NOTE: Sorry, this took so long to update, but I had other things to do. Still pretty much a set-up chapter until we get into the main events of the story.

Enjoy and Review!

Chapter 2: Travel Plans

"Did you hear?! Did you hear?! Big bro is coming back for Christmas!" Nanako exclaimed. She was dressed in a cute orange and blue winter outfit as she sat inside of the Junes food court with Yukiko and Chie.

"That's wonderful, Nanako-chan!" Yukiko giggled at her cuteness. She and the rest of her friends already knew that their ex-leader was coming back to Inaba for the holidays, but it would be wrong to rain on the little girl's parade.

"Yup! We're happy to hear the good news, Nanako-chan!" Chie agreed.

"Dad and I still need to get his gift ready before he arrives. Do you already have a gift ready for him, Big sis?" Nanako asked the heiress.

"Yes, I do!" She replied happily. "A very cute gift that I'm sure he'll like!"

"Is it kissing?"

"PFFFT!" Yukiko's ice tea exploded out of her mouth, drenching Chie's face.

"GAH! The hell, Yukiko-chan?!" The kung-fu fanatic cried in disgust. She grabbed some napkins to dry her face off as her best friend was red like her usual dress.

"N-N-Nanako-chan?! W-why would you think something like that?!" Yukiko stuttered with an embarrassed exclamation.

"You and Big bro did that all the time whenever you two were alone in his room."

"I THOUGHT THE DOOR WAS CLOSED!" Yukiko screamed mentally. The heiress was ashamed of herself for making such a foolish mistake and possibly ruining the innocence of such a pure-hearted girl. She had to correct this mistake before it could get worse!

And punish her boyfriend for not being careful enough to ensure his door was fully closed!

Shaking her head frantically, Yukiko could feel the steam coming from her ears. "N-Nanako-chan! You have it completely wrong! That isn't the gift that I have planned for Yu-kun! A-and we weren't d-doing kissy stuff in his room all the time!"

"So, you admit that you were doing it sometimes." Chie mentally sighed.

"Oh, then what is it?" She innocently asked.

Regaining her composure, Yukiko gave a soft smile. "Sorry, Nananko-chan, but I can't risk you leaking information."

"I wouldn't!"

"You told him that we were planning a surprise birthday party for him, because he tempted you with a trip to Junes and free ice cream."

Nanako stared at the heiress with those big adorable eyes of hers, and then looked both ways before taking a sip of her juice. "Big bro doesn't play fair."

"I know, sweetie." Yukiko softly patted the girl's head. "Which is why we must work together to overcome his sinful deeds and punish him if need be."

"Yeah! Punishment!"

Chie watched the two plan Yu's (potential) punishment like a couple of evil scientists. "You know… I'm actually happy that I'm not her target this time around."

Nanako, as she materialized a pen and paper to keep track of Yukiko's ideas, suddenly realized something. "Wait, big sis! Isn't your family coming for Christmas too?"

"That's right, Nanako-chan! You finally get to meet Ben and Gwen! You'll make two more friends, isn't that great?" Yukiko smiled.

"Yeah! I can't wait to meet them after everything you've told me about them!" Nanako agreed.

"We can also plan Ben's eventual punishment when he does something stupid alongside Yu-kun's!"

"Yeah! More punishment time!"

Chie sipped on her soda, wondering at what point she should stop them before they resort to tossing Ben into the middle of moving traffic.

He would probably survive, but still.

"Naoto-kun! Naoto-kun!" The blueberry detective, who was taking a leisurely stroll through the snow, turned around to see Rise and Kanji, dressed in their own winter gear with several bags in their arms, rushing to catch up to her. "Wait up!" Rise exclaimed.

"Rise? Kanji? What are you two doing out here?" Naoto asked as they reached her.

While Rise tried to catch her breath, Kanji answered. "Rise was just helping me run some errands for my Ma. We get a lot of orders during this time of year after all."

"That's right, your family business would be under a lot of attention for Christmas and New Years." Naoto remembered. "I'll be sure to stop by later to get some wrappings of my own."

"You already got all of your gifts prepared, Naoto-kun?" Rise asked.

"Of course."

The idol grumbled, not meeting the detective's eyes. "Don't say it like it's such an easy thing…!"

"It is an easy thing."

"I just said don't say that!"

"I'm guessing you got gifts for the Tennysons too?" Kanji asked her. "I figured making some stuff for them would be better than buying anything from the stores. I wasn't really certain on what to get Ben though, he already has that Omnikicks."

"Omnitrix."

"Yeah, that's what I said."

"...Okay." Naoto didn't feel like correcting him. "Don't worry too much about that watch on his wrist. He's a 10-year-"

"11."

Naoto didn't bother looking as she pushed the idol into a snowbank. "A soon-to-be 11-year-old boy, so anything gross or 'cool' looking would do it for him."

"Gross or cool looking…? Like a tattoo? Not sure if Yukiko-senpai would be okay with that."

"Why was your first idea getting a child a tattoo?" Naoto groaned. Though, she didn't get on Kanji's case about it too much. She knew that as a child he wasn't the most…traditionally boyish like the rest. Which was very similar to her whole more tomboyish-like attitude. "Don't think too hard about it, Kanji."

Rise finally climbed out of the snowbank, brushing the cold material off of her clothes. "Well, what did you get him, Naoto-kun?"

"Are you asking because you want to steal my idea?"

"No…!"

"I'm not telling you."

"Why not?!"

"Because I can't trust that you won't end up blabbing it to him."

"You're assuming he doesn't pick and choose when to listen to people. Besides, he isn't the one I'd blab it to in the first place." Rise huffed proudly.

"So you're admitting that you would spill the beans regardless." Naoto groaned.

Kanji looked confused. "Wait, so you'd tell Gwen?"

"No, I'd tell Kenny-" Rise clamped a hand over her mouth, fighting back the blush that slowly rose to her cheeks.

"Kenny? Gwen's brother? Why would you tell him?" Kanji continued to ask, still pretty clueless.

"I didn't say his name, Kanji!"

"No, I'm more than certain you specified Kenny. Why him in particular, Rise?" Naoto egged on, earning a glare from the idol.

"N-no reason! It's nothing for you two to get involved in!" The idol exclaimed before rushing past them to escape any further embarrassment.

"I don't get it." Kanji scratched his head.

"It's nothing too important, Kanji." Naoto smirked. "Just be sure to get me a gift." She started walking away, leaving the ex-delinquent to mull on her words.

"Eh? Of course, I got you a gift. You're the first one I made a present for."

Naoto, who hadn't gotten that far away, actually tripped after hearing Kanji's confession. The ex-delinquent freaked out as the detective laid ass up in the snow. "N-Naoto?! Are you good?!"

"T-this guy…" She was hoping that the snow was blocking the bright blush on her face. Though, she did appreciate her friend's attempts to help her out of the snow.

Yosuke finished stacking the boxes in the storage unit, carefully keeping his phone up to his ear with his shoulder. He let out a long breath, trying to relax his muscles before turning back to his conversation. "What was that, partner?"

"I said that I should be back in Inaba in the next two days." Yu Narukami answered from the other side of the call.

"Right. Bet you couldn't wait to see us again, huh? Especially your uncle and Nanako-chan." Yosuke grinned.

"Well, I did see you guys a month ago."

The Magician rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but you and Yukiko were dealing with some weird alien stuff with the Tennysons. We also got our butts kicked by Dadsmuth."

"You guys are still calling him that?"

"Yukiko told us to refer to him as that from now on, and I can't lie it's a pretty funny nickname." Yosuke sighed, sitting down on a crate. "Though, I still found it amazing how easily they repaired our school after all of the damage it took. For a second there, I thought we'd all have to repeat the school year."

"Eh, your grades might solidify that regardless."

"That ain't funny, partner!" Yosuke hissed, groaning at his best friend's laughter. "I'll let you know that my grades have improved since last year! Yukiko can be a pretty intense tutor when she wants to be."

"Definitely, heh."

"...Okay, you didn't have to say it like that." Yosuke groaned. As happy as he was for his friends, the way the Fool and Priestess acted around each other just continued to remind him of his girlfriendless status.

"Yeah, sure. By the way, where's Teddie?" Yu asked.

"He's just outside entertaining some kids, and probably hitting on some-"

TZZT!

"Eh?" Yosuke blinked at the strange buzzing noise. He assumed it to be a bee, but that wouldn't make sense, since it was the middle of winter. The Magician lowered his phone when something flashed softly in the middle of the storage unit. The flashes kept happening until they quickly morphed into sparks, then something exploded out of the sparks, crashing into the storage boxes that the young Hanamura had just finished stacking. "The hell?!"

"Yosuke?! What's wrong?!"

The Magician didn't answer as he slowly approached whatever it was that just magically appeared in the storage. He pushed some of the boxes away and quietly gasped at the person lying unconscious on the cold ground. "Woah…"

"Yosuke-"

"It's…uh…just a random animal that snuck in here. I'll call you back later." Yosuke ended the call before Yu could get another word in. He just stared down at the familiar teenage girl with long silver hair, dressed in a magenta coat with purple ends, and skin-tight purple pants.

"Charmcaster, that's her name…right?" Yosuke muttered, thinking back to the battle with the Negative 10. The Magician didn't know what to make of the super villainess lying down in front of him, but she looked like she was freezing quite a bit.

And he couldn't exactly leave a pretty hot girl to freeze in a storage unit, could he?

"Oh…I really hope I don't regret this." Yosuke groaned as he picked Charmcaster up off the ground.

"Ben, where are you?! Our flight leaves in like…10 minutes!"

Feedback rolled his one eye at Gwen's desperate hiss. "Chill, dweeb, I just got done dealing with some guys who were trying to hijack a plane. Seriously, can't bad guys just wait til the holidays are over to try and do something stupid?!"

"Says the idiot who ran off without a word. Grandpa, Kenny, and I can only lie to your parents about an emergency bathroom break for so long! Hurry it up!" She hung up the call.

"Ugh, people can never let a superhero do their thing without getting their panties in a twist." Feedback groaned. The Conductoid was currently skating across the powerlines to beeline it back to their flight gate. He should still have some time to sneak his way back in before the watch timed out. "Nothing could possibly stop me-"

"KWAAAAAA!"

"What the-GYAH!" Feedback cried as a giant bald eagle appeared out of nowhere, sweeping him up into its mouth. "A giant bird? Ah, great…"

"Hello, Ben Tennyson! Didn't think you could head out on some Christmas fun without a gift from the doctor, could you?!" His old nemesis, Dr. Animo exclaimed as he rode on top of his mutated bald eagle.

"You know, my earlier statement about waiting until the holidays were over to commit crime also extended to you!" Feedback stuck his plugs into the bird's beak, electrocuting the animal to force it to let him go. The static charges also stung Animo, but the mad doctor's new suit protected him from the worst of the blast.

"Why wait when I can welcome the New Year with your demise?!" Animo declared, pointing his gloved gauntlet at the hero. A piercing red beam shot out at Feedback, who blocked it with an electrical field.

"While I would love to do our old song and dance routine, I have a flight to catch!" Feedback stuck his antennas into a nearby electrical box, absorbing the power into his body. With one arm raised, he fired a charged beam at the mad doctor.

Animo commanded his pet to dodge the blast, swooping around the beam, then he ordered his bird to attack. It crossed its wings and released a torrent of sharp feathers at the Conductoid. Feedback dodged each of the attacks, sprinting across the airport's runway as Animo continued to chase him down. "No need to be in a hurry, Tennyson! I'm more than happy to give you a trip to your doom!"

"Dude, are you even capable of cracking a decent quip?" Feedback blasted himself over a plane that was forced to stop due to their battle. "I'm seriously gonna have to re-think our whole nemesis thing if this keeps up! Do you think Vilgax can crack a joke?" Several electrical balls exploded out of his plugs, pelting the bald eagle. It screeched loudly as it tried to fight off the electrocution with its steel feathers. "Or maybe Zombozo? Nah, that guy's got too many screws loose."

The bald eagle attempted to swoop at Feedback again, but the hero easily dodged its strike, and kicked it across the face. Animo was knocked off of his bird, while the animal skidded across the ground. "Maybe Rojo, but she's a little too grouchy."

"Do you ever shut up?!" Animo shouted, shooting at the moving Conductoid. Feedback grinned, batting the attack away with his hands.

"Sorry, but my fans expect a certain amount of quippage in every battle!" Feedback jokes as he generates an electric field around the unconscious bird. Then he sprinted towards Animo, who tried to keep him back desperately but failed to do so. Feedback pushes his plugs against Animo's suit, draining it of all its power. The mad doctor stared in shock as his power was drained instantly.

"M-my power suit!" Animo cried.

"Not so powerful now, huh?!" With an electric charged punch, Feedback sent the doctor flying across the airway. Feedback wiped his hands, whistling to himself. "Definitely not one of your better attack plans, Animo. Maybe, you'll come up with a better one behind bars."

"Ahem."

"Huh?"

FLASH!

Ben turned around to see Gwen glaring at him, hands to her hips. "What?"

"Are you done?"

"Uh, sorry that I had to take out Animo all of a sudden." Ben rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, good job. Come on, we need to hurry!" She grabbed his hand, pulling him closer for her teleportation.

"What about Animo and his latest pet?" Ben pointed at them.

"Leave it for the police, we don't have the time to wait!" Gwen snapped her fingers, teleporting them away before security and the police arrived.

When they sneakily returned to the departure gate, the two saw their family holding up the boarding line. Ben's parents definitely weren't happy, but were relieved to see that he was okay. "Ben!" Sandra rushed over to him. "What took you so long?!"

"Uh…bad breakfast burrito?"

Sandra rolled her eyes. "Okay, let's hurry up and board the plane before we make even more enemies today." She pushed the kids towards their group. Ben and Gwen side-eyed one another, thinking about all of the enemies they have made over the summer.

"Eh, one more probably wouldn't hurt." Ben muttered, confusing his mother. He was handed his carry-on items from his dad, putting it over his shoulder. The young hero gave the outside world one last glance as he and his family boarded the plane. "See ya soon, Bellwood. And here I come, Inaba! Hope you're ready for Ben Tennyson!"

Chapter End

NOTE: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Ben had a small fight with Animo and Charmcaster is in Inaba! Why is she there? Well, you'll just have to wait and see. The others are all getting ready for the holiday, so hopefully things don't go terrible.

Next chapter the Tennysons will finally arrive in Inaba.