Chapter1: A Peculiar Child
The cold, sterile air of Bellwood General Hospital hung heavy with tension. Outside the operating theater, three figures sat in rigid silence, their eyes locked on the red "IN SURGERY" sign that cast an eerie glow in the dimly lit corridor.
Carl Tennyson, a man in his early thirties with tired brown eyes, ran a hand through his unkempt hair, his foot tapping anxiously against the tile floor. Beside him, Sandra Tennyson, her golden-blond hair disheveled and eyes red-rimmed, sat with her hands tightly clasped together, her fingers digging into her palms. The third was Max Tennyson, a man in his sixties, his face weathered by years of experience, but even he couldn't mask the worry tightening his jaw.
The silence was unbearable.
Sandra finally broke it, her voice hoarse. "They said it would take two hours… it's been almost three."
Carl exhaled sharply, his hands clenched into fists. "They wouldn't tell us anything if something went wrong, right? They'd— they'd come out, right?" His voice wavered slightly, betraying the calm he was trying so hard to maintain.
Max, arms crossed, stared at the door like he could will it to open. "They're doing everything they can," he muttered. He had been through countless battles, faced things most men couldn't even imagine—but this? Sitting here, powerless, waiting to hear if his grandson would be okay? This was a different kind of hell.
Ben had always been different.
From a young age, his anger burned hotter than most kids his age. A temper like wildfire, unpredictable and dangerous. Other children kept their distance—not out of dislike, but out of fear. The outbursts, the sudden violence, the way his emerald-green eyes darkened when he lost control…
He wasn't a bad kid. He was their son, his grandson. But something inside him wasn't right.
Carl tightened his grip on the edge of his chair. "I keep asking myself... Did we fail him? Did we miss the signs? What kind of parents—"
"Stop," Sandra whispered, shaking her head. "This isn't your fault. It isn't anyone's fault. Ben… he's just…" She trailed off, unable to find the right words.
A long silence stretched between them.
Then, Max spoke, his voice low but firm. "Ben's strong. He's always been strong. He's going to get through this."
The door to the operating room remained shut. The red light still glowed. And all they could do was wait.
It started in music class.
The room was filled with the discordant notes of a boy struggling to play the piano. Each misplaced key, each jarring sound, made the other students wince or stifle laughter. But for Ben Tennyson, it was something else entirely.
He sat at his desk, his fists clenched, his breathing shallow. The noise—it wasn't just bad. It was agonizing.
His ears throbbed. His head pounded. The sound was crawling under his skin, burrowing into his skull like nails on a chalkboard. He shut his eyes, gritted his teeth, tried to ignore it.
But he couldn't.
Then something inside him snapped.
Before anyone could react, Ben was out of his seat, storming toward the piano. His face was twisted, eyes burning with fury. The boy at the piano barely had time to flinch before—
SLAM.
Ben shut the piano lid down with force—right onto the boy's hands.
A sharp, piercing scream tore through the classroom. Students gasped. Some jumped back in horror. The teacher's voice rang out in panic. The boy stumbled away, clutching his hands, his face contorted in pain.
The room fell into dead silence.
Ben just stood there. His breathing was ragged, his fingers still twitching with the force he had used.
The damage wasn't severe—no broken bones, no lasting injury. But the damage to Ben? That was something else entirely.
The Principal's Office
His parents were called immediately.
Carl and Sandra sat across from the furious parents of the injured boy, their son sitting stiffly beside them, his face unreadable. Max Tennyson arrived shortly after, his presence offering little comfort this time.
The principal, Mr. John, exhaled sharply. "Mr. and Mrs. Tennyson, do you understand what your son did today?"
Carl rubbed his temples. "We… we know Ben has issues with his temper. But we never expected something like this."
The other parents weren't interested in apologies. "Look at our son!" Mr. Richards snapped. "What kind of child slams a piano on another kid's hands?! He's dangerous!"
"We are extremely sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Richards," Sandra said quickly, her voice trembling. "We… we never thought Ben would do something like this. We'll be more cautious. We promise."
"Thank God his hands weren't crushed," the principal muttered, shaking his head. "For the time being, Ben is permanently removed from music class."
Carl nodded, defeated. "We understand, Mr. John. We'll… we'll take care of it."
The Richards left in a huff, but the tension in the room lingered.
The principal sighed. "Listen. You know Ben has anger issues. He struggles with making friends. I strongly advise that you consult doctors and specialists. This isn't normal behavior."
Carl and Sandra exchanged a glance. Max, silent until now, finally spoke.
"I'll be here for Ben," he said firmly. "Whatever it takes."
Ben's parents took him to multiple doctors, seeking answers. Max, despite his resources with the Plumbers, chose not to involve them. Instead, he discreetly sought their medical experts for advice.
Their conclusions were unsettling.
"The issue is neurological."
"His insular cortex— the region of the brain responsible for processing emotions—is abnormal."
"His violent outbursts, his inability to regulate anger… it all traces back to that."
Then came the recommendation.
"Surgical removal may help control his aggression. However… it could come at a cost."
Carl frowned. "What kind of cost?"
The doctor hesitated before answering.
"His emotions. His empathy. Removing the affected part of the brain may leave him… unfeeling."
A cold chill settled in the room.
Sandra's hands trembled. "You mean… he won't feel anything?"
The doctor's silence was answer enough.
They wrestled with the decision for days. Max, for the first time in a long time, regretted his choice. "Maybe I should have gone to the Plumbers. Maybe I should have trusted their technology instead."
But in the end, the family had to make a choice.
And so, they did.
The wait outside the operating room was unbearable.
When the doctor finally stepped out, they all stood at once, hope and dread warring in their expressions.
The doctor's voice was careful, measured. "The surgery was a success… but only time will tell the long-term effects."
But they didn't have to wait long to see the consequences.
When Ben finally woke up, something was wrong.
His face was blank. Stoic. Unreadable.
His once fiery green eyes were dull, empty.
Carl swallowed. "Ben?"
Ben blinked. "Yes?" His voice was flat, devoid of any warmth or recognition.
Sandra's breath hitched. "How are you feeling?"
Ben stared at her for a long moment before answering.
"I don't know."
Something inside his parents shattered.
Max took a step forward, but the grandson he once knew wasn't there anymore.
The boy who used to rage, who used to laugh, who used to care—was now nothing more than an empty shell.
Max clenched his fists, his stomach twisting with regret. "I should have done more. I should have stopped this."
But it was too late.
It's been two years since Ben underwent the surgery. Nobody knew about it—not even his relatives. Only his parents and Max were aware. Now, Ben was ten years old.
These two years had been incredibly difficult for his parents and Max. All the children in Ben's school had started calling him a freak and a monster. Some bullies went to extreme lengths, even spraying "freak," "monster," and "get lost" on his school locker. But Ben didn't care. The only benefit of the surgery was that he had become smarter, more intelligent, and a straight-A student.
Now, it was the last day of school before summer vacation. As school ended, many children were excitedly discussing their plans. Ben, however, simply walked outside.
As he stepped out, he noticed two bullies—Cash and JT—picking on a student for money. Though they feared Ben, they never showed it, acting tough instead.
"Cash. JT," Ben called.
They turned to see who it was, tensing slightly when they saw him. But they quickly masked their fear, standing tall.
"What do you want, freak?" Cash sneered.
Ben didn't answer. Instead, he raised his index finger and pointed at them before wagging it toward the bullied student—a silent signal to escape. The kid understood and quickly ran.
Cash and JT didn't immediately realize what had happened, but when they turned to see their victim gone, their fury flared. Their glare locked onto Ben, blaming him for interfering. Just as they were about to lunge at him, a loud honk interrupted them. Max's RV pulled up.
Grudgingly, they held back their anger, watching as Ben climbed into the vehicle.
Inside, Max greeted him with a warm, excited voice. "Are you ready for your summer trip?"
Ben, however, remained emotionless, offering no response.
Noticing his cousin Gwen staring at him, he still said nothing.
"Wow, you noticed me. I thought I'd be invisible this whole trip," Gwen said sarcastically. "Will you at least say hi or something?"
"Do I have to?" Ben asked, his tone void of emotion or expression.
"Yes, you moron! When people meet, they greet each other. I wonder how you even get A's in your studies," she scoffed.
"Does saying hi and getting A's have anything to do with each other?" Ben asked, his voice still flat.
Gwen was taken aback, mumbling under her breath, "No wonder everyone calls you a freak."
Both Max and Ben heard her.
Ben didn't react—he was used to it. But Max frowned, chastising her.
"Gwen, don't you think it's rude to call your cousin that?"
"Grandpa, didn't you hear our whole conversation?" she protested.
Max sighed. "Gwen, Ben has trouble dealing with people. Since his anger issues subsided, we've been trying to help him, and I planned this summer to help him build better social relationships."
Gwen knew about Ben's anger issues all too well—she had been a victim of them before. When they were seven, Ben had pushed her to the ground in a fit of rage, leaving a scratch on her forehead. She always covered the scar with her hair.
"Gwen, will you help me?" Max asked.
She hesitated, then nodded. "Yes, Grandpa."
Ben, who had been silent, finally spoke. "Grandpa, it's a lie, isn't it?"
Max looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean, Ben?"
"You can't help me. You're just trying to convince yourself that you can."
Max's expression saddened. He regretted his decision from two years ago. There had been a chance to take Ben to the advanced Plumber medical facility, but he had refused. Every day since then, he had lived with regret, especially when he looked at Ben and saw what had become of him.
Deep in space, two ships engaged in a ferocious firefight. The larger vessel, a menacing brown warship resembling an Earth taser, relentlessly pursued a smaller, streamlined teal ship. Red laser fire rained down on the fleeing craft, striking its hull with devastating precision. Sparks flew within the cockpit as the ship's systems struggled to hold.
"Hull damage at 20%," a bioid at the command station reported. "Weapon systems still operational."
Vilgax, towering over the bridge, barely acknowledged the report. His mechanical breathing remained steady, his crimson eyes locked onto his prey. "I have come too far to be denied," he declared. "The Omnitrix shall be mine. There is not a being in the galaxy that dares stand in my way."
Another barrage of lasers shot forth, forcing the smaller ship into evasive maneuvers. The pilot's fingers danced across the controls, rerouting power to the engines. The teal craft banked sharply, dodging a direct hit before its plasma cannon whirred to life.
"Let's see how you handle this," the pilot muttered, locking onto Vilgax's flagship. With a quick press, a charged energy blast surged toward the warship, striking its hull with a powerful impact.
On Vilgax's bridge, sparks erupted from a damaged console. A bioid staggered back before quickly assessing the damage.
"Hull integrity compromised in Sector Four. Minor structural impact."
Vilgax barely flinched. "Minor damage is irrelevant. Maintain pursuit." His voice was cold, unwavering.
The smaller ship weaved desperately through space, its pilot fighting for survival. But Vilgax's eyes burned with anticipation. His quarry could not run forever. The Omnitrix was within his grasp.
By nightfall, they arrived at the campsite Max had chosen. The air was crisp, and the sounds of the wilderness surrounded them. Max set up a bench, where Ben and Gwen sat—Gwen focused on her laptop while Ben simply sat in silence, doing nothing.
A few moments later, Max approached with a bowl and placed it on the bench between them.
"What is it, Grandpa?" Gwen asked, glancing at the bowl with suspicion.
"Marinated mealworms for dinner," Max announced with a grin.
Gwen recoiled. "Don't we have any normal food?" she asked, wrinkling her nose.
"Come on, Gwen," Max said. "The whole point of this trip is to try new things, experience different foods. That's what vacations are all about."
Gwen turned to Ben, lowering her voice. "Do you have anything normal to eat?"
Ben didn't respond right away. Instead, he reached into the bowl, grabbed a handful of mealworms, and casually popped them into his mouth.
Max chuckled. "See, even Ben gave it a shot. You should try some too."
Gwen grimaced, looking away. "Yeah… I think I just lost my appetite." She quickly returned to her laptop, determined to ignore the sight.
Ben, as usual, remained silent, staring off into the distance, his expression unreadable.
Max watched him for a moment before speaking. "Ben, since you're not doing anything, why don't you go for a walk? Get some fresh air."
Without a word, Ben stood up and started walking, disappearing into the dimly lit forest.
As Ben walked through the forest, he took in his surroundings, his sharp eyes scanning everything in sight. Then, at a distance, he noticed a crater. Curious, he made his way toward it to investigate. As he reached the edge, he realized that something was embedded at the center—a space pod.
Intrigued, Ben stepped closer to examine it, but before he could react, the ground beneath him crumbled slightly, and he lost his footing, tumbling into the crater. Groaning, he pushed himself up and turned his attention to the pod just as it suddenly opened with a mechanical hiss. Inside, a spherical container emerged, and with another click, it opened further, revealing a strange-looking watch.
A watch? In space?
Cautiously, he reached out, but before he could grab it, the watch suddenly sprang to life and latched onto his wrist.
He didn't panic. He didn't scream. Instead, he simply stared at the device now firmly attached to his left wrist. He pulled at it, tried to pry it off, but it wouldn't budge. As he debated showing it to Max, a faint voice echoed in his mind, urging him to see what the watch could do.
Ben ignored it.
Still, his curiosity got the better of him, and he examined the device more closely. The watch had a green hourglass symbol in the center, but unlike a regular watch, it didn't display the time. He soon noticed a button on the side and pressed it. Instantly, the dial popped up, revealing a holographic display with silhouettes of strange figures.
Ben twisted the dial, watching as the silhouettes shifted. One in particular caught his attention—a creature with a fiery head. Without thinking, he pressed the dial down.
A sudden surge of energy shot through him. His body felt like it was expanding, shifting, transforming. When the sensation settled, Ben looked down at himself—only he was no longer Ben. His body was now composed of molten rock, magma glowing beneath cracks in his skin.
For the first time in two years, he felt something—fear. It coursed through him, making his mind race. So this is what fear feels like… But as the moment stretched, the fear gave way to something else—excitement. A thrill surged through him, and for the first time in years, he felt alive.
So this is what excitement feels like…
Ben clenched his fists, feeling power flow through him. Flames erupted from his hands, and on impulse, he hurled a fireball toward a cluster of trees. The sight made him grin.
"Cool! I can shoot fire!"
His excitement, however, quickly turned to panic as the trees erupted into flames, the fire spreading fast. Alarmed, he instinctively tried to stomp it out, only to realize—his very touch ignited the ground even more.
The forest was burning, and he had no idea how to stop it.
As Max sat at the campsite eating his dinner, Gwen remained focused on her laptop, typing away. The quiet atmosphere was suddenly interrupted when Max noticed a thick plume of smoke rising from the forest.
"Gwen," he called, pointing toward the smoke.
She glanced up, narrowing her eyes. "Looks like somebody's playing with fire," she said casually.
But then it hit them.
"Ben!" they both exclaimed in unison, realization striking like a bolt of lightning. Without wasting a second, they grabbed fire extinguishers and sprinted toward the forest.
Meanwhile, Ben frantically tried to stop the spreading flames. He stomped on them, waved his hands—anything—but his very presence only made things worse. Before he could figure out a solution, Gwen came rushing into the clearing, spotted him, and froze in shock.
Then she screamed.
Without hesitation, she swung the fire extinguisher at him, hitting him square in the chest.
"Who are you, you freak?!" she shouted, ready to strike again.
Ben recoiled, more surprised than hurt. For the first time, he felt a pang of offense at being called a freak.
"I am not a freak, Gwen," he said, his voice firm.
Gwen's eyes widened. "How do you know my name?"
"Because I'm Ben," he replied.
Gwen's expression twisted in disbelief. "Do you really think I'm going to believe that?"
Ben sighed. "Okay, how about this—when you were eight, you got a scar on your forehead, and you always try to hide it with your hair."
Gwen instinctively reached up, touching her forehead. Her skepticism wavered.
"…Ben?" she asked hesitantly. "Is it really you? What happened? How did you turn into… this?"
The word "monster" lingered unspoken on her lips, but Ben knew.
His classmates had once called him that.
His fiery body flared slightly as irritation bubbled inside him. "I am NOT a monster," he snapped. "I'm Ben."
Realizing she had upset him, Gwen quickly softened. "I'm sorry," she said. "But we still have a problem—how do we stop the fire?"
Before Ben could answer, Max arrived, eyes widening as he took in the sight before him.
"What in the world…?" Max muttered, his voice filled with recognition and disbelief. "A Pyronite…?"
"Grandpa!" Gwen ran to him. "You won't believe this—that's Ben!"
Max's gaze flickered between her and the alien standing before him. "Ben?" he repeated, still trying to process it.
"I'll explain later," Ben cut in. "We need to stop the fire first."
"That's a great idea, but how?" Gwen gestured at him. "You're literally made of flames!"
Ben frowned. Then, an idea struck him.
"If I can shoot fire," he reasoned, "then maybe… I can absorb it too."
Max's eyes widened. "That… that actually makes sense. Give it a try, Ben."
Nodding, Ben took a deep breath, concentrating. He reached out toward the flames, willing them to return to him. Slowly, the fire shifted, its glow dimming as tendrils of flame were drawn back into his molten body. Within moments, the raging fire was completely extinguished.
Silence fell over the clearing.
"…Whoa," Gwen whispered.
With the immediate danger gone, the trio made their way back to the Rustbucket. Once inside, Ben recounted everything—the crater, the pod, the container, and how the watch had latched onto him before transforming him into this alien form.
"When I changed," Ben admitted, "I was scared at first… I thought I was on fire. But then… I felt something else. I felt excited. I felt thrilled."
Max listened carefully, his expression unreadable. But internally, he was shocked beyond belief.
Because he knew something Gwen didn't.
Ben couldn't feel emotions. Not for two years. And yet, right now, he had felt three different ones in a matter of minutes.
"Ben," Max said slowly, his voice gentle, "do you understand what this means?"
Ben blinked. Then his eyes widened as realization dawned on him.
"…I felt emotions," he murmured. His lips curled slightly, a genuine sense of marvel in his voice. "I felt something again." His gaze flickered back to the watch. "This… this means I can be human again."
Max nodded, understanding exactly what he meant.
Gwen, however, looked between them in confusion. "Wait, what? You are human—well, not right now, but—what are you talking about?"
Max sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Gwen… Ben isn't just any creature."
"Then what is he?" she asked hesitantly.
Max exhaled, his gaze steady. "He's an alien, Gwen."
She stared at him, then at Ben, then back at Max.
"…Okay," she muttered. "That still doesn't explain how he plans on being human."
"How do you turn back into a human?" Gwen asked.
"I don't want to turn back," Ben said flatly.
Before she could respond, a beeping noise filled the air, and in a flash of red light, Ben reverted to his human form.
Now back in his normal state, his face was as expressionless as ever.
Max studied him carefully. "Ben… how do you feel?"
Ben understood what Max was truly asking. He considered for a moment, then answered in a monotone voice, "Nothing."
Max's gaze softened in disappointment. He had hoped that whatever had happened to Ben—this strange transformation—might have helped him regain his emotions. But the void inside him remained unchanged.
"It's okay, Ben," Max said after a moment. "We'll figure this out together. I'll help you understand how it works."
Gwen crossed her arms. "Really, Grandpa? I can't believe you're saying this. He started a forest fire! We don't even know how much damage he's already done."
"It was an accident," Max replied. "And maybe if we understand this device, we can prevent things like this from happening again."
Gwen wanted to argue but realized there wasn't much she could say against that. Instead, she remained silent.
"I'm going to check the site where you found it," Max said, standing up. "Stay here." Then, he headed toward the woods.
Meanwhile, in space...
Far across the galaxy, deep within a heavily damaged warship, Vilgax stirred in a stasis pod. Most of his body was gone—half-destroyed from the explosion of his last battle. Yet, despite the pain, his rage burned stronger than ever.
His heavy, mechanical breathing filled the chamber. "What do you mean it's not there?" he snarled between labored breaths.
"This battle nearly cost me my life," he growled. "And you're telling me the Omnitrix is no longer aboard the transport?!"
A Bioid soldier stood before him, rigid and unshaken. "Sensors indicate that a probe was jettisoned just before impact. It crash-landed on the planet below."
Vilgax's crimson eyes gleamed. His voice, though weak, was filled with menace.
"Go," he commanded the towering Mechadroid beside him. "Bring it to me."
Back on Earth...
At the campsite, Ben stared at the watch on his wrist. He recalled what had triggered the transformation and methodically pressed the button again. The dial popped up, displaying silhouettes of various alien creatures.
Gwen noticed. "Are you seriously messing with that thing again?"
Ben turned his head toward her. "Why do you assume I will cause problems?"
"Oh, I don't know," Gwen said, arms crossed. "Maybe because you started a forest fire?"
Ben remained unfazed. "I also stopped it."
Gwen opened her mouth to argue but decided against it.
Ben turned his attention back to the watch. He rotated the dial, watching as different alien forms flickered past. One in particular caught his attention—a wolf-like figure.
He pressed the dial down.
Instantly, his body shifted. Thick orange fur spread across his skin, and gills formed along his neck. His muscles tightened as new instincts flooded his mind. His vision sharpened, his hearing expanded, and his body felt powerful—responsive in ways his human form never was.
Gwen took a cautious step forward. "What are you now—?"
Before she could finish, Ben's animal instincts reacted automatically.
In a flash, he lunged at her.
Gwen barely had time to react before she was pinned to the ground, Ben's claws poised to strike.
"Ben!" Gwen yelled, her voice full of panic as she saw him leap towards her. His primal instincts seemed to override his usual control.
Ben froze, mid-air, as if hearing her voice snapped him back to reality. But before Gwen could call out again, he dashed off, his movements swift and wild.
"Ben, come back!" Gwen called desperately, but he was already gone, disappearing into the trees. She stood there, confused and uneasy. "What just happened? Why did he attack me like that?"
Meanwhile, Max had made his way to the crash site. The area was barren, with no signs of the pod or anything out of the ordinary. He sighed, realizing that it might be a wild goose chase. Deciding to rest for the night, he turned back to the campsite.
However, as he left, a strange noise cut through the air. A pod crashed into the site, followed by the emergence of two large robots. They immediately sent out four drones that scattered across the area, scanning the environment.
Back in the woods, Ben, now in his Wildmutt form, was leaping from tree to tree. His agility and reflexes were sharper than ever, but his emotions—aggression, instinct—ran high. As he prepared to land on a branch, a laser beam cut it clean in half, and Ben fell hard to the ground.
Surrounded by the four drones, Ben's animal instincts took over completely. His senses flooded with raw aggression, and his vision narrowed to the immediate threat. The drones were intruders, and his primal mind saw them as enemies.
He launched himself at them, claws extended. The first drone tried to evade him, but Ben was too fast. With one swipe, he tore through its metal body. The others fired on him, but Ben was relentless. His senses were heightened—every movement, every instinct screamed attack. He swiped, tore, and destroyed the drones with ferocious speed and power.
After the last drone exploded in a cloud of sparks, Ben stood amidst the wreckage, breathing heavily. The adrenaline coursing through him was thrilling—but something else lingered too, something unfamiliar. Beneath the aggression and chaos, there was a strange exhilaration. For the first time in a long while, Ben felt emotions, strong and uncontrollable. But they were raw, and it was terrifying.
Ben turned and sprinted toward the campsite. He needed to check on Gwen and Max.
When he arrived, Gwen spotted him first. She instinctively stepped back, fear flashing across her face. Ben saw her reaction, and despite his wild nature, he paused. His heightened instincts told him to charge, but there was a small part of him that understood that he couldn't do that to Gwen again.
Seeing her back up behind Max, Ben lowered his head, approaching cautiously. He stood still, waiting for Max or Gwen to make the first move.
Gwen hesitated for a moment, then slowly reached out her hand, unsure. She placed it gently on his head. To her surprise, he didn't attack. His aggressive instincts seemed to have simmered down, but Ben's eyes still reflected an underlying tension.
Max observed the interaction carefully, nodding to himself. "I think it's the alien instincts, Gwen. His Wildmutt form heightens aggression. And right now, that's all he's feeling—raw instinct. He doesn't even realize it."
Gwen, still shaken, looked at Max. "But why did he act like that? Like he was trying to hurt me?"
Max sighed. "It's the form. Wildmutt's instincts are primal."
primal instincts and the human side that felt distant and unreachable.
"Maybe, Grandpa…" Gwen said hesitantly.
Just then, Ben's body flickered in a flash of green light, and he reverted back to his human form. His face was emotionless once again.
"Ben, are you okay?" Max asked, his voice filled with concern.
"Yes," Ben replied flatly.
"Do you remember anything?" Max pressed.
Ben blinked, trying to recall. "The last thing I remember was pressing the dial. Then… I was suddenly on top of Gwen. I didn't know why, so I ran into the forest. Then I was attacked by drones."
"So, you don't remember what happened right after you transformed?" Max asked, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
Ben ever stoic "Did I do something?"
Gwen hesitated but then spoke. "After you transformed, you—well—you jumped onto me. But when I yelled your name, you seemed to snap out of it and ran off."
Ben's expression remained unreadable, but he gave a slow nod, processing the information.
Max then turned his attention back to something more pressing. "You mentioned drones. What do you mean?"
"I don't know exactly," Ben admitted. "There were four of them, and they had laser guns—or something like that. They shot at me, but I destroyed them."
Max's expression darkened. "That's… troubling."
Before they could discuss further, a crackling sound came from the radio inside the Rustbucket.
"Warning! Large unidentified robots are attacking civilians near the campsite. Rescue teams are en route for evacuation. Stay away from the area!"
Ben's his tone void of epxression. "Those could be the same ones that attacked me. We should go and stop them!"
Without waiting for a response, he bolted toward the campsite. Max and Gwen barely had time to react before chasing after him.
When they arrived, chaos had already erupted. A massive orange-colored robot was rampaging through the campsite, its metal limbs crushing tents and sending people fleeing in terror.
Ben pressed the core gently then, he transformed in a bright green flash—his body expanding, his muscles growing thicker, and four powerful arms sprouting from his sides.
Now standing at ten feet tall, Ben grinned, flexing his new, powerful form. "Oh yeah," he said, his voice booming with excitement. "I like this one. I feel invincible!"
"Ben!" Gwen called urgently.
He turned to her, expecting another complaint. "What?" he asked, his four red eyes narrowing.
She was relieved this time he didn't pounce on her. "People are getting hurt! You need to focus!"
Ben's grin faded slightly as he looked back at the destruction. His excitement was still there, but something in him knew that this fight mattered.
With a smirk, he cracked his knuckles. "Alright then. Time to smash."
Then, he charged toward the massive robot, ready for battle.
Ben launched himself into the air with a powerful leap, feeling the raw strength coursing through his massive frame. He grinned, flexing all four arms.
"Hoho! I like this one! I wish I could stay like this forever!" he declared, landing with a thunderous impact on top of the giant robot.
Deciding to test his newfound strength, he drove all four fists into the machine's metallic body. The force of his punches dented the armor immediately. Sparks flew as the robot shuddered under the assault. Wasting no time, Ben leapt onto its head, gripping the metal plating and pulling with all his might, trying to rip it clean off.
The robot struggled, flailing its arms to shake him loose. Just as Ben tightened his grip, another robot locked onto him, its arm-mounted cannon glowing with energy.
Ben reacted instantly—he yanked the first robot's head harder, using it as a shield. The incoming laser blast tore through its body, finishing what Ben had started. But the stray shot didn't stop there. It streaked through the air and sliced through a nearby tree, sending it toppling—right toward Gwen.
She hadn't noticed.
Ben's eyes widened. Without hesitation, he summoned every ounce of his strength, giving a final, savage pull—ripping the robot's head clean off. Then, with precise aim, he hurled it at the falling tree.
The impact sent splinters flying as the massive trunk was knocked off course, crashing harmlessly to the side.
Ben barely had time to recover before the second robot fired another blast, this time hitting him square in the chest. The force sent him skidding backward, leaving deep grooves in the dirt.
Snarling, he dug his feet into the ground. When the robot prepared to fire again, he leapt into the air, dodging at the last second. With a mighty heave, he grabbed the destroyed robot's remains and hurled it straight into the attacker.
The two machines collided, metal crunching against metal, before both exploded in a fiery blast.
A stunned silence followed. Then, slowly, cheers erupted from the gathered campers.
Ben stood there, breathing heavily, his four red eyes wide. For the first time in his life, people were cheering for him.
Sure, he had always been an A-grade student. He had been told he was intelligent, capable. But he had never been appreciated like this.
His teachers had always said he should socialize more, but Ben had never understood how. He wasn't like other people. He didn't feel what they felt. Empathy was just a word to him.
But right now—in this form, in this moment—he felt something.
As the excitement settled, Ben turned away from the crowd and left the scene.
A short while later, Max and Gwen found him sitting near the outskirts of the campsite. He looked… happy. Truly happy. Full of life.
Max smiled, relieved. Even if it was just for a moment, Ben had felt something real.
But Gwen? She wasn't sure what to think.
Why? she wondered. Why does he act so cold and distant as a human, but so alive when he's like this?
She had no answer.
Back on his ship, which was still undergoing repairs by his droids, Vilgax received the latest report about his Mechadroid's fate.
"Failure?! Unbelievable!" he roared, slamming a fist against his throne's armrest. His red eyes burned with fury. "The puny Earth being who dares to keep the Omnitrix from me… will soon hang on my trophy wall."
Meanwhile, the next morning at the Rustbucket, Gwen and Max were getting ready to leave when Max noticed something.
"Where's Ben?" he asked, looking around.
"I don't know," Gwen admitted. "I haven't seen him all morning."
Seeing an opportunity, she decided to bring up something that had been bothering her.
"Grandpa, have you noticed how Ben acts when he's an alien? But the moment he turns back, he goes back to his usual self?" she asked.
Max hesitated before answering. "Yeah, I noticed… I think he likes it." He wasn't sure if he should tell her the full truth about Ben's condition.
"It's strange. He's full of energy and emotion when he transforms, but as a human, it's like he's… not really there," Gwen murmured, crossing her arms.
Max sighed. "Let's just hope for the best, Gwen. Maybe he'll start acting normal again."
"I don't think so," she muttered under her breath.
Before Max could respond, a sudden blur of movement zipped in front of them, kicking up a gust of wind.
Standing before them was a sleek, velociraptor-like creature with sharp talons and a visor covering its eyes.
"Ben… is that you?" Max asked, though he already had a feeling about the answer.
"Yes, Grandpa, it's me!" Ben's voice rang out, brimming with excitement.
Both Max and Gwen were caught off guard—not just by his new form, but by how cheerful he sounded.
"See, Grandpa? This is way cooler than Fourarms or Heatblast! I am speed!" Ben declared.
Before they could even blink, he zipped around the RV, arranging all their supplies in mere seconds.
With a confident smirk, he crossed his arms. "This is going to be an interesting summer," he said as XLR8.
Max chuckled. "Yes, Ben, it's definitely going to be… interesting."
Gwen, however, just sighed. She still couldn't wrap her head around what was happening.
19/3/2025