Chapter 2: Truth & Training

Earth – Campsite

Max was quietly enjoying his dinner when a sudden, panicked scream cut through the night.

"Grandpa!" Gwen's voice rang out, filled with urgency.

Max immediately jumped up, his instincts kicking in. He turned to see Gwen sprinting toward him, her breaths ragged, eyes wide with fear.

"Gwen, what happened? Where's Ben?" he asked, concern tightening his voice.

She doubled over, gasping for breath, and Max quickly guided her to a bench by the campsite, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder.

"Catch your breath, then tell me everything," he said softly.

Gwen nodded, trying to compose herself. "Ben… he disappeared," she finally managed. "A watch—it took him!"

Max's brow furrowed. "A watch? What do you mean a watch took him?"

She swallowed hard, then launched into her explanation. "A shooting star fell from the sky. But it wasn't just a star—it had something inside. A watch. Ben picked it up, and before he could react, it latched onto his arm. Then… he just vanished! The watch said something about 'Primus' before he disappeared."

Max's expression darkened. "Primus…?" he muttered.

"What do we do now, Grandpa?" Gwen pressed. "What do we tell Aunt Sandra and Uncle Carl? We can't just say a space watch teleported him to another planet!"

Max exhaled sharply, thinking fast. "First, we figure out what Primus is. We'll deal with your aunt and uncle once we know more."

Gwen hesitated, then added, "Grandpa… when the watch attached to Ben, it said, 'DNA match detected: Magister Max Tennyson.' What does that mean? What's a Magister?"

Before Max could answer, a sudden, urgent voice crackled over the RV's radio.

"Emergency! Two strange robots are attacking the campsite!"

Max's grip tightened on the radio. "Damn it. We've got trouble."

Gwen's eyes widened. "Robots? You don't think they're connected to Ben, do you?"

"One crisis at a time," Max said, already moving toward the Rustbucket. "Get in."

They jumped into the RV, speeding toward the attack site. As they neared, Gwen peered out the window, eyes widening at the destruction. People were fleeing as two sleek, metallic drones hovered over the area, firing energy blasts indiscriminately.

Max pulled over, grabbed two blasters from a hidden compartment, and handed one to Gwen. He also tossed her a mask.

"Put this on. We can't be recognized," he instructed.

Gwen quickly obeyed, but her mind was racing. "Grandpa… you know what those things are, don't you?"

Max's face was grim. "Yeah. And that's the problem."

With that, they jumped into action. Gwen covered Max as he took precise shots, blasting one drone out of the sky. The second retaliated, but Max rolled aside with surprising agility, firing another shot that sent it crashing down in a heap of sparks.

Gwen stared at him in awe. "Grandpa, that was… insane. Since when can you do that?"

"Not my first time dealing with killer robots," he muttered.

Once the area was secure, they returned to the campsite. Gwen folded her arms, fixing Max with a look. "Alright, Grandpa. No more stalling. What's going on? Who are you?"

Max sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I was hoping to ease you into this, but we don't have time. Before I tell you everything, we need help."

He pulled out his phone and dialled a number.

After a few rings, a familiar voice answered. "Max? Been a while. How's retirement treating you?"

"Devin, I need you to come to my location. It's urgent," Max said.

There was a pause before Devin responded. "What's going on?"

"It's Vilgax," Max said gravely. "He's back."

A sharp inhale came from the other end. "Okay, now that's a problem. I'm with Kevin right now—he's still working on controlling his powers, but I can be there ASAP."

"Good. I'll send the coordinates," Max said, then hung up.

Later – Campsite Arrival

A short while later, a sleek black car pulled up. From inside, two figures stepped out: a man in his early forties and a boy around eleven.

Max's expression softened. "Devin," he greeted, stepping forward.

Devin grinned, pulling Max into a brief hug. "Still alive and kicking, I see."

Max chuckled. "I could say the same about you."

Devin turned to the boy beside him. "Kevin, this is Max Tennyson."

Kevin gave Max a skeptical look. "Uh… have we met?"

Max smirked. "Not for about five years. You were much smaller then."

Kevin shrugged. "Yeah, well, don't remember."

Max turned to Gwen. "Gwen, this is Devin Levin, an old friend of mine. And that's his son, Kevin."

She greeted them with a polite nod before turning back to her grandfather. "Okay, we have help now. But that still doesn't answer my questions."

Max sighed, glancing at Devin, who gave him an encouraging nod.

"Alright," Max said, taking a deep breath. "The truth is… there's a lot about me that even your father and uncle don't know."

He met Gwen's gaze seriously. "It's time I told you everything."

Gwen greeted them before turning to Max with a frown. "Grandpa, this doesn't answer my questions."

Max sighed. "I'm getting to that." He gestured for them to sit, and the four of them settled onto the benches. "Gwen, there are a lot of secrets about me—things not even your father or uncle know."

gwen crossed his arms. "Well, I probably figured that out when you blasted those drones from space."

Devin raised an eyebrow. "Drones from space?"

"Yeah, what does that mean?" Kevin asked, looking at Max.

Devin smirked. "Well, I guess the same goes for me."

Max leaned forward. "Listen, Devin and I are Plumbers—members of an intergalactic organization dedicated to maintaining peace in the universe. We're not just regular agents, either. We both hold the rank of Magister—high-ranking officers. We've been on countless missions and seen things you wouldn't believe."

Gwen blinked. "So… you're basically space cops?"

Max chuckled. "That's one way to put it."

"And he's the best of them all," Devin added with a grin.

Max shook his head. "Don't flatter me, Devin. We both know you've bested me in plenty of areas. You take risks without a second thought—risks I wouldn't even dream of taking."

Kevin smirked. "So that's why I'm so reckless."

Devin laughed. "Yeah, Max is careful, but I… I like to take chances."

Max gave him a dry look. "Sometimes too many chances. But I won't deny it—you've saved my life more times than I can count."

Kevin's grin widened. "So that explains why I've got powers?"

Gwen looked between them, confused. "Wait—what powers?"

Kevin raised a hand and pressed it against the bench. A strange energy pulsed through his arm, and suddenly, the wood spread across his skin, transforming his forearm into solid wood.

Gwen gasped. "How—how did you do that?!"

Max folded his arms. "Kevin is an Osmosian. It's natural for them to absorb the properties of matter and energy."

"Osmosian?" Gwen asked.

Max nodded. "A human subspecies."

She let the information sink in before shaking her head. "Okay, but what does any of this have to do with a watch kidnapping Ben?"

Devin's eyes narrowed. "A watch kidnapped Ben?"

Gwen took a deep breath and explained everything—the shooting star, the strange pod, the watch latching onto Ben's wrist, and then his sudden disappearance.

Devin stood up. "Take us to the crash site."

When they arrived, they found the pod shattered into pieces, its remains scattered across the ground.

Max crouched down, inspecting the wreckage. His expression hardened. "Looks like Vilgax was after whatever was in this pod. He must have sent drones to retrieve it."

Kevin and Gwen exchanged glances. "Who's Vilgax?" Kevin asked.

Devin's face darkened. "One of the most dangerous beings in the universe. An intergalactic warlord set on universal conquest."

Max checked his watch. "It's late. We'll rest for tonight and figure out our next move in the morning."

Back at the RV, as everyone settled in for the night, Gwen hesitated before speaking. "Grandpa?"

Max looked up. "Yeah, Gwen?"

"It's about Ben… I think—" she hesitated. "I don't think he expected you, of all people, to compare him to me."

Max frowned. "What do you mean?"

"He told me his parents and relatives always compare him to others. I think that's why he was so excited about this trip—it was his way of escaping that pressure. And then you…" Gwen trailed off.

Max sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I didn't know his parents compared him like that."

Gwen hugged herself. "Do you think we can find him?"

Max's face softened. "To be honest, with how vast the universe is, it's nearly impossible. But we will try our best. Whoever took Ben… I don't think they had evil intentions. If Vilgax wanted that device, and it called my name before activating…" He exhaled deeply. "We can only hope that Ben is safe. And if he is, we'll find him."

Gwen nodded, though worry still lingered in her eyes.

As they settled in for the night, the stars above twinkled in the vast sky—unbeknownst to them, Ben was already on a journey that would change his life forever.

Primus

"Ben! Wake up, Ben!"

Ben groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. Blinking away his drowsiness, he saw Eunice standing over him, trying to wake him.

Seeing that he was finally awake, she waited for him to get up.

"Good morning, Ben," she greeted.

"Morning, Eunice," Ben replied, stretching.

"Come on, we need to start training. Azmuth is waiting," Eunice said.

Still groggy, Ben followed Eunice into a large hall where Azmuth stood, arms crossed, waiting impatiently.

"Shall we begin?" Azmuth asked.

"Wait, before we start—can we eat first? I'm starving! I didn't eat anything last night," Ben complained, rubbing his stomach.

Azmuth sighed. "Very well. Eunice, make something for him. Ensure it's edible for humans."

After a quick meal prepared by Eunice, Ben finally felt ready.

The three of them teleported to a vast wasteland on Primus, an open training ground for Ben's lessons.

"Before we begin," Azmuth started, "I'll give you a basic demonstration of how the Omnitrix works."

He activated the Omnitrix, showing Ben how to interact with it. Ben watched as a holographic silhouette of different aliens appeared. Curious, he selected one and pressed the core down.

In an instant, a bright green flash engulfed him, and when it faded, his body was entirely different—made of molten magma, his skin glowing with intense heat.

Ben looked down at himself—and instantly panicked.

"Aaaah! I'm on fire! I'M ON FIRE!" he screamed, flailing his arms and running in circles.

"Ben, calm down! You're not burning," Eunice assured him.

Ben finally stopped, realizing she was right. "Huh… I'm not burning?"

"That's what I was trying to tell you," Eunice said with a chuckle. "You've transformed into a Pyronite."

"Okay… so what can this alien do?" Ben asked, flexing his fiery fingers.

"It can manipulate, absorb, and blast fire," Azmuth explained.

"Sounds awesome. Can I try it out?"

"Go ahead," Azmuth allowed.

As if responding to his thoughts, the Omnitrix gave Ben a basic instinct on how to control the alien's powers. He aimed his hands toward the sky and fired a blast of flames, causing a fiery explosion.

"Whoa! That was awesome!" Ben grinned.

Azmuth nodded. "At the moment, you have access to ten different aliens. As you progress in your training, the Omnitrix will grant you more."

"Sweet!" Ben cheered, but then frowned. "Wait… if I can turn into powerful aliens, why do I need to train in combat and negotiation skills?"

Before Azmuth could answer, the Omnitrix beeped, and in a flash of green light, Ben reverted back to his human form.

Azmuth smirked. "That's why."

Ben blinked. "Huh?"

"There's a time limit on how long you can stay transformed. What will you do when you time out in the middle of a battle? If you don't know how to defend yourself, you're vulnerable. Some aliens won't listen to reason, and others are hard to negotiate with. You'll need combat skills to survive. The Omnitrix provides you with basic instincts, but mastering them is up to you. That's why I need to teach you more than just how to transform."

Ben sighed. "Okay, okay. So, when do I start going on missions?"

"Once you complete your basic training. We'll start with fundamental combat skills," Azmuth stated. "Eunice will be your instructor."

Ben blinked. "Wait… her?"

Azmuth narrowed his eyes. "Is there a problem?"

Ben hesitated. "Uh… well, she's a girl—"

"Don't let appearances fool you," Azmuth interrupted. "One of the reasons I designed Eunice with this form was to teach you not to underestimate anyone. Now, stop whining and get started!"

Ben sighed. "Fine…"

Eunice and Ben took their positions in the center of the training field, standing a few feet apart.

"Hit me with everything you've got. Don't hold back," Eunice said confidently.

"You sure?" Ben asked.

"Yes. Now, come at me."

Ben shrugged and charged forward, throwing a punch at her face with his left hand.

In one swift motion, Eunice sidestepped, grabbed his arm, and effortlessly flipped him onto the ground.

Ben groaned. "Ow…"

He got up and tried again, swinging another punch—but before he could make contact, Eunice countered with a light jab to his solar plexus. Ben gasped, stumbling back as the wind was knocked out of him.

Gritting his teeth, he tried a different approach, attempting to grapple her—but every attack was futile. She dodged with ease, countering him every time.

"Wow… you're way stronger than I thought," Ben admitted, panting. "I bet even Gwen would have a hard time against you."

At the mention of Gwen, Eunice's expression flickered with curiosity—and maybe a hint of jealousy. "Who's Gwen?" she asked.

"My cousin. Why?"

Eunice quickly shook her head. "Just asking."

She stepped back into her stance. "Now get up. You have a lot to learn."

The next week was grueling. Eunice trained Ben rigorously, teaching him combat techniques, improving his reflexes, and helping him build muscle. At first, he could barely land a hit, but as the days passed, his progress was noticeable.

By the end of the week, he was finally able to land a few punches against her.

Eunice smirked. "You're improving faster than I expected. At this rate, you might actually put up a decent fight."

Ben grinned. "Thanks!"

His training had only just begun, but he was ready to take the next step.

Azmuth observed Ben with a calculating gaze. "Tennyson, alongside your combat training, I will also instruct you in negotiation skills and how to utilize your Galvan and Galvanic Mechamorph forms properly."

Thus, Ben's days were split in half—mornings dedicated to combat training and afternoons spent with Azmuth, honing his negotiation abilities and mastering the transformations he had named Grey Matter and Upgrade. He also took the time to rename all his other available forms.

One day, while having lunch, Eunice curiously asked, "Ben, why do you always give your transformations weird names? They already have species names."

Ben grinned. "Well, naming them makes it feel cooler, but more than that, I think it makes them feel more... respectable."

Azmuth scoffed. "They are nothing but mere shadows of their original species. They don't possess independent intelligence. You should focus on using them efficiently rather than personalizing them."

Ben shook his head. "I don't know about that, Azmuth. Whenever I transform, I feel like I've lived their lives, like I'm connected to them in some way. They're a part of me, and I'm a part of them. They're not just tools for me to use—they're people."

Azmuth's eyes flickered with intrigue. "This boy is different from the others... Choosing him over Max might have been worth it. If he sees mere transformations as individuals rather than weapons, then perhaps he truly will make a difference."

Back on Earth

Two weeks had passed since Ben's disappearance, and despite utilizing all his Plumber connections and influence, Max Tennyson still couldn't find any leads. At the same time, their investigation into Vilgax had reached a dead end.

"Any news on Ben, Grandpa?" Gwen asked.

Max sighed. "No, Gwen. We're still searching."

"Devin, any updates on Vilgax?" Max turned to his fellow Plumber.

Devin shook his head. "No, but I keep wondering—what kind of device is this if Vilgax is so desperate to obtain it?"

Max nodded. "Exactly. If Vilgax is after it, then it's far more dangerous than we realized."

Gwen furrowed her brows. "The watch said your name, Grandpa."

"Yes," Max confirmed. "It addressed me as Magister Max Tennyson."

Devin crossed his arms. "That confirms it. The deviceis a Plumber-related device. But for Vilgax to be after it… he has far more advanced technology than the Plumbers. If this were just a standard Plumber tool, he wouldn't be interested. Which means this device is highly advanced." He paused, then said, "Only one person could have built something like that."

Max nodded. "Azmuth."

Devin frowned. "But he's been missing for decades. No one knows where he went. He's not even on Galvan Prime."

"Who's Azmuth?" Gwen asked.

Max sighed. "Azmuth is one of the most respected Galvan scientists and counselors. He's responsible for many of the Plumbers' greatest advancements—including the Null Void."

Kevin raised an eyebrow. "The Null Void? What's that?"

"It's a prison dimension created by the Galvans to hold the universe's most dangerous criminals. It's virtually inescapable," Max explained. "The Galvans have contributed greatly to the Plumbers, providing advanced technology and infrastructure."

Devin exhaled. "I'll contact Galvan Prime and see if there's any word on Azmuth. If he's returned, we may finally get some answers."

With that, Devin left, leaving only Gwen and Kevin behind.

Kevin smirked. "So… tell me about Ben."

Gwen scoffed. "He's a doofus."

Kevin chuckled. "So, you don't like him?"

"That's not what I meant!" Gwen groaned. "You just need a ton of patience to deal with him. Every time we meet, we end up arguing within five minutes."

Kevin smirked. "Do you miss him?"

Gwen hesitated, then sighed. "Yeah… I do. I don't know where he is, but he's my only cousin. Heck, we even share the same birthday. We were born at the same time."

Kevin leaned back. "Well… since we've got time, why don't you tell me more about yourself?"

Gwen raised an eyebrow, then smirked. "Only if you tell me about yourself too."

And so, the two began getting to know each other better.

8/4/2025

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