Authors Notes: Boom and we're back with Ben 10 & She-Ra Heroes of Power, I would first like to apologies for the lack of updates lately but I have been swamped with freelance work lately and about to start a new job later this month, so the only time I have to work on my stories is on the weekends. So undertsand I am trying the best I can to get these stories updated but at the same time I have other responsibilities and obligations. But I thank you all for your continued patience and support.

Now without any further delay lets dive right into The Crimson Waste!

Ben 10 (c) Cartoon Network

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (c) Dreamworks animation


:Huntara:

The screen flickers with static then seconds later Rook at the controls of the Proto Truck appeared looking serious.

"Magister Rook Blonko Mission log Stardate 28974.." He began. "After the recent capture of Shadow Weaver we now have vital insight into Hordaks plans, he plans to open a portal to bring through an armada to invade the planet Etheria. Preliminary intel suggests that this has been his plan for some years now before mine and Bens arrival, and if opened the portal could cause consequences of unimaginable nature." Rook continued.

"In addition we have discovered our friend Adora is a First One part of a race of long forgotten beings who settled Etheria leaving their secrets behind when they disappeared and now those secrets are leading us to a part of Etheria known as the Crimson Waste, a desolate wasteland. Intel from Bow indicates the origin point of a signal we recently picked up in Alwyn, what the signal means we know not. However what we find may help us understand Mara's mission and hopefully shine some light on the anomalies that brought us to this planet. We know noting of the land or the unknown dangers we may have to face. End Log"

"Uh Rook." The scene widens out to reveal Ben, Bow, Adora and Glimmer looking at Rook rather strangely. "You do know there's no need for the dramatic intro right?" Bow asked.

"Ah I don't know I think it helps to set the scene." Glimmer said.

"Uh heads up guys we're here." Ben pointed forwards as they crossed into the Crimson Waste. Only to be greeted by a blast of a sand storm which completely blinded everyone on the truck.

"Whoa where did this come from!" Adora exclaimed.

"Best buckle up it's gonna be a rough ride!" Ben exclaimed as Bow, Adora and Glimmer buckled their seat belts in the back of the truck. Rook fought for control of the Plumber ship trying to steer through the sand currents of the storm.

All of a sudden a large blast emerged from the Proto Trucks portside thruster sending warning alerts through the ships console. "The portside thruster has been damaged I cannot maintain control!" Rook exclaimed. "The storm is too strong!"

"What does that mean!" Glimmer exclaimed.

"It means we're going down!" Adora exclaimed answering her friends question.

The Proto-Truck span out of control through the storm as Rook fought at the controls with effort to try and guide them into a controlled crash. While everyone else held on for dear life. The ship was catapulted out of the sand storm and sent crashing into one of the many crimson coloured rock faces in this desert completely destroying the starboard wing of the truck before it crashed into the ground surging forwards with sparks flying.

Rook grunted as he tried to stop the ship, however there was a bigger danger up ahead. Namely a large cliff over a deep dark abyss. "ROOK!" Ben exclaimed.

"I see it!" Rook exclaimed and slammed his feet down hard on the pedals of the ship and pulling on a lever in the centre console of the ship activating the airbrakes trying to slow the ship down.

They were getting ever closer to the edge Rook pulled on the flight wheel trying to make it swerve to a stop. Though they were loosing speed they were still getting too close to that ledge. They were getting closer and with every last ounce of effort Rook managed to bring the ship to a complete stop just close to the cliff edge. Everyone was safe.

"Whew! Welcome to the Crimson Waste." Ben breathed in some relief. Everyone was still shaking from the crash.

"Is everyone unharmed?" Rook asked.

"Ask me when I stop shaking." Adora said with something of a relieved smile.

"I vote…we. NEVER. DO. THAT. AGAIN!" Bow exclaimed in breaths.

"Agreed!" Everyone said.

"Still we're all in one piece Rook nice job." Glimmer said in relief.

Soon everyone was outside the truck looking at the damage to the Proto-Truck to ascertain how bad it was. "How bad is it?" Glimmer asked.

"It could not be any worse." Rook replied with his diagnosis. "The rear port-side thruster is completely fried, starboard wing is smashed and the intakes are all full of sand from the storm."

"So we're grounded." Ben said realising where this was going.

"Unfortunately yes there is very little chance of my truck taking to the sky again unless I can get it back to Bright Moon for repairs." Rook confirmed.

"Guess this means we're walking on foot from here." Adora said determined. "We've come this far no turning back now."

"Adora's right we'll come back for the truck later." Glimmer agreed. Ben looked out onto the open landscape that lay before them, miles and miles of open desert and rocks with unknown dangers under the immense heat of Etheria's sun.

"Anyone got any sunscreen?" Ben uttered.


Many hours later:

After salvaging what supplies they could from the truck the band of friends began their exploration into the Crimson Waste an unknown land full of unknown dangers. Remains of large animal bones all but littered the landscape and not a single solitary soul for some of the living wildlife was dangerous. One spider like creature lay still until a fly flew close to it only to be stabbed with a spike that came out of the spider like creature.

On a curved rockface over looking the valley Adora stood surveying her environment. She was wearing a scarf around her neck provided by Ben to protect her face from any sand.

"Like the view up there!" Adora looked down to see her friends below Rook was wearing a desert explorers hat and carrying a large back pack with supplies of water and food they may need.

"Looking good!" Adora called a she hopped down from her perch and joined her friends. "Thanks for coming with me, guys." She then sighed.

"Of course." Bow smiled.

"Yeah we're a team we stick together no matter what." Ben agreed.

"And the queen is really okay with us taking off?" Adora then asked realising they didn't get Angella's blessing before setting off on this voyage. "I would've thought a mission to the Crimson Waste would've been too risky for her."

"Yes she would." Rook agreed in a somewhat disapproving tone, Ben and Glimmer knew why.

"Well considering we took off before we could ask I don't think she'd mind." Ben grimaced at that.

"Oh she hates this idea, which is why I didn't tell her where we were going." Glimmer waved off.

"Yeah and there is an old saying on Earth better to ask for forgiveness then permission." Ben shrugged. "Plus this isn't the first time we've done a mission without anyone knowing right Rook?"

The Revonahhgander sighed at that it was true there were times that he and Ben well mainly Ben went on missions without anyone knowing be it an underground wrestling ring for prize money to replace his cousins laptop. Or even during their encounter with a certain Black Opps Plumbers group.

"Besides, it's not like anyone else has a plan to stop Hordak from opening a portal." Glimmer then pointed out as they continued their trek through the red deserts. "You're right. Tracking Mara's message to the source is the best lead we have. Who knows maybe even an answer to finding a way for you guys to call Earth for back up." Glimmer looked to Ben and Rook.

"Plus, for an inhospitable desert, this place is kind of beautiful." Bow said looking at the environment around them.

Ben and Rook however weren't so sure. "Yeah, if you call a barren wasteland with spooky giant skulls and hidden dangers straight out of a Mad Max film beautiful."

"Ben is right, well for the most part we must be vigilant in this land for appearances can often be deceiving." Rook agreed.

It was at this moment Bow heard a tweeting sound it sounded like a bird. It was a small purple bird flew by. "Aw, there's even a cute little bird!" Bow cooed as everyone smiled.

Sadly that smile was wiped off their faces as when the bird perched on what looked like a thorn bush. It turned to ice within seconds. "AHHHH!" Everyone screamed. "Never mind, this place is terrifying!" Bow said terrified as the bird crashed to the ground shattering like glass.

"Okay, no-one touch anything spiky in this place!" Ben notions.

"Seconded!" Bow squeaked.

"Okay, I know it's scary and dangerous, but if there is something to do with portals out here, we have to find it for the Rebellion." Adora reminded for everyone but her mood turned to a rather sad and confused look. "And... for me."

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked to Ben with an understanding look. "We will." He said softly to which Adora responded with a smile of her own.

Bow smiled back and pat her head in agreement with his tracker pad smiling. "Which way now, Bow?" She asked and he looked at the pad but he looked rather nervous about something as he chuckled.

"Bow what's wrong?" Ben asked with a knowing look.

"Uh yeah…" Bow laughed nervously. "So, uh, slight problem. Uh, my tracker pad, it's dead." The group looked over his shoulder and saw he was right all that was there was an icon of Bow with dead X's in his eyes.

Rook quickly pulled out his Proto Tracker to see if his worked and while it did it couldn't get a map of the terrain. Now it didn't take a Galvan scientist to figure out what the problem was.

"Hmm I cannot get an exact fix on our location." Rook said as he looked. "And I can see why there is no signal to pick up."

"Yeah kinda figured that out Rook." Ben said holding up his phone and showed there was no signal bars.

"Another issue is given what Lance and George had told us no one has taken a survey of this land so a conventional map would be out of the question." Rook voiced.

"So we're doing this the old fashioned way." Ben realised.

"So, we're without a map. and the plants are evil. Heh. But it's okay, we're coming from the north." Adora pointed as she surveyed her environment.

"How'd you know that?" Ben asked but before she could answer Adora walked over to a large rock as Glimmer teleported out of her way she kicked the rock snapping it in half. Much to everyones surprise.

"Well, I'm something of an expert tracker, thanks to the Horde's survival skills training." She said rather confidently as she took a needle from the ground sharpening it slightly. Ben knowing a few survival skills as well thanks to Grandpa Max and Rook from his own survival training at the Plumbers Academy could see what Adora was doing. She was making a makeshift compass.

"We just have to keep going…" She saw the needle hovering and spinning on the rock face thanks to some strange force and it pointed in a certain direction. "that way. Problem solved! I've got this under control." She said.

"Very well but I must urge caution for we may not be alone in this land." Rook said as they looked at what looked like the remains of a Horde Skiff showing that they had been here before. There was even the remains of a Horde soldier who was nothing but bones. To Glimmer it looked like something was staring at her.

"Well into the unknown we go." Ben said as they pushed deeper into this unforgiving landscape not knowing what is out there.


Meanwhile: The Fright Zone:

Back in the Fright Zone, in the confines of Hordaks Sanctum/lab Entrapta was ready to carry out an experiment. There was a large square looking machine with separate curves forming a circle. It was Hordak's portal device that was assembled from the First Ones tech that had been collected and what tech they had in the Fright Zone.

The tech happy princess stood with Hordak while Emily and Imp stood behind as she spoke into her recorder. "Day 135, this could finally be it. Initiating first test." Entrapta said as her hair grabbed her recorder. Here we go. AHA!" Without hesitation she slammed on a large circular control panel.

The machine began to surge into life and a large orb of green energy formed in the centre of the device. Hordak and Entrapta watched in awe as it surged into life. Energy tendrils emerged and picked up the three pieces of the gateway device forming the gateway itself and within it a portal begins to form. Hordak smirked proudly as his achievement was beginning to come to fruition he looked to Entrapta who was gasping with excitement.

Their joy however, was short lived for suddenly a blaring alarm sounded and the portal itself began to destabilise and the gateway structure was becoming unstable.

Entrapta immediately rushed to the controls."Something's wrong. I'm turning it off."

Hordak suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand. "No, you fool! It's going to blow!"

The whole room exploded in a flash of light, the light faded to reveal the whole room was clouded in smoke with sparks flying from the now destroyed gateway. Hordak lay over Entrapta having shielded her from the blast. Just then a piece of metal twanged off his right arm he growled and grunted in frustration, he got up allowing Entrapta to sit up and she was confused just what went wrong?

"This doesn't make sense. It should work. The machine didn't have enough power, so we added First Ones Tech." Entrapta said in a mixture of frustration and confusion as she inspected the rubble giving a diagnosis. "Then it was blowing out the power grid, so we rerouted it. Now it's powered, it's functioning, but it won't activate a portal." Imp and Emily came out from their hiding place as Hordak gets up from the ground. "It's like there's a key. Maybe when Catra brings that tech back from the Crimson Waste…."

Entrapta was cut off by a very dark laugh and looked to Hordak leaning over the workbench with a very sadistic looking grin. However he looked very weak.

"Catra is never coming back from that fool's errand." He said not even turning to face Entrapta. "The machine is a failure. We're done here. Get out." He said looking at her.

The tech princess however wasn't having it. "That was just our first test. If we try…" She tried but.

"I SAID WE'RE DONE!" Hordak faced and snapped at her his patience at this point was all but gone as his cloak waved.

Entrapta was taken completely aback but just stayed there frozen to the spot as Hordak turned away from her. Imp and Emily came up to her, the little one grabbing a strand of her hair as he and Emily pulled her away from the lab leaving a furious and frustrated Hordak slamming his fist on the tech on his work bench. Entrapta took one last glance at her lab partner in concern as the door shut.


Meanwhile: Earth: Bellwood:

Back on Earth, the roar of two engines surged down the streets of Bellwood a high speed chase was taking place. Rojo a known criminal who got upgraded by Alien tech back when Ben was ten years old and augmented with armour thanks to the Forever King, still uses it today for committing crimes.

She rides her tech augmented bike through the streets of Bellwood with a certain car close behind. It was Kevins green muscle car with black stripes and a number Eleven on the bonnet with an exposed engine. Rojo had robbed a nearby armoured truck of its cargo of gold bullion, and so Kevin and Gwen in the car are in hot pursuit.

"You're gonna have to be faster than that losers!" Rojo pulled out a large looking cannon. She fired it towards Kevin's car and just scratched the bonnet.

"Hey that better not have scratched my paint!" Kevin exclaimed.

"Not the time to worry about your car Kevin!" Gwen exclaimed.

"Well this isn't what I had planned for a lunch date!" Kevin exclaimed as he swerved to avoid another energy blast. Kevin pushed a button on his dashboard and the whole car began to transform parts were extended revealing alien weapons and cannons of all makes and sizes.

"She's not the only one with a sweet ride!" Kevin exclaimed as his targeting sight was locked onto Rojo's bike. With one click on the trigger of the steering wheel firing missiles from the cars launchers.

Rojo skilfully steered her bike to dodge the incoming missiles which only blasted the road she sneered sinisterly as she was ready to make her getaway. However the heroes weren't quitting yet. Gwen leaned out of the car and changed into her Anodite/lucky Girl look and performed a spell.

"Mechanae Discombobulus!" Gwen exclaimed and fired a blast of magic energy right at Rojo's bike and upon contact the bike began tearing itself apart. The rider was completely shocked she quickly jumped clear and then much to Kevin and Gwens shock a jet pack fired from her back as she grabbed her sack of loot and blasted into the air.

"Hah too slow!" Rojo exclaimed.

"Think again!" Someone screamed, then suddenly something crashed into Rojo with great force and came crashing down to the ground. Kevins car came swerving to a stop as the latter and Gwen got out. The smoke cleared to reveal Clyde Fife now clad in his Mark 5 Nanoshift Enabled Exo-Armor which he dubbed the Cincotrix. It was in flight mode with a large rocket strapped to his back it was clear he'd rammed Rojo to the ground before she could escape.

He noticed Kevin and Gwen were at the scene. "Oh hey Kevin, uh Cousin Gwen, hope you don't mind if I dropped in ." Clyde chuckled.

"Not bad kid, not bad." Kevin cringed at how his lucky crash stopped the villain escaping. "Seriously how are you and Ben related to this guy?" He whispered.

"Uh not bad work Clyde Five." Gwen congratulated as they came to help restrain Rojo who was knocked out from the crash. "Not bad for a bunch of losers huh Rojo?" Gwen cracked.

"Grr your still losers, with Tennyson gone this is all you've got!" Rojo exclaimed as Kevin pulled her up just as the Plumbers arrived in a transport.

"Shut the hell up!" Kevin growled as he escorted Rojo to the Plumber officers. It was clear to Clyde that Bens absence was still hurting his loved ones it had been months since it happened and it still didn't seem real.

"So…heard anything about Cousin Ben?" Clyde asked Gwen.

"No not since we sent off the pod." Gwen said sadly and Clyde just looked a bit sad as well.

"Well hey for what its worth I think he'd be glad to know Bellwood and Earth are in good hands!" Clyde tried to lighten the mood.

"Thanks Clyde, whatever Ben and Rook are doing I hope they're having it easier than we are." Gwen sighed with a small smile. But Ben wasn't having it easier.


Etheria: The Crimson Waste:

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Adora, Ben, Rook, Glimmer and Bow were running for their lives across the desert sand for chasing them were three rather large looking snakes.

"For the record this is why you do not go close to unusual sand dunes!" Rook yelled to Adora.

"Man where's a pontoon plane when you need one!" Ben screamed thinking this was a scene from Indiana Jones substitute the out of control rolling stone with three giant snakes.

Rook drew his Proto Tool and fired at the snakes but it didn't seem to phase them. Ben quickly activated the Omnitrix and dialled in an alien and immediately slammed down the dial and turned into Armodrillo.

"Uh okay I was hoping for XLR8 but this'll do!" He said and quickly swerved to stop. Rook, Glimmer, Bow and Adora slid down a sand slope but turned to see Armodrillo was standing ready for a fight.

"BEN!" Glimmer cried just why did her friend stop he seriously wasn't going to fight the snakes. However Armodrillo had a better idea. He formed drills on his hands and with a pump of his shoulder pile drivers he struck the ground with great force crumbling the ground around him. The vibrations caused the surrounding cliffs to crumble into a rock slide completely blocking off the snakes from them. With their prey gone they just slithered back.

Just as the Omnitrix timed out Armodrillo slid down the sand slope and joined the others. Bow spat out some sand before he spoke. "How'd you know that would work?" Bow asked.

"Well let's just say Grandpa Max's lessons of might doesn't make right work, plus remembering to mind my surroundings." Ben breathed still catching his breath.

"Okay, to review, the plants are evil, tech doesn't work, and sometimes, a sand dune is a pile of very angry, sand-colored snakes." Adora pants in exhaustion. "So, I think we're getting the hang of this."

The others looked indignantly at that statement. "You know I'm starting to see why Bow's dads told us not to come here! I mean what's next a pit of flesh eating oil!" Ben exclaimed.

Glimmer just groaned in annoyance as she stood up. "Why can't I just teleport us to the centre of the Waste?"

"Glimmer you would need to know where the centre would be in order for your powers to work. As I recall you need to see where you are teleporting to before executing said teleport." Rook reminded her.

"Not to mention you would run out of power before we made it." Bow agreed just as annoyed.

"Oh, thank you for reminding me that my powers are limited." Glimmer said getting more and more annoyed as she walked off. But what she didn't realise was she was walking into trouble and Ben could see it a mile away.

"Glimmer!" Ben exclaimed.

"What Ben you think I don't know my powers?!" Glimmer exclaimed.

"No but you need to know where your going as your standing in…" But before Ben could finish his sentence Glimmer yelped as she sank into the ground.

"Very… quick… quicksand." Ben grimaced.

"Glimmer!" Adora suddenly dived in after her much to Ben, Bow and Rooks shock.

"Did she just?…." "Yes I believe she did." Rook finished Bens sentence. Just then seconds later Glimmer appeared next to them looking exhausted but alive.

"I'm fine." Glimmer chuckled, but noticed a member of their party was missing. "Where's Adora?"

The trio pointed to the quicksand she'd just teleported out of. Glimmer groaned as she teleported back. Rook reached into his back pack and pulled out a canteen of water and took a drink of it then offered it to Ben and Bow who took a sip each. They heard rustling sounds in the sand below then just as Ben looked at the Omnitrix Glimmer reappeared with Adora next to her looking exhausted.

"And quicksand." Adora breathed as Glimmer spat out some sand. "That is now on our list of things to avoid. Wow, I'm learning so much today."

"Yeah we've also learned how to watch where we're going." Ben said in a knowing tone towards the girls.

"Hey it's not my fault and how come you knew that was Quicksand?" Glimmer groaned.

"My grandpa taught me some survival stuff when I was ten remember. He also taught me to mind my surroundings and see if water bubbles up from the ground." Ben reminded her however they were cut off when they heard Rook panting slightly and he did look a little overheated.

"Hey you okay Rook?" Glimmer asked in concern.

"Y..yes I am fine just need a little shade." Rook sat under what shade he could as he looked like he was sweating.

"You don't look fine, if anything you look overheated." Adora kneeled down to take a look at him.

"Its because of his fur, he's not built for extremely hot environments." Ben pointed out.

"What? Rook why didn't you tell us?!" Bow said out of great concern.

"It is nothing I can withstand high temperatures for a while I just needed hydration and shade." Rook said as he took a quick drink. "But we must mind our supplies carefully, as we have limited water."

"Adora, you know we support you all the way, but maybe we're not prepared for this." Bow said to Adora understandingly. "I mean I don't think Rook can go any further in the heat like this."

"Bow there is no need to worried I will be fine in a moment." Rook sighed.

Adora wouldn't lie she was a little exhausted as was everyone else, and she could see Rook wasn't up for travel at the moment. "We just need a little rest. I'll figure out how to build a shelter…"

Just then Glimmer noticed something out of the corner of her eye. "Or we could go there?" She pointed. Adora turned and looked through her hands made into binoculars until Bow handed her a set of Rooks laser binoculars and she could look through it.

What she saw was a large looking beast skeleton with an open jaw, and strangely it looked like there was tarp hanging over it almost as if it was habitable. To Ben this was starting to look like a scene out of Star Wars.

"Uh how come we didn't see that before." Ben wondered.

"Most likely we were preoccupied with running from large sand snakes." Rook voiced.

"Okay, problem solved." Adora tossed Bow the binoculars back. "We'll get Rook and us out of the heat, and maybe there's a map or more water inside." She said acting confident and hopeful while everyone else looked a little unsure.

"Maybe if there's a nomad tribe camp or something Kai's Grandpa did say that some people live in deserts like this." Ben remembered. "Even his own tribe lived in the deserts of new Mexico."

"See there you go now we're getting somewhere!" Adora agreed as they headed towards the large skeleton structure.

"Guys I doubt there's anything useful here." Bow said as the group went inside and soon came to a hole in the wall covered with tarp but when they lifted it the girls ,Ben and Rook gasped. "The Crimson Waste's been abandoned for hundreds of…" Ben grabbed Bow by the top of his head and turned him to the doorway and then his jaw dropped.

Inside was a very rustic looking bar made from the creatures remains, and there were people sat at the tables. They were animal looking creatures some even looked like hyenas, tigers, lizards and goats. They were all dressed in clothing that looked like something from a Mad Max movie or desert wanderers wearing cloaks. Some of them were sharpening their knives, and even pulled a knife out of the table as they all looked at the new arrivals with narrowed eyes.

"Well chalk up one thing your dads got wrong Bow." Ben whispered to him. "All thats missing is the Cantina music and Harrison Ford." Bow just looked at Ben very confused just what was he talking about?

"I must admit I am now greatly concerned about our surroundings." Rook said. "I would strongly recommend we try and not draw attention to ourselves."

"Right." Adora breathed. "Just act tough. Try to blend in." She said quietly to the group and so they walked in as Glimmer spat on the ground looking tough while Rook walked in quietly.

Ben however hung back a little as he activated the Omnitrix. After a brief flash of light Bow looked and saw he'd changed into Rath but this time he looked a little different. He was now dressed like a Luchador dressed in a green and black colour scheme with black boots and black gloves with a wrestling mask of black and green stripes. He wore a black sleeveless spandex with a green stripe running down it with a green belt with a large white square with the Omnitrix symbol resting in the centre of it. It seems after the last hard reset from being corrupted by the First Ones tech it had fixed a fault in the Omnitrix that Skurd mended long ago but must've resurfaced sometime later.

"Uh Ben you sure thats a good idea?" Bow questioned.

"Let me tell ya something Bow, Rath thinks this is a great way to blend in!" Rath said quietly as he headed in looking tough.

"We're all gonna die." Bow whined sadly as he entered the bar. The group navigated their way through the narrowed staring natives.

"Good afternoon, fellow patrons. Except, I don't even care if you do have a good afternoon, because I'm bad." Bow said trying to act tough.

"Word to the wise don't over do it." Rath said.

"Indeed uh Bro you just have to roll with it." Rook said acting all tough as well just then a local looked at him strangely. "WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT BRO!" Rook yelled which seemed to spook him a little.

Adora, Bow and Glimmer were completely shocked they'd never seen Rook act this way before. Rath however had seen this before. "Whoa, I guess Bro Rook isn't completely gone."

"Bro Rook?" Glimmer asked.

"Its a long story Rath will tell you about it later when Rath wants to!" Rath said a little loud. He and Adora then went to the bar trying to blend in. Rath then saw a bowl of what looked like nachos and dip. He took one and ate it but after a cringe of disgust he spat it out.

"Gah! That is not guacamole!" Rath spat in disgust, ignoring that Adora decided to ask for help from the Bartender who was cleaning a glass.

"Hi. Is this the centre of the Crimson…?" Before Adora could finish her question The Bartender simply put a glass back on the shelf completely ignoring her and Rath. "Excuse me? Hello? We…."

Rath suddenly slammed his fist on the bar angrily. "Hey let me tell you something bartender! My friend Adora was talking to you!" Even he was ignored as the bartender simply walked way ignoring the large dent Rath's fist had made.

The two just huffed in annoyance. "Hpff rude much!" Rath grumbled.

"Okay, that didn't work." Adora realised. However Glimmer wasn't quite sure this was the best route to take to navigate the wastes. Especially seeing how the occupants of the bar were eying them suspiciously with some kind of intent to either murder or mug them.

"Adora, I'm not so sure these are the kind of people we should be asking for help." Glimmer chuckled nervously and Bow nodded in agreement.

"I must concur with Glimmer." Rook agreed but then out of nowhere Adora stands up on the bar accidentally knocking over a persons drink.

"Oh boy here we go." Rath groaned knowing what was coming next it was clear she hadn't seen Star Wars.

"Hello. Sorry to interrupt, uh, but we're not from around here," Adora said aloud despite Bow, Glimmer and Rooks waving and pleas to stop talking while Rath just facepalmed himself. "…and we're hoping someone would give us directions?"

Just then they were approached by a buff looking goat lady and a purple looking komodo lizard person in a brown cloak. "You're outsiders." She said to them.

"Uh, yeah, I guess we are." Adora said a little weary, suddenly the buff goat lady grabbed Adora by the arms and sat her down in her seat while the komodo person grabbed Bow, Glimmer and Rook.

"We don't like outsiders here. And since the Crimson Waste didn't take care of you... we will." The goat lady threatened and Adora looked a little intimidated but before the Goat lady could punch her her hand was caught by Rath.

"Let me tell ya something lady, you just threatened Rath's friends and when you threaten Rath's friends, you mess with Rath!" With that the Apoplexian socked a punch right in her face sending her crashing into a person's table smashing all their drinks.

The bars customers all stood up from their chairs and glanced at the alien who'd just sent the buff goat lady flying. Some of the folks even went hiding under the tables. Rook, Bow and Glimmer looked a little uneasy at the silent tension now in the room.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Rook uttered.

The lizard man tried to land a punch on Rath only for him to catch his fist and then landed a mighty punch sending him crashing into one of the bone structures. Suddenly another tough hyena punk attacked Rath only for him to swat him away with one punch, and thus began a classic bar brawl all the customers started punching each other left and right while Rath just punched every punk or tough guy that came his way. Glimmer quickly teleported Adora and Bow away suddenly Rook was attacked by a lizard man but he flipped over him and tripped him up with a leg swipe while Adora landed a punch on a cat person who tried to attack her. Another tried to attack only for Adora to grab him by the wrist and flip him right across the bar. Bow and Glimmer took cover under one of the tables.

"Great leave it to Rath to start a fight!" Glimmer exclaimed.

"Yeah and thats usually your job!" Bow exclaimed.

Rath punched away another incoming thug only to be tackled by the same buff goat lady from before. Nearly everyone in the bar was fighting each other. Everyone except one muscular looking woman with lilac skin, long white hair in a pony tail, and two spiral shaped markings on the left side of her head and two stripe markings on her right thigh. She wears two red bands with a tattered grayish purple waistcoat with faded gold pieces on each side of her shoulders. She wore greyish purple gloves with white bands and some greyish purple torn shorts with gold pieces on the side, rusted from dust erosion. She also wears worn out boots with bandages on and they looked almost similar to Adora's.

Rath grabbed the buff goat lady by the collar and glared her right in the eye. "LET ME TELL YA SOMETHING BUFF GOAT LADY, WHO THREATENED MY FRIEND ADORA! RATH IS GONNA!" However just at that moment a certain sound from the Omnitrix could be heard and in a brief flash of light Rath had turned back into Ben who went from confidence to I am so screwed. Everyone looked shock and bemused by this while the goat lady smirked sadistically.

"Oh crap." Ben cringed and the Goat Lady punched him right across the room into the bar. Adora gasped seeing Ben was now in his human form. Ben groaned and was soon grabbed by his shirt collar by the Goat Lady.

"Now what was it you were gonna do?" She asked sadistically. Adora rushed to attack her only to be grabbed by her arm. Bow, Glimmer and Rook could see their friends were in trouble but before they could act the other brutes and punks pinned them all to the ground.

"As I was saying your gonna wish the Crimson Wastes had wasted you but I'm gonna enjoy finishing you myself!"The Goat Lady said.

"Yeah and I'll rule the day blah blah blah like I haven't heard that before!" Ben said having heard these speeches before.

"Not helping Ben!" Glimmer grunted.

Before any hurt could be dealt however the sound of a smashing glass spooked the buff goat lady who turned to the source. Everyone looked to see, and they saw one bandit had been knocked unconscious by the mysterious muscular woman who hadn't taken part in the brawl. She walked over to the two bandits who had the five rebellion members restrained and they looked very afraid while the others looked shocked.

"We didn't mean to disturb you." The goat lady said very nervously. Seconds later she and the lizard guy were flung out of the bar and landed face first in the sand.

Back in the bar the strange woman stood with her back facing the group. "There's only two rules in the Crimson Waste. One, the strong make the rules." The stranger turns and faces everyone. "And two, don't annoy me while I eat. I made rule one. They broke rule two." She clenched her fist and everyone gasped at this stranger while Ben honestly didn't know what to say for once he was speechless. "Are you all staring at something?"

Not wanting to receive a beating everyone in the bar quickly looked away, picked themselves up and got back to doing what they were doing before the brawl broke out.

"Ben you alright?" Adora asked a slightly shaken Ben.

"Yeah…" He breathed. "At least I can tick Rath starting a bar fight off my bucket list." Ben chuckled a little while Glimmer and Adora rolled their eyes.

The stranger then approached the group. "Kids, what are you doing, asking these lowlifes for help?" She asked them. "Don't you know you can't trust anyone in the Crimson Waste?" She eyed each of them while Adora had sparkles of admiration in her eyes, but it seems the stranger eyed Ben and Rook the most, and then her gaze fell upon a certain device on Bens wrist.

"Kids?" Ben questioned. "Lady I'm eighteen and they're not kids either?!" He denied.

"Careful there kid, you don't want to start a fight you can't finish, though a pretty neat trick posing as a tough guy but looks like it didn't work out in the long run." She said.

Before Ben could say anything Glimmer stopped him and took over though she was laughing nervously. "Actually, up until two minutes ago, we didn't know there was anyone in the Crimson Waste."

"Yes she is quite correct, we were told this was a no-mans land with no life at all other than the creatures that live in it." Rook spoke up.

"Scoundrels, criminals, outlaws, all of them. Be careful, kids and take some advice keep mr duke of hazard under control" The stranger said to the group however she didn't notice that Rook eyes her suspiciously namely the strange mark on the side of her head. "Next time, I might not be around to save you." She walked away leaving the group completely surprised and shocked.

"Well…uh…thanks." Ben stuttered. "She seemed nice."

"Oh, wow." Adora breathed in amazement, then made a decision. "We need her."

"WHAT?!" Glimmer, Ben, Rook and Bow breathed in surprise as Adora ran over to the strangers table where she seemed to be flirting with the waiter.

Until Adora butted in. "Excuse me? Hi, can we join you? Great." She said and the waiter headed off giggling leaving a rather frustrated stranger alone with her drink. She then picked up Adora and put her down in the chair opposite her as Glimmer and the others joined her.

"I'm Adora. This is Bow, Ben, Glimmer and Rook." Bow waved nervously. "And we came to…" Before she could finish the stranger banged her mug on the table with a loud clang. "Blondie, Boy, Bev,Rock and Glitter, got it. Huntara. Now what do you want?" She introduced herself as Huntara then she glanced back at the waitress only for Glimmer to butt in with Ben.

"It's Glimmer actually." Glimmer chuckled. "Princess Glimmer."

"Yeah and it's Ben, Ben Tennyson!" Ben said correcting her as well only for Huntara to look over them rather intimidating.

"Oh, a Princess. Me too. I'm the Princess of the Crimson Waste. Can you tell? Or am I not sparkly enough for you?" She said making Glimmer a little intimidated as she said nothing.

"Well uh…you could always pass for a warrior princess." Ben chuckled nervously. Rook then stepped in.

"Uh Ben I think she is being sarcastic." Rook whispered.

"Yeah I know." Ben whispered back but was glad that Rook could recognise it but the Revonnahgander then straightened up and got down to business.

"Huntara we are grateful for your assistance, and we would like to request your aid in navigating the wastes." Rook explained but left out certain details as he wasn't fully trusting of this stranger but still he looked at the mark on the side of her head, he couldn't help but wonder if he had seen that mark somewhere before.

"We're looking for something in the center of the Crimson Waste." Adora then added. "It's important we find it. You seem like you know this place well. Can you take us?" She tried to sound tough while, Bow, Glimmer and Ben remained quiet.

"Did you not hear what I just said about trusting people?" Huntara said as she sat back down in her seat, were these kids smart or just deaf.

"Well, yeah, but you said that while saving us." Adora pointed out then offered her hand. "So, you can't be all bad. What do you say?"

Bow then laughed nervously and set his hand on Adora's arm. "Excuse us for one moment." He said as he Ben, Rook and Glimmer pulled Adora aside but had their backs turned to Huntara.

"You sure about this, Adora? All the scary people are scared of Huntara, which is not usually a great sign." Bow said to her quietly.

"I must agree, in my experience in places like this those who are scared of the strongest are normally scared for a reason." Rook agreed as they briefly looked back to Huntara taking a drink then when finished took a bite out of her edible cup.

They turned round again. "Yeah I gotta go with the boys on this." Glimmer agreed. "We can just ask for a map or…"

"A map won't get us past the scary plants or quicksand or whatever else is out there." Adora told them in a loud tone. "We need a guide."

"Adora look I get what getting to the centre of the waste means for you, and yeah maybe we do need a guide." Ben said much to the surprise of Glimmer and Bow but he wasn't finished yet. "But something about Huntara just rubs off on me the wrong way."

"Ben she saved you and us from being mauled after Rath's temper tantrum." Adora reminded him.

"Yeah she did, but how do we know she doesn't want something in return." Ben continued. "What if this is an act and she suddenly decides to stab us in the back first chance she gets believe me I've been there."

He recounted his experience of trusting people who end up betraying his trust namely when he was ten with Kevin, or when he blindly trusted Simian during the Highbreed incident or the whole tv show mess or even the temporary truce with the Forever Knights. Not to mention Michael Morningstar or even Gorvan all who had good intentions at first but were revealed to be wolves in sheep clothing. Then of course a certain ex of his who he trusted only to be keeping her own secrets about certain microchips. It seemed to him Huntara was just not sitting right with his instincts.

"Adora they maybe correct, how do we know this is not a ruse." Rook agreed.

"Guys we don't have much of a choice we came here for answers and we're not leaving until we get them. So far we're not cutting it out here!" Adora argued.

Suddenly Huntara stood up from her seat getting their attention. "If I say no, you'll go out there by yourselves and get killed, is that it?"

"I mean, not ideally, but yeah." Glimmer said while Adora looked at her with begging sparkling eyes.

"Though most of us have got survival skills so." Ben voiced only for Adora to elbow him in the gut telling him to shut up.

After giving it some thought Huntara gave a smirk picked up her staff and spun it round rather impressively. The ends of the staff retracted and then she placed it in the holder on the back of her belt. Leaving the Best Friend Squad in complete awe.

"Well, looks like you've got yourselves a guide." Huntara offered her hand freely much to Adora's joy as she accepted her handshake.

"See, guys, problem solved." Adora said happily shaking her hand. They then headed out of the bar Ben and Rook however hung back they were still unsure about this.

"Rook I get Adora wants to find answers about her past and I really want to help her find them but…I'm worried she's trusting the wrong person." Ben said to his partner. "I don't trust Huntara."

"You have every reason to Partner, and you are right, we need to keep an eye on her, for I have a feeling there's something she'd hiding from us." Rook said with a serious look and the two nodded in agreement from now on they were on the alert and keeping a very close eye on their 'guide'


The Fright Zone:

Meanwhile back in the Fright Zone, Entrapta had somehow snuck back into Hordaks lab and was going over the computers doing the maths on the portal device. Emily however was a little concerned about being in the room without Hordak's knowledge.

"I know Hordak told me to go away, but I have some ideas for the portal machine." Entrapta voiced with confidence. However just as she was about to run off Emily immediately started pushing her back and she tried to push back against her.

"Emily, will you cut that…?" Suddenly she felt her back against a tube of some kind she felt a glow behind her. She turned round and saw it was a pod and inside a small looking organism with bat like was hooked up to tubes in a strange liquid.

"Curious?" Entrapta said intrigued most people would've been spooked but not her. Just then she heard a strange noise, and looked over to see it was Hordak. He looked very frail and weak his armour was being removed by robotic arms revealing arms were completely white almost bone like with implants on his back.

If Entrapta wasn't a little spooked she was now. She looked back at her robot companion. "Okay, Emily, you might have a point." She said quietly as her robot nodded and the two started backing away.

"Quietly, quietly." However Entrapta neglected to look where she was going and she stepped on a cable snapping it and a part of the pipe crumbled to pieces. Entrapta dared not to move from her spot as louder crashing noises came crashing down behind her. Suddenly a much larger machine crashed down behind her making her jump in fright.

Hordak was suddenly alerted to the noise and so was Imp and they saw Entrapta standing near the doorway with Emily. "Uhh.. hi."

Hordak was enraged, when he saw her. "Get…. out!" He turned to face her in his anger. "Get out right…." Suddenly he felt faint and just collapsed to the ground, before he passed out he saw Entrapta running to him and then he blacked out.


The Crimson Waste:

Back in the wastes Huntara placed her staff on a flat stone and it span like a compass needle pointing the way. She then picked it up and started walking in that direction. Adora followed her with interest with Ben, Rook, Glimmer and Bow close behind some of them looked tired and Rook tried to keep himself hydrated with a canteen of water.

"So, heh, for a place that's supposed to be uninhabitable, the Crimson Waste sure is habited." Adora spoke for the sake of conversation.

"Yeah we'd heard this place was a barren wasteland with no life for miles. So how'd you guys survived out here for so long?" Ben asked as he was rather curious himself as they headed through a rocky valley.

"The Crimson Waste takes in all sorts. They come running from the law, from their enemies, from different kingdoms." Huntara explained as they walked.

"From the Horde." Adora said the moment she said that word Huntara seemed to tense up.

"The war will destroy all those idiots caught up in it." Huntara said simply turning her head.

"Even if some of those idiots are fighting for the freedom of this planet?" Ben questioned.

"Trust me anyone who gets caught up with this war with Hordak is gonna be destroyed along with everything else." Huntara said.

"Hard to do that when you see people suffering at the hands of a tyrant." Ben argued. "Besides it's only a matter of time before he comes here for recruits or worse."

"Please as far as Hordak is concerned this is a barren waste with no soul for miles." Huntara scoffed.

"But Ben does have a point all of Etheria is at risk that includes the waste." Adora said. "But you said people come here to run from their enemies, so what are you running from?"

Out of nowhere Huntara swings round and pins Adora to the wall much to Bens shock. "Adora!" he exclaimed Huntara then pulled out her stick and stabbed something. However it wasn't Adora but a large looking bug.

"Huntara doesn't run from anything. You got that?" Huntara said angrily. "I want to be here." She bites off the bugs head then walks away.

Ben breathed a sigh of relief but also still had an air of caution in the air. His hand was just over the Omnitrix before he stood down. Adora was surprised by Huntara's outburst however just then she noticed something.

"Wait!" Adora said as she stepped in front of Huntara and saw the sand, and picked up a rock. Ben could see what she was doing it was something his grandfather taught him to do. She tossed the rock into the sand, and the rock slowly sank into the ground.

Huntara was rather impressed. "Huh. Not bad, Blondie."

"Yeah our Adora's just full of surprises." Ben agreed to which Adora smiled back.

"What can I say? I'm a fast learner." Adora said confidently.

"Cocky. Heh, I like that. Give it some time, you'll do well here." Huntara said impressed.

"No, thanks. This has been a really terrible, snake-filled day." Adora admitted. "Honestly, I don't know what we would've done without you." She said.

Huntara seemed rather touched by those words her expression softened, but then quickly it returned to a tough frown as she lead on and the others followed. "Okay I will admit she's not half bad but I'm still a little skeptical." Ben said to Adora.

"Ben we need a guide out here and Huntara is our best option, she's not led us wrong yet." Adora reminded him.

"Yeah key word being yet." Ben said reminding her he was still uneasy about asking a random stranger who saved their lives.

Adora sighed she did appreciate her friends caution but she still thought this was the best move. "Ben do you trust me?"

Ben was quite taken aback, by this. "Well…ah of course I do Adora."

"Then trust I know what I'm doing and Huntara will help us get through the waste, and maybe….it will lead me to my answers." Adora said softly as she continued after their guide.

The bearer of the Omnitrix however still was unsure, just then Glimmer, Bow and Rook approached. "You said something to her didn't you." Glimmer said knowingly.

"Well what else was I supposed to do?" Ben asked.

"Uh be supportive your always the supportive one." Glimmer said.

"Yeah but I'm still feeling uneasy about Huntara I don't trust her." Ben said.

"I gotta admit Ben is right, I don't trust Huntara either." Bow agreed.

"Maybe but if Adora needs to do this we need to support her especially now with this whole First Ones identity and answers thing!" Glimmer reminded them both as they walked along in the heat.

"Glimmer I do understand we need to be supportive of this mission, but I understand Ben and Bows concerns." Rook said. "I believe Huntara is not telling us everything." He then took a drink from the canteen before continuing. "There is something else, that mark on the side of her head."

"What about it?" Glimmer asked.

"Something about it…seemed familiar like I had seen it before, back during my days at the Plumbers Academy." Rook voiced.

"Well maybe its a common thing for Plumber Cadets to have?" Bow wondered.

"Ah no Bow, in the Academy no one is allowed tats trust me I know." Ben said recounting when he Kevin and Gwen went to Plumber training. "But still maybe its a tribal tattoo or something?"

"I am unsure Ben, but I think maybe there's more to why Huntara came to the Wastes and maybe more besides."Rook said quietly to the group as they continued their trek through the wastes.

"Still maybe we should say something!" Bow whispered to the group.

"No we're being supportive!" Glimmer hushed. "Now ssh!"

"You shush. Shh." Bow argued and shushed back, and so the two shushed each other back and fourth the whole walk. Ben just shook his head and Rook did the same.

"This is gonna be a long walk." Ben said to himself.

"No you. Quiet." Bow hushed.

"What? You!" Glimmer hushed back.

Up front Huntara could hear the bickering behind them. "Your travel companions are loud." She said to Adora. "And your boyfriends a little paranoid don't you think?"

Adora looked taken aback in embarrassment and shock, and a blush went across her face. "WHAT! oh no no no no Bens not my boyfriend, he's just a good friend if anything he's like a brother to me, besides he already has a girlfriend."

Huntara took a brief look back at Ben then back to Adora. "Yeah I can see the resemblance." Huntara joked.

"Hah yeah huh." Adora breathed. "Well, it's been a long trip from Bright Moon."

"Bright Moon?" Huntara said and then just grunted and walked faster heard the conversation and began to grow suspicious when Adora mentioned Bright Moon it made Huntara flinch. However at that moment he remembered something.

He pulled out his Proto Tracker, and though he didn't have much signal he could still get a trace on the signal they found at Alywn, however when he looked something was wrong.

"Wait this cannot be right." Rook realised.

"What is it Rook?" Bow asked him a little tired and the sun was beginning to go down and the air was getting cooler.

"Though we cannot get a signal, my tracker is still receiving the signal we picked up at Alwyn, yet this indicates we are miles off course from the source." Rook voiced to them.

"What?" Glimmer and Ben gasped quietly and Bow immediately pulled out his tracker pad to see if Rook was right.

Adora walked following Huntara's path but was suddenly pulled back by the shoulder by Bow. "Listen, I know my tracker pad isn't working, but I'm sure we're going the wrong way, definitely a different way than we'd been going." They were in a rather narrow valley surrounded by jagged rocks and spikes, and this also looked like the perfect spot for an ambush.

"Seriously are we still doing the don't trust game! We wouldn't be going anywhere without Huntara. This is probably just a shortcut." Adora argued back.

"Yeah a shortcut to a trap, I'm telling you Adora we can't trust Huntara I say we turn back and find another way to the centre." Ben urged.

"There's not time for that Ben, I came here to find answers and we are going to find them with Huntara's help!" Adora argued back. "Whether you like it or not."

"Adora I know you trust Huntara but it seems to me here in the Crimson Waste all these people care about is looking out for number 1!" Ben argued. "I know I trust your instincts but I've been duped enough times when you need to trust others instincts too, and your always cautious so why not now?"

Before Adora could answer that though. "We're here." Huntara called, and Adora hurried to follow her with Bow and Glimmer close behind it seemed Huntara had lead them to a doorway of large spiked rocks. Ben and Rook followed but setting a rather cautious pace.

"So, trap." Ben whispered to Rook.

"Trap." Rook nodded in agreement.

"Yeah kinda figured that." Ben said as the two secretly readied their respective weapons.


The group then entered the doorway and they emerged on the other side. Adora was excited and she ran forwards to join Huntara on the edge of a cliff. It seemed to be a rather wide pit with a large pointed stone in the middle. It almost looked like a sundial. Normally a lone rock inside a pit looked like the magnetic centre. Adora excitedly headed down into the pit followed by the others but Huntara seemed to hang back looking very serious.

They all looked at the lone stone in the centre of the pit. "Uh.. we're where?" Glimmer wondered.

"Yeah I was kinda expecting a First Ones ruin not a sundial rock?" Ben questioned while still a little suspicious.

Adora kicked the rock but looked in disbelief. "This can't be the centre of the Crimson Waste." Adora said as they looked around the pit only to see there was nothing. "There's nothing here. There has to be something here. I was so sure! The message said…."

Suddenly something struck Adora in the leg as she cringed in pain she pulled it out of her leg. She looked and saw it was a dart. "What?" Then out of nowhere she collapsed. Glimmer, Bow, Rook and Ben all gasped.

Glimmer immediately teleported over to Adora. "Adora!" She exclaimed, then suddenly someone blew another dart at Glimmer and she was immediately knocked picked up the dart and sniffed it.

"Its a knock out dart!" Rook exclaimed and pulled out his Proto-Tool while Ben immediately looked to the one responsible.

"Huntara!" He growled and immediately used the Omnitrix to transform into Four-Arms and bounds out of the pit. Yelling as he tackled her to the wall.

"I KNEW YOU COULDN'T BE TRUSTED!" Four Arms yelled. "You lured us into this trap!" Huntara smirked not even denying it and just grabbed him by his lower arm and kneed him in the gut then pushed him off her.

However the Tetramand wasn't one to go down easy and he charged at the strongest in the Crimson Waste. Far below in the pit Rook and Bow readied their respective weapons. Bow quickly avoided a dart only to be struck in the neck by one.


"Bow!" Rook exclaimed as he saw his friend collapse to the ground. Rook fired his weapon in the direction of the dart and the blast hit someone. Rook heard another dart coming towards him but he quickly dodged it with his agility and training in Revonnah kai. He fired his weapon at the one who fired it and he hit him. Suddenly however a dart struck him in the neck, and he slowly succumbed to the sedative as well.


Huntara swung her staff at Four-Arms only for him to dodge and threw a double fisted punch at her only for her to grab his fists then leap and kick him dead on in the chest, forcing him back. Four-Arms had to admit he was finding it hard to keep up.

"Nice try kid but I've dealt with my fair share of tough guys before, and more than my fair share of Tetramands." Huntara smirked.

This took Four-Arms completely by surprise. "Wait how could yo…." Suddenly he felt something strike him in his left arm, it was another dart. Four Arms pulled it out and tossed it away and still charged at Huntara, he unleashed a thunderclap at her only for her to flip out of the way to avoid it.

"Hmm your a big one this could take a while." Huntara said.

Four Arms charged but then more and more darts struck him in the back and on his arms but the Tetramand tried to fight the sedative as best he could. He threw several punches at Huntara but she skilfully avoided them, and then landed a back flip kick right in the Tetramands jaw knocking him back to the ground. He was getting tired and the sedative was beginning to take an effect though he tried to fight it. He picked up a boulder and flung it at Huntara with all his strength but she just ran to the side and landed a roundhouse kick right at Four-Arms forcing him back to the edge of the pit and he looked tired and exhausted he was starting to lose his balance.

"The thing about Tetramands it kid, they tire easily no matter how big they are." Huntara smirked and simply kicked him back and he tumbled into the pit hitting ledge after ledge after ledge until finally he hit the ground with a large thud. Adora barely conscious saw what had happened.

"B…Ben…" She groaned as she heard a certain noise and Four Arms reverted back to Ben who was now unconscious. She tried to reach for the sword. "For the honor of…" She just collapsed Huntara then came over and looked at the darts.

"Paralyzing darts." She mused and just then the goat lady and the lizard creep from the bar appeared. "But you probably figured that out, being a fast learner and all."

The buff goat lady came down and went over to Ben and was reach for the Omnitrix. "Hey! Leave it." Huntara told her.

"Hey relax I just want the fancy watch." The buff goat lady brushed off but when she tried to pull it off Bens wrist *ZAP!* She was blasted back with a nasty shock.

"Gah!" She grunted.

"Forget it, it won't come off anyway." Huntara said but then she glanced at Adora's sword.


Moments later, Adora, Bow, Glimmer, Rook and Ben were flung into another pit stripped of their supplies and weapons minus the Omnitrix. Adora glanced at the pits entrance seeing Huntara and her cronies with the Sword of Protection, Bows weapons and arrows, the Proto-Tool and Glimmers staff in hand.

"Outsiders are a risk to all of us." Huntara told them. "I did tell you not to trust anyone, Blondie, should've listened to your boyfriend." The unconscious heroes were now completely alone in the pit no weapons, no supplies and no chance of escape.


The Fright Zone:

Hordak lay in his sanctum unconscious wrapped up in a blanket rather strangely. Then he snapped awake, he growled as he saw he was wrapped in a blanket.

"Ta-da! I made you soup. Soup always makes me feel better." Entrapta appeared with a tray of tiny bowls of soup. She placed them on Hordak's lap, then used one of her hair tendrils to stir one of the soup bowls. She tried feeding it to Hordak with both her tendrils but he didn't want it despite the multiple hair tendrils with spoons appeared.

"Okay, I know one big soup is probably better, but theyre so cute!" Entrapta said as Hordak had enough so he took the soup tray and gave it to Imp, he took a sniff and immediately cringed as he didn't like it.

Hordak then saw Entrapta holding her head in her hands she was intrigued. Hordak growled as he knew why. "I am not discussing this." He simply said.

He tried to get up and walk away only he was still very weak and nearly fell to the ground if Entrapta hadn't caught him with her hair. It was then she got a closer look at his implants and the frailness of his body. "Your armour, it's holding you together.."

"It is none of your concern." Hordak pulled away from her not wanting to discuss this. Entrapta wasn't one to give up on something that easily as she held Hordak by the arms.

"You're from another planet. That thing in the vitrine looks like you. And you've got tech compensating for your body." Entrapta breathed as she pushed Hordak back a little. "As a scientist, I'm not going to stop until I figure out what's going on. Now, tell me everything!" Entrapta demanded as the pod glowed behind him.


Elsewhere: Deep Space: The known universe:

Elsewhere a large looking warship flew through the coldness of deep space. The ship was manned by robotic drones and soldiers and on the bridge on his throne was Vilgax/Malgax. He gazed out at the vastness of space beyond him but it was clear he had something on his mind.

"Master." A voice said getting his attention and he looked to see Psyphon approaching him.

"What is it Psyphon?" Vilgax demanded angrily.

"Ah yes we will be arriving soon at the Forgotten Zone, we've had to make several hyper speed jumps which has taken considerable time…"Before Psyphon could finish Vilgax slammed his fist on his throne in anger.

"Then double your efforts you fool! We must arrive at the Forgotten Zone of space sooner, and I will not tolerate excuses!" Vilgax stood from his throne and looked down on Psyphon very intimidated. His master then stepped from his throne and looked out into space. Though in all honesty Psyphon was curious as to his masters attitude. He knew Ben Tennyson was somewhere in this sector and the Omnitrix was always his greatest prize, but it seemed something else now had Vilgax's attention, something that had him on edge.

"Vilgax." Psyphon bravely stepped forwards. "I do not mean to question your motives but, what is it about this sector of space that intrigues you, it cannot just be the Omnitrix or Tennyson."

Vilgax growled before he gave his answer. "Because Psyphon the Forgotten Zone was and still is the site of my greatest humiliation and defeat so many years ago before I knew of the Omnitrix's existence."

"Humiliation, I was not aware of this master?" Psyphon said now even more intrigued.

"Of course you wouldn't fool, you have no recollection of this, for it was here I found you and procured you from your former master, and creator." Vilgax said.

"My…creator?" Psyphon wondered quite surprised.

"Yes the one who saw you as nothing but worthless and defective!" Vilgax smirked.

Psyphon wondered what he meant by that and then suddenly a horrifying realisation hit him, from memories he had kept hidden long ago. "No…i…it couldn't be…him!"

"Yes." Vilgax growled.


The Fright Zone:

"You want to know what I am; I am a clone!" Hordak yelled as he slammed his fist on the tank that was behind him illuminating more of these strange embryos hooked up to tubes. Entrapta was startled as Hordak continued his story.

"A clone of the emperor of the known universe, Horde Prime." Hordak said as the scene flashed back to a lone figure standing in front of a Horde symbol with fleets of ships surrounding him. "Horde Prime cloned himself, building an army to conquer all he saw. Planets, worlds, galaxies fell before us." The scene revealed lines and lines of cloning pods all cloned from Horde Prime's very DNA then switched to fleets of ships attacking worlds and conquering entire star systems, each marked with the Horde Symbol.


The Known Universe:

Vilgax was telling Psyphon his side of the story. "I had conquered countless galaxies under my rule yet the only one to resist me was the Forgotten Zone, or rather what it would soon become." His flashbacks showed him in his old armour leading hordes of his fleets and armies to attack the planets of this star system.

"However I was not alone, a galactic empire known only as The Horde were also conquering contless worlds all in their so called war against the First Ones, for control of the planets and their secrets."

"The First Ones, I thought they were merely a legend?!" Psyphon exclaimed in surprise.

"No they were real, and they had secrets, secrets that could make one master of the universe itself! Horde Prime stood between me and the domination of this sector!" Vilgax's memories showed him and his forces battling the Horde to a standstill for control of this sector even battle the First Ones if they dared to cross him.


Hordaks Story:

"I was his top general, but there was a defect in my cloning, and defects are worthless to Prime." The scene showed Hordak with his clone brothers at a war table with their master Horde Prime. However he suddenly felt weak and nearly collapsed. Horde Prime grabbed Hordak by his neck and cast him aside into a dark abyss.

The scene then revealed Hordak was on an unknown planet that was in the grip of a great battle. "I was sent to die on the front lines, but during battle, a portal opened and sent me crashing to Etheria, stranding me here." He was weak then suddenly a portal opened and he tumbled through it and was stranded on the once vibrant planet of Etheria.


Vilgax's Story:

"Our wars were long and savage, until I finally decided to face Horde Prime myself in a last stand for the fate of this sector!" Vilgax's army clashed with the Horde Clones, until Vilgax himself charged through many of the clones and slaughtered them all until he was finally face to face with Horde Prime himself.

"We clashed, neither side gaining an advantage.." Vilgax's sword clashed with Horde Prime and it seemed that he was winning and soon had Horde Prime pinned under foot. "I was ready to deliver the final blow, when his trickery intervened!" Suddenly a tendril of some kind grabbed Vilgax from behind and tried to place some kind of implant on his neck. It was placed and made him scream in pain.

"He tried to turn me to his cause but Vilgax submits to no ones rule!" The crazed tyrant yanked the tendril from his neck and he screamed in even more pain. "Freed I was forced to retreat, my forces destroyed and my pride shattered I was humiliated by a being without so much as a weapon in his hand."


Vilgax's Ship:

Vilgax felt the back of his neck. "But the reminder of that battle." The Malware symbiote stripped away from a section of his neck revealing that very implant it was a white circle with a broken green centre. "Still remains, but I took something from Prime, something he considered useless and weak a defective clone left abandoned on the battle lines."

"Me." Psyphon realised.

"Yes, and since then I had forever vowed vengeance on Prime and sought to one day return to this place and make him rule the day he made fool of me!" Vilgax clenched his hand tightly in passionate hatred.


Hordaks Story:

"With nothing but a broken ship, I built an empire. When my portal opens, I shall bring forth my brother's armies to crush The Rebellion, and Horde Prime will see that he was wrong." The scene revealed that Hordak had built his empire in the Fright Zone from the ashes of his ship and suddenly a portal opened as fleets of ships poured through. "I am not a defect. I am worth something!" Hordak stood before Horde Prime himself as his creator placed his hand on his shoulder as a sign of respect.


The Fright Zone Present day:

Hordak thumped his fist on the pod in anger and frustration. "But the portal machine does not work. I haven't conquered the planet. I could not even clone a new body for myself." Hordaks disgraced reflection was shown alongside the clone embryo. "Perhaps… Perhaps Prime was right.. I am a failure."

Just then he heard the sounds of loud clanging of metal and he saw Entrapta was going through a lot of scrap parts in a great hurry.

"Oh, no, no, no. I'm listening, I heard you. I've got an idea, but I need my tools. Be right back." Entrapta said before using her hair to pull herself up to the vents and rushed off somewhere. Leaving Hordak groaning a little just what could she do to help.


The Crimson Wastes:

Night had fallen over the Crimson Wastes and the Best Friend Squad had finally regained consciousness and were trying to find a way out of their predicament.

Glimmers panting in exhaustion could be heard echoing in the pit. "Alright, ninth time's the charm. Everyone, hold on. One, two…"

A brief pink glow was seen in the pit then seconds later the group appeared over the hole of the pit, only for them to fall right back into the pit with everyone piling up on Ben. Again.

"Ben are you okay?" Adora asked worried.

"Why. Does everyone. HAVE TO PILE UP ON ME!" Ben exclaimed in pain.

"Well on the bright side Ben everyone landing on our ribs is the best way to distract us from our other bruises." Bow groaned in pain as he was on top with Glimmer, Rook and Adora on top.

"Everyone please focus this is not helping our current predicament." Rook voiced.

"One we could've avoided if you'd listen to me in the first place!" Ben grumbled. Sadly Adora could hear what he said.

"Okay everyone cool it. I'll get it this time hold on!" Glimmer said about to teleport until Ben stopped her.

"Hold it save your teleports Glimmer, I've got this." Ben voiced as he activated the Omnitrix and dialled in an Alien. "Come on Stinkfly!" Ben slammed the dial down and after a brief green flash in the pit he was the wrong alien.

"Crashhopper?!" He exclaimed. "Eh close enough, grab on guys."

Seconds later a loud boing sound was heard and flying out of the pit was Crashhopper with, Glimmer, Adora, Rook and Bow holding onto him as they soard up like a rocket then came crashing down to the ground, and the humanoid grasshopper was stuck in the ground head first. He managed to pull himself out but his head was still spinning.

"Ughhhhh everyone okay?" He asked.

"You could've tried to stick the landing Ben!" Glimmer exclaimed.

"Hey I'm not used to passengers as Crashhopper!" Crashhopper argued back then hit the ground with his fist. "Gah I knew we couldn't trust that Huntara but does anyone listen to the Veteran hero oh no!"

"We listened." Bow grumbled.

"Not helping Bow." Rook said.

By this point Glimmer had had just about enough of this mission. "GAH! I'm sick of this! We've been tricked, robbed, temporarily paralysed. Now we're stuck here in the middle of…"

"Glimmer!" Bow voiced holding her hand and they looked to see Adora was looking down into the pit completely distraught and guilty.

Crashhopper could see Adora already felt guilty enough about this situation as he hopped over to everyone else. "I mean, I'm so glad we finally got out of there." Glimmer tried to sound more upbeat about this but it was too late the damage was done.

"Adora?" Bow asked but Adora was still very quiet even when the Omnitrix timed out and reverted Crashhopper to Ben who looked at her with sympathy as did Rook. Adora just sighed, got up and leaned on a rock with her hands covering her face. Ben came over to her with a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

"Y…you were right Ben…an…and I didn't listen after all I'd been through and my own experience I thought I would know better..I was just so caught up in my own world that…I forgot about everything else." Adora breathed.

"Adora, what's really going on this isn't just about Huntara stabbing us in the back is it?" Ben wondered.

Adora sighed again. "Having this mission made me feel in control. After the last few days, I really needed it. I needed answers." Adora voiced and everyone listened. "I thought if I found out more about Mara, I'd find out more about myself, where I came from and why."

Everyones faces softened with sympathy towards her, they could see that the recent revelations had taken their toll. "Hey I get it, after all these years of being lied to wanting the truth and being so close to it, but if we let our curiosity get to us it can make us act in ways we wouldn't." Ben voiced to her.

"Indeed and people like Huntara can take advantage of that weakness and exploit it, but trust me we have been through this many times before. What matters is how we learn from it." Rook agreed.

Bow then placed a sympathetic hand on Adora's shoulder. "They're right we'll still get those answers. We're not beat yet. Sure, this road trip has been kind of a disaster." He tried to sound enthusiastic.

"Pretty standard for us, honestly." Glimmer chuckled.

"Yeah thats true, but hey we've been through worse before and we've made it through okay. Because we're a team and we get through the tough times together, the best lesson Grandpa Max ever taught me." Ben then told her.

"We know you're going through a lot, and we've got your back, whatever you need to do." Bow agreed.

"Because unlike those in the Waste we look out for each other and showing compassion is true strength not a weakness." Rook agreed. Adora smiled at her friends love and support throughout this tough time.

"Besides, it's not like you stole our weapons and left us stranded." Glimmer said.

"It's Huntara." Adora said which put an angered look on Glimmer and Bens faces.

"Exactly. It's Huntara's fault." Glimmer growled.

"Yeah and when I see that Khyber wannabe I'm gonna show her what it means to mess with Ben 10!" Ben growled pounding his fist into his hand. "But how did she know Four-Arms species?"

"I do not know Etheria is otherwise invisible to the multitude of other lifeforms in the galaxy." Rook agreed. "So how could she.."

"Guys." Adora said getting their attention and she pointed to some rather large looking footprints in the sand. "Its Huntara."

"Tracks!" Rook realised.

"If we follow them we'll find Huntara and given our position she and her cronies can't have gotten far!" Adora realised.

"Time to use our instincts." Ben smirked and then activated the Omnitrix dialling in an alien. "Or rather our animal instincts!" He slammed down the dial and after one awesome transformation he was now Wildmutt.

The Vulpiermancer growled as he sniffed the footprints on the ground and then sniffed the air around them. He suddenly barked to everyone. "He has their scent!" Rook realised. "And now the Huntara becomes the hunted!"

"Nice quip Rook!" Glimmer complimented, and so everyone mounted on Wildmutt's back with Adora riding up front.

"Lets go find them!" Adora exclaimed.

"HI HOOOO WILDMUTT AWAY!" Bow exclaimed as Wildmutt sprinted into the dark desert as fast as he could with the scent of their prey to guide them they headed to a large looking rock seeing a faint dim glow near it.


The Fright Zone: Hordak's Sanctum:

Entrapta had fired up her blowtorch with the flame hissing with heat. "Oooh, this is gonna be so much fun!" She said excitedly as she rushed off while Hordak seemed to be sulking in the background.

"I do not need your help in this." Hordak said grumpily.

Entrapta uses her hair to adjust things as she works. "Everybody needs help sometimes. And you shouldn't be upset that you're not perfect-take Emily!" She gestured to Emily who was rolling on her ball body spins around and stands up again squeaking "Her programming is glitchy, the left leg sticks, and she's loud. Emily's got quirks, but that's why I like her." She patted her robot friend on her head with her hair tendril.

"Imperfection is what makes scientific experimentation possible. Imperfection is beautiful." Entrapta spoke with such passion as sparks began to fly almost like fireworks. Illuminating Entrapta's face as she smiled. "At least to me."

Hordak couldn't help but stare at the tech happy princess in amazement and awe. Just then her hair tendril grabbed him and moved him into the middle of the lab. "Stand here." Entrapta said as she picked his arms up and he was standing in a T position.

"And you're really too obsessed with this whole failure thing, I mean, I'm a failure…" Entrapta voiced but Hordak didn't believe it.

"You are not a f…" Before he could finish a hair tendril covered his mouth keeping him quiet.

"I don't fit in." Entrapta said pulling down her welding masked and worked on things with her tools. "I became friends with Adora and Ben, but they abandoned me... Then, I became friends with Catra, but she doesn't talk to me anymore…" Entrapta pulled up her mask and smiled at Hordak before her hair tendril pressed a button sounding an alarm then in an instant machines began building and applying new armour to Hordak in an Iron Man styled way.

"But that doesn't mean I give up. I scrounged up a few more pieces of First Ones Tech, and I can't think of a better use for it than this." She said as Hordak grunted as the armour was being applied by the marines and within minutes it was finished.

Entrapta marvelled at her work. Hordaks armour looked more advanced and streamlined than his old one as he tested his grip on it. He felt much stronger and in his collar was a piece of First Ones tech.

"Ta-da! Your armour is more of an exoskeleton now, the tech compensating for your organic body. What does it feel like?" Entrapta breathed excitedly as Hordak marvelled at his new exo skeleton. Emily and Imp took a look with interest as well.

"Powerful." He said as he chuckled rather darkly but then he abruptly stopped and looked to Entrapta. "I...I...acknowledge the work you put into this. It is...very...technologically sound." He admitted.

Imp suddenly kicked his masters foot screeching in disapproval like he was telling him to be more grateful. "Uh...no matter what you say, you are not a who discount you are utter fools!" He then expressed to Entrapta dramatically.

Entrapta placed her hair tendril on Hordaks shoulder and smiled. "Thanks. I like being friends with you, too."

Hordak couldn't help but smile at that, could this monstrous tyrant actually have a soft spot for the tech happy princess?


Crimson Wastes:

Meanwhile Huntara and her goons were gathered around a campfire, while Huntara looked over the sword of Protection seeing her reflection. The other two were looking at the weapons that belonged to Bow, Rook and Glimmer.

The four armed lizard looked over the Proto Tool wondering how to use it, while the buff Goat lady was looking at Bow's arrows. "What do you think this one does?"

She touched the tip and suddenly a net ensnared her then gave her a nasty electric shock. Huntara grunted as she used the sword to slash at the net cutting her free. "Stop messing around." She grunted.

"Come on, we're just having fun." The horned goon brushed off. "Didn't you see the shock on those outsiders' faces? But man that guy with the watch changing into that four armed thing imagine if we could've gotten our hands on that!"

Huntara just growled as she walked away and looked away from the buff goat goon. "Aw, look at this. I think Huntara liked them." The lizard goon looked very frightened as she saw Huntara's face change. "Are you feeling guilty?"

Just then Huntara dropped the sword in the ground and grabbed the Horned goon by the shirt and slammed her against the rock slab in anger. "I did what I had to, to keep us all safe."

The Horned goon just scoffed a laugh. "You mean keep yourself safe. You act so tough, but you're running scared from something just like the rest of us."

In response to that Huntara slammed a punch close to the horned goons head practically denting the rock making her grunt in fear.

"I don't run away from anything! I am Huntara of the Crimson Waste." Huntara proclaimed suddenly a large sparkly blast hit Huntara in the side of the face. She looked up and saw a certain princess falling from the sky.

"That's nice. I'm Princess Glimmer of Bright Moon, and I sparkle!" She unleashed another blast of magic before she teleported away but Huntara dodged it and it hit the Horned goon straight in the face blasting her away.

Glimmer reappears between Huntara and the Horn goon as she tries to pull the sword from the ground. Huntara sees this and runs to get her but suddenly something erupted from the ground with a bang and it was Ben now transformed into Swampfire.

"And I'm Ben 10 defender of Earth and its hero time!" He exclaimed as he launched a fire ball from his two hands blasting Huntara back. However she snarled as she charged towards him. The Methanosian formed his vine whips and lashed at Huntara who moved quick to dodge his attacks but Swampfire was ready and dived into the ground and then reemerged behind Huntara and ensnared her in his vine whips.

However Huntara smirked grabbed Swampfires vines and swung him round and tossed him away sending him flying into Glimmer with a crash. Huntara pulled out the sword and pointed it at Glimmer. Swampfire quickly got up and tackled Huntara to the ground. He moved to attack but Huntara flipped up from her back and with one slash, cut Swampfires right arm clean off. Glimmer gasped in horror and shock. Swampfire looked horrified.

"Aw man that was my gaming hand!" Swampfire cried but then a smirk came across his face something Huntara noticed then suddenly vines came from his lost limb and reattached itself to him and he landed an uppercut right in Huntara's jaw.

"Psych!" Swampfire chuckled. "Gets'em every time." Glimmer quickly grabbed Bows weapons and teleported over to him.

"That was sick and wrong on so many levels Ben!" Glimmer exclaimed. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Glimmer you've got no sense of drama!" Swampfire shrugged.


Suddenly Huntara got back up and looked seriously pissed at the Omnitrix Bearer and the sparkling princess. "Okay time to switch it up!" Swampfire slammed down the Omnitrix dial and after a brief flash of light he'd changed forms. He now bore the appearance of a ten foot tall beetle like alien with dark green spiked armour running from his face to his back and on his arms and legs. He had an overbite with a gray jaw that was rounded and toothy hinged to his face by two spokes. He bore horns on his head one short one long and it resembles a beetles horn with forks at the top. He has a green under belly with the Omnitrix laying in the centre of his chest.

"A giant bug how does that help?" Glimmer asked.

"Oooh now I'm scared." Huntara joked but Eatle quickly grabbed a large boulder and surprisingly ate it with one large chomp enough to crush the boulder.

"Ugh another alien that eats stuff!" Glimmer groaned as Bow came over and took back his gear.

Eatle smirked as then he unleashed a massive energy beam on Huntara which she deflected with the sword and ran towards the alien beetle, however she was suddenly tackled to the side by Adora falling to the ground suddenly an arrow was fired at the horned goon by Bow and she ran off the Lizzard goon was about to use the Proto Tool until Rook jumped from above and kicked her and the weapon to the ground. The Revonnahgander hurried to retrieve his weapon only for the Horned goon to pick it up and aim it at him.

"You have something that does not belong to you!" Rook pointed.

"Hey watch it blue boy!" Said the goon. "Last time I checked I have the weapon not you!"

"Indeed." Rook then smirked. "However it cannot be used against its owner."

The Horned goon looked surprised but thought he was lying. "Oh come on do you think I don't see a lie when I see one!"

"Try if you do not believe me." Rook stood with his arms out as if he was asking her to shoot him. She tried to fire the Proto-Tool however there was no blast just a blinking red light on the Plumbers tried again but got nothing.

"Hey what is…" Suddenly Rook ran up to her and threw a flying kick right across her face knocking the Proto-Tool out of her hand then he threw a round house kick kicking her to the ground. He grabbed his weapon.

"It is called DNA Recognition!" Rook then fired his weapon at the horned goon.


Adora had Huntara pinned down and saw her sword in her hand. "That's mine." She reached for the sword.

"Then come and take it!" Huntara kicked Adora off her back and flipped back standing in a battle stance. Adora flipped back but almost lost her balance but she stood ready for a fight. Huntara twirled the Sword of Protection while Adora drew her staff and twirled it.

Huntara was angry at this. "That's mine."

"Then come and take it!" Adora quoted thrusting the staff forward only one problem it didn't extend. Huntara charged angrily towards her as she tried to twist the staff to no avail. However just as Huntara got close Eatle rammed right into Huntara and slammed her into a rock face.

The smoke cleared to see Huntara slashing at Eatle, but his armour could withstand the slashes then Eatle threw an kick at her knocking her back into the ground. Huntara suddenly leaped up and grabbed Eatle by the horn and then he couldn't move and she just kicked him into the rock face with a loud crash.

"Ben!" Adora exclaimed and with one twist the staff extended. Huntara was ready to deliver a final blow to the beetle alien Adora slashed the staff across Huntara's face and sent her flying across the ground.

Adora looked to the downed Eatle. "Ben are you okay?"

"Well apart from being immobilised yeah I'm good." Eatle groaned.

"Immobilised?" Adora said confused.

"Look long story short if anyone grabs my horn I can't move for a while." Eatle explained. She could see he was right as he couldn't move, then she had an idea looking at the Omnitrix symbol on his chest.

"Then let me give you a hand!" Adora quickly twisted the dial and then slammed it down and changed Eatle to Kickin Hawk.

"Huh not a bad choice Adora." Kickin Hawk said as he got up fro the ground. Suddenly their attention turned to see Huntara getting back up and stood ready and charged at them.

Kickin Hawk and Adora smirked as the two charged at Huntara. She slashed the sword at them Kickin Hawk blocked the blade with his own arm blades then kicked Huntara away as Adora slashed at her with the staff while Kickin Hawk threw several spin kicks to try and knock her off balance and Adora snuck in from behind only for Huntara to block her staff attack with the sword then head butted Adora in the face then grabbed her by the wrist and swung her into Kickin Hawk who managed to catch her.


High above on the rock face Bow ran along the side with his namesake and arrows while the Horned goon fired more paralysing darts at him who quickly ducked to avoid them and fired his own arrows at the Horned goon. One arrow struck her above the shoulder on her shirt.

She tried to run only for Rook to swoop in with his Proto Tool turned staff and swatted her across the face while Bow fired an arrow ensnaring her in a net.

"Aw yeah double team!" Bow cheered. However suddenly they heard explosions nearby and saw the four armed lizard smashing boulders trying to smash a teleporting Glimmer.

Said princess reappeared behind her and she leaped and tried to smash Glimmer only for her to teleport away just as the four armed lizard smashed another boulder Glimmer reappeared and stuck her tongue out. This really ticked off the lizard thug as she ran at Glimmer only for her to teleport away as she landed a solid punch into the rock face in front of her and the whole rock began to crack. Glimmer reappears up top and kicks the rock before teleporting away and the whole thing crumbled atop the lizard thug completely burying her.

Glimmer teleported in and looked at her handy work then teleported over to Bow and Rook and saw their handiwork.

"Guess they got rocked!" Glimmer cracked. "See Bens not the only one with wisecracks!"


Suddenly they heard grunts and slashes nearby and they looked to see Adora and Kickin Hawk fighting Huntara. Rook paid close attention to Huntara's fighting style as she parried Kickin Hawks blades then swung a kick knocking Adora back. He gasped as he now remembered where he'd seen or rather heard of this type of fighting style before.

"It could not be!" He breathed.

Adora charged at Huntara as their weapons clashed against each other. Adora parried against the sword with the staff each deflecting their attacks. Kickin Hawk then came swooping in kicking Huntara back then throwing a punch only for her to block it with the sword and then trip him with a leg swipe, however Kickin Hawks agility made him land on his claw tipped feet and then served a spin kick knocking her back. Adora then leaped from his back and slashed the staff against her only for Huntara to block it and then swat the staff out of her hand kicks her and sends her flying she ends up sliding on one knee.

"Adora!" Kickin Hawk exclaimed he'd just about had enough of this huntsman wannabe. Huntara pointed the sword at Adora's neck ready to deal a final blow when suddenly Kickin Hawk rammed her out of the way and kicked her with his clawed feet. Huntara growled as she swung the sword only for Kickin Hawk to parry it with his feet then clashed against her with his arm blades.

"If this is how you treat friends in the Crimson Waste I hate to think how you treat your enemies!" Kickin Hawk growled as he parried Huntara's sword strikes.

"I don't have any friends I do what I must in order to survive! Thats all we know how to do in the wastes!" Huntara growled.

"By cheating, stealing and lying to those who ask for your help!" Kickin Hawk exclaimed as they clashed their blades again.

"I do what I have to to keep everyone here safe! I am the strongest of the Crimson Waste!" Huntara said kicking him away.

"What do you know about strength!" Kickin Hawk exclaimed. "You hide out here running from your problems and take advantage of anyone the first chance you get. If anything that makes you no better than the Horde!"

That seemed to strike a Nerve in Huntara as she yelled and slashed at Kickin Hawk again and again and with his agility he parried against the blades and then jumped away barely able to keep up. Adora got up and could see her friend was barely able to keep up. She wondered what she could do if she and Huntara were evenly matched. Then she remembered.

"In the chaos find your centre, your still point" Rooks words echoed in her mind.

"You can presto changeo all you want kid but I'm prepared for anything you throw at me!" Huntara smirked.

All Kickin Hawk could do was smirk. "Then maybe we should kick it up a notch or should I say Omni-Kick it up!" He twisted the dial on the Omnitrix and he started to armour up.

In the green and white Molecules Kickin Hawk was now clad in a bronze black and white armour with a green armoured harness going across his chest with green energy lines with a green and white armoured belt across his waist with bronze gauntlets and green energy claws on his hands and feet. He now had green energy blades on his forearms and on his legs. His face was completely armoured with a blackish gray armoured beak with green jagged lines, and a armoured green face mask and his hair was green energy blades in a similar style.

"OMNI-KIX KICKINHAWK!" He proclaimed.

Huntara growled as she charged at the armoured alien chicken. He blocked her attacks with his energy blades then suddenly as he flexed his arms his blades swung and split into two like claws. Surprising everyone as well.

"Whoa now we're talking!" Omni-Kix Kickin Hawk exclaimed as he swung his arms at Huntara but she parried his energy blades with the Sword of Protection the two seemed equally matched Omni Kix Kickin Hawk then leaped away and suddenly his armoured claws began to glow he swung his hands and bladed claws were launched towards Huntara who quickly twirled the sword to deflect the blades, then suddenly came a kick to the face compliments of Adora sending Huntara crashing to the ground.

"Hold off Ben I got this." Adora stood ready in a fighting stance.

Huntara just smirked as she charged towards Adora who stood waiting and she slashed at her. Adora simply dodged and ducked her attacks again and again, then she performs a flying spin kick knocking Huntara back followed by her jumping from the ground rolling in the air and landing a kick on her head knocking her to the ground. Huntara lunged at Adora swinging the sword at her only for Adora to leap onto the swords blade jump and kick Huntara in the back.

"Whoa look at Adora go!" Bow exclaimed.

"Yeah what kind of fighting style is that!" Glimmer said amazed.

Rook couldn't help but smile with pride he knew what this style was all too well indeed. "Its Revonnah Kai."

Huntara was becoming more and more anger and frustrated by this change in combat. She just yelled as she charged at Adora at full speed. Adora however didn't move she stayed in place and closed her eyes. Omni-Kix Kickin Hawk wondered what she was doing as Huntara drew closer and closer.

"Find my still point." Adora thought to herself. Then just as Huntara was about to strike in one swift motion Adora flipped over Huntara landed behind her and performed a leg swipe tripping her up but before she hit the ground Omni-Kix Kickin Hawk came swooping in and performed a spin kick knocking the Sword of Protection clean out of her hand.

"Glimmer think fast!" He called and right on cue Glimmer teleported in and grabbed the sword mid air by the handle and teleported back down to the ground again.

"Quick! Time for She-Ra!" Glimmer tossed the sword to Adora who grabbed it and held it confidently.

Huntara was taken completely by surprise to hear that name. "Wait! You know about She-Ra?!" She said angst.

"Know about She-Ra?" Omni-Kix Kickin Hawk said smugly as he looked to Adora who chuckled holding the sword.

"I am, She-Ra!" And so she held aloft her sword and said. "FOR THE HONOUR OF GRAYSKULL!"

One epic transformation later Adora was now She-Ra as her golden aura surrounded her. Huntara and her goons were taken completely by surprise.

"Heh you guys are so screwed now!" Omni-Kix Kickin Hawk smirked behind his faceplate.

"She-Ra...is a person?" Huntara stuttered in shock. Then with one sword strike She-Ra sent a golden wave that blasted the three Crimson Wasters clean away into the rock faces with a loud crash.

Huntara tried to get up but she was soon met by the blade of She-Ra's sword and the armoured Kickin Hawk standing over her.

"Its over Huntara, your beaten." She-Ra said to her. "Now where did you hear about She-Ra? After all, it's not like it's something they teach you…in the Horde!"

Kickin Hawk was completely taken by surprise. "Wait what?" He looked to Huntara. "Y..your a Horde soldier?!"

Huntara sighed before she explained herself. "I was a Horde soldier. They told us we were heroes, freeing Etheria from the evil princesses. But when I saw what we were doing...how Hordak just...threw soldiers away…" Huntara paused before she looked at She-Ra "well. You know what we saw. You were one of us. That's where you learned to fight, isn't it? I'd recognise that training anywhere."

"Yeah well thats another thing, how'd you know about my alien races." Omni-Kix Kickin Hawk said just when the Omnitrix timed out and changed back to Ben. "You knew about Four-Arms but I'm guessing you deserted before Adora did so how could you know that?"

"Because the Horde was not the only place she learned how to fight." Rook spoke up as he approached them. "Was it…Silaxian."

Huntara's expression remained mutual while Ben and She-Ra looked at him confused. "I remember where I have seen that symbol on the side of your head before. It is the mark of the Warriors of Silax." Rook explained.

"Silax?" She-Ra wondered.

"Yeah Rook your gonna have to clue us in here what the heck is Silax?" Ben asked confused.

"During my time at the Plumbers Academy they used to tell us the story of the Warriors of Silax, a planet home to a race of warriors who fought with their own code of justice and honour whichever planet they were summoned to." Rook explained. "They fought great battles singlehandedly as is their way."

"So what they're like some kind of Green Lantern Corps?" Ben wondered.

"Green what?" She-Ra asked.

"I'll tell you later." Ben whispered to her. "So how come we haven't seen any of these guys as Plumbers?" He then asked Rook.

"Because they act outside of Plumber rules, they have no legal authority over them." Rook explained.

"Like the Rooters." Ben realised.

Huntara now bore a rather impressed smirk on her face. "Hmm well spotted. Revonnahgander." This put an even more surprised look on Bens face. But after hearing Rooks story he soon pieced it together.

"Yo…you're from the known universe, like us!" Ben realised. "Thats how you knew about my aliens!"

"Just like I know about that Omnitrix on your wrist kid." Huntara gestured to Bens wrist. "You know I'd heard the stories but never thought they were real."

"Okay so if you are from the known universe how'd you end up here?" She-Ra then asked.

"Well what your partner said is true my people did fight as heroes, but lets just say they didn't quite agree with the way I did things, and some people never really appreciate the things we did, some called us outlaws not getting anything in return." Huntara explained. "So I decided to leave, and once you leave Silax you can never return. I was flying my ship when some kind of wormhole trashed it and I crashed here and the rest is history."

"Yeah same thing happened to us." Ben said.

"I thought the Horde was a force for good and maybe I could actually still honour the code of my people but I guess it was just a fantasy." Huntara then said begrudgingly. "You did too right?" She looked to She-Ra.

She-Ra leaned down and looked Huntara squarely in the eye. "You deserted. I did, too. And I joined the Rebellion."

"Then you're a fool." Huntara said. "One girl can't make a difference against the might of the Horde, even a tall, shiny girl like you. It's useless to try."

"Well its better than hiding in the desert and I don't know if you noticed but Hordak doesn't really care for defective soldiers." Ben explained. "Unless you're Shadow Weaver and obsessed. The point is if you were a great hero then you should want to do something, its like I said before Hordak won't stop until he rules all of Etheria that includes the Crimson Wastes."

"And maybe your right but I refuse to back down, and I'm not alone. I won't stand by and watch people get hurt. And I won't run away. A friend once taught me that being a champion or even a hero is about defending those who can't defend themselves and that there is hope." She-Ra said much to Bens proud smile. Huntara grunted and looked away.

"Huntara if you keep running from your problems they'll still haunt you for the rest of your life, you need to face up to it." Ben said to her.

"Your people were bound by a code, to never run to never hide to stand up and fight for justice and freedom." Rook then said. "If you refuse to honour that code you are not worthy to wear the mark of your people."

Huntara still said nothing until She-Ra grabbed her chin and turned her face gently back to face her. "Huntara, I need your need your help." She said. "I need you to help us find what we came for. Together, we can all bring this war to an end…"

"You need to drop your weapons." They looked to see Glimmer and Bow were restrained by the two thugs. Glimmer struggled in the grip of the Horned thug who held her blow pipe close to the princesses neck.

"Are you two serious right now?" Ben questioned. Rook trained his Proto Tool on the two thugs.

"Ah ah ah don't even try it!" The horned thug said training her blowpipe on Glimmer.

"Empty threats will get you nowhere, stand down!" Rook warned. Just then a brief flash of green light appeared and it was Ben who had turned into Heatblast and trained his ignited hand on them.

"We won't ask a second time!" Heatblast growled.

The two forces stared each other down in a stand off while the Horned thug scoffed. "Heh well looks like we got a stand off."

"So release our friends and drop your weapons." Rook glared.

"And we'll let you escape with your dignity!" Heatblast smirked.

However the Horned thug girl wasn't buying it one bit. "Come on, Huntara. Let's grab our loot and go." She said to Huntara.

Huntara stood up and approached the horned thug girl as Glimmer struggled to try and break free. Huntara then placed a hand on the horned girls shoulder, but suddenly the girl growls in pain feeling Huntara's grip tighten then out of nowhere she tossed the horned girl into her lizard thug accomplice releasing a shrieking Glimmer.

The two thugs growled in fear and they were about to get up and fight when suddenly a wall of fire cut them off. They looked to Heatblast standing next to Huntara with a knowing look.

"Hey you look smarter than that darlin." Heatblast said.

The horned thug girl glared at them and so the two of them took off running for their lives. The fires died down and just then the Omnitrix timed out and reverted Ben to Heatblast.

"You look smarter than that darlin? Really?" Huntara questioned.

"Hey haven't had any complaints." Ben shrugged. "For what its worth you so have a shot with that waitress."

Huntara just chuckled at his childish antics. "You know I see why blondie likes you." She then looked at her staff and didn't even look at everyone else.

"You're right. What I saw in the Horde scared me, and I ran. I failed my people and betrayed the code I was sworn to uphold, I guess I just lost sight of that." Huntara said reluctantly as the ends of her staff retracted and she turned and walked to She-Ra.

"But I'm not gonna run anymore. Your friend is right if Hordak isn't stopped he'll come for everyone in the Crimson Waste, and if I'm not willing to stand up and fight for them I'm not worth being one of them. I have to face my problems head-on. And if you're trying to stop the war, then…" She paused before she smiled and offered her hand to She-Ra. "…then I will do what I can to help you."

She-Ra smiled and shook her hand in response, Ben smiled as well and in that moment he felt that Huntara kinda reminded him of his friend Tetrax as he came from similar beginnings as she did.

"Well then welcome to the Rebellion. Huntara." Rook smiled.

"Oh just one more thing." Ben said as he held up the Omnitrix and it started to blink yellow.

"Alien DNA detected commencing scan." The Omnitrix said and a yellow light emerged and it scanned Huntara much to her surprise. "Scan complete, Silaxian DNA transformation now available on playlist seven."

"Sweet." Ben smiled in anticipation.

"O…kay." Huntara said weirded out. "Now come on, we've got lots of ground to cover before we reach the ship."

Ben and She-Ra look at each other confused. "What ship?" They said as Glimmer teleported over, while Bow and Rook popped in with the same confused expression.


As the sun began to rise over the Crimson Waste, She-Ra had changed back to Adora as Huntara looked out over a large cliff and soon the others joined her in what she was gazing at. But what it was they just couldn't believe was a large looking triangle like structure with two diamond shaped spires at the sides it was similar construction to the First Ones constructs all over Etheria.

"Whoa." Ben breathed in shock and awe.

"Adora….what is that?" Bow said completely mystified.

"I…it's a First Ones ruin." Glimmer said completely lost for words.

However upon having a closer look at the structure Ben could see something different about this First Ones ruin compared to the others. "Wait…Rook, does this look a little familiar?"

Rook took a look and could instantly see what it was Ben was talking about. "This is not a building….it is a space craft!" He breathed in shock.

If everyone wasn't shocked before they were now it was an actual First Ones space ship and in somewhat good condition too. Adora stepped forward and was the most mystified of all. "Its not just a space ship." She said as they gazed upon it.

"Its….its Maras ship…"


Authors Notes: DUNDUNDUN! Now thats a cliffhanger folks and what an awesome chapter its been and we've been introduced to Omni-Kix Kickin Hawk, and you'll defiantly be seeing art of that on my Tumblr and Deviantart! Now for those who watched the original She-Ra Princess of Power, Huntara of that continuity was from the Planet of Silax, so in this chapter I thought it would be a good thing to add to her back story and to give Ben and Rook some comfort knowing they weren't the only ones from the known universe to be stranded on Etheria.

But now we know Vilgax has a history with Horde Prime, and not to mention Psyphon as well as they draw ever closer to Etheria. But now onto the next chapter where things for our heroes begin to heat up as they won't be the only ones searching for First Ones tech in the Crimson Waste!

Until next time

FOR THE HONOUR OF GRAYSKULL!