A/N: Hey guys, glad u enjoyed the last chapter, and sorry Conan, didn't mean for the whole Ben and Kai thing to feel forced. Ben is kinda awkward around girls, so i went with tht kind of premise for him. And to answer another question, on Ben killing someone, he will be reminded of it when he meets Fury, I promise. Usually when a human transforms into a werewolf some can remember what they did others have complete blackouts where the only thing driving them is there instincts to slaughter there prey. Also Kai will return, just a heads up. Any questions or episodes you guys would like to see in the future please drop them in the comment section, any characters from Marvel's side of the universe you wanna see I'll add. Enjoy the chapter.
Chapter 24: Merry Christmas
It was about high noon, in the Arizona desert. Just a few hours ago, the Tennyson's had said goodbye to Wes and Kai Green, defeated an alien werewolf, and basically saved the world. Currently they were driving past an area inside Arizona called Death Valley. Just a few minutes prior, Max was fiddling with the air conditioner and it suddenly stopped working.
"Grandpa, please, is the AC on?" Gwen asked as she swatted a paper fan across her face. Sweat was pouring down her face.
"I'm sorry, guys, but the AC isn't working." Max answered, his face slightly red from the intense heat. A few buttons on his Hawaiian shirt unbuttoned and his window open.
Ben had opted to taking off his favorite jacket since it contracted more heat than anyone. The boy sat across from Hope and Gwen, face covered in sweat, "Ugh, I can't take this anymore! Pull over, grandpa, I'll fix the AC."
"While your at it mind turning into Big Chill or Arctiguana?" Hope asked as she wiped the sweat from her forehead.
"Coming right up!" He activated the Omnitrix soon finding Big Chill's hologram and slamming his hand onto the dial, becoming engulfed in an emerald light.
Ben's skin turned a violet, dark blue, and black color. He grew an additional third emerald eye above his nose. His hands turned into claws and his feet into talons with only three toes; two in the front and one in the back. His entire body was wrapped in an old raggedy dark blue cloak and hood with light blue spot patterns scattered around which then unfurrow and become his wings and antenna. His shoulders, chest, and thighs grew armor plating on them. The Omnitrix badge appeared in the middle of his chest, "BIG CHILL!" His eerily ghostly voice erupted. His cloak soon opened revealing a pair of moth wings and antenna.
As soon as the Necrofriggian appeared the temperature in the room immediately started cooling down, "Cool enough for you?" He asked as they sighed in comtempt.
The RV soon stopped on the side of the road with Max soon turning off the ignition, "Alright, Ben, let's go check on the AC."
"One moment." Big Chill soon inhaled before exhaling a large blast of ice within the RV, freezing a large portion of the RV, to keep the temperature cool for the moment till they fixed the RV.
The Rust Bucket door soon opened as Max stepped out with Big Chill behind him. The duo soon reached the hood of the RV before popping the compartment open. Max looked over to Big Chill who had already switched aliens in a blinding emerald light.
Big Chill's body started resembling a dark red and black large crab. His hands turned into pincers with white bands wrapped around them. He grew six crab like legs with a large head that opened up to reveal his large brain. On both shoulders were two metallic circular bolts. Under his large emerald eyes were two smaller eyes with a large mouth revealing his teeth. On his body was a grey waistband with the Omnitrix badge reappearing there, "BRAINSTORM!" The Cerebrocrustacean exclaimed.
Gwen and Hope soon stepped out the RV to find Max and Brainstorm looking at the cars mechanics, "Find what was wrong?"
"No, but we're about to." Max answered as the Cerebrocrustacean leaned into the car's engineering and glanced around. He narrowed his eyes cautiously before, green screens started displaying themselves before him.
Brainstorm looked to be in deep thought before he heard Max clear his throat, "What's the damage, Ben?"
"Oh, my apologies, It seems the RV is leaking and it appears to be a drainage hole. The freon is leaking meaning we need to get it fixed at the moment there won't be any AC. I'd fix it myself, but-" He soon gestured to his large crab hands, "Don't think I'll be any help, sorry grandfather."
"No need to be sorry, Ben, you were able to find the problem immediately, we'll just have to find a mechanic and we don't know how long that'll take." Max inquired.
The badge on Brainstorm's badge flashed brightly before a blinding emerald light occured. Ben was left standing in Brainstorms place, "Well we should get back on the road, don't know how long the ice will last inside the RV."
"Hey! What's that?" Hope pointed into the distance and the trio gazed over to a small beige cottage surrounded by cacti and sand.
"Was that there before?" Gwen asked inquisitively.
"I don't believe so." Max replied scratching his head.
"Maybe they have a phone that works, because I'm not getting a signal." Ben gazed at his phone which said 'SOS' where his bars were supposed to be.
"I suppose we can check it out." Max said abit hesitant on approaching the suspicious looking cottage.
"One sec." Ben said before racing into the RV and coming back out. The trio looked at him as he slid his jacket back onto his body, "Ready."
"Ben, it's like 97 degrees out here, shouldn't you wear something light?" Gwen asked worried he'd have a heat stroke if he wore his jacket.
"I never go anywhere without it." Ben responded firmly.
Gwen shook her head as Hope laughed, "It's his favorite jacket, ease up, Gwen."
Gwen rolled her eyes in response, "Anyway, let's go check out the cottage." Ben, Hope, and Max nodded as the group walked towards the suspicious cottage in the distance.
Once they reached the door, they exchanged determined looks with each other before, Max threw open the door, but it wasn't what they were expecting. Within the small cottage was an abandoned holiday theme park. Rides, games, a small Holiday Village, and hills filled to the brim with snow. The group walked inside the winter paradise as they escaped the rising heat outside.
"It's a winter wonderland?" Gwen replied skeptically.
"It beats standing in the middle of a desert." Hope replied as she gazed into the sky where snow was descending from above, "Look it's snowing."
"There has to be a scientific explanation for all this." Gwen answered, "Ben, back me up here."
Ben was still entranced by the glorious view infront of him, "What do you want me to say?"
"That this is impossible." She yelled at him, but he shrugged his shoulders in response.
"Let's take a look around." Max says walking forward with the three teenagers behind him. They walked until they reached a large gate, with two large wooden soliders placed on opposite ends of the gate.
"Nutcracker Soliders?" Ben says skeptically.
"Like the ones from those christmas workshops we went to as kids." Gwen answered.
"But what do you think this gate is too?" Hope's question gains there attention on where the gate could lead them.
"Let's find out." Max stated before walking forward and pushing the large red and white striped gate apart to reveal a small village behind the gates.
"It's like one of those Santa workshop parks, our parents used to take us as kids." Gwen pointed out at the various similarities between her and Ben's childhood to now.
"Now that you mention it, it looks the same." Ben replied as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. There were large christmas trees, lights, plastic elves, reindeer rides, red and white stripes scattered around various poles.
"Alittle early for Christmas, dontcha think?" Hope remarked suspiciously.
"Well, we have some time to spare, before getting back on the road." Max suggested, "Why not have alittle fun." Gwen and Hope were alittle hesitant before a snowball hit the two girls.
They shrieked loudly before looking at each other then looking at Ben who was holding two snowballs in his hands, "Heads up." He soon launched the snowballs and watched as pink mana shield envelop them, "No fair, you can't use your powers."
"Oh you think that's fair?" Gwen glared mischievously at him, "We'll show you fair."
"Get ready, Tennyson." Hope agreed as her hand lifted upwards and a large purple mana hand appeared scooping up the snow. Ben's eyes widened before he watched the large hand launched the giant snowball at him.
Ben immediately raced off as a giant shadow followed after him. Without a second thought he quickly activated the Omnitrix, knowing it was his only choice of escape. Not even bothering to care about what alien he got, he quickly slammed his hand onto the faceplate becoming engulfed in an emerald light. The large snowball crashed sending snow everywhere which sent Ben sliding through the frozen landscape.
Before Ben was crushed by the large attack the girls saw a flash of green, but didn't see which alien he turned into before a loud name coursed the air around them, "ECHO ECHO!" The Sonorosian exclaimed loudly as five duplicate verisons of himself hopped out of his body, "If it's a war you want-" The Prime Echo began.
"Then it's a war you shall get." Echo #2 finished.
"ATTACK!" The primary Echo yelled before the clones scooped up balls of snow an began throwing them at the girls.
Gwen and Hope went wided eyed at the sudden assault as dozens upon dozens of snowballs hailed from the sky. Hope soon encased them inside a shield of mana as the balls of ice slid harmlessly off the shield.
"Gwen, cover fire!" Hope yelled as Gwen nodded firmly before a four giant pink mana hands appeared and scooped up the snow before hurling them at the Sonorosian clones.
"INCOMING!" Echo #7 yelled before four large boulder size snowballs came racing towards the clones. The clones had to scatter as the large snowballs touched down on there side.
Max grinned as he watched the snowball fight escalate into a war, happy to see them getting along even if they were using there powers, "Wonder if this place sells hot chocolate?" He questioned before looking around and quickly finding a nearby shop, "I'll let them have some more fun before leaving." He soon made his way over to the small shop.
"GIVE UP, BEN!" Gwen yelled from behind her snowfort that she and Hope had created.
"YEAH, GIVE UP SO WE CAN END THIS!" Hope added.
"NEVER!" Echo Echo screamed. He turned to his men, "Guy's we're gonna have to change tactics."
"How? We can outnumber them two to one hundred." Echo #4 answered.
The Prime Echo slammed his hand onto his face, "Why didn't I think of that." The other four Echoes rolled there eyes in embarrassment.
As the war continued, Max walked into the store where he encountered something extremely strange. A bunch of elves surrounded him as soon as he stepped inside the store. He raised an eyebrow inquisitively at the sudden appearance of the elves, but didn't question it much.
"We need you to come with us." The leading elf demanded.
"I just came in for some hot chocolate." He glances down at the elves noticing there eyes were pure green wearing green uniforms and red hats with bells at the end of them.
"You'll get your hot chocolate, if you come with us." He answered which made Max relax abit.
"Sounds good, mind if I get four?" He asked as the elves soon started pushing him out the door.
"We'll get you all the hot chocolate you can drink." He chuckled mischievously as the elves led the elder Tennyson away from the three teenagers who had come to an agreement on the war.
An elf hiding behind a barrel, watched Max be led away by it's elf brethren. This elf was different from the rest unlike his brethren he had blue eyes not green ones. The lone elf follows after them watching as they lead Max into an abandoned building at the edge of this winter wonderland.
Max looks around at the building when he's shoved into the office. He could see computer moniters at the end of the room, and a giant chair infront of it. Max places his hands onto his hips firmly, "What is this place? Who are you? Where do I get the hot chocolate?"
"No hot chocolate. You work for me now. You can call me, Mr. Jingles. I'm the mayor Holiday Village." He replied as Max looked at the strange man weirdly. Max eyed him suspiciously, he has a white beard, gray eyes and wears a red and white hat, and green and red clothes. He looked like a high elf from those games he used to play as a child.
"Sorry, Jingles, but you've got the wrong guy. Me and my family are just passing through. Now can we have that hot chocolate." Max answered.
"No Max, you've got it misunderstood, Holiday Village was created just for you. You're Santa Claus. I'm afraid you can't leave." Jingles said, "Get him dressed up in the suit." He ordered the elves who nodded firmly. Jingles to keep Max from warning his grandkids, pulled a remote control from his sleeve and pressed the button as a large silver chair appeared from the ground and gold ropes erupted from the chair and ensnared the retired Plumber into the chair.
"I don't know who you are or what you want, but you won't get away with this!" Max screamed as he struggled against his bonds.
"I assure you Mr. Claus, I can and will." He smiled mischievously as he gazed at the screens of the computers to see Ben, Gwen, and Hope playing in the snow, "And I'm glad you brought your grandkids. I'm sure you can use some more elves. Especially elves with special abilities." He rewinded the footage seeing Ben transform into Echo Echo while seeing Gwen and Hope use their magic.
Out in Time Square, underneath a massive tree Gwen was looking through the presents which was wrapped, but empty, "For a Holiday Village, you'd think there'd be actual presents underneath the tree, right Ben?" She turned towards where she thought Ben was, but he was gone, "Ben?" She gazed around, but couldn't find him, "Well, who needs him, right Hope?" She then turned towards where she thought Hope was, but she was also gone, "You've gotta be kidding me!" She erupted in anger.
While Gwen was distracted with the fake presents, Ben and Hope had snuck off. The two walked down the snow covered street attempting to keep there eyes forward, but they always landed on each other. Causing the duo to blush.
"So, how are you liking the Village wonderland?" He asked nervously, gazing at her.
"It's wonderful, I've never experienced something like this before. Maybe not since my parents died." She said solemnly.
Ben felt sad hearing this and knew she had it rough, but not anymore. She had him and his family. He reached out and held her hand causing her to tense up, but she soon relaxed as she gazed at there hands interlocked. She smiles softly at his kind gesture to cheer her up.
Ben and Hope walked hand in hand through the empty streets enjoying each others company when Ben abruptly looked up and found a small plant underneath a street lamp. His eyes widened in surprise to see the plant there.
Hope raised an eyebrow as he had apparently stopped walking with her, "What's wrong?" Ben said nothing as he stared at the small plant hanging above them. She gazed at the small plant and her eyes widened in surprise aswell. One word escaped her lips as she realized what the plant was, "Mistletoe."
A faint blush appeared on Hope's cheeks as the two exchanges looks of uncertainty, 'Snap out of it, Tennyson. You're here with a girl who obviously likes you. Make the first move.' Ben thought before grabbing Hope by the shoulders firmly, causing the sorceress in question to look at him questioningly.
Ben started leaning in real slow, obviously to see if she didn't want him to kiss her, but when he saw her get over her initial shock, she slowly started closing her eyes awaiting for them to make contact. Ben soon started closing his eyes aswell, once he was sure he'd had entered her personal space. Ben could feel his heart start pacing as there lips were within a inch of each other.
"BEN! HOPE!" The duo's eyes shot up quickly before quickly jumping apart.
"Ugh, everytime." Ben groaned as Gwen came racing down the street followed by Nutcracker soliders chasing her.
"Are those nutcracker soliders?" Hope asked trying to make the awkwardness between them go away.
Gwen soon caught sight of her cousin and partner sorceress, racing straight to them, "Thanks for ditching me." She glared at them as Ben shrugged and then pointed to the army of soliders approaching.
"Who's your new friends?"
"I don't know, after I left the town square in search of grandpa Max these things started attacking me." Gwen answered as the army drew closer.
"Okay, we gotta tackle one problem at a time. Army, finding grandpa Max, and getting out of here." Ben answered as Hope soon spoke up.
"Then let's deal with this army first."
"You read my mind." He grinned before raising his left arm up revealing the Omnitrix, "It's Hero Time!" He activated the Omnitrix and didn't care who he got as he slammed his hand down onto the faceplate becoming engulfed in an emerald light.
Ben's face and skin was turned a dark blue with black racing stripes around his emerald eyes and fanged mouth. His head extended outwards by six feet becoming wrapped in an armored cone helmet. His attire was morphed into a black and white sleeveless jumpsuit. The collar around his neck was white, he gained black shoulderpads attached to his lean shoulders. On his elbows were extended sharpened bones. On his hands were three long black claws. His legs were armorfied as both of his clawed feet stood on two circular black orbs. On his back he had two blue dorsel fins, with three smaller ones racing onto his black tail which had five blue stripes. His visor soon slid over his face, the visor like the rest of his head was black, but there was blue screen that could see his shining emerald eyes. The Omnitrix badge appeared in the middle of his armored chest, "XLR8!" The Kineceleran exclaimed.
The Nutcracker's raised there swords and attacked the Kineceleran. XLR8 soon started speeding up to the point where everyone around him was slowing down. The sword was an inch away from his face before he grinned, "This should be good." His visor soon lowered itself onto his face before he zoomed off. He grabbed another nutcracker solider and placed it in his original position.
Some of the soliders had small puppets inside there hats firing off candy cane weapons. He grinned internally and zoomed around the battlefield, picking up said soliders and putting them in there intended targets path. He raced over to Hope and Gwen who's hands were engulfed in mana and ready for a fight. He grabbed the girls and placed them behind the soliders.
He soon went back to work, getting some of the soliders to raise there weapons that were originally intended for them against each other. He also applied some strength into his punches and hit a few of them, "The ultimate prank and the best part about having super speed." He chuckled before he noticed shattered glass on the ground and raised an eyebrow before looking up and seeing orange ornaments being thrown by an elf in a green and red uniform.
XLR8 didn't waste even a microsecond before he found himself, next to the small elf attempting to help them. The Kineceleran noticed something about this elf, his eyes were blue. Did it mean something? He didn't know he would know once he was done with his epic prank.
He gazed down at the nutcrackers positions and had to let out a massive laugh, "Alright, I think I've had my fun. Shows over." In the blink of an eye, he was standing in between Gwen and Hope with his arms crossed and his visor up, "Let's begin." Soon everything started slowing down and XLR8 watched as the nutcracker that was in his place was soon sliced in half.
In seconds the army of Jingle was taken down. They were blasted by there own candy cane weapons, hacked to pieces by each other, or were shattered to pieces from XLR8's speed punches. The elf, Gwen, and Hope watched in shock and alittle horror as the army took themselves out. XLR8 was on the ground holding his ribcage, howling with laughter.
"Ben, did you do this?" Gwen asked as the Kineceleran was too busy laughing to answer.
"Yeah. Sorry, I couldn't resist doing that." He answered as Hope sighed in relief.
"Well makes our job easier." She responded.
"I wouldn't be too sure of that." Gwen rebuttled before she pointed to the rooves of the buildings. The trio widened in shock as black large cannons appeared and aimed straight at them.
"Watch out! It's Jingles defense cannons!" The elf warned as he jumped from the roof.
"Ya'know I wasn't expecting this." XLR8 retorted as the cannons soon ignited.
"Oh? Pray tell what were you expecting!" Gwen glared at her cousin.
"Candy cane rockets." He tapped his chin, "Wreathe shurikens. Killer reindeer that breathe fire. Evil, giant, talking gingerbread men. Toy soliders, but with actual guns. An evil incarnate of robot Santa Claus. Engineered sleighs shooting missiles. Elves with swords. Huh, I've imagined alot more than I thought."
"You've put alot of thought into this." Hope raised an eyebrow at him.
"I've had a few nightmares about Christmas where everything went to shit." He answers as the cannon fires large pointed candy canes at them. He grabbed both the girls and pulled them down as the pointed suagr treats collides with the ground.
He soon wrapped both his arms around the sorceresses before taking off down the road as the cannons fired at them. XLR8 ducked, leaped, and spun throughout the array of treats launched at them. The girls screamed as they moved too quickly to understand what was happening. Soon they found themselves at the top of the hill where he soon zoomed down it onto a frozen lake and almost slipped.
"Woah! I've never accelerated on ice before." He replied as he slid across the ice.
"Could have fooled us." Gwen replied sarcasticallyy, but it didn't stop XLR8 who used the balls of his feet to glide through the ice. When soon the nutcracker soliders came sliding onto the ice with them.
Gwen and Hope blasted through the soliders as XLR8 did his best to guide them through the barrage of incoming enemies. When he failed to sense another solider that launched a candy cane into his leg. The Kineceleran roared in pain before gazing at his left leg and seeing a red and white striped candy cane there. Red liquid soon started oozing out of his leg before he heard Hope and Gwen's voice.
"BEN, LOOK OUT!" They shouted, but it was too late, XLR8 was blasted straight in his chest by a large snowball. Him, Gwen, and Hope were launched off the ice and into the snow covered hill.
The nutcracker soliders soon stormed the hill, swords raised high. Gwen and Hope soon look over to XLR8 who's too preoccupied pulling the cane from his leg. Gwen raced over and spun around kicking the murder solider away, before blasting another in his chest.
Hope soon blasted two away from the Kineceleran who soon healed at blinding speeds, "Ben, what do we do?" Hope screamed.
"We go bowling." He quipped, but the two girls were too distracted to understand his pun.
"What?" Gwen yelled as she swept the legs off of one before flipping over a sword which nicked her collared shirt.
XLR8 raced forward before the badge on his chest started flashing green and in said green light a lumbering armored yellow ball appeared, "CANNONBOLT!" He yelled before launching himself at the soliders knocking them over like pins.
"Do these guys ever quit!" Hope screamed as she dodged a sword slash from one of the soliders.
"No idea, we need to regroup." Gwen replied firmly before blasting one to pieces, "Ben! We need to go!"
Cannonbolt soon unrolled himself before nodding firmly, he slammed his hand onto his badge becoming engulfed in an emerald light. Standing in the lumbering armorfied balls place was a hooded figure dark blue in color, "BIG CHILL!" His raspy voiced echoed out.
A nutcracker solider soon tried slashing the Necrofriggian to watch as his sword past harmlessly through his body, "My turn." He uttered as his arm shot through the solider and froze his entire body solider. He picked up the descarded weapon before shattering the soldier into pieces.
"BEN, NOW!" Gwen yelled as she through up a shield to block the candy cane projectiles. Big Chill soon blasted a frost of ice from his breath to distract the soliders while he grabbed Gwen and Hope. He soon turned intangible as the trio soon sunk into the ground vanishing from the battlefield.
They soon reappeared in an empty toy shop in Time Square. Gwen gazed out the window cautiously incase they were spotted. Ben had reverted back to normal as Hope finally had an opportunity to breath from the constant fighting.
"What's up with this place, it's like my nightmare, but there's no elves with guns riding fire breathing reindeer." He muttered as they crouched behind one of the shelves.
"No idea, they kept coming and coming. I think they were trying to swarm us." Hope added quickly.
"It was a good plan to retreat, good job Gwen." He peeked around the shelf to see the door still closed and incased in ice.
"How long do you think that'll stop them from swarming the shop?" Gwen asked exhausted.
"No idea, but we need to make the best of it. We need to make a plan, find out where grandpa Max is and stop whoever's behind this." Ben reminded them as the two girls nodded.
"I think I can be of some assistance." A cheery voice answered.
"Gwen, what's wrong with your voice?" Ben gazed at his cousin with an eyebrow raised.
"That wasn't me." She answered with her arms raised defensively.
"It was me." The trio soon turned to the fourth person among them and went wide eyed to see an elf come out from behind a toy barrel.
"It's you!" Ben yelled, but soon clamped his mouth shut and turned towards the door to see if the soliders had heard him. He sighed in relief when they kept walking patrolling the streets looking for them.
"You know him?" Hope asked inquisitively at the elf.
"Eh." He answered, "As XLR8, I caught sight of him trying to help us escape. I lost sight of him after that."
"Yes, I was." He nodded rapidly.
"Okay, but who are you?" Gwen asked suspiciously.
"I'm Elsgood." He revealed taking his hat off and bowing slightly.
"Hello Elsgood, I'm Hope, this is Ben and Gwen Tennyson." Hope introduced herself and the two cousins who waved.
"Nice to meet you." He smiled before his smile crumbled into a frown, "You guys are in danger." The trio soon narrowed there eyes on him, when he spoke again, "If you guys don't get out of here soon, you'll transform into elves." He warned as Ben laughed softly.
"Ha! That's bullsh-"
"Look the curse is already starting." He stated as Gwen, Ben, and Hope's eyes turned pure green, they each had rosy cheeks, and pointed ears.
"Okay, I take back what I said." Ben replied before looking at Elsgood, "How do we stop this?"
"We need to stop Mr. Jingle." He answered.
"Okay, where do we find him?" Gwen asked.
"Follow me, I'll lead the way." He waved for them to follow before Hope spoke up.
"Wait, where's grandpa Max?" Hope looked at the elf.
Elsgood nervously lowered his gaze as the three teenagers glared at him, "Jingle has him." He answered softly shocking the trio.
"How do we know if we can trust you?" Ben glared dangerously at Elsgood who panicked.
"I swear I'm here to help. I'll lead you to Mr. Jingle's lair where you can break the curse and free your grandfather." He answered earnestly. The three teenagers gazed at each other and not seeing another option, but to trust him.
"Elsgood we'll trust you for now, but if it feels like you're leading us into a trap, you'll regret it." Ben warned as both Gwen and Hope nodded in agreement.
"I promise, I'm here to help. Let me show you." He soon raced through the toy shops back door. The three teenagers soon raced after him. They stopped behind a building to see the sun setting, "We're gonna need to move fast, or else the Snow Monsters are gonna catch us."
"Snow Monsters?" Gwen asked questioningly.
"Oh, like the abominable snowman?" Ben replied his voice laced with sarcasm.
"Yeah, how'd you know?" Elsgood asked the alien hero who sighed.
"Not important, let's get moving." He answered as Elsgood nodded. The quartet is soon moving through the empty streets towards Jingle's lair. When a large monster covered in snow blocks there path.
"Huh, snow monster?" Ben questioned as Gwen threw her hand out and decapitated the snow monster, "Let's keep moving." Elsgood nodded before guiding them when more snow monsters started appearing.
"In here." Elsgood said before opening a door to a house. The teenagers filed inside before slamming the door shut.
"Where are we?" Hope asked as she saw various pictures of Jingle.
"Is this Jingle?" Gwen asked gazing at the pictures.
"Yes, he believes it's still 1932." Elsgood answers looking at the pictures.
"How old is he?" Ben asked gazing at the old photos.
"Older than our grandpa, I'd guess." Gwen answered as she saw Elsgood open a door to what she guessed is a basement.
"Quickly, we're getting closer to Jingle's lair." He soon led them down the basements stairs to see a trapdoor in the far corner and swiftly opening it.
"Do we seriously have to go down there?" Ben asked as he gazed into the trapdoors chute.
"If you wanna save your grandfather then yes." Elsgood answered.
"Got me there." Ben soon sighed before jumping down first, followed by Gwen, then Hope, and finally Elsgood. The group soon land in a large workshop underneath the town. Over in the distance is a large machine with a conveyor belt and elves working the assembly line. Ontop of a balcony in the far corner to the left was Jingle and Max, who was dressed like Santa.
"Look there's grandpa." Gwen pointed at the two on the balcony.
"What's the plan?" Hope asked before Elsgood cut in.
"We need to destroy the Jingleator. Freeing the elves and your grandpa." He answered pointing towards the machine.
"Okay, but how do we get down there without being spotted?" Hope asks worried about being spotted.
"We improvise." Gwen answered as she pointed towards a sleigh, "All we need is a reindeer." She gazed over to Ben, Hope soon also looked at Ben. Then Elsgood looked at Ben.
Ben finally noticed them looking at him, "No. There's no way in hell, I'm dressing up as a reindeer." Gwen and Hope glared at him which made him groan in annoyance. He had two options to pick from SpiderMonkey or FenRoar.
He soon activated the Omnitrix before scrolling through his playlist landing on his choice. He slammed his hand onto the faceplate becoming engulfed in an emerald light.
Ben's skin started growing paler, his ears pointed out as they were soon recolored green, his mouth and nose pushed outwards into a snout. He grew fur all over his body, he grew a spike from his shoulders and elbows, he grew a bushy tail, and long flowing black mane. He wore a green and black sleeveless jumpsuit with green and black wristbands attached to his wrists. His fingers and toes grew claws. His pupils slitted encoated in his emerald iries. The Omnitrix badge rested on his right pectoral, "FENROAR!" He howled before a mana hand grabbed his muzzle tightly to avoid being discovered.
"Are you trying to get us caught?!" Gwen glared as she released his muzzle. Fenroar rubbed it as he shrugged.
"Sorry, couldn't help it." He answered as Gwen pointed to the sleigh and he sighed. Gwen and Hope soon attached the reins to him and soon climbed into the sleigh, "I just want you guys to know, I'm not on board with this."
"We know, now mush!" She snapped the reins into him, Fenroar growled as he rushed down the slope towards the factory floor.
The group descended down the slope into the factory when Jingle soon caught sight of them, "INTRUDERS! STOP THEM!" Jingle pointed to the alien werewolf leading the sleigh. The elves who were working the assembly line took notice of the group and grabbed candy cane swords and charged them.
"What do we do, Gwen?" Hope asked as Gwen snapped the reins making FenRoar run faster.
"Hope, Elsgood, cover your ears!" Gwen yelled.
"Why?" The duo asked before Gwen glared at them.
"Just do it!" She responded, wasting no time the elf and the sorceress covered there ears, "BEN, SPEAK!"
FenRoar growled before glaring at Gwen, "I'm not a dog!"
"Dog? Alien werewolf? Whatever! Just do it!" She soon covered her own ears as FenRoar sighed.
"Treating me like a damn animal." He muttered before opening his quad-hinged muzzle a large emerald sonic howl blasted forward. The elves were blasted away as FenRoar unleashed multiple sonic howls at the elves.
The Loban stopped near the assembly line as more elves and looked to be more snow monsters stood in there way. Elsgood, Gwen, and Hope hopped out the sleigh, "You guys get to grandpa Max, I'll get to the Jingleator." The trio nodded before Hope made a mana bridge to the balcony.
"It's just you guys and me." FenRoar snarled before charging forward. The snowmonsters roared loudly before smashing there large arms downwards, but the alien werewolf leaped into the air and unleashed another sonic howl from his muzzle. The snowmonster roared before grabbing FenRoar tightly, "Let me go you overgrown knockoff."
He was soon launched through the air before colliding with the wall. He felt the wind get knocked out of his stomach before his enhanced hearing picked up something coming. He let his instincts drive him as he grabbed hold of the wall he landed in and flipped himself upwards as candy cane arrows embedded themselves into the wall.
FenRoar growled before leaping off the wall towards one of the snow monsters. His badge started flashing green before in an emerald light, Chromastone was in his place, he cocked his arm backwards, charging up his fist before thrusting it through the snowmonsters face. He tore through the beastly snowman before landing on the ground. He looked over at the elves holding bows and watched them launch a volley of candy canes at him. He raised his hands before shattering them into pieces. He soon blasted Ultra violet rays from his hands and watched them throw the elves backwards.
Chromastone turned towards the elves with swords and more snowmonsters and ushered them forward, "Bring it." And the army soon charged at him.
Gwen, Hope, and Elsgood raced onto the mana platform towards the balcony where Jingle and Max were, "Will Ben be okay?" Elsgood answered concerned for Ben's well-being.
"He'll be fine. He's been in worse situations before." Gwen answered before setting her gazes on Jingle, "We got other things to worry about."
"Okay." Elsgood answered as they approached the balcony, "It's over Jingle!"
Jingle glared at them, "I was expecting you Elsgood and it even looks like you've brought some friends for me to turn into elves."
"No! We're here to shut down this hellhole once and for all." Elsgood remarked furiously.
"Do you think your new friends can stop me?" Jingle remarked as Max gazed at them silently from the chair he was strapped to.
"Why don't we find out." Gwen glared her hands encased with mana.
"Foolish children." He snickered, "ATTACK!" He ordered as dozens upon dozens of various toys appeared surrounding the trio. Dolls, toy soliders, planes and helicopters, trains, and much more.
"Let's do this, Gwen." Hope smiled as Gwen nodded firmly.
"GALLIUS DISRUPTUS!" Gwen yelled as a sudden gust of wind blew through most of the toy minions. Jingle felt his feet sliding back from the intense wind storm.
"INCEDIA ABSUM!" Hope chanted, as flames suddenly appeared, using the winds from Gwen's spell the flames created a barrier which expanded further and further incinerating everything around them.
Jingle backed up in shock and fear, "Impossible." He muttered weakly before the two sorceresses raced toward him.
Gwen leaped from the ground and hit Jingle with a spinning back kick which knocked him into Hope's awaiting fist. Jingle wobbled back into Gwen who hit him straight in the chest and soon roundhouse kicked him in the jaw. Where Hope finished him off with a Judo flip to the ground. The two girls looked at the beaten Jingle before high fiving each other.
"Seems teaching you some of my moves has paid off." Gwen remarked as Hope laughed.
"Yeah, I guess so." Hope answered before they raced over to free Max from his prison.
"Grandpa! Are you okay?" Gwen asked concerned as Max nodded.
"Thanks to you two." He smiled before looking around, "Where's Ben?" After asking that the entire workshop started shaking violently. Max, Hope, Gwen, and Elsgood raced over to the balcony to see Humungousaur tearing the Jingleator apart.
His fist dented the Jingleator's large frame before he slammed another fist into it then another and another before grabbing the wires inside and tearing them out. He soon grabbed hold of the device and tore it from its position before slamming it onto the ground and slamming his large fists into it.
After seeing the Jingleator destroyed, Humungousaur roared into the workshop pounding on his muscular armored chest. He looked over to the balcony to see Max was free and tapped his badge reverting back to normal. Hope built him a mana stairwell for him to climb up. Ben raced up the stairs before leaping over the balcony.
"Grandpa!" Ben yelled hugging Max tightly, "Why are you dressed like Santa Claus?"
"Why do you three look like elves?" Max asked gazing at the three teenagers who gazed at each other to see the curse still active.
"Hey, Elsgood. You said the curse would be broken when the Jingleator is destroyed!" Ben yelled at the elf who was shocked to see them still as elves.
"I-I-" Elsgood muttered before someone started sniffling.
The group gazed over to the defeated Jingle who was whimpering and sniffling. Ben looked at Gwen and Hope, "How bad did you beat this guy?" He whispered.
"We held back." Gwen answered.
"Makes sense." He nodded before Max walked over to the defeated Jingle.
"What's wrong, Jingle?" He asked softly.
"I was trying to make the perfect toy for the curse to be lifted and now I failed." He answered as tears ran down his face.
"Jingle, I think you have Christmas confused. Gifts aren't the true purpose of Christmas. It's about family and being together." He soon gazed at the three teenagers who were smiling and nodding in agreement.
Jingle gazes at Max, "I'm sorry, I kidnapped you and your family Max. The real way to break the curse is to deliver the presents we already made." He sat up and then pointed over to a beige sack of presents in the corner, "After you deliver them, the curse will be broken."
Max soon looked at Ben, then Gwen looked at Ben, and Hope also looked at Ben. The alien hero gazed at the two sorceresses and his grandpa before groaning, "Oh come on! Why me?!"
"You're the one with the alien watch." Gwen answered.
"But I already acted like a reindeer. No I'm drawing a line." Ben stated firmly.
"That line was already broken when you acted as a reindeer." Gwen snickered.
"Please Ben." Hope pleaded before kissing his cheek lightly which sent the alien hero blushing madly.
"Ok-Okay. I guess I'll do it." He stuttered as Hope and Max smiled, but Gwen just rolled her eyes. Ben closed his eyes as an emerald light blinded everyone.
Ben started transforming into a manta ray, his head, upper chest, arms, and backside were a dark shade of crimson red. His chest and patagia were white with three gills on both sides of his ribs, with his feet being black while having three toes; two in the front and one in the back. On his hands were also three fingers while also being black. He had lightning bolts on his back side race over his shoulders towards the center of his chest where the crimson red and white clashed. On the sides of his face grew out two yellow large horns, while on his head were two large yellow horns protuding outwards. His eyes were emerald green, while his lips were outlined yellow like his horns. The Omnitrix badge appeared in the middle of his chest where the lightning bolts met, "JETRAY!" The Aerophibian exclaimed shooting into the sky.
"Make sure you deliver all the presents, Ben." Max said as JetRay grabbed the sack of gifts with his talons before launching in the air.
"Got it." The horns on his face moved upwards in the form of mask. The Aerophibian soon launched into the air, flying through the trapdoor and into the basement. He decided he wasn't gonna take the stairs or the door. He smashed his way through the wooden floorboards before smashing through the roof of the small house.
Jetray soon begun his mission and flew at blinding speeds with the giant sack of presents slowing him down. He soon started delivering gifts to various house nearby, making sure each got a certain amount, "Might aswell call me Ben-Claus." He laughed before launching back into the sky.
After finishing his mission, he flew back to the Holiday Village to see everyone back to normal. He glided downwards before hitting the ground and soon reverting back to normal in a brief emerald flash. He looked around as everyone who was an elf turned back to normal.
"Ben!" Gwen and Hope cheered as the alien hero faced over to them.
"Hey guys, seems like it worked." Ben gazed around.
"It did, how'd delivering presents in August go?" Gwen asked as Ben shrugged.
"Not too bad. Won't be doing that again anytime soon." He answered with a slight chuckle.
"Thank you." Jingle smiled and soon disappeared in a flash of white.
"Trippy." Hope replied.
"We should get going." Max answered heading for the Rust Bucket.
"You said it." Gwen raced after him.
"Good luck, Tennysons." Ben gazed around to see Elsgood wave goodbye. Ben smiled and waved follwoing after his family.
The Tennysons soon climbed into the Rust Bucket to be greeted by the water interior of the motorhome, which angered Max to new levels, "BENJAMIN!"
"Ah man."
To Be Continued...
A/N: Hey everyone, sorry didn't mean to take a break like that, but got alittle busy. Since I'm gonna have more free time in the next few weeks. I'm hoping I can have the next two chapters out before the year's over. I'll try, I promise. Happy Holiday's everyone.
Next Chapter: Last Laugh