The bright ribbon fluttered in the summer breeze as Miko, dressed in her traditional priestess robes, held a pair of oversized scissors. Around her, a crowd cheered the grand opening of Mr. Smoothy's newest location in Bellwood.

"By the power of… delicious smoothies, I declare this place officially open!" Miko grinned, slicing the ribbon.

Suddenly, her silver eyes flared, and she whirled around, her instincts sharp. "Ben, we've got company!"

From the shadows, a swarm of Megawatts surged forward, their tiny, sparking bodies zipping toward the stage.

Miko threw an ofuda talisman into the fray, but before it could strike, it was caught mid-air by Stinkfly.

"On it!" Stinkfly said, diving into the horde.

But the Megawatts were quicker. They swarmed him, covering his wings in thick, sticky smoothie gunk.

"Ew, I hate smoothies!" Stinkfly groaned, crashing to the ground.

"Careful what you say," Miko teased as she helped him up. "You might regret that later."

As the Megawatts closed in, Stinkfly slapped the Omnitrix, transforming into Feedback. With his electric tendrils, he absorbed their energy and sent them flying.

"Yeah! Go Feedback!" Miko cheered, watching him with a proud smile.

Present Day

Kuri and Ben cruised down the empty streets of Bellwood, the hum of the Rust Bucket's engine filling the silence.

"So, you really didn't try to find me while I was gone?" Kuri asked, glancing at him from the driver's seat.

"Did I need to?" Ben said, folding his arms. "You were off at Plumber training. You… left."

Kuri rolled her eyes. "Since when are you so sensitive, Ben? Yeah, I had to go, but I came back. Just like I promi—"

Her voice trailed off, and her eyes flared silver. Her grip on the wheel tightened as her expression turned distant.

"What do you see?" Ben asked, his tone cautious.

Without answering, Kuri slammed on the gas, the truck speeding toward an industrial warehouse on the outskirts of town.

Ben tensed. He knew this look. When Kuri went feral like this, it was best not to argue. "Okay. You're driving. Let's do this."

XXX

They pulled up outside the warehouse. Kuri's skin shimmered with silver spiritual energy as she exited the vehicle, her movements unnaturally fluid.

Ben watched her warily as she approached the Omnitrix on his wrist. Her fingers brushed the dial, selecting a new alien form—Gravattack.

The Omnitrix flashed green, transforming Ben into the gravity-manipulating alien. "Not gonna lie, I kinda like this one," he muttered, testing his floating abilities.

Kuri didn't respond. She floated toward the warehouse door, her energy radiating outward and crushing the surrounding area as if an unseen force was collapsing it. Ben followed cautiously, thankful for Gravattack's resilience against her overwhelming power.

Inside, the air hummed with electricity. A massive generator hummed at the center of the room, connected to a row of restrained Megawatts.

"They're using them as batteries," Ben said, horrified.

Kuri raised her hand, and with a simple motion, the restraints shattered. The freed Megawatts cheered, their tiny bodies sparking with renewed energy.

But Kuri didn't stop there. She turned her glowing eyes on their captors—Fistrick and Corvo—who stood frozen in shock.

XXX

With a flick of her wrist, Kuri lifted Fistrick and Corvo into the air, their bodies writhing as they were crushed by her telekinesis.

"Hey! That's enough!" Ben shouted, his deep Gravattack voice echoing through the warehouse.

But Kuri didn't seem to hear him. The Megawatts egged her on, cheering as her power grew more intense.

"Kuri, stop!" Ben ran to her side, gripping her arm. "Since when do you go berserk like Reiko? What's going on with you?"

She turned to him, her silver eyes blazing with feral energy. For a moment, Ben thought she might turn her wrath on him. But then something shifted.

The light in her eyes dimmed, and her body trembled as her powers flickered out. From somewhere outside, a haunting howl echoed in the night.

Kuri let out a choked sob, collapsing into Ben's chest

XXX

Ben caught her, holding her tightly as she shook in his arms

Her sobs grew louder, her tears soaking into his shirt. "Ben, I don't know what's happening to me," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I lost control… I hurt people."

Ben wrapped his arms around her, his gravelly Gravattack voice softer than usual. "Kuri, look at me."

She tilted her head up, her silver eyes filled with anguish.

"You didn't hurt anyone," Ben said firmly. "You stopped them. You saved the Megawatts. You're still the hero I've always known."

Her hands gripped his shirt tightly, her body trembling. "I could've hurt you. Or them. Or—"

"You didn't," Ben interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You're stronger than this. You're stronger than whatever's messing with you. And I'll be here, every step of the way, to remind you of that."

Tears continued to stream down her face, but her breathing steadied. "Ben…" she murmured.

Without thinking, Ben leaned down and kissed her. The silver glow surrounding her body flickered, then faded entirely as her energy calmed.

XXX

When Ben pulled back, Kuri's cheeks were flushed, and her silver eyes had returned to their normal color.

"I didn't think Gravattack would be your type," Ben teased, trying to lighten the mood.

Kuri let out a shaky laugh, wiping her tears. "Maybe I just like the alien boy inside."

Ben grinned, transforming back into his human form. He cupped her face, his green eyes meeting hers. "You're not alone in this, Kuri. We'll figure it out together."

She nodded, leaning into his chest. "Thank you, Ben. For stopping me. For… everything."

From the corner of the room, the Megawatts buzzed happily, their gratitude evident despite their inability to speak.

"Looks like your fans agree," Ben said with a smirk.

Kuri managed a small smile, finally feeling a sliver of peace as she stayed in Ben's embrace.

XXX

Outside, the full moon illuminated the night, casting an eerie glow over the warehouse. Far off, Reiko stood on a hilltop, her fox-like eyes fixed on the scene below.

The haunting howl that had echoed moments earlier escaped her lips again, her voice soft and mournful. "Hang in there, Kuri," she whispered to the wind.

As Reiko turned and disappeared into the shadows, she made a silent promise: whatever was coming for Kuri, they'd face it together.