passed her by, sending him a small wink that had him grinning. Vera decided to do a one-armed hug on the boy's good side in order to avoid harming his healing arm. "Looks like you didn't need your boring old Aunt Vera to get the girl after all, Ben. I'm sorry that you had to hurt your arm though." The boy smiled sadly as he returned the hug.

"I'd go through it again if it means saving you," informed the boy. "I don't want you to forget that." The woman pushed him into a similar position she had Jade in as she gained a serious look in her eyes.

"Now don't you go getting yourself hurt every time something like this happens. It's not good for your health, and I know your Grandpa and your parents will be even more worried than I am. You have to grow up to be a big, strong man for little Mrs. Jade. You'd regret it if you lost something important, like an arm, before you grow up." This worry wart side of her earned her a chuckle from the boy as he placed his good hand on her arm.

"I'll be careful. Besides, I've got a date once this burn heals. I can't go messing that up." Veral laughed at his logic for a moment, only for the boy to give her one more hug. "I love you, Aunt Vera." The old woman couldn't help but coo in response as she hugged the boy one last time.

"I love you too, Ben. Now, don't keep your lady friend waiting." This response earned a grin from the boy as he ran into the Rustbucket. Vera watched as the door shut and the vehicle took off down the road. Satisfied that everything was good, she walked back to her condo.

Inside the Rustbucket, Ben sat down at the table. He noticed Jade sitting next to him, smiling at the show on the tv. His smile grew as he thought about what they were now to each other. The increased heartbeat in his chest wouldn't stop and, quite frankly, he didn't want it to. Deciding to just go with the flow, he wrapped his good arm around the girl's shoulders as he kissed the top of her head.

"That was for a few nights ago. Figured I'd start this whole dating thing off right." These actions earned him a smile from Jade as she moved her left arm behind him to wrap it around his torso.

"It's a start, but no lips on the first date Mr.," stated the young Chan. "For now, just be silent and let the moment happen. You'll ruin the moment otherwise." Her demands were accepted by Ben as he allowed her to cradle her head in the crook of his neck. They remained like this for a few hours as they watched the tv, Ben's amulet glowing lightly in correspondence to his increased emotion.


Inkaliber: That's it! Chapter 4 just in time for the end of the month. College and job hunting have kept me on my toes so I wasn't able to finish this chapter in one week. Hopefully this was a good end until we reconvene in January. What do you think, Meowth?

Meowth: Ya got my five stars on it! Hate dat da kid got burnt, but dat medicine is doin' wonders. Can't wait to see dat first date and fer dese crazy twerps ta get together in dat Chan in Bellwood story.

Inkaliber: Ha! Both will take a while though. Speaking of Chan in Bellwood though, that is exactly the story that is getting the dedication next month. If you guys like this story and what to see how things would go if Jackie Chan Adventures took place after the original Ben 10 series, I invite you to check it out for yourselves. I plan to make some big changes from the JCA canon and from the original version of the story.

Meowth: I have ta tell Jessie and James! We need ta get our game faces on! Later, Boss!

Inkaliber: Don't go too crazy with any plans! Ehem! Anyways, what did you think about the chapter? Did you like how Ghostfreak, or Sc'Carlett in this case, made a different kind of impact? How about Jade and Max going on a Limax murder spree? Are you excited about Ben and Jade having their first official date soon?

Let me know what you think down below, and I'll try to get back to you ASAP. Of course, for some that might end up being January, but those will be featured in the next chapter. Until then, this is Inkaliber, signing out.