Omni-Magic Summer EP 26: Dex-labs
I don't own anything except my OC's. Dexter's appearance is based on his Fusionfall looks. This chapter takes place after Julian10's Ben 10 War for the Multiverse
A hi-tech hovercraft flew across the land as it was heading towards its destination. Inside where Ben, Twilight, and Sunset, lounging on comfy poly-leather seats with plenty of legroom as a robotic attendant serves chilled drinks as the boy gazes out the window in amazement at the sights. "Now this is so cool! Being picked up by some brainy guy's hovercar to get a private tour of his brand-new state-of-the-art nerd cave! Now that is a real summer vacation! And believe me, after dealing with an evil shadow king from Equestria, teaming up with a Nanite-powered kid, traveling through time and space, and even teaming with other versions of me to stop an evil me from conquering the Omniverse, I need this trip to kick back. Thanks, Twilight!" Ben smiles out to his smarty-pants friend as she smiles out. "No problem, Ben. And besides, from what you told us, it sounds like you needed a break, badly."
"I still can't believe you and Rex went to the past, back to the 1st day of summer." Sunset state as she thought of something. "All though, Twilight and Starlight did something like that, before." The former pony adds, recalling the talks between her and the Princess of Friendship and her student.
"Anyway, Twilight, why didn't you tell us you knew Dexter McPherson?! The guy is one of the smartest people on Earth!" Sunset spoke out in excitement as the glasses-wearing girl explained. "Well, to be truthful, we've only chatted on the computer. So, this is the 1st time we'll meet face-to-face. Oh, we're here!" The hovercraft flies over the city of Genius Grove, California as it lands on a landing platform that is the roof of a skyscraper and dwarfs the rest of the surrounding buildings as it has a blue-and-white color scheme and is made from materials clearly not from Earth.
The 3 depart and meet up with 2 other people who greet them. The 1st is a red-headed teen who is about 14 years old, his hair is combed with a bit of fringe sticking out of the back and black eyes, are hidden behind the blue lens of his glasses. He is wearing a pristine white lab coat with gold buttons, a matching belt with an orange buckle, and purple gloves. He is also wearing a black turtleneck and matching pants and shoes underneath the coat.
The person next to him is a young woman who is about 16-17 years old. She has blue eyes and blond hair that she has tied into 2 pigtails with red bands that have heart-shaped clips. She has red star earrings and is wearing an outfit that is a mix of pink, white, and dull red and matching shoes. Her clothes look like a mixture of a casual outfit and a modern ballerina's outfit, as evidenced by the frilly skirt she has in addition to her white leggings. She has a smile on her face that reminds the 3 visitors of Pinkie Pie.
"Ah! Twilight Sparkle! It is my esteemed pleasure to finally meet my fellow high-intellect chatroom college!" Dexter greets as he shakes hands with Twilight as she responds. "The pleasure is all mine, Mr. McPherson." The teen boy genius waves it off. "Please, we are peers in the intellectual world: Call me Dexter." "Very well, Dexter." Twilight spoke out to the teen.
"Anyway, I'm pleased that you took my offer I sent you via email to visit my company. It took years to get it off the ground, so I am happy to welcome someone who will appreciate it." "That's right, Dexter!" The blonde woman grins out as she steps up to introduce herself while Dexter notices and coughs. "Right. This is my older sister and personal assistant, Deidre Deanne McPherson." "But most people call me Dee-Dee! Been that way since we were little kids." "It's a pleasure to meet you, Dee-Dee." Twilights smiled as she and Sunset shook her hands as well. "Anyway, I brought some friends along as well. This is Sunset Shimmer and Ben Tennyson."
"So, you're the boy with the Omnitrix, huh?" Dexter observes Ben as he comments. "I thought you would be taller." "Wait! You know about me and the watch?" Ben blinks out as Dee-Dee explains. "Yep! Lance and Illana told us when you helped them with that behemoth!" "You know the Titan Trio? Small world." Sunset blinks out. Dexter bends down and holds out Ben's arm as he observes the Omnitrix. "Incredible... I sure wish I could study this, now. But that will have to wait for another time. Let's get started, shall we?"
And so, the group went into a pair of glass elevator doors as they opened, allowing the group of 5 to go in as the door shut. "Computress, ground level!" Just then, a hologram of a blue and white woman with short curled hair and white blank eyes responds. "Affirmative, Dexter. Greetings to Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, and Ben Tennyson. I am Computress, Dexter's main operating system and robotic overseer of Dex-Labs. I am here to help you if you need it."
"Cool!" "Amazing!" Ben and Sunset breathe out. "Wow! A holographic computer helper system! I am so geeking out, now!" Twilight glees out as Dexter chuckles. "Trust me, my friends. This building holds a lot more than you think." "Hmm... Must take a lot of power to run this place, Dexter." "Correct, Sunset! The first floor uses almost eight/nine billion volts of electricity alone." "Wow! I hate to be the guy to see that electric bill." Ben comments. "Hmm... Can't have gotten the energy from the city alone... How on Earth did you manage to operate a large faculty without relying on the city's power grid?" But Dexter chuckles as he responds. "If you don't share your secrets, I won't share mine." Twilight merely pouts at the answer.
As the elevator approaches the bottom floor, no one is aware of a fuse box they passed, briefly sparking neon-green lightning as it starts traveling along the circuits. Something is happening at Dex-Labs, all right! Something big...
Intro:
A galaxy is shown with some planets, and outer space music is heard.
Just for a flash of green light to occur, and shows the Omnitrix symbol with Ben's silhouette in the middle as the song picks up.
"It started when an alien device did what it did."
The 1st clip is Ben discovering the Omnitrix as it latches onto his arm as he panics.
He then presses down on the dial, transforming him into Heatblast as he cries out.
"And stuck itself upon his wrist with secrets that it hid."
"Now he's got superpowers; he's no ordinary kid. He's Ben 10! (Ben 10!)"
The logo flashes a bit before showing off aliens:
Grey Matter, Overflow, Shock Rock, Heatblast, Wildmutt, Chamalien and Jetray.
"So if you see him, you might be in for a big surprise."
"He'll turn into an alien before your very eyes!"
The boy is then shown transforming into Wildmutt as six more aliens appear and zoom in:
Upgrade, Shock Rock, Fasttrack, Four Arms, Heatblast and Chamalien.
" He's slimy, freaky, fast, and strong; he's every shape and size."
"He's Ben 10! (Ben 10!)"
Just then, a flash-animated Ben runs towards the screen, flips, and morphs into Wildmutt.
He scratches at the screen as a black and green '1'. Appear next to him.
2: Four Arms is next as he grins, raises his arms, and flexes.
3: Grey Matter leaps at the screen, only to splat comically.
4: Fasttrack scraps his claws on the ground to stop running as he grins with a wink.
"Armed with powers, he's on the case!"
"Fighting off evil from Earth or space!"
5: Upgrade wiggles his legs around as he raises his arms.
6: Shock Rock generates lots of electricity and blasts a huge blue beam across the screen.
7: Overflow flies upward on his water blasts.
8: Jetray grins as his eyes and tails glow while he flies in a loop and takes off.
"He'll never stop 'till he makes them pay!"
"Cause he's the baddest kid ever to save the day!"
9: Chamalien appears camouflaged around the number as he leaps off and lands on all 4's with a grin as he flashes his barbed tail as he turns visible.
10: Heatblast chucks a fireball at the screen as Ben lands on the ground with his fist, cracking it as he grins.
"Ben 10! (Ben 10! B-B-B-Ben! Ben 10! B-B-B-Ben!)"
Wildmutt is then shown leaping from some trees as he looks fierce.
Shock Rock poses as he finishes transforming.
Sunset and the Rainbooms are shown powering up into their magic forms.
Heatblast chucks a fireball.
Ben is then shown slapping down on the Omnitrix.
The Mane 6, Spike, the royal sisters, the royal crystal family, Discord, Starlight Glimmer, Trixie and reformed Changelings, and Ben in griffon form stood together as they glared at someone as the Omnitrix boy smirked with crossed arms.
Twilight is shown fighting a giant bird monster as she uses her magic to slam it down on the ground.
Four Arms cries out as he finishes transforming.
Fasttrack is shown running on top of the water.
The opening finishes up as the aliens all get sucked into the Omnitrix. Ben shows it while green rays come from it as the title appears next to him.
Ben 10: Omni-Magic Summer.
The darkness around them gives way and everything beyond the glass walls becomes visible again. Ben and Twilight press themselves against the walls, staring in awe at the massive, futuristic lobby below. Multiple floors displayed different ongoing operations from computer chip production, chemical experimentation, weapon testing, and much more. There was not a single human other than them. Everything was operated by robots with the company logo and had a blue and greyish white tone to them with yellow eyes and were either hovering or had tank treads for legs. And in the center of it all was a twenty-foot holographic statue of the company founder, his arms crossed with a confident smirk.
"Welcome to Dex-Labs!" Said Dexter proudly. "Enter at your peril." The elevator reached ground level and the Tennyson boy, and the former Pony were the first ones out when the doors opened, taking awe-inspired looks around the technological wonderland. Twilight, Dexter, and Dee-Dee followed at a leisurely pace.
Dee-Dee explains. "The official grand opening's a week away, just a few VIPs like you are getting a sneak peek." "I've read about your lab in Science Discovery Monthly!" Twilight said to Dexter while Ben was watching a Dexbot, hovering twenty feet off the ground and washing the windows. "Very cutting edge. Is it true you reinforced the external walls of the building?" "Yes, with micro carbon steel polymers to withstand over one-hundred-and-forty-thousand PSI!" Dexter explained proudly as he adjusted his glasses. "Being a genius makes a lot of enemies, and I've had my fair share of greedy villains trying to destroy me over the years."
"That reminds me! Some burglars tried to break in earlier but were caught by the security system. It appears they were working for one of your enemies. Are you going to investigate which enemy it is on Thursday?" Dee-Dee chimed in. "Hmm, I've got that meeting with the president on Thursday." Dexter hummed out in thought. "Change it to Friday. That will fit perfectly to when Mandark will attack on Saturday." "You schedule your villain attacks?" Ben asked, quirking a brow.
"Running a business takes a lot of time and energy, Benjamin. I try to make time for my enemies when I can, but I'm constantly swamped with meetings, overseeing production, and trying to come up with the next big thing to keep ahead of the competition." Said Dexter as he adjusted his coat.
"He doesn't even have time to make new inventions like he used to." Dee-Dee adds out, visibly frowning. "Well, no one said starting a company would be easy." Sunset chimes in as Dexter nods out. "No, they did not, Fortunately, the automated mass production line does all the inventing for me. Just give them a few schematics and they'll have a thousand made by the end of the week." "It's not the same…" Dee-Dee sighs in a disheartened tone as Ben exclaims. "This place is so cool! Where do you keep the–"
His question was cut off when the building's lights began to flicker, and an alarm screamed over the PA system. Then without explanation, one of the industrial fans on the walls meant to blow cool air into the building was suddenly reversed, sucking everything into it. Trash cans, loose papers, soda cans... Everything that wasn't bolted down was being pulled in like a giant vacuum. The girls and Ben managed to grab onto a heavy iron rail as Dee-Dee managed to grab onto the lobby bench, which was bolted down, and Dexter clung to her long legs. The window washer robot, on the other hand, was not so fortunate. "I was three weeks from retirement!" Cried the robot before it was crushed by the fan blades.
"What's happening?!" Twilight yelled over the heavy winds as the boy genius yelled back. "A power surge must have caused the ventilation system to reverse!" "How do we stop it?!" Sunset cries out as the boy hero smirks out. "Leave this to me!" Ben declared. While holding on to the rail, Ben pressed the activation switch to the Omnitrix. "Time to put on some heavy weight, Four Arms style!" "Ugh, he does puns..." Dexter groaned out.
Ben slammed the faceplate down and exploded in a flash of green light. But instead of an 11-foot-multi-arm powerhouse, he had transformed into the ankle-high Gray Matter. "Aw, man!" Gray Matter whined out. "For once, I was better off as me!"
Unfortunately, Gray Matter's small size made him more susceptible to the fan's powerful suction. The Galvan brainiac grabbed on Sunset's vest, but the fan was too strong and pulled him away, sending Gray Matter flailing across the room. As he was about to be torn to shreds, Twilight reflexively threw her hand out and used her geode's magic and catch the Galvan and suspend him in the air only a foot away from the fan blades.
"Thanks for the save!" "You can thank me when we're not turned into sliced ham!" Twilight yelled back at Grey Matter, sweat dripping from her brow as she struggled to maintain her magic. "Dexter, do something before we get chopped into sushi!" Cried Dee-Dee. With a grimace, Dexter reached into his lab coat, from which he pulled out what appeared to be a wrench-pole with a handle. He extended the device, flipped it around to face the industrial fan, and threw it like a javelin. The wrench landed in between the blades, tearing them apart with an ear-splitting screech, and ruptured the inner mechanism. As the fan died with a pathetic whirling noise, everyone gratefully returned their feet to the ground.
"Is everyone all right?" Sunset breathes out. "Never better…" Gray Matter groaned, still floating in Twilight's magic. A few seconds later, he was forcefully switched back to Ben from the watch timing out and landed flat on his stomach. "I swear, this watch hates me sometimes." "What happened? Why did your machine malfunction?" Twilight questioned Dexter as he waved it off. "It was a mere freak accident, nothing to be concerned about." But Dee-Dee frowns as she pulls Dexter away and hisses at him in a whispering tone.
"That's the sixth 'accident' we've had this week, Dexter! I think something's wrong–" "Hey, hey, who's the genius around here?" Dexter spoke back sternly. Dee-Dee kept her mouth shut but frowned sadly. "Has this been happening a lot lately?" Twilight ponders, concerned as the 2 siblings turn back to the guests.
"There have been a few… Bugs in the system." Said Dexter apprehensively. "But that's what you've come to expect when you're operating the most technologically advanced building on the planet. I'll get some worker Dexbots to inspect before repairing the fan." "Or, you can look into it, yourself with Computress?" Dee-Dee adds out. "Besides, this might be about the… 'you-know-what'." She adds in a suspicious tone that Sunset can't help but be curious.
"Dee-Dee, I'm way too busy for lowly grunt work!" Said Dexter severely, causing Dee-Dee's frown to deepen. "Besides, I'm sure it has nothing to do with that." The boy genius swept his hair back to perfect form and offered a kind smile to the guests. "Why don't you 2 take a tour of the lab so Twilight and I can talk science? Dee-Dee can show you around... As long as you don't press any buttons."
He seemed to be looking at Dee-Dee when he said that. The blonde woman scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Dexter, I'm 16 and a half years old. I'm in High School!" Dee-Dee states with crossed arms. "I'm not going press every shiny button I see like some short-attention spanned squirrel!"
"Maybe… But I'll have Computress put safety glass over them, anyway." Dexter frowns as Dee-Dee frowns with crossed arms. "Anybody else picking up tension between Dexter and Dee-Dee?" Twilight and Ben both agreed with Sunset's question. "Yeah..." "And I thought Gwen and I have issues..." The boy adds. "Dexter, are you sure you don't want to–" "Dee-Dee, I'm busy!" Dexter snapped out. He redirected his attention to Twilight as the 2 of them walked off. "Now, I was hoping to get your opinion on spatial mass relay ports…"
For her part, Dee-Dee was an excellent tour guide. Though she lacked the technical terms for all the machines and what they were designed to do, she was able to explain the gist of it.
The first floor focused on the production of Dex-Lab brand computers, which had ten times the processing power of normal computers at half the price. The second floor was dedicated to chemical sciences, which included solving and curing all known diseases and producing synthesized food to end world hunger. The third floor was focused on military contracts: Developing weapons for the government but designed to lower casualty rates. The fourth floor was created for aerospace research: Exploring the universe and learning technologies that benefited humanity.
One thing Ben and Sunset noticed was that every so often, Dee-Dee would suddenly stop, mesmerized by a shiny button on the wall. She physically had to restrain herself from pushing them, even pinching herself in the face twice before willing herself to move on.
Which brought them to the fifth floor. As the vaulted door opened and Dee-Dee stepped inside, Ben and Sunset examined the room in awe. It looked like a vault meant for storing old inventions if the thin layer of dust was any indication. Some outrageous inventions were lying around like a time machine that resembled a grandfather clock, a long-limbed exoskeleton that shot dodgeballs, and a giant robot that looked like Dexter.
"Whoa, what is this place?!" Gasped Ben astonishingly. "Dexter calls it the library. This is where he keeps all his old inventions to look back on whenever he gets stuck on a new idea. You know, he was even younger than you when he made these." Dee-Dee informed them. "Wow, he's a real boy genius, huh?" Sunset is impressed by Dexter's inventions as she comments.
"Yep, made everything with his own two hands!" Said Dee-Dee proudly, who quickly fell into a frown. "It's been a long time since he did that." "What do you mean?" Ben ponders out as the pink girl explains to the 2.
"Dexter used to spend all hours of the day in his lab, building whatever popped into his little head. He always looked so happy when he tightened that last bolt and shouted 'My latest creation is completed!' But now… He just spends his days trapped in his office, signing paperwork, while his robots mass produces generic products. I can't even remember the last time I saw him pick up a screwdriver."
"Well, he is pretty busy running a company, which is impressive, considering he's only 14 and graduated college at only 10." Sunset comments. "I know, and I'm proud of him!" Dee-Dee sadly said. "I just wish he didn't look so miserable all the time…" An uncomfortable silence fell over the group until Ben asked in an awkward tone. "So… What do you do for fun around here?" Dee-Dee touched her chin thoughtfully, then a small smile crept on her lips.
The blonde teen brought the 2 visitors to a warehouse on the opposite side of the building. It was seemingly empty except for two things: a large, armor-plated rover and a giant silver ring. "Whoa!" Ben is in awe, once again. "It's called the Inter-Dimensional Doorway; Dexter built it when he was 7 and a half. I remember when he first turned it on: There was a giant jelly monster and time travel shenanigans. That was a fun day... Lately, he's been using it to find resources in other dimensions." Dee-Dee explains.
"Other dimensions?! So, that means he knows about..." Sunset ponders out as Dee-Dee nods. "Yep! He already figured out about Equestria when he was 9, but didn't choose to explore it as he said it was too girly for him." "Wow..." Sunset breathes out at how smart this Dexter is! He's practically smarter than anyone back in Equestria, even Princess Twilight and Princess Celestia! "Yeah, Dexter is amazing." Dee-Dee proudly spoke. Then a mischievous smile curled on her lips. "Wanna check it out?"
"Going to yet another dimension? Count me in!" Ben cries out enthusiastically. "Are you sure? You just got back home from that Multiverse war with your counterparts." Sunset worried whispers to him as Ben waves it off. "Relax, Sunset! This time, there will be a way back home. Besides, it's just for 20 mins or less, what could happen? You are sure your brother won't mind, Dee-Dee?" Ben asks the blonde teen "It's fine!" Dee-Dee replies. "It's perfectly safe. Dexter was using it when he found the–"
"The what?" Ben asked after the older woman paused. "Er... Never mind. Last one in the rover is a rotten egg!" But as Ben ran after the teen blonde, Sunset couldn't help but rub her chin in thought. What are Dee-Dee and Dexter not telling them?
Back down on the ground floor, Dexter led Twilight into a high-security chamber protected by four levels of protection requiring a retinal scan, vocal password recognition, and a thumbprint scan. Behind the vaulted doors was a massive reactor, thirty feet tall, with a glass container holding what looked like trillions and trillions of volts of electricity. Cables connected to the reactor stretched in every direction before disappearing into the walls, seemingly stretching across the entire building. The reactor was maintained by several hovering Dexbots, all of whom saluted Dexter when he walked in.
"A reverse surge caused the vacuum effect, but it's fixed now!" Dexter explains. "This is the most amazing free energy generator!" Twilight whistles out as she tilts her head back. "It must have taken you quite a while to construct it." "Er, actually, the uh… The robots built it." Said Dexter, sounding strangely deflated. "I've been too busy with paperwork to make anything myself. These days, I just draw up the schematics and let the machines do the rest." Twilight can't help but have a sad look. "Doesn't sound like you're too happy about it."
Dexter responds, looking downcast. "Well, I don't deny that I miss making inventions myself. The feeling of tightening a stubborn lug nut, or the smell of motor oil… But it's fine. I'm a businessman now. This is what I wanted. If that means turning in my wrench for a pen, then so be it."
Though he tried to pass it off, Twilight could tell his words were lackluster. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to be denied her scientific pursuits. The purple-skinned female genius wanted to offer words of encouragement but became distracted as they got closer to the energy generator. There was a large panel in the middle of the reactor with a small window, through which a luminescent green glow could be seen pulsating inside. "What's behind that panel?" Twilight asked curiously.
"Oh, that?" Dexter said, snapping out of his stupor. "Sorry, that's classified. Company policy." He tugged his collar and started to sweat for some reason. "Er… Say, you want to see something cool? This way." Dexter led Twilight toward a private elevator in the back of the room, though she gave the panel one last curious look before following. As the elevator doors shut, Dexter commanded "Computress, fifth floor!" "Affirmative, Dexter." And they were moving again. "This is one of my greatest inventions, it's what helped me get this company off the ground!" Dexter spoke out excitedly. In a few seconds, the elevator stopped, and the doors opened with a ding as the doors opened. Dexter waved his hands with a grand flourish and said, "Behold, the Inter-Dimensional-"
But when they stepped out of the elevator, not only was the Inter-Dimensional Doorway active with a swirling pink vortex inside the ring, but the exploratory rover was also missing. "Oh, my! It looks like the exploratory rover has been launched! Reviewing security footage... Footage reviewed. Dexter, it's her." It took all of three seconds for the boy genius to figure out who the Computress was talking about. "DEE-DEE!"
If they had thought Dexter's laboratory was spectacular, it was nothing compared to the new reality that existed beyond the doorway.
With Dee-Dee in the driver's seat, the trio wandered through an unusual desert terrain where the sand glistened like diamonds, painted a rainbow of color beneath the wheels. The sky above seems dotted with billions of twinkling stars and swirling nebulas like the entire universe just opened to them. And then there were the fauna. A cluster of creatures that looked like a cross between a bird and jellyfish flew passed their windows while neon-white elephant creatures curled up in balls and rolled away when they got close. A hundred-foot-tall creature with eight-pointed legs passed harmlessly over the rover; its upper body obscured by darkness.
"Wow, these animals are even wilder than even Pinkie's imagination!" Sunset gasped out. "Totally!" Ben spoke out. "Yeah, it's pretty cool, isn't it?" Dee-Dee smiles, only for Computress to show up in a mini hologram with a frown.
"Dee-Dee, you have entered dimensional zone 1-384-8B! This dimension has been designated off-limits by Dexter. Please turn–" "Aw, don't be such a worrywart, Computress! We're perfectly fine." Dee-Dee waves off nonchalantly. "But–" Anything else she was going to say was cut off when Dee-Dee pressed the mute button and disengaged the hologram.
"Why is this dimension off-limits?" Sunset asked, worried that they might be breaking the rules. "Dexter's always so paranoid. Did you know he wouldn't even change his gloves until he was 12 because he thought the germs would eat him? He's so silly sometimes..." Dee-Dee shook her head in amusement. "Wow. And I thought Gwen is a buzzkill, sometimes." Ben chuckles out with a smirk.
But as they climbed over another sparkling dune and came to a stop, they noticed a cluster of neon-green lights across the desert. They didn't seem to be part of the environment because they were moving, floating back and forth like swinging lanterns. "Okay, that's weird." Sunset mumbles out as she narrows her eyes.
They didn't have the opportunity to contemplate what they were seeing when one of the lights shot across the desert like a bullet, slamming against the window of the rover and startling the passengers. The 'light' was a ghastly humanoid creature that appeared to be made entirely out of neon-green energy. Its arms were thin as tree branches with three fingers that ended at sharp points, blank faces with walnut-shaped luminescent-blue eyes, and instead of feet, it floated around on a lengthy curled tail. The energy creature stared at the humans, then stabbed its claws at the window. The glass held, but it rattled the entire rover. "And that's weirder!" Ben yipes out.
The rover gave another shudder, but it wasn't from the ghastly figure on their windshield. A dozen more of the energy specters swarmed the exploration vehicle, punching and clawing at the armored surface. Eventually, one of them gripped the corner of one of the armored plates and ripped it away from the rover, exposing the wires underneath. Inside the vehicle, a flashing red alarm popped up on the dashboard along and Computress forcefully unmuted herself and showed up with a concerned look.
"Warning: Hull integrity compromised! Returning to the laboratory is strongly recommended! Dee-Dee, you must return to the portal, now!" "Don't need to tell us twice, Computress! Hang on!" Cried Dee-Dee.
Dee-Dee shifted gears and slammed down the acceleration. The rover ripped across the bedazzled desert, kicking up a storm in its wake, until it zoomed off a dune and into the air, knocking several glowing specters off their windshield. The rover landed roughly, jolting everyone inside, but didn't let up on the gas. The neon phantom still clinging to the rover was scraping the hull diligently; one of the creatures managed to tear another armored plate.
"Computress, does this oversized car have any defenses?" Dee-Dee cries out, swerving the rover around to throw off another pair. "The Dex-Rover Mk. 27 has nineteen different defense features; however, scans indicate that hostiles are energy-based lifeforms. Physical countermeasures would be ineffective. So, I am afraid that most of the Dex-Rover's defenses are not going to work on these lifeforms."
"Is there anything you can do to get these… These Glotergeists off our backs?" Sunset desperately as one of the luminescent ghosts cracked the windshield. "Hey, nice name!" Ben complimented. "You think so? I wasn't thinking about it. It just came to me off the top-" "Do we have anything or not?!" Dee-Dee interrupted the exchange urgently. "One viable option is the electric barrier: Activating electric barrier."
Outside the rover, a field of electricity coated the exploratory vehicle, shocking the Glotergeists, who made high-pitched shrieking noises that caused the humans to cover their ears. Thankfully, the barrier succeeded, and the rest of the neon phantoms were thrown off when Dee-Dee swerved to the left.
Dee-Dee managed to put some good distance between them and the Glotergeists, but they proved relentless. One glance at the side mirror showed more than a dozen new Glotergeists were chasing them. The screen on the dashboard indicated that the rover needed time to charge before it could use the barrier again. Seeing no other option available, Dee-Dee reached for the radio.
"This is Dee-Dee to Dex-Labs!" Dee-Dee yelled desperately. "Dexter, can you hear me? Come in, Dexter!" "This would be a good time for you to go hero, Ben!" Sunset told her friend. Ben nodded in agreement and unbuckled himself. He marched to the back of the rover, underneath the hatch. "Turn me into Nanomech, you're dead meat." Ben threatened the Omnitrix as he twisted the dial and slapped it down. FLASH
Ben felt blue energy coursing through his body as he grew taller as his being became covered in rocks, forming his armor as lighting coursed his very body as he finished slamming fists together, sending huge voltage everywhere as he was ready to rock!
"Aw yeah, now we're talking!" Shock Rock grins out.
Shock Rock briefly opens the hatch and slips outside as Sunset quickly shuts it. He climbs on top of the rover and immediately confronts two Glotergeists. The neon phantasms lost interest in the exploration vehicle and focused their attention on the strange alien. They were blasted off by Shock Rock's energy blast, sending them off the rover and tumbling into the desert. "Huh... I guess they don't like Shock Rock's energy."
Nevertheless, he's still got work to do as two of them were down, but there were still three more clinging to the rover. And off in the distance, Shock Rock could see another dozen Glotergeists heading their way. Grimacing, Shock Rock lassos the 3 off the rover and moves to the front, generating power as he confronts the horde of electric specters.
"Dee-Dee!" Dexter shouted furiously into the radio receiver connected to the doorway. "Dee-Dee, do you hear me? You know the Inter-Dimensional Doorway is off-limits!" "Dexter, I know you're mad, but we're under attack by Glotergeists and they're tearing our car apart!" "What is the name of Newtonian physics are Glotergeists?" Asked Dexter. "I think they can answer your question!" Twilight exclaims, pointing at the dimensional portal.
Like an infestation of cockroaches, dozens of Glotergeists started flooding out of the Inter-Dimensional Doorway. Dexter and Twilight backed away from the neon phantoms as they turned their faceless heads toward the humans. Twilight grabs a few in her magic and throws them into a wall, only to be surprised to see them phased through it like it was nothing.
"What just happened?!" She spoke out in shock as Dexter explained. "They're made of pure energy! Physical confrontation and objects are useless against them!" "So, what do we do now?" Twilight questioned as the Glotergeists closed in on them.
Back in the Glotereist dimension, Dee-Dee was trying to steady the rover as they landed after flying off another dune. Shock Rock was still on the roof, whacking energy phantoms with a giant energy bat while mixing in some lighting blasts as well. He blasted one that was trying to break through Twilight's window in the chest and smacked one that was tearing pieces away at the rover's plating.
But the loss of their kin finally drew the attention of the remaining three Glotergeists, who removed themselves from the rover and swarmed the alien. One of them tackled Shock Rock off the rover and into the multicolored sand; the other two followed shortly.
As they fell, Shock Rock flipped them around and slammed the Glotergeist into the sand before slamming his voltage-covered fist into its chest. As the slowing specter went inert, the second Glowtergeist grabbed Shock Rock by the back of his armor, lifted him into the air, and slashed at him with its free claw. But Shock Rock blocks them with his arms, sliding back as he can see no harm done. He then glares as he raises both hands and turns them into mallets and enlarges them, slamming them both down on the 2 Glotergeists like nails as they remain on the sand, briefly twitching.
With all three Glotergeists either dead or unconscious, Shock Rock thought he would finally get a chance to breathe. Sadly, the glow over the dunes signaled the arrival of a dozen more Glotergeists. In the face of so many enemies and a good chance the watch would time out soon, Shock Rock knew the odds were against him and chose to flee instead.
He conjures and makes a mountain bike made out of his energy and hops on, pedaling as fast as he can he picks up speed, zips across the desert, and leaps off the bike as it vanishes. He lands on top of the exploration rover, but when he goes to open the hatch, a clawed hand grabs him by the back of the head and shoves his face down. Shock Rock peeked over his shoulder and realized too late that the Glotergeists were already on top of them. "Jeeze! You guys are annoying!"
Back at Dex-Labs, Twilight and Dexter ran out of the Doorway chamber as fast as they could. Once they were past the threshold, Dexter turned back and saw the Glotergeists gliding toward them. "Computress, activate the ion shield for the Inter-Dimensional Doorway entrance!" shouted Dexter. "Activating ion shield."
The Glotergeists reached their claws out to grab Dexter when a transparent barrier comprised of blue energy appeared in the doorway. The energy phantom plowed headfirst into the shield and several more collided behind it, but the barrier held strong. The neon phantasms separated and several of them started slashing their claws on the ion shield like dogs wanting to be let out. The barrier wobbled for a split second but remained sturdy.
"The ion shield is a barrier designed to match the energy frequency of those that try to get through it," Dexter explained while Twilight breathed deeply. "That should hold them." "For now, one way or another, they'll find a way out!" Twilight states out. "We've got to evacuate the building now!" She said in an urgent tone as Dexter pointed out. "Dex-Labs is fully automated, we're the only people in the whole complex." "And Ben, Sunset, and your sister still haven't returned from the other dimension!" Twilight looks back in worriment. "Dee-Dee will keep them safe, she may not be as smart as me, but she's one of the more dependable people I know!" Dexter said in a confident tone.
Dee-Dee took a sharp right turn and swerved around another pack of Glotergeists that came after the rover from the front. She peeked at her inside mirror and saw the neon phantoms being whacked and hit away, one by one as Shock Rock kept punching Glotergeists and hitting them with a large energy frying pan. He then starts generating a huge amount of power around his being and throws his arms apart, unleashing a powerful burst of lightning. When it fell over the Glotergeists, they were thrown off the rover with high-pitched shrieks and collapsed in the desert's multicolored sand.
"Phew, talk a shocking end." Shock Rock breaths out. It was at that moment, the Omnitrix emblem started flashing red with the warning beep. "Uh-oh, no time for puns! Gotta get inside!"
He quickly made his way to the Rover's hatch and opened it, leaping inside as he shuts the door behind, just as the Omnitrix flashed red, and from the light was Ben. "Nice work out there." Sunset complimented her friend. "We're not out of the woods, yet!" Ben responded in a serious tone, returning to his chair and putting on his seatbelt. Just ahead past the dunes was the swirling entry portal from which they arrived in this dimension. But the Glotergeists were on their tails, dragging their claws against the rear plating of the vehicle.
"Computress, when I give the word, shut down the doorway and lock those creepy ghosts out!" Dee-Dee commanded. "Warning: energy-based lifeform detected in the lab. Dexter has trapped them inside the doorway chamber. They will be expecting you." "Then prepare the electric barrier for when we get out!" Shouted Dee-Dee. "Get ready, we're almost there!" The other 2 braced themselves.
It was a straight shot toward the portal; one of the Glotergeists managed to sink their claws into the back of the rover and was being dragged along. They were less than thirty feet from the doorway when Dee-De screamed. "NOW!" It was the tiniest of margins, but Dee-Dee successfully drove the rover through the portal before it closed behind them. The same could not be said for the Glotereist holding on to their bumper as half of its body was sliced off when the portal closed and evaporated into harmless wisps of energy.
The Glotergeists that had already infiltrated the lab were waiting like Computress warned, still clawing at the ion barrier trying to get out. The neon phantasms turned around as the rover came careening toward them just as the electric barrier switched on. Sunset and Dexter, who were standing outside the door, dashed out of the way before the rover came smashing through the wall. The Glostergeists that they had run over were thrown across various floors in Dex-Labs, crashing into equipment, production lines, and unsuspecting robots.
The rover's engine shut off as Dee-Dee, Sunset, and Ben unsteadily crawled out. Sunset looked relieved as he held her friends close and even Dexter hugged his sister… Before slapping her on the arm. "You stupid woman!" Dexter scolded her. "What were you thinking? Taking them to another dimension?!" "You said to give them a tour!" Dee-Dee responded. "How is that part of the tour?!"
"You can hash it out later! Those things–" Twilight interrupted. "Glotergeists." Sunset offered. "Whatever! They're loose inside the lab!" Twilight states. "Computress, activate the ion field around the building!" Shouted Dexter. "Affirmative, Dexter. Activating ion field." The force field reactivates outside the building as the boy genius breathes out "That should keep them from getting out."
"Yeah, but now we're trapped in here with them!" Ben pointed out. "I knew you should've put that core thingy back where you found it!" Dee-Dee scolded her brother. "You knew it was dangerous to hold on to it after all this time! That thing is nothing but trouble!" "I had it perfectly handled until you stupidly opened the doorway and let them in!" Dexter snapped back with a glare. "That's why I kept saying it was off-limits!"
"It was going to happen sooner or later! They've been trying to get in the lab for 7 whole years!" Dee-Dee yells back as she gestures to the force field and the Glotergeists as Dexter snaps back. "And now they've succeeded thanks to you!"
"Whoa, whoa, back it up now!" Sunset quickly stops them, putting herself physically between the McPherson siblings, then rounded on Dexter. "What is she talking about? What did you take?" "It's nothing!" "It's not nothing! This never would have happened if you hadn't taken it in the 1st place!" Dee-Dee frowns at her little brother's stubbornness. Before the McPherson siblings could get any deeper into their heated discussion, the Glotergeists started to recover, tearing apart all equipment and robots that stood between them and the humans. Sunset cries out. "Tell us later, let's go!"
The Canterlot citizens and the McPhersons ran around the walkway with the Glotergeists nipping at their heels. Dexter was the first to reach the elevator and punched the call button with unnecessary force. Luckily, the elevator was already on their floor and Dexter hurried everyone inside before closing the doors behind him. Even without a command, the Computress knew the situation and automatically raised the elevator away from their phantasmal enemies.
"Dexter, what is going on! Why are those Glotergeists trying to get into your lab in the 1st place?" Twilight questioned. Dexter sighed as he realized it was time to tell the truth. "It's the neurotomic protocore." "The what?" Said Ben, confused. "It's an energy-based power pylon capable of producing unlimited power by utilizing neurotomic physics. In the right hands, it is capable of electronic matter manipulation that could – quite literally – change the world!" Dexter explains. "I've never heard of any science like that." Sunset comments.
"That's because it's not conceptually possible to create in a three-dimensional environment, the amount of energy required to make something like that is quantifiable in this universe…. But if the environment was made of pure unlimited energy, then it could be feasible." Computress explains as the brainy magic girl ponders as it clicks in her mind! "You stole it from the Glotergeists?!" Twilight gasped out as she figured it out.
"I had no choice!" Dexter yelled defensively. "Even with all my genius, creating free energy was impossible. And the more elaborate my inventions became, the more energy they cost. Without the right amount of energy, my company would be doomed if it continued as it was. I started using the doorway to find a solution to the problem when I stumbled across the neurotomic protocore." "And the Glotergeists have been trying to get it back!" Sunset surmised. "For 7 years, I've been warning Dexter to send it back, knowing that thing is bad news, but he refused to listen!" Dee-Dee adds out. "You don't understand!" Said Dexter desperately. "I–"
The elevator came to a sudden stop and the doors opened into a random hallway. They had made it back to the rooftop where Dexter's hovercraft was still sitting on the landing pad. The group immediately piled into the vehicle; Dee-Dee taking the wheel, Sunset in the passenger's seat, and the rest of them clipping their seatbelts in the back. The blonde teen seemed to know what she was doing as she flipped several overhead switches and the vehicle's engine roared to life.
"Wait, what about the ion field keeping everyone inside?" "Computress will open the field enough to let us slip through and then seal it behind us!" Dexter explains to Twilight's question. Dee-Dee finally managed to get the hovercraft off the ground. They floated in place for a solid minute before the blonde woman spotted a small gap in the barrier surrounding the building; one large enough to let them slip through. Dee-Dee turned the craft and started flying towards their exit.
But just as they were about to escape, Ben heard a thud coming from the vehicle's roof. He let out a startled scream when a pair of glowing green claws ripped through the hovercraft's walls like they were made of paper. The Glotergeist shredded through the hovercraft until it was separated into two pieces; one carrying Dee-Dee and Sunset, the other with Ben, Twilight, and Dexter. And to make matters worse, Dee-Dee and Sunset's half slipped through the gap, which immediately closed behind them as Computress had been instructed. "We have to go back!" Shouted Sunset. "We have to survive first!" Dee-Dee yelled back, struggling to steer their half as they plummeted toward the ground.
Meanwhile, inside the barrier, Ben and the others were being thrown every which way while buckled in their seats as their half of the hovercraft spiraled out of control. Even as the world swirled in a blur of color and motion, they could sense that they were rapidly approaching the ground. "We're gonna crash! Ben, can't you transform, now?!" "Watch is still on cooldown!" He exclaims to Twilight as he tries to get the Omnitrix to work. "Come on! Come on!"
While his companions were caught in a blind panic, Dexter decided to act. He reached under his coat and pulled out an orange plastic ball, throwing it at the ground below. The plastic smashed on the concrete and a massive mold of orange foam. They landed in the middle of the foam, which softly cushioned their fall. It felt like they were dropped in a pile of feathers, though it took them a while to unbuckle from the wreckage and crawl out.
"Whoa, that was some quick thinking. Thanks, dude!" Ben breathes out in relief as Dexter responds in a casual tone. "Not my first time falling from a hundred feet in the air." "High-density polyurethane foam!" Twilight said, inspecting the material. "Very impressive." Dexter then explains. "I call it 'Dex-Foam'. I already sold a bunch to a family of fellow scientists." "That's nice and all. But I think we should get out of here!" Said Ben anxiously, his attention elsewhere.
He pointed toward the sky where several Glotergeists were gliding toward them after failing to get through the ion field. Dexter and the kids turned and sprinted back to the main entrance, ducking their heads under the neon phantoms' swiping claws. Dexter, Twilight, and Ben managed to make it through the front doors, but one of the Glotergeists pulled Ben back by his hood and lifted him in the air.
"Hey, let me go!" Ben cries out as Twilight quickly uses her magic to grab Ben and pulls him away. "Thanks!" "No problem!" Twilight grabbed her friend's wrist and pulled him inside the building; Dexter quickly slammed the doors shut behind them. "Computress, ion barrier on the front doors!" Dexter commanded. The genius took a cautious step back as the Glotergeists swarmed and threw themselves at the doors, but the transparent energy shield popped up just in time to rebuff them. "Phew, that should hold them."
"For now...One way or another, they're going to get inside. And when that happens, our gooses are cooked." Twilight breathes out. "Any bright ideas?" Ben asked. "It's clear on what we have to do. If those… Things are after the protocore, we have to get rid of it." "No, we can't do that!" Dexter yells at Twilight's suggestion. "The protocore is the only thing powering my laboratory!"
"It's also the reason why the Glotergeists are going to keep coming back until they get what they want! If you don't give it back, they're not going to stop attacking your lab. They're going to wreck the entire city as well." Ben spoke in a serious tone as he frowns at the boy genius. "People are gonna get hurt! Including your sister! Do you want that?"
"No…" Dexter breaths out, hanging his head shamefully. "All right, I will help you retrieve it. But it's on the opposite side of the lab from here." Ben then points out another problem. "How're we going to make that happen without getting caught by those glowing freaks?" "Don't worry about that..." Dexter answers, pulling out his trusty wrench with a confident smile. "Just leave everything to me."
Meanwhile, outside the laboratory, Sunset and Dee-Dee stood on the edge of the barrier surrounding the building. Sunset pressed his hand against the ion field, confirming it was solid with no way of breaking through. Dee-Dee was standing a few feet away with a phone to her ear, making exaggerated gestures while speaking to whoever was on the other side. She hangs up with a frustrated sigh and walked back to Sunset.
"It's no good... The Powerpuff Girls are stopping a civil war on the other side of the galaxy, and it'll take hours for the Test Twins and the Saturdays to get here. We're on our own." "Any way of getting in touch with your brother or the others from here?" Sunset asks. "No good, the ion field completely blocks out everything, including internet and radio signals. Dexter made it in case a sentient virus broke loose again. All we can do is wait." Dee-Dee replies.
"Well, Ben and Twilight are very resourceful." Said Sunset optimistically as Dee-Dee adds out. "And my brother is one of the smartest people in the universe. I'm sure they'll be fine."
The Glotergeists had taken control of the entire laboratory. Dozens of them floated around the various floors, tearing apart robots and machines alike in search of the protocore, but they didn't realize that Dexter and the Canterlot visitors were moving right past them without any of the specters being aware.
The 2 were huddled closely around Dexter, who was holding a device that looked like it had been made from random parts he found lying around, which it was. The device projected a small field that rendered them invisible to Glotergeists, but the range was small, which was why they were forced to huddle together. They slowly made their way through the corridor, stepping carefully around a Glotergeist as it floated past cluelessly.
"Amazing! I can't believe you cobbled together a camouflage projection system using a circuit board, some paper clips, and a soda can." Twilight breathes in awe. "Heh, it's been a while since I made something with my own two hands." Said Dexter fondly. "You should see what I can do when I have the proper equipment. Just stay close. The range of this device doesn't reach far."
They were down the hall from the generator storing the protocore. There were also a dozen Glotergeists floating around. They seemed to sense that the protocore was nearby but couldn't tell where. They were only twenty feet from the generator room when Ben stepped on Twlight's foot. "Ow! Watch where you're walking!" Twilight glared, stepping on her friend's foot in retaliation. "Ow! Watch where you're watching, geek!" Snapped Ben, shoving her.
"Would you two knock it off before you–" Dexter started to scold them when Twilight shoved Ben into Dexter, knocking the device out of his hand. The device smashed loudly on the floor, making the group visible again and alerting every Glotergeist in the hallway. "Look what you've done!" "Uh, Dexter?" Twilight tugged Dexter's sleeve, pointing at the pack of Glotergeists floating their way. "RUN!" Ben screamed.
The trio dashed the rest of the way, bursting into the generator room where the three maintenance robots had already been ripped to pieces. Twilight, who was in the back, suddenly fell forward with a surprised shriek when something pulled at her ankle. She flipped around on her back to see a Glotergeist dragging her across the floor, where she was immediately swarmed by four more phantasms.
Ben stopped and turned around when he heard the girl crying for help, watching her get dogpiled by the neon specters. "Twilight!" Yelled Ben, pressing the activation switch on the Omnitrix. "Get your dirty claws off her, you–"
Unfortunately, Ben was prevented from transforming when a Glotergeist snuck up behind him and grabbed his arm. When he looked back, a second phantom swooped in and restrained his other arm. And the third tackled him from the front and pinned him to the floor. The same happened to Twilight as well Dexter didn't need to look back to know that Twilight had been caught. It was all up to him now.
As he approached the generator, half a dozen Glotergeists floated in front and formed a wall. Dexter was undeterred as he pulled out his wrench-staff, slamming it on the ground in front of them and using it to pole vault himself over their heads. He landed on the side of the energy generator next to where the protocore was being stored. Dexter slid a secret panel sideways to reveal a secret keypad and punched in his password quickly, sensing the Glotergeist encroaching from behind.
But before he can punch the last digit, a Glotergeist suddenly appears from above and grabs him by his arms he cries out in surprise, dangling as Ben notices. The boy struggles as best as he can and manages to free the Omnitrix and his other hand, activating it as he twists to his fire guy. "Listen to me, Omnitrix! I need Heatblast for this! You hear me? Heatblast! I don't want Overflow! I don't want Wildmutt! Heatblast!" He managed to slap down the core as it created a massive flash of green light, only for all the Glotergeists to be thrown off his being. FLASH
Ben held up his left arm as dark purple stone and pink crystal covered it, all the way to the tips of his fingers. Ben's head faces the 4th wall as the stone and crystal spread all over his head and face as his eyes merge into one in the center of his head. He then spun around and his back is shown as 2 large magenta shares pop out of his back. He then spins and strikes a pose, finishing his transformation.
As the light dies down, Twilight and Dexter gasp as Ben is now a brand-new alien! He is now a tall, silicon-based alien made of extremely durable crystal. His body is overall indigo, with several dark lines and spots. His 5 fingers and face are magenta with a long neck and has magenta chin that resembles a mouth guard can speak without moving his mouth and has a single large green eye. He also sports 2 magenta shards on his back that are large, two on the sides of his head, and one on the top of his head that resembles a horn.
He is wearing a black and white jumpsuit that covers his feet, arms and sports a green and black collar. He sports green and white striped gauntlets on his wrists, thighs, and ankles as he now sports the Omnitrix on his right pectoral.
"Holy cow! It's Chromastone!" Ben exclaims as he recognizes this alien from when he helped the other Bens fight Ben X, recalling seeing Ben Prime use this alien before and knowing what he could do. "I must have picked him up from the other Bens! Nice!" He starts blasting rainbow beams at the Glotergeists as they are knocked away, freeing Twilight as they try to zap him with lighting, only to be surprised that they didn't affect the crystal alien. "Not going to work! I'm a conductor! By the way, thanks for the power-up!" He then focuses and fires rainbow beams from his back and head crystals, blasting them all away in different directions.
He then ran over and blasted the Glotergeists off Dexter as he cried out. "Dexter, now!" The boy genius nodded in response and got back to his password. When the last digit was entered, the generator door opened with a hiss and a puff of steam.
There it was: The neurotomic protocore. A bundle of pure, unlimited energy that could fit in the palm of his hand. Though it pained him to do it, Dexter reached inside and ripped the Protocore from the circuitry. The effects were immediate: Everything whirred to a grinding halt and died with a pathetic buzz. The production line, the worker robots, the ion barriers, Computeress... Everything was gone. Dexter hanged his head remorsefully… Then took a deep breath and resolved himself.
Dexter turned towards the Glotergeists flying at him… And held out the protocore. "Here! Take it!" He shouted. The Glotergeists stopped on a dime, their eyes blinking in surprise. One of the neon specters floated cautiously up to the genius and carefully took the protocol to its claws. With the core secured, it floated back to its companions, who looked pleased to the protocore back as the core then bathed them all in some of it's energy as they died down as they look like they took a deep breath of relief. The leading Glotergeist looked at Dexter for what seemed a long time.
"Thanks!" The Glotergeist suddenly spoke in perfect English. "It's about time we got this back! It wasn't very nice of you to steal our power core, you know?" "Wait… You can talk?! In English as well?!" Chromastone points out, stunned at what the being is. "Of course!" Said the Glotergeist. "You didn't think all interdimensional beings can't speak, did you?" The alien glances at the boy genius as he shrugs in response. "Why didn't you say anything from the start?! We could've resolved this whole thing without all this craziness!" Dexter shouted.
"Well, when you stole our core, it also caused a feedback pulse that affected our wavelength of thinking. I believe you organics call it 'common sense'. Anyway, we couldn't think straight before, but now that we have our core back, that won't be a problem." "…Get out of my laboratory..." Dexter demanded exasperatedly, pointing toward the exit. "Very well. Come, everyone! Let's celebrate back home!"
The other neon phantoms cheered and whooped like a wild fraternity. The Glotergeists left the smart Rainboom lying on the ground and exited the generator room, howling wildly. The girl stared dumbfoundedly and Dexter rubbed the ridge of his nose tiredly. "That… Was weird…" Chromastone commented as he scratched the back of his head. "No, that's normal around here, believe it or not." Dexter grimaced.
Dexter, Ben, and Twilight returned to the lobby ten minutes later, sore from everything that happened. The genius looked around the building sadly. The place was in ruins, there was trash and scrap everywhere, his holographic statue was gone, and Computress was offline until he could get her running again. All his efforts, all his hard work, gone in the blink of an eye. And yet, strangely enough, he felt relieved.
They heard the front doors open and saw Sunset and Dee-Dee running inside. With the protocore gone, the field surrounding the building would have died, too. Sunset hugged her friends in relief and Dee-Dee did the same for her brother. "I'm so glad all of you are all right, what happened?" Sunset asks the others as Ben responds. "We gave the Glotergeists their core back and they calmed down and left." Twilight answered. "Apparently, the core sent out a feedback pulse wave that affected their way of thinking when Dexter took it. So, they won't be bothering our dimension, anymore."
"But without the protocore, you can't run the lab..." Dee-Dee said sadly to her brother. "We won't be able to start your business until we get everything running again. That could take years."
But Dexter shook his head with a smile. "You know what? I'm okay with that. This whole experience reminded me why I love science so much. Being able to invent things with my own two hands is much more rewarding than an automated production line. So, from now on, no more shortcuts. I will rebuild this laboratory my way." "And mine, too!" Dee-Dee glees, happily hugging her brother. "Yes, yes, how could I forget?" Dexter chuckled, then turned to the visiting trio. "Thank you for everything."
"It was no problem!" Sunset responds as Twilight questions Dexter. "So… You think you're going to be able to build another lab without the protocore? You still haven't figured out the free energy problem." "I think I'll start small and work my way up. Maybe I'll build it on the moon? Doubt anybody would bother us there." Dexter points out. Everyone laughed at the joke in response.
And so, the 2 Rainbooms and Ben were ready to leave, but before they could, Dexter gave the boy a parting gift: A hi-tech communicator that is colored like his Dexbots and looks like a flip phone. Ben flips it open and is surprised to display a hologram of a desktop screen and sees it already has the Titan Trio's number in it along with Dexter's number. "I made it so that way it is much easier to contact certain, special individuals. If you ever need a boy genius to help, Ben Tennyson. Let me know." "You got it, Dexter." Ben smiles as they both shake hands and Sunset and Twilight both smile at making more friends as Ben glances at his watch and twists it to Chromastone's icon, smirking at adding a new, powerful alien to his arsenal.