A/N: Hey everyone, sorry about the flow for the last chapter. It shouldn't have been rushed like that. After this chapter, I'm gonna start Tough Luck (the debut character of our female love interest) and after will be Ultimate Weapon. Meaning we have five chapters till our long awaited chapter Back With A Vengeance. I'll probably stop there and start updating other books they do deserve my attention since I've been way too focused on this. So I'll pause this story with the season 2 finale and update one or two of my other untouched stories. Please don't ask me about updates if your curious about it go read the my author note i posted for chapter 10 of this book, i explained why i haven't updated. I've been thinking on my Negative Ten Team and honestly it sucks, I can't introduce Albedo this early for the team, but I'll make due. Ofc Ship will appear.
Chapter 15: Camp Fear
Driving alongside the mountain range, were the Tennyson family. Gwen and Max listened to Ben's story on what occured after Kevin attacked them. Ben told them how he and Kevin had to team up countless amounts of times in order to survive, he retold how Kevin slammed a tray of slop into Technorg's face and then proceeded to blame him for it. And finally he told them how Kevin was planning on killing him before beating him as CannonBolt to then flying back home.
"Wait, you jumped into space?!" Max gazed into the rearview mirror as Ben nodded.
"I honestly thought I was gonna die, but better dying in space then in that ship with Kevin." Ben rubbed his temples in frustration.
"Ben, this is serious! You were able to survive the vacuum's of space and not only that, but you were able to travel through hyperspace!" Max remarked with a stern look on his face.
Ben raised an eyebrow before gazing at his grandpa and cousin who were in the front seats, "Hyperspace?" Ben tapped his chin before racing to the back of the RV and grabbing something from his bed.
"Ben?" Gwen called out, but he ignored her as he started flipping through the book till he found JetRay's species.
"Aerophibian." He muttered before skimming through the various abilities before he found one he was looking for, "Aerophibian's are capable of survival within space, being able to reach a maximum speed that's faster than light while capable of hyperspace travel. Hyperspace travel gets you to one end of the galaxy to the next in a matter of seconds."
"Ben, you okay back there?" Max asked which broke Ben from his stuper.
"Uh yeah, I'm good." He replied before gazing at the book, 'Who knew Jetray could travel from one point to the galaxy to the next.' Ben placed the book back onto his bed before sitting back in the booth when an unspeakable itch occured from his left foot.
Ben started jittering unexpectedly when Max caught the boy's unexpected movements, "Ben, you alright?" Ben soon kicked off his shoe and pulled his sock off. He immediately started scratching his foot.
'Must have caught something from the ship!' He thought before scratching it intensely.
"Ben, what's wrong?" Gwen asked.
"My foot feels like it's on fire!" Ben replied scratching it harder.
"I have something for that, Gwen reach into the glove compartment and get the foot powder." Max instructs as Gwen grabs a small white container and gets up and hands it to her cousin.
"What is this?" Ben asks.
"Foot powder, designed to kill fungus or whatever you caught when you were up there." Max answers.
Ben takes the powder as Gwen sits across from him, "Now that Ben is back we have another problem that needs to be addressed."
Ben raises an eyebrow, "Another problem? What is it?"
"Our birthday is coming up." Gwen answers before Ben slumps in his seat forgetting about his aching foot.
"Oh, great." Ben mutters before Max chuckles.
"I almost forgot, you guys are gonna be sixteen. What do you guys wanna do?" Max asks.
"Considering Ben found the Omnitrix, I think I should be the one to have it celebrated and we can celebrate his after." Gwen answers putting her glasses on and smirking.
"Yeah, that's not happening." Ben replies.
Max rolls his eyes before feeling an oncoming fight about to happen, "Here we go." He mutters to himself.
"What do you mean? Not gonna happen?" Gwen glares, "The Omnitrix is the best present you could ask for!"
"Okay? Let's not forget, I stole Hex's book from him and gave it to you." He counters as he starts scratching his foot again.
"Ben, you got to travel through space, fight ridiculous amounts of enemies, and obtain various trophies. Why can't I be the one who's birthday we celebrate!" She yelled.
"Because remember last year we celebrated yours on the actual day and you said; and I quote, 'Don't worry, Ben, next year we'll celebrate yours and we'll celebrate mine after.' Ring any bells?" Ben remarked.
Max thought about it for a moment, "It's true, Gwen. You seriously don't remember that?"
Gwen was speechless, "But-"
"No buts, we're celebrating mine then yours." He glared before dosing his foot in the white powder.
"Damn. Should have crossed my fingers during that promise." Gwen mutters placing a hand under her chin.
"Come on, Gwen, it won't be that bad." Max replies taking his eyes off the road. When Ben's eyes turn to the road to see a boy in a light green shirt and dark green pants jumping up and down frantically.
"GRANDPA, LOOK OUT!" Ben yells. Max turns back to the road before swerving hard to not hit the frantic teenager. The teenager in question jumps out the way and down the cliff below, before he's capable of falling any further he grabs hold of a branch before yelling loudly in fear.
The trio race out of the RV, "Going XLR8!" He immediately activates the Omnitrix and soon finds the Kineceleran's hologram before slamming his hand onto the faceplate and becoming engulfed in an emerald light.
From the plants below vines shot outwards wrapping around his body tightly. His feet soon took the appearance as roots, his hands up to his forearm were changed into a fiery orange yellowish color, his face was wrapped tightly in the vines as his eyes turned pure green, with his hair taking on the appearance of fire, orange in the back, yellow in the middle and red in the front. Orange yellowish leaves littered his shoulders with thorns from the vines covering his shoulders. The Omnitrix's badge was wrapped tightly in the vines on his chest, "SWAMPFIRE!" The Methanosian exclaimed, "Aw man, Swampfire? This blows, literally." The Methanosian replies before he hears the teenager yell fearfully.
"Ben less complainy and more saving the day!" Gwen yells as the vines wrap around his mouth tightly. SwampFire rushes towards the edge of the cliff before seeing the boy struggling to hold on.
He launched into the air and landed on the branch shaking it lightly, "Hold on, I'm coming." The teenager went wide eyed from the walking plant monster when he let go. He started falling down the cliff when SwampFire dived after him, Gwen and Max race to the edge of the cliff.
He reached out with his arm and thorny tendrils shot out of his forearm, it wrappped around his body tightly. SwampFire flipped before blasting fire out of his left palm to slow down there descent. When a pink platform shot out which SwampFire landed on. He gazed up to see Gwen's hand outstretched and slowly bringing the two of them up.
SwampFire pulled up his passenger to find the teenager outcold. Once he was back at the top of the cliff he put the boy down gaining quizzical looks from both Max and Gwen, "What?"
"Nothing, but is he okay?" Gwen asked.
"Yeah, he passed out." SwampFire answered.
"Good, let's get him inside the Rust Bucket." SwampFire and Gwen nod before the Methanosian picks up the unconscious teen before the trio climb back into the RV.
They set him into the booth before hearing a loud blaring sound. The trio gaze to SwampFire's chest to find the Omnitrix flashing red and soon enough in a blinding red light he reverts back to normal, "Man, I hate it when it does that." Ben replies as he takes his seat inside the booth with Gwen and Max looking the boy over.
"His names Gilbert." Gwen replies suddenly when Ben stops scratching his foot to gaze at her in wonder.
"How'd you know that?" Ben asks curiously.
"Woman's intuition." She smirks adjusting her glasses when Max pulls out his name tag.
"Woman's intuition, huh?" Ben narrows his eyes at her which makes her turn her gaze away.
"I hope he's okay." Max replies. When they get a good look at Gilbert. He was a bit on the hefty side, with pale Caucasian skin, light beige hair slicked back, two large teeth and plumpy cheeks. He wore a light green shirt with a pinetree on the left sleeve and dark green shorts.
Gwen stared at him before pointing at the symbol on his sleeve, "I know this symbol."
"You do?" Max asks.
"Yeah, before we left for our summer trip, I asked Ken, if he was coming, but he said he got a job at some summer camp." Gwen remembers. Ben and Max's eyes widened at the revelation.
"You don't think?" Ben starts.
"I do, grandpa we need to get to Camp Opinicon." Gwen orders.
"On it!" Max races to the drivers seat and turns the RV on before racing alongside the mountainside to the camp in the far distance.
"Why would a camper from Opinicon be this far out?" Ben asked bewildered.
"I don't know, but I hope Ken is okay." Gwen replies scared for her brother.
"I'm sure he's fine. He's a Tennyson afterall." Ben smiles widely before Gwen also smiles in response. The duo soon inspect Gilbert abit more before finding a green spot on his left arm.
Ben and Gwen exchange looks before looking at the teenagers arm, "What is it?"
"Seems to be fungus, but how's it growing on him?" Gwen answers setting her gazes on Ben who shrugs.
"Let's get to the camp, maybe the nurse has something that treat it." Max answers.
The drive to the camp was silent, Ben scratching his ever increasing foot rash, Gwen was silently doing research on Camp Opinicon and this fungus, while Max got them closer and closer to the camp. The Rust Bucket soon entered the barron camp before coming to a stop infront of the mess hall.
The trio soon climbed out the motorhome, before gazing around curiously, "Where is everyone?" Ben asks.
"It feels like this place has been abandoned for ages." Max justify's when thunder flashes across the sky, "We better get inside." Ben, Gwen, and Max soon enter the mess hall to find it empty, but food was left on the tables.
The trio soon walk over to the food, "It's still warm? Meaning something happened or caused them to leave in a hurry." Gwen remarks.
They scour around the mess hall looking for any clues on the campers or the counselors. When the lights start flickering. Gwen and Max gaze at the lights as they shut off, "Seems the storm knocked out the power." Max reveals before pulling out a flashlight and shining it on Gwen then Ben who's seat at the table stuffing his face full of ham, mashed potatoes, and collared greens.
He stops mid munch to see his grandpa and cousin staring at him, "What?" Max sighs before entering the kitchen.
Gwen gazes over to her cousin before sitting across from him and also digging into the food constituting of turkey, mac-n-cheese, and corn.
"It's either eat now or suffer from grandpa's cooking." Ben whispers.
"I know." She replies with a light chuckle. The two are broken from there feast when they hear abunch of pans clattering in the kitchen.
The two jumped out of there seats and rushed into the kitchen, Ben with his hand already on the Omnitrix and Gwen's hands glowing a bubblegum pink. The duo charged through the door to find Max shining the flashlight on two preteens huddled into the corner of the kitchen.
"Grandpa, you alright?" Ben asked cautiously ready for anything.
"Yeah, these two frightened me, stand down." Max answered before seeing Ben and Gwen lower there guards, "Sorry, about the little scare, I'm Max Tennyson. These are my grandkids Ben and Gwen Tennyson. What are your names?"
"I'm Mandy." The girl spoke. She had long brown hair, blue eyes, her skin is light in color, and her face has a more rounded shape. Her body seemed to be in shape, she wore a light green shirt with the Camp Opinicon pinetree on the left side, with red shorts, and red shoes.
"And I'm Andy." The boy spoke. He had brown hair, but slicked back with two bangs hanging from his forehead. He had tanned-skin and blue eyes. He seemed kinda lanky, as he wore a green shirt, Blue shorts and grey-and-white tennis shoes.
"Nice to meet the two of you." Ben greets with a smile.
"Andy, Mandy, what are you two doing here? Where is everyone else?" Gwen asks gazing around the kitchen curiously.
"We got separated from everyone else." Andy answers.
"And then something appeared which caused everyone to run off in the first place." Mandy finishes.
"Hm, do you two know someone named Ken Tennyson?" Max asks.
"We did, but he managed to get everyone out safely." Mandy replies.
"Everyone except for us." Andy says sadly.
The trio gaze at each other before Ben steps up, "Don't worry you two, we'll protect you from whatever scared everyone else off."
"You will!" They shouted happily as the trio nodded firmly. While the twins celebrated the trio stepped to the aside away from them.
"Well it proves Ken's alive and safe, but what is it that scared everyone away?" Ben asks gazing between his cousin and grandpa.
"No idea, but judging from there appearance they have to be atleast 14. What can we do against an enemy we have no information on?" Gwen replied.
"I think we should take them with us to a nearby town and hopefully we'll get some answers there." Max says.
"Our best plan for the moment. Let's do it." Ben nods before seeing the twins gazing at them, "Come with us, we're gonna get you outta here."
The twins didn't need to be told twice as they followed the Tennyson family out the mess hall and towards the motorhome parked out front. The group rush to the RV in the rain becoming soaked in the process. They climb into the Rust Bucket before finding Gilbert unconscious in the booth.
"Wait here, I'll get you guys a towel." Max rushes over to the back of the RV while Ben takes off his coat before taking the front seat. With Gwen and the twins sitting in the booth.
Ben is gazing aimlessly out the window when Gwen comes up to him with a towel, "You okay?"
The Omnitrix Wielder nods before wiping his soaking face with the towel, "Just wondering what's causing all of this."
"Ben, don't worry, we've got each other's backs so whatever is causing this won't live long to see the end of today." Gwen affirms which makes Ben laugh lightly when they hear Max swear under his breath.
"What's wrong, grandpa?" Ben asks.
"There's something wrong with the Rust Bucket." Max answers before the trio start walking to the RV's door.
"Where are you going?!" Mandy asked abit fearfully.
"Something's wrong with the RV, we're gonna find out what the problem is." Gwen smiles slightly patting Mandy on the head, "We'll be right back." The trio soon walk out the RV and towards the hood of the motorhome.
Max pops open the hood of the RV to see a mass covered greenish fungus covering the whole engine, "Damn, seems like we're not going anywhere with the engine like this."
"How about we torch it, grandpa." Ben smirked wildly before slamming his fist into his open palm.
"That could work while burning the entire engine!" Gwen yelled smacking Ben upside the head.
"It was just a suggestion." Ben remarked rubbing the back of his head.
"Till I can get this fungus off the engine, looks like we're stuck here. Come on, let's take shelter in one of the cabins." Max replies before closing the hood to the motorhome.
The trio walk back to the open door of the RV, when a sudden chill creeps up Ben's back. He whips his head around in search of the sudden spike of bloodlust he felt. He narrows his eyes cautiously before turning away from the RV, looking around when Gwen's voice breaks him from his search, "Ben, you coming?"
Ben gives one more look before replying, "Yeah, I'm coming." He climbs up the RV before throwing a cautious glance over his shoulder for anything before closing the Rust Bucket's door. When a bunch of small shadows rushed passed the RV.
When Ben got onto the RV, he noticed Gilbert had woken up, "Nice to see you awake, Gilbert."
"Thanks." He gave a nervous chuckle.
"At the moment, we're not going anywhere, until I can get the engine cleared we're gonna stay in the cabin hopefully the storm lets up by then." Max answers and the campers exchange wry looks, "What's wrong?"
"What if the things that scared everyone else off come back?" Gilbert answered scared of whatever was out there.
"We'll take care of it, we won't let anything happen to you." Ben replied without a shred of hesitation, "Come on, let's make our way to the closest cabin."
The campers a bit hesitant to leave nodded, before following the Tennyson family out. Ben walked out first incase something popped out and needed to dial up an alien. Next was Andy and Mandy, both holding each other's hand, next came Max, he looked around cautiously aswell, before Gilbert came down after him. Gwen pulled up the rear, shutting the door behind her. Ben nodded to his grandpa and cousin, Max led them to one of the closest cabins, with the three campers behind him while Gwen took left side and Ben was following from behind.
As they walked Ben could feel the bloodlust again, quickly he whipped his head around, not seeing what was generating it. The group made it to a cabin, that had a large broccoli stalk framed above it. Max opened the door before finding the entire room empty. He scanned the room, finding a pair of bunk beds, and two singular beds. He sighed in relief before ushering the teenagers inside.
Andy, Mandy, Gilbert, and Gwen walked into the cabin, when Ben felt the spike radiate towards him directly. He knew something was here, but it wasn't gonna make it easy for him or his family. Max looked over to his grandson who spaced out, "Ben, you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm okay." He walked up the steps before closing the cabin door behind him when multiple silhouettes appeared before disappearing.
Inside the Cabin, Andy and Mandy had taken one of the bunk beds away from the door. Gilbert and Max took the two singular beds while Ben and Gwen took the bunks beds close to the door. Ben had taken the bottom bunk and watched the door incase whatever was here decided to make a move when he heard stomachs rumbling throughout the cabin.
"Sorry." Mandy replies.
"Yeah, we haven't eaten since this morning." Andy adds.
"Got anything to snack on?" Gilbert inquires as the trio look at each other.
Max stretches his arms, "Guess I can wrestle up something in the kitchen." Max soon leaves the cabin and heads for the mess hall. When Ben's foot flares up again. He kicks his shoe off before scratching it immediately.
"Oh no." Gwen mumbles looking for something in the cabin when Mandy and Andy notice Ben's unexplainable rash.
"Everyone gets it." Andy randomly remarks.
Ben raises an eyebrow, "Get's what?"
Mandy soon points to the sudden rash on his foot, "The rash." She then shows Ben her left leg where the greenish fungus was growning.
Andy then lifts up the back of his shirt to show Ben patches of the fungus growing on his back, "When did this start happening?"
The twins shrug before Gilbert chimes in, "About four days ago." Ben grabs the powder from his jacket before dumping his socks and shoes full of it and soon putting them back on.
Gwen soon finds a shoe box full of cookies and shrieks happily, "Found something!" She erupts, but as she starts passing out cookies to everyone, Max screams loudly. The duo's eyes widened in fear, before bolting out the cabin and heading to the mess hall.
Ben is already activating the Omnitrix, "Come on, SpiderMonkey!" He finds the Arachnichimps hologram before slamming down onto it becoming engulfed in an emerald light.
Ben felt like he was deevolving, he started growing blue fur all over his body. He blinked his eyes as he grew four extra eyes, his ears pointed out, and his teeth grew into fangs with a lone line running directly from his lower lip running downwards unto his chin. The bones in his two arms split into four arms with three fingers on each hand. A tail sprouted out from his butt. Fur covered his forearms, his body, his neck, and face, as two black circular bands were wrapped around all four arms. The Omnitrix badge appeared on his chest, "SPIDERMONKEY!" He screeched loudly, "Yes!" He bursted through the double doors of the mess hall with Gwen.
He leaped from the tables into the kitchen, he looked around when Gwen came in behind him, "Find him?" The Arachnichimp shook his head before the two saw the back down opened, they rushed to the door before seeing small footprints leading into the forest.
"Gwen, stay with them. I'll try and find grandpa." SpiderMonkey relayed before she shook her head.
"Not on your life! Ben, you can't track him. You don't have any aliens that can find him by scent." Gwen reminded him, but he wasn't budging.
"I don't need to find him by scent, my enhanced hearing should be enough to track him or whatever took him. The campers and I need you here, only you can protect them." He told her before gazing at the tracks and looked into the forest, "As much as I want to take you with me, I can't. I'll be back."
"Ben." She called out as he turned around to look at her, "Save our grandpa." He gave a curt smile before nodding and racing into the forest. Gwen steeled her resolve before running back to the broccoli cabin.
SpiderMonkey was using his enhanced senses to find any trace of his grandpa or whatever took him. He launched onto a branch before gazing at the ground to see the tracks heading north. He closed his eyes and used his hearing to find a source he could use aside from the tracks when he heard Max struggleling and chittering with him. He reopened his eyes and launched off the tree into another tree before flipping and launching a web from his tail and slinging himself forward.
'Hang on, grandpa, I'm coming!' The Arachnichimp thought as he could hear the chittering getting louder and louder. As he got closer to his grandpa's location he noticed the forest started morphing into large mushrooms and growing fungus. He landed on the border between the forest and the mushroom kingdom.
He rushed into the mushroom territory, gazing at the land in disgust and curiosity, "What the hell happened here?" As he walks through the mysterious and disgusting land, the chittering sounds fill his ears, he didn't need to even look around to know he was surrounded. Surrounded by what exactly. He didn't know and didn't wanna find out. So he rushed through the mushroom land before finding an bulldozer up on a hill.
He rushed up the hill before coming to a large hole in the ground, with blue tree roots, and even larger mushrooms. He gazed around his spider sense remained dormant, but his instincts were going haywire. It was shouting at him, whatever was down there it was big and ready to devour him. He gazed into the hole and used his enhanced hearing to find anything when he could hear, his grandpa below, but where? He didn't know.
As he was trying to close on his grandpa's sounds of struggle, his spider senses went off. His eyes opened immediately to find blue tentacles shot upwards from the depths of the darkness. He flipped backwards when the tentacles stood over him in height before his spider sense went haywire. He dodged the sets of appendages, he bent backwards as they sailed above him. He soon flipped over the them before shooting a web at a nearby tree and slinging himself forward when his spider sense blared to life. He looked down to find a tentacle wrapped around his leg.
He tried to pull it off when more launched at him, wrapping around his other leg, both sets of arms, his body, and finally his neck, "Dammit!" He grumbled before trying to free himself when the tentacles pulled him into the pit below. SpiderMonkey struggles the entire way down trying to free one of his arms when he catches a slight glimpse of his grandpa who's strapped to the wall by the blue tentacles.
SpiderMonkey gazes around to try and free himself when he looks down to his tail to see it still free. He slithers his tail around one of his trapped arms before breaking it free, "Yes!" He cheered before tearing his other trapped appendages, he flips on the ground below and tries to make his way to his grandpa when small mushroom like creatures block his path. They were magenta, about the size of Echo Echo, emerald green eyes with black slits, and two sets of mouths with fanged teeth.
His spider sense flared to life when they soon started rushing him from all directions. SpiderMonkey pounded on his chest angrily before he sped towards one of them and smashed his fist into its face, a yellow dust cloud blew out after SpiderMonkey killed it. His spider sense started going haywire again, as SpiderMonkey dodged and punched his way through the surrounding creatures. One tried to jump on the Arachnichimp's back, but was soon flung off and had it's large head smashed in. SpiderMonkey fought for what he was worth and it was gonna cost him dearly as he knew he was running out of time.
He'd have to come back with a plan, but for right now he need to escape. He leaped over the small mushrooms before shooting a web onto the roof and stuck himself there before climbing through the hole. He started making his way back up the pit when his spider sense went off again, he gazed below to see the tentacles after him and the mushrooms climbing up after him. SpiderMonkey started climbing faster while dodging the blue appendages, that caused various holes to appear in the cliff. The Arachnichimp jumped to the other side when the tentacles slammed into his original position.
SpiderMonkey was almost to the top off the pit when he heard a loud beeping noise. He gazed down to his badge to see it flashing red, "No! Not now!" SpiderMonkey knew he had to make his escape counted he planted his feet and arms firmly when his spider sense went highwire. He closed his eyes when the tentacles launched at him. With the remainder of his enhanced strength he launched into the air and out the pit when a flash of red light engulfed the top.
Ben went tumbling down the hill before coming to a stop. He rubbed his head before gazing backwards to see the army of mushrooms crawl out of the pit, "Oh great!" He didn't waste another second before racing back the way he came. He tried activating the Omnitrix when it wouldn't cooperate, "Come on! Any other time you'll already be ready! Why are you in recharge mode!" He sighed exasperatedly before running full speed back to camp.
Ben soon arrives to the back door of the mess hall before bolting inside and closing the door. He soon rushes through the dinning hall before out the doors, he busted down. He soon rushed back towards the broccoli cabin before slamming the door shut. Gwen, Andy, Mandy, and Gilbert soon surrounded him.
"Ben, breathe! Your safe." She replied before Ben took her advice and calmed himself down, "What happened out there? And where's grandpa?"
"Gwen, I was surrounded by small mushroom creatures and blue tentacles. If it wasn't for my enhanced senses I'd be trapped down there as well. I tried to get to grandpa, when an army of those things attacked me. I had no choice, but to retreat when I timed out. I'm sorry." Ben explained.
"Ben, it's not your fault." She smiled, "I would have done the same thing in your position."
The Omnitrix Wielder gazes to the three teenagers shifting nervously behind her, "Did you three not hear a word I said?"
"We already knew." Gilbert replied before Ben and Gwen go wide eyed at the realization, "The mushroom and fungus have already taken over the entire campground." Ben was beyond angry as he grabbed Gilbert by his shirt collar.
"YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOU'VE KNOWN THIS ENTIRE TIME AND HADN'T WARNED US!" Ben shouted as he glared at him, then at the twins who cowered under his glare before Gwen broke them up, "OUR GRANDPA IS TRAPPED WITH THEM!"
"I'm sorry." Gilbert whispered sadly.
"Ben, calm down. I'm angry too, but yelling at them isn't gonna bring him back." Gwen replied as Ben gripped his hair in frustration and nodded.
"You're right." He sighed before looking at the three campers, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lost my temper like that."
Andy and Mandy shook their heads, "It's alright, we're sorry we didn't warn you." Gilbert nodded with them about being sorry.
"But now we need a plan on how to stop them and rescue grandpa." Gwen answers.
"I should be able to get in with either speed or stealth." Ben replies gesturing to using XLR8 or Big Chill.
"It's a start to a plan, let's go." Ben nods along with his cousin as the group walks to the door when they exit the cabin. They soon feel a tremor and suddenly a large pod erupts from the ground. The group went wide eyed and soon rushes back into the cabin.
"What the hell are those?!" Ben whisper-shouts as they gaze out the window as more of those giant pods erupt from the ground surrounding the entire camp.
"Our situation just got infinitely worse." Gilbert mumbles, but it didn't go unnoticed by Ben and Gwen. The two share a look of confusion when Gwen asks.
"What do you mean infinitely worse?" Gilbert looks up in surprise at being heard and soon explains.
"These particular mushrooms are organic warheads containing billions of spores that if allowed to mature can spawn even more of the alien mushrooms over the rest of the state if not the whole country if they can't be stopped." Ben and Gwen go wide eyed at the shred of information.
"That definitely isn't good." Ben mumbles, "We need to stop this."
"There is one solution, but it's a really difficult task." Gilbert replies.
Ben raises an eyebrow, "So, how do we stop them?"
"The only way to kill mushroom is to destroy the mycelium." Gilbert enlightens them. Andy and Mandy share a look.
"What's the mycelium?" Mandy asks.
"The brain." Ben and Gwen reply in unison they both look at each other confused.
"How do you know about the mycelium?" Gwen asks with an eyebrow raised.
Ben huffs before muttering, "I pay attention in biology." Gwen stuffles a laugh at his answer.
"But how are we gonna find this mycelium?" Andy asks when the whole room fell into silence. Ben was contemplating on where it could be while Gwen was thinking on how they were gonna reach it.
"I might have a general idea of where it could be." Ben replied skeptically.
"Okay, where is it?" Gwen asked.
"In the pit, where grandpa is being held." Ben answers.
"Ben, you won't be able to make it!" Gwen replies.
"I might not be able to make it, but I know a certain accelerating dinosaur who can." Ben smirked as he saw the faceplate flash green and knew it was go time.
Ben turned towards the door when Gwen grabbed his arm. He turned towards her, "Make sure you come back, both of you."
Ben smiled and hugged her, "I swear." He whispers before leaving through the door.
"Good luck, Ben."
Ben races towards the mess hall and soon through the kitchen towards the back door before opening it to see the endless cured forest, "Here goes, come on give me XLR8!" He activates the Omnitrix before scrolling through his playlist, finding the Kineceleran and slamming his hand 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, "Yes, hold on grandpa, I'm coming." His visor soon slid over his face before he was off in a streak of black and blue.
The Kineceleran raced throughout the forest before stopping on the border again and gazing around intensely before he was racing up the hill and soon down the pit at blinding speeds. XLR8 races throughout the cave stopping briefly, "Where are you grandpa?" He soon races off.
Gwen and the campers were waiting in the cabin when, Gwen caught sight of brief movement outside the window, "Guys, stay behind me and away from the windows."
Gwen's hands started glowing pink when the cabin door bursted open. Small mushrooms bursted into the room, Gilbert screamed in fear when they started rushing towards them. Gwen started throwing small pink mana discs at them slicing them apart, "Come on, we need to escape!"
"Where?!" Andy asked before Gwen killed another one, she soon threw another disc at the window shattering the glass onto the ground.
"Out the window!" Gwen announced before watching as the three campers filed out the window. She blasted bursts of mana into approaching mushrooms before vaulting out the window, "Come on, let's find another place to hide."
Gwen soon led the group to the archery range. Gwen looked around cautiously before letting out a sigh of relief, "Looks like we're safe for now."
"How can we be safe around those monsters?!" Gilbert screamed in panic.
"Gilbert, calm down!" Andy replied firmly.
"I CAN'T WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!" Gilbert screams when they felt the ground shift around there feet. The group look cautiously at the ground when a large mushroom emerges from the ground and swallows up both Andy and Mandy. Gilbert shrieks in fright before Gwen glares.
"ADFISHIO POTENTIA!" Gwen recited a spell from her book as multiple energy beams of magenta-colored glowing mana appeared. She launched her arm forward as they collided with the mushroom impaling it multiple times.
The mushroom wobbled before collapsing before them, as Gilbert and Gwen dug out the twins, "You guys okay?" Gwen asks.
"Yeah, thanks for saving us." Mandy smiles as Andy nods.
"Let's get out of here." Gwen looks up to see Gilbert trembling in fear, "What's wrong, Gilbert?" The large boy points to the forest where multiple yellow eyes with black slits were watching them, "Come on, we need to get to higher ground." She yells as more large mushrooms emerge from the ground.
XLR8 journey's deeper into the cave when he stops at a two cave entrances. His visor slids upwards revealing his dinosaur like features, "Which way is it?" He was trying to remember which way he heard his grandpa when he turned into SpiderMonkey.
His thoughts were soon interrupted when blue appendages shot out from above, but before they could even touch him. XLR8 shredded them into pieces, "I might not have my sixth sense, but I got super speed!" He smirked before his visor slid downwards and soon took the right path, as he traversed deeper into the cave. He stopped before gazing around, "Grandpa?" He called out when the sounds of chittering ruptured his ears, he looked over to his right and found the mushrooms moving.
He didn't waste even a millisecond before racing off in a streak leaving behind a dustcloud. Unbeknownst to the speeding alien, his green badge turned yellow again. XLR8 looks around before finding himself infront of a webbed part of the cave.
Max soon started waking up when he heard a pitched wiring sound. He looked up to the entrance to the cave and saw XLR8 shred the webbing apart, he looked around before finding him. The Kineceleran sped over to Max, with his visor sliding upwards, "Grandpa!"
"Ben? How'd you get down here? Did they get you too?" Max asked abit groggily.
"No, grandpa, I'm here to save you." XLR8 soon started shredding the tentacles around his body at blinding speeds when his badge started flashing red and soon in a flash of red, he reverted back to normal, "NO! God dammit! I hate it when it does that!" Ben tries to dial up another alien when the tentacles erupt from the ceiling wrapping tightly around his body.
"Ben!?" Max yells as his body is soon encased by the tentacles.
Gwen and the campers soon make it to the rock climbing wall before pointing towards the top, "Hurry get up there! I'll buy you some time!"
Andy, Mandy, and Gilbert didn't even question her as they soon started climbing up the wall as Gwen started destroying the approaching army of mushrooms. Once she saw them at the top, she jumped up into the air before creating a platform below and leviated upwards and hopping onto the top beside them.
"We need to keep moving." Gwen replies before seeing the large mushrooms and pods surrounding the entire campground, "Jesus. This is terrible." Gwen mumbled before she heard arguing and turned around to find Andy and Mandy fighting over the zipline handle.
"Me first!" Mandy yelled.
"No, me!" Andy yelled back.
"Can you two can it!" Gwen glared as the two immediately stopped fighting. She gazed over the edge of the tower to see the mushrooms making there way up.
Mandy went down the zipline first, followed by Andy, then Gilbert screaming all the way down, and Gwen pulled up the rear. The group finally land on the ground before taking shelter inside the storage room where Gwen places a large pink shield around the entire building, 'Ben, please tell me you have a plan to eradicate these bastards!'
"-N! Ben! Ben! Ben! Can you hear me?" Max yells as Ben soon starts regain consciousness. He looks around before finding himself binded to the wall by the tentacles. He looks over to his grandpa who's bound to a wall on his left, "Ben, you alright, sport?"
"Yeah, got some major deja vu, just a second ago." Ben replied shaking his head.
"Ben can you reach the watch?" Max hopes.
Ben lifts his wrist to see the faceplate flashing yellow, "No, it's flashing yellow again."
"Yellow? What does that mean?" Max asks.
"I don't know, it was flashing yellow when I turned into CannonBolt and XLR8 for the first time." Ben replied when the duo soon let Ben's words sink in. They both widened there eyes in shock.
"You don't think-" Max begins when Ben smiled wickedly.
"New alien!" Ben cheered before he slammed his hand onto the faceplate and an blinding emerald light occured.
Ben's arms started twisting into a various vines shooting up his arm. His body elongated into a large plant, when his both legs splintered off into three sets of thorn vined like legs. On his back eight black pods appeared. On his shoulders and forearms were blue eyes with leaves litering his forearms. His head was entrapped between a flytrap with rows of teeth running down the sides. On his face was a large blue eye with a black patch on his chin resembling a small beard. He had four sharp fingers ready to tear something to pieces. The Omnitrix badge appeared in the middle of his viney chest.
The emerald light soon died down as Max got a look at his grandson, "Who the hell is that?"
"I don't know, I've never turned into this guy before." Ben answered, 'But I do remember reading up on him.' Thorns extended from his body, shredding the tentacles holding him hostage. His hand extended with thorns, "I like what he can do." He soon shredded the tentacles holding Max, "Let's get outta here, grandpa."
"You're not going anywhere." A voice erupted causing Ben to turn around when he suddenly felt that bloodlust again.
"Did you hear that?" Ben glared around before Max replied.
"Hear what?" Then tentacles sprung up from the ground and wrapped tightly around Max's body and pulled him into the ground. Ben went wide eyed before he grabbed his hand to keep him from sinking any further when more tentacles sprung up and wrapped around his body and sent him sinking into the soil.
The two sank deeper into the ground before being bound hovering a large virus like monster with a mouth just as large. It was pink with tendrils spreading through the underground cave system.
"I communicate with all vegetation on a telepath level." The Mycelium replied directly to Ben's head.
"The Mycelium." Ben replied.
"Indeed, Florauna." The Mycelium replied.
"Ben, who are you talking to?" Max questioned the Florauna.
"The brain, he's inside my head. It's like we're connected." Ben answers.
"Struggle as you may, Florauna, you will never be able to stop me. You will watch as I devour this entire planet's vegetation." The Mycelium replied which angered Ben.
"I may be a Florauna, but that's not my name!" Ben yelled, "And you won't be taking this planet, with me, here. I'll stop you!" Ben soon shredded the tendrils before quickly extending his arm out and grabbing hold of his grandpa before his hand extended into sharper claws and freed him.
Ben soon extended his arm while safely carrying his grandpa away, "Ben, how do you plan on stopping him." Max asked as they landed on part of the Mycelium.
"First, you can call me WILDVINE!" The Florauna declared before switching gears, "I don't know yet." He soon grabbed hold of the pods on his back before launching them at the mycelium before watching them explode.
"Surely as a plant you can understand sharing a single intelligence." The mycelium replied throughout his head.
"Sorry, but, I don't share my intellect with giant virus like monsters." He glared before his hand morphed into a large thorned sickle before rushing at the Mycelium and started hacking and slashing its body off.
"Surely if you destroy me, you'll never be able to stop the billions of spores, I've created." The mycelium reminds him before WildVine lands onto the ground glaring at the large virus.
"I'll slaughter them along with you. Say goodbye!" WildVine replies before his badge starts flashing red. Then in a blinding red light, he reverts back to normal, "You've got to be kidding me!" Ben yells angrily before the tentacles wrap tightly around his body.
Max tries to run when the tentacles also wrap around his body. The two are soon left dangling above the mycelium's large mouth.
"Sorry grandpa, I failed again." Ben replies sadly.
"It's not your fault, Ben. I'm proud of the hero you've become." He smiles proudly, "Sad, we couldn't find anything to kill this fungus with."
'Kill? Fungus?' Those words momentarily circled Ben's head before an idea came to mind, "That's it!" He soon kicks off his shoe filled with the foot powder before watching it collide with the Mycelium's mouth. It soon started choking as viles of liquid sprewed from its mouth. Ben reaches into his pants pocket before grabbing the container and popping the cap off before tossing it inside the poisoned mycelium. Then watching as it started dying due to the foot powder.
Ben and Max were flung into the air before Ben flipped and slammed his hand onto the Omnitrix becoming engulfed in an emerald light.
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 before opening his arms to reveal his hidden patagia and shooting into the air before catching his grandpa.
The Aerophibian and Max looked at the dead Mycelium, "Let's get out of here, Ben!" Max replies before JetRay nods firmly grabbing hold of his grandpa and flying out the hidden cave system.
Gilbert and the twins looked out to see the mushrooms punching at Gwen's forcefield when they suddenly screamed like they were in pain before collapsing onto the ground. The trio looked at each other quizzically before turning back to the dying army of mushrooms.
"Gwen, look, the mushrooms are dying!" Andy yelled as the magician in training looked walked over to them while maintaining the shield and seeing them drop dead.
"Ben and grandpa did it!" She sighed in relief before the dispelling the shield and walked out the storage shelter.
When she catches sight of something flying high in the air. She smiles brightly when the red, white, and black manta ray carrying their grandfather lands onto the campgrounds, "Grandpa! Ben!" She runs over to the two of them with Gilbert and the twins behind her.
JetRay and Max see Gwen before smiling, "You did it!" Gwen yells hugging the both of them.
"Told you, I'd come back with grandpa." JetRay remarked as Gwen rolled her eyes
"You did, but what about the giant spores surrounding the campgrounds?" Gwen soon asked.
"Grandpa got anymore of that foot powder?" JetRay asks as Max smirked and Gwen raised an eyebrow at him.
Soon enough, Jetray clutching onto Gwen's shoulders flew above the camp the duo holding the foot powder that kills fungus. They poured it around the camp, killing the pods and the larger mushrooms.
With the mushroom army dead, JetRay and Gwen came back down as Max had finally got the RV back up and running and offered to take Gilbert and the twins to a nearby town so they weren't alone. Ben and Gwen watched as the kids were reunited with their parents before the RV started up and they hopped inside.
"Ugh, I don't think I'll be having mushrooms anytime soon." Ben remarks in disgust.
"You and me both." Gwen laughs as they split a pepperoni pizza.
"It wasn't that bad." Max laughs as Ben rolls his eyes.
"Whatever you say, grandpa." Ben replies. As the trio drove off into the sunset to there next destination.
To Be Continued...
A/N: And that's a wrap, ha get it. Okay moving on. WildVine added to the team. Now we shall introduce our love interest into the next chapter. Any questions leave em below and I'll answer till next time. I'm outtie.