"It is done." Malware declared. The device had finally been constructed, after so many days of waiting. Now, it was time to test it.
They all went outside, Phil staying a good distance from Malware and Khyber. In the distance, they could see a single To'kustar, completely still. The thing was... gross. Its body was deformed, a horrific beast that Servantis was sure could never have been a sentient being once. He nodded to Khyber, who whistled loudly with the gill-like holes in the sides of his neck.
Immediately, the beast looked frantically at all sides, until it noticed them all standing. It started to run in their direction, smashing pathways in the way. Khyber put the device on, a small chip placed on its user's head. Just as the beast was getting closer, it stopped abruptly, rubble covering all of their eyes. It looked forward, no emotion in its crimson eyes. Suddenly, it raised its arm completely upwards.
"Is that your doing?" Servantis asked.
"Yes," Khyber confirmed. The rooter had to admit it made him a bit calmer. He hadn't forgotten how he along with the Rooters had to scavenge and evade these beasts for days once upon a time. "It is completely under my control."
"Good." Servantis smiled. "Then we move to phase two. The null void projectors have enough battery to transport eight of the To'kustars, along with us?"
"And what next?" Malware asked.
"We end his reign of terror." The rooter declared.
...
Benjamin didn't know why he was here.
He should not be here.
It was she who ultimately led to his downfall. To where he is now.
And he would be compromising the image of a different person altogether.
But he was already here. So, he simply waited to see Elena. She had been the love of his life. A flawed, evil, and despicable love. Someone he missed. Someone he despised.
Someone he loved.
Of course, she hadn't been the only casualty, but she had been the greatest. Half of his clothes had been burned off by the explosion, his body had been wounded, and countless civilians had died. All because of broken love.
"You may come in." A nurse who exited Elena's room spoke to him. He nodded and entered the room, finding this alternative version of his love.
She had been worse. Her skin was less pale, her hair wasn't disheveled anymore, and she seemed calm. Looking at her was like looking into a ghost.
"Ben," Elena said, her dark eyes gazing at him. "You didn't forget me."
"I would never forget you." It was easier than ever to impersonate his younger counterpart. "How are you doing?"
"I'm getting better, they said. I miss being able to go out."
"I understand," Benjamin answered. "I hope you're coming out soon."
Her eyes were fixated on his figure for a moment. He knew that look. But it was sprinkled with something else.
Madness?
"I missed you."
"So did I."
She didn't answer for a moment. "You missed me?"
"Yes. You're my friend." Benjamin's own words felt like a punch to the gut.
"I never thought... I thought you hated me..."
"I would never, Elena."
Once more, she stopped still. "You're not him."
Ben's eyes darted up. "What?"
"You...you're him... but you're also not..."
"Elena, what are you talking about?"
"You're not my Ben..." Her voice trailed off. "You look at me with more than pity."
At that, his heart ached. "I..."
"You love me."
"I thought I did."
At that, the woman widened her eyes. "You're real."
"Of course, I am." Benjamin found himself puzzled. He had to deal with a lot during his life, but this was a battle he couldn't win. "I am flesh and bones in front of you."
"Stay with me a little longer." Elena requested, or more likely, begged.
And Benjamin couldn't deny her.
...
Lucy was happy.
Swift was finally opening up to her. It was a slow process, the aerophibian hybrid was certainly a soldier in all aspects, but she even managed to make her laugh. Laugh! Leander, that was trickier. It was harder even to talk to the man, but Lucy felt he was comfortable.
Of course, Helen had questioned her motives, citing how Swift was a Rooter and all. But Lucy had managed to change her mind somewhat telling the kineceleran how Swift was a victim just as she was. Lucy had learned what happened with the girl, being abducted after the original Rooters project failed.
And she had learned to inflict pain. Believing the cause of destroying Lucy's cousin. But that was past them all.
Somehow, Lucy had gathered everyone in the living room to watch a movie. Though Manny didn't seem too interested, and Leander, while probably looking at the TV – it was hard to figure it out through his helmet – also wasn't saying much, but then again, when did he?
The rest were quite amused with the movie, which was Finding Nemo. Swift found herself with her head leaning on Lucy's shoulder, watching the movie with curiosity.
It felt good to have a friend.
Just then, Cooper's comms channel started to ring. Sighing, the blonde picked up the call.
"Yes?" Cooper answered. "What?" His voice immediately shifted from annoyance to fear. "What?!" And then terror.
"What is it?" Helen asked. Cooper didn't answer right away, still listening.
"We'll be on the way." He turned the call off. "We got a big problem. There are multiple sights of Way Bads."
"What?" Swift got up. "No, it's impossible."
"It's very much possible," Helen said. "We have to do something. How many of them?"
"Max said that at least five in completely different places of the globe," Cooper told them. "There's one near Bellwood. We will try to deal with that one. Gear up!"
The team all went to gather their equipment, and Lucy, who didn't need much armor or weapons anyway, followed Swift as the woman grabbed her armor.
"You look nervous." Lucy noticed.
"I am nervous." Swift wore the black Proto-Tech Armor. "It's terrifying to think of those mutated To'kustars. Much more if..."
"If what?"
Swift shook her head, grabbing her gun. "Never mind."
And then she just left, running past Lucy in a rush. The lenopan was left on her own to ponder why could this be.
Lucy had made sure to read her file. She knew who Swift was afraid of. But... Come on, the Plumbers wouldn't let the Rooters resurface so soon, right?
It didn't matter now. They all got to the ship, which departed from their tower. In the streets below, Lucy could see cars cramped together, traffic completely out of control, and people running on the sidewalks.
Memories of the Incurseans were still fresh, it seemed.
"I see it," Cooper said. And indeed, a massive purple and grey form could be seen in the distance. The only thing was... it looked docile, even. It wasn't hunting wildlife, it wasn't going after cars or people. It just stood still.
"What then?" Alan questioned.
"I don't..." Helen started, but she trailed off as the beast started to move its arm, but instead of trying to catch their jet, it... pointed. "What is it doing?"
"It's signaling to something. It shouldn't have the knowledge to do that." Swift remarked, alarmed.
"Someone is controlling it." Cooper theorized. "And since said someone didn't will that thing to attack anyone..."
"You can't be serious," Manny said. "It's a trap."
"Even if so," The blonde answered. "We came prepared."
Lucy hoped that was true, as the jet landed in the grass, a few hundred meters away from the To'kustar. The atmosphere was incredibly tense, Lucy could notice everyone was on edge, even her. They all marched forward until they set their eyes on a red and black form in the distance. As they approached it seemed more and more like a galvanic mecamorph.
"Greetings." The mecamorph said.
"You... you're Malware," Cooper said, recognizing the being.
"Observant."
"Aren't you supposed to be dead?" Alan questioned.
"I was," Malware answered, and another figure joined him. This one, Lucy also had a vague idea of who it was.
"What are you doing here? What is the meaning of this?" Swift was the one to ask.
"We merely wish to talk." The green humanoid with skeleton armor answered. "About a few mutually beneficial subjects."
"And which of you is the leader?" Manny questioned.
Just then, a portal... a red and spiraling portal opened. Lucy noticed Swift took a step back as two men stepped from the portal.
The first, had a ponytail and an incredibly well-groomed beard, wearing the same armor Swift and Leander wore. The second... he was something between a human and a cerebrocrustacean. Like the green-skinned one – Lucy believed that one's name was Khyber-, his eyes were crimson red.
"There is no particular leader." Proctor Servantis declared. "But I prefer to speak on our behalf."
"Servantis..." Helen whispered. "What the hell do you want?"
The Rooter narrowed his eyes at the kineceleran. "From you? Nothing. Not anymore. I am here to complete the mission you were supposed to accomplish."
"Piss off!" Manny shouted.
"Always so mature." Servantis rolled his eyes, his hands behind his back. "I do not seek a fight. I've learned Earth has new defenders, and as much as it wounds me to admit. You seem capable enough. So why not hear what I have to say?"
Though none of the team lowered their blasters, Cooper nodded for Servantis to continue.
"For years, I've been trying to find a way to deal with the coming storm. The threat to the universe that has only made things more and more difficult. Who will, in time, destroy the galaxy if left without being taken care of? Thus..." He paused. "I return to Earth not as a conqueror, but as its savior, we only wish for Ben Tennyson. No blood may be spilled afterward. Earth can have its place in the galaxy, protected by trustworthy guardians..."
"That's not happening." Lucy took the lead. "We don't even know what Ben is up to. And we wouldn't trust a word from your mouth."
"Your track record with the truth is atrocious," Helen added.
Servantis grimaced. "I am tired of giving you chances." Then, he nodded to... Leander?!
Lucy had a single second to lunge herself between the prypiatosian-B hybrid and Cooper before the blonde was shot. Lucy managed to protect him, but it was chaos afterward. She saw a beige and yellow monster attacking Alan, Khyber slashing his sword at Manny, and Malware distracting Helen. Lucy watched in horror as Swift was zapped by Servantis's electric rays.
"No!" Swift screamed in agony.
"The Plumbers should have checked better." Lucy heard Servantis say among the chaos. The rooter continued to shock Swift, who convulsed on the ground, until her body went still, only for her eyes to reopen robotically.
"Agent Swift, reporting for duty, sir." Those were the last words Lucy heard before Manny was launched meters away by Khyber, obstructing her view. Leander kept trying to breach her barrier between him and Cooper, while Helen was still doing alright against Malware. But they had very quickly become outnumbered. And above, she could see that whoever was controlling the Way Bad was willing the monster to raise its hands.
"Helen!" Lucy cried. "Get us out of here!"
The kineceleran quickly understood the assignment, noticing the Way Bad also. Running frantically and avoiding Swift's laser eyes, she grabbed Manny, Alan, Cooper, and Lucy to the ship, which Cooper started.
"What are you doing?" Manny questioned. "We can't leave!"
"We can't beat them!" Cooper shouted as the ship departed from the ground, away from danger. "They're on Ben or Gwen's level. We need to return to the HQ."
"And then what?" Alan asked.
"Hope Ben has some fight in him right now." The blonde answered, his face darkening.
On the ground, Servantis observed the ship above as it flew to the skies above.
"Letting them get away-" Malware started.
"Won't interfere with our plans." Servantis declared. "We now need to concern ourselves with our hunt." He turned to Phil, already back to his human form. "Is the transmission ready to be launched?"
"Yes," Phil answered, handing Servantis the small device, that despite his size, could be able to hack most major transmissions, and most importantly, those in the United States, where Tennyson would probably be.
Servantis made sure to clear his throat before he began. "People of Earth..." His voice was heard across devices across the globe, and his voice was translated automatically by this device carefully crafted by him and Malware. "You have undoubtedly noticed the presence of the To'kustars, or as you know them, Way Bads, across the world. Fear not, since we won't continue what the Incursean Empire started."
"I am Servantis. Former head of the Rooters corps." The big screens in Times Square were taken over by the transmission. "I realized long ago how defunct of an institution the Plumbers had become. Not protecting your world, letting it fall to invaders... This is unacceptable. But more than anything... We know the damage Ben 10 has caused to your world. And heed my words..."
"All we seek is the destruction of Ben Tennyson." Phones around the world showed. "You have one week to hand us Ben Tennyson. His relatives are no matter to us, only him. Until then, we will keep this world under siege. A reminder to all of what will happen if Tennyson isn't found."
"Give us Ben Tennyson, and we will leave. Earth will be protected by its new force, without the cancer to the universe that is Ben 10."
"The countdown begins."
...
Ben was confused.
He wasn't blind to the fact he was sleeping – and not in that sense – with a beautiful woman who happened to be one of his oldest enemies. Nor to the fact how awkward it became sometimes.
They had become friends. That was unquestionably true. But do friends cuddle like this? In bed? And worse of all, do friends become flustered if they stop to think about what they're doing for more than a second?
Probably not.
But at the same time, he couldn't push her away. Literally and figuratively. Her presence felt comforting in such a weird way. Kai and the breakup were distant thoughts now. He had so much more to think about now and to worry himself with.
Facing the facts, it was pointless to stay grieving over Kai. Like people said, their relationship was through long before it actually ended. She wasn't horrible when they had been dating, in contrast to how she treated him before, but it was still less than ideal.
More akin to Julie than Ester, thinking about it.
So drained Ben was in his thoughts that he couldn't prevent him from bumping into Hope when he turned a corner while he was walking to the bedroom.
"Ow!" The witch cried. "What where you're walking!"
"Oh, sorry, Hope." Ben apologized promptly, and she, while still rubbing her forehead, looked at him with a somewhat look of concern.
"Is everything all right?"
"Yeah, I was just thinking."
"Care to share some thoughts?" Hope asked, her annoyance forgotten.
"It was about Kai..."
"Oh." She voiced. "Still?"
"No!" Ben protested. "It's not that. I was just thinking about that, yeah, like you said, I don't need to remain sad over it."
Hope didn't seem quite convinced. "I see. Where are you going?"
"To the bedroom. I was... well, I wanted to rest a bit."
She pouted. "I believe I have some books to find there. Come, we can talk while I search."
"Fine to me." They reached the bedroom in no time and Ben fell immediately onto the bed, groaning as he did.
"You sound like an old man." Hope remarked as she searched through the furniture.
"I certainly feel like one," Ben answered.
"You're a drama queen."
"Nuh-uh."
"What do you mean nuh-uh?" Hope turned to face him.
"I mean it. I'm not a drama queen."
"Ben Tennyson, you are the definition of a drama queen."
"That's not true!"
"Oh, it is." Hope willed a book to open, but when reading the content inside, she clicked her tongue in impatience. "You shouldn't think about your exes."
"I know." Ben stared at the roof. 'It's just hard not to. Julie was... well, she was there right as I got the Omnitrix again. And Kai, I have known her since I was a kid. And there are people who I can't even call an ex that live rent-free in my head like Elena or Ester."
"What a man-whore."
"What did you say?" Ben asked, flabbergasted.
"I mean it," Hope smirked. "Settle down, please."
"I tried, trust me." He huffed. "This is where it led me."
"Oh, is that so?"
"Yeah. If I was dating there is no way Kai would let you come close to me."
"Was she jealous?"
Ben widened his eyes. "You have no idea."
"Would I be a threat in her eyes?"
"I mean, probably. You are, well..." Oh, here we go. "You are attractive."
"If you say so," Hope started. "Maybe she would have a reason to feel threatened."
"What? I... you... I mean..." He didn't know what to answer as he stared at her, her back turned to him.
"What, I just said my opinion. You're the one telling me that I'm attractive."
Ben chuckled nervously. "Well, do you want me to lie?"
"No." The last book she was examining closed itself with a loud noise. "I like it when you're sincere."
And with that, she exited the room, a barrage of books following her, surrounded by her mana as she made them float. Now that Ben was once more alone, all he could think was...
What the hell was going on?!